Lead Adventure Forum
Miniatures Adventure => Back of Beyond => Topic started by: Funghy-Fipps on October 19, 2009, 12:38:13 PM
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From Lincoln's Red Victory (c.14, p.477):
'...the Orthodox clergy organized several "Regiments of Jesus," an "Order of the Holy Cross," and a "Brotherhood of the Life-Giving Cross" to fight against the Bolsheviks...'
The source given for this comment is The Russian Church and Soviet State, 1917-1956 by a J.S. Curtiss. I wonder if any readers are able to throw more light on these obscure Orthodox military units (if, in fact, they existed at all)?
According to Osprey's The Russian Civil War:The White Armies General Sergey Markov's regiment was known for the '...severe discipline and the austere behaviour of its members' who believed themselves 'Russian crusaders'. Osprey inaccuracies aside, one would assume that the devout nature of this outfit would be analogous to that of these religious units (although heaven knows as to the latter's fighting ability).
I have a hunch, though, that is is perhaps too esoteric a subject... :?
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I do not know exactly, but I assume they were normal white army units, recruited by the clergy. Some clergy men also were included and some of them were priests and monks in their outfit.
They could also carry religious flags and banners.
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I think this is a Siberian phenomenon only. Kolchak apparently had units that were "druzhina of the Holy Cross". Druzhina being a hard word to translate. Not regiment - more militia or detachment. A banner for one lot can be seen at http://www.vexillographia.ru/russia/index.htm . Go to Flags of White Forces and it is the green one with the cross, crescent and stars.
The situation out in Siberia after 1920 is harder to get a handle on. Dieterikhs was a bit of a religious nut-case, and it wouldn't surprise me at all to see units like this under his command.
I've not seen reference to units like this in the South or West. That isn't to say that they didn't exist, just that they either didn't last very long or had another name as well.
Another option is that some weren't White at all, but Green.
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now that's again a very interesting option
found this here:
"On the initiative of Kolchak were formed individual troops, consisting only of the faithful, including the Old Believers: Orthodox Druzhina Holy Cross, the 333rd regiment of Mary Magdalene, Holy Brigade, three regiments of Jesus Christ, The Mother of God and Nicholas. Formed military units from the faithful and clergy of other faiths: Muslim troops the green flag, battalion Defenders Judean faith."
from:
http://www.suvenirograd.ru/sights.php?id=692&lang=2/ (http://www.suvenirograd.ru/sights.php?id=692&lang=2/)
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The Uniform these parts possible to look here:
http://www.kolchakiya.narod.ru/uniformology/sacred_cross_green_flag.htm
http://www.kolchakiya.narod.ru/vexillologiya/sacred_cross_green_flag.htm
http://www.bratstvokresta.ru/druj.html
Total number soldier in these shaping before 6000 persons.