Cheka Flag

[ecwcaptain]

Not sure if this was covered before (and I did not turn up anything with a search), but what kind of flag design would the Cheka carry during the RCW? That is, if any, at all.

Note that if unknown, then I can just go with a star or some such, on red field, as generic.

[Mark Plant]

The Cheka were an internal agency. What troops they had were used on internal fronts -- peasant rebellions etc. They did fight a few times when the Whites penetrated deeply, especially in defence of cities, but not as a matter of practice. The Red Army was tasked with external fronts, and there's no way the Cheka would subordinate their men except in an emergency. And because they only turned up in emergencies, they wouldn't necessarily even have a flag.

They also didn't get special troops -- just ordinary recruits. They had no military training branch anyway, so how would they train them? Often their troops were *worse* than front line soldiers, who at least were getting combat experience. Desertion was a major problem.

They were not a RCW version of the WWII NKVD.

They didn't even have a uniform (the first one was 1922, I believe). And the units of men in black leather is a fantasy. That's the Chekists themselves, not their troops.

When the Cheka needed real muscle they often used Internationalist units or ChON. Again on internal fronts (but Ungern-Sternberg etc were internal fronts after the main White armies were liquidated). Just paint one of those.

Internationalists often had slogans in their home language with the usual Soviet iconography. ChON likewise, with a factory or workplace reference commonplace.

(Cue outrage that the Cheka troops were rubbish. But read about the pathetic performance of the internal troops to suppress the Tambov and Makhno rebellions -- they had to call in regular Red Army to get it done.)

[MGH]

I bet they were pretty good at executing people though!

[cuprum]

Largely agree with Mark. The troops of the Cheka were no different from the rest of the Red Army. With some rare exceptions - for example, the 1st auto-combat detashment named after the VCIK (All-Russian Central Executive Committee).
The parts of the CHON mentioned by Mark are military-party units, assembled from local communists and sympathizers with them. Basically - armed horrible and having minimal combat training. Motivated local militia.

But the banner of this units still had:



64 separate battalion of the troops of the Cheka

[cuprum]

I bet they were pretty good at executing people though!

I think they were in no way inferior to the punitive detachments and counterintelligence of the White Guards.

[Mark Plant]

That is one nice photograph Cuprum. You never cease to amaze. Not only a flag, but a band as well!

[cuprum]

I'm glad that I can provide something to interested 

[Mike Blake]

Fascinating. And what an amazing photo.

Cuprum - are you going to/do you do the flags in your series on your website? Surely you should???

Mike

[cuprum]

 Alas, I do not know what the flip side of this banner looked like. I do not want to do fantasy 

[Mike Blake]

Understood, of course. Perhaps you could just leave it plain and explain the problem - and offer a free one to anyone who has the answer? 

[ecwcaptain]

Thanks for the replies.

I was already aware of the lower combat ability of the unit (i.e., thugs), but just curious about whether they had a flag or not.

With regard to the black leather, yeah, unfortunately, I picked up a 12-figure unit of them already painted, in black leather. Oh well, they must get used somewhere! 

[cuprum]

Do not worry - it will not be a mistake. Leather uniforms were quite widely used and were very popular because of their practicality during the Civil War in the Red Army. There are many photos and references to its use.

[Lord Raglan]

With regard to the black leather, yeah, unfortunately, I picked up a 12-figure unit of them already painted, in black leather. Oh well, they must get used somewhere! 

Ditto