Tank Regiment “Sasuntsi Davit” – Unique Photos From 1943

In 1943, the Armenian Apostolic Church launched a fundraising campaign among Armenians living outside the USSR in countries such as the US, Canada, Argentina, Iran, Lebanon, France, Syria, Egypt, and many others. The official appeal of the Armenian Apostolic Church stated that the Armenians living in the USSR were in a state of war against the German occupiers and were in need of help.

Armenians from all over the world began to transfer their funds to the official representative of the Armenian Apostolic Church Gevorg Chorekchyan. He was appointed responsible for the fundraising by the Catholicos of all Armenians.

With the money raised (927 thousand US dollars, 4 million Iranian reals, 14 thousand Egyptian pounds, 185 thousand Lebanese pounds, and 276 thousand Syrian pounds at the exchange rate of 1943), a tank regiment called “Sasuntsi Davit” (David of Sasun) was established. Each tank in the regiment had the name of the regiment written in Armenian and Russian on the left and right sides of the turret respectively.

The tanks of the regiment soon entered service and participated in the defeat of the Nazis in the following year and a half of the war.

P.S. In addition to 600,000 Armenians who fought on the fronts of World War II (half of whom perished), at least 30,000 more Armenians signed up as volunteers from countries that were not part of the USSR (USA, Canada, Iran, Syria, Argentina, and others).

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