Junior officers. As a rule, distinguished soldiers.
The majority are former peasants, not all are trained to read and write, precisely those who raised the soldiers to attack by personal example.
According to the battle tactics of those years, they went on the attack in a chain, with a fixed bayonet, catching bullets and shrapnel with their chests. Among them are many from Cossack clans, many trained in Cossack combat, scouts with tracker skills and camouflage skills.
It is noticeable that they feel insecure in front of the lens, although most of them had to see enemy gunfire. Many have been awarded the St. George Cross (the highest military award of military valor for lower ranks and soldiers). I suggest you look into these simple and honest faces.

On the left - senior non-commissioned officer of the 8th company of the 92nd Pechora Infantry Regiment of the 23rd Infantry Division Mikhail Petrov

Senior non-commissioned officer of the 12th Starodubovsky Dragoon Regiment (or a rider of non-commissioned officer rank

Vasilevsky Semyon Grigorievich (02/01/1889-?). Senior non-commissioned officer of the L. Guards. 3rd Rifle E.V. Regiment. From the peasants of the Samara province, Buzuluk district, Lobazinsk volost, and the village of Perevozinka. He graduated from the parochial school in the village of Perevozinka. Called up for service in 1912 in the Leningrad Guards. 3rd Strelkovy E.V. regiment. In the regiment I attended a training command course. Awards - St. George's Cross, 4th class. No. 82051. and St. George Medal No. 508671. On the same sheet there are inscriptions in pencil “G. Kr. III Art. Presented to G. Cross. II and I degrees." At the top of the text there is a handwritten inscription in pencil “Write down the number of crosses of the 3rd, 2nd and 1st st.” and a two-line resolution: “Checked. / Sh-K. Ko... (inaudible)

The grenadier is the one who threw hand grenades at the enemy during the assault.
Non-commissioned officer of the 8th Grenadier Moscow Grand Duke of Mecklenburg - Schwerin Friedrich - Franz IV Regiment, in winter dress uniform of the 1913 model. The non-commissioned officer is dressed in a field uniform with a dark green collar and a yellow lapel. A non-commissioned officer's braid is sewn along the upper edge of the collar. Peacetime shoulder straps, yellow with light blue piping. On the shoulder straps is the monogram of the chief of the regiment of the Grand Duke of Mecklenburg - Schwerin. On the left side of the chest, attached to the marching uniform, is the regimental badge for lower ranks, approved in 1910. On the lapel there is a badge for excellent rifle shooting, 3rd degree, and medals: in memory of the 100th anniversary of the Patriotic War of 1812 on the Vladimir ribbon (1912), in memory of the 300th anniversary of the reign of the House of Romanov (1913) on the ribbon state colors. The approximate shooting period is 1913-1914.

Senior non-commissioned officer, telegraph operator, Knight of the St. George Cross, 4th degree.

Art. non-commissioned officer Sorokin F.F.

Glumov, senior non-commissioned officer of the Life Guards of the Finnish Regiment.

Selected military units intended to protect the person and residence of the monarch
Zhukov Ivan Vasilievich (05/08/1889-?). Junior non-commissioned officer of the L. Guards. Kexholm Regiment. From the peasants of the Kaluga province, Medynsky district, Nezamaevsky volost, the village of Lavinno. He studied at a parochial school in the village of Dunino. Called up for military service in 1912 in the Leningrad Guards. Kexholm Regiment. He served in the 5th company, and from 1913 - in the machine gun team. He was awarded the St. George medal of the 4th class, as well as two St. George crosses of the 4th class. No. 2385, 3rd st. No. 5410, medals “In memory of the 100th anniversary of the Patriotic War of 1812”, “In memory of the 300th anniversary of the House of Romanov” and “For work on the mobilization of 1914”. On the left side of the chest there are signs: L.-Guards. Kexholm Regiment and “In memory of the 200th anniversary of the Leningrad Guards. Kexholm Regiment."

From wealthy peasants, if he received home education.
Stetsenko Grigory Andreevich (1891-?). Junior non-commissioned officer of the L. Guards. 2nd Tsarskoye Selo Rifle Regiment. From the peasants of the Kharkov province, Kupyansky district, Svatovolutsk volost, Kovalevka farm. Education at home. Called up for service in the fall of 1911 in the Leningrad Guards. 2nd Tsarskoye Selo Rifle Regiment. All the time he served in the Leningrad Guards. 2nd Tsarskoye Selo Rifle Regiment, only at the beginning of mobilization in 1914 - he served in the Preobrazhensky Regiment for two months. Awarded the 4th class St. George medals. No. 51537, 3rd st. No. 17772, 2nd Art. No. 12645, 1st Art. No. 5997, St. George's Crosses of the 4th Art. No. 32182 and 3rd art. No. 4700, Presented to the St. George Crosses of the 2nd and 1st Art.

Efremov Andrey Ivanovich (11/27/1888-?). Junior non-commissioned officer of the L. Guards. Kexholm Regiment. From the peasants of the Kazan province, Sviyazhsk district, Shirdan volost, and the village of Vizovy. A competent sailor by occupation. Called up for military service on November 2, 1912 in the Leningrad Guards. Kexholm Regiment. Has two St. George's crosses of the 4th class. No. 3767 and 3rd Art. No. 41833. On the left side of the chest is the sign of the L.-Guards. Kexholm Regiment

Gusev Kharlampiy Matveevich (10.02.1887-?). Junior non-commissioned officer of the 187th Avar Infantry Regiment. From the peasants of the Kharkov province, Starobelsky district, Novo-Aidar volost, the village of Novo-Aidar. Before service - a laborer. On July 1, 1914, he was called up from the reserves and enlisted in the 187th Avar Infantry Regiment. (Since being recruited, he served in the 203rd Sukhumi Infantry Regiment, from which he was transferred to the reserve on November 12, 1910). In February 1916 he enlisted in the 3rd reserve infantry regiment. Awarded the St. George Cross, 4th class. No. 414643.

Porfiry Panasyuk. He was captured by the Germans and tortured.
The Germans cut off his ear piece by piece. He said nothing, according to the press about this case.

Alexey Makukha.
On March 21 / April 3, 1915, during one of the battles in Bukovina, the Austrians managed to capture one of the Russian fortifications defended by soldiers of the Caspian Regiment. During this battle, which was preceded by the shelling of our position by enemy artillery, almost all the defenders of the fortification were killed or wounded. Among the latter was telephone operator Alexey Makukha. Hoping to obtain from the Russian telephone operator, who had access to valuable information due to his nature of service, valuable information about the location of our troops on this section of the front, the Austrians took him prisoner and interrogated him. But just like Porfiry Panasyuk, Makukha refused to tell his enemies anything.

The stubbornness of the Russian telephone operator infuriated the Austrian officers and they moved from abuse and threats to torture. One of the pre-revolutionary publications describes what happened further: “The officers knocked him to the ground prone and twisted his arms behind his back. Then one of them sat on him, and the other, turning his head back, opened his mouth with a dagger-bayonet and, stretching out his tongue with his hand, cut him twice with this dagger. Blood gushed from Makukha’s mouth and nose.”
Since the prisoner they mutilated could no longer speak, the Austrians lost all interest in him. And soon, during a successful bayonet counterattack of the Russian troops, the Austrians were knocked out of the fortification they had captured and non-commissioned officer Alexei Makukha again found himself among his own. At first, the hero was completely unable to speak or eat? the telephone operator's cut tongue hung on a thin bridge, and his larynx was swollen from bruises. Makukha was hastily sent to the infirmary, where doctors performed a complex operation, stitching him to a wound on 3/4 of his tongue.
When the press reported on the torment suffered by the Russian telephone operator, the indignation of Russian society knew no bounds? everyone expressed their admiration for the hero’s courage and were indignant at the atrocities committed by representatives of the “cultured nation.” The Supreme Commander-in-Chief, Grand Duke Nikolai Nikolaevich, expressed personal gratitude to the hero, promoted him to junior non-commissioned officer, awarded him with all degrees of the St. George Cross and 500 rubles, asking the Tsar to grant Makukha a double pension. Emperor Nicholas II supported the Grand Duke’s proposal, and junior non-commissioned officer Makukha “as an exception to the law” upon his dismissal from military service was given a pension of 518 rubles 40 kopecks. in year.

Non-commissioned officer of the 10th Novgorod Dragoon Regiment. 1915

Cavalry non-commissioned officer

Vasily Petrovich Simonov, senior non-commissioned officer of the 71st Belevsky Infantry Regiment, platoon commander

For half a century it was the main source of recruitment for the officer corps. Peter I considered it necessary that every officer begin his military service from the very first stages - as an ordinary soldier. This was especially true for nobles, for whom lifelong service to the state was mandatory, and traditionally this was military service. By decree of February 26, 1714

Peter I forbade the promotion to officers of those nobles “who do not know the basics of soldiering” and did not serve as soldiers in the guard. This ban did not apply to soldiers “from ordinary people” who, having served for a long time, received the right to an officer’s rank - they could serve in any units (76). Since Peter believed that nobles should begin serving in the guard, the entire rank and file and non-commissioned officers of the guard regiments in the first decades of the 18th century. consisted exclusively of nobles. If during the Northern War nobles served as privates in all regiments, then the decree to the President of the Military Collegium dated June 4, 1723 stated that, under penalty of trial, “except for the Guard, children of nobles and foreign officers should not be posted anywhere.” However, after Peter, this rule was not observed, and the nobles began serving as privates and in army regiments. However, the guard for a long time became the source of officer cadres for the entire Russian army.

Service of the nobles until the mid-30s. XVIII century was indefinite, every nobleman who reached the age of 16 was enlisted in the troops as a private for subsequent promotion to officers. In 1736, a manifesto was issued that allowed one of the landowner’s sons to remain at home “to look after the villages and save money,” while the service life of the rest was limited. Now it was prescribed that “all nobles from 7 to 20 years of age should be in the sciences, and from 20 years old should serve in military service, and everyone should serve in military service from 20 years of age to 25 years, and after 25 years, everyone ... should be dismissed with an increase in one rank and release them into their homes, and whichever of them voluntarily wishes to serve more, such will be given to their will.”

In 1737, registration of all minors (this was the official name for young nobles who had not reached conscription age) over 7 years of age was introduced. At the age of 12, they were given a test to find out what they were studying and to determine who wanted to go to school. At the age of 16, they were called to St. Petersburg and, after testing their knowledge, their future fate was determined. Those with sufficient knowledge could immediately enter the civil service, and the rest were sent home with the obligation to continue their education, but upon reaching the age of 20 they were obliged to report to the Heraldry (which was in charge of personnel of nobles and officials) for assignment to military service (except for those) who remained for farming on the estate; this was determined at the show in St. Petersburg). Those who remained untrained by the age of 16 were enrolled as sailors without the right to seniority as officers. And those who received a thorough education acquired the right to accelerated promotion to officers (77).

He was promoted to officer for a vacancy by the division chief after a service examination by ballot, i.e., election by all officers of the regiment. At the same time, it was required that the candidate officer have a certificate with a recommendation, signed by the society of the regiment. Both nobles and soldiers and non-commissioned officers from other classes, including peasants recruited into the army through conscription, could become officers - the law did not establish any restrictions here. Naturally, the nobles who received an education before entering the army (even at home - it could in some cases be of very high quality) were promoted first of all.

In the middle of the 18th century. Among the upper part of the nobility, the practice spread of enrolling their children in regiments as soldiers at a very early age and even from birth, which allowed them to rise in ranks without undergoing active service and by the time they entered actual service in the troops, they would not be privates, but would already have a non-commissioned officer. and even officer rank. These attempts were observed even under Peter I, but he resolutely suppressed them, making exceptions only for those closest to him as a sign of special favor and in the rarest cases (in subsequent years this was also limited to isolated facts). For example, in 1715, Peter ordered the appointment of the five-year-old son of his favorite G.P. Chernyshev, Peter, as a soldier in the Preobrazhensky Regiment, and seven years later, he appointed him a chamber page with the rank of captain-lieutenant at the court of the Duke of Schleswig-Holstein. In 1724, the son of Field Marshal Prince M. M. Golitsyn, Alexander, was enrolled as a soldier in the guard at birth and by the age of 18 was already captain of the Preobrazhensky Regiment. In 1726, A. A. Naryshkin was promoted to midshipman of the fleet at the age of 1 year, in 1731, Prince D. M. Golitsyn became an ensign of the Izmailovsky regiment at the age of 11 (78). However, in the middle of the 18th century. such cases have become more widespread.

The publication of the manifesto “On the Liberty of the Nobility” on February 18, 1762 could not but have a very significant impact on the procedure for promotion to officers. If earlier nobles were obliged to serve for as long as soldier recruits - 25 years, and, naturally, they sought to obtain an officer rank as quickly as possible (otherwise they would have had to remain privates or non-commissioned officers for all 25 years), now they could not to serve at all, and the army was theoretically in danger of being left without educated officers. Therefore, in order to attract nobles to military service, the rules for promotion to the first officer rank were changed in such a way as to legally establish the advantage of nobles in achieving the officer rank.

In 1766, the so-called “colonel’s instructions” were published - rules for regimental commanders on the order of rank, according to which the period for promotion of non-commissioned officers to officers was determined by origin. The minimum period of service in the non-commissioned officer rank was established for noblemen of 3 years, the maximum - for persons accepted through conscription - 12 years. The guard remained the supplier of officer personnel, where most of the soldiers (although, unlike the first half of the century, not all) were still nobles (79).

In the navy, from 1720, production for the first officer rank was also established by standing for non-commissioned officers. However, there already from the middle of the 18th century. combat naval officers began to be produced only from the cadets of the Naval Corps, which, unlike land military educational institutions, was able to cover the fleet's need for officers. So the fleet very early began to be staffed exclusively with graduates of educational institutions.

At the end of the 18th century. production from non-commissioned officers continued to be the main channel for replenishing the officer corps. At the same time, there were, as it were, two lines of achieving the officer rank in this way: for the nobles and for everyone else. Nobles entered the military service immediately as non-commissioned officers (for the first 3 months they had to serve as privates, but in a non-commissioned officer's uniform), then they were promoted to lieutenant ensigns (junkers) and then to belt-ensigns (belt-junkers, and then cavalry - estandart-junker and fanen-junker), of which vacancies were promoted to the first officer rank. Non-nobles had to serve as privates for 4 years before promotion to non-commissioned officers. Then they were promoted to senior non-commissioned officers, and then to sergeant majors (in the cavalry - sergeants), who could already become officers based on merit.

Since nobles were accepted into the service as non-commissioned officers outside of vacancies, a huge superset of these ranks was formed, especially in the guard, where only nobles could be non-commissioned officers. For example, in 1792, the guard was supposed to have no more than 400 non-commissioned officers, but there were 11,537 of them. In the Preobrazhensky Regiment, there were 6,134 non-commissioned officers for 3,502 privates. Guards non-commissioned officers were promoted to officers of the army (over which the guard had an advantage of two ranks), often through one or two ranks at once - not only as warrant officers, but also as second lieutenants and even lieutenants. Guardsmen of the highest non-commissioned officer rank - sergeants (then sergeants) and sergeants were usually promoted to army lieutenants, but sometimes even immediately to captains. At times, mass releases of guards non-commissioned officers into the army were carried out: for example, in 1792, by decree of December 26, 250 people were released, in 1796 - 400 (80).

For an officer vacancy, the regiment commander usually nominated a senior non-commissioned nobleman who had served for at least 3 years. If there were no nobles with this length of service in the regiment, then non-commissioned officers from other classes were promoted to officers. At the same time, they had to have a length of service in the non-commissioned officer rank: chief officer children (The class of chief officer children consisted of the children of civil officials of non-noble origin, who had the ranks of “chief officer” classes - from XIV to XI, which gave not hereditary, but only personal nobility, and children of non-noble origin who were born before their fathers received the first officer rank, which brought, as already indicated, hereditary nobility) and volunteers (persons who entered the service voluntarily) - 4 years, children of the clergy, clerks and soldiers - 8 years, those admitted through recruitment - 12 years. The latter could be promoted immediately to second lieutenant, but only “based on excellent abilities and merits.” For the same reasons, nobles and chief officers’ children could be promoted to officers earlier than their required length of service. Paul I in 1798 prohibited the promotion of non-noble origins to officers, but the following year this provision was abolished; non-nobles only had to rise to the rank of sergeant-major and serve the required term.

Since the time of Catherine II, the practice of promoting officers to mediocre positions was practiced, caused by a large shortage during the war with Turkey and the insufficient number of non-commissioned nobles in the army regiments. Therefore, non-commissioned officers of other classes began to be promoted to officers, even those who had not served the established 12-year term, but with the condition that seniority for further production was considered only from the day of service of the legal 12-year term.

The promotion of persons of various classes to officers was greatly influenced by the terms of service established for them in the lower ranks. Soldiers' children, in particular, were considered accepted for military service from the moment of their birth, and from the age of 12 they were placed in one of the military orphanages (later known as "cantonist battalions"). Active service was considered for them from the age of 15, and they were required to serve for another 15 years, i.e. up to 30 years. Volunteers were accepted for the same period. Recruits were required to serve for 25 years (in the guard after the Napoleonic wars - 22 years); under Nicholas I, this period was reduced to 20 years (including 15 years in active service).

When during the Napoleonic wars there was a large shortage, non-commissioned non-nobles were allowed to be promoted to officers even in the guard, and chief officer children were allowed to be promoted even without vacancies. Then, in the guard, the period of service in the non-commissioned rank for promotion to officers was reduced for non-nobles from 12 to 10 years, and for odnodvortsev seeking nobility (Odnodvortsy included the descendants of small service people of the 17th century, many of whom at one time were nobles, but subsequently recorded in the taxable state), determined at 6 years. (Since the nobles, promoted after 3 years of service for vacancies, found themselves in a worse position than chief officer children, produced after 4 years, but outside the vacancies, then in the early 20s a 4-year term was also established for the nobles without vacancies.)

After the War of 1805, special benefits were introduced for educational qualifications: university students who entered military service (even those not from the nobility) served only 3 months as privates and 3 months as ensigns, and then were promoted to officers out of vacancy. A year before, in the artillery and engineering troops, before promotion to officers, a rather serious exam for that time was established.

At the end of the 20s. XIX century The period of service in the non-commissioned rank for nobles was reduced to 2 years. However, during the then wars with Turkey and Persia, unit commanders interested in experienced front-line soldiers preferred to promote non-commissioned officers with extensive experience, that is, non-nobles, as officers, and there were almost no vacancies left for nobles with 2 years of experience in their units. Therefore, they were allowed to be promoted to vacancies in other units, but in this case - after 3 years of service as non-commissioned officers. Lists of all non-commissioned officers who were not promoted due to lack of vacancies in their units were sent to the War Ministry (Inspector Department), where a general list was compiled (first nobles, then volunteers and then others), in accordance with which they were promoted to open vacancies throughout the army .

The set of military regulations (without fundamentally changing the provisions that have existed since 1766 on different periods of service in the non-commissioned rank for persons of different social categories) more precisely determined who, with what rights, enters the service and is promoted to officer. So, there were two main groups of such persons: those who entered the service voluntarily (from classes not subject to conscription) and those who entered the service through conscription. Let us first consider the first group, which was divided into several categories.

Those who entered “as students” (of any origin) were promoted to officers: those with a candidate degree - after 3 months of service as non-commissioned officers, and the degree of a full student - 6 months - without exams and to their regiments in excess of vacancies.

Those who entered “with the rights of nobles” (nobles and those who had an undisputed right to nobility: children of officials of the VIII class and above, holders of orders giving rights to hereditary nobility) were promoted after 2 years to vacancies in their units and after 3 years to other units.

All the rest, who entered “as volunteers,” were divided by origin into 3 categories: 1) children of personal nobles who have the right to hereditary honorary citizenship; priests; merchants of 1-2 guilds who have had a guild certificate for 12 years; doctors; pharmacists; artists, etc. persons; pupils of orphanages; Foreigners; 2) children of one-lords who have the right to seek nobility; honorary citizens and merchants of 1-2 guilds who do not have 12 years of “experience”; 3) children of merchants of the 3rd guild, petty bourgeois, noblemen who lost the right to find nobility, clerical servants, as well as illegitimate children, freedmen and cantonists. Persons of the 1st category were promoted after 4 years (if there were no vacancies, after 6 years in other units), 2nd - after 6 years and 3rd - after 12 years. Retired officers who entered the service as lower ranks were promoted to officer rank according to special rules, depending on the reason for their dismissal from the army.

Before production, an examination was held to determine the knowledge of the service. Those who graduated from military educational institutions, but were not promoted to officers due to poor academic performance, but were released as ensigns and cadets were supposed to serve for several years as non-commissioned officers, but then they were promoted without an exam. Ensigns and estandard cadets of the guard regiments took an exam according to the program of the School of Guards ensigns and cavalry cadets, and those who did not pass it, but were well certified in service, were transferred to the army as ensigns and cornets. Produced artillery and sappers of the guard took the exam at the corresponding military schools, and for the army artillery and engineering troops - at the relevant departments of the Military Scientific Committee. If there were no vacancies, they were sent as second lieutenants to the infantry. (The vacancies were first filled with graduates of the Mikhailovsky and Nikolaevsky schools, then cadets and fireworks, and then students of non-core military schools.)

Those graduating from the training troops enjoyed the rights of origin (see above) and were promoted to officers after an exam, but at the same time, nobles and chief officer children who entered the training troops from the cantonist squadrons and batteries (in the cantonist battalions, along with soldiers’ children, children were trained poor nobles), were carried out only in part of the internal guard with the obligation to serve there for at least 6 years.

As for the second group (those admitted by recruitment), they had to serve in the non-commissioned rank: in the guard - 10 years, in the army and non-combatant in the guard - 1.2 years (including at least 6 years in the ranks), in the Orenburg and Siberian separate buildings - 15 years and in the internal guard - 1.8 years. At the same time, persons who were subjected to corporal punishment during their service could not be promoted to officer. Sergeant majors and senior sergeants were immediately promoted to second lieutenants, and the rest of the non-commissioned officers were promoted to warrant officers (cornets). To be promoted to officer, they had to pass an exam at the Divisional Headquarters. If a non-commissioned officer who passed the exam refused to be promoted to officer (he was asked about this before the exam), then he forever lost the right to promotion, but he received a salary of ⅔ of the salary of an ensign, which he, having served for at least another 5 years, received a pension. He was also entitled to a gold or silver sleeve chevron and a silver lanyard. If the refusenik failed the exam, he received only ⅓ of this salary. Since such conditions were extremely profitable in material terms, the majority of non-commissioned officers in this group refused to become officers.

In 1854, due to the need to strengthen the officer corps during the war, the terms of service in the non-commissioned ranks for promotion to officers were halved for all categories of volunteers (1, 2, 3 and 6 years, respectively); in 1855, it was allowed to accept persons with higher education immediately as officers, graduates of gymnasiums from the nobility to be promoted to officers after 6 months, and others - after half of their allotted period of service. Non-commissioned officers from recruits were promoted after 10 years (instead of 12), but after the war these benefits were abolished.

During the reign of Alexander II, the procedure for promotion to officers was changed more than once. At the end of the war, in 1856, the shortened terms for production were abolished, but non-commissioned officers from the nobility and volunteers could now be promoted beyond vacancies. Since 1856, masters and candidates of theological academies have been equal in rights to university graduates (3 months of service), and students of theological seminaries, students of noble institutes and gymnasiums (i.e., those who, if admitted to the civil service, had the right to the rank XIV class) was granted the right to serve in the rank of non-commissioned officer until promotion to officer for only 1 year. Non-commissioned officers from the nobility and volunteers were given the right to listen to external lectures in all cadet corps.

In 1858, those of the nobles and volunteers who did not pass the exam upon entering the service were given the opportunity to keep it for the entire service, and not for a 1-2-year period (as previously); they were accepted as privates with an obligation to serve: nobles - 2 years, 1st category volunteers - 4 years, 2nd - 6 years and 3rd - 12 years. They were promoted to non-commissioned officers: noblemen - no earlier than 6 months, 1st category volunteers - 1 year, 2nd - 1.5 years and 3rd - 3 years. For nobles entering the guard, the age was set at 16 years old and without restrictions (and not 17-20 years old, as before), so that those who wished could graduate from university. University graduates took the exam only before production, and not when entering the service.

Graduates of all higher and secondary educational institutions were exempted from examinations upon entry into service in the artillery and engineering troops. In 1859, the ranks of ensign, harness-ensign, estandard - and fanen-cadet were abolished and a single rank of cadet was introduced for nobles and volunteers awaiting promotion to officers (for seniors - harness-junker). All non-commissioned officers from the recruits - both combatant and non-combatant - were given a single term of service of 12 years (in the guard - 10), and those with special knowledge were given shorter terms, but only for vacancies.

In 1860, non-commissioned production was again established for all categories only for vacancies, except for graduates of civilian higher and secondary educational institutions and those who were promoted to officers of the engineering troops and the corps of topographers. Non-commissioned officers from the nobility and volunteers who entered the service before this decree could, based on their length of service, retire with the rank of collegiate registrar. Nobles and volunteers who served in the artillery, engineering troops and the corps of topographers, in the event of an unsuccessful examination for an officer of these troops, were no longer promoted to infantry officers (and those who were released from the institutions of military cantonists - internal guards), but were transferred there as non-commissioned officers and were promoted to vacancies upon the recommendation of the new superiors.

In 1861, the number of cadets from the nobility and volunteers in the regiments was strictly limited by the states, and they were accepted into the guard and cavalry only for their own maintenance, but now a volunteer could retire at any time. All these measures were aimed at increasing the educational level of the cadets.

In 1863, on the occasion of the Polish rebellion, all graduates of higher educational institutions were accepted as non-commissioned officers without an exam and promoted to officers after 3 months without vacancies after an exam in the regulations and awarding superiors (and graduates of secondary educational introductions - after 6 months for vacancies). Other volunteers took the exam according to the 1844 program (those who failed were accepted as privates) and became non-commissioned officers, and after 1 year, regardless of origin, upon honoring their superiors, they were allowed to take a competitive officer exam and were promoted to vacancies (but it was possible to apply for promotion even in the absence of vacancies ). If there was still a shortage in the unit, then after the exam, non-commissioned officers and recruits were promoted for a shortened period of service - 7 years in the guard, 8 years in the army. In May 1864, production was again established only for vacancies (except for persons with higher education). As cadet schools opened, educational requirements intensified: in those military districts where cadet schools existed, it was required to pass an exam in all subjects taught at the school (graduates of civilian educational institutions - only in military ones), so that by the beginning of 1868, non-commissioned students produced officers and cadets either graduated from the cadet school or passed the exam according to its program.

In 1866, new rules for promotion to officers were established. To become an officer of the guard or army with special rights (equal to a graduate of a military school), a graduate of a civilian higher educational institution had to pass an exam at a military school in the military subjects taught there and serve in the ranks during a camp training period (at least 2 months), a graduate of a secondary school educational institution - pass the full final exam of a military school and serve in the ranks for 1 year. Both were produced outside of vacancies. To be promoted to army officers without special rights, all such persons had to pass an exam at the cadet school according to its program and serve in the ranks: with higher education - 3 months, with secondary education - 1 year; In this case they were also produced without vacancies. All other volunteers either graduated from cadet schools, or passed an exam according to their program and served in the ranks: nobles - 2 years, people from classes not subject to conscription - 4 years, from "recruit" classes - 6 years. The exam dates for them were set in such a way that they would have time to serve their deadlines. Those who passed in the 1st category were made out of vacancies. Those who did not pass the exam could retire (having passed the exam for clerical servants or according to the 1844 program) with the rank of collegiate registrar after service: nobles - 12 years, others - 15. To help prepare for the exam at the Konstantinovsky Military School in 1867 a one-year course was opened. What was the ratio of different groups of volunteers can be seen from Table 5(81).

In 1869 (March 8), a new provision was adopted, according to which the right to voluntarily enter the service was granted to persons of all classes with the general name of voluntarily determined with the rights “by education” and “by origin.” Only graduates of higher and secondary educational institutions were admitted “by education.” Without exams, they were promoted to non-commissioned officers and served: with higher education - 2 months, with secondary education - 1 year.

Those who entered “by origin” became non-commissioned officers after an examination and were divided into three categories: 1st - hereditary nobles; 2nd - personal nobles, hereditary and personal honorary citizens, children of merchants of 1-2 guilds, priests, scientists and artists; 3rd - all the rest. Persons of the 1st category served for 2 years, 2nd - 4 and 3rd - 6 years (instead of the previous 12).

Only those admitted “by education” could become officers as graduates of a military school, the rest as graduates of cadet schools, where they took exams. Lower ranks who entered the conscription were now required to serve 10 years (instead of 12), of which 6 years as a non-commissioned officer and 1 year as a senior non-commissioned officer; they could also enter the cadet school if they had served their term by the end of it. All those who passed the exams for the officer rank before being promoted to officer were called harness cadets with the right to retire after a year with the first officer rank.

In the artillery and engineering troops, the conditions and terms of service were general, but the exam was special. However, since 1868, persons with higher education had to serve in the artillery for 3 months, others - 1 year, and everyone was required to pass an exam according to the military school program; since 1869, this rule was extended to the engineering troops with the difference that for those promoted to second lieutenants an exam was required according to the military school program, and for those promoted to ensigns - an exam according to a reduced program. In the corps of military topographers (where previously promotion to officers was carried out according to length of service: nobles and volunteers - 4 years, others - 12 years) since 1866, non-commissioned officers from the nobility were required to serve 2 years, from the "non-recruit" classes - 4 and " recruit" - 6 years and take a course at a topographical school.

With the establishment of universal conscription in 1874, the rules for promotion to officers also changed. Based on them, volunteers were divided into categories based on education (now this was the only division, origin was not taken into account): 1st - with higher education (served for 3 months before promotion to officers), 2nd - with secondary education (served 6 months) and 3rd - with incomplete secondary education (tested under a special program and served for 2 years). All volunteers were accepted for military service only as privates and could enter cadet schools. Those who entered conscription service for 6 and 7 years were required to serve at least 2 years, for a 4-year term - 1 year, and the rest (called up for a shortened period) were only required to be promoted to non-commissioned officers, after which all of them, as and volunteers could enter military and cadet schools (since 1875, Poles were supposed to admit no more than 20%, Jews - no more than 3%).

In the artillery, fire chiefs and masters from 1878 could be produced after 3 years of graduation from special schools; They took the exam for second lieutenant according to the program of the Mikhailovsky School, and for ensign it was easier. In 1879, an exam according to the cadet school program was introduced for the production of both local artillery officers and local ensign engineers. In the engineering troops, since 1880, the officer exam was held only according to the program of the Nikolaev School. Both in the artillery and in the engineering troops it was allowed to take the exam no more than 2 times; those who did not pass it both times could take the exam at the cadets for ensign of the infantry and local artillery.

During the Russian-Turkish war of 1877-1878. benefits were in effect (cancelled after its end): officers were promoted to military honors without an exam and for shortened periods of service; these terms also applied for ordinary distinctions. However, such people could be promoted to the next rank only after an officer exam. For 1871-1879 21,041 volunteers were recruited (82).

Annotation. The article highlights the problems of recruiting and training non-commissioned officers of the Russian army during the First World War of 1914-1918. The efforts of the military command in this work are shown. The role and importance of non-commissioned officers in the combat and daily activities of troops is revealed.

Summary . The article highlights the problems of manning and training of non-commissioned officers of the Russian army during the First World War of 1914-1918. The efforts in this work of the military command. The role and importance of non-commissioned officers in the combat training and the everyday activities of the troops.

MILITARY CHRONICLE OF THE FATHERLAND

OSKIN Maxim Viktorovich- senior lecturer of general humanitarian and social disciplines at the Institute of Law and Management of the All-Russian Police Association, candidate of historical sciences

(Tula. E-mail: [email protected])

Non-commissioned officers of the Russian army during the First World War

The training of troops, training and education of personnel has always been a very labor-intensive task of military development. For pre-revolutionary Russia, as a predominantly peasant country with insufficient culture, this was especially difficult. After all, it was necessary to first teach the recruit basic literacy, prepare him in general education, and only then proceed directly to military training. The solution to this problem fell primarily on the shoulders of the non-commissioned officers of the army, who, being “flesh and blood” of the peasant society of Russia, also could not do without appropriate training.

Since the late 1860s, the training of non-commissioned officers for the Russian army was carried out in regimental training teams with a training period of 7.5 months. Privates of “good morality”, distinguished by their ability to serve and possessing sufficient literacy, were sent to these training units. Teaching was predominantly practical in nature, with no more than 16 hours per week allocated to classroom instruction. Upon completion of their studies, the lower ranks returned to their units. Those who passed the final exam, upon the recommendation of their immediate superiors and by order of the regiment commander, were promoted to junior non-commissioned officers and appointed to vacant positions. In Riga, back in 1887, a training battalion was created for better training of non-commissioned officers. It had a 2-year training period and graduated mainly senior non-commissioned officers and sergeants. It was planned to eventually create such training battalions-schools in all military districts, but due to the high financial cost of the project, this was never done, and the Riga training battalion ceased to exist in 19111.

Shortly before the First World War Y.V. Chervinka, in the article “Military career here and abroad,” very critically assessed the state of the non-commissioned officer corps of the Russian army: “Senior and junior non-commissioned officers in the armies of our neighbors are incomparably higher than ours both in their intelligence and in military training. We can say that we have almost no non-commissioned officers at all in terms of the requirements placed on them abroad.”2

We were talking primarily about long-term non-commissioned officers, who had undoubted qualitative advantages in comparison with non-commissioned officers of conscript service. Budgetary allocations for the creation of a layer of long-term non-commissioned officers were very small. Therefore, the lag in frames from neighbors was very noticeable. Thus, by the end of the 19th century, there were 8.5 thousand non-commissioned officers in the Russian army, 65 thousand in the German army, 24 thousand in the French army.3

After the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905. The number of long-term non-commissioned officers began to increase, they were provided with various benefits, and pensions were awarded. The army was interested in long-term servicemen, so they tried to make their service attractive with the help of sufficient provision from the treasury. Their initial salary was set according to the salary scale of conscripts, but to increase their financial situation and interest in military service they were paid: additional salary - annually from 280 to 400 rubles, depending on the rank and length of service; one-time benefit for 2 years of service - 150 rubles, for 10 years - 500 rubles; rent in the amount of half the norm for officers; pension for 15 years of service in the amount of 96 rubles per year (widows received 36 rubles per year)4.

Non-Commissioned Officer's Manual "Infantry Training Team Manual".
31st ed. Petrograd, 1916

Nevertheless, there were still not enough conscripts to fill all the non-commissioned officer positions in the mass Russian army, although some successes were achieved in the years immediately preceding the First World War. In April 1912, for 1,044,984 privates and 116,026 non-combatants, there were 135,694 non-commissioned officers and 49,596 officers and generals in the Russian army. In turn, the potential enemy - Germany, the number of non-commissioned officers at the beginning of the war was 108 thousand in the regular army and, in addition, there were 67 thousand trained reserve non-commissioned officers5. But at the same time, if in Russia, like Austria-Hungary, non-commissioned officers were both conscript and super-conscript, then in Germany - all non-commissioned officers were super-conscripted. War participant, military historian General B.V. Gerois wrote that “the Germans, in comparison with their opponents, should rightly attribute the superior stamina [of their troops] to their superior class of non-commissioned officers.”6 In Russia, “the bulk of non-commissioned officers were, in essence, not cadres, but a variable composition that did not have any professional strength.”

Mobilization diluted the already small peacetime non-commissioned officer cadre, which made the army sensitive to combat personnel losses and worsened the quality of second-line divisions, not to mention the militia. Only in 1911 were military schools introduced for non-commissioned officers, in which they prepared for the rank of lieutenant officer7. There they were trained to perform the position of squad and platoon commander in order to replace junior officers in war, command a platoon in a combat situation, and, if necessary, a company.”8 However, over time, the Ministry of War concluded that it was necessary to train long-term combat non-commissioned officers in regimental training teams, in the environment in which they would have to serve. It was considered inappropriate to spend money and time on training junior commanders in special non-commissioned officer schools.

It should be noted that with the beginning of the war, the general staffs of all the opposing powers did not imagine that they might have problems with ensuring personnel replenishment of the armed forces. The German command in its calculations relied on the power of German weapons (primarily heavy artillery), the highly maneuverable nature of the offensive, as well as the excellent combat training of its personnel. The French military-political leadership also had no doubt about the high combat capability of its army and also expected to win the war only with field troops, without preparing significant reserves in the rear during the fighting. Austria-Hungary was confident of winning the general battle in Poland, then, with the support of the Germans, who were supposed to withdraw France from the war, it was supposed to break the resistance of the Russian army.

The Russian military command, largely dependent on allied obligations and not having such strong military equipment as its allies and opponents, relied heavily on the number of troops. The Russian infantry division had 16 battalions, while the Germans, French, and Austrians had 12 each. Moreover, the number of machine guns and artillery pieces in the Russian troops was the minimum acceptable. Heavy artillery was located only in the armies (for the Germans and Austrians - in the corps), and only one brigade per army. In order to achieve victory despite technical inequality, the mobilized army had to include the best people. During the first mobilization, 97 percent were drafted into the ranks of the active army. trained conscripts, preference was given to reserve non-commissioned officers, who, as a rule, had better training compared to ordinary reserves. Therefore, a maximum of reserve non-commissioned officers were poured into the rank and file of the first strategic echelon. For example, at the beginning of the war, the company of the Semenovsky Life Guards Regiment had 20-30 reserve non-commissioned officers as privates9.

It seemed that with the mobilization and call-up of reserves, the combat power of the army did not decrease at all, especially since since the beginning of the war there were many examples when the Russian infantry showed very high stability and reliability in battles. The command did not think about retaining personnel then. The officer corps was confident that the war would last no more than six months, and just for this period there were enough personnel, ammunition, and weapons. However, the bloody battles of 1914 caused a large loss of personnel, both first-line and reserve. The severe defeat of the Russian troops of the North-Western Front in the East Prussian operation, which was launched in a hurry, was accelerated at the request of the French allies, the brutal battles of the troops of the South-Western Front in the Battle of Galicia already in the first month of the war tore out up to 0.5 from the ranks of the Russian army million people The autumn battles in Poland and Galicia brought new heavy losses. As a result, it turned out that all the most valuable junior command personnel were almost completely destroyed in the first operations.

It was necessary to urgently train new personnel, and the Russian armed forces did not receive any respite in the 1915 campaign: immediately after the unsuccessful Carpathian operation of the Russian troops, the enemy made the strategic Gorlitsky breakthrough in Galicia in April 1915, which again resulted in numerous losses. The best people died when the war was just flaring up. This, of course, was influenced by the inability of the Russian military command to protect its main value - personnel.

Officer A. Nevzorov wrote about his regiment, which was part of the 25th Infantry Division of the 3rd Army Corps: “We received excellent reinforcements for us. Most of them were old non-commissioned officers from guard regiments who had been in the reserves for 1-2 years and remembered their service. My 1st company received 150 reinforcements, of which 50 were non-commissioned officers. All these non-commissioned officers had to be put into service as privates, since the company had its own, career non-commissioned officers and corporals. I don’t understand how the replenishment schedule was drawn up. Almost all of these non-commissioned officers and corporals died on the fields of East Prussia. But this was precious material that could be used in command positions.”10<…>

Read the full version of the article in the paper version of the Military Historical Journal and on the website of the Scientific Electronic Libraryhttp: www. library. ru

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NOTES

1 See: Korin S.A. Training of non-commissioned officers of long-term service in military educational institutions of the Russian army at the end of the 19th - beginning of the 20th centuries // Military History. magazine. 2012. No. 12. P. 22-24.

2 Chervinka Ya. Military career here and abroad // Officer Corps of the Russian Army (Experience of self-knowledge). M., 2000. S. 195, 196.

3 Kuropatkin A.N. Russian army. St. Petersburg, 2003. P. 178.

4 Tivanov V.V. Finances of the Russian army (XVIII century - early XX century). M., 1993. S. 211, 212.

5 Tsarev N.T. From Schlieffen to the Hindenburg. M., 1956. P. 109.

6 Gerua A.V. Hordes. Sofia, 1923. P. 14.

7 See: Korin S.A. Decree. Op. P. 27.

8 Development of tactics of the Russian army (XVIII century - early XX century). M., 1957. P. 269.

9 Zaitsov A.A. Semyonovites in 1914: Lublin - Ivangorod - Krakow. Helsingfors, 1936. P. 6.

10 Nevzorov A. The beginning of the first war in 1914 // Military reality. 1966. No. 79. P. 4.

Insignia of ranks of the Russian Army. XVIII-XX centuries.

Shoulder straps of the 19th-20th centuries
(1855-1917)
Non-commissioned officers

So, by 1855, non-commissioned officers, like soldiers, had soft cloth shoulder straps of a pentagonal shape, 1 1/4 inches wide (5.6 cm) and shoulder length (from the shoulder seam to the collar). Average shoulder strap length. ranged from 12 to 16 cm.
The lower end of the shoulder strap was sewn into the shoulder seam of a uniform or overcoat, and the upper end was fastened to a button sewn to the shoulder at the collar. Let us remind you that since 1829, the color of buttons is based on the color of the instrument metal of the shelf. The buttons of the infantry regiments have a number stamped on them. The buttons of the guards regiments were embossed with the state coat of arms. It is simply not practical to describe all the changes in images, numbers and buttons within the scope of this article.

The colors of the shoulder straps of all lower ranks were generally determined as follows:
*guards units - red shoulder straps without encryption,
*all grenadier regiments have yellow shoulder straps with red coding,
*infantry units - crimson shoulder straps with yellow coding,
*artillery and engineering troops - red shoulder straps with yellow coding,
*cavalry - each regiment has a special color of shoulder straps. There is no system here.

For infantry regiments, the color of the shoulder straps was determined by the division's place in the corps:
*First division of the corps - red shoulder straps with yellow coding,
*Second division in the corps - blue shoulder straps with yellow coding,
*Third division in the corps - white shoulder straps with red code.

The encryption was painted with oil paint and indicated the regiment number. Or it could represent the monogram of the Highest Chief of the regiment (if this monogram is in the nature of encryption, that is, used instead of the regiment number). By this time, the infantry regiments received a single continuous numbering.

On February 19, 1855, in companies and squadrons that to this day bore the name of companies and squadrons of His Imperial Majesty, all ranks were ordered to have the monogram of Emperor Nicholas I on their epaulettes and shoulder straps. However, this monogram is worn only by those ranks who served in these companies and squadrons according to as of February 18, 1855 and continue to serve in them. Lower ranks newly enrolled in these companies and squadrons do not have the right to this monogram.

On February 21, 1855, the monogram of Emperor Nicholas I was forever assigned to the cadets on the shoulder straps of the Nikolaev Engineering School. They will wear this monogram until the abolition of the royal monograms in March 1917.

Since March 3, 1862, buttons in the guard with an extruded state emblem, with an extruded grenada about one fire in the grenadier regiments and smooth in all other parts.

Encryption on shoulder straps with oil paint using a yellow or red stencil, depending on the color of the shoulder strap field.

There is no point in describing all the changes with buttons. Let us only note that by 1909, the entire Army and Guard had buttons with the state coat of arms, excluding the grenadier units and engineering units, which had their own images on the buttons.

In the grenadier regiments, the slotted encryption was replaced by one painted with oil paint only in 1874.

The height of the monograms of the Tallest Chiefs since 1891 has been determined in the range from 1 5/8 inches (72mm.) to 1 11/16 inches (75mm.).
The height of the number or digital encryption in 1911 was set to 3/4 inch (33 mm). The lower edge of the encryption is 1/2 inch (22 m.) from the lower edge of the shoulder strap.

Non-commissioned officer ranks were designated by transverse stripes on shoulder straps. The stripes were 1/4 wide top (11 mm.). In the army, the badge stripes were white, in the grenadier units and in the Electrical Engineering Company there was a red stripe in the center of the badge. In the guard, the stripes were orange (almost yellow) with two red stripes along the edges.

In the picture on the right:

1. Junior non-commissioned officer of the 6th engineer battalion of His Imperial Highness Grand Duke Nikolai Nikolaevich Senior Battalion.

2. Senior non-commissioned officer of the 5th engineer battalion.

3. Sergeant Major of the 1st Life Grenadier Ekaterinoslav Emperor Alexander II Regiment.

Please pay attention to the sergeant major's shoulder straps. Gold braided patch of the pattern "army galloon" to match the color of the instrument metal of the shelf. The monogram of Alexander II here has a red encryption character, as it should be on yellow shoulder straps. A yellow metal button with a “grenada on one fire”, such as were issued to the grenadier regiments.

In the picture on the left:

1. Junior non-commissioned officer of the 13th Life Grenadier Erivan Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich regiment.

2. Senior non-commissioned officer volunteer of the 5th Grenadier Kyiv Heir to the Tsarevich Regiment.

3. Sergeant Major of the Electrical Engineering Company.

The sergeant major's badge was not a badge, but a braided one, matching the color of the regiment's instrument metal (silver or gold).
In army and grenadier units, this patch had an “army” braid pattern and had a width of 1/2 inch (22mm).
In the 1st Guards Division, Guards Artillery Brigade, and in the Life Guards Sapper Battalion, the sergeant major's patch had a pattern of "battle" braid 5/8 inch wide (27.75 mm).
In other parts of the guard, in the army cavalry, in the horse artillery, the sergeant major's patch had a "semi-standard" braid pattern with a width of 5/8 inch (27.75 mm).

In the picture on the right:

1. Junior non-commissioned officer of the Life Guards Sapper Battalion.

2. Senior non-commissioned officer of the company of His Majesty's Life Guards Sapper Battalion.

3. Sergeant-major of the Life Guards Regiment, battalion braid).

4. Sergeant major of the Life Guards of the 1st Infantry Regiment (semi-staff braid).

In fact, non-commissioned officer stripes, strictly speaking, in themselves did not mean rank (rank) like stars for officers, but indicated the position held:

* two stripes, in addition to junior non-commissioned officers (otherwise called detached non-commissioned officers), were worn by company captains, battalion drummers (timpani players) and signalmen (trumpet players), junior musicians of non-commissioned officer rank, junior salary clerks, junior medical and company paramedics and all non-combatants lower ranks of non-commissioned officer rank (i.e. non-combatants could not have three stripes or a wide sergeant major stripe on their shoulder straps).

*three stripes, in addition to senior non-commissioned officers (otherwise called platoon non-commissioned officers), were also worn by senior salary clerks, senior medical paramedics, regimental signalmen (trumpeters), and regimental drummers.

*a wide sergeant major's badge was worn by regimental drum majors, senior clerks, and regimental storekeepers in addition to company (battery) sergeant majors (company sergeants - in modern language).

Non-commissioned officers serving in training units (officer schools), like soldiers of such units, wore a “training braid”.

Like soldiers, non-commissioned officers on long or indefinite leave wore one or two black stripes the width of 11mm.

In the picture on the left:

1. Junior non-commissioned officer of the Training Automotive Company.

2. Senior non-commissioned officer of the 208th Lori Infantry Regiment is on long leave.

3. Sergeant Major of the 1st Life Grenadier Regiment of Ekaterinoslav Emperor Alexander II on indefinite leave.

Non-commissioned officers of the army dragoon and uhlan regiments during the period under review, excluding the period from 1882 to 1909, had epaulettes rather than shoulder straps on their uniforms. During the period under review, Guards dragoons and lancers always had epaulettes on their uniforms. Dragoons and lancers wore shoulder straps only on their greatcoats.

In the picture on the left:

1. Non-commissioned officer of the Guards Cavalry Regiment.

2. Junior sergeant of an army cavalry regiment.

3. Senior sergeant of the Guards Cavalry Regiment.

Note. In the cavalry, non-commissioned officer ranks were called somewhat differently than in other branches of the military.

End note.

Persons who entered military service as hunters (in other words, voluntarily) or volunteers when receiving non-commissioned officer ranks, they retained the lining of their shoulder straps with a three-color cord.

In the picture on the right:

1. Hunter sergeant major of the 10th New Ingermanland Infantry Regiment.

2. Volunteer rank junior non-commissioned officer of the 48th Infantry Odessa Emperor Alexander I Regiment.

From the author. It was hardly possible to meet a volunteer with the rank of sergeant major, since after a year of service he already had the right to take the exam for the officer rank. And in a year it was simply unrealistic to rise to the rank of sergeant major. And it is unlikely that the company commander will appoint a “freeman” to this difficult position, which requires extensive service experience. But it was possible, although rare, to meet a volunteer who had found his place in the army, that is, a hunter and had risen to the rank of sergeant major. Most often, sergeant majors were conscripts.

The previous article on soldier's shoulder straps talked about stripes indicating special qualifications. After becoming non-commissioned officers, these specialists retained these stripes.

In the picture on the left:

1. Junior sergeant of the Life Guards Cavalry Regiment, qualified as a scout.

Note. In the cavalry, similar longitudinal stripes were also worn by non-commissioned officers who were qualified as fencing teachers and riding teachers. According to some reports, they also had “training tape” around the shoulder strap, as shown in shoulder strap 4.

2. Junior fireworksman of His Majesty's battery of the 1st Guards Artillery Brigade, qualified as a gunner.

3. Junior fireman of the 16th Artillery Brigade, qualified as an observer.

4. Qualified rider of non-commissioned officer rank.

The lower ranks who remained for long-term service (usually in the ranks from corporal to senior non-commissioned officer) were called long-term servicemen of the 2nd category and wore along the edges of the shoulder straps (except for the lower edge) braided lining made of belt braid 3/8 inch wide (16.7 mm. ). The color of the braid matches the color of the instrument metal of the shelf. All other stripes are the same as for the lower ranks of conscript service.

Unfortunately, it is not completely clear what the stripes of 2nd category long-term servicemen were by rank. There are two opinions.
First, the rank stripes are completely similar to the stripes for conscript ranks.
The second is gold or silver galloon stripes of a special design.

The author is inclined to the first opinion, relying on Sytin’s Military Encyclopedia, edition of 1912, which describes all types of braid used in the Russian Army with instructions on where this or that type of braid is used. There I found neither this type of braid, nor any indication of what kind of braid is used for the stripes of long-term conscripts. However, even the famous uniformist of that time, Colonel Schenk, repeatedly points out in his works that it is simply impossible to collect together all the Highest commands regarding uniforms and the orders of the Military Department issued on their basis, there are so many of them.

Naturally, the above stripes for special qualifications, black leave stripes, encryption and monograms were fully used by long-term conscripts.

In the picture on the right:

1. Long-term serviceman of the 2nd category, junior non-commissioned officer of the Life Guards Sapper Battalion.

2. Long-term serviceman of the 2nd category, senior non-commissioned officer of the 7th Dragoon Kinburn Regiment.

3. Long-term serviceman of the 2nd category, senior fireworksman of the 20th artillery brigade, qualified as an observer.

4. Long-term serviceman of the 2nd category, senior fireworksman of the 1st battery of the 2nd Guards Artillery Brigade, qualified as a gunner.

The 1st category conscripts had one rank - lieutenant officer. Their shoulder straps were shaped not like a pentagonal shoulder strap, but a hexagonal one. Like the officers. They wore a longitudinal badge made of belt braid 5/8 inch wide (27.75 mm) in the same color as the regiment's instrument metal. In addition to this stripe, they wore transverse stripes for their positions. Two stripes - for the position of a detached non-commissioned officer, three stripes - for the position of a platoon non-commissioned officer, one wide - for the position of a sergeant major. In other positions, lieutenant officers did not have transverse stripes.

Note. The term “commander” currently used in our army refers to all military personnel who command military formations from squad to corps incl. carefully. Above, this position is called “commander” (army commander, district commander, front commander,...).
In the Russian Army until 1917, the term “commander” was used (at least officially) only in relation to persons who command a company, battalion, regiment and brigade and equal formations in artillery and cavalry. The division was commanded by the "division chief". Above is the “commander”.
But the persons who commanded the squad and platoon were called, if the position was occupied, detached non-commissioned officer and platoon non-commissioned officer, respectively. Or a junior and senior non-commissioned officer, if it was a matter of understanding the rank. In the cavalry, if we were talking about rank - non-commissioned officer, junior sergeant and senior sergeant.
I note that the officers did not command the platoons. They all had the same position - junior company officer.

End note.

Ensigns and special insignia (as required) ensigns wore metal officer's invoices in accordance with the color of the regiment's instrument metal.

In the picture on the left:

1. Sub-ensign of His Majesty's Life Guards Sapper Battalion as a detached non-commissioned officer.

2. Sub-ensign for the position of platoon non-commissioned officer of the Life Guards Preobrazhensky Regiment.

3. Sub-ensign in the position of sergeant major of the 5th aviation company.

4. Sub-ensign for the position of senior sergeant of the 3rd Novorossiysk Dragoon Regiment.

Until 1903, graduates of cadet schools, graduated as ensigns and serving in units while awaiting assignment to officer rank, wore cadet shoulder straps, but with the code of their unit.

Completely out of the general appearance of the ensign's shoulder straps was the shoulder strap of the lieutenant ensign of the Engineering Corps. It looked like a soldier's shoulder strap and was trimmed with silver army braid 11 mm wide.

Explanation. The Engineering Corps is not a military formation, but a general name for officers and non-commissioned officers who are specialists in the field of fortification, underground mines, and who serve not in engineering units, but in fortresses and units of other branches of the military. These are a kind of advisers to general-arms commanders in engineering.

End of explanation.

In the picture on the right:

1. Sub-ensign of the Life Guards Sapper Battalion.

2. Sub-ensign of the Engineering Corps.

3. Courier.

There was a so-called Courier Corps, the main task of whose ranks was the delivery of particularly important and urgent mail (orders, directives, reports, etc.) from headquarters to headquarters. Couriers wore shoulder straps similar to those of ensigns, but the longitudinal braided stripe of the belt braid was not 5/8 inch wide (27.75 mm), but only 1/2 inch wide (22 mm).

T The same stripes have been worn by candidates for senior positions since 1907. Until this time (from 1899 to 1907), the candidate for the shoulder strap had a stripe in the form of an angle of galloon "page's gimlet".

Explanation. A candidate for a class position is a lower rank who is undergoing appropriate training in order to become a military official upon completion of active military service and continue to serve in this capacity

End of explanation.

In the picture on the left:

1. Sub-ensign of the 5th East Siberian Artillery Brigade, graduate of the cadet school (until 1903).

2. Senior non-commissioned officer of the 5th engineer battalion, who is a candidate for a class position (1899-1907).

In 1909 (Order of V.V. No. 100), double-sided shoulder straps were introduced for lower ranks. Those. one side is made of instrument cloth in the color assigned to this part, the other is made of cloth of a protective color (overcoat on overcoat), with two rows of glued lining canvas between them. Buttons in the Guard are the color of the instrument metal of the regiment, in the army they are leather.
When wearing a uniform in everyday life, shoulder straps are worn with the colored side facing out. When setting out on a campaign, the shoulder straps are turned over with the protective side outward.

However, ensigns, like officers, did not receive marching shoulder straps in 1909. Marching shoulder straps for officers and ensigns will be introduced only in the fall of 1914. (Pr.V.v.No. 698 dated 10/31/1914)

The length of the shoulder strap is the width of the shoulder. The shoulder strap width of the lower ranks is 1 1/4 inches (55-56mm). The upper edge of the shoulder strap is cut off at an obtuse equilateral angle and put on with a punched loop (stitched) on a leather button (in the guard - metal), sewn tightly to the shoulder at the collar. The edges of the shoulder strap are not folded, they are stitched with thread. A cloth tongue is sewn into the lower edge of the shoulder strap (between the upper cloth and the hem) across the entire width of the shoulder strap, for threading through a cloth jumper (1/4 inch wide) sewn onto the shoulders of the uniform.

In the picture on the left (drawing of letters and numbers according to the order of V.v. No. 228 of 1912)

1. Junior non-commissioned officer of the Life Guards Izmailovsky Regiment.

2. Senior non-commissioned officer of the 195th Orovai Infantry Regiment.

3. Sergeant major of the 5th separate scooter company.

4. Volunteer non-commissioned officer of the 13th Dragoon Regiment.

5. Sub-ensign as sergeant major of the 25th artillery brigade.

6. Sub-ensign in the officer position of the 25th artillery brigade.

What can you say to this? Here is a quote from Order of the Military Department No. 698 dated October 31, 1914:

"2) For sub-ensigns, install protective shoulder straps with stitched longitudinal wide dark orange braid, with transverse stripes of dark orange braid according to their positions (non-commissioned officer or sergeant major) or with one oxidized star (for those appointed to officer positions)."

Why this is so, I don’t know. In principle, a lieutenant officer could be either in non-commissioned officer positions and wear transverse stripes for his position in addition to his longitudinal one, or in officer positions. There are simply no others.

On both sides of the shoulder straps of non-commissioned officers of army units, the encryption is painted with oil paint 1/3 inch (15mm) above the bottom edge. The numbers and letters have dimensions: in one line 7/8 inch (39mm.), and in two lines (with an interval of 1/8 inch (5.6mm.)) - the bottom line is 3/8 inch (17mm.), the top 7 /8 inch (39mm). Special signs (who are supposed to) are painted above the encryption.
At the same time, on the marching shoulder straps of ensigns there is encryption and special insignia applied on metal oxidized (dark gray) like those of officers.
In the Guard, codes and special signs are not allowed on shoulder straps, with the exception of imperial monograms in the companies of His Majesty.

The colors of the codes on the protective side of the shoulder straps of non-commissioned officers (except for ensigns) are set by branch of service:
*infantry - yellow,
rifle units - crimson,
*cavalry and horse artillery - blue,
*foot artillery - red,
*engineering troops - brown,
* Cossack units - blue,
* railway troops and scooter riders - light green,
*fortress units of all types of weapons - orange,
*convoy parts are white,
* quartermaster parts - black.

The number encryption in the infantry and cavalry indicated the regiment number, in the foot artillery the brigade number, in the horse artillery the battery number, in the engineering troops the number of the battalion or company (if the company exists as a separate unit). The letter encryption indicated the name of the regiment, which in general, this was typical for the grenadier regiments. Or on the shoulder straps there could be a monogram of the Highest Chief, which was assigned instead of a number code.

Because each type of cavalry had a separate numbering, then after the regiment number there was a italic letter indicating the type of regiment (D-Dragoon, U-Ulansky, G-Hussar, Zh-Gendarmsky squadron). But these letters are only on the protective side of the shoulder straps!

According to the order of V.v. No. 228 of May 12, 1912, on the protective side of the shoulder straps of army units there could be colored edgings of the same color as the edgings on the colored side of the shoulder straps. If the colored shoulder strap does not have edgings, then the marching shoulder strap does not have them either.

It remains unclear whether the lower training units in the Electrical Engineering Company had marching shoulder straps. And if there were, what kind of stripes they had. I believe that since, by the nature of their activities, such units were not expected to go on a campaign and be included in the Active Army, they did not have marching shoulder straps.
It was also not expected to wear black stripes on the protective side of the shoulder straps, indicating that they were on long-term or indefinite leave.

But the lining of the shoulder straps of volunteers and hunters was also on the protective side of the shoulder straps.

In artillery and cavalry, the stripes of scouts, observers and gunners are only transverse.

Moreover:
* in the artillery, non-commissioned officers qualified as observers have a color coded stripe below their non-commissioned officer stripes. Those. in artillery the patch is red, in horse artillery it is light blue, in fortress artillery it is orange.

* in artillery, non-commissioned officers qualified as a gunner have a badge not under the non-commissioned officer badges stripe, and in the lower part of the shoulder strap in the foot artillery it is dark orange, in the horse artillery it is light blue.

* in the cavalry, non-commissioned officers, scouts, have a light blue stripe, not a longitudinal one, but a transverse one in the lower part of the shoulder strap.

* in the infantry, non-commissioned reconnaissance officers have a longitudinal dark orange stripe.

In the picture on the left:

1. Junior fireman of the 25th Artillery Brigade, qualified as a gunner.

2. Junior sergeant of the 2nd horse artillery battery, qualified as a gunner.

3. Senior sergeant of the 11th Lancer Regiment, qualified as a reconnaissance officer.

4. Senior fireworksman of the 25th artillery brigade, qualified as an observer. .

5. Non-commissioned officer of the 2nd Horse Artillery Battery, qualified as an observer.

6. Hunter is a senior non-commissioned officer of the 89th Infantry Regiment, qualified as a reconnaissance officer.

7. Long-term serviceman of the 2nd category, sergeant major of the 114th Infantry Regiment.

In military schools that trained officers, cadets were considered lower ranks with the rights of volunteers. There were also cadets who wore non-commissioned officer stripes. However, they were called differently - junior harness cadet, senior harness cadet and sergeant major. These patches were similar to the patches of non-commissioned officers of the grenadier units (white basque with a red line in the middle). The edges of the cadets' shoulder straps were trimmed with galloon, just like those of long-term servicemen of the 2nd category. However, the designs of the braid were completely different and depended on the specific school.

Junker shoulder straps, due to their diversity, require a separate article. Therefore, here I show them very briefly and only using the example of engineering schools.

Note that these shoulder straps were also worn by those who studied at ensign schools during the First World War (4-9 months). We also note that the cadets did not have marching shoulder straps at all.

Nikolaevskoe and Alekseevskoe engineering schools. Silver galloon with "military" pattern. In the picture on the left:
1. Junker of the Nikolaev Engineering School.

2. Junker of the Alekseevsky Engineering School.

3. Junker of the Nikolaev Engineering School, who was a volunteer before entering the school.

4. Junior harness cadet of the Nikolaev Engineering School.

5. Senior harness cadet of the Alekseevsky Engineering School.

6. Junker sergeant major of the Nikolaev Engineering School.

It remains unclear whether the non-commissioned officers who entered the schools retained their non-commissioned officer stripes on their cadet shoulder straps.

Reference. The Nikolaev Engineering School is considered the oldest officer school in the country, whose history began at the beginning of the 18th century and which exists today. But Alekseevskoe was opened only in 1915 in Kyiv and managed to produce only eight wartime engineering warrant officers. The events of the revolution and the Civil War destroyed this school, leaving no traces of it.

End of help.

By the decree of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee and the Council of People's Commissars of December 16, 1917 (by the new Bolshevik authorities), all the above-described insignia of the lower ranks, like all others, were abolished in connection with the abolition of all ranks and titles. The military personnel of the military units, organizations, headquarters and institutions still remaining at that moment had to remove their shoulder straps. It is difficult to say to what extent this decree was implemented. Here everything depended on the mood of the mass of soldiers, their attitude towards the new government. And the attitude of local commanders and authorities also influenced the implementation of the decree.
The shoulder straps were partially preserved during the Civil War in the formations of the White Movement, but local military leaders, taking advantage of the fact that the higher command did not have enough power over them, introduced their own versions of shoulder straps and insignia on them.
In the Red Army, which began to be created in February-March 1918, they abandoned shoulder straps completely and categorically, seeing in the shoulder straps “signs of autocracy.” The running system will be restored in the Red Army only in January 1943, i.e. after 25 years.

From the author. The author is aware that in all articles about shoulder straps of lower ranks there are minor inaccuracies and serious errors. There are also missed points. But the system of insignia on the shoulder straps of the lower ranks of the Russian Army was so diverse, confusing and changed so often that it is impossible to thoroughly track all this. In addition, a number of documents available to the author from those times contain only a text part without drawings. And this gives rise to different interpretations. Some primary sources contain references to previous documents such as: “.... like the lower ranks ..... regiment”, which could not be found. Or it turns out that they were canceled even before they were referenced. It also happens that something was introduced by order of the Military Department, but then an Order of the Main Quartermaster Directorate comes out, on the basis of the Highest Order, canceling the innovation and introducing something else.

In addition, I highly recommend not to take my information as the absolute truth in its final instance, but to get acquainted with other sites on uniformitarianism. In particular, with the website of Alexey Khudyakov (semiryak.my1.ru/) and the website “Mundir” (vedomstva-uniforma.ru/mundir).

Sources and literature

1. A. Kersnovsky. History of the Russian Army 1700-1881. Rusich. Smolensk 2004
2. A. Kersnovsky. History of the Russian Army 1881-1916. Rusich. Smolensk 2004
3. M.M. Khrenov and others. Military clothing of the Russian Army. Military publishing house. Moscow. 1994
4. O. Leonov, I. Ulyanov. Regular infantry 1855-1918. AST.Moscow. 1998
5.I.Golyzhenkov, B.Stepanov. European soldier for 300 years. Isographus. Eksmo-Press. Moscow. 2001
6.Military encyclopedia. T. I.D. Sytin. St. Petersburg. 1912
7. O. Leonov, I. Ulyanov. Regular infantry 1855-1918. AST.Moscow. 1998
8. V.K.Shenk. Rules for wearing uniforms by officers of all branches of arms. St. Petersburg. 1910
9. V.K.Shenk. Tables of uniforms of the Russian Army. St. Petersburg. 1910
10. V.K.Shenk. Tables of uniforms of the Russian Army. St. Petersburg. 1911
11. V.V.Zvegintsov. Forms of the Russian Army. Paris, 1959
12.V.M. Glinka. Russian military costume of the 18th-early 20th centuries. Artist of the RSFSR. Leningrad. 1988
13. Poster "External differences of ranks and ranks of the military and naval departments." 1914
14. Website “Insignia of the Russian Imperial Army in 1913” (semiryak.my1.ru/).
15.Historical description of clothing and weapons of Russian troops. T.28. Artillery Museum. Novosibirsk, 1944
16. Historical description of clothing and weapons of Russian troops. T.30. Artillery Museum. Novosibirsk, 1946
17. Magazine "Tseykhgauz" No. 3-2000 (12).
18. Website "Mundir" (vedomstva-uniforma.ru/mundir)
19. Website "Warehouse" (www.bergenschild.narod.ru/Reconstruction/depot/1912-18/mundir_pohod.htm).
20. Magazine "Tseykhgauz" No. 1-2003 (21).
21. Magazine "Tseykhgauz" No. 4 (1/1995).

The role and place of non-commissioned officers - the closest assistants to officers, the motives for their entry into the army, their intellectual level and financial situation, the experience of selection, training and performance of official duties are instructive for us today.

The institution of non-commissioned officers in the Russian army existed from 1716 to 1917.

The military regulations of 1716 included the following as non-commissioned officers: sergeant - in the infantry, sergeant - in the cavalry, captain-army, ensign, corporal, company clerk, orderly and corporal. The position of a non-commissioned officer in the military hierarchy was determined as follows: “Those who are below the ensign have their place, are called “non-commissioned officers,” i.e., lower-ranking people.”

The non-commissioned officer corps was recruited from soldiers who expressed a desire to remain in the army for hire after the expiration of their military service. They were called "super-conscripts." Before the advent of the institute of conscripts, from which another institute was later formed - non-commissioned officers, the duties of assistant officers were performed by the lower ranks of conscript service. But the “conscript non-commissioned officer” in most cases differed little from the private.

According to the plan of the military command, the institute of long-term servicemen was supposed to solve two problems: to reduce the understaffing of the rank and file, to serve as a reserve for the formation of the non-commissioned officer corps.

After the expiration of the period of active military service, the leadership of the War Ministry sought to leave as many soldiers (corporals) in the army as possible, as well as combat non-commissioned officers for extended periods. But on condition that those left behind will be useful to the army in terms of service and moral qualities.

The central figure of the non-commissioned officers of the Russian army is the sergeant major. He was subordinate to the company commander and was his first assistant and support. The responsibilities of the sergeant major were quite broad and responsible. This is evidenced by a small instruction issued in 1883, which read:

“The sergeant major is the commander of all lower ranks of the company.

1. He is obliged to monitor the maintenance of order in the company, the morality and behavior of the lower ranks and the accurate performance of duties by the commanding lower ranks, the company duty officer and the orderlies.

2. Transmits to the lower ranks all orders given by the company commander.

3. Sends sick people to the emergency room or infirmary.

4. Conducts all drill and guard crews of the company.

5. When appointed to the guard, he ensures that experienced and efficient people are appointed to posts of special importance.

6. Distributes and balances all regular orders for service and work among platoons.

7. Attends training sessions, as well as lunch and dinner for lower ranks.

8. At the end of the evening roll call, receives reports from platoon non-commissioned officers.

9. Checks the integrity and serviceable condition of weapons, uniform and ammunition items and all company property in the company.

10. Submits a daily report to the company commander on the state of the company: about everything that happened in the company, about household and food matters of the company, about the needs of the lower ranks.

11. In the event of his absence from the company, he transfers the performance of his duties to the senior platoon non-commissioned officer.”

The second most important among the non-commissioned officers was the “senior non-commissioned officer” - the commander of all the lower ranks of his platoon. He was responsible for order in the platoon, the morality and behavior of the rank and file, and for the success of training his subordinates. Produced outfits for lower ranks for service and work. He dismissed the soldiers from the yard, but no later than before the evening roll call. Conducted the evening roll call and reported to the sergeant major about everything that had happened during the day in the platoon.

According to the regulations, non-commissioned officers were entrusted with the initial training of soldiers, constant and vigilant supervision of lower ranks, and monitoring of internal order in the company. Later (1764), legislation assigned the non-commissioned officer the responsibility not only to train the lower ranks, but also to educate them.

However, the number of conscripts did not correspond to the calculations of the General Staff and was far inferior to the number of conscripts in Western armies. Thus, in 1898, there were 65 thousand long-term combat non-commissioned officers in Germany, 24 thousand in France, 8.5 thousand in Russia.

The formation of the institution of long-term service was slow - the mentality of the Russian people affected it. The soldier understood his duty - to honestly and selflessly serve the Fatherland during the years of military service. And on top of that, he deliberately resisted remaining in service for money.

In order to increase the number of long-term servicemen, the government sought to interest those interested: their rights and salaries were expanded, a number of awards for service were established, improved uniforms and insignia, and a good pension upon completion of service.

According to the regulations on the lower ranks of long-term combat service (1911), non-commissioned officers were divided into two categories. The first is sub-ensigns promoted to this rank from long-term combat non-commissioned officers. They had significant rights and benefits. The second is non-commissioned officers and corporals. They enjoyed slightly less rights than ensigns. Sub-ensigns in combat units held the positions of sergeant majors and platoon officers - senior non-commissioned officers. Corporals were promoted to junior non-commissioned officers and appointed squad commanders.

Long-term non-commissioned officers were promoted to lieutenant officers under two conditions: serve as a platoon commander (senior non-commissioned officer) for two years, and successfully complete a military school course for non-commissioned officers. The division chief promoted him to lieutenant ensign by order. Senior non-commissioned officers usually held positions as assistant platoon leaders. As a rule, squad commanders had the rank of junior non-commissioned officer.

Combat long-term servicemen of the lower ranks received a medal with the inscription “For zeal” and the badge of St. Anne for impeccable service. They were also allowed to marry and have families. Long-term servicemen lived in barracks at the location of their companies. The sergeant major was provided with a separate room, and two senior non-commissioned officers also lived in a separate room.

In order to interest them in the service and emphasize the commanding position of non-commissioned officers among the lower ranks, they were given uniforms and insignia, in some cases inherent to a chief officer: a cockade on a headdress with a visor, a saber on a leather belt, a revolver with a holster and cord.

Combat long-term servicemen of the lower ranks of both grades, who served for fifteen years, received a pension in the amount of 96 rubles. in year. The salary of a lieutenant officer ranged from 340 to 402 rubles. in year; corporal - 120 rubles. in year.

Deprivation of non-commissioned officer rank was carried out by the head of the division or a person of equal authority.

It was difficult for commanders of all levels to train an excellent non-commissioned officer corps from semi-literate conscript soldiers. Therefore, foreign experience in the formation of this institute was carefully studied, primarily the experience of the German army.

Non-commissioned officers did not have the knowledge to lead subordinates. Some of them naively believed that orders should be given in a deliberately rude voice, that such a tone would ensure universal obedience.

The moral qualities of the non-commissioned officer were not always up to par. Some of them were drawn to alcohol, which had a bad effect on the behavior of their subordinates. In society and the army, demands were increasingly heard that an illiterate non-commissioned officer should not interfere with the spiritual education of a soldier. There was even a categorical demand: “Non-commissioned officers must be prohibited from invading the soul of a recruit - such a delicate sphere.” The non-commissioned officer was also unscrupulous in the ethics of his relations with his subordinates. Others allowed something similar to a bribe. Such facts were sharply condemned by officers.

In order to comprehensively prepare long-term service personnel for responsible work as a non-commissioned officer, a network of courses and schools was developed in the army, which were created mainly at the regiments.

To make it easier for the non-commissioned officer to assume his role, the military department published a lot of different literature in the form of methods, instructions, and advice. Among the recommendations, in particular, were:

Show subordinates not only strictness but also a caring attitude;

In relation to the soldiers, keep yourself at a “certain distance”;

When dealing with subordinates, avoid irritation, short temper, and anger;

Remember that the Russian soldier, in his treatment of him, loves the commander whom he considers his father;

Teach soldiers to take care of cartridges in battle, and crackers at a halt;

Have a decent appearance: “an unter fit as a bow.”

Studying at courses and in regimental schools brought unconditional benefits. Among the non-commissioned officers there were many gifted people who could skillfully explain to the soldiers the basics of military service, its values, duties and responsibilities.

Here we have a fragment of a conversation between one of the experienced ensigns who are in love with the service with soldiers about the role and value of such concepts as “banner”, “bravery”, “theft”, “sneaking”.

About the banner. “Once a general came to do a review. But in literature (a survey of personnel - author) he asked one soldier: “What is a banner?”, and he answered him: “The banner is a soldier’s God, Your Excellency.” So what do you mean? "What do you think? The general beat him down and gave him a ruble as a tip."

About courage. “A brave soldier in battle only thinks about how he can defeat others, but about the fact that he is being beaten - oh my God - there is no place in his head for such a stupid thought.”

About theft. “Theft among us, the military, is considered the most shameful and serious crime. If you are guilty of anything else, even though the law will not spare you, sometimes your comrades and even your bosses will feel sorry for you and will show sympathy for your grief. For a thief - never. Nothing but contempt. you won’t see, and they will shun you and avoid you like you’ve lost your mind..."

About the sneaker. “A whistleblower is a person who brings out every little thing in order to denigrate his brother and get ahead himself. Whistleblowers do it on the sly and only... A soldier must, out of honor and service, openly reveal such offenses that clearly disgrace his pure family ".

By mastering knowledge and gaining experience, non-commissioned officers became the first assistants to officers in solving the tasks facing their companies and squadrons.

The state of military discipline in units of the Russian army in the second half of the 19th - early 20th centuries was assessed as satisfactory. The reason for this was not only the work of the officer, who worked, in the figurative expression of analysts of that time, “like a slave on a cane plantation,” but also the efforts of the non-commissioned officer corps. According to the report of the commander of the troops of the Odessa Military District in 1875, “military discipline was strictly maintained. The number of lower ranks fined was 675 people or 11.03 per 1000 people on the average payroll.”

It is generally believed that the state of military discipline would be even stronger if officers and non-commissioned officers managed to eliminate drunkenness among soldiers. This was the root cause of all military crimes and violations.

In the fight against this evil, non-commissioned officers were helped by the Law prohibiting lower ranks from entering drinking establishments and taverns. Drinking establishments could not be opened closer than 150 fathoms from military units. Shinkari could dispense vodka to soldiers only with written permission from the company commander. The sale of alcohol was prohibited in soldiers' shops and buffets.

In addition to administrative ones, measures were also taken to organize the leisure time of soldiers. In the barracks, as they said then, “decent entertainment was arranged,” soldiers’ artels, teahouses, reading rooms operated, and performances were staged with the participation of lower ranks.

Non-commissioned officers played a significant role in solving such an important task as teaching soldiers to read and write, and recruits from the national outskirts to know the Russian language. This problem acquired strategic importance - the army turned into an “all-Russian school of education.” The non-commissioned officers were very willing to teach the soldiers writing and arithmetic, although there was very little time for this. The efforts bore fruit. The percentage of illiterate soldiers was decreasing. If in 1881 there were 75.9% of them, then in 1901 - 40.3%.

Another area of ​​activity of non-commissioned officers, in which they were especially successful, was the organization of economic, or, as they were also called, “free labor.”

For military units, such work had both disadvantages and advantages. The advantages were that the money earned by the soldiers went to the regimental treasury, some of it to officers, non-commissioned officers and lower ranks. Funds were mainly used to purchase additional provisions for soldiers. However, economic work also had a negative side. The service of many soldiers took place in workshops, bakeries, and workshops.

Soldiers of many units, for example the East Siberian Military District, loaded and unloaded ships with heavy quartermaster and engineering cargo, fixed telegraph lines, repaired and constructed buildings, and performed work with parties of topographers. All this was far from combat training and had a negative impact on the course of military education in the units.

In a combat situation, the overwhelming majority of non-commissioned officers were distinguished by excellent courage and carried the soldiers along with them. In the Russo-Japanese War, non-commissioned officers often acted as officers called up from the reserves.