p June 1944

I swear to spare neither blood nor my life fighting for the complete liberation of our beautiful country!

p In the summer of 1944, sailors of the Ladoga Fleet took part in the offensive on the Karelian Front, backing up the soldiers on shore from the left flank. Particularly vital were the Tuloksin landings whereby the sailors forced a bridgehead in the enemy rear between the Olontsa and Vidlitsa rivers and straddled the railway and road routes.

p Alexander Mokshin from a landing party scouting out the district around the village of Vidlitsa found himself up against a strong covering detachment. There was no escape. Alone against a whole platoon of nazis he fired his submachine-gun and hurled hand grenades. Eleven nazis were killed, but the enemy was closing in. So as not to fall into their hands, Alexander Mokshin reserved his last hand grenade for himself.

After the village’s capture, his comrades found the small note and vow written on his Party card.