The Russian army abroad.
Anton Ivanovich Denikin in his memoirs, and memories, which he published in exile in Berlin, already in 1926, he intends to, why was the "White army" crushed just by the bolsheviks and its troops. Even this experienced general can't give this question a definite answer. Discusses why meat former czarist officers stood at the head of the Red army. His conclusions, inter alia, speaks about the terrorism of the communists and the internment of families of officers, which had to fight for their own survival and that of her family. On this terror certainly can't build a democratic society, which (USSR) Union of soviet socialist republics never was. Remember only the fate of the defeated fighters of the army, who with arms in their hands fought against the so-called "internacionalistům and proletářům",which I would call today simply "terrorists", which was the model of the French revolution and the terror of the "revolutionaries" was inspired by the Russian bolsheviks.
Retreat was the only recourse. The northern army crossed the border to Finland and partly to Poland. Siberian army found refuge in China. Dobrovolecká army concentrated in the south of Russia are evacuated from the peninsula of Crimea in January 1920. Created a problem, where and where to put on the 136 000 soldiers, officers? Of this number was 70 000 soldiers who refused to lay down arms and to the emigration depart armed. The army had to be split into smaller parts .
The first army corps, commanded by general Kutepov was placed into an internment and collection equipment, which was for the troops established on the peninsula of Gallipoli.
The cossacks are the fringe of society in the Turkish camps ( Kabadža, Čataldža). Later, however, are the cossacks stationed on the island of Lemnos. The fleet was sent to the internment in the port of Bizerta ( Tunis) and staff officers and the whole staff of general Wrangel was interned directly in Constantinople .
General Kutepov saw your soldiers disappointed, desperate, apathetic. He realized that the only way to give them back their faith in the return and victory is the work, the adjustment of the camp, the construction and completion of the accommodation. With his staff, therefore, pay attention to the daily life of the interned soldiers. Was set daily schedule, and required tough discipline. At this time, they wanted the French to the Russian army to disarm. General Kutepov say to them that they can achieve only by force.
16. July 1921 members of the l. corps installed at the Gallipoli memorial, which was dedicated to the memory of the interned soldiers in the years 1920-1921, but at the same time, even as the memory of the suffering of the captured soldiers from the war in the year 1854-1855. Every Russian soldier to this memorial to put a small stone in memory of their comrades in arms.
In these camps live forever I couldn't. Before the troops was the only choice. Return to Russia, where it is waiting for a clear death. Or leave for a job in Brazil, giving them work and asylum offered. And so already 01. February 1921 depart these soldiers of faith and hope, first to work in South America, first to the Balkans to Yugoslavia, Bulgaria and other countries, where later, many found their second home.
To commemorate this intervention of the brave people was first founded general Wrangelem and 15. November 1921 the Honorary cross of the Russian army with the name :
CROSS GALLIOPOLI 1920-1921 ( the orders of Wrangel no. 369)
The first types of this cross are minted only from the base metal, it's a simple stamping, which, however, are rare. Later, both in Yugoslavia, but also in Prague are the cross minted carefully, is postříbřeny, black enamel is on the edges framed by a white stripe. The excavation, which are located primarily in France, are already made in silver. This cross was designed with all internovaným, therefore also to women, which, however, the cross he wears a scale-shaped brooches on the needle.
Cossacks from the island of Lemnos. Barren and inhospitable, with no water and a single tree was Lemnos certainly unpleasant prison camp. Yet donští and cuban cossacks managed to organise cultural events and performances, set up their own library and the congregational singing was commonplace. Their cross bears the name of:
CROSS LEMNOS 1920-1921
Cross with the inscription BIZERTA was designed for the sailors who were with their families interned, and their ship two months were in quarantine. Sailors or their families were not allowed to go ashore. In 1924, France recognized the Union of soviet socialist republics for the rule of law and the successor of tsarist Russia. But it also ends the glory of the "st andrew's" flag, which for more than 200 years it flew to the warships of RUSSIA. The rest of the maritime fleet sailed to France and the port in Africa.
For the soldiers, who were not in any internment camp, but, for example, lived in Constantinople, was set up a cross without name, only with the era of 1920-1921
All of these crosses are uniform in shape, produce and perform. Just at the center appears the inscription, which specifies the internment camp. In total, we distinguish the following crosses:
Cross with the inscription GALLIPOLI
Cross with the inscription of LEMNOS, KABADŽA, GALLIPOLLI, ČATALDŽA
Cross with the inscription BIZERTA
Cross without inscription with the date of 1920 - 1921
Cross with the inscription LUKULL
The cross without the banner and without the date
For each cross, the later was also the thumbnails, which were intended to be worn on civil clothing. Over the years, the quality of the crosses improved and so we know the cross embossed in silver, gilt, carefully enameled, but from the collectors ' point of view, are the rarest of the first types, minted from just base metal, not beautiful, but it's interesting. Due to the fact that the crosses were produced both in France, but also in Prague, Yugoslavia, Bulgaria, discovering variants, where is the year located differently, or even the inscription is executed in a different font.
Not from the things realize that most of these soldiers in the years 1941 and of his sons got involved in the fight against the Red army, but the Serbian partisans. Fought on the side of the German occupiers in the special sections and units of the SS.
Literature:
P - PASKOV : Orders and Badges in the Civil War of 1917-1922. Paris 1961
General KUTEPOV : a Collection of Articles. Paris 1934
Alexander KUZNECOV : ABOUT the White army and their decorations 1917-1922
Note: this Is a rare decoration. The pictures are taken from busy P. Paškova and And. Kuznetsov.
Archives: Alt.
Archive: Faleristics
grammatically corrected 7.8.2009 Hanyz.