Far Eastern Reds ?

[Patrice]

I am preparing some BoB skirmish games, and the borders of Far Eastern Siberia and Manchuria seem an ideal place. I also find interesting that all the three local leaders that could be mentioned in such a game met a tragic death later: Zhang Zuolin, Krasnoshchyokov, and Semionov.

However I have a problem with this "DVR" Far Eastern Republic. Osprey says that their symbol was a yellow star, not red. Does that mean that, to be historically correct, all miniatures intended to fight as Reds in this area in 1920-21 should be painted with a yellow star on their cap ? That will look strange...

Many partisans had probably no insigna at all, if they had only flintlock muskets as shown on another topic here. But what about regular troops?

[cuprum]

Greetings.
In army "DVR" there were own insignias. I have detailed article with the detailed review of various design. But this article, unfortunately, in Russian. If you wish it to translate independently - I am ready to send you the scanner.
Partisans as insignias carried red tapes and bows, and often at all had no such insignias.
 And here illustrations from this article:



Star on a headdress



On a sleeve insignias. Were sewed on the left sleeve, above an elbow.

[Mark Plant]

Does that mean that, to be historically correct, all miniatures intended to fight as Reds in this area in 1920-21 should be painted with a yellow star on their cap ? That will look strange...

Troops of the Red Army cavalry of that period in regulation dress should have blue stars. The engineers have black stars. (The artillery, orange?) Border guards, not that we see many of those in green stars.

Only Red Army infantry for the 1921-1922 period would have regulation red stars.

Your yellow stars will look fine. It will just add to the weirdness of the whole thing.

Incidentally, are you intending to have the Primorye (Maritime) Whites under Dietrikhs?

[Patrice]

I am ready to send you the scanner.

Thank you Cuprum you are an ocean of knowledge! Yes please, and I shall do some translation.

Troops of the Red Army cavalry of that period in regulation dress should have blue stars. The engineers have black stars. (The artillery, orange?) Border guards, not that we see many of those in green stars. Only Red Army infantry for the 1921-1922 period would have regulation red stars.

Yes Mark, but part of my question is: could they fight in Red Army uniform in this area, or only as DVR Army ?

Incidentally, are you intending to have the Primorye (Maritime) Whites under Dietrikhs?

I was thinking about Semenov. But why not some others. Anyway it will be skirmish, so the big generals will not be on the table (...although I might add a bit of Pulp in the scenarios, so many things could happen).

[Ignatieff]

Cuprum

I salute you - you are fantastic source of knowledge and you present it with humility and clarity (despite the language barrier!)

Thanks!

Ignatieff

[sepoy1857]

I'll second that - Migail is a gentleman and a scholar.

[cuprum]

Is glad to help.
Patrice - send me your address, that I could send article.
If Mark allows, I will answer you instead of it.
Army DVR has been generated, basically, from red the partizans, former soldiers Kolchak and there are some soldiers and commanders of Red army. Though carrying of signs on distinction of Red army was forbidden, some soldiers and commanders continued to carry red stars.
It will be interesting to you to learn, that in this army there were tanks. 10 pieces. American Renault FT.
In 1920 Americans have brought tanks to Vladivostok. But red partizans have stolen a train with tanks!     Also became unique owners of such technics on this front. The stolen tanks had no weapon, therefore partizans have established on them different guns and the machine guns which were available at them available.
Here variants of painting of these tanks:

[Poliorketes]

Wonderful. The thing about the weapons was new to me.

[Patrice]

It is fascinating.

Ten French-made tanks delivered by the US to the Whites and taken by Red partisans on a train! Think about the trip these tanks did to get there. There was no talking about CO2 in these days 

And thanks to Cuprum we even know a placename where they appeared - this town of Blagoveshensk, never heard of it before but easy to find on the web - and a date: august 1920.

[Remington]

Very interesting sides to the Russian Civil War. Thanks, Patrice, for bringing the subject up... and thanks to Cuprum and Mark for their uncanny amount of knowledge! I never thought that I will have to be careful with the stars on the caps! I was going to make them all red. Now I am considering painting a few in yellow just for the fun of it.

[David]

Is it my eye sight or have they painted skulls on the tank?

[Mark Plant]

The tanks were one reason why I tend to think everyone (but me) will want to game the Maritime Province Whites. That, and the fact the Whites are much more colourful than Cossacks like Senenov and Kalmykov.

From Tanks of the Civil War. Armada Books

In March 1920 the American army delivered ten "Renaults" tanks to Vladivostok. They were in closed railcars and  disguised as "American Red Cross Aid". However some railway personnel had Bolshevik leanings and the railcars with the tanks were transferred empty.  The tanks instead were disguised in a trainload of bread and sent to the Red partisans in Blagoveshchensk .

None of tanks had armament, magneto and ventilation belt drives.  By the summer of 1920 a unit of tanks was brought into service armed with 37-mm "Hotchkiss" cannons and "Maxim" and "Hotchkiss" machine-guns. The crews for each tank were three men.

In should be added that for defense of the machine-gun housing from bullets and splinters, the gun had large armored "cheeks" mounted on the turret. These "cheeks" restricted the turrets from a full rotation, because the supplementary pieces jammed on the motor compartment.  

In August these "Renault" tanks formed the 1st Amur Heavy Tank Divizion , as five platoons of two tanks and a command, and was part of the Peoples' Revolutionary Army of the Far East Republic (НРА ДВР).  The divizion was, on 15 June 1920, structured as follows:

1st Tank Platoon No.9254 "Bezposhchadni" and No.9141 "International".
2nd Tank Platoon No.4320 "Sea Lion" and No.9108 "Vigilant".
3rd Tank Platoon No.9446 "Lazo" and No.? "Muzhin".
4th Tank Platoon No.9092 "Revolutionary" and No.1871 "Thunderstorm".
5th PTank Platoon No.1930 "Amurets" and No.9096 "Avenger".

On 20 September 1920 the divizion commander, N.Shamray, gave a report to the staff of the Amursk Front ДBP on the status of the units:

"At present there are six tanks in Blagoveshchensk, of which five are in good condition and one is disassembled for repair.  However, due to the lack in the tanks of the correct French patent ventilation drive belts and their incomplete armament, some can not be used in action. The armament of the tanks is as follows:

1) Two tanks are not armed;

2) Two tanks are armed with 37-mm Japanese quick firing rifled guns, for which there are no recoil springs.  An urgent order for springs was sent to the Chevurin Factory and the guns were put back into action;

3) Two tanks are armed with a machine-gun: one each of a Hotchkiss and Maxim. The Maxim machine-gun does not have any spare parts.  At present there is 350 projectiles and 5000 cartridges for the Hotchkiss and 250 cartridges in one ribbon for the Maxim.

The tank platoons fought against the White forces on the Amur Front during Summer-Autumn 1920. The divizion Commander N.Shamray directed "Standard operating directives for bringing tanks into battle in field operations":

"The tanks should be brought into battle conditions by advancing them from an assembly area a small distance away, in order that the tanks do not drive independently to battle over large distances. The tanks will not have a serious and effective morale impression on the enemy if only a few are used, therefore they must not be sent inot battle in singles".

Notably, the "morale impression" was the main purpose associated with the use of tanks. Such "steel " was not seen in the Trans-Baikal. For example, on 19 October 1920 units of the 5th Amur Brigade of the ДBP was assigned tanks support from the 3rd Platoon and attacked the White in Urulga Stanitsa.  The Whites opened a strong artillery and machine-gun fire, but the appearance of tanks put them into a panic and they fell back in disorder. The stanitsa was taken by the ДBP infantry without loss.

The divizion’s tanks were used in battles during 1921, though there was some changing of the primary armament. At year’s end all "Renaults" were out of action due to a lack of spare parts and special tools.  Therefore, in December 1921, by decision of the Military Soviet of the HPA ДBP the tanks were sent to Russia for repair. Only the 2nd Platoon "because of foreseen battle needs" was to remain in the HPA.  In a report of armored units to the HPA command, "there are two tanks of French type "Baby" in the platoon.  The "Vigilant" is armed with a Hotchkiss machine-gun with elongated cavalry cartridges and the "Sea Lion" with a Maxim machine-gun.  The tools consisted of only a single French wrench. Spare parts were sparse".

By 28 January 1922 they were able to repair one tank, the "Vigilant”, which departed for the front on the following day. On 9 February, by order of the ДBP East Front Command, the tank was sent to Volochaevki.  

On 10 February it was assigned to the Special Amur Regiment and directed to the rifle line.  The advance did not go well due to poor coordination in the darkness, and strong machine-gun fire from the Whites forced the regiment to fall back to its initial positions. The "Vigilant" was left stuck in the enemy wire entanglement.  When the sun rose on 11 February the Whites noticed the tank and opened fire on it with the armored train "Kappelevets" located in the village of Volochaevka.

One projectile from the armored train hit the tank and damaged the drive wheel and engine link. Another projectile made a hole through both sides, barely missing the crew.  After this, the driver and machine-gunners abandoned the tank and blew up the petrol tank with grenades. This was the last tank battle of the Amur partisans.

[area23]

Amazing!

Now I really should get me two of these:
http://www.thewcp.co.uk/product.php?ItemID=1158
suddenly bumped to the top of the wishlist

[Patrice]

Excellent ! 

Just one detail - I am dubious about the "three-men crew", I believed there was only room for two men in a Renault FT-17 : one driver, and one gunner or machine-gunner (and tank chief).

[cuprum]

Hi David. There there is no skull. Only a tape with the tank name.