P.V. SHAVENKOV
NAMES OF REGULAR REGIMENTS OF THE IMPERIAL RUSSIAN ARMY AT THE END OF THE 17TH – BEGINNING OF THE XX CENTURIES. (using the example of cavalry regiments)
“November 27.
Holiday of Nizhny Novgorod residents! Where are they and what’s wrong with them?”
From the diary of Nicholas II.
Having begun to create new regular regiments at the very end of the 17th century, Peter I usually assigned them the names of regimental commanders (“Dragoon Morelia Regiment”) or chiefs (“Dragoon Field Marshal Sheremetev Regiment”). In this case, the tsar followed both the tradition of most European armies of that time and Russian custom (most of the previous rifle and soldier regiments were named after their commanders). The exception was a number of regiments, named after the villages and settlements near Moscow in which these regiments were quartered or formed: the Preobrazhensky and Semenovsky “amusing” regiments, the Butyrsky elective soldiers’ regiment (existed from the mid-17th century) and the Preobrazhensky dragoon regiments ( the latter soon also began to be called colonels). In 1700, the former “amusing” regiments received the honorary name of the Life Guards regiments, i.e. literally translated as “bodyguards” of the monarch; Subsequently, this honorary prefix was an integral part of the names of most guards units of the Imperial Russian Army. Even having subsequently changed their quarters, both first guards regiments, like the Butyrsky Infantry Regiment, retained their names - in memory of the places that became the cradle of the new army.
However, the method of naming regiments by commander soon ceased to satisfy Peter, especially since the fairly frequent change of colonels in war conditions led to constant changes in regimental names and threatened confusion. Gradually, the main principle of naming regiments became “geographical”, i.e. naming by cities and territories. So, already from 1704, the soldier’s regiment of Alexander Menshikov began to be called Ingria, and from March 10, 1708 (according to other sources, as early as October 1706), most of the regular regiments received “geographical” names, which was clearly connected with the new administrative division of Russia into provinces and provinces. One of the pre-revolutionary military historians spoke about the reasons for this method of naming: “Peter the Great’s idea to name the regiments after the names of Russian lands and give them banners with the coats of arms of the provinces by which they were named was a deeply thought-out thought. Serving under these banners, the soldier considered himself to belong to a great state, the interests of which he defended” (Potto V.A. History of the 44th Dragoon Regiment of Nizhny Novgorod. T.2. St. Petersburg, 1893. P.41.). One can quite agree with this opinion, but I think the principle of choosing “geographical” regimental names should be considered in more detail.
The easiest way to determine the principle of naming garrison units is that they usually received the names of the cities and provinces in which they were located. Regarding field regiments, there is an opinion that in Peter’s time they received names according to the places of their military distinction, or according to the areas of deployment or recruitment. However, the study of regimental histories indicates the fallacy of this point of view.
For example, at the end of 1703 an infantry regiment was formed in Kazan, named Koporsky in 1708. As the history of the regiment testifies, it not only did not participate in the battles for Koporye, but also never, until its renaming in 1784 to Vitebsk, was stationed in the area of this ancient fortress. In general, the opinion that in the Russian army many regiments received names after the places of battles in which they distinguished themselves should be considered a delusion. Thus, under Peter I, among the regular regiments there was not a single one called “Poltava”, although several dozen of them took part in this decisive battle of the Northern War. Later, at the beginning of the 20th century, there really were Kagulsky, Rymniksky, Borodino and a number of other infantry regiments named in memory of the victories of Russian weapons, but all these regiments were formed after these battles (sometimes for 100 years or more) and, naturally, not could distinguish themselves in them.
Most regular field regiments at the beginning of the 18th century were named after cities in European Russia, which, however, did not mean that they were formed or located exactly in the corresponding cities. The Nizhny Novgorod infantry regiment, for example, was formed in 1700 in Preobrazhenskoye near Moscow and over the next 100 years only in 1727 - 1729 and 1775 - 1777. lived in Nizhny Novgorod. The situation with the Nizhny Novgorod Dragoon Regiment is even more indicative. It was formed in 1701 in the Novgorod region from local service people, and throughout its subsequent more than 200-year history it was never in Nizhny Novgorod (moreover, in the 19th century the regiment was constantly stationed in the Caucasus and was replenished mainly by recruits from Little Russian, Western and Polish provinces). The future Pskov Dragoon Regiment was formed in Moscow from service people of the Volga region; in 1701 – 1704 he, like the entire army of B.P. Sheremetev, was in winter quarters in Pskov, but never visited this city again. Many other regimental histories paint a similar picture.
By what principle then did field regiments receive “geographical” names in Peter’s time? Let us consider the “nomenclature” of such names that had developed by 1721. As already noted, most of the regiments bore the names of ancient Russian cities located in the center, in the north-west of the country and in the Volga region: Moscow Infantry and Dragoon, Vladimir Infantry and Dragoon, Novgorod Infantry and Dragoon, Arkhangelsk Infantry and Dragoon, Pskov infantry and dragoon, Vologda infantry and dragoon, Kazan infantry and dragoon, Astrakhan infantry and dragoon, Nizhny Novgorod infantry and dragoon, Rostov infantry and dragoon, Yaroslavl infantry and dragoon, Trinity infantry and dragoon, Ryazan infantry and dragoon, Vyatka infantry and dragoon , Perm infantry and dragoon, Velikoluksky, Smolensky, Belgorod, Belozersky, Voronezh, Galician infantry and Olonetsky, Kargopolsky, Lutsky (meaning Velikiye Luki), Tver, Novotroitsky dragoon regiments. It was these areas that were the main source of recruiting regular troops, since they bore the brunt of the recruitment drives of that time. It is characteristic that the largest cities at that time were represented in the ranks of the army by two regiments each - infantry and dragoons. However, it must be emphasized once again that all this did not mean at all that the regiments, called Moscow, Kazan, etc., were replenished precisely by Muscovites or Kazan residents. In 1711, it was decided that the regiments should receive reinforcements from the province to which they were assigned, but due to the constant movement of regiments during the Northern War, this system could not really take hold. At the end of the war, the overwhelming majority of regiments were stationed in provinces that did not coincide with their names; At the same time, recruits to the regiment came mainly from the area where it was located.
The second largest by 1721 was a group of regiments that received names from the places conquered from the Swedes in the first years of the war: St. Petersburg Infantry and Dragoons, Ingermanland Infantry and Dragoons, Neva Infantry and Dragoons, Narva Infantry and Dragoons. Sky, Vyborg, Koporsky, Shlisselburg infantry regiments and the Yamburg Dragoon Regiment. It seems that such attention to these geographical points was due to Peter’s desire (and he undoubtedly chose the names of the regiments himself) to demonstrate that these territories were as integral a part of the Russian state as the central regions of the country. In this regard, attention is drawn to the fact that even after the loss of the Azov fortress as a result of the unsuccessful Prut campaign, the Azov infantry and dragoon regiments remained in the ranks of the army: apparently in this way the desire to return this important point was emphasized over time.
By 1721, territories that were almost not involved in the recruitment of regular troops at that time were represented to a lesser extent in the names of regiments. Thus, the entire Left Bank of Ukraine (recruitment was not carried out on its territory until the time of Catherine II) was represented in the ranks of the field troops only by the Kiev - infantry and dragoon - regiments and the Chernigov infantry regiment, and huge Asian Russia - by the Siberian infantry and dragoon and Tobol - infantry and dragoon regiments. By the way, the last four regiments during their entire existence were never in Siberia. Thus, as in previous cases, the choice of names for these regiments was dictated primarily by political considerations - the need to represent all regions of the country in the army. The frequency of mention of certain geographical objects in the names of regiments is an indicator of the degree of significance of the corresponding regions in government policy of that time.
So, the choice of “geographical” names of regular field regiments by Peter I was not accidental and was associated not so much with the areas of their location or recruitment, but with the desire to demonstrate the significance of the corresponding regions for the domestic and foreign policy of Russia.
It should be noted that even by the end of Peter’s life, not all regiments had “geographical” names. Grenadier (infantry and dragoon) and landmilitian regiments continued to be named after commanders or chiefs, apparently because they were considered temporary units. In addition, there was a dragoon Life Regiment (from the German “regiment” - regiment), which, according to the tsar, was supposed to play the same role for the cavalry as the guards regiments for the infantry.
In February 1727, at the insistence of A.D. Menshikov, who referred to the will of Peter the Great, all field regiments were renamed according to the provinces in which they were actually stationed, with the addition of a serial number if necessary. Thus, the Narvsky, Olonetsky and Novotroitsky dragoon regiments located in the Nizhny Novgorod province were called the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Nizhny Novgorod regiments, respectively (the Nizhny Novgorod dragoon regiment was called the 2nd Shatsky). However, such a renaming could lead to the oblivion of the previous exploits of the regiments, and the possible redeployment of the regiments could cause confusion, so already in November of the same year, after the fall of Menshikov, the previous “geographical” names were returned to the regiments. At the same time, the regiments received “geographical” names, which continued to bear the names of their chiefs until 1727. Thus, in particular, the Vyborg, Revel and Riga dragoon regiments appeared, the names of which, apparently, were supposed to emphasize that even in the new conditions Russia would not give up the conquests of Peter I (hereinafter we consider the names of only regular cavalry regiments).
During the reign of Anna Ioannovna, regiments with names based on chiefs appeared again. They were regiments converted from dragoons to cuirassiers: Cuirassier Minikha (chief - the initiator of this transformation), Life Cuirassier (chief - Empress) and Bevernsky (then renamed Brunswick) cuirassier. The name of the latter is due to the fact that its boss was Prince Anton-Ulrich of Brunswick-Bevern-Lunenburg (father of the infant Emperor Ivan Antonovich). It is interesting that after the arrest and exile of Field Marshal Minikhov under Empress Elizabeth, his regiment was called the “former Minikhov” and only a few years later was renamed the 3rd Cuirassier.
In 1741, regular hussar regiments appeared for the first time in the Russian army. They were recruited mainly from emigrants and received the corresponding names - Hungarian, Georgian, Moldavian and Serbian. The national names of hussar regiments (mainly based on the Balkan nationalities) existed for more than 40 years, until the light cavalry regiments began to be replenished on the same basis as all regular troops.
One can also note the existence in the 1750s - 1770s. The Black and Yellow Hussars, whose names corresponded to the colors of their uniforms.
Emperor Peter III tried again to rename all the regular regiments after the names of their chiefs, since this was the name of the regiments in the army of the Prussian king Frederick II, who was so revered by him. However, during his short reign, the emperor did not have time to complete this reform, which caused general discontent in the army, and Catherine II, who overthrew her husband, hastened to return the regiments to the names that they had by the end of Elizabeth’s reign.
During the reign of Catherine II, conscription was extended to the population of Little Russia, and the recruits recruited there were sent mainly to the cavalry. This led to a decrease in the number of cavalry regiments bearing the names of cities in the current territory of the Russian Federation, and the emergence of regiments whose names were associated with the Little Russian lands and the lands annexed as a result of the wars with Turkey (the latter were called Novorossiya). So, by 1796 there were Glukhovsky, Chernigovsky, Kievsky, Nezhinsky, Starodubsky, Seversky Carabinieri, Kinburnsky and Taganrog Dragoons, Elisavetgradsky, Kievsky, Pereyaslavsky, Tauride Horse Guards, Olviopolsky Hussars, Kharkovsky, Mariupolsky, Pavlogradsky, Alexandria, Akhtyrsky , Sumsky, Izyumsky, Kherson, Poltava, Ostrogozhsky and Ukrainian light horse regiments. The tendency to call most cavalry regiments with “geographical” names associated with the territory of modern Ukraine continued into the 19th century.
From the very first days of his reign, Paul I sought to eliminate the memory of his mother’s reign. He hastened to reduce the size of the army, and first of all, units whose names were reminiscent of the victories of Catherine’s time were disbanded (including the Kinburn Dragoon, Tauride Horse-Jager and Kherson Light Horse regiments that were disbanded). At the same time, the new sovereign, who, like Peter III, bowed before Frederick II, began to replace the “geographical” names of the regiments with patron ones. Finally, in October 1798, all army regiments were ordered to be named after their chiefs. The majority of soldiers and officers reacted sharply negatively to this change: “Of all the innovations we borrowed from the Prussians, this was the most unpopular” (Potto V.A. Op. op. p. 42). The kaleidoscopic change of chiefs of most regiments (and therefore their names) only aggravated dissatisfaction with such a “reform.”
Particular attention should be paid to the name of the Cavalry Regiment, formed in 1800 and immediately taking first place among the Guards cavalry units. Sometimes in the literature one encounters the designation of this regiment as the “Life Guards of the Cavalry Guard,” which is completely incorrect. The Cavalry Regiment never had the prefix “Life Guards” in its name (although it enjoyed all the rights of the Old Guard), since the very word “Cavalry Guards” (from the French “cavalier garde”) means “horse guards”.
Alexander I, who reigned as a result of the death of his father, returned the “geographical” names to the regiments, and under him new regiments also received names according to this principle. At the same time, a tradition began, which was continued in the future, of assigning the names of previously disbanded regiments to newly created regiments in order to preserve the memory of their service. Thus, in 1783, the Nezhinsky Light Horse Regiment was created, which was disbanded, already a cuirassier, in 1800. In 1806, the Nezhinsky Dragoon Regiment was created, which existed (as a horse-jaeger regiment) until 1833. The Nezhinsky Dragoon Regiment appeared again in 1856 ., but already in 1860 it was abolished. Finally, in 1896, the Nezhin Dragoon Regiment was created again, to which the seniority of the Nezhin Light Horse Regiment formed in 1783 and the awards of the Nezhin Dragoon Regiment formed in 1806 were transferred.
In 1824, the Grodno Hussar Regiment was named Klyastitsky (in memory of the battle of Klyastitsy on July 19, 1812) - this is the only case in the entire history of pre-revolutionary regular cavalry of a regiment being renamed after the place of the battle in which it distinguished itself.
After the victory over Napoleon, a number of regiments again received names based on their chiefs. Unlike Pavlov’s time, when the boss in most cases directly supervised the sponsored part, in the 19th – early 20th centuries. patronage was only an honorary title, which was awarded to members of Russian and foreign ruling houses and some Russian military leaders. Of the cavalry regiments, the first in this period to receive the patronage name was the Belarusian Hussar Regiment, named in 1816 as the Prince of Orange Hussar Regiment. Under Nicholas I, such renamings became widespread, and by 1855, of the 50 army cavalry regiments available at that time, 41 were named after their chiefs. In 1857, in connection with the national upsurge caused by the failure in the Crimean War, the “geographical” names were returned to the regiments, while retaining the name of the chief (for example, the Chuguev Uhlan general from the cavalry, Count Nikitin regiment).
In 1864, a serial number was added to the names of army regiments, and each branch of cavalry received a separate numbering; in 1882 – 1907 due to the transformation of all army lancer and hussar regiments into dragoon regiments, all army cavalry regiments had continuous numbering (except for the Primorsky Dragoon Regiment, which never had a number). In 1891, the names of “eternal chiefs” - outstanding Russian military leaders - were added to the names of several cavalry regiments; Later, a number of regiments received “eternal chiefs” - heroes of the war with Napoleon.
By 1914, 56 cavalry regiments had “geographical” names (excluding the Crimean Cavalry Regiment, which was staffed by Crimean Tatars). Of these, 18 were named after cities and regions of the modern territory of the Russian Federation (including 2 associated with the Asian part of the country, of which the Irkutsk Hussar Regiment was never located in Siberia), 28 of Ukraine (including the Novorossiysk dragoon - that was the name of the Northern Black Sea region), Belarus - 3, Baltic states, including Finland - 7 (including the Tatar Uhlan, which inherited the name of a regiment formed from Lithuanian Tatars). It should be emphasized once again that this did not at all mean that the regiments were necessarily located on the corresponding territory or that they received reinforcements only from it. The main task of the “geographical” names, as before, was to represent all the lands of the Russian state in the ranks of the troops.
Russian Imperial Army
Banners and standards of the Russian Imperial Army
The banner has always been the most important symbol of the unit of any army. The idea of a battle banner is purely rational. The banner was supposed to serve as a guide in the thick of hand-to-hand combat, where friend and foe were mixed. The fluttering banner over the field showed where his own people were fighting, where a warrior who had lost sight of his comrades should fight his way. Naturally, each side sought to deprive the enemy of his landmarks and “cut” the enemy’s banners. This was not easy to do: precisely because the soldiers rallied around the banner, and the attackers could only get to it by destroying everyone standing in the way. “The Russian people,” noted military historian F. F. Orlov, “have long had a veneration of military banners as shrines. When meeting the banner of any regiment, many take off their hats, “the Orthodox people make the sign of the cross”... What it means to stand or die for the banner, everyone here knows and understands very well, even those who have not been in military service.” The strength of the folk tradition is understandable, since the foundation of ideas about the high importance of the battle flag in Rus' was laid long before Peter the Great created a regular army.
The banners became symbols of heroism and valor. A banner nailed to the staff, which cannot be thrown away, no matter how difficult it is, and which must be followed to the end, will always remind the warrior of duty, honor, and the sanctity of the bonds of comradeship. Emperor Peter the Great understood this very well. The “Land Military Charter” of 1716 read: “Whoever, standing before the enemy or in action, goes away and does not defend their banner or standard to the last drop of blood, they will be defamed; and when they are caught, they will be killed; or, if possible, they are transferred to a company or regiment and there without trial, on the first tree that lands on the moon, they will be hanged.” It is curious that the inconsistency of Peter’s reforms is also manifested in relation to the banners. The role of banners and standards was relegated to the quartermaster's property, along with boilers, tents and other things. These shrines, which every soldier, according to Peter the Great’s “Land Military Regulations,” had to defend “without sparing his life,” were replaced with new ones after a certain period of time and in fact served only as landmarks on the battlefield.
Each new emperor or empress, upon coming to power, removed from the army the regalia granted by his predecessor. Emperor Paul destroyed this glaring contradiction between the letter and spirit of the law, establishing on April 30, 1797 “from now on, banners and standards will serve indefinitely.” No one could have imagined that these words would literally come true: four regiments of the Russian army (198th Alexander Nevsky Infantry, 328th Novouzensky Infantry, 7th and 13th Turkestan Rifle Regiments) went to the war of 1914-1918. with banners granted to their predecessors by Paul I.
The high significance of the banner was also confirmed by military rituals. Through the concept of “banner,” the essence of military duty was expressed in the text of the military oath: “From the company and the banner, where I belong ... - every soldier swore, - never leave, but for it, while I am alive, without fail, voluntarily and faithfully, in a way that pleases me My honor and my belly, I will follow.” Beginning in 1797, the swearing officer had to hold the banner with his hand, and at the end of the 19th century, young soldiers being sworn in, in addition to the Gospel and the cross, also kissed the banner.
In the 19th century, new rituals appeared. For example, the ritual of nailing the cloth of a newly granted banner or standard to the pole had deep meaning. The eldest in rank among those present (as a rule, the commander of a district or corps, and often the emperor himself or one of the members of the imperial family) finished hammering the top of the baited nails, then the hammer was passed to the next in seniority; The last nail was hammered in by a private. The banner symbolically united everyone - from general to private. It complained forever - and was beaten once and for all. Even for repairing the shaft, if it entailed the need to reupholster the panel, since 1883 (by order of the Minister of War) it was necessary to seek the Highest permission.
When saluting the “sacred banners,” all military personnel stood at the front. The banners and standards themselves “bowed” only to the emperor, empress and foreign monarchs with the title of “Majesty”.
“... A piece of matter, ... the preservation of which cost the lives of hundreds, and perhaps thousands of people who were part of the regiment during its centuries-long existence, ... such a piece of matter is a shrine - not a conventional military shrine only, but a shrine in the direct and immediate meaning of this words,” wrote the famous Russian military theorist Mikhail Ivanovich Dragomirov in 1868.
The colors of banners and standards were also important, since from them the soldier recognized the uniform system and applied colors of various regiments of the Russian army. This was precisely the reason for the dissatisfaction of some units that did not have “their” regimental colors on the banners and standards: in the Grenadier regiments - yellow, in the Alexandrian Hussars and Order Dragoons - black, in the Akhtyrsky Hussars - brown.
Russian banners and standards consisted of mandatory elements and optional ones (accessories). The mandatory ones included: a panel, a pommel, a bracket, a shaft, a thread, nails and screws, a cover and a lanyard. The optional ones included wide St. George and anniversary ribbons (given to the regiment as a reward or in honor of the regimental anniversary, respectively). In addition, accessories include a pantaler - a special sling for carrying a banner or standard.
The cloth was made from silk fabric of the highest quality (rep, faile, grodenaple or banner fabric, less commonly grodetur or camlot). The cloth was the most important part of the banner and standard.
The pommel is a brass gilded or silvered (nickel silver - in the guard) decoration on the top (hence the name) of the shaft. The following types of pommels were used in Russia.
Sample from 1783 - in the form of a gilded ball topped with an eight-pointed Orthodox cross. On the St. George regalia, the Order of St. George, 3rd degree, is tied to the pommel tube.
Model 1857 (Guards) gilded or silvered according to the device, it represents a double-headed eagle.
Model 1867 (St. George Army) installed on November 9, 1867: a spear with the St. George Cross, covered with enamel, in a full wreath.
Model 1875 (St. George Guards), granted at the same time to all the St. George Guard regalia available at that time (with the exception of the banner of the Company of Palace Grenadiers, which retained the pommel of the 1830 model). The top was a double-headed eagle standing on Perun, resting on a wreath, in the middle of which was placed the St. George Cross, covered with enamel.
The bracket is a gilded copper plate 6.7 cm wide, put on the shaft below the panel on the banners and standards of all existing units. The inscriptions were engraved on the bracket: in the top line - the monogram of the Sovereign - the founder of the unit, the year of foundation and the original name of the unit, in the middle - the monogram of the Sovereign (or Sovereigns) who granted the distinction (if the banner is St. George or for distinction) and the inscription of the distinction. The bottom line contained the monogram of the Sovereign who bestowed the banner, the year of the award and the name of the unit at that moment.
The shaft was made of birch, oak, ash or maple (in the Life Guards engineer battalion - from cherry wood). The color of the shaft and its dimensions were established in 1857 and were used until 1917. Colors: 1st regiment in a division - yellow, 3rd regiment - white, 2nd and 4th regiments in divisions, rifle regiments, engineering units - black.
In cavalry, the shaft is dark green, with gilded or silvered (according to the instrument) grooves along the entire length of the shaft.
Podtok is a gilded copper “glass” of a cone shape, placed on the lower end of the shaft to protect it from rotting and damage.
Covers for banners and standards were made of black leather. At the same time, special covers were installed for cuirassier standards, in the form of an envelope slightly larger than the standard itself, with two flaps fastened with straps over the crossbar and capturing part of the shaft.
By imperial decree, it was established that anniversary ribbons should be granted to the banners and standards of units that had existed for a hundred years or more, anniversary ribbons, for the guard - St. Andrew's - the Order of St. Apostle Andrew the First-Called (blue), for the army - Alexander - Order of St. Prince Alexander Nevsky (red).
Wide St. George ribbons. An order to the military department for regiments “that already have all the insignia established as a reward for military exploits” established “a new highest distinction - St. George ribbons on banners and standards with inscriptions of distinctions for which the ribbons were awarded.”
The ribbons were installed in the same size as the anniversary ribbons described above. The inscription of distinction was embroidered on the upper side of the upper half of the ribbon, and the name of the unit was embroidered on the upper side of the lower half. At the ends of the ribbon were placed the monograms of the Sovereign who bestowed the distinction, below them - on the upper half - the cross of the Order of St. George, 1st degree, and on the lower half - the four-pointed star of the order. Only two regiments in the Russian army - the 17th Nizhny Novgorod Dragoon and the 18th Seversky Dragoon - were awarded these distinctions.
St. George ribbons
On St. George's banners and standards, a bow from the St. George's ribbon was tied to the top tube, with the Order of St. George, 3rd degree.
In the ranks of units of the Russian Imperial Army in 1914 - 1917. there were banners of six reigns - a total of 11 samples (or 13 modifications). Banners decorated the tops of 12 samples. The units consisted of banners granted back in 1800, banners and standards soaked in the gunpowder fumes of all the wars that Russia waged in 1805 - 1905. One regiment had the banner of the 1797 model - in 1914 - the 328th Novouzensky Infantry Regiment.
The 198th Alexander Nevsky Infantry Regiment, the 7th Turkestan Rifle Regiment, and the 13th Turkestan Rifle Regiment had banners of the 1800 model.
The 84th Shirvan Infantry Regiment and the 7th Finnish Infantry Regiment had banners of the 1803 model.
The banners of the 1813 model (guards) were: Company of Palace Grenadiers (1830), Life Guards Izmailovsky Regiment (1850). Life Guards Grenadier Regiment (1856), Life Guards 1st Rifle Regiment and Life Guards 2nd Rifle Tsarskoye Selo Regiment (1856).
Other regiments of the Russian army (before the reign of Alexander III) had banners of the 1816, 1857, 1871, 1876 and 1880 models in approximately equal proportions.
Standards of the Russian Army
The standard was a reduced infantry banner with a pommel and no fringe.
In the ranks of the Imperial Cavalry at the beginning of the war of 1914 - 1918. there were standards of 6 samples (or 13 modifications) with finials of 8 samples.
Only three regiments of the Guards Cavalry (Life Guards Cavalry, Life Guards Horse-Grenadier and Life Guards Uhlan of Her Majesty) had standards of the 1817 model.
The St. George standards of the 1827 model had four regiments of army cavalry (4th Ulan Kharkov, 1st Hussars Sumsky, 11th Hussars Izyum and 12th Hussars Akhtyrsky). The 15th Uhlan Tatar and 15th Hussar Ukrainian regiments had special standards of 1827 for the Lithuanian Corps.
Cossack Banners
Model 1883
Since 1883, the Cossack units began to receive only standards that fully corresponded in size and image to cavalry standards, while the panel was made according to the color of the army’s uniform, and the border was made according to the color of the instrument cloth.
Flags of the Imperial House(as of 1914)
Imperial standard. Used by the Sovereign Emperor Nicholas II. Yellow rectangular panel with the image of the Small State Emblem of Russia. It existed in two versions - land (with coats of arms on the wings of an eagle) and naval (with charters - maps of the seas and without coats of arms on the wings).
Flag of Her Majesty the Empress. Used by Her Majesty the Dowager Empress Maria Feodorovna and Her Majesty the Empress Alexandra Feodorovna. Similar to the Imperial Standard, but with braids (in the form of a weather vane).
Flag of His Imperial Highness the Heir Tsarevich. Used by His Imperial Highness the Heir Tsarevich Alexei Nikolaevich (in 1881-1894 - Nikolai Alexandrovich, in 1894 - 1904 - Mikhail Alexandrovich). Kaiser flag with the Imperial Standard superimposed on its center.
Flag of His Imperial Highness the Grand Duke Viceroy or Commander-in-Chief. Used by His Imperial Highness Grand Duke Nikolai Nikolaevich when he was Supreme Commander-in-Chief (1914-1915) and Viceroy in the Caucasus (1915-1917). St. Andrew's flag, on the center of which the Grand Ducal flag is superimposed.
Flag of His Imperial Highness the Grand Duke. The Kaiser flag, on the center of which is superimposed a round yellow medallion of the design of the Imperial Standard. In 1914-1917 16 people had the title of Grand Duke. The following persons of the Imperial House used this flag:
His Imperial Highness Grand Duke Mikhail Alexandrovich
His Imperial Highness Grand Duke Kirill Vladimirovich
His Imperial Highness Grand Duke Boris Vladimirovich
His Imperial Highness Grand Duke Andrei Vladimirovich
His Imperial Highness Grand Duke Pavel Alexandrovich
His Imperial Highness Grand Duke Dmitry Pavlovich
His Imperial Highness Grand Duke Konstantin Konstantinovich
His Imperial Highness Grand Duke Dmitry Konstantinovich
His Imperial Highness Grand Duke Peter Nikolaevich
His Imperial Highness Grand Duke Nikolai Mikhailovich
His Imperial Highness Grand Duke Georgy Mikhailovich
His Imperial Highness Grand Duke Alexander Mikhailovich
His Imperial Highness Grand Duke Sergei Mikhailovich
Staff flags
Staff flags designated the locations of headquarters, company, squadron and battery yards. On both sides of the flags, the number and initial letters of the name of the corps, division or separate brigade were sewn in black, similar to the headquarters code.
Army Headquarters- 5 orange, 5 black stripes. The same flag was used by the commanders-in-chief of the armies of the fronts.
Corps headquarters- orange cloth with green border.
Infantry Division Headquarters- green cloth with a scarlet border.
Headquarters of a rifle division or separate brigade- green cloth with a crimson border.
Cavalry Division Headquarters- orange cloth with a scarlet border.
Cossack division headquarters- blue cloth with a scarlet border.
The sizes of staff flags for the headquarters of infantry regiments, cavalry and Cossack troops, artillery brigades and engineer battalions were somewhat smaller. A rhombus was sewn onto the flag, with its vertices resting on the middle of the sides of the flag.
In the Guards Regiment, all officers had to say “YOU” to each other, regardless of the difference in rank and years. All officers of the Guards Cavalry traditionally greeted each other and, in addition, shook hands when they met, regardless of whether they knew each other or not.
From that time on, honor should also be given to officers of foreign armies.
Flags of the Cossack regiments
The Cossack regiments, in turn, had both flags and centenary badges. If the staff flag, as a rule, did not leave the regiment’s quarters (temporary or permanent), then the regimental flag indicated the location of the regiment commander in battle and was worn at the peak. The flags were square. Their colors were the same as the army cloth, and when repeating the colors, the younger Cossack army had an oblique cross sewn onto the cloth. In the center of the flag was sewn a scarlet or yellow regimental code, similar to the code on the shoulder straps.
Hundred badges were worn on pikes in mounted Cossack regiments. They looked like cavalry weather vanes and consisted of two halves with braids. The upper half was the color of the army, however, if several Cossack troops had the same colors, then in the younger troops a longitudinal strip was sewn up to half the length. The color of the lower half corresponded to the hundred number: 1st hundred - scarlet, 2nd hundred - light blue, 3rd hundred - white, 4th hundred - green, 5th hundred - yellow and 6th hundred - brown .
The flags were installed for all regiments of the Guards cavalry and were squares with a braid in the form of a triangle. They were worn on white or yellow shafts, according to the instrument metal of the regiment.
1. Chamber-page of the front company of the Corps of Pages with the corps banner (salute). Dressed in court uniform. Anniversary banner of the 1900 model.
2. Banner of the Life Guards Kexholm Regiment. St. George's Jubilee Banner of the 1900 model, awarded in 1910. The banner is decorated with ribbons granted by the Austrian Emperor Franz Joseph I in 1888 in memory of the 40th anniversary of the Patronage. With the outbreak of the First World War, these ribbons were removed from the banner.
3. Banner of His Imperial Majesty's Own Consolidated Infantry Regiment. A simple banner of the 1900 model, awarded in 1908.
4. Banner of the Life Guards Preobrazhensky Regiment. St. George's Jubilee Banner of 1883, awarded in the same year. Unlike other regiments, the Preobrazhensky and Semenovsky regiments received 4 banners in 1883 (1 per battalion). The banner of the 1st Battalion of the Life Guards of the Preobrazhensky Regiment in 1950 was transferred by the surviving ranks of the regiment for storage to its sister regiment: the Colstream Regiment of the English Royal Guard. The banners of the remaining battalions are now in the State Hermitage.
5. Banner of the Life Guards Sapper Battalion. St. George's Jubilee Banner of the 1900 model, awarded in 1912. Now located in the Museum of Artillery and Engineering Troops in St. Petersburg.
6. Banner of the Life Guards Pavlovsk Regiment. St. George's Jubilee Banner of the 1883 model, awarded in 1890.
1. Estandart cadet of the Cavalry Regiment with a standard. St. George's Jubilee Standard of 1884, granted in 1899. Traditionally, the standards of the guards cuirassier regiments were attached to the staff using a special crossbar, like a banner. After the First World War, the standard of the Cavalry Guard Regiment was taken to France, where it was kept in the family of the last commander of the regiment, Colonel V.N. Zvegintsov, and then in the Army Museum in Paris.
2. Standard of the 7th Olviopol Uhlan Regiment. Anniversary standard “for distinction” of the 1900 model, awarded in 1912. The only standard “for distinction” awarded during the period described. In 1917 it was transferred to the custody of the chief of the regiment, the Spanish King Alfonso XIII, and in 1921 it was transferred from Spain to the Belgrade Temple. In 1945, it was taken to the USSR and is now in the Hermitage.
3. Standard of the Guards Reserve Cavalry Regiment. Simple standard of the 1900 model, granted in 1902.
4. Standard of the Life Guards Dragoon Regiment. St. George's Jubilee Standard of 1900.
5. Standard of the 13th Dragoon Military Order Regiment. St. George's Jubilee Standard of the 1900 model, granted in 1909. When the instrument panel was made of black cloth, the border was placed in orange, as an exception to the rule. On the standard are ribbons granted by German Emperor Wilhelm I in 1874.
6. Standard of the 1st Life Dragoons Moscow Regiment. St. George's Jubilee Standard of 1884, granted in 1900. The inscription was originally: “For the rapid advance and capture of Adrianople in 1878”
1. Sub-horseman of the Turkmen cavalry division with the divisional banner (position “on guard” on foot). A simple banner of the 1884 model, awarded in 1897. The banner was taken abroad after the revolution, kept in the Belgrade Church, and in 1945 taken to the USSR and later transferred to the Hermitage. Type of banner for non-Christian units - instead of an icon - State Emblem.
2. Sub-ensign of the foot squads of the State Militia with a banner (position “on the shoulder”). Dressed in the old guards uniform, which the militia could wear while serving within the Empire, right up to the moment they were sent to the front. Militia banner of the 1855/1914 model.
3. Standard of the 1st Border Zaamur Cavalry Regiment. The St. George standard of the 1900 model, granted in 1907, is the first standard of the border units.
Before Peter I created a regular army, rifle regiments and regiments of the “foreign system” were called by the name of the commander. In 1700, when creating new regiments, Peter I mainly adhered to this tradition. Thus, the regiment, which later became the 19th Kostroma Infantry, was called the “Nicholas von Werden Regiment.” Only the “amusing” regiments, which became the first guards regiments of the Russian army, were named after the names of the villages near Moscow where they were formed (Preobrazhensky, Semyonovsky). But in 1708, wanting to forever connect his young regiments with the Russian land, Peter the Great gave them the names of cities and provinces of Russia.
It must be said that most of the regiments were never in the cities whose name they bore: the 19th Kostroma Infantry Regiment was never in Kostroma; The 20th Galitsky, formed in Sevastopol, was never quartered in Galich.
At first, the regiments were united into “generalships”, then they began to be organized into divisions, and the division included regiments with names related to one province or nearby provinces. Thus, the 5th Infantry Division included: 17th Arkhangelsk, 18th Vologda (1st brigade), 19th Kostroma and 20th Galitsky (2nd brigade) regiments. The regiments of this division are honored regiments of the Russian army, participating in many campaigns and wars. In fierce battles they earned the St. George banners and other collective insignia.
During the First World War, new regiments were formed, which received the names of cities in the Kostroma province. According to the mobilization plan, the 81st Infantry Division was formed on the basis of the regiments of the 46th Infantry Division, which, after a short training, left for the front. It included the 322nd Soligalich Infantry Regiment, deployed from the 245 Soligalich Reserve Battalion and given a new number. To a large extent, it was replenished by reserve soldiers - Kostroma residents.
At that time, the tradition of uniting regiments based on the names of cities in one province or neighboring provinces into one division was broken, so the regiments of the 3rd and 4th lines, which received the names of cities in the same province, ended up in different divisions. This is partly understandable - these regiments were formed at different times, in a hurry, and received names without any system. Thus, in the Russian army in 1915, the 491st Varnavinsky Infantry Regiment of the 123rd Infantry Division appeared; in 1916–1917, the 178th Infantry Division of the 4th stage was formed, in which three regiments bore the names of the cities of the Kostroma province: the 709th Kineshma Infantry, the 710th Makaryevsky Infantry and the 711th Nerekhta Infantry Regiments, and the 712th The infantry regiment bore the name Uzensky. The 238th Vetluzhsky Infantry Regiment was also formed. The regiments of the 2nd, 3rd and 4th lines did not glorify themselves in any way in the battles of the First World War.
In addition to the regiments that bore the names of the cities of the Kostroma province, in the Russian army there were regiments connected with Kostroma by other ties: at different times they were stationed in Kostroma and were connected with the life of the city.
At the end of the 18th century, the 9th Ingria Infantry Regiment was stationed in Kostroma, the same one into which A.V. was released as lieutenant. Suvorov. Pyotr Grigorievich Bardakov, a participant in Suvorov’s campaigns, served as colonel in this regiment in 1812–1814. commander of the Kostroma militia, awarded the Order of St. George, 4th degree, for bravery during the assault on Ochakov, and earned the 3rd degree in 1794 in Poland.
But perhaps the most “Kostroma” was the 183rd Pultu Infantry Regiment, stationed in Kostroma in 1903–1914. From here he went to war, the families of officers and conscripts remained here, and the regiment, having allocated personnel for the formation of the 322nd Soligalich Regiment, was replenished with reserves from the Kostroma province. The Kostroma residents kept in touch with “their” regiment, delegations of townspeople visited the Pultus residents at the front, bringing them gifts from the Kostroma residents. Not so long ago, the memory of the Pultus regiment lived among the old Kostroma residents. That is why the story about the “Kostroma” regiments needs to start with him.
Until 1903, the Pultu Regiment was stationed in Warsaw. However, at the beginning of the 20th century, Russian military doctrine changed, as a result of which a number of units were withdrawn from the Warsaw Military District to the internal provinces of Russia. This is how the Pultu Regiment and the Krasnensky Battalion ended up in Kostroma. In 1902–1903 in the Pultus regiment the company was commanded by captain A.I. Denikin, future general, commander of the famous Iron Division, and then commander of the armed forces of Southern Russia. In those years, he did not stand out in anything special from among the company commanders, except for the fact that under the rather transparent pseudonym “I. Nochin" published his stories and essays in military periodicals, in particular in the magazine "Razvedchik".
Artillery officer Denikin first saw the difficult life of an infantry soldier during his service in the Pultus Regiment, where he commanded a company after graduating from the General Staff Academy to serve his qualifications.
In Kostroma, the Pultu Regiment was located on Eleninskaya Street (now Lenin Street) in the so-called “Michurinsky Barracks”; The 4th battalion was located at the very end of Rusinaya Street, where the regiment’s officers’ meeting was located.
When forming the regiment, “seniority” was established, that is, the founding date was March 27, 1811. In the Russian army, it was established that on the day of its centenary, a military unit receives an award - a wide order ribbon, which was attached to the flagpole: the guard - blue, the Order of St. Apostle Andrew the First-Called, the army - red, the Order of St. Alexander Nevsky. The banner of the Pultu Regiment was decorated with the Alexander Ribbon on March 27, 1911.
The regimental badge of the Pultu Regiment was approved on June 12, 1911. It is a wreath topped with a double-headed eagle under the imperial crown; the monograms of Emperors Alexander I and Nicholas II, as well as the Roman numeral “C” are superimposed on the wreath. The wreath is tied with ribbons on which the anniversary dates “1811–1911” are placed. The regiment was part of the 46th division, which consisted of the 181st Ostrolensky Infantry Regiment, the 182nd Grokhovsky Infantry Regiment (1st Brigade), the 183rd Pultus Infantry Regiment and the 184th Warsaw Infantry Regiment (2nd Brigade). The regiments of the 46th division bore the names of cities of the Kingdom of Poland; one must assume that they were chosen because these cities are associated with the glory of Russian weapons.
The head of the Kostroma garrison was Major General D.P. Parsky, in 1908–1910 commanded a regiment, and from 1910 - a brigade and lived in Kostroma in 1908–1914. on Maryinskaya Street (now Shagova).
In 1913, the 300th anniversary of the House of Romanov was widely celebrated in Russia. In May 1913, Nicholas II arrived in Kostroma with his family. He was accompanied by members of the imperial family, Minister of War General Sukhomlinov, commander of the Moscow Military District, General of the Cavalry Plehve, commander of the 25th Corps, Lieutenant General Zuev, head of the 46th Infantry Division, Lieutenant General Dolgov, brigade commander, head of the Kostroma garrison, Major General Parsky . On the very first day, May 19, 1913, Nicholas II received a guard of honor from the 13th Life Grenadier Erivan Regiment and the 183rd Pultus Infantry Regiment, and he paid more attention to the Pultusians, since they were permanently stationed in Kostroma. On the right flank of the guard of honor stood the Minister of War and other generals, who walked with the guard in front of the Tsar in a ceremonial march. It’s hard to imagine the current Minister of War “printing a step” in the ranks of the guard of honor!
Nicholas II among the officers of the Pultu Regiment
On the next day of the tsar’s stay, in honor of the laying of the monument “300 years of the House of Romanov,” a parade of the Kostroma garrison, commanded by General Parsky, was organized. The troops showed excellent combat bearing, and the king was pleased. He then visited the officers' meeting and the barracks of the 4th battalion on Rusinaya Street. At the end of the parade, an order was given to the troops of the Kostroma garrison: “His Imperial Majesty deigned to remain extremely pleased with the brilliant condition of the listed units, for which he declares royal favor to the commanding officials who were in the ranks; declares his royal thanks and rewards both combatants and non-combatants who have the insignia of a military order with 5 rubles, those with chevrons with 3 rubles, and others with 1 ruble each.”
The peaceful course of life was disrupted by the war that began on August 1, 1914, which we less often called the First World War, and more often the imperialist war, which claimed more than 1 million lives of Russian soldiers and about which we know so little, although Russian soldiers and officers showed in it dedication and mass heroism. Suffice it to say that more than 1.5 million St. George Crosses of the IV degree alone were awarded for their heroic deeds, and the most honorable award for officers, the Order of St. George, was received by more than 3,500 people - more than in the previous 100 years of the order’s existence!
The general mobilization announced on July 29 was very organized: mobilization activities were planned in advance and their schedule was carefully observed. The fourth battalion deployed into a regiment of the 2nd line. Thus, from the 4th battalion of the Pultu Regiment, the 322nd Soligalich Regiment was formed. The regiments of the first stage were given 8 days for mobilization activities, the second - 18, after which they had to set out on a campaign.
According to the plan of the Russian headquarters, the main task was set to the Northern (General Kuropatkin) and Western (General Evert) fronts. General Brusilov's Southwestern Front was given the task of an auxiliary strike. In fact, only Brusilov’s troops were able to break through the enemy’s front and inflict a major defeat on him. The commanders of the Northern and Western fronts, under all sorts of pretexts, delayed the offensive, and the weak-willed Supreme Commander-in-Chief and his chief of staff, General Alekseev, agreed with their arguments. Finally, the Western Front went on the offensive against Baranovichi. On the morning of June 19, artillery preparation was brought to the level of hurricane fire, and at dawn on June 20, the troops of the 4th Army courageously advanced to the assault.
But the heroic impulse and brilliant success of the Ostrolenians of Colonel Adzhiev and the Pultusians of Colonel Govorov were drowned in blood. Despite this, after artillery preparation that lasted a whole day, they again attacked the enemy, but encountered fierce resistance. And again the 181st Ostrolensky and 183rd Pultusky regiments distinguished themselves. They captured 1 general, 60 officers and 2,700 lower ranks, as well as 11 guns. The Pultu Regiment suffered a great loss: the attack on the firing four-gun battery was led by the regiment commander, Colonel Evgeniy Govorov, and the battery was captured. The 31st Austro-Hungarian Division was attacked in the flank and rear, but the heroic officer was killed. For this feat, he was posthumously promoted to general and awarded the Order of St. George, III degree.
The vastness of our country and its wealth invariably attracted many conquerors who sought to wipe Russia off the face of the earth as a state. From the beginning of the existence of ancient settlements until today, the threat of invasion of our territory has been constantly present. But the Russian land has defenders, the history of the armed forces of our country begins with the epic heroes and princely squads. The Russian Imperial Army, the Red Army of the USSR, and the modern Russian Federation support and strengthen the glory of domestic weapons.
Story
The glory of Russian weapons
Military successes and defeats accompanied any commander. In this regard, the Russian Imperial Army is a legendary army, the names of Suvorov A.V., Kutuzov M.I., Ushakov F.F., Nakhimov P.S., Davydov D.V. are synonymous with heroism and courage. Great commanders left their names in world history and cemented the glory of Russian weapons. After the disbandment of the imperial army in 1918, the history of its creation, existence, victories and defeats was interpreted in a truncated form. But it contains the invaluable experience of many generations, which must be taken into account by modern military officers and commanders in chief.
At the beginning of the twentieth century, on the eve of the First World War, in the armies of continental European states (excluding the navy, and therefore excluding England), approximately 70% of the soldiers were infantry, 15% were artillery, 8% were cavalry, the remaining 7% were aviation, communications, engineering and automobile troops. The same ratio was in the Russian army.
The main combat unit was the regiment, and in the Russian army it was like one big family. Russian infantry and cavalry regiments, in addition to numbers, had names based on cities. The name indicated the birthplace of the regiment or was symbolic. The cities “patronized” “their” regiments, maintained contacts, and sent gifts. Cossack regiments were named after the place of formation, and the number indicated the order of conscription.
The regiments had very strong military traditions. Of the 350 Russian infantry regiments that participated in the Great War, 140 existed from 60 to 230 years, that is, they were personnel, of which 16 were guards regiments. Every officer and soldier knew the history of his unit in such detail, as if they were talking about their own ancestors. Collective distinctions earned by the regiments for the exploits of past wars were very prestigious - these could be award banners, an addition to the name, silver pipes, special badges or deviations in the uniform (for example, the Absheron Regiment received red lapels on its boots in memory of the fact that The regiment survived the Battle of Kunersdorf during the Seven Years' War "knee-deep in blood").
Memorial sign in honor of the 200th anniversary of the Absheron Regiment
listing the battles in which he took part
The concept of officer honor was placed very highly. But the concept of soldier’s honor was also given great importance. The charter stated: “Soldier is a common, famous name; every military servant from the general to the last private bears the name of a soldier.”
Non-commissioned officers played the most important role. These were professionals of the highest level, the backbone of any regiment, the “fathers” of the soldiers - their direct teachers and mentors.
The army was brought up in strict spirituality; the priest in the regiment was far from the last person. At the same time, wide religious tolerance was allowed - Muslims, Catholics, Lutherans, even pagans from the peoples of the Volga region and Siberia were allowed to perform their rituals, everyone took the oath according to the customs of their faith.
Often regimental priests directly took part in the hostilities of their regiments, of course, without taking up arms, but fulfilling their pastoral duty to the end. There are a great many such examples; I will cite only one, described in "Bulletin of the Military and Naval Clergy" No. 1 for 1915
:
“It is reported about the regimental priest of the 5th Finnish Infantry Regiment, Fr. Mikhail Semenov, that on August 27, in the battle of the village of Nerovo, Fr. Mikhail, wearing an epitrachelion and having a monstrance with the Holy Gifts on his chest, was constantly at the forefront under brutal shrapnel and rifle fire. Here he personally bandaged the wounded, then sending them to the dressing station, calmly gave farewell and gave communion to the seriously wounded.At the end of the battle, Father Mikhail at night buried those killed in the battle here at the front lines.
On September 17, in a battle near the village of Orskaya. Mikhail was shell-shocked, but despite this, he personally carried the seriously wounded man out from under the fire and took him to the dressing station, where he gave communion to all the wounded, bid farewell to the dying and buried the dead.
On September 18, at 12 noon, the enemy began to strongly press the left flank of the entire combat position; At one o'clock in the afternoon, a battalion of one of the regiments, located on the extreme left, could not withstand the enemy's brutal shrapnel fire and began to hastily leave its position, threatening to carry away the units adjacent to it. Seeing the seriousness of the situation, Fr. Mikhail, not paying attention to the continuous fire, put on the stole, rushed forward and stopped part of the retreating people."
In infantry training, bayonet fighting was still important; it was taught thoroughly; there was a real art of fencing with bayonets. And the cavalry, accordingly, was taught to master checkers. At the beginning of the war, each cavalry and infantry regiment was assigned a machine gun team (8 machine guns and 80 men).
As the Great War progressed, the color of the cadre army was the first to emerge. Thus, in the guards regiments alone, by the end of 1914, 70% of the lower ranks (privates and non-commissioned officers) and 27% of the officers had left. And already in the second year of the war, the personnel of the Russian army was almost completely replaced by mobilized ones.
The professional officer corps of the Russian army suffered heavy losses during the First World War. In 1914, 2,400 cadets and pages became officers. At the graduation of the cadets in Tsarskoe Selo, Emperor Nicholas II said: “Remember also what I will tell you. I do not doubt your valor and courage at all, but I still need your life, since the needless loss of officer corps can lead to serious consequences. I am sure that, when necessary, each of you will sacrifice with your life. But decide on this if absolutely necessary. Otherwise, I ask you to take care of yourself."
Nicholas II conducts a review of cadets in Tsarskoye Selo:
But how could Russian officers protect themselves when it was written in the Russian Army Regulations that an officer, by his example, should lead soldiers into an attack. In the regulations of other armies, expediency was given preference over valor. Perhaps that is why during the first two years of the war, out of a 46,000-strong officer corps among junior officers, few remained in service.
Already in 1916, the officer corps consisted of 90% reserve officers or those who received officer rank at the front and were hastily trained in cadet schools.
After this, is it any wonder that in the Civil War that broke out in Russia during the First World War, a significant part of the officers deliberately sided with the “reds”?
By the way, it should be noted that the reproaches addressed to representatives of the aristocracy regarding the fact that they allegedly sat in the rear in their palaces and estates while the common people shed their blood are not entirely fair.
Thus, even many members of the imperial family took an active part in the Great War. For example, Grand Duke Mikhail Alexandrovich, brother of Tsar Nicholas II, fought fearlessly, commanding the famous Caucasian “wild” division consisting of highlanders. Five sons of Grand Duke Konstantin Konstantinovich Romanov fought on the fronts of the Great War, and one of them, Oleg Konstantinovich, died a heroic death, laying down his head for the Fatherland.
To be continued...
Thank you for attention.
Sergey Vorobiev.