Molnija Pocket Watch - Order of Red Banner

A wonderful 15 jewel manual wind mechanical watch that shows the Soviet ORDER OF RED BANNER, a medal that has the traditional Hammer & Sickle in the centre with the words in Cyrillic on the Red Banner saying 'Proletarie Vsech Stran Soydinaytes' meaning 'Workers of the World Unite' a now famous Soviet saying.

This was the first Soviet order and was established 1 August 1924. It was awarded to military personnel of the Soviet Army and Navy who displayed exceptional courage, self-denial, and valour during combat. The Order of the Red Banner originally appeared in 1918, as the Order of the Red Banner of the Russian Federation. The award was offered to citizens of the Republic for exceptional military service. Other Soviet Republics followed Russia and issued their own version of the award. Azerbaijan was the first with the Order of the Red Banner of the Azerbaijan SSR. After the formation of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics in 1922, the country's all-union military decoration became the Order of the Red Banner. Earlier awards distributed by each of the Soviet Republics were allowed to be kept by their recipients. It was decided these awards had great historic significance as they were awarded during the Civil War, and served as reminders of heroic events.
The Order of the Red Banner has been awarded to various Soviet naval units for exemplary service in wartime. The Baltic Fleet was cited for its role in the Revolution of 1917, and all four fleets (Northern, Baltic, Black Sea and Pacific) and the Caspian Naval Flotilla were cited for their service in the Great Patriotic War (1941-1945). The Baltic Fleet is formally referred to as the Twice-Honoured Red Banner Baltic Fleet.