By order of the Commander-in-Chief of the Volunteer Army N 1 dated December 24, 1917, the Crimean Center of the Volunteer Army was formed, the head of which was Major General Baron de Vode. The center was subdivided into private centers: the city of Sevastopol and the area up to Balaklava; gg. Simferopol and Evpatoria Feodosia and Kerch, Yalta and surroundings; Alushta and its environs (order for the Crimean Center N 1 dated October 10, 1918).
By order of the Commander-in-Chief of the Volunteer Army N 1 dated December 24, 1917, the Crimean Center of the Volunteer Army was formed, the head of which was Major General Baron de Vode. The center was subdivided into private centers: the city of Sevastopol and the area up to Balaklava; gg. Simferopol and Evpatoria Feodosia and Kerch, Yalta and surroundings; Alushta and its environs (order for the Crimean Center N 1 dated October 10, 1918).
According to the telegram of the Commander-in-Chief of the Volunteer Army N 03588 of November 15, 1918, Lieutenant General Baron Bode was entrusted with the command of all units of the Volunteer Army in Crimea (order of the commander of the Volunteer Army in Crimea N 8 of November 15/28, 1918). The headquarters of the commander of the troops was formed by the same order.
By order of the Commander-in-Chief of the Volunteer Army, the head of the center was appointed the official representative of the Volunteer Army in the Crimea. (Order of the representative of the Volunteer Army in the Crimea N 3 dated November 6/19, 1918).
By order of the representative of the Volunteer Army in Crimea N 6 dated November 10/23, 1918, the Volunteer Army units entered the territory of Crimea and the inclusion of units formed on the territory of the Crimean Peninsula military units into its composition. The army included Krymskaya, 3 pd. Melitopol detachment, separate Perekop battalion, Berdyansk settlement.
By orders of the Commander-in-Chief of the Volunteer Army NN 172 and 189 of November 19 and 23, 1918, the representative of the Volunteer Army in Crimea became known as the commander of the Volunteer Army in Crimea. The commander's department was formed according to the staff of the department of the non-separate corps with a more developed supply body and a mobilization department.
In early December 1918, in order to restore parts of the old Russian army, previously stationed in the Crimea, from the ranks of the former 13 infantry division the formation of a battalion began, from the ranks of the Crimean cavalry regiment-squadron, from the ranks of the 13th artillery brigade - a battery, as well as new units - the Simferopol officer regiment, an engineering company, two light, howitzer and heavy howitzer batteries. (Order of the Commander of the Volunteer Army in the Crimea N 15 of December 7, 1918).
By personal order of the Assistant Commander-in-Chief of the Volunteer Army, announced in the order of the Commander of the Volunteer Army in Crimea N 20 dated December 19, 1918, the Crimean and private centers were abolished.
By order of the commander of the Volunteer Army in Crimea N 25 dated December 24, 1918, the Berdyansk, Melitopol, South-Western detachments, the consolidated guards company, the personnel battery of the guards horse artillery, the reserve cavalry regiment, the 9th battalion, the consolidated Guards Regiment, 2nd Taman Cavalry Regiment, ex. 8 Ukrainian Corps.
By December 31, 1918, the troops included: the Crimean division (Simferopol officer consolidated infantry / formed from consolidated battalions 13 and 34 infantry /, reserve cavalry, 2 cavalry Taman regiments, a separate personnel squadron); 3rd infantry division (2 officer, Samursky, 2 cavalry regiments, Ingermanland cavalry division, Czechoslovak separate battalion. Petropavlovsk, Aleksandrovsky, Romanovsky detachments, 3 separate engineering company, 3 howitzer battery, 3 light artillery division, 1 horse-mountain battery, 3 park artillery division , 3rd reserve battalion, 3rd air detachment, Chuguevsky and Belgorod cavalry detachments); Melitopol detachment (combined guards regiment. Melitopol separate battalion, 1 guards light artillery division, 2 non-standard guards light artillery division, non-standard guards heavy artillery division, separate non-standard light artillery division, hundred 2 of the Taman cavalry regiment); Perekop separate battalion with a light artillery division; Berdyansk infantry regiment and the fortress-warehouse Sevastopol.
By order of the Commander-in-Chief of the VSYUR N 4 of December 27, 1918, the troops operating in the area of the Tauride and Yekaterinoslav provinces, the 3rd Infantry Division were consolidated into the Crimean-Azov Corps, the command of the Commander of the Volunteer Army in the Crimea was disbanded, the personnel and property were turned to the formation of the department corps.
By order of the Commander-in-Chief of the VSYUR N 42 dated January 10, 1919, the corps was renamed the Crimean-Azov Volunteer Army, and the corps headquarters was reorganized into the army headquarters. It included the departments of the quartermaster general (operational, intelligence, general, topographic departments), the general on duty (inspector, general, mobilization, ship departments) and the military-political department (order of the Crimean-Azov Volunteer Army N 16 of January 15, 1919 .).
At the army headquarters, a judicial-investigative commission was formed (order of the Crimean-Azov Volunteer Army N 18 of January 20, 1919), the department of the chief of artillery (order of the army N 56 of February 17, 1919).
Instead of the disbanded department of the chief of supplies, the department of the detachment quartermaster was formed, renamed from June 1 to the department of the corps quartermaster (order for the army N 157 of May 10, 1919).
On the basis of the order of the Commander-in-Chief of the All-Union Socialist Republic N 134 of January 19, 1919, by order of the Crimean-Azov Volunteer Army N 28 of January 26, 1919, the Crimean division was renamed 4 infantry division, as part of the Simferopol officer, Crimean consolidated (former consolidated) pp, Tatar joint venture, four artillery divisions, a personnel squadron of the Crimean cavalry regiment, 2 Taman cavalry regiment. By the same order, 5 infantry divisions were formed as part of the guards consolidated, Melitopol (reformed from a separate battalion), Berdyansk pp, Perekop separate pb, three artillery divisions, a separate horse-mountain battery, and a spare cavalry regiment.
By order of the Commander-in-Chief of the VSYUR N 974 dated May 22, 1919, the headquarters of the Crimean-Azov army was disbanded and turned to the formation of the headquarters of the 3rd army corps. The corps included the 4th infantry division (Simferopol officer regiment, the consolidated Crimean regiment, the consolidated regiment 34 infantry division, which was joined by the disbanded Melitopol and Berdyansk infantry regiments and the Perekop infantry battalion, 4th artillery brigade, 4th separate engineering company and a separate cavalry brigade as part of the consolidated regiment Guards Cuirassier Division, transferred from the 5th Infantry Division, 2 cavalry regiments from the 3rd Infantry Division, the composite regiment of the Caucasian cavalry division, Guards horse-mountain battery.).
A separate cavalry brigade was reorganized into the 2nd cavalry division of a three-brigade structure (Order of the Commander-in-Chief of the All-Union Socialist Republic N 1285 of June 19, 1919), which was excluded from the corps on July 9 (except for the consolidated dragoon and 2 Taman regiments).
By order of the Commander-in-Chief of the All-Union Socialist Republic N 2018 of August 20, 1919, the Directorate of 3 ak was disbanded, the personnel applied for the formation of the headquarters of the commander of the troops of the Novorossiysk region. From the same date, a headquarters was established as part of the departments: the quartermaster general and the general on duty, the inspector of artillery, the head of supplies (with the departments of the heads of the artillery and engineering units and the quartermaster), the head of the sanitary unit, the head of the veterinary unit.
After the evacuation from Odessa to the Crimea, by order of the Commander-in-Chief of the All-Russian Union of Youth Union N 2982 of April 8, 1920, the headquarters of the commander of the troops of the Novorossiysk region was disbanded on March 27, 1920.
Commanders: Lieutenant General Baron de Bode (October 10, 1918 - January 6, 1919), General Staff Lieutenant General A. A. Borovsky (January 7 - May 31, 1919), General Staff Lieutenant General S. K. Dobrorolsky (May 31 - July 20, 1919), Lieutenant General N. N. Schilling (July 20, 1919 - 27 March 1920).
Chiefs of Staff: General Staff Colonel Dorofeev (October 10 - November 29, 1918), General Staff Lieutenant General D. N. Parkhomov (November 29, 1918 - May 12, 1919), General Staff Major General V. V. Chernavin (May 31, 1919 - February 19 1920);
Headquarters location: gg. Yalta, Simferopol, Kerch, st. Seven wells, c. Dzhankoy, Kherson, Odessa, Feodosia.
The turmoil of the Russian state, which began after the revolutions and upheavals of 1917, made it possible to question the centuries-old foundations Russian Empire. For many, this was an opportunity to take advantage of the moment, to show their regional and nationalist ambitions, to serve, to serve, to simply rise up on the wave of time. One of the most painful was the Ukrainian issue. With the weakening of the central Russian imperial power in Ukraine, many trends, ideologies and trends flourished, which claimed to lead the Little Russian people. Here is Mikhail Grushevsky with the proclamation of the UNR, and Hetman Skoropadsky, appointed by the Germans, with the proclamation of the Ukrainian State, and the Directory of Petliura, and the anarcho-communist formations of Makhno, based on the power of the "people's otaman." However, all these grotesque ideologies failed to achieve popular recognition, and were rejected by the predominant part of the Little Russian people.
The largest part of the Little Russian people supported the all-Russian white idea. Club of Volunteers of the South of Russia with the support of the White Cause, a list of officers and generals of the White armies who had Little Russian origin was compiled. Naturally, this list is not exhaustive, and not all surnames are contained here. But, already these data make it possible to imagine the extent of the participation of the Little Russian people in the white movement.
In the photo: The team of the tank "General Drozdovsky". September 1919
MichaelGordeevich Drozdovsky (October 7 (19), 1881, Kyiv - January 1 (14), 1919, Rostov-on-Don) Descended from hereditary nobles of the Poltava province. One of the most prominent figures and leaders white movement in the south of Russia. He became the first general in the history of the White movement to openly declare his loyalty to the monarchy - at a time when the "democratic values" of February were still in honor.
The only one of the commanders of the Russian army who managed to form a volunteer detachment and bring it in an organized group from the front of the Great War to join the Dobrarmia was the organizer and leader of the 1200-mile transition of the volunteer detachment from Yassy to Novocherkassk in February - April (O.S.) 1918 . Commander of the 3rd Infantry Division in the Volunteer Army.
Cavalier of the Order of St. George 4th degree, Order of St. Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Vladimir 4th degree with swords and a bow, Order of St. Anne 3rd degree with swords and a bow, Order of St. Anne 4th degree with the inscription "For Courage", orders St. Stanislaus 3rd class with swords and a bow. The owner of the St. George weapon, "Medals in memory Russo-Japanese War 1904-1905" with a bow, medals "In memory of Patriotic War”, a light bronze medal “In memory of the 300th anniversary of the reign of the Romanov dynasty”.
Ivan Gavrilovich Barbovich(1874-1947). He graduated from the Elizavetgrad cavalry cadet school. He went to the front of the First World War as a captain and commander of the 2nd squadron of the regiment. Knight of St. George for the fact that on April 20, 1915 "... attacked and chopped up two companies of the Austrians, who occupied very advantageous positions." In 1916 - colonel, and from May 4, 1917 - regiment commander.
In February 1918, after demobilization, he lived in Kharkov, where at the end of the German occupation in October 1918 he formed a detachment of 74 hussars and officers and marched with him to join the Volunteer Army. January 19, 1919 enrolled in its ranks. On March 1, 1919, he was appointed commander of the 2nd Cavalry General of the Drozdovsky Regiment, which operated in the Ak-Malay positions as part of the Crimean-Azov Army. On June 5, 1919, he began to command a separate cavalry brigade, soon renamed the 2nd Cavalry Division, as part of the 5th Cavalry Corps of General Yuzefovich. After the battles near Bakhmach and during the retreat of the VSYUR in the fall of 1919, on December 5, he received from the ill General Miklashevsky a consolidated cavalry brigade, into which the 5th cavalry corps was reduced. December 10, 1919 promoted to major general. In March 1920, he covered the retreat of the All-Union Socialist Republic to Novorossiysk. In the Russian army of General Wrangel - the head of the 1st cavalry division, and then the commander of the consolidated cavalry corps. He was awarded the Order of St. Nicholas 2nd degree "for valor and selflessness, repeatedly shown by him in a number of battles ...". July 19, 1920 promoted to lieutenant general. General Wrangel wrote about him: “A connoisseur of his craft, great personal courage and impulse, a man of exceptional nobility of soul, strict with himself and others, enjoying the love and respect of his subordinates, General Barbovich was an excellent head of the cavalry.” During the evacuation from the Crimea, General Barbovich took him to Yalta its hull for loading onto ships. He died in Munich on March 21, 1947.
In the photo: Commander-in-Chief of the All-Union Socialist League A.I. Denikin and English General F. Poole, November 1919
Vasilchenko Ignaty Mikhailovich(01/30/1872 - 01/1920). Colonel (01/15/1915). Major General (1918). He graduated from the Moscow Alekseevsky Infantry Junker School (1895) and the Nikolaev Academy of the General Staff (1906). Member of the First World War: chief of staff of the 5th Turkestan rifle division, from 06/08/1916 commander of the 8th Caucasian rifle regiment, 1914 - 1917. After the revolution, he formed the 8th Ukrainian (hetman) corps in Yekaterinoslav for Hetman Skoropadsky. In the White movement: refusing to submit to the Petliurists after the flight of Skoropadsky, the corps (detachment) under the command of General Vasilchenko made the "Winter Campaign" 11/27/1918-01/02/1919. During the 34 days of the campaign in the rear of the Petliurov, Soviet troops, Ataman Makhno and other gangs, waging continuous battles with the surrounding enemy, incurring losses, General Vasilchenko led his troops to the Crimea. On the basis of the headquarters of this detachment, the headquarters of the Crimean-Azov Army of General Borovsky was formed, and its units became part of the 4th (Crimean) Infantry Division of General Korvin-Krukovsky. Later, Vasilchenko commanded one of the brigades of the 3rd Army Corps in 1919 (according to one of the versions, he died on 01.1920 in battles north of Odessa in the troops of General Bredov).
Simanovsky Vasily Lavrovich(? - 1918, Kobelyaki). Poltava citizen, participant of the First World War. In 1917, he formed a partisan volunteer detachment, later he took part in the Ice Campaign, after which he returned to Ukraine. He was torn to pieces in Kobelyaki by the Petliurists. Roman Gul recalled him "V.L. was a career military officer, a pure Ukrainian by blood, with a" white cross "in his buttonhole - for courage. He hated Bolshevism (and Kerensky too!) absolutely fiercely ...".
Shevchenko Pavel Evgenievich(? - 1954). A native of Rylsk, now - the Kursk region, St. George Cavalier, participant ice trip. In the VSYUR and the Russian army in the Markov units.
Kardashenko Alexander Nikolaevich(1880-?). Chuguev Infantry School, St. George Cavalier. An active participant in the white movement since 1918, Kornilov. Since November 19, 1918 - chief of staff of the first infantry division.
Boboshko Lev Alexandrovich(1883-1968). From the nobility of the Kherson province. Graduated from Vladimir cadet corps(Kyiv). Member of the First World War, had awards. In 1918 - in the hetman's army. After its collapse - in volunteer units (detachment of Colonel Sobolevsky). After a futile attempt to break through to join the Volunteer Army, the detachment was disarmed. Only a chance (the engine driver stole the locomotive to the location of the German troops) saved him from Petliura's lynching. After staying in a German camp, he arrived in Estonia, where he joined the North-Western Army of General Yudenich. After its defeat, he went into exile.
Ustimovich Yuri Konstantinovich(1873-1967). Graduated from Nikolaev military school(Kyiv), in 1918 - in the Hetman's army. after its collapse - in the VSYUR. In 1920 he commanded a separate cavalry brigade in the defense of the Crimea. In exile from 1920 to 1928, he returned to the USSR and was repressed. In the 1930s-1940s. - mainly in the timber industry enterprises of Siberia.
Dvoychenko Vladimir Avramovich. Elisavetgrad Cavalry School, Captain of the Crimean Cavalry Regiment, St. George Cavalier. Drozdovets, then - in the All-Union Socialist League, in 1919 - commander of the Tauride Cavalry Division of the Chechen Cavalry Division. In exile. In 1937-39. Franco's army officer in Spain.
Kramarenko Petr Pavlovich(1873, Kyiv - 1944, Harbin). From personal honorary citizens of Kyiv, St. George Cavalier. In the Volunteer Army and VSYUR, from July 1919 - in the White troops Eastern Front, participant of the Great Siberian campaign. White migrant in China.
Karpinsky Nikolai Viktorovich(1883, Melitopol (?) -1938. Sofia). Graduated from Melitopol real school, Elisavetrgad Cavalry School. During the First World War - Colonel, Chief of Staff of the Caucasian Cavalry Division. In the Volunteer Army and VSYUR from the end of 1918 in the operational department of the headquarters of the commander in chief. In the Russian army before the evacuation of the Crimea. In exile - in Bulgaria.
Fedulaev Leonid Ilyich(1875, Poltava-1951, Menton, France). Major General. He graduated from the Petrovsky Poltava Cadet Corps, the 3rd Alexander Military School and the Officer Artillery School. He arrived in the Volunteer Army at the end of 1918, having done the Yekaterinoslav campaign as part of the cadres of the former 13th and 34th divisions from Yekaterinoslav to the Crimea. He commanded an artillery regiment and division. Participated in battles in Northern Tavria as part of the Russian army of General Wrangel. After evacuation from the Crimea, he lived in the Kingdom of the CXC, and then in France.
Konovalov German Ivanovich(1882, Bessarabia - 03/30/1936, Cluj, Romania). From the townspeople. He graduated from the Kherson Progymnasium and the Odessa Infantry School (1902). AT great war i.d. Assistant Chief of the Department of Administration of the Quartermaster General of the Staff of the Commander-in-Chief Southwestern Front, lieutenant colonel. In 1918, in the army of Hetman Skoropadsky in Yekaterinoslav. Member of the Yekaterinoslav campaign. Since February 8, 1929 in Romania, chief director concessions in Transylvania.
Shcherbovich-Vechor Evgeny Olgerdovich. Member of the campaign as part of the Kyiv Konstantinovsky Military School, later commander of the battalion of the Kuban Alekseevsky Military School. He died in 1925 in exile.
Markovsky Vasily Iosifovich(01 (13), 01.1878, Chernihiv province - after 1924). Lieutenant general. From hereditary honorary citizens of the Chernihiv province. Assistant to the Minister of War of the Government of A.V. Kolchak for the organizational and inspection part and chief of the General Staff (since 01/03/1919). Commander of the troops operating against the Bolsheviks in the Yenisei and part of the Irkutsk provinces. Since September 14, 1919, the Governor-General of the Krasnoyarsk-Minusinsk region, and on November 15, the commander internal troops army of Kolchak. He lived in exile in Harbin (China).
Gorlenko Sergey Petrovich. Member of the Yekaterinoslav campaign in the 3rd officer company, later - company commander in the Consolidated Officer Regiment. In the Russian army before the evacuation of the Crimea, after - in exile.
The issues of creating and organizing units, formations and associations of regular cavalry as part of the Volunteer Army, the Armed Forces in the South of Russia (VSYUR) and the Russian Army have not yet received proper coverage in Russian historiography civil war. A large number of documents on this problem of varying degrees of information content and authenticity are stored in the Russian State Military Archive (RGVA), a number of data on individual units and formations of regular cavalry can be found in extensive emigre periodicals and literature.
Chronologically and historically, three periods can be distinguished in the formation and organization of regular cavalry.
In the first period (December 1917 - April 1919) - the creation of the Volunteer Army and its deployment in the VSYUR - the first cadres of regular cavalry units were born.
Their formation, as, indeed, of all other parts of the Dobrarmia, “at first was involuntarily random in nature, often determined individual features those persons who undertook this business”1 . The first cavalry unit of the Dobrarmiya, formed by December 31, 1917 (January 18, 1918) in Rostov-on-Don, was the 1st cavalry division of Colonel B.C. Gershelman (mainly officers, cadets, volunteers)2. December 1917 - January 1918. equestrian was created partisan detachment Colonel P.V. Glazenapa 3 . During the performance of the Dobrarmiya in the 1st Kuban (“Ice”) campaign in st. Olginskaya February 10 (23) -14 (27), 1918 from the cadets, cadets, high school students and realists of the former partisan detachment of Colonel V.M. Chernetsov, a cavalry detachment of Lieutenant Colonel A. Kornilov4 was formed and from now on there were already 3 cavalry units (300-400 sabers) in the Dobroarmiya. On March 2 (15), the entire cavalry was consolidated into the 1st Cavalry or Cavalry Partisan Regiment under the command of Colonel Glazenap.
In December 1917, on the Romanian Front of the General Staff, Colonel M. G. Drozdovsky formed the 1st Separate Brigade of Russian Volunteers, which by March 5 (18), 1918 included the Cavalry Division (mainly from officers of all military branches) , formed on the initiative of Captain Gaevsky6. During the campaign of Drozdovsky's detachment from Yass to the Don, the division was replenished with volunteer officers, cadets and Cossacks, and on April 29 (May 12) was renamed the 2nd Cavalry Regiment7.
Both of these regiments in May (June) became part of the 1st and 3rd divisions of the Dobrarmia and took part in the 2nd Kuban campaign and battles in the North Caucasus, replenished mainly by volunteer officers and student youth, their numbers increased (for example, in the 2nd Cavalry Regiment by August 7 (20) there were 7 squadrons, and by the end of August (mid-September) there were already 98 of them.
Commander-in-Chief of the Dobroarmiya, Lieutenant General A.I. Denikin, by order No. 409 of 1918, approved the temporary staff of the cavalry regiment, and in the future, units of the regular cavalry should have been guided by it during the formation.9
According to this state, in the 6-squadron cavalry regiment there should have been: at the headquarters of the regiment - 4 officers, 7 military officials, 1 headquarters trumpeter; in the squadron - 19 officers, 8 non-commissioned officers and 120 combat soldiers, in total in 6 squadrons - 114 officers and 768 non-commissioned officers and soldiers; in the machine gun team - 4 officers, 9 non-commissioned officers and 54 soldiers; in the communications team - 3 officers and 26 soldiers; in a non-combatant team - 2 officers, 7 combatant and 115 non-combatant soldiers; in the convoy of the 1st category - 29, the 2nd category - 9, and in the machine gun team - 5 convoy soldiers. In total, there are 127 officers, 4 class ranks and 965 soldiers with 1078 horses in the regiment. 10 However, regiments of this size did not always reach due to both objective and subjective reasons ...
By the end of 1918, a large number of officers of almost all regular cavalry regiments11 gradually gathered in the 1st and 2nd Horse Regiments, and there was practically no trained non-commissioned officer and enlisted personnel, which contributed to the caste system and further strengthened the powerful corporate spirit of the officer corps, the traditional for all regiments of the Russian cavalry. A considerable number of officers of the former cavalry regiments served in the rear, in the infantry, Cossack units, and they all sought to restore at least the cells (cadres) of their units.
Realizing this, as well as observing the defeat of the Don Army at the end of 1918, decomposition, desertion, leaving the front and even going over to the side of the Red Army of a number of Don Cossack regiments, realizing the need to have non-Cossack regular cavalry units, given the emergence and rapid growth in the number of red cavalry , some representatives of the generals - former cavalrymen raised the issue of a more organized formation of regular cavalry units in the Dobrarmia.
In November 1918, a Commission was formed to consider the draft of a new normal organization of the army; major general I.I. Chekotovsky was appointed to it from the cavalry. The results of the commission’s work are unknown, but in December 1918, Lieutenant General P.N. Wrangel presented a report to Denikin “on the desirability of creating a special inspection of the cavalry and the urgent need to urgently begin to recreate the old cavalry regiments.” However, there was no reaction to this report, and it can be concluded that the work of the commission regarding the re-creation of the regular cavalry at that time did not lead to anything.
On December 26, 1918 (January 8, 1919), as a result of an agreement between the Ataman of the All-Great Don Army, General P.N. Krasnov and General A.I. with Denikin. The active creation of units of all branches of the armed forces, including regular cavalry, began.
The formation of new units and formations of the VSYUR was under the jurisdiction of the inspector of the formations of the headquarters of the Commander-in-Chief of the General Staff, Lieutenant General N.M. Kiselevsky, and was sanctioned directly by General Denikin. “I have no doubt that the headquarters of the Armed Forces of the South of Russia had projects for the deployment of the army,” Major General B.A. military science and age-old practice. There was no well-thought-out, harmonious system in such an important issue. It wasn't, at least not in practice. Parts were formed by non-subordinate organs, and according to the traditions of the Kuban period, they spontaneously generated. As a result, the fate of the development of the army depended on the initiative of individuals, their energy, abilities, and often chance. One chief was clearly of a voluntary appearance, the other professed regularity, the third - as God puts on the soul. Everyone improvised according to his own extreme understanding, and extreme understanding is a very flexible concept…”12
Autumn 1918 - winter 1919. Mobilizations began to be carried out on the territory occupied by the White troops and the first deliveries of weapons, equipment and ammunition of the All-Union Socialist Republic of Great Britain were established, which made it possible to begin the gradual formation of cadres of cavalry regiments. Back in December 1918, the following began to form: a combined division of the 9th Cavalry Division13, a frame of the 3rd Smolensk Lancers Regiment14, a squadron of the 1st Hussar Sumy Regiment15 was organized as part of the Consolidated Cavalry Regiment of the Volunteer Army of the Odessa Region15, etc. At the beginning of 1919, with the help of Wrangel, Captain Tikhonravov formed the Hussar Ingrian Division in the Caucasian Volunteer Army (it included 41 former Ingrian officers16; in addition, on March 24 (April 6), 1919, the Consolidated Regiment of the Guards Cuirassier Division17 was fully formed, laid the foundation for the reconstruction of the units of the guards cavalry as part of the VSYUR.
It should be noted that despite the increasing volume of supplies of equipment, uniforms and weapons by the British, all regular cavalry cadres were in constant need of the most necessary, which objectively slowed down the process of their formation and deployment into larger units and formations.
In connection with the release in the spring of 1919 of the VSYUR to the southern provinces of Russia, rich in human and horse composition, and given the friction with the top of the Don and especially the Kuban Cossacks, as well as trying to have organizationally more familiar cavalry at hand, General Wrangel again raised the issue of creating formations regular cavalry from the existing cavalry regiments.
On May 1 (14), 1919, the commander of the Caucasian Volunteer Army, General Wrangel, made a detailed report to the Commander-in-Chief of the All-Union Socialist Revolutionary Federation on the regular cavalry formations he had planned. In his memoirs, P.N. Wrangel noted: “There were a large number of cavalry officers in the army, there were some regiments, the entire officer staff of which was almost completely in the army. Some of the cavalry units managed to keep their native standards. The officers dreamed, of course, of recreating their native units, but the headquarters of the Commander-in-Chief did not encourage these aspirations. FROM with great difficulty managed to obtain permission to form a regiment of the 12th Cavalry Division; somewhere in the Caucasus raisins were formed; finally, with my help, the Ingrians who had gathered in my Kuban managed to turn around. Some units operated as separate platoons or squadrons under infantry divisions. A large number of cavalry officers were in the rear, served in the Cossack units or in the infantry. Upon my arrival in Rostov, I instructed the chief of staff to work out in detail the question of the staffing and deployment of individual cavalry squadrons and the reduction of cavalry regiments to higher formations. Having assembled a commission from the senior representatives of the old cavalry regiments in the army, having found out the available number of officers of the old units, I outlined the formation of two-four-regimental cavalry divisions. He worked out in detail the issue of supplying them with horses, saddles and weapons. Compiled a candidate list of chiefs for submission to the Commander-in-Chief. On one of the visits of the Commander-in-Chief to Rostov, I reported to him about my assumptions, and General Denikin then gave me his consent in principle. Now, having listened to my report, he fully approved it and immediately approved the draft order submitted by me, also approved the candidates I had planned for command positions, but refused to create a “cavalry inspection”18
It was no coincidence that General Denikin resisted the formation of regular cavalry for so long. He later believed that "a major evil in the organization of the army was the spontaneous desire for formations - under the slogan of" the revival of the historical parts of the Russian army. "Cells" of the old regiments, especially in the cavalry, arose, became isolated, strove for separation, turning the combat unit - the regiment - into a mosaic collective of dozens of old regiments, weakening its ranks, unity and strength. Such formations also arose in the rear, existed behind the scenes for whole months, extracting private funds or taking advantage of the connivance of authorities of various ranks, weakening the front and sometimes turning the ideological slogan “under native standards” into a cover for selfishness. ”19 However, as subsequent military activity showed units of the regular cavalry, A.I. Denikin, in his so strict judgment, was not entirely objective ...
The second period (May 1919 - March 1920) was characterized by a further increase in the number of reconstituted regular cavalry units and their reduction into formations and formations, which, according to the plan of the High Command of the All-Union Socialist Republic, could perform tactical and strategic tasks.
On May 27 (June 9), 1919, the Commander-in-Chief of the All-Union Socialist Republic ordered, by order and under the leadership of the Commander of the Caucasian Army, Lieutenant General Wrangel, to form the 1st Cavalry Division as part of the command, 3 brigades and the 3rd Cavalry Artillery Battalion (see Appendix I). 20 June 19 (July 2) was followed by the order of the Commander-in-Chief for No. 1285 on the reorganization of the Separate Cavalry Brigade into the 2nd Cavalry Division (management, 3 brigades and the Separate Division of the Guards Horse Artillery - see Appendix II). Major General I.I. Chekotovsky, 2nd - Colonel I.M. Miklashevsky.
On June 27 (July 10), the Commander-in-Chief issued Order No. 1301 on the formation of the Directorate of the 5th Cavalry Corps and on the inclusion of the 1st and 2nd Cavalry Divisions22 (see Appendix III). On the same day, the former chief of staff was appointed commander of the corps Caucasian army General Staff Lieutenant General Ya.D. Yuzefovich. On July 1 (14), General Wrangel was relieved of his duty to form the 1st Cavalry Division, and further order and leadership of its formation was entrusted to the corps commander.
In summer and autumn, the formation of cadres of regular cavalry regiments continued both in the form of separate units (for example, on July 1 (14) it was formed and included in the troops North Caucasus Alexandria Hussar Regiment23), as well as with other units (for example, at the 2nd Chechen Cavalry Regiment, a division of Mitavian Hussars was created, which later became part of the Consolidated Hussar Regiment24; September 18 (October 1) the Saratov Cavalry Division was reorganized into the Pavlograd Hussar Regiment, seconded to the Astrakhan Cossack division25).
In the Don Army, with the active support of the Don Ataman A.P. Bogaevsky, by August 26 (September 8), the Mariupol hussar regiment was formed and, brought together with the Klyastitsky hussars, was included in the Separate Cavalry Brigade, deployed in the Composite Cavalry Division at the end of September (beginning of October) (Chuguevsky Lancers, Mariupol and Klyastitsky Hussars and Native Cavalry shelves) 26 . The creation of many regular cavalry units continued during the conduct of hostilities, with a constant shortage of horses, harness and weapons. The latter was explained both by the unsatisfactory work of the VSYUR commissariat and the often remaining spontaneity of the formation.
In addition, it should be noted that despite the frequent mobilization of the horse staff, the regular cavalry throughout 1919 experienced a chronic shortage of horses fit for military service, because the bulk of them entered the Don and Kuban cavalry Cossack units, which continued to make up the vast majority of the cavalry VSYUR. Also, an important role was played by the refusal of the peasants to give workhorses for horse mobilizations.
Cavalry units were formed not only in the troops engaged in combat activities in the central direction and in the North Caucasus, but also in Ukraine, in the troops of the Novorossiysk region, operating against the rebel detachments of N. Makhno. So, on November 16 (29), a Separate Cavalry Brigade was formed as part of the Directorate and the Consolidated Dragoon (listed from the 2nd Cavalry Division), the Crimean Cavalry and Lubensky Hussars.27
During the hostilities in October-November, the Reds defeated the main striking force of the White movement in southern Russia - the Volunteer Army. The retreat of the Armed Forces of South Russia began along the entire front, and the main burden of rearguard battles in the center of the front fell on the regular cavalry, in particular on the 5th cavalry corps. Part of the regiments of the corps as part of a group of troops of the Novorossiysk region (including the 2nd and 3rd Cavalry regiments) retreated to Odessa, and from there, together with the troops of General N.E. Bredov, to Poland ... The remaining regiments by November 19 (December 2) 1919 were consolidated into the 1st cavalry division of the consolidated composition - the 1st Guards Consolidated Cuirassier, 2nd Guards Consolidated Cavalry, 1st Cavalry General Alekseev and the 10th Ingermanland Hussar regiments.28
On December 4 (17), the commander of the Dobroarmiya, General Wrangel, received the following report from Major General Chekotovsky, who had fallen ill and evacuated to the rear and temporarily commanded the 5th Cavalry Corps (already the 1st Cavalry Division)29 (General Yuzefovich surrendered command of the corps to him on November 27 (December 10):
“Departing this date on my authorized sick leave, I consider it my duty to report to Your Excellency the true state of those regiments with which I have continuously spent a long period of combat. I will try to be brief and ask you to believe that there will not be a single word of exaggeration in this report.
The cavalry of the division reached complete exhaustion. Having set out on a campaign in the month of June, the division has so far had five or six days, which it has stood still, but is still ready to march every minute. If during these six months there were cases of forging, then these were isolated cases. There was no talk of winter forging. At present, the horse is a burden for the rider, which slips and falls at every step, since all roads are now solid ice, and the frozen, plowed fields are impossible for movement. The speed of movement of the regiments is three miles per hour. Horse batteries harnessed everything that was possible to the guns, including officer horses, and officers walk. In order to take some even insignificant rise, for this the first gun is taken out by hand, and the rest - by harnessing carry-overs from other guns. Having a 20-30-verst march ahead, the battery commanders do not vouch that they will make it to the overnight stay, and if this transition has to be done with battles, then the batteries, despite their valor, excellent officers and command personnel, are the subject of endless worries of the nearest cavalry commander .
If there is an opinion that there are large reinforcements in the rear, unused by units at the front, then this is unfair. Everything that can be taken from the rear is piled up and brought to the regiments. But these replenishments arrive in parts up to 20-50 people. and melt unnoticed in a few days. An example is the 1st brigade, which on the 28th had 146 checkers, on November 29, having received replenishment, it had 206 checkers, and today, December 2, after the battle at Rakitnaya, it has 141 checkers.
With such a limited recruitment and number of ranks, officer cadres perish and disappear imperceptibly. An example is the Starodubsky division of the Consolidated Regiment of the 12th Cavalry Division, where 12 out of 24 regular officers remained (4 officers were wounded and 8 were killed).
The only regiment of the six regiments of the 1st division is completely preserved, reaching a relatively huge composition - the regiment of the 9th cavalry division, which was sent to the home front in early October and there, in a relatively easy situation, without major losses reached a nine-squadron composition of 70 checkers with 50 machine guns. Knowing the honest attitude of G.G. officers to the cause, I am sure that if it were possible to replace all parts of the 1st Cavalry Division with a regiment of the 9th Cavalry Division and give this division at least one month for replenishment, then it would again present the solid force that it was at the beginning of your hike.
Not wanting to mislead the high command with the loud names “brigade”, “division”, since tasks are also given with these names, I consider it my duty to report that the 1st cavalry division is not a combat unit capable of performing any combat missions, but only a small tormented part, which in its numbers hardly reaches the strength of a regiment of weak composition.
Knowing how close the regular resurgent cavalry is to Your Excellency, I petition for a change, if the situation permits, of parts of the 1st Cavalry Division by the Consolidated Regiment of the 9th Cavalry Division, or for a withdrawal to the rear for replenishment at least brigade. Even the last measure will enable the division to return to its normal state and stand against the Red cavalry, who, realizing the need to create cavalry, apparently paid a lot of care and attention to this type of weapon.
In conclusion of my report, I will allow myself to convey to Your Excellency that leaving the 1st Cavalry Division in the position in which it is in this moment, inevitably entails its complete retirement and the death of all those colossal labors and sacrifices that were made for its revival.
Borki station, 2 December. Nr 0185. Chekotovsky.”30
However, there was no time or opportunity for this ...
Conducting continuous rearguard battles, by December 30, 1919 (January 12, 1920), parts of the 5th Cavalry Corps “due to the large loss personnel, until replenishment” were consolidated into the 2-regiment Consolidated Cavalry Brigade (1st and 2nd Consolidated Cavalry Regiments)31 under the command of Major General I.G. Barbovich. In early January, the brigade deployed into 4 regiments (Consolidated Guards Cavalry and 1st, 2nd and 3rd Consolidated Cavalry). -th Cavalry Corps; to send its personnel: the officers of the General Staff - to the quartermaster general of the headquarters of the Commander-in-Chief of the All-Union Socialist League, other ranks - to the disposal of the duty headquarters officer of the headquarters of the Volunteer Corps, and to distribute the property of the disbanded headquarters by order of the headquarters of the Dobrkorpus.
By February 14 (27), after receiving replenishment, the Combined Cavalry Brigade again turned into the 1st Cavalry Division, which from March 21 (April 3) included all units of the Guards Cavalry, the 2nd Cavalry, 1st, 2nd and 3rd Consolidated Cavalry, Consolidated Horse and Black Sea Horse Regiments.33
The Consolidated Cavalry Division of Major General Chesnakov, which was part of the Don Army, after being transferred to the Crimea on March 25 (April 7), was folded into the Consolidated Cavalry Regiment and temporarily included in the corps of General Ya.A. Slashchov, who defended the Crimean isthmuses.34
On March 22 (April 4), 1920, A.I. Denikin transferred command of the remnants of the Armed Forces of Russia to General P.N. Wrangel. Thus began the third period (April-November 1920) of the history of the regular cavalry in southern Russia.
In order No. 3012 dated April 16 (29), the new Commander-in-Chief stated: “I decided to use the time of my stay in place primarily for the reorganization of the army.”35 With regard to the cavalry, it proceeded as follows.
All the troops of the All-Union Socialist League, located in the Crimea, were consolidated into 2 army corps. The 1st Corps included the newly formed Separate Cavalry Brigade (Administration, 6th and 7th Cavalry Regiments, the Reserve Division and the 4th and 5th Cavalry Artillery Battalions), the 2nd - the 1st Cavalry Division (Management, 3 brigades of 2 regiments each, Reserve regiment and 3 cavalry artillery battalions) - for details, see Appendix IV.36 With dismounted cavalry regiments, it was ordered to have 50 mounted scouts and mounted machine gun teams of 18 machine guns per regiment. It was also allowed to “preserve uniforms of the regiments of the old Russian army in separate platoons, squadrons and divisions (depending on the combat strength).” It was specifically stipulated that all the reforms indicated in the order were to be completed by May 1 (14).
In pursuance of this order, units were reduced to regiments. So, for example, the Guards Cavalry Regiment, which had 8 squadrons instead of 6, in late April - early May consisted of squadrons: 1st Cavalry Guards, 2nd Horse Guards, 3rd Cuirassier of His Majesty, 4th Cuirassier of Her Majesty, 5 th Horse-Grenadier, 6th Lancers of His Majesty, 7th Consolidated (lancers of Her Majesty and Grodno hussars) and 8th Life-Dragoon. Thus, “all the guards cavalry, which had been revived after the revolution, was finally brought together into one regiment ...”37
Due to the loss of the entire horse composition in Novorossiysk, almost the entire cavalry turned out to be dismounted and the main task was to replenish the horse composition. On April 30 (May 13), Wrangel issued an order for the delivery of 4,000 horses for a fee.38 However, this did not give the required number ...
On April 28 (May 11), by order of the Commander-in-Chief of the All-Union Socialist Republic No. 3081 “due to the arrival of new cavalry units from the Caucasus” and in a change to order No. 3012, the 1st (as part of the 2nd Army Corps) and 2nd (in the 1st m army corps) cavalry divisions (their composition - see Appendix V). By the same order, the Consolidated Corps was formed as part of the 3rd and Kuban cavalry divisions.39
On May 2 (15), the 1st Cavalry Division of Major General Barbovich included: all Guards Cavalry units, the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Consolidated Cavalry Regiments and personnel of the Black Sea Horse, Consolidated Horse, Courland, Volyn , Chuguevsky and Yamburg Lancers, Mariupol, Klyastitsky and Belorussian hussar regiments, 1st and 2nd horse artillery divisions. All these units were to be brought together into the Guards Cavalry Regiment (from all the Guards Cavalry Units), the 1st (from the 1st Cavalry General Alekseev, the Odessa and Volyn Lancers and Alexandria Hussars), the 2nd (from Smolensk, Tatar, Novoarkhangelsk, Novomirgorodsky , Vladimir and Chuguevsky Lancers, Narva, Ukrainian and Klyastitsky Hussar Regiments), 3rd (Starodubovsky and Pskov Dragoons, Belgorod Lancers, Akhtyrsky, Pavlogradsky, Izyumsky, Chernigov and Belorussian Hussars) and 4th (from the Black Sea Cavalry, Arkhangelsk Dragoons , Irkutsk and Mariupol hussar regiments) cavalry regiments, 1st (from the 2nd and 3rd Horse and Horse-Mountain General Drozdovsky batteries) and 2nd (from the 1st, 5th and Caucasian horse batteries) horse -artillery battalions and the Reserve Cavalry Regiment. In combat terms, parts of the division were consolidated into the 1st (Guards and 1st Cavalry Regiments, 1st Cavalry Artillery Battalion) and 2nd (2nd, 3rd and 4th Cavalry Regiments and 2nd Cavalry -artillery battalion) brigade. All regiments should have been kept in a 6-squadron composition, the distribution and mixing of units among squadrons was carried out by order of the regiment commanders under the supervision of the brigade commanders, “taking at least 100 drill drafts as a base, without machine gunners, in a squadron.” The commander of the brigade noted that “the Commander-in-Chief forbade having the property of individual cells, which consisted of the cadres of the regiments of the old Russian army, and considers this a crime, since all property must necessarily be of general use.” He demanded that the liquidation of old cases be completed by May 20 (June 2) - “I place the strictest implementation of this requirement under the personal responsibility of the regiment commanders,” and that the combat and organizational reforms be completed by May 10 (23).40
In addition to the difficulties with the shortage of horses, the cavalry of the Russian army experienced a shortage of edged weapons: on May 12 (25), Wrangel ordered that checkers and broadswords be taken away from all ranks artillery units and machine-gun teams (except officers).41 In addition, the officers of the regular cavalry units formed under Denikin and reorganized by Wrangel (with orders to send surplus personnel to complete combat units) continued to gradually form the cells of their regiments. So, for example, in June, the Guards Cavalry Regiment had 81 officers and 1214 soldiers at the front, and 79 officers and 1047 soldiers were in the rear with the reserve squadron and various teams. positions, and ordered all combat-ready officers and soldiers to be immediately sent to the front ...
May 22 (June 4), 1920 General Wrangel at station. Kolai examined the dismounted cavalry units stationed there. Wrangel recalled: “I still attached exceptional importance to the creation of a powerful cavalry, having decided that by landing regiments on horses, bring the cavalry into large formations; outlined the formation in the future of the Cossack and regular cavalry corps, the creation of spare and training cavalry units, gave repairs. The work of creating, preparing and training the cavalry was entrusted to a special inspection, headed by the inspector general of the cavalry, to which position I appointed General Yuzefovich ... "43
Before the offensive of the All-Union Socialist Republic of Crimea on May 25 (June 7), the horse mobilization made it possible to put on horses one regiment (about 400 checkers) of the 1st Cavalry Division, the 2nd Cavalry Division was on horseback; the rest of the cavalry acted on foot.44 The dismounted cavalry was forced to use captured horses, mostly captured during the defeat of D. Zhloba's red cavalry corps. The forced mobilization of horses in the Crimea and Northern Tavria in June-July45 made it possible to put both divisions on horseback.
To strengthen the firepower of the cavalry and cavalry regiments, on June 2 (15), the cavalry inspector general, General Yuzefovich, ordered “to form horse-grenadier teams in all cavalry regiments at the rate of 8 per squadron and hundred. Horse grenadiers should be officers and soldiers of outstanding courage and dashing, designed to throw hand grenades from a horse in a variety of combat conditions, such as preceding lava. They bring disorder into the ranks of the attacked enemy, finish him off completely, demoralize him, make surprise raids on the enemy’s locations, and the like. Heads of units to work out the most appropriate methods and dexterity for training and actions of equestrian grenadiers, and submit their opinions to me on command with the conclusion of the proper commanders. Now get hand grenades from the nearest hull artillery depots. Pay attention to the choice of people and horses. Before the release of training grenades, get those from improvised material, be sure to have the proper weight and conduct throwing exercises at all gaits. In horse and Cossack horse batteries, to have 8 horse-grenadiers among the servants. ”46
On July 7 (20), the organization of the regular cavalry in accordance with the order of the Commander-in-Chief of the All-Union Socialist Republic No. 3421 (in cancellation of orders No. 3012 and 3081) was changed: the 2nd renamed from the control of the 3rd cavalry division), 8th cavalry, 12th and 2nd native cavalry regiments, 5th cavalry artillery battalion (management, 1st and 2nd Caucasian horse batteries); in the Horse Corps - 1st (management, 1st (Guards and 1st Cavalry Regiments) and 2nd (2nd and 3rd Cavalry Regiments) brigades, 3rd Cavalry Artillery Battalion) and 2nd (management, 1st (4th - list from the 1st cavalry division - and 5th cavalry regiments) and 2nd (6th and 7th cavalry regiments) brigades, 4th cavalry artillery division) mounted divisions; were not part of the corps - Spare (re-form) and Repair Cavalry Regiments. 47
July 10 (23) by order No. 340 in connection with new organization Cavalry, General Wrangel made an attempt to regulate the staffing of cavalry regiments, create his own reserve squadron for each cavalry regiment, and also form a Reserve Cavalry Regiment to replenish all regiments of regular cavalry, subordinate to its inspector general of cavalry and form a reserve of cavalry officers under the latter.
This reserve included: 1) all officers who were in the regiments and were unsuitable for military service and, at the same time, who were not appointed to positions in their regiments; 2) all officers of the disbanded military units; 3) all cavalry officers of the disbanded headquarters, institutions and establishments; 4) all cavalry officers who did not belong to categories, who were in various headquarters, institutions and institutions and did not hold regular positions in them.
According to the new states, the Reserve Cavalry Regiment consisted of a headquarters, 6 squadrons, regimental training, training cavalry-machine-gun and communications teams, a non-combat team with a commandant's office - in total, there should have been 54 officers and 395 soldiers with 281 horses. 49 The number of squadrons in regiment was determined by the inspector general of the cavalry. For the same states, the temporary calculations of the size of an ordinary cavalry regiment were as follows: squadron - 7 officers, 118 combatant and 14 non-combatant ranks; equestrian machine-gun team - 7 officers, 82 combatant and 22 non-combatant soldiers; communication teams - 2 officers, 20 combat and 3 non-combat soldiers.50
A month later - on August 8 (21) - according to the order of the Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Army No. 3517, the reorganization of the cavalry followed again. It was necessary to transfer the 6th cavalry regiment from the 2nd cavalry division to the 1st, and the 2nd cavalry regiment from the 1st cavalry division to the 2nd; Disband the 5th Cavalry Regiment, transferring the Ingrians to the 1st Cavalry Regiment, and the Drozdovites to form a Separate Cavalry Division under the Drozdov Division; transfer Pavlograd residents from the 3rd cavalry regiment to the 2nd, and Novo-Mirgorods and Novo-Arkhangelsk - from the 2nd cavalry regiment to the 3rd; include those who arrived from the detachment of General Bredov51: the Caucasian cavalry regiment - into the 2nd cavalry division, and the Sumy, Rizhians and Elisavetgraders - into the 7th cavalry regiment; rename the 2nd Separate Combined Cavalry Brigade into the 1st Separate Cavalry Brigade, including the 7th Cavalry Regiment (sending it to Rubanovka); The 1st Native Regiment to hurry and transfer his horses with all horse equipment to the 7th Cavalry Regiment, after which the 1st Native Cavalry Regiment was to receive “ special purpose”, moreover, dismounting and mounting horses should be carried out gradually, without prejudice to the performance of the brigade of its combat mission, and finish this by August 15 (28); rename the 2nd Native Cavalry Regiment into the 9th Cavalry Regiment; transfer from the 2nd Don Cossack Regiment the Tauride Cavalry Division in full force, with all officers, soldiers, horses, horse equipment, weapons and other property to the 1st Cavalry Division, where the division should be disbanded and used to replenish the regiments of the division; Transfer the Seversky squadron in full strength, with the exception of horses, to the Caucasian Cavalry Regiment, and all horses to the 1st Cavalry Division.
In addition, it was ordered to form a separate cavalry division for each infantry division, the formation of which should be addressed: for the division of the Kornilov division52 - the cavalry division available at the division, for the Markov division53 - cavalry Black Sea troops from the 4th Cavalry Regiment, for the division of the Drozdov division54 - cavalry Drozdovites from the 5th Cavalry Regiment, for the division of the 6th Infantry Division - equestrian Alekseyevtsy from the 1st Cavalry Regiment, for the division of the 13th Infantry Division - the 8th Cavalry Regiment and the non-standard squadron that was attached to this division, and for the division of the 34th Infantry Division - Separate Simferopol equestrian division; divisions to be called Separate cavalry divisions of General Kornilov, General Markov, General Drozdovsky, General Alekseev, Vilensky (under the 13th Infantry Division) and Simferopol (under the 34th Infantry Division) divisions.55
On August 22 (September 4), 1920, the regular cavalry was again reorganized. According to the order of the Commander-in-Chief for No. 3554, it was necessary: to disband the 1st Separate Cavalry Brigade, and to turn the personnel and property of its management to strengthen the management of the 2nd Cavalry Division; Disband the 9th Cavalry Regiment (former 2nd Native) by transferring (with weapons, personnel, equipment and saddles) Kharkovians to the 4th Cavalry Regiment, and Crimeans to the 7th Cavalry Regiment, transfer all horses to the 1st Cavalry Division, and distribute regimental machine guns and property equally between the 4th and 7th cavalry regiments; The 1st Native Cavalry Regiment to rush and transfer its horses to the 1st Cavalry Division, and use all horse equipment as directed by the inspector general of the cavalry. It was ordered to form cavalry regiments: the 2nd - from Klyastists, Rigans, Chuguevs, Vladimirs, Narvs, Tatars and Ukrainians; 4th - from Pavlograd, Kharkov, Mariupol, Arkhangelsk and Irkutsk; 7th - from Petrograd, Sumy, Novorossiysk, Smolensk, Elisavetgrad, Lubents and Crimeans. From now on, the cavalry divisions were to consist: 1st - in the 1st brigade: Guards and 1st cavalry regiments, in the 2nd - 3rd and 6th cavalry regiments; 2nd - in the 1st brigade: 2nd and 4th cavalry regiments, in the 2nd: 7th and Caucasian cavalry regiments. The 7th cavalry regiment should have been transferred to the 2nd cavalry division with all its horses; the other regiments of this division were to be temporarily on foot and they were to be put on horses by order of the inspector general of the cavalry.
According to the new schedule of the Russian Army, announced in the order of the Commander-in-Chief No. 3601 of September 4 (17), the regular cavalry was part of the Cavalry Corps of the 1st Army. It included the 1st (with the 1st and 3rd horse artillery divisions) and the 2nd (with the 4th and 5th horse artillery divisions) cavalry divisions.56
Regular cavalry of the army of General P.N. Wrangel participated in the fighting on the Crimean isthmuses, in the capture of Kakhovka, the Tokmak operation, the battles for Kakhovka and the last battles in Northern Tavria and Crimea. She suffered huge losses and her remnants, along with other parts of the Russian army, were evacuated in November 1920 to Gallipoli (Turkey), where they were consolidated into the Cavalry Division. Each brigade of the 1st and 2nd cavalry divisions was consolidated into a cavalry regiment; in total, the division had 4 cavalry regiments, reserve cavalry and horse artillery divisions. In 1921, the division was transferred to the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes (SHS), where its ranks first entered the border guards, and later - to the financial control service. Thus ended the existence of the Russian regular cavalry of the White armies in southern Russia.
In conclusion, the main features of the creation and organization of regular cavalry in the Armed Forces in the South of Russia should be noted: the unplanned and chaotic nature of its formation (especially at the first stage); the presence of a large number of officers of the old cavalry regiments, along with a shortage of trained non-commissioned officers and enlisted personnel; caste and powerful corporate spirit of the officer corps (especially in parts of the guards cavalry), which contributed to a relatively high discipline and less susceptibility to desertion and decay (cadres of regular cavalry were generally preserved in exile); the resilience of regular cavalry units in combat operations, especially at critical moments (autumn 1919, winter - spring and autumn 1920); an acute need for a horse composition, the necessary weapons and horse equipment due to the lack of a well-established quartermaster supply.
Analysis of the sources and literature used allowed the author to conclude that the newly formed and restored units and formations of the regular cavalry were characterized by all the objective and subjective positive and negative factors that are generally characteristic of the creation and organization of the white armed forces in southern Russia in 1917-1920.
Notes
1. Denikin A.I. Essays on Russian Troubles. - T. II. - Paris, 1922. - P. 200
2. Novikov S. The end of the native regiment // Military story (Paris).- January 1968.- No. 89.- P.24
3. Denikin A.I. Essays on Russian Troubles. - T. II. - S.228
4. Ibid
5. From 14 (27) February 1919 - 1st Cavalry General Alekseev Regiment
6. Kravchenko V.M. Drozdovtsy from Yass to Gallipoli: Collection. - Vol. 1. - Munich, 1973. - P. 34
7. From October 10 (23), 1919 - 2nd Cavalry General Drozdovsky Regiment
8. A brief extract from the combat life of the 2nd cavalry named after General Drozdovsky Regiment // Sentry (Paris). - January 31, 1931 - No. 48. - P. 22
9. Russian State Military Archive (RGVA). F.40213. Op.1. D.1774. L.52
10. Ibid. F.39733. Op.1. D.4. Ll.56-57
11. In 1918 - the first half of 1919, each squadron of the 2nd Cavalry Regiment included 3/4 officers (Hour. - No. 48. - P. 23)
12. Shteifon B.A. Crisis of volunteering.- Belgrade, 1928.- P.107
13. Army and Navy: A Brief Reference.- Paris, b.g.- S.114
14. Ibid.- P.113
15. Sumy hussars 1651-1951.- Buenos Aires, 1954.- P.273
16. Army and Navy: A Quick Reference.- P.117
17. RGVA. F.40213. Op.1. D.1710. L.65
18. Wrangel P.N. Notes (November 1916 - November 1920) // White business: Chronicle of the White struggle. - Book V. - Berlin, 1928. - P. 133-134.
19. Denikin A.I. Essays on Russian Troubles. T. IV.- Berlin, 1925.- P.84
20. RGVA. F.40213. Op.1. D.1715. Part 6. Sheets are not numbered
21. Ibid. D.1716. Ll.153-153 rev.
22. Ibid. D.1711. L.235 rev.
23. Toporkov. Alexandrians near the city of the Holy Cross on January 12, 1920 // Military story (Paris) .- July 1960.- No. 43.- P. 15
24. Akaro. 14th Hussar Mitavsky Regiment // Sentry. - June 1, 1932 - No. 81. - P. 14
25. RGVA. F.40213. Op.1. D.1713. L.299
26. Shishkov L. 4th hussar Mariupol ... regiment // Military story.- May 1971.- No. 110.- P.22-23
27. RGVA. F.40213. Op.1. D.1714. L.52
28. Rosenshild-Paulin V. Cuirassiers of His Majesty: Participation in the White movement. Life abroad.- Paris, 1944.- P.253
29. He, in turn, handed over command to the commander of one of the brigades, Colonel I.G. Barbovich.
30. White matter: Chronicle of the White struggle.- Book. V.-S.254-255
31. RGVA. F.39697. Op.1. D.28. L.22
32. Rosenshild-Paulin V. Cuirassiers of His Majesty: Participation in the White movement. Life abroad.- P.271
33. RGVA. F.39457. Op.1. D.371. L.5
34. Ibid. L.9
35. Ibid. F.39540. Op.1. D.178. L.10
36. Ibid. Ll. 11, 12-12 rev., 13-13 rev.
37. Rosenshild-Paulin V. Cuirassiers of His Majesty: Participation in the White movement. Life abroad.- P.298
38. RGVA. F.39457. Op.1. D.371. L.110
39. Ibid. F.39540. Op.1. D.178. Ll.79-80
40. Ibid. F.39697. Op.1. D.29. Ll.34 rev.-36 rev.
41. Ibid. F.40213. Op.1. D.1714. L.277
42. Ibid. F.39457. Op.1. D.371. L.259 about.
43. Wrangel P.N. Memoirs: Southern Fornt (November 1916 - November 1920). - Part II. - M., 1992.- P.162
44. Ibid.- P.160
45. RGVA. F.40213. Op.1. D.1714. L.378; F.39457. Op.1. D.371. L.375
46. Ibid. F.39674. Op.1. D.1. L.1-2
47. Ibid. F.39540. Op.1. D.179. Ll.147b ob., 143c-143v ob., 143g ob.
48. Ibid. F.40213. Op.1. D.1714. Ll.475-475 rev.
49. Ibid. Ll.475a-478
50. Ibid. Ll.478 rev.-480 rev.
51. More precisely - Separate Russian Volunteer Army
52. More correctly - the Kornilov shock division
53. Should - Infantry General Markov Division
54. More precisely - Rifle General Drozdovsky Division
55. RGVA. F.39540. Op.1. D.180. Ll.14-14 v.
55. Ibid. F.40213. Op.1. D.2200. Ll.514-514 rev.
56. Ibid. F.39540. Op.1. D.180. Ll.84-84 rev.
Application No. 1
Composition of the 1st Cavalry Division from May 27 (June 9), 1919
Control:
1 brigade:
1st General Alekseev Cavalry Regiment - to be transferred from the 1st [Infantry] Division
Hussar Ingermanlan Regiment - form from the Hussar Ingermanlan Division
2 brigade:
Consolidated regiment of the 9th cavalry division - form from the Consolidated division of the 9th cavalry division
Consolidated 12th cavalry division of General Kaledin regiment - to form from the personnel of the former regiments of the 12th cavalry division
3 brigade:
Consolidated Lancers Regiment - to form from the cadres of the former Lancers regiments
Consolidated Hussar Regiment - to form from the cadres of the former hussar regiments
3rd Cavalry Artillery Battalion:
Management - re-form
6th Cavalry Battery - is part of the Volunteer Army
Horse-mountain Major General Drozdovsky Battery - rename from Separate Horse-Mountain Major General Drozdovsky Battery and transfer from the 3rd Division
Application No. 2
The composition of the 2nd Cavalry Division from June 19 (July 2), 1919
Management - form from the management of a separate cavalry brigade
1 brigade:
1st Guards Consolidated Cuirassier Regiment - form from the Consolidated Regiment of the Guards Cuirassier Division
2nd Guards Consolidated Cavalry Regiment - to form squadrons of the former Life Guards of His Majesty's Lancers, Horse Grenadier and Dragoon regiments
2 brigade:
2nd Cavalry Regiment
2nd Cavalry Regiment - to transfer from 7th Infantry Division
3 brigade:
Consolidated Dragoon Regiment - to form from the personnel squadron of the Crimean Cavalry and personnel of the former 3rd Novorossiysk and 15th Pereyaslavsky Dragoon Regiments
Separate division of the Guards artillery:
Control
1st and 2nd batteries
Temporarily assigned to the division:
2nd Taman Kuban Cossack Troop Regiment
Application No. 3
List of composition of the 1st and 2nd cavalry divisions
(according to the order of the 5th cavalry corps
for No. 3 dated July 3 (17), 1919)
1st Cavalry Division
1st brigade (6 squadrons):
1st General Alekseev Cavalry Regiment
2 squadrons of Novgorod Dragoons
2 squadrons of Odessa Lancers
Hussar Ingrian Regiment
2 squadrons of Ingermanland Hussars
2nd brigade (12 squadrons)
Consolidated Regiment of the 9th Cavalry Division
2 squadrons of Kazan dragoons
2 squadrons of Bug Lancers
2 squadrons of Kyiv hussars
Consolidated 12th Cavalry Division of General Kaledin Regiment
2 squadrons of Starodubov Dragoons
2 squadrons of Belgorod Lancers
2 squadrons of Akhtyrka hussars
3rd brigade (12 squadrons)
Consolidated Lancers Regiment
1 squadron of Smolensk Lancers
2 squadrons of Vladimir Lancers
1 squadron of Tatar Lancers
1 squadron of New Arkhangelsk Lancers
Consolidated Hussar Regiment
3 squadrons of Izyum hussars
2 squadrons of Chernihiv Hussars
1 squadron of Grodno Hussars
6th horse battery
Horse-mountain Major-General Drozdovsky Battery
2nd Cavalry Division
1st brigade (14 squadrons):
1st Guards Cuirassier Regiment
2 squadrons of cavalry guards
2 squadrons of the Horse Guards
4 squadrons of cuirassiers (2 squadrons from each of the Cuirassier regiments of His and Her Majesty)
2nd Guards Consolidated Cavalry Regiment
2 squadrons of former Lancers of His Majesty
2 squadrons Horse-Grenadier
2 squadrons of Life Dragoons
2nd brigade (12 squadrons)
2nd Cavalry Regiment (6 squadrons)
3rd Cavalry Regiment (6 squadrons)
3rd brigade (12 squadrons)
Consolidated regiment of the Caucasian Cavalry Division
2 squadrons of Tver dragoons
2 squadrons of Nizhny Novgorod dragoons
2 squadrons of Seversk dragoons
Consolidated Dragoon Regiment
2 squadrons of Novorossiysk Dragoons
2 squadrons of Pereyaslav dragoons
2 squadrons of the Crimean Cavalry Regiment
Separate division of the Guards Cavalry Artillery
1st battery
2nd battery
Application No. 4
The composition of the regular cavalry of the Armed Forces of South Russia since April 16 (29), 1920
1st Army Corps
Separate cavalry brigade
a) Directorate of the brigade - to form from the existing non-standard control of the 9th cavalry division
b) 6th Cavalry Regiment) c) 7th Cavalry Regiment) To form from the Novorossiysk and Kazan Dragoons of the Kyiv and Lubensk Hussars, the Petrograd and Bug Lancers, the Chechen and Crimean Cavalry, the 2nd Cavalry General of the Drozdovsky Regiments, the Tauride Cavalry Division. Hurry parts of the Guards and the Ingermanland Hussar Regiment, which are attached to the Crimean Corps, handing over horses and saddles to the horseless [ranks] of the Separate Cavalry Brigade. Transfer personnel to the 1st Cavalry Division. For selected officers' own horses, pay the repair price. The distribution on the shelves is to be carried out by order of the head of the Separate Cavalry Brigade
d) Reserve division of the Separate cavalry brigade - 2 squadrons, form from the reserve cavalry regiment of the 9th cavalry division
e) 4th Cavalry Artillery Battalion) e) Form the 5th Cavalry Artillery Battalion from the 6th and 7th Cavalry Artillery Battalions
2nd Army Corps
1st Cavalry Division
a) division management
b) 1st brigade
Guards Cavalry Regiment - Form from all parts of the Guards Cavalry, including all Guards Cavalry units located in the Crimean Corps
1st Cavalry Regiment To form from the existing 1st, 2nd and 3rd
c) 2nd brigade of the Consolidated Cavalry Regiments, Courland,
2nd Cavalry Regiment of Volynsky, Chuguevsky and Yamburgsky
3rd Cavalry Regiment of Lancers, Mariupol,
d) 3rd brigade of Alexandria, Klyastitsky and Belorussian-
4th Cavalry Regiment of Hussars and Ingermanland
5th cavalry regiment of hussars, consisting in the Crimean Corps Tuzem-
leg and Tatar cavalry regiments, the Consolidated brigade of the Kabardian division and the Tertsev staying from the Sochi region
e) Reserve cavalry regiment of the 1st cavalry division - 6 squadrons
f) 1st Cavalry Artillery Battalion
g) 2nd Cavalry Artillery Battalion
h) 3rd Cavalry Artillery Battalion
Application No. 5
The composition of the regular cavalry of the All-Union Socialist Republic of April 28 (May 11), 1920
1st Cavalry Division
a) Division Directorate - form from the Directorate of the 1st Cavalry Division
1st brigade
b) Guards Cavalry Regiment - as indicated in order No. 3012
c) 1st Cavalry Regiment - 2nd Brigade d) 2nd Cavalry Regiment e) 3rd Cavalry Regiment Volyn, Chuguev and Yamburg Lancers, Mariupol, Alexandria, Klyastitsky and Belorussian hussars
g) Spare Cavalry Regiment of the 1st Cavalry Division - 5 squadrons
h) 1st Cavalry Artillery Battalion
i) 2nd Cavalry Artillery Battalion
2nd Cavalry Division
a) Division Directorate - re-form, taking personnel from the Directorates: 2nd Don Cavalry Brigade and non-standard 9th Cavalry Division
1st brigade
b) the 5th cavalry regiment - c) the 6th cavalry regiment d) to form the 7th cavalry regiment from the Novorossiysk and Kazan dragoon, Kyiv, Lubensk and Ingermanland hussars, Petrograd and Bug lancers and the 2nd cavalry general Drozdovsky regiments
2nd brigade
e) 3rd Don Cossack regiment - to form from the 2nd Don cavalry brigade and the Tauride cavalry division
f) 4th Don Cossack Regiment
g) Reserve cavalry regiment of the 2nd - to form from the Reserve cavalry regiment of the cavalry division (2 squadrons) of the 9th cavalry division and 2 spare Don Hundreds
h) to form the 4th cavalry artillery battalion from 6 and 7 cavalry artillery battalions
i) 5th Cavalry Artillery Battalion
Consolidated Corps
a) Corps management - re-form
3rd Cavalry Division
b) Directorate of the division - to form from the Directorates of the 1st Terek Cossack Division, the Crimean Consolidated Brigade and the Consolidated Brigade of the Kabardian Cavalry Division
Terek-Astrakhan brigade
c) 1st Terek Cossack regiment - to form from the Terek Cossack division
d) 1st Astrakhan Cossack regiment - to form from the Astrakhan Cossack division
native brigade
1st Native Cavalry Regiment - to form from the Consolidated Brigade of the Kabardian Division, the Native Tatar, Crimean and Chechen Cavalry Regiments and the Ossetian Cavalry Division
2nd Native Cavalry Regiment
e) 2nd Astrakhan Cossack Regiment
Reserve Cavalry Regiment of the 3rd Cavalry Division
3rd Cavalry Artillery Battalion
Kuban Cossack Division
a) Division management - re-form
1st brigade
b) Partisan Cossack regiment - to form from the Kuban Cossack units located in the Crimea
c) Wolf Cossack regiment
2nd brigade
d) Uman Cossack regiment,
e) Zaporozhye Cossack regiment
f) Plastunsky battalion
g) Kuban Cavalry Artillery Division
In memory of Gerasimenko Semyon Gavrilovich, Kuban Cossack,
In May 1942, the 11th Army of Erich von Manstein, in the course of Operation Bustard Hunting, almost completely (with the exception of Sevastopol, which held out until July 9-12, 1942) captured the Crimean peninsula.
The remnants of the 51st and 44th armies, which had crossed over to the Taman Peninsula at the end of May 1942, were sent to resupply the North Caucasian Front. The 72nd Cavalry Division was the last to cross the Kerch Strait. In total, after the evacuation, 2146 people gathered at the assembly point of the division in the village of Starotitarovskaya, of which 255 were commanding officers, 396 junior officers and 1495 privates. It was also possible to take out a certain amount of military property from the Kerch Peninsula: 762 rifles, 32 PPD and PPSh, 11 light, 16 easel and 5 anti-aircraft machine guns, as well as two 32-mm and 50-mm mortars.
As already mentioned, at first the fighters of the division were located in the village of Starotitarovskaya, but then they were sent to the village of Krymskaya. The division did not lose a single banner in the battles (excluding the banner of the 195th cavalry regiment, but there is a dark story there). Therefore, the division was not going to be disbanded at first. This is also supported by the fact that already at the end of May - beginning of June, new officers from the replenishment are appointed to command and command positions instead of retired officers. But in view of the loss of life and the complete loss of the entire horse composition, by order of the Commander of the North Caucasian Front No.-00322 / op dated 06/16/42, the 72nd Cavalry Division was reorganized into a Special Motorized Rifle Brigade, which belonged to the mechanized units of the North Caucasian Front and was under the command of the front.
It took almost a month to replenish the Special Motorized Rifle Brigade with personnel: ordinary and especially command. The number of the brigade was increased to 3.5 thousand people. Colonel Nikita Fedorovich Tseplyaev (major general from November 17, 1942) was appointed commander of the brigade, Baldynov Ilya Vasilyevich, who left the 72nd Cavalry Division, was appointed chief of staff. Almost all the commanders and chiefs of staff of all battalions of the brigade came out of it. The brigade consisted of 3 battalions, plus a training (4th) battalion. Mechanized means were introduced various types all-terrain vehicles and other military equipment, as well as vehicles of the ZiS, Studebaker, Dodge types with a total of up to 400. The brigade wore the statutory uniform of the Red Army rifle formations, however, the brigade fighters also wore the traditional uniform of the Kuban Cossacks, which was still from 72 th cavalry division: kubankas, hoods, etc. The photographs at the end of the article show the commander of the 40th Motorized Rifle Brigade, Nikita Fedorovich Tseplyaev, in a cloak and hat, and some commanders of the brigade unit, also in kubankas. In a word, the brigade was well equipped with both weapons and means of transportation and military equipment.
Although the official full name of the brigade was: 40th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade, some modern researchers and many sources refer to the brigade as plastunskaya. And the writer Vitaly Zakrutkin in his “Caucasian Notes” directly calls the fighters of the 40th brigade scouts: “... Twenty-three days the scouts of Colonel Tseplyaev made their way from the encirclement ...”
On July 25, the Battle for the Caucasus began. German troops rushed to the Caucasian oil. Having occupied Rostov-on-Don at the end of July 1942, the Germans launched an attack on the Kuban with three armies: the 1st Tank, 17th field and 3rd Romanian armies. Soviet troops were represented by the North Caucasian and Transcaucasian fronts. Having inflicted a number of powerful blows on the Soviet troops, the Germans captured Stavropol, Armavir, Maykop, Krasnodar, Elista, Mozdok, Novorossiysk in August-September but were stopped at the end of September. Anticipating the imminent capture of Transcaucasia, the Germans set up their banners on the western and eastern peaks of Elbrus. Then part of the Romanian troops was transferred to Stalingrad. Stretched to the limit, having suffered huge losses (only killed by December, the Germans lost over 100 thousand soldiers and officers), the German troops lost their offensive initiative. The Wehrmacht was never able to break into the Transcaucasus. Failing to achieve decisive successes during the August and September battles, German command at the end of September, the 17th Army began preparing an offensive against Tuapse. Dazed and bled, having also suffered huge losses, Soviet troops were also unable to change the situation radically. Instead of a deeply echeloned strong defense, units of the 18th Army turned out to be scattered and, despite the overall superiority in forces, in each individual direction turned out to be weaker than the advancing enemy.
The autumn-winter of 1942 is characterized by the German offensive in the Tuapse direction and protracted exhausting battles in the Caucasian foothills and on the mountain passes of the main Caucasian ridge.
July 12 The Special Motorized Rifle Brigade concentrates in the area of the village of Korsunskaya, where until July 30 it conducted training and knocking together units. On August 1, 1942, the brigade marched to the area of the villages of Mirny and Kovalevsky. After a two-day respite, on August 3, 1942, the brigade entered the battle.
On the morning of August 3, 1942, the brigade dug in near the village of Prochnookopskaya in the area of crossings across the Kuban River. After lunch, the brigade was subjected to massive artillery fire. Then the positions of the brigade were subjected to several attacks by German infantry units, which, with the support of 30 tanks, tried to cross to the other side of the Kuban River. Having lost 7 medium tanks and up to two infantry platoons, the Germans were forced to withdraw.
Then parts of the brigade were transferred to the site of the station. Kurgan - st. Labinskaya, a. Koshekhable. By posting the 1st battalion as the vanguard at the crossing a. Koshekhabl, brigade commander of the Special Brigade concentrated the main forces in the area of st. Labinskaya, at the crossings over the Laba River. During the next German offensive, the 1st battalion was cut off and during August 7-8 fought surrounded. The brigade commander decides to break through the encirclement around the 1st battalion with an attack, and during a continuous ten-hour battle, the enemy was driven back. In this battle, the brigade destroyed 5 tanks, 6 armored personnel carriers, many vehicles and up to two enemy infantry battalions, and one German aircraft was also shot down. In the area of the village of Yaroslavskaya, the Germans cut the Labinskaya-Maikop highway and surrounded the Special Motorized Rifle Brigade in the area of \u200b\u200bthe station. Kuzhorskaya. After a five-day encirclement, the brigade commander, Major N.F. Tseplyaev, decided to break through the encirclement. On August 15, the brigade was divided into two parts: one part, breaking through the front of the enemy, began to retreat in the direction of the Makhoshevsky forests and further to Bagovskaya. The other part, having attacked the enemy in its sector, retreated towards Maykop and left along the valley of the Belaya River to the village of Kamennomostskaya. The breakthrough was carried out not in the direction of the main parts of the Red Army, as the enemy expected, but to the southwest and west. During the encirclement and during its breakthrough, the fighters of the brigade knocked out 6 tanks, 10 vehicles, shot down two aircraft and destroyed up to one and a half battalions of German infantry.
The divisions of the brigade marched in two groups along the rear of the Germans. Separate detachments of the Germans constantly attacked the flanks and rear of the Special Motorized Rifle Brigade, trying to destroy the broken scouts. However, contact was established with local partisan formations. In particular, with partisan detachment No. 2 “For Stalin”. The commander of this detachment, Fedor Gavrilovich Rudakov, recalled that his partisan detachment was partially armed and replenished the stock of cartridges for rifles and PPSh machine guns from the Special Motorized Rifle Brigade.
The first group, led by the cobrig Tseplyaev, after the breakthrough, went to the village of Bugunzha. It was the territory of the Caucasian reserve. The local huntsman Yakov Vasilievich Sklyarov led units of the Special Motorized Rifle Brigade along narrow mountain paths for several days. In the end, the huntsman led the brigade units to the pass in front of Krasnaya Polyana. The 70-year-old ranger Sklyarov asked to volunteer for the brigade, after which he was enrolled in one of the units of the Special Motorized Rifle Brigade.
The second group, leaving in the direction of Maikop, went to the village of Kamennomostskaya. Then the scouts headed towards the Rest House and the Old Monastery. Having overcome the most difficult descent along the Shushuk river, the scouts went to the valley of the Dakh river and further to the village of Sakhray. When overcoming this descent, several guns and many vehicles were lost. From the village of Sakhray, parts of the brigade moved to Brilyovo Polyana. There were no further roads. The brigade left the equipment to the partisans and on foot went to Krasnaya Polyana.
Having fired on the communications of the Germans, destroying rear lines and carts, by August 30, 1942, the Special Motorized Rifle Brigade reunited again and concentrated at the foot of the main Caucasian ridge in the area of Mount Urunshein and then marched through the main pass on foot to Krasnaya Polyana to connect with parts of the front. The march through the Main Caucasian Range took place in exceptionally difficult conditions: the mountainous and wooded terrain was very difficult to pass, and besides, it was pouring with heavy rain all this time.
During the August battles, the Special Motorized Rifle Brigade, in the most difficult conditions, made a 220-kilometer march, practically without leaving the battles. For a significant part of the time, the brigade's path passed in the rear of the Germans, it was almost a forced raid on the German rear. During this time, the fighters of the brigade knocked out 27 tanks and armored vehicles, about 50 vehicles and 18 enemy aircraft, killed and wounded up to an infantry regiment. Maintaining battle formations, on September 5, 1942, the Special Motorized Rifle Brigade reached the village of Krasnaya Polyana and joined with units of the Red Army. From September 6 to 11, 1942, the brigade made a foot march along the route Krasnaya Polyana - Lazarevskoye - Olginka, where it stopped to rest. At the end of September 1942, the brigade was renamed from the Special Motorized Rifle Brigade to the 40th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade. Until September 29, the brigade was in the Olginka area, where it was engaged in antiamphibious defense of the coast. In addition, the brigade was engaged in putting together units, as reinforcements arrived from the regions of the Krasnodar Territory and the Caucasian republics.
On September 29, according to the order of the commander of the Black Sea Group of Forces of the North Caucasian Front, the 40th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade marched on foot along the route Olgina - Tuapse - Shaumyan - Perevalny and on October 1, 1942 entered the operational subordination of the 18th army. The 3rd Infantry Battalion was in the forefront.
From September 30, units of the 40th brigade approached positions in the areas of the farms of Pelik, Perevalny and Kindzhan. The brigade of N. F. Tseplyaev was sent here not by chance: in the area of the village of Kotlovina, a large gap was formed in the defense of the 18th Army, up to 7 kilometers wide. The German rangers and foot soldiers had an excellent opportunity to break through the mountain passes to Tuapse and the Black Sea coast. Thus, dismember the Soviet troops and neutralize the Black Sea Group of Forces. Anticipating a possible enemy breakthrough here, the commander of the 18th Army sent the 40th Brigade here.
The terrain in the region of these farms turned out to be practically impossible for defense. Despite the fact that parts of the brigade occupied heights, it was extremely difficult to hide on them: rock and stony soil, and there were not enough trench tools. However, ingenuity prompted the Cossacks to use the axles of broken carts instead of crowbars. And thanks to incredible efforts, a day later, trenches appeared on the front flank, communication lines, observation posts and dugouts.
Already in the morning, October 1, the enemy launched several mental attacks on the positions of the 3rd battalion, without achieving a result, the Germans withdrew. Here, up to two battalions of mountain riflemen from the 1st Mountain Rifle Division “Edelweiss” acted against the scouts of the 40th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade (commander General Hubert Lanz, a former mountaineer, had repeatedly passed through the Caucasus mountains before the war, it was the soldiers of the 1st Mountain Rifle Division who installed on both peaks of Elbrus fascist banners) from the 49th mountain rifle corps. Nearby, in the defense sector of the 694th Infantry Regiment, units of the 46th Infantry Division of the Germans broke through, capturing the village of Kotlovina. The Cossacks were familiar with this division from the May battles on the Kerch Peninsula. The 1st and 2nd battalions of the 40th brigade launched a counterattack and drove the German infantry out of the Kotlovina. The very next day, October 2, the brigade's battalions fought fierce battles against units of the German 46th Infantry Division, repelling 14 attacks. The brigade entrenched itself at the newly occupied line: the 2nd battalion was in the forefront in the village of Kotlovina, the 4th battalion in the area of the Perevalny farm, the 3rd battalion in the area of the Altubinal farm, the 1st battalion was in the area of the Kinjan farm, but then, 5 October, was sent to help the 2nd battalion to the village of Kotlovina. Then the 3rd battalion was also sent there. A separate anti-aircraft artillery battalion and an artillery regiment of the brigade were located one kilometer south of the main positions of the brigade. On October 8, the 408th Rifle Division approached to the left of the 40th Brigade, which slightly eased the position of the brigade.
The 40th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade occupied the above positions in the area of the Perevalny farm for more than twenty days. From the first days of October 1942, some units of the 1st Mountain Rifle Division acted against the brigade in this sector, then it was replaced by the 46th Infantry Division, and from October 16, the Germans brought the fresh 4th Division into battle. On October 21, the 408th Rifle Division began to retreat under enemy attacks, which put the 40th Motorized Rifle Brigade in an extremely difficult situation. Grechko writes about this in his memoirs: “... The soldiers and commanders of this brigade, showing courage, suspended the further advance of the enemy in the Perevalnoye area. This locality during October 21-22, several times passed from hand to hand. The battalion of Major Savitsky especially distinguished himself in these battles: the fighters knocked out the Nazis from Perevalnoye three times ... ".
Nevertheless, on October 22, under the pressure of superior enemy forces, the brigade fighters left the village of Kotlovina and retreated to the original Perevalny-Altubinal line, and on October 25, leaving the farms of Perevalny and Kindzhan, concentrated in the area of the Altubinal farm. But then, on October 29, having launched a counterattack, units of the 40th brigade regained their previous positions. Unable to complete the task assigned to them, the 13th and 42nd regiments of the 46th German infantry division went on the defensive. And by November 1, units of the 40th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade firmly held the farms of Perevalny, Kindzhan, Altubinal. For several days then, on the right flank of the 18th Army, the 40th Brigade remained alone until the 12th Cavalry Division approached. In mid-November, the Nazis made their last attempt to break through to Tuapse. But this time, their efforts were in vain. In addition, part of the attacking German troops was surrounded and completely destroyed.
In the second half of December, the troops of the 18th Army went on the offensive everywhere, and by December 21, the formations of the 18th Army reached the Pshish River, which eliminated the threat of a German breakthrough to Tuapse. This ended the Tuapse defensive operation.
Constantly turning to counterattacks, destroying enemy soldiers and equipment, in everyday intense battles, the brigade suffered huge losses in killed and wounded: 2426 people were killed and wounded, which is up to 70% of the personnel. For more than three weeks, units of the 40th separate motorized rifle brigade held the above positions. The 40th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade was able to stop the onslaught of the German rangers. The Germans were never able to step over a handful of scouts, sometimes alone defending their mountain passes. The threat of capturing oil storage facilities and the port of Tuapse, as well as the threat of German access to the Black Sea, was eliminated.
In the period August - November 1942, the 40th separate motorized rifle brigade destroyed 6364 enemy soldiers and officers, shot down 25 aircraft, knocked out 27 tanks, defeated two enemy headquarters and three warehouses.
On November 17, 1942, for successful military operations during the Tuapse defensive operation, the 40th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade was presented to the rank of "Guards" with the presentation of the Guards Red Banner, and on December 13 of the same year, at the request of the Commander of the Black Sea Group of Forces of the front, General Lieutenant Petrov, the 40th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade was presented to the Order of the Red Banner. However, neither the “Guards” nor the brigade received the order.
The commander of the 40th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade, General N. F. Tseplyaev, was awarded the order The Red Banner, as well as government awards, received another 205 officers and fighters of the brigade.
In the period up to the beginning of January 1943, a relative lull was established in the sector of the 18th Army. The troops put themselves in order, replenishment came.
On January 14, 1943, the offensive of the 18th Army began. She was opposed by the troops of the 17th field army of the Wehrmacht.
In early February 1943, the liberation of Krasnodar began. Among the first formations that liberated the city was the 40th Separate Rifle (from December 17, 1942) brigade of Major General N. F. Tseplyaev. The soldiers of the 40th brigade entered the city from the south side and, interacting with the arrows of the 9th mountain rifle division (the future 9th Plastunskaya rifle division), liberated Krasnodar street by street.
In April, the 40th Rifle Brigade was withdrawn from the North Caucasian Front and sent to the Steppe Military District. In May 1943, the 40th Infantry Brigade was reorganized into the 38th rifle division. This division fought from the Kuban to Hungary.
Until now, only fragmentary information can be found about the 40th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade. Apart from a few archival documents, a couple of occasional mentions and a few small memoirs, this brigade is not mentioned anywhere.
The units evacuated to Taman were understaffed North Caucasian Front(practically being the successor of the Crimean Front). Many units were disbanded and went to the understaffing of others. Few units were lucky enough to survive as combat units and maintain their combat capability. Among them is the 72nd Separate Kuban Cavalry Division, represented by its successor, the 40th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade. The only reason why it was not left as a cavalry division was the complete loss of the cavalry.
Created on the basis of the 72nd Separate Kuban Cavalry Division, replenished mainly with conscripts - natives of the regions of the North Caucasus Military District (Cossacks, Russians and mountaineers), the 40th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade proved that with excellent training, excellent cohesion of fighters and units, it is capable of solve not only ordinary tactical, but also non-standard tasks, thereby contributing to the solution of strategic tasks. Having changed horses for armored personnel carriers, moving from cavalry to motorized rifle troops, the fighters did not lose their combat capability. The Cossacks, who showed themselves in the battles on the Kerch Peninsula, have proven themselves well in the battles in the Caucasus. At crossings across the Kuban and Laba rivers, when trying to break through parts of the 49th German mountain rifle corps to Tuapse and the Black Sea coast. Having played one of the key roles in the Tuapse defensive operation, the fighters of the brigade were able to withstand and not let the enemy through their positions: the German rangers could not step over a handful of scouts defending their mountain passes ...
It was in the Crimea, on the Kerch Isthmus, on June 5, 1919, on the first day of our big offensive, which ended with the cleansing of the Reds from all of Crimea and Northern Tavria to the Dnieper.
The situation on the Kerch Peninsula at the beginning of 1919 was as follows. Akmanai position, covering the mountains from the north. Kerch and the peninsula, rested with its right flank on the Sea of Azov, where the ships of the English squadron, "allied" to us, stood. This position cut through the entire Kerch Peninsula from east to west and was occupied by dismounted squadrons of the combined regiment of the Caucasian Cavalry Division, and further west by infantry, it seems, by the Samur Infantry Regiment. The position was calm and no active actions took place on it; in the rear of this position was a separate cavalry brigade, scattered throughout the wealthy German colonies. Composition of the brigade: Consolidated Guards Cuirassier Regiment (one squadron from the previous regiments of the 1st Guards Cavalry Division), 2nd Cavalry Officer General Drozdovsky Regiment, Consolidated Guards Dpvisiop Colonel Kovalinsky (from the squadrons of Horse-Grenadier and Ulan His Veli -quality). There was also a squadron of the Life Dragoons of Colonel Rimsky-Korsakov, but for some reason he was not included in the Kovalinsky division and our Guards horse battery, armed with beautiful light 3-inch horse-mountain guns, model 1902. The rest of the regiments of the guards cavalry: Life Hussars, Grodno Hussars, Her Majesty's Lancers at that time did not have their own independent cells in the South of Russia. Our rear was very restless, since well-armed red bands were hiding in the Kerch quarries, plundering Kerch and attacking our rear. For safety, it was always necessary to keep several squadrons with the appropriate artillery in Kerch. Guards Cossack brigade with our L. Guards. The 6th Don Cossack battery was fully formed and fought valiantly in the ranks of the Don Army.
Of course, we knew about our upcoming big offensive on our sector of the front, in early July, and we were intensively preparing for it. Equestrian exercises were carried out, exercises with people at the guns, the material part and forging of horses were checked. The day of the offensive was kept secret, and only a few days later we learned that our attack was scheduled for the night of June 4th-5th. We learned about the details of our attack from the operational order received by the battery commander late on the evening of June 4, a few hours before the action. According to the atom of the order, the foot units occupying the Akmanai position, supported by British naval artillery from the Sea of \u200b\u200bAzov, advance directly in front of them to the north. Our cavalry brigade was to covertly pass along the coast of the Sea of Azov, bypass the flank of the Reds and attack their reserves and rear. The squadron of the Life Dragoon had its own independent task: to pass and clear the Arabat arrow from the Reds from south to north, and take an important strategic point - the city of Genichesk. He did exactly that. The start of the attack is scheduled exactly at 3 o'clock in the morning, according to a signal shot from an English armored carrier.
I well remember this wonderful warm Crimean night. Our brigade, stretched out in a long column, silently walked on the hard ground of the Azov beach. We all checked our watches and stared eagerly at their hands. The silent silence of the night was occasionally broken by shots in the distance and the snoring of our horses. Equally at 3 o'clock a shot was fired from the sea. At dawn, we passed some Tatar village and here our column split up: the Guards Cuirassier Regiment remained in reserve in this village. The rest of the two columns in variable gait went on; left column: division of Colonel Kovalinsky, right - the Second Cavalry Regiment and our battery at the head of the column of the main forces.
The enemy soon discovered our movement, and over both columns of the mob, the haze of bursts of enemy shrapnel appeared. There was a command: "build platoons", and now in platoon columns we galloped forward. Soon the cavalry crumbled into lava and the whole field was covered with horsemen galloping at the enemy infantry, shouting "Hurrah", the battery, at a gallop, jumped out to an open position and fired at the enemy reserves with their accurate fire. During the morning we changed position three times: the expenditure of shells was enormous. The losses in killed and wounded on our side were quite large, I don’t know about the Reds. They still managed to pull up the reserves to the battle line, and soon our cavalry dismounted, forming a continuous rifle chain.
The commander of the brigade, the valiant General Miklashevsky, believing that the turning point of the battle had come and that the attack of a fresh cavalry regiment could immediately decide it in our favor, sent for a reserve. But we, probably carried away by the pursuit of the defeated Reds, advanced more than we should have, and thus increased the already long path for our remote reserve. In any case, the Cuirassier Regiment, having galloped 10 versts under the scorching Crimean sun, ended up with an exhausted horse train. The horses were soaring and breathing heavily, so that a horse attack was out of the question. All that remained was to rush the regiment and stretch the rifle chain even more, which was done.
The brave General Miklashevsky, who personally led the battle, was in chains. Soon, he was seriously wounded by a bullet in the chest and evacuated to the rear. The commander of the 2nd Cavalry Regiment, Colonel Barbovich, took over the command of the brigade, and we continued our further movement under his command. The next day, our offensive continued successfully, and by evening we occupied the railway junction of the village of Gramatikovo and moved on to Dzhankoy.
General Miklashevsky, who had recovered from his wound, returned to us much later, already in the position of head of the 2nd cavalry division, to which we were renamed from our separate brigade. The number of regiments was brought up to four, with two horse batteries, all from the cells of the former regiments of our valiant regular cavalry. At the same time, our 2nd Guards was formed. equestrian battery, armed with ordinary light 3-inch cannons, so we already represented a two-battery guards equestrian artillery battalion.
To be fair, it must be said that the rapid cleansing of the Crimea is explained not only by the valor of our units and the art of our commander, the regiment. Barbovncha, but also by the fact that the strategic position of the Reds in the Crimea became impossible. From Mariupol, on the northern coast of the Sea of Azov, straight west to the rear of Perekop, a strong group of the Don Army, it seems, a regiment, was marching. Nazarov, and if the Reds had lingered in the Crimea for a little longer, their retreat from Perekop to the Dnieper would have been cut off by the Donets. Perfectly designed by our high command strategic plan, with full coordination of actions on two fronts: Mariupol and Crimean, gave a brilliant result.
From Perekop to the north, the Reds retreated so hastily that, making daily crossings of 70-80 versts, we overtook them only on the Dnieper, capturing the village of Kakhovka from a raid. However, mountains Berislavl, on the right bank of the Dnieper opposite Kakhovka, remained in the hands of the enemy. He dominated the entire surrounding area on both banks of the Dnieper and the Reds fired almost with impunity with their artillery at any point of our location. Our stay in Kakhovka was very disturbing and uncomfortable. Soon we, marching, moved to the Melitopol region, where we settled in rich colonies. Our rest did not last long and soon by rail.
in echelons, we were transferred to the Kharkov region, which had long been occupied by our Volunteer Infantry General Kutepov. Together with the 1st Cavalry Division of General Chekotovsky - also exclusively from the regiments of our regular cavalry - we made up the 5th Cavalry Corps of General Yuzefovich, with the task of attacking Moscow, which found its expression in the so-called "Moscow Division directive," by its very name "Moscow" filled our hearts with an unfulfilled hope to liberate our Mother See capital and our entire Motherland.
Our 5th cav. the corps managed to occupy the Bakhmach station, the cities of Chernihiv and Nizhyn.
“Our General Yuzefovnch thanked us, blessed us with further victories,” our young volunteers sang cheerfully and cheerfully ... But, instead of Moscow, our 2nd Cavalry. The division only managed to reach the mountains. Glukhov, and from here began our spontaneous and endless retreat to the Black Sea ports of the North Caucasus and the Crimea, and the cleansing of the entire territory occupied by us during our offensive in the South and in the center of Russia, abundantly irrigated by our Volunteer blood.
The great and indisputable military authority, Professor General Golovin, in one of his works says that when the highest authorities and staffs make mistakes in their plans and calculations, in order to reduce the consequences of their mistakes, they demand from their subordinates troops of additional, often impossible, efforts, which are often expressed in the demands of forced marches, exhausting the troops, or in orders: “hold on to the last drop of blood”, “not a step back”, “forward, no matter what became." In another place, he says that orders are often given "with a request", that is, when the command itself expands the scope of the task, counting on the fact that if such an expanded task is completed by the troops at least by half or a third, then and that's good. Everyone who has been to the war will probably find examples of these Golovin's "tasks" in his memoirs. But all this, fortunately, was not in the operation described by me. Tasks yes-was always doable without a "request". In a word, everything went smoothly, precisely, without friction, as in maneuvers.
Lev DeWitt
Military story, No. 49, 1961.