Insignia of the ranks of the Russian Army. 20th century
Part 2.
Middle and senior command and command staff
(junior and senior officers).
In February 1946, the name "Red Army" (RKKA) will be changed to the name " Soviet army".
The terms "officer", "officer staff", which in the twenties and thirties were used exclusively in relation to the tsarist and white armies and only in a negative sense, are now quite legally used from the holiday order of the NPO dated November 7, 1942 to designate the command staff of the Red Army, but officially they will only be put into use on July 43.
The year 1943 was marked by a radical change in the uniform and insignia of the Red Army. The insignia of military ranks on buttonholes will forever go down in history.
By a decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of January 6, 1943, new insignia of ranks in the Red Army - epaulettes - are introduced. NPO Order No. 25 dated January 15 introduces and new form clothes.
The decree clearly stipulates that shoulder straps serve to determine the military rank and belonging of a serviceman to a certain type of troops (service).
Before describing the new insignia, it should be noted that on January 8, 1943 (Order of the NPO No. 10 of 01/08/1943, announcing the GKO Decree of January 2), 1943, ranks in the medical, veterinary services, and in military justice are replaced. They are given ranks that are the same as the command staff, but with the addition of an indication of the type of service. For example, "lieutenant of the medical service", "captain of the veterinary service", "colonel of justice". Changes in the rank system for the rest of the commanding staff were made back in 1942.
Thus, the title of brigade commander finally went down in history. Let me remind you that the rank of brigade commander and the rank of brigintendant disappeared in 1940 with the introduction of general ranks for command and quartermaster staff. The rank of brigadier commissar disappeared in October 1942 with the abolition of the political worker rank scale. The rank of brigengineer also disappeared in 42 with the transition of the military-technical staff to ranks close to command. And finally, in January 1943, the ranks of brigvrach, brigvetvrach and brigvoyenurist disappear.
Shoulder straps of junior and senior officers are divided into two types: 
1. Field, which are worn on the field uniform in wartime and in peacetime.
2. Casual, which are worn on all types of uniforms, except for the field.
Field shoulder straps middle and senior command and command staff (junior and senior officers) have dimensions - length 14-16 cm, width 6 cm. But shoulder straps of officers of the medical, veterinary and legal services are narrower. They have a shoulder strap width of 4-4.5 cm.
In the photo on the right: Tank captain in an officer's tunic, model 1943, with field epaulettes. On the chest two orders Patriotic War(1 and 2 degrees), the Order of the Red Star, the badge "Guard" and the medal "For Courage".
Field shoulder straps of the middle and senior command staff (in fact, you can already use the term "officers"), as well as shoulder straps of the rank and file and junior command staff, made of khaki cloth with colored edging. However, unlike privates and sergeants, on the field shoulder straps of officers, metal stars and emblems of the military branches are attached. The gaps are indicated by one or two longitudinal ribbons of burgundy (for command personnel) or brown (for commanding personnel) about 5 mm wide.
The colors of the stars and emblems of the military branches are silver (for command staff) and golden (for commanding staff). Asterisks and khaki emblems are not used. The diameter of the stars of junior officers is 13 mm, senior officers are 20 mm.
The diameter of the shoulder buttons is 18 mm, khaki.
| Type of troops (service) | Edge color | Clearance color | Color of stars and emblems |
| Command staff | |||
| Infantry (and combined arms) | crimson | burgundy | silver |
| Cavalry | blue | burgundy | silver |
| Armored troops | red | burgundy | silver |
| Artillery | red | burgundy | silver |
| Aviation | blue | burgundy | silver |
| Technical troops* | black | burgundy | silver |
| Infantry (and combined arms) | crimson | brown | gold |
| Cavalry | blue | brown | gold |
| Armored troops | red | brown | gold |
| Artillery | red | brown | gold |
| Aviation | blue | brown | gold |
| Technical troops* | black | brown | gold |
| red | brown | gold | |
| red | brown | silver | |
| Quartermaster service in all military branches** | crimson | brown | gold |
| red | brown | gold | |
Note:*. The technical troops include engineering troops, signal troops, road troops, railway troops, the VOSO service, military topographic troops, chemical troops, automobile units, military construction detachments.
**. The quartermaster service includes all supply services (clothing, food and fodder, apartment maintenance, fuel supply), administrative service.
Field epaulettes are worn by officers on field uniforms (tunics and overcoats) both in peacetime and in war time. However, there are photographs of officers in tunics with field epaulettes.
1. Junior lieutenant (artillery).
2. Lieutenant (tank units of the armored forces).
3. Senior lieutenant (aviation).
4. Captain (infantry).
6. Lieutenant colonel (engineering troops).
7. Colonel (infantry).
8. Senior lieutenant of the medical service. 
Note: The shoulder straps of the captain and colonel in the figure are without emblems, since by order of the NPO No. 35 of 43, emblems were not assigned to the infantry.
Casual epaulettes middle and senior command and command staff (junior and senior officers) have dimensions - length 14-16 cm, width 6 cm. But shoulder straps of officers of the medical, veterinary and legal services are narrower. They have a shoulder strap width of 4-4.5 cm.
Everyday epaulettes epaulettes of the middle and senior command staff have a base of cloth on which a galloon with colored gaps is sewn. For the command staff, the galloon is gold with silver stars and emblems, for the commanding staff it is silver, and the stars and emblems are golden (officers of the veterinary staff have silver emblems). The width of the gaps is about 5 mm. The diameter of the stars of junior officers is 13 mm, senior officers are 20 mm.
The diameter of the shoulder buttons is 18 mm., the color is golden.
In the photo on the right: A senior lieutenant tanker in a casual tunic with everyday epaulettes on it. This is probably a snapshot of the time of the war or immediately after its end. The officer's only award is the Order of the Red Star.
| Type of troops (service) | Shoulder strap color | Edge and gap color | Star color | Emblem color |
| Command staff | ||||
| Infantry (and combined arms) | gold | crimson | silver | - |
| Cavalry | gold | blue | silver | silver |
| Armored troops | gold | red | silver | silver |
| Artillery | gold | red | silver | silver |
| Aviation | gold | blue | silver | silver |
| Technical troops | gold | black | silver | silver |
| Engineering staff | ||||
| Infantry (and combined arms) | silver | crimson | gold | - |
| Cavalry | silver | blue | gold | gold |
| Armored troops | silver | red | gold | gold |
| Artillery | silver | red | gold | gold |
| Aviation | silver | blue | gold | gold |
| Technical troops | silver | black | gold | gold |
| Non-technical commanding staff | ||||
| Medical service in all military branches | silver | red | gold | gold |
| Veterinary service in all military branches | silver | red | gold | silver |
| Quartermaster service in all branches of the military | silver | crimson | gold | gold |
| Legal service in all military branches | silver | red | gold | gold |
1. Junior lieutenant (military topographic units).
2. Lieutenant (infantry).
3. Senior lieutenant (communications troops).
4. Captain (aviation).
5. Lieutenant of the medical service.
7. Lieutenant colonel (chemical troops).
8. Colonel (infantry).
Everyday shoulder straps are worn by junior and senior officers on full dress uniforms and tunics, as well as on tunics and overcoats when they are worn as everyday uniforms.
From the author. In general, in the Active Army it was supposed to wear only a field uniform with field epaulettes, but during the two years of the war everyone was so tired of the dull dull green insignia, there was such a strong feeling that they had finally broken the back of the Wehrmacht, so confidence in victory grew that everyone Those who were not exposed to the direct danger of enemy rifle and machine-gun fire, as far as possible, preferred gold and silver shoulder straps, and caps with colored bands and piping. The generals did not interfere with such sentiments.
Things got to the point that the Headquarters was forced in the summer of 1943 to issue a special order ordering generals and senior officers to change into the uniform of ordinary Red Army soldiers and sergeants during reconnaissance at the forefront, so as not to allow German intelligence to determine by observation the time of our offensive and the direction of the main strikes. So everyone began to neglect both camouflage measures and their own safety. The glitter of golden shoulder straps and crimson bands are visible very far.
On the standing collars of the newly introduced ceremonial officer uniforms, horizontal 
buttonholes in the form of a parallelogram according to the color of the branch of service or service. The buttonholes were embroidered with gold and silver trims. The commanding staff has gold slats with silver zig-zags, while the commanding staff, on the contrary, has silver slats with gold zig-zags. Planks could also be made of metal. One bar was worn by junior officers, two by senior officers.
In the picture on the right:
1. Junior officer (from junior lieutenant to captain inclusive) of aviation commanders.
2. Senior officer of the infantry command staff (major, lieutenant colonel, colonel).
3.Junior medical officer
4. Senior officer of the commanding staff of the technical troops.
In the picture on the left: colonel of armored units tank troops in full dress uniform (1946).
From the author. Please pay attention to the black buttonholes with two straps and colonel's epaulettes with the emblem of tank units. The stars from the edges of the shoulder strap, where they were supposed to be on the orders of 43 years, have already been moved to the gaps. So far it has not been possible to determine whether the officers did this on their own initiative or by the year 46 it was ordered to shift the stars to the gaps. Shoulder strap, as it should be pentagonal. It will become hexagonal later.
On the chest we see the Order of Lenin, the Order of the Red Banner of War, the medal "For Military Merit", the medal "For the Victory over Germany". The last medal "For the capture of Budapest".
1947
By order of the Minister of the Armed Forces (as it was called during this period war ministry) No. 4 of 01/31/1947 to officers transferred to the reserve and retired with the right to wear military uniform It was ordered to wear special stripes 28 mm wide on shoulder straps. from galloon with the same color as the stars. Those. on a gold chase there is a silver stripe, on a silver stripe there is a gold stripe.
For officers in the reserve, the pattern of the stripe lace is simple (1), and for those who are retired, the lace with a zigzag of the opposite color (2).
From the author. The idea was clearly borrowed from the running system of the tsarist army. In the Armed Forces of the USSR, this change in insignia was perceived sharply negatively. Many honored officers who retired took this as a mockery and an insult. They began to prefer not to wear military uniforms at all. Therefore, it is extremely rare to come across photographs of officers with such stripes on shoulder straps.
How and when these stripes were canceled, the author failed to establish. But in the order of the USSR Ministry of Defense on the uniform of 1955, there is no longer any mention of such stripes.
1951
By order of the Minister of War (as in (as the Ministry of War was called at that time) No. 18 dated February 13, 51 officers of the Military Communications Service (VOSO), the edging on shoulder straps was not black, but blue.
Note. VOSO or the military communications service is basically the representation of the Armed Forces at railway stations, airports, sea and river ports. VOSO officers monitor the movement of military cargo and personnel units along the country's transport network, control them, organize loading, reloading and unloading. Along the way, they contribute to the movement of individual military personnel.
There were no significant changes in the insignia of officers until 1955. The author was not able to find out since when the pentagonal shoulder straps of officers became hexagonal. But in the photographs, both shoulder straps are found at the same time, starting from 1947. Later only hexagonal. Shoulder straps of VOSO officers in the VM order of 1951 are shown as hexagonal.
Sources and literature
1.1 Decree of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of 01/06/1943
2. Order of the NPO of the USSR No. 25 dated 15.01.1943.
3. Order of the NCO of the USSR No. 79 dated February 14, 1943.
4. Order of the MVS of the USSR No. 4 dated January 31, 1947.
5. Order of the USSR VM No. 18 dated February 13, 1951.
3.O.V. Kharitonov. An illustrated description of the uniforms and insignia of the Red and Soviet Army (1918-1958). Artillery Historical Museum of the Main Artillery Directorate of the USSR Ministry of Defense. 1962
4. M. M. Khrenov et al. Military clothing of the Armed Forces of the USSR and Russia (1917-1990s.) Military publishing house. Moscow. 1999
Insignia of the ranks of the Russian Army. 20th century
Insignia of the Red Army servicemen by rank
1941-42
The period under review covers the time from December 1940 to the beginning of January 1943.
Significant changes in the insignia of ranks after November 1940 and until August 1941 did not occur. Already after start of the war NPO order No. 253 dated August 1 for all personnel of the Active Army and marching units (that is, units formed and sent to the Active Army) makes a number of changes in uniform and insignia:
1. The wearing of sleeve chevrons for command personnel and sleeve stars for political workers is cancelled.
2. Colored stripes on the marching uniform of generals are cancelled.
3. Canceled colored piping on the trousers and tunics of the middle and senior command staff.
4. Colored buttonholes are replaced with camouflage buttonholes without piping.
5. Red enamel rank insignia are replaced with green ones.
6. Golden emblems of military branches are painted green.
7. Golden stars on the buttonholes of generals are replaced with green ones.
For troops and military institutions not assigned to the Active Army, rank insignia do not change.
From secondary sources (M.M. Khrenov and others. Military clothing of the Armed Forces of the USSR and Russia (1917-1990s.)) It follows that the marching uniform with protective insignia for the infantry was adopted back in January (according to other sources, in February) 1941. However, the author could not find the corresponding NPO order.
From the author. Interesting feature- in army documents since the summer of 1941, the abbreviation of the Red Army or the name "Workers 'and Peasants' Red Army" is almost never found. The name "Red Army" is used everywhere. The abbreviation of the Red Army or the name "Workers 'and Peasants' Red Army" is used mainly on solemn occasions.
This order in the army was perceived ambiguously. Political workers unanimously ignored the abolition of their sleeve stars, believing that the stars on the sleeves give them more significance and influence among the personnel. This opinion was fully supported by the head of GlavPUR Mekhlis.
They did not yet know about Hitler's Directive OKW No. 44822/41 of June 6, 1941 "Instructions on the treatment of political commissars", which ordered the destruction of captured commissars and political officers. To recognize them among the rest of the prisoners, this Directive prescribed precisely by the presence of sleeve stars.
Commander of the 9th Mechanized Corps, Major General K.K. Rokossovsky, having raised the corps on alarm on the morning of June 22, simply forbade the issuance of khaki buttonholes to sergeants and officers, believing that the visibility of commanders for his soldiers is much more important than their visibility to the enemy.
From the author. Judging by the memoirs of Rokossovsky, such buttonholes in the corps were prepared before the war. I can't explain these lines of memories. But it is documented that they were introduced only on August 1. Perhaps in the memory of the marshal there was a shift of events in time. Or a really new marching uniform and insignia for it were prepared from February 1941, and they were available in the warehouses of the 9th Corps.
If he really did not consider this measure of disguise necessary, then one can only guess how many officers this opinion of Rokossovsky cost their lives. After all, the main task of snipers during the battle is the destruction of enemy officers and signalmen. This achieves a violation of the control of the battle with the enemy.
And there are no more noticeable signs of an officer for the shooters, like a cap with a colored band, colored buttonholes and chevrons shining with gold on the sleeves. All this is noticeable from a fairly large distance and without binoculars. And the sniper has an optical sight. And in the years 41-42, the Wehrmacht snipers knew how to shoot very well. The Germans are generally very fond of shooting sports and know a lot about shooting.
And further. We somehow generally like to give assessments to our commanders, either purely positive or unambiguously negative. But Zhukov, and Rokossovsky and Vasilevsky and others like them, are ordinary people with all their advantages and disadvantages. Each of them had both major achievements and solid failures. All of them sometimes found excellent solutions and made serious miscalculations. And to consider all of them or some of them mediocrity because in this or that operation they did not find a victorious solution, in my opinion it is dishonest. And not everything in this war depended only on the Soviet side.
To some extent, war resembles a chess match, in which far from stupid players meet. And you don't consider a grandmaster to be mediocre if he defeated his opponent not with a score of 21:0, but with a score of 11:10.
And why do some allow themselves to consider the Soviet marshals boobies because they defeated the Wehrmacht not in a border battle in the summer of 41, but only four years later? After all, on the other side of the front, it was by no means kids in short pants who led the troops. And the German generals had plenty of talent.
Nevertheless, Stalin's generals outplayed the Nazis. So who should be considered great commanders - those who lost the war, 
Or those who won?
The NPO's order to switch to protective insignia was far from being fully implemented. Such buttonholes, insignia and emblems in the pre-war period, the required number was not prepared. Although the clothing industry switched to sewing uniforms in August in accordance with this order, however, until the mobilization stocks of military clothing were used up, people drafted into the army after the start of the war continued to be dressed in uniforms with colored buttonholes and given red enamel insignia. Moreover, in the confusion of the first weeks of the war, no one could say where this or that team of mobilized people would be sent.
The production of protective insignia lagged far behind and they appeared on the uniform only in the late autumn of 1941.
Pictured on the right: characteristic example wearing military uniforms in the first military autumn-winter. An overcoat with hastily sewn khaki buttonholes, on which there are no insignia at all. Under the overcoat, a tunic with pre-war colored buttonholes, an infantry emblem and a junior lieutenant's cube is visible. But on the tunic buttonhole we see not a commander's lace, but a black edging, which the command staff should not wear. On the cap with earflaps, there is a red enamel star, i.е. pre-war model.
From the author. Another of the generals of the tsarist army wrote that the attitude of soldiers and officers to military uniforms is a true indicator of the morale of the army and, in general, the state of affairs in it. The Great Patriotic War showed how true this remark is. Tracking photographs of the war from 41 to 45, we see how the appearance Wehrmacht soldiers for the worse and vice versa, the appearance of the Red Army changed from dull-indifferent at 41 to dandy at 45.
Of course, in the most difficult days of the battle near Moscow, it seemed that the fighters were not up to the task. However, in the fall of 42 in Stalingrad, in the same combat conditions, the Red Army soldiers and commanders look much more decent. And the introduction of a new uniform and epaulettes in 43 was clearly perceived as the fact that the Red Army was confidently moving towards Victory and should be dressed beautifully. And everyone followed their form much more carefully.
The author considered it necessary to show various real-life options for wearing rank insignia in 41-42 years.
1. Foreman. Red enamel triangles are attached to the overcoat protective buttonhole. The emblem of the military branch is missing. On the protective tunic buttonhole, triangles laid in a protective color are attached. The emblem is missing.
2- Senior sergeant. Here, on the contrary, overcoat insignia are shown correctly, and red enamel triangles on the tunic.
3- Sgt. Here, camouflage triangles are attached to the buttonholes of the 1940 model, and the emblem of artillery is golden.
There are triangles cut out of green fabric and sewn to buttonholes, cut out of canned tin. Very often you can see in the pictures of overcoats without buttonholes and any insignia at all.
It should be noted that in general, the emblems of the military branches on the buttonholes of the private and junior command personnel were absent in the infantry and cavalry, since the infantry emblems in the summer of 1940 were introduced only for the middle and senior command personnel, and in the cavalry they, obviously, were not introduced at all.
In other branches of the military, emblems are quite rare. More often than others in aviation and artillery.
4. Junior lieutenant of artillery, 5th major of armored forces, 6th military officer with the rank of brigade commander (briengineer, brigvrach, brigvetvrach, brigvoyenurist), 7th major general.
It should be noted that although with the introduction of general ranks, the rank of brigade commander went down in history, however, the process of re-certifying yesterday's brigade commanders was not completed by the beginning of the war. Moreover, in the confusion of the first period of the war, brigade commanders called up from the reserve were not re-certified. So brigade commanders and brigade commissars met in the army until 1943.
By the middle of 1942, the inconsistency in insignia had significantly decreased. Obviously for the reasons that the newly issued form already usually had field buttonholes and khaki insignia. The red enamel signs were gradually lost. The war led to a significant decrease in the number of career officers, who could still retain pre-war insignia.
January 28, 1942 by order of the NPO No. 23 for the engineering staff (as the military-technical staff of the Air Force is now called) Air Force the scale of ranks and, accordingly, the insignia of ranks change.
Instead of the existing junior military technician,.......arming engineer introduced:
* lieutenant technician (2 squares),
* Major General of the Aviation Engineering Service (2 stars on the general's blue buttonhole), * Lieutenant General of the Aviation Engineering Service (3 stars on the general's blue buttonhole), * Colonel General of the Aviation Engineering Service (4 stars on the blue buttonhole general pattern).
The emblem of the military-technical staff on the buttonholes of the Air Force (crossed French key and hammer) is replaced by the newly introduced emblem of the engineering and technical staff of the Air Force (1).
Accordingly, the insignia also change.
Naturally, these insignia were not intended for the Army in the field, but in aviation in the vast majority of cases and in the Army in the field continued to wear peacetime insignia.
Since January 42, the generals of the aviation engineering service have blue buttonholes 
with general stars they had a black edging, and not a commander's gold lace (2).
The picture on the right shows:
1- emblem of the engineering staff of the Air Force,
2 - buttonhole of the lieutenant general of the aviation engineering service,
3- buttonholes engineer-captain of the Air Force.
March 3, 1942 By the Decree of the State Defense Committee (announced by order of the NPO No. 68 of March 4), the rank scale and, accordingly, the insignia of ranks are changed for the engineering and technical staff of artillery. Instead of the existing junior military technician,.......arming engineer introduced:
* lieutenant technician (2 squares),
* senior technician-lieutenant (3 squares),
*engineer-captain (1 rectangle),
*major engineer (2 rectangles),
* lieutenant colonel engineer (3 rectangles),
*colonel engineer (4 rectangles),
* Major General of the Engineering and Artillery Service (2 stars on the buttonhole of the general's sample in black with a red edging),
* lieutenant general of the engineering and artillery service (3 stars on the buttonhole of the general's sample in black with a red edging),
* Colonel General of the Engineering and Artillery Service (4 stars on the buttonhole of the general's sample in black with a red edging).
On March 8, 1942, by order of NPO No. 71, a similar rank scale and similar insignia are introduced for the engineering and technical staff of the armored forces. Only the generals have the prefix "... engineering and tank service."
At the same time, the emblem of the military-technical staff (crossed hammer and French key) still remains in the buttonholes.
Naturally, in the Active Army, the buttonholes are green with green insignia and emblems.
From the author. That's only when the title of "briging engineer" (1 rhombus in the buttonhole) began to go down in history. In March, for the engineering and technical staff of aviation, artillery and armored forces. The briging engineers, in accordance with the new scale, were awarded the rank of engineer-colonel. However, this was seen by many as a reduction in rank. After all, the briging engineer belonged to the highest commanding staff, and the new rank of engineer-colonel only to the senior. Everywhere they continued to wear their rhombuses, and not the 4 sleepers now assigned to them. Moreover, in the rest of the military branches, the rank of brigengineer in March 1942 was still preserved.
On March 30, by order of NPO No. 93, new ranks were introduced to replace the previous ones for the middle and senior commanding staff of the quartermaster service:
* lieutenant of the quartermaster service (2 squares),
* senior lieutenant of the quartermaster service (3 squares),
* captain of the quartermaster service (1 rectangle),
* major of the quartermaster service (2 rectangles),
* lieutenant colonel of the quartermaster service (3 rectangles),
* colonel of the quartermaster service (4 rectangles).
Recall that for the highest quartermasters, general ranks were introduced back in 1940, simultaneously with the introduction of general ranks for command personnel.
The last change in the insignia of 1942 can be considered a change in the names of the ranks of senior artillery commanders:
* engineer-captain - captain of the artillery and technical service,
* Major Engineer - Major of the Artillery and Technical Service
* engineer-lieutenant colonel - lieutenant colonel of the artillery and technical service
* engineer-colonel-colonel of the artillery and technical service.
By the same order, they changed the emblems in their buttonholes - instead of the emblem of the military-technical staff (crossed hammer and French key), they now must wear artillery emblems (crossed guns). At the same time, on everyday uniforms, they are not golden, like those of the command staff, but silver.
The year 1943 was approaching, in which these insignia would forever go down in history.
Sources and literature
1. Order of the NCO of the USSR No. 253 of August 1, 1941.
2. Order of the NCO of the USSR No. 23 of 01/28/1942.
3. Order of the NCO of the USSR No. 68 of 03/04/1942.
4. Order of the NPO of the USSR No. 71 dated March 8, 1942.
5. Order of the NCO of the USSR No. 93 dated 30.03.1942.
6. Order of the NPO of the USSR No. 168 of 05/28/1942.
7. Order of the NPO of the USSR No. 278 of 14.09.1942.
8. Website "deutschewaffe.narod.ru".
9. K.K. Rokossovsky. Soldier duty. Moscow. Military publishing house 1988
10.G.K. Zhukov. Memories and reflections. APN. 1987
11.O.V. Kharitonov. An illustrated description of the uniforms and insignia of the Red and Soviet Army (1918-1945). Artillery Historical Museum of the Main Artillery Directorate of the USSR Ministry of Defense. 1960
12. M. M. Khrenov et al. Military clothing of the Armed Forces of the USSR and Russia (1917-1990s.) Military publishing house. Moscow. 1999
The articles in the May and June issues of newspapers for 1940 emphasized the importance and authority of the ranks of generals and admirals. Soviet Union, the responsibility and role of the bearers of these titles to the country and history was noted:
The lives of thousands and thousands of fighters were handed over to the supreme commander. He directs the battle and knows how best to use the available forces and means. He is responsible for the outcome of the battle, for the decisive defeat of the enemy. A huge mass of people, the entire powerful organism of modern warfare must strictly obey the will of the sovereign commander, flexibly and clearly carry out his orders and decisions.
Also received military ranks:
- Colonel General of Artillery:
- lieutenant general:
- Lieutenant General of Artillery:
- Drozdov N. F.
- Lieutenant General of the Tank Troops:
- lieutenant general of engineering troops:
- major general:
- admiral
and others.
Since July 1940, the Marshals of the Soviet Union have a new uniform and new insignia:
- large diamond-shaped buttonholes Golden Star, two laurel branches and the emblem - hammer and sickle,
- on the sleeves - a large golden star, bordered by a red edging, and a square of golden embroidery, on the red clearance of which there are two golden laurel branches.
Insignia of the commanding and commanding staff of the armed forces on June 22, 1941
| Military rank | Insignia | |
|---|---|---|
| in buttonholes | on the sleeves | |
| Ground Forces, Air Force (except naval aviation) and troops NKVD including border troops | ||
| Enlisted personnel | ||
| No | No | |
| |
Red longitudinal clearance 5 mm wide (on gymnasts), 1 cm (on overcoat) | |
| Junior command staff | ||
| Lance Sergeant
|
Red longitudinal clearance 5 mm wide (on tunics), 1 cm (on overcoat), 1 enamel triangle | No |
| Red longitudinal clearance 5 mm wide (on tunics), 1 cm (on overcoat), 2 enamel triangles | ||
| Red longitudinal clearance 5 mm wide (on tunics), 1 cm (on overcoat), 3 enamel triangles | ||
|
|
Red longitudinal clearance 5 mm wide (on tunics), 1 cm (on overcoat), parallel to the edging there was a gold galloon 3 mm wide, 4 enamel triangles | |
| Average command staff | ||
| Ensign |
1 enamel square | 1 square of gold galloon 4 mm wide, gaps of red cloth: top 10 mm, bottom 3 mm |
| 2 enamel squares | 2 squares of gold lace 4 mm wide, between the laces there is a clearance of red cloth 7 mm wide, at the bottom edging 3 mm wide | |
| 3 enamel squares | 3 squares of gold galloon 4 mm wide, between the galloons there are gaps of red cloth 5 mm wide, at the bottom edging 3 mm wide | |
| Senior command staff | ||
| |
1 enamel rectangle | 2 squares of gold galloon 6 mm wide, between the galloons a clearance of red cloth 10 mm wide, at the bottom edging 3 mm wide |
| |
2 enamel rectangles | 3 squares of gold galloon 6 mm, between the galloons a clearance of red cloth 10 mm wide, at the bottom edging 3 mm wide |
| |
3 enamel rectangles | 2 squares made of gold galloon: upper 6 mm wide, lower - 10 mm, between the galloons there is a clearance of red cloth 10 mm wide, at the bottom edging 3 mm wide |
| |
4 enamel rectangles | 3 squares of gold galloon: upper and middle 6 mm wide, lower - 10 mm, gaps from red cloth 7 mm wide between the galloons, edging 3 mm wide at the bottom |
| Top command staff | ||
| Major General |
2 metal gilded stars | |
| 3 metal gilded stars | An embroidered small gold star, bordered by a piping according to the type of troops, one square made of gold galloon 32 mm wide, below - a piping according to the type of troops 3 mm wide | |
| 4 metal gilded stars | An embroidered small gold star, bordered by a piping according to the type of troops, one square made of gold galloon 32 mm wide, below - a piping according to the type of troops 3 mm wide | |
| 5 metal gilded stars | Embroidered large gold star, bordered by a red edging, one square of gold galloon 32 mm wide, in the upper part of the galloon - from red cloth 10 mm wide | |
| |
An embroidered large golden star, two laurel branches and the hammer and sickle emblem are embroidered in gold at the bottom of the buttonhole | An embroidered large gold star, bordered by a red edging, one square of red cloth, in the middle of which two laurel branches are embroidered with gold, on both sides of the square there is gold embroidery with a red border |
| Political composition | ||
| Junior political officer |
2 enamel squares | Red star with hammer and sickle |
| Politruk |
3 enamel squares | |
| Senior political instructor |
1 enamel rectangle | |
| Battalion Commissar |
2 enamel rectangles | |
| Senior Battalion Commissar |
3 enamel rectangles | |
| Regimental Commissar |
4 enamel rectangles | |
| Brigadier Commissar |
1 golden rhombus | |
| Divisional Commissioner |
2 golden diamonds | |
| Corps Commissar |
3 golden diamonds | |
| Army commissar 2nd rank |
4 golden diamonds | |
| Army commissar 1st rank |
4 rhombuses and a small golden star | |
| Navy | ||
| Enlisted personnel | ||
| Krasnoflotets | Red Star | |
| Senior sailor | ||
| Junior command staff | ||
| Petty Officer 2nd Article | no buttonholes at all, insignia only on the sleeves | |
| Petty officer 1st article | ||
| chief sergeant major | ||
| Midshipman | ||
| Average command staff | ||
| no buttonholes at all, insignia only on the sleeves | 1 medium golden stripe | |
| 2 medium golden stripes | ||
| Lieutenant Commander | ||
| Senior command staff | ||
| Captain 3rd rank | no buttonholes at all, insignia only on the sleeves | 3 medium golden stripes |
| Captain 2nd rank | 4 medium golden stripes | |
| Captain 1st rank | 1 wide band | |
| Top command staff | ||
| rear admiral | no buttonholes at all, insignia only on the sleeves | |
| Vice Admiral | ||
| Admiral | ||
| Fleet Admiral | Big star, bottom wide and 4 middle stripes | |
| Naval aviation, coastal defense troops and naval border troops | ||
| Enlisted personnel | ||
| no buttonholes at all, insignia only on the sleeves | Red Star | |
| Red star with gold trim | ||
| Junior command staff | ||
| no buttonholes at all, insignia only on the sleeves | Red star with golden edging and 1 narrow short golden stripe | |
| Red star with golden piping and 2 narrow short golden stripes | ||
| Red star with golden piping and 3 narrow long golden stripes | ||
| Red star with golden edging and 4 narrow long golden stripes | ||
| Average command staff | ||
| no buttonholes at all, insignia only on the sleeves | 1 medium golden stripe | |
| 1 medium and 1 narrow golden stripes | ||
| 2 medium golden stripes | ||
| 2 medium and one narrow golden stripes | ||
| Senior command staff | ||
| no buttonholes at all, insignia only on the sleeves | 3 medium golden stripes | |
| 4 medium golden stripes | ||
| 1 wide band | ||
| Top command staff | ||
| no buttonholes at all, insignia only on the sleeves | Small star, lower wide and 1 middle stripes | |
| Small star, lower wide and 2 middle bands | ||
| Small star, lower wide and 3 middle bands | ||
| Political composition of the Navy | ||
| Junior political instructor | no buttonholes at all, insignia only on the sleeves | Red star with hammer and sickle, 1 medium and 1 narrow golden stripes |
| Politruk | Red star with hammer and sickle and 2 medium golden stripes | |
| Senior political officer | Red star with hammer and sickle, 2 medium and one narrow golden stripes | |
| Battalion Commissar | Red star with hammer and sickle and 3 medium golden stripes | |
| Senior Battalion Commissar | Red star with hammer and sickle and 4 medium golden stripes | |
| Regimental Commissar | Red star with hammer and sickle and 1 wide golden stripe | |
| Divisional Commissioner | Red star with hammer and sickle, lower wide and 1 medium golden stripes | |
| Corps Commissar | Red star with hammer and sickle, lower wide and 2 medium golden stripes | |
| Army commissar 2nd rank | Red star with hammer and sickle, lower wide and 3 medium golden stripes | |
| Army commissar 1st rank | Red star with hammer and sickle, lower wide and 4 medium golden stripes | |
| Special ranks of military personnel of the NKVD (NKGB since 1941) | ||
| State Security Sergeant |
Two enamel squares | |
| Junior Lieutenant of State Security |
Three enamel squares | The sign is an oval embroidered on maroon cloth with a sword, a sickle and a hammer in the center. The oval and blade of the sword are silvery, the hilt of the sword, sickle and hammer are golden. |
| State Security Lieutenant |
One enamel rectangle | The sign is an oval embroidered on maroon cloth with a sword, a sickle and a hammer in the center. The oval and blade of the sword are silvery, the hilt of the sword, sickle and hammer are golden. |
| Senior Lieutenant of State Security |
Two enamel rectangles | The sign is an oval embroidered on maroon cloth with a sword, a sickle and a hammer in the center. The oval and blade of the sword are silvery, the hilt of the sword, sickle and hammer are golden. |
| State Security Captain |
Three enamel rectangles | The sign is an oval embroidered on maroon cloth with a sword, a sickle and a hammer in the center. The oval and blade of the sword are silvery, the hilt of the sword, sickle and hammer are golden. |
| Major of State Security |
1 enamel diamond | |
| Senior Major of State Security (Commissioner of State Security) |
2 enamel diamonds | The sign is an oval embroidered on maroon cloth with a sword, sickle and hammer in the center. the oval is golden in color, the sword, sickle and hammer are silver. |
| Commissioner of State Security 3rd rank |
3 enamel diamonds | The sign is an oval embroidered on maroon cloth with a sword, sickle and hammer in the center. the oval is golden in color, the sword, sickle and hammer are silver. |
| State Security Commissioner 2nd rank |
4 enamel diamonds | The sign is an oval embroidered on maroon cloth with a sword, sickle and hammer in the center. the oval is golden in color, the sword, sickle and hammer are silver. |
| Commissioner of State Security 1st rank |
Star and 4 enamel diamonds | The sign is an oval embroidered on maroon cloth with a sword, sickle and hammer in the center. the oval is golden in color, the sword, sickle and hammer are silver. |
| General Commissioner of State Security | golden star with hammer and sickle | |
| Engineering and technical staff, military economic and administrative staff, military medical and military veterinary staff, military legal staff | ||
| Junior military technician | one enamel square |
No |
| Military technician 2nd rank Quartermaster 2nd rank military paramedic Military Feldsher Junior military officer |
two enamel squares |
|
| Military technician 1st rank Quartermaster 1st rank Senior military assistant Senior military paramedic Military lawyer |
three enamel squares |
|
| Military engineer 3rd rank Quartermaster 3rd rank Military doctor 3rd rank Military doctor 3rd rank Military 3rd rank |
one enamel rectangle |
|
| Military engineer 2nd rank Quartermaster 2nd rank Military doctor 2nd rank Military doctor 2nd rank Military 2nd rank |
two enamel rectangles |
|
| Military engineer 1st rank Quartermaster 1st rank Military doctor 1st rank Military doctor 1st rank Military 1st rank |
three enamel rectangles |
|
| Brigadier military engineer brigmilitaryintendant Brigvoenvrach Brigvoenveterinarian Brigvoenyurist |
1 golden (enamel) rhombus |
|
| Major General of the Technical Troops Major General of the Quartermaster Service Divvoenvrach Divvoenveterinarian Divvoenyurist |
2 golden stars or 2 golden (enamel) rhombuses |
|
| Lieutenant General of the Technical Troops Lieutenant General of the Quartermaster Service Korvoenvrach Corvoenveterinarian Korvoenyurist |
3 golden stars or 3 (enamel) golden rhombuses |
|
| Colonel General of the Technical Troops Colonel General of the Quartermaster Service Armmilitary doctor Armvoenveterinarian Arms military lawyer |
4 golden stars or 4 golden (enamel) rhombuses |
|
Notes
1. The colors of stripes, buttonholes and piping for generals and the Marshal of the Soviet Union are as follows:
- for the Marshal of the Soviet Union and combined arms generals - red.
- for the generals of artillery and tank troops, the color of the buttonholes is black (velvet), the stripes, piping on the cap are red.
- for aviation generals - blue.
- for generals of the communications troops, engineering, technical troops and quartermaster service - crimson.
2. The generals of artillery, tank troops, aviation, signal troops, engineering, technical troops and quartermaster service had established emblems on their buttonholes according to the type of troops and service.
3. The colors of the military branches were as follows:
- infantry - crimson;
- artillery and armored forces - black;
- Air Force and Airborne Forces - blue;
- cavalry - blue;
- economic and administrative staff - dark green;
- for the troops of the NKVD and the NKGB: border guards - bright green, GB - dark blue, the rest - maroon.
4. The buttonholes of the command staff were the color of the type of troops with a twisted gold galloon edging. They relied on the political composition with edging in color according to the type of troops. The command and political staff had emblems on the buttonholes according to the type of troops.
5. Buttonholes for junior commanding staff - in color according to the type of troops or service, with cloth piping in color according to the type of troops, the red longitudinal clearance for all branches of the military and services is the same. The buttonholes had the emblem of the branch of service and a golden triangle (in the upper corner).
6. In fiction often there is a colloquial name for a square - “cube”, “head over heels”, a rectangle - “sleeper”.
Military ranks of the services of the Red Army and the Navy of the USSR
During 1942-1943, the People's Commissariat of Defense continued to work out the military ranks of the commanding staff of the Red Army and the VFM of the USSR. The changes were due to the fact that the military ranks of the commanding staff were characterized by a plurality of positions and sharply differed not only from the ranks of the commanding staff, but were significantly different for different services.
The first decisions of the USSR State Defense Committee on this issue were:
- Decree of the State Defense Committee of the USSR No. 1528 of 04.04. "On the introduction of personal military ranks to the engineering and technical staff of the Navy Air Force" and by order of the Navy Naval Forces dated 10.04. the same ranks were introduced into the Soviet Navy.
- in March, similar decisions were made regarding the military ranks of the military-technical staff:
- Decree of the State Defense Committee of the USSR No. 1381 dated 03.03. "On the introduction of personal military ranks to the engineering and technical staff of the artillery of the Red Army" and Order of the NPO of the USSR No. 68 of 04.03. the following ranks of the artillery engineering staff were introduced: lieutenant technician, senior lieutenant technician, captain engineer, major engineer, lieutenant colonel engineer, colonel engineer, major general, lieutenant general, colonel general artillery engineering service,
- Decree of the State Defense Committee of the USSR No. 1408 dated 07.03. “On the introduction of personal military ranks to the engineering and technical staff of the armored forces of the Red Army” and Order of the NPO of the USSR No. 71 of 08.03. the following ranks of the engineering and technical staff of the armored forces were introduced: lieutenant technician, senior lieutenant technician, captain engineer, major engineer, lieutenant colonel engineer, colonel engineer, major general lieutenant general, colonel general tank engineering service.
- By order of NPO No. 93 dated 30.03. Decree of the State Defense Committee No. 1494 of March 26 was announced. introduced military ranks for the senior and middle commanding staff of the quartermaster service: lieutenant of the quartermaster service, senior lieutenant of the quartermaster service, captain of the quartermaster service, major of the quartermaster service, lieutenant colonel of the quartermaster service and colonel quartermaster service.
- Decree of the State Defense Committee of the USSR No. 1912 dated June 17. "On the introduction of personal military ranks to the entire engineering and technical staff of the coastal service Navy Union of the SSR "and by order of the NK VMF of 27.06. the following ranks were introduced: lieutenant engineer, senior lieutenant engineer, captain engineer, major engineer, lieutenant colonel engineer, colonel engineer, major engineer, lieutenant general engineer, colonel general engineer coast guard Navy of the USSR.
- The idea of differentiating military ranks for persons with higher and secondary technical education leads to the introduction of new military ranks for the commanding staff of artillery with a secondary technical education to the existing ones (technician-lieutenant and senior technician-lieutenant): Decree of the State Defense Committee of the USSR No. 2303 of 13.09. "On the introduction of personal military ranks to the commanding staff of the artillery of the Red Army, having a secondary technical education" and Order of the NPO of the USSR No. 278 of 14.09. : captain of the artillery and technical service, major of the artillery and technical service, lieutenant colonel of the artillery and technical service and colonel artillery technical service.
- Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of 09.10. "On the establishment of complete unity of command and the abolition of the institution of military commissars in the Red Army" announced by order of NPO No. 307 of 09.10. canceled existing titles political composition. It was also supposed:
- military councils of fronts and armies within a month to assign command military ranks to political workers within the limits of the rights granted to them;
- military councils of the fronts to submit to the People's Commissariat of Defense no later than November 15, 1942, through the Main Political Directorate of the Red Army, certification material for conferring command military ranks to political workers, starting with the senior battalion commissar and above.
- Order No. 10 of the NPO announced the decision of the State Defense Committee No. 2685 dated 04.02. "On the introduction of personal military ranks to the military medical and military veterinary staff of the Red Army", No. GOKO-2822 "On the introduction of personal military ranks engineering, technical, legal and administrative staff of the Red Army"(the same decree introduced a new category of military personnel - administrative staff; it included persons serving in headquarters, institutions, military educational institutions and local military administration (military commissariats) and performing organizational, mobilization and other work) in the Red Army
- from 14.02. No. 2890 "On the establishment of personal military ranks for quartermaster, medical, veterinary, administrative and legal staff of the Navy» in the USSR Navy,
- By order of NPO No. 55 dated 06.02. Decree of the State Defense Committee No. 2822 of 04.02 was announced. established for the middle, senior and higher engineering and technical staff of the signal troops, engineering troops, chemical defense troops, topographic troops, railway troops Red Army ranks: Junior Lieutenant Technician, Lieutenant Technician, Senior Lieutenant Technician, Captain Engineer, Major Engineer, Lieutenant Colonel Engineer, Colonel Engineer, Major General, Lieutenant General, Colonel General engineering service,
| In the medical service | In the veterinary service | For the engineering and technical staff of the coastal service of the Navy of the USSR | For naval engineers | In the artillery and technical service | In the engineering and artillery service |
In the aviation engineering service (rank from captain to colonel only with higher education) |
In the tank engineering service (rank from captain to colonel only with higher education) |
For the engineering and technical staff of the signal troops, engineering, chemical protection, railway and topographic troops of the Red Army (rank from captain to colonel only with higher education) |
In the quartermaster service | For military personnel | For the administrative staff |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Middle and senior command staff | |||||||||||
| junior lieutenant of the medical service | junior lieutenant of the veterinary service | Title not entered | Title not entered | Title not entered | junior lieutenant of justice | junior lieutenant of administrative service | |||||
| lieutenant of medical service | lieutenant of the veterinary service | lieutenant engineer | lieutenant engineer | artillery-technical service lieutenant technician | aviation engineering service lieutenant technician | engineer-lieutenant of the tank engineering service | quartermaster lieutenant | lieutenant of justice | lieutenant of administrative service | ||
| senior lieutenant of the medical service | senior lieutenant of the veterinary service | senior lieutenant engineer | senior engineer-lieutenant of the naval service | Senior Technician-Lieutenant of the Artillery and Technical Service | Senior Technician-Lieutenant of the Engineering and Artillery Service | Senior Technician-Lieutenant of the Aviation Engineering Service | senior technician-lieutenant of the tank engineering service | senior technician-lieutenant of the engineering service | senior lieutenant of the quartermaster service | senior lieutenant of justice | senior lieutenant of administrative service |
| medical captain | captain of the veterinary service | captain engineer | engineer-captain-lieutenant of the naval service | artillery and technical service captain | Engineer Captain of the Engineering and Artillery Service | engineer-captain of the aviation engineering service | tank engineer captain | engineering captain | quartermaster captain | captain of justice | captain of administrative service |
| major of medical service | Major of Veterinary Service | major engineer | engineer-captain-lieutenant 3rd rank | Major of Artillery and Technical Service | major engineer of the artillery service | major engineer of aviation engineering service | major engineer of the tank engineering service | major of engineering service | major of the quartermaster service | Major of Justice | major of administrative service |
| lieutenant colonel of medical service | lieutenant colonel of the veterinary service | lieutenant colonel engineer | engineer-captain-lieutenant 2nd rank | Lieutenant Colonel of the Artillery and Technical Service | engineer-lieutenant colonel of the engineering-artillery service | engineer-lieutenant colonel of the aviation engineering service | engineer lieutenant colonel of the tank engineering service | lieutenant colonel of the engineering service | lieutenant colonel of the quartermaster service | lieutenant colonel of justice | lieutenant colonel of administrative service |
| colonel of the medical service | colonel of the veterinary service | colonel engineer | engineer-captain lieutenant 1st rank | artillery and technical service colonel | Colonel Engineer of the Engineering and Artillery Service | colonel engineer of the aviation engineering service | engineer-colonel of the tank engineering service | colonel of engineering service | colonel of the quartermaster service | Colonel of Justice | colonel of administrative service |
| The highest command staff | |||||||||||
| Major General of the Medical Service | Major General of the Veterinary Service | Coast Guard Major General Engineer | The highest rank was not introduced | The highest rank was not introduced | Major General of the Engineering and Artillery Service | Major General of the Aviation Engineering Service | major general of the tank engineering service | Major General of the Engineering Service | Introduced 07.05. See above "Soviet generals and admirals" |
major general of justice | The highest rank was not introduced |
| medical lieutenant general | lieutenant general of the veterinary service | Coast Guard Lieutenant General Engineer | Lieutenant General of the Engineering and Artillery Service | lieutenant general of the aviation engineering service | lieutenant general of the tank engineering service | Lieutenant General of the Engineering Service | lieutenant general of justice | ||||
| Colonel General of the Medical Service | Colonel General of the Veterinary Service
Shoulder straps were introduced in the Army by decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Council of 06.01. "On the introduction of new insignia for the personnel of the Red Army"; in the Navy - 15.02 Wikipedia Military ranks in the Armed Forces of the USSR 1955-1991- See also: Insignia of the Armed Forces of the USSR ... Wikipedia Military ranks in the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation- IN Russian Federation established two types of military ranks of military personnel - military and naval. Naval military ranks are assigned to sailors of surface and submarine forces navy(Navy), naval military units of the internal ... ... Wikipedia This article is about military ranks in the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation from 1994 to 2010. About modern military ranks, and accepted insignia, in 2010, see the article Military ranks in the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation ... ... Wikipedia Military ranks in the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation (1994-2010)- This is an article about shoulder straps of the period 1994 2010, about modern shoulder straps adopted in 2010, see the article Military ranks in the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation Military ranks in the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation (1994 2010) signs ... Wikipedia | ||||||||||
The uniform of the Workers 'and Peasants' Red Army (RKKA), which was a collection of military uniforms, equipment and insignia, was sharply different from all analogues that existed in the prewar years. It was a kind of material embodiment of the abolition of the class division of citizens and civil (and then military) ranks declared by the Soviet government in November 1917.
The Bolsheviks believed that in the free army they were creating of the new state of workers and peasants, there could be no external forms that would indicate the power and superiority of one over the other. Therefore, following the military ranks and ranks, the entire system of external insignia that existed in the Russian army - stripes, shoulder straps, orders and medals - was canceled.
In appeals, only the titles by position were preserved. Initially, two forms of address were allowed: citizen and comrade (citizen battalion commander, comrade platoon commander, etc.), but soon “comrade” became the generally accepted form of address.
During the formation of the first units and formations of the Red Army, the stocks of uniforms stored in the warehouses of the Russian army demobilized in 1918 were widely used. Therefore, the Red Army soldiers and commanders were dressed in military shirts of the 1912 model approved by Tsar Nicholas II, khaki, trousers of the same color, tucked into boots or windings with boots, as well as caps.
From Russian military personnel and created during civil war white armies, they differed only in the absence of shoulder straps, a breastplate and a red star on the cap band.
To develop new uniforms for the Red Army, on April 25, 1918, a special commission was established, which already in December of the same year submitted a new type headgear - the famous "Budyonovka", insignia for command personnel and insignia of the main branches of the armed forces. They were approved on January 16, 1919 and became a kind of starting point for a rather long process of creating a uniform that was used during the Great Patriotic War.
The diameter of the sleeve star of the Marshal of the Soviet Union and the General of the Army, together with the edging, was 54 mm. The sleeve star of the Marshal of the Soviet Union and the combined arms generals had a red cloth edging 2 mm wide, the sleeve star for the rest of the generals had an edging in the color of the type of troops (crimson, blue or red), 2 mm wide. The diameter of the sleeve star, together with the edging, was 44 mm.
The chevron of the general of the army was a single square of gold galloon 32 mm wide, and in the upper part - of red cloth 10 mm wide. The generals of the military branches were supposed to have one square of gold galloon 32 mm wide, below - a 3 mm wide edging according to the type of troops.
The chevrons of the command staff, which looked very impressive, were canceled shortly before the start of the Great Patriotic War, and with its start in active army and marching units, the insignia were replaced by field ones: for all military branches, the wearing of khaki buttonholes with insignia painted in khaki color was established. The wearing of commissar stars on the sleeves of political workers was also abolished.
A radical change in the system of insignia took place on January 15, 1943, when, in accordance with the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of January 6, 1943, People's Commissar of Defense I.V. Stalin issued an order "On the introduction of new insignia for the personnel of the Red Army." In accordance with this order, new insignia were introduced - shoulder straps.
In their form, the shoulder straps of the Red Army were similar to the shoulder straps adopted in the Russian army until 1917. They were a strip with parallel long sides, the lower end of the shoulder strap was rectangular, and the upper end was cut off at an obtuse angle. The epaulets of marshals and generals have the top of an obtuse angle cut parallel to the bottom edge.
Servicemen in the active army and the personnel of units being prepared for dispatch to the front were to wear field shoulder straps, and servicemen of other units and institutions of the Red Army - everyday shoulder straps. Both field and everyday shoulder straps were edged along the edges (except for the bottom edge) with colored cloth piping. According to the assigned military rank, belonging to the branch of service (service), insignia (asterisks, gaps, stripes) and emblems were placed on the field of shoulder straps, and on everyday shoulder straps of junior commanders, privates and cadets of military schools - also stencils indicating the names of the military unit (connections). Field and everyday shoulder straps of generals and all infantry personnel - without emblems, in other branches of the military - with emblems.
For the Marshals of the Soviet Union and generals, the field of shoulder strap was made of galloon of special weaving: for field shoulder straps - from khaki silk, for everyday ones - from gold drag.
With the introduction of shoulder straps, the functions of the buttonholes were reduced mainly to the designation of the military affiliation of the Red Army soldiers, while the placement of buttonholes on tunics and tunics was generally canceled.
On the collar of the uniform of the senior and middle command personnel there were longitudinal buttonholes made of instrument cloth without edging. The finished buttonholes were 82 mm long and 27 mm wide. The color of the buttonholes - according to the type of troops:
infantry - crimson;
artillery - black;
armored troops - black;
aviation - blue;
cavalry - light blue;
engineering troops - black;
quartermaster service - raspberry;
medical and veterinary service - dark green;
military-legal composition - raspberry.
On the buttonholes of the senior command staff are two longitudinal stripes embroidered with gold thread, intertwined with silver thread. On the buttonholes of the middle command staff - one strip.
Worker-Peasant Red Army abbreviated (RKKA), the term Soviet Army (SA) appeared later, the beginning of World War II, oddly enough, was met in a military uniform of the 1925 model.
The People's Commissariat of Defense, by its order of December 3, 1935, introduced new uniforms and insignia for the entire personnel of the Red Army. The old official ranks were partially preserved for the military-political, military-technical. military-legal, military-medical and junior commanding staff.
It is about the military ranks of the private and junior commanding staff of the Red Army that this article will touch on the changes in the middle, senior and senior command staff.
Lapel insignia, used since 1924, lasted virtually unchanged until 1943, 1943, when shoulder straps were introduced.
Lapel insignia from 1924, existed unchanged until 1943
Over the 19 years of the existence of lavalier insignia, changes in Insignia and buttonholes of the Red Army small ones were added.
The appearance of the emblems of the military branches and services changed, the colors of the edges and buttonholes, the number of signs in the buttonholes and the technology for the production of signs underwent changes.
In various years, sleeve patches were introduced and abolished as an additional element to buttonholes.
But by and large, the insignia of the military uniform of the Red Army, the entire pre-war period and the first year and a half of the beginning of the Great Patriotic War remained practically unchanged. With the exception of changes in production technologies towards cheaper products, cheaper materials were used. But the degradation of the quality of the materials used was not as catastrophic as in the Wehrmacht troops, which, as you know, steadily reduced the quality of the materials used for the production of military uniforms.
The military branches differed in the color of their buttonholes, the colors of their caps, piping on uniforms and emblems. Here everything is described in more detail about the samples of uniforms of the Red Army 1940-43.
The width of the buttonholes for tunics and tunics was 32.5 mm along with the piping, the length of the buttonholes was about 10 cm.
The buttonholes of the highest military personnel were edged with gold embroidery, for the rest, cloth edging was used, depending on the type of troops.
For the manufacture of emblems, brass was used, the emblems were silvered and covered with gilding, but mostly with red enamel.
Interestingly, by order of the emblem on the buttonholes of the rank and file, it was supposed to be stenciled, but this was rare, metal emblems were used on paws or screws.
Enlisted personnel: 0. Red Army soldier.
Junior commanding staff:
1. junior sergeant,
2. sergeant,
3. senior sergeant,
4. foreman.
Many are confused about military ranks, it's all about the changes in 391 orders.
Buttonholes and sleeve badge of a foreman up to 40 g and after
For example, until the age of 40, the foreman had three triangles in the buttonhole and three stripes on the sleeve, and from the age of 40 four.
The squares and rectangles defining the military rank were colloquially called "kubari" or "cubes", respectively, the rectangles of the "sleepers".
Rhombuses and triangles did not have slang names, the foreman was an exception, his four triangles were called "saw".
Emblems and sleeve patches of the Red Army
- (A) Sleeve chevron. Junior lieutenant, model 1935
- (B) Patch chevron of the deputy politician
- (C) Air Force Pilot Patch, Khaki, Field Uniform
- (D) Air Force pilot's sleeve insignia "casual" dress code
- (E) Traffic officer's sleeve insignia
- (F) Artillery Patch
Artillerymen and armored troops used black buttonholes, but the buttonholes of tank commanders were velvet. The emblem of gunners and motorists were introduced in the First World War, crossed cannons and winged wheels with a steering wheel for drivers. Both are still in use today with minor modifications. Tankers have emblems in the form of miniature BT tanks. The chemists on the emblem had two cylinders and a gas mask. In March 1943 they were changed to a hammer and key.
ordinary and junior commanding staff of the Red Army
The corporal received a red stripe of fabric, regardless of the type of troops. And the corporal began to look like a student of a sergeant's school, which also introduced some confusion. With further assignments of titles, the triangles were applied to the fabric strip.
- 1-Red Army soldier, autobat
- 2nd corporal, artilleryman
- 3 ml sergeant, technical service
- 4-sergeant, military air force
- 5th Sergeant, Armored Troops
- 6-foreman, sapper
The buttonholes of the foreman were different from the rest of the junior commanding staff. Between the piping and the field of the buttonhole, along the edge there is a golden galloon, the same as that of senior officers.
For pilots, the emblem has also practically not changed to this day, the same winged propeller, on blue buttonholes with black piping.
A golden or silver bowl with a snake (exactly the same as today) for military doctors and veterinary services.
By 1937, the time of the creation of military schools dates back. Metal letters were applied to the buttonholes according to the color of the troops. The letters of the MPU, for example, corresponded to the Moscow Border School.
Metal letters were applied to the buttonholes according to the color of the troops
The students of the Academy put the letter A in front of it with enamel triangles denoting the military rank.
Ranks and insignia of the Red Army in the middle, senior and senior command staff, 1936
At the end of 1935, the armed forces were built almost entirely according to the personnel principle. On September 22, 1935, the Supreme Soviet of the USSR approved personal military ranks, for compliance with which, in just two months, certification for the command staff of the Red Army was completed.
And on December 3, 1935 Nar. The Commissar of Defense signed an order on the introduction of new uniforms and insignia for the entire personnel of the Red Army. New insignia and military uniforms, by their distinctive details, made it possible to determine to which branch of the military or service a soldier belongs.
Ranks and insignia of the Red Army in the middle, senior and senior command staff, 1940
Four years later, there is another change in military uniforms and ranks.
Order of the NPO of the USSR No. 226 of July 26, 1940 introduces new and changes the old insignia for the command and political staff of the Red Army.
| Rank | Insignia V buttonhole | Patch according to rank |
|
middle and senior com. compound |
||
| junior lieutenant | one square | One square of gold galloon 4 mm wide, on top of the galloon there is a clearance of red cloth 10 mm wide, at the bottom edging 3 mm wide |
| Lieutenant | two squares | Two squares of gold galloon 4 mm wide, between them a gap of red cloth 7 mm wide, at the bottom of the edging 3 mm wide |
| Senior Lieutenant | three squares | Three squares of gold galloon 4 mm wide, between them two gaps of red cloth 5 mm wide each, at the bottom of the edging 3 mm wide |
| Captain | One rectangle | Two squares of gold galloon 6 mm wide, between them a gap of red cloth 10 mm wide, at the bottom of the edging 3 mm wide |
| Major | Two rectangles | |
| Lieutenant colonel | three rectangles | Two squares made of gold galloon, upper 6 mm wide, lower 10 mm, between them a gap of red cloth 10 mm wide, at the bottom edging 3 mm wide |
| Colonel | four rectangles | Three squares of gold galloon, upper and middle 6 mm wide, lower 10 mm, between them two gaps of red cloth 7 mm wide each, at the bottom edging 3 mm wide |
|
Political composition |
||
| Junior political officer | two squares | |
| Politruk | three squares | Red star with hammer and sickle |
| Senior political instructor | One rectangle | Red star with hammer and sickle |
| Battalion Commissar | Two rectangles | Red star with hammer and sickle |
| Senior Battalion Commissar | three rectangles | Red star with hammer and sickle |
| Regimental Commissar | four rectangles | Red star with hammer and sickle |
Regarding the military ranks of the "sample 1935" for the command staff, the rank of "lieutenant colonel" is introduced, and for the military-political staff "senior battalion commissar".
Lapel pins and sleeve patches of the Red Army
The colonel and the regimental commissar now wear four sleepers instead of three on their buttonholes, which went to the lieutenant colonel and the senior battalion commissar.
The order completely revised the system of sleeve insignia for senior and middle command personnel. Red cloth chevrons gave way to sleeve insignia with golden galloon.
According to the rules for wearing uniforms from 1936, political workers could not wear emblems of military branches on their buttonholes. Although they were equated in rights with unit commanders, by order of May 10, 1937, as well as in 1925.
Drawing experience from the Finnish company of 1939, in order to strengthen unity of command in July - August 1940, all commissars were transferred to the positions of deputy commanders for political affairs. Obliging to wear lavalier emblems of a kind of troops, and to master the military specialty of a kind of troops.
sleeve patches with golden galloon
Examples of buttonholes of various families and ranks.
A. Major. One sleeper. Armored troops. Dress uniform 1935
B. Ceremonial officer's buttonhole 1943
C. Overcoat buttonhole, ml. sergeant 40
D. Marshal of the Soviet Union. 1940
E. Border Troops Senior Lieutenant 1935
F. General's buttonhole 1943
Insignia and uniform of the Marshal of the Soviet Union and the generals of the Red Army since May 1940.
The Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of May 7, 1940 introduced general ranks. On July 13, the corresponding insignia were approved. The general's uniform turned out to be similar to the general's uniform of the tsarist generals, the same closed tunic, trousers with stripes, a hat and a fringed overcoat with "coat of arms" buttons. The ceremonial single-breasted uniform is the same as in the German army. The general's cap had a round gilded cockade. To top it off, the general was given a white cotton tunic.
General in summer uniform, major general dress uniform, Marshal in everyday uniform.
On the buttonholes of the General of the Army there were five gilded stars, the colonel general had four, the lieutenant general had three stars, the major general was supposed to wear two in his buttonholes. Komkor G.K. Zhukov was the first to be awarded the rank of army general.
Designer Major General V.G. Grabin and General of the Army Zhukov.G.K. in dress uniforms of a general, 1940
The title of Marshal of the Soviet Union was established on September 22, 1935 by a decree of the Central Executive Committee and the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR. The marshal was dressed in a general's uniform, the differences were red buttonholes, a gold embroidered star, laurel branches and a hammer and sickle on their crosshairs, sleeve squares with laurel branches embroidered in gold and large sleeve stars. Until the fortieth year, there was no ornament of laurel branches with a hammer and sickle on the buttonholes of the marshal.
The difference between the Marshal's buttonholes is clearly visible on the uniforms of Budyonny. Voroshilov in the uniform of 1940
Tukhachevsky, Voroshilov, Yegorov, Budyonny and Blucher were the first to be awarded the title of Marshal of the Soviet Union.
Ranks and insignia of the Red Army in the middle, senior and senior command staff. Two months after the start of the war, due to the differences in the military uniform of the senior and senior command personnel from the rest of the military uniform. On August 1, 1941, an order was sent by telegraph obliging to abolish the wearing of sleeve insignia for all command personnel participating in hostilities, and to establish for all military branches the wearing of khaki buttonholes with protective insignia. The generals are to be given camouflage tunics and trousers without stripes.
Tellingly, the most difficult period of the beginning of the war seemed to be a complete mess, but by the end of August 1941, protective buttonholes and insignia were sent to the fronts.
Personal belongings, mobilization, vacation and award documents, the black arrow indicates the "white ticket"
