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, it was prescribed that in companies and squadrons, which to this day bore the name of companies and squadrons of His Imperial Majesty, all ranks should 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 coat of arms, with an extruded grenade 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 in addition to company (battery) sergeant majors (company sergeants - in modern language), regimental drum majors, senior clerks, and regimental storekeepers.

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 position. 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 patch 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" design. 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 army is a special world with its own laws and customs, a strict hierarchy and a clear division of responsibilities. And always, starting with the ancient Roman legions, he was the main link between ordinary soldiers and the highest command staff. Today we'll talk about non-commissioned officers. Who is this and what functions did they perform in the army?

History of the term

Let's figure out who a non-commissioned officer is. The system of military ranks began to take shape in Russia at the beginning of the 18th century with the advent of the first regular army. Over time, only minor changes occurred in it - and for more than two hundred years it remained virtually unchanged. After a year, great changes took place in the Russian system of military ranks, but even now most of the old ranks are still used in the army.

Initially, there was no strict division into ranks among the lower ranks. The role of junior commanders was played by non-commissioned officers. Then, with the advent of the regular army, a new category of lower army ranks appeared - non-commissioned officers. The word is of German origin. And this is no coincidence, since much at that time was borrowed from foreign countries, especially during the reign of Peter the Great. It was he who created the first Russian army on a regular basis. Translated from German, unter means “inferior.”

Since the 18th century, in the Russian army, the first degree of military ranks was divided into two groups: privates and non-commissioned officers. It should be remembered that in the artillery and Cossack troops the lower military ranks were called fireworks and constables, respectively.

Ways to obtain a title

So, a non-commissioned officer is the lowest level of military ranks. There were two ways to obtain this rank. Nobles entered military service at the lowest rank immediately, without vacancies. They were then promoted and received their first officer rank. In the 18th century, this circumstance led to a huge surplus of non-commissioned officers, especially in the guard, where the majority preferred to serve.

All others had to serve for four years before receiving the rank of ensign or sergeant major. In addition, non-nobles could receive an officer rank for special military merits.

What ranks belonged to non-commissioned officers

Over the past 200 years, changes have occurred in this lower level of military ranks. At different times, the following ranks belonged to non-commissioned officers:

1. Sub-ensign and ordinary warrant officer are the highest non-commissioned officer ranks.
2. Feldwebel (in the cavalry he held the rank of sergeant) - a non-commissioned officer who occupied a middle position in the ranks between corporal and ensign. He performed the duties of assistant company commander for economic affairs and internal order.
3. Senior non-commissioned officer - assistant platoon commander, direct superior of the soldiers. Had relative freedom and independence in the education and training of privates. He kept order in the unit, assigned soldiers to duty and to work.
4. The junior non-commissioned officer is the immediate superior of the rank and file. It was with him that the education and training of soldiers began, he helped his charges in military training and led them into battle. In the 17th century, in the Russian army, instead of a junior non-commissioned officer, there was the rank of corporal. He belonged to the lowest military rank. A corporal in the modern Russian army is a junior sergeant. The rank of lance corporal still exists in the US Army.

Non-commissioned officer of the Tsarist army

In the period after the Russian-Japanese war and during the First World War, the formation of non-commissioned officers in the tsarist army was given special importance. For the instantly increased number in the army there were not enough officers, and military schools could not cope with this task. The short period of compulsory service did not allow for the training of a professional military man. The War Ministry tried with all its might to retain non-commissioned officers in the army, on whom great hopes were placed for the education and training of the rank and file. They gradually began to be identified as a special layer of professionals. It was decided to retain up to a third of the lower military ranks in long-term service.

Non-commissioned officers who served beyond the term of 15 years received the right to a pension upon dismissal.

In the tsarist army, non-commissioned officers played a huge role in the training and education of the rank and file. They were responsible for order in the units, assigned soldiers to squads, had the right to dismiss a private from the unit, dealt with

Abolition of lower military ranks

After the 1917 revolution, all military ranks were abolished. They were reintroduced already in 1935. The ranks of sergeant major, senior and junior non-commissioned officers were replaced by junior ones, and the lieutenant warrant officer began to correspond to the sergeant major, and the ordinary warrant officer to the modern warrant officer. Many famous personalities of the 20th century began their service in the army with the rank of non-commissioned officer: G.K. Zhukov, K.K. Rokossovsky, V.K. Blucher, G. Kulik, poet Nikolai Gumilyov.

The article is devoted to the study of the emergence, formation and significance of the non-commissioned officer corps in the army of the mid-19th - early 20th centuries. The relevance of the work is determined by the importance of the role of the army in the history of Russia, the modern challenges facing our country, which determines the need to turn to the historical experience of organizing army life. The purpose of the work is to consider the formation, functioning and importance of the non-commissioned officer corps in the Russian army of the pre-revolutionary period.

The preparation, training and education of personnel in the army has always been a difficult task in military development. Since its inception, non-commissioned officers have played an important role in training lower ranks in military affairs, maintaining order and discipline, education, and their moral and cultural upbringing. The importance of the non-commissioned corps in the Russian army in the period of the mid-nineteenth - early twentieth centuries was revealed, when it had to solve the dual task of being an assistant officer and the role of the closest commander for the lower ranks, especially during the years of severe military trials. The historical experience of creating, functioning and improving the institution of non-commissioned officer corps is of great importance in military development and deserves further study. Key words: Russia, army, 19th century, early 20th century, non-commissioned officers, everyday life.

In recent decades, the class system of the Russian Empire in the 19th and early 20th centuries has been intensively studied. At the same time, some significant sections of the population did not attract the attention of researchers. This applies in particular to the military. Various categories of military personnel had their own specific legal status and often made up a significant part of the population.

The historical literature contains only isolated notes concerning the military class of the second half of the 19th century, mainly in works devoted to the size and composition of the population. The modern Russian historian B.N. pays significant attention to the soldier class in his numerous works. Mironov. Among the few works by foreign authors, one can note R.L. Garthof. The interest in the study of the soldier class, which has emerged in recent years, is precisely dictated by the fact that historical science has so far paid insufficient attention to this stratum. It is obvious that a comprehensive study of soldiers as a special social group is necessary, identifying their role and place in the social and economic system of society.

The relevance of the work is determined by the importance of the army in the history of Russia, the modern challenges facing our country, which determines the need to turn to the historical experience of organizing army life. The purpose of the work is to consider the formation, functioning and importance of the non-commissioned officer corps in the Russian army of the pre-revolutionary period. The methodological basis of the work is the theory of modernization. The work used a variety of scientific principles (historical-comparative, historical-systemic, analysis, synthesis) and special methods for analyzing historical sources: methods for analyzing legislative acts, quantitative methods, methods for analyzing narrative documents, etc. In the period of the mid-nineteenth - early twentieth centuries, despite the abolition of serfdom, Russia remained predominantly an illiterate peasant country, the recruitment of the army of which fell primarily on the shoulders of the village community.

After the introduction of universal conscription in 1874, the lower ranks of the army were also represented mainly by peasant origins. And this meant the need for the initial training of the recruit in basic literacy, his preparation in general education, and only then direct training in military affairs. In turn, this required trained non-commissioned officers in the army, who required appropriate training. The first non-commissioned officers in Russia appeared under Peter I. The military regulations of 1716 included a sergeant in the infantry, a sergeant in the cavalry, a captain, a lieutenant officer, a corporal, a company clerk, an orderly and a corporal. According to the regulations, they were entrusted with the initial training of soldiers, as well as control over compliance by the lower ranks with internal order in the company. Since 1764, legislation has assigned the non-commissioned officer the responsibility not only to train lower ranks, but also to educate them.

However, it is impossible to talk about full-fledged military education in that period, since for the most part representatives of the non-commissioned officer corps were poorly trained and mostly illiterate. In addition, the basis of the educational process in the army of that period was drill. Disciplinary practice was based on cruelty, and corporal punishment was often used. Among the non-commissioned officers of the Russian army, the sergeant major stood out. This is the highest non-commissioned officer rank and position in infantry artillery and engineer units. The responsibilities and rights of a sergeant major in the Russian army at that time were much broader than in European armies. The instructions issued in 1883 assigned him the duties of being the head of all lower ranks of the company.

He was subordinate to the company commander, was his first assistant and support, was responsible for order in the platoon, the morality and behavior of lower ranks, for the success of training of subordinates, and in the absence of the company commander, he replaced him. The second in importance was the senior non-commissioned officer - the head of all the lower ranks of his platoon. 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, i.e. long-term employees. The category of long-term servicemen, as conceived by the military command, was supposed to solve the problems of reducing the shortage of rank and file and forming a reserve of non-commissioned officer corps. The leadership of the War Ministry sought to leave in the army as many soldiers (corporals) as possible, as well as conscript non-commissioned officers for extended service, provided that their service and moral qualities would be useful for the army.

At this time, the military department noted the need to create a layer of experienced instructors in the troops, necessary for those short periods of service and the great demands placed on the lower ranks in the army after the military reform. “...from a good non-commissioned officer, troops will require a certain amount of development: good service knowledge, both practical and theoretical; necessary morality and good behavior; and most importantly, a well-known character and the ability to manage the people subordinate to him and the ability to instill in them complete trust and respect, - this is how army officers who were interested in the problem of training non-commissioned officers wrote on the pages of the “Military Collection” ... ". The selection of long-term non-commissioned officers was carried out very seriously.

Special attention was paid to the soldier designated as a candidate; he was tested in all positions of future activity. “In order for the lower ranks to receive practical training in the team, for this it is necessary that it have its own separate economy, of course, in this case it is necessary to add to the permanent cadre one non-commissioned officer, correcting the position of captain, and four privates for the positions of clerk, groom, baker and cook; All the lower ranks of the variable composition are assigned to these persons in turn and correct their positions, under the supervision and responsibility of the personnel ranks.” Until the middle of the 19th century. There were no special schools or courses for non-commissioned officers, so there was nowhere to specifically train them. Since the late 1860s. noncommissioned training for the Russian army was carried out in regimental training teams with a training period of 7.5 months. Lower ranks who showed ability to serve, had no disciplinary offenses and, if possible, were literate, as well as “received distinction in battle,” were sent to these training units.

The teaching was predominantly practical in nature. The officer played the main role in the educational process of the non-commissioned officer. M.I. Dragomirov, a military theorist and teacher of the second half of the 19th century, who successfully applied in the army the principles of training and education of troops that he developed, wrote on this matter: “An officer needs to work persistently; first to form non-commissioned officers, and then in order to tirelessly monitor the activities of these inexperienced and constantly changing assistants... What he himself does not do, does not explain, does not indicate, no one will do for him.” Upon completion of their studies, the lower ranks returned to their units. It was primarily about long-term non-commissioned officers, who had undoubted advantages in comparison with non-commissioned officers of conscript service: “Shortened terms of service are of enormous importance in this matter because the training time of a non-commissioned officer should probably be short... more Long service is, of course, necessary for the non-commissioned officers themselves, since service experience, of course, significantly contributes to their improvement.” The financial resources allocated by the military department for the creation of a layer of long-term non-commissioned officers were relatively small. Therefore, the lag in the training of such personnel was very noticeable. Thus, in 1898, there were 65 thousand long-term combat non-commissioned officers in Germany, 24 thousand in France, 8.5 thousand people in Russia. .

At the same time, the army was interested in conscripts, so it took care of them with the help of sufficient provision from the state treasury. For example, the Regulations on the extended service of lower ranks in the border guard of 1881 ordered the lower ranks of the border guard to ensure their higher material living and social status in order to increase the official authority of long-term non-commissioned officers of senior ranks. According to it, the long-term lower ranks of the border guard of the non-commissioned officer rank, including senior and junior sergeants (sergeant majors) in detachments and training teams, and non-commissioned officers holding the positions of other junior commanders, received monetary remuneration and an additional salary to the regular salary. In particular, in the first year upon entry into long-term service, the senior sergeant was entitled to 84 rubles, the junior sergeant - 60 rubles; in the third year - senior sergeant 138 rubles, junior sergeant - 96 rubles; in the fifth year - senior sergeant 174 rubles, junior sergeant - 120 rubles.

In general, the living conditions of the non-commissioned officers, although they differed for the better from those of the rank and file, were quite modest. In addition to the additional salary established above, each senior and junior sergeant who served in the named positions continuously for two years was given a one-time allowance in the amount of 150 rubles at the end of the second year of long-term service, as well as 60 rubles each. annually. After the defeat of the Russian army in the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905. the issue of staffing the army with non-commissioned officers from among conscripts has become even more pressing. The annual additional salary increased to 400 rubles. depending on rank and length of service, other material benefits were provided; rent in the amount of half the norm for officers; pension for 15 years of service in the amount of 96 rubles. in year . In 1911, military schools were introduced for non-commissioned officers, in which they prepared for the rank of ensign.

There they trained to perform the position of squad and platoon commander in order to replace juniors in war, to command a platoon in a combat situation, and, if necessary, a company. According to the regulations on the lower ranks of 1911, they were divided into two categories. The first is ensigns promoted to this rank from combat non-commissioned non-commissioned officers. They had significant rights and benefits. Corporals were promoted to junior non-commissioned officers and appointed squad commanders. Long-term non-commissioned officers were promoted to lieutenant warrant officers under two conditions: service as a platoon commander for two years and successful completion of a course in the military school for non-commissioned officers. Volunteers could also become non-commissioned officers in the Russian Army. However, the real test for the non-Russian army corps was the First World War. The problem arose by the end of 1914, when the command, unfortunately, had not yet thought about saving personnel.

During the first mobilization, 97% of trained military personnel were drafted into the ranks of the active army; preference was given to reserve non-commissioned officers, who, as a rule, had better training compared to ordinary reserves. Therefore, the maximum number of non-commissioned reserves was poured into the rank and file of the first strategic echelon. As a result, it turned out that all the most valuable junior command personnel were almost completely destroyed in the first military operations. Another measure with which they tried to combat the shortage of junior command personnel was to increase the institution of volunteers; so-called volunteer hunters began to be recruited into the army.

According to the imperial decree of December 25, 1914, retired ensigns and long-term non-commissioned officers were accepted for service as hunters. The military retreat of the Russian army in 1915 and the associated loss of non-commissioned officers in battles further aggravated the problem of the lack of junior commanders in combat units. The state of military discipline in units and divisions of the Russian army in the second half of the 19th - early 20th centuries. rated as satisfactory. The result of this was not only the work of the officer, but also the efforts of the non-commissioned officer corps.

The main violations of military discipline in the army during this period by lower ranks were escapes, thefts, embezzlement of government property and violations of military decorum. There were insults to non-commissioned officers, and in rare cases, insults. In order to impose disciplinary sanctions, non-commissioned officers had the same rights as senior officers; they were admitted to officer meetings. Deprivation of this rank was carried out by the head of the division or a person of equal authority with him in compliance with the necessary norms of legislation for the crimes committed.

For the same reason and by a court verdict, promotion to non-commissioned officer could have been suspended. Here is an excerpt from the verdict of the regimental court of the 9th Grenadier Siberian Regiment about a private of the 78th reserve infantry battalion: “... therefore the court sentenced the defendant Private Alekseev to arrest on bread and water for three weeks with an increase in the mandatory stay in the category of fines for one year and six months and with deprivation, on the basis of Art. 598. Book I Part II of the S.V.P. 1859, the right to be promoted to officer or non-commissioned officer, except in the case of a special military feat...”

For better performance of their duties by non-commissioned officers, the War Ministry published a lot of different literature for them in the form of methods, instructions, and manuals. The recommendations called on the non-commissioned officers to “show their subordinates not only severity, but also a caring attitude”, “to avoid irritation, hot temper and shouting in dealing with subordinates, and also to keep themselves at a certain distance from their subordinates”, they called on “to remember that the Russian soldier in dealing with him, he loves the boss whom he considers his father.”

By mastering knowledge and gaining experience, non-commissioned officers became good assistants in solving the tasks facing companies and squadrons, in particular, strengthening military discipline, carrying out economic work, teaching soldiers to read and write, and recruits from the national outskirts to know the Russian language. The efforts bore fruit - the percentage of illiterate soldiers in the army decreased. If in 1881 there were 75.9%, then in 1901 - 40.3%. Another area of ​​activity of the non-commissioned officers, where non-commissioned officers were especially successful, was economic work, or, as they were also called, “free labor”. The advantages were that the money earned by the soldiers went to the regimental treasury, and part of it went to officers, non-commissioned officers and lower ranks. The money earned improved the soldiers' nutrition. However, the negative side of economic work was significant.

It turned out that the entire 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. Be that as it may, the non-commissioned officers of the Russian army played a positive role in the preparation, training and combat effectiveness of troops in the period of the mid-nineteenth - early twentieth centuries. Thus, the preparation, training and education of personnel in the army has always been a difficult task in military development.

Since its inception, non-commissioned officers have played an important role in training lower ranks in military affairs, maintaining order and discipline, education, and the moral and cultural upbringing of soldiers. In our opinion, it is difficult to overestimate the importance of the non-commissioned corps in the Russian army in the mid-nineteenth - early twentieth centuries, when it had to solve the dual task of being an assistant officer and the closest commander for the lower ranks, especially during the years of severe military trials. The historical experience of creating, functioning and improving the institution of the non-commissioned officer corps shows its great importance in military development and deserves further study.

Bibliography

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2. Garthoff R.L. The Military as a Social Force // The Transformation of Russian Society: Aspects of Social Change since 1861. - Cambridge, 1960.

3. Military collection. - St. Petersburg, 1887. - T. CLХХVIII.

4. Sushchinsky F. Non-commissioned officer question in our army // Military collection. - St. Petersburg, 1881. No. 8.

5. Nikulchenko A. About the means to get good non-commissioned officers // Orientir. - 2013. - No. 7.

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7. Goncharov Yu.M. Daily life of Siberian townspeople in the second half of the 19th - early 20th centuries. : tutorial. - Barnaul, 2012. 8. Military collection. - St. Petersburg, 1892. - T. CCV.

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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

Non-commissioned officers - commanding lower ranks. During the initial formation of regular armies, there was no sharp difference between officers and military officers. The promotion of the latter to the first officer rank took place in the usual order of movement along the hierarchical ladder. A sharp line appeared later, when the nobility succeeded in filling the positions of captains and their assistants exclusively with nobles. Such a rule was established for the first time in France, first for the cavalry, and then (in 1633) for the infantry. Under Frederick William I, it was adopted in Prussia, where it received strictly consistent use, partly as a measure of material support for the nobility. The class line between officers and commanders from the lower ranks fell in France during the revolutionary period, in Prussia - after 1806. In the 19th century. Another basis came forward, on which an equally sharp difference between officers and military officers now rests - the degree of general and special military education. Activities of the U.-officer. not independent, but the importance of a good cadre of them is very great, since they live with their subordinates in a common barracks life, under the same conditions and the same environment, differing little in age and level of development from the rank and file. Military officers, in the apt expression of A. Roediger, are technicians, artisans of military affairs. The reduction of the terms of compulsory military service, brought everywhere to 2 - 5 years, has created the so-called military officer issue, which is now troubling all states. On the one hand, the number of reliable, practically trained U. officers, with frequent changes in the contingent, has become smaller, on the other, the need for them has increased due to the difficulty of turning a recruit into a combat soldier in a relatively short time. The most common means of resolving it is the involvement of military officers to serve beyond their term (see Extended Service), but it is unlikely that it can resolve it completely: experience shows that, despite all the measures taken, the number of military officers remaining on Long-term military service is far from enough. The same short service life, due to the increasing complexity of military equipment, was the reason for the formation of military officer schools, which occupy a middle place between military units and educational institutions; The young people who have passed through them are obliged to remain in the service as military officers for longer periods than if they had entered the conscription. There are 8 such schools in Germany (6 Prussian, 1 Bavarian and 1 Saxon); each constitutes a battalion in combat terms (from 2 to 4 companies); hunters aged 17 to 20 years are accepted; three-year course; the best students graduate into the U.S. troops. -officers, less successful - corporals; those who have completed school are required to remain in service for 4 years (instead of two years). In Germany, there are also preparatory military officer schools, with a two-year course, from where students are transferred to one of the above-mentioned 8 schools. In France, the name of military officer schools is given to educational institutions that prepare military officers for promotion to officers (corresponding to our cadet schools). To train U. officers themselves, there are 6 preparatory schools, with 400 - 500 students in each; those who complete the course undertake to serve for 5 years; Officers are promoted to the ranks of military officers not upon graduation, but upon award by the combat superiors. In Russia, the military officer training battalion has a similar character (see). Military officer schools nowhere satisfy the entire need for military officers (even in Germany only 1/3 of the school’s students are of them). The main mass receives training in the troops, where training teams are formed for this purpose (see). Military officers in all armies have several degrees: in Germany - sergeant major, vice sergeant major, sergeant and military officer; in Austria - sergeant major, platoon U. officer and corporal; in France - adjutant, sergeant major and U. officer (there are also corporals - brigadiers in the cavalry, but they correspond to corporals); in Italy - senior fourier, fourier and sergeant; in England - sergeant major, sergeant and junior sergeant. In Russia, since 1881, the military officer rank was awarded only to lower ranks of combatants; for non-combatants it is replaced by the rank of non-combatant senior rank. In the ground forces there are 3 degrees: sergeant major (sergeant in the cavalry), platoon and junior military officers (fireworkers in the artillery, non-commissioned officers in the Cossacks). In the fleet: boatswain, sergeant major (on shore), boatswain's mate, quartermaster, artillery, mine, engine and fireman U. officers, quartermaster galvaner, musician U. officer. etc. The number of U. officers per company is different: in Germany 14, in France and Austria 9, in Russia 7, in England 5, in Italy 4. The basic conditions of production in U. officers. according to the current Russian legislation: serving in the rank of private for at least the established period (for those serving a total service period of 1 year 9 months, for volunteers and those serving a shortened period - much less) and completing a regimental training command course or passing a test with it. An exception is production for combat distinction; in addition, in the hunting teams (in the infantry) and in the reconnaissance teams (in the cavalry) there may be one U. each from those who did not complete the training team course. Proceedings in the military are carried out by the authority of the commander of a regiment or other separate unit, deprivation of rank - by court or in a disciplinary manner, by the authority of the division chief. The title of U. does not create any class rights or advantages and exempts you from corporal punishment only for the duration of your stay there. Privates punished for theft or subjected to corporal punishment cannot be promoted to military officers.

Wed. A. Roediger, “Recruitment and structure of the armed forces” (Part I); his, “The non-commissioned officer question in the main European armies”; Lobko, “Notes of the Military Administration.”