Russian Military Uniform apx 1905

[tmdescovich]

Hi,

Is there anyone that has information on this uniform?  I have just been given this picture of my gggrandfather.  He was Polish but I have found a picture of a similar uniform online under Russian uniforms 1904-1905.  Does anyone know or have any further details that might help me?  And what role did the Poles play for the Russians in that time period?

I am new here and hoping I am in the right place where someone can help.  Even a little confused about it being a gaming site but I see lots of posts on military uniform pics so maybe someone can help!

Thanks!

[Poliorketes]

Sorry, can't see the image

[tmdescovich]

I am sorry.  I can't figure out why it is not showing up.  I tried to attach it with the button, tried to drag and drop it, and tried to paste it.  Anyone know what my problem is?

[Westfalia Chris]

You'll have to upload it to a picture hosting site, like www.photobucket.com, first, then copy the address line into the post.

Alternatively, if the image is smaller than 256kb file size, you can attach it to the post by using the "attach" function in the "additional options" dropdown menu beneath the message box when you post a reply.

[tmdescovich]

hope this works!

[Poliorketes]

As Poland was split between Russia, Prussia and Austria for nearly 150 years and only retained it's independence in 1918 it really might be a russian uniform. Especially as the biggest part of Poland was russian.

[joroas]

That has a distinct Russian look.......

[Mark Plant]

It certainly looks Russian. Poles were merely Russians at the time.

The only unit I can find with light green shoulder boards would be the 14th Dragoons.

That would make sense geographically, as it was a Ruthenian unit (i.e. the border of Poland and Ukraine).

The key will be that the green shoulder boards and collar tabs should have white piping. I can't quite make that out from the picture.

[huevans]

It looks like they DO have white piping.

[tmdescovich]

Yes, it looks like there is white piping.  It looks like the picture was black and white and color was painted on top of it so some of the white piping is covered but clear in other spots.  Thank you to everyone for their help. 

[joroas]

Result, now you can research the unit history........ 

[tmdescovich]

yes, that is the next step.  seems like the web would have more information on this stuff.  It's not that long ago.  Any advice on where to start would be great.  This is a whole new area of interest for me!

[Mark Plant]

If it is the 14th Dragoons, and it seems to all fit, then they started WWI in the 14th Cavalry Division.

In full they were the 14th Dragoons Malorossiyskiy of the Crown Prince of Germany and Prussia, at least leading up to WWI,. Naturally lost the German honorific when the war started (so get a "14" on the shoulder boards).

Flag was a green 1885 model.

You'll find a lot more searching in the Russian: 14-й драгунский Малороссийский полк or 14-го драгунского Малороссийского полка, with or without the Малороссийский/Малороссийского part. Google translate should give the gist of what you need.

http://regiment.ru/reg/III/A/14/1.htm

[koz10]

Poles were merely Russians at the time.

I'm sure you meant to write that Poles wore military clothing of whatever nation under which they were living at the time. Poles were never merely Russians - bite your tongue! They remained Polish despite living under German/Prussian, Austro-Hungarian or Russian governments.

[former user]

I am pretty sure that @Mark gave us the view of that time and did not want to start any political discussion here 

there was no polish army at that time, so any soldiers wearing russian uniforms were russian, disregarding the language they spoke at home, be it polish, finnish, ukrainian, romanian ot whatever
so the statement  (from the view of that time) is correct so to speak 
(not to forget that independant poland tried to absorb other nationalities too, who would then serve in the polish army -. and if we really want to take it correctly, ruthenians speak ukrainian, so not actually polish, right? )

I would be interested to know how the independant polish army after WWI absorbed their national contingents before they kicked the ass of the bolsheviks