Identifying Bolshevik unit(s) from photograph

[Red Orc]

Hi all, I came across this photo which is allegedly 'Red Guard 1919', which doesn't make much sense as the Red Guard was reorganised into the Red Army in 1918.



What I can see is that 6 (or maybe 7) out of 9 have leather jackets (no-one has shoulder-insignia), 5 have caps (probably all with red stars) and 4 have fur hats (no budenovka), there are 4 rifles and perhaps 2 sabres, and one guy definitely has a pistol. Also, two seem to be wearing cavalry boots and spurs.

They're cooking something in a pot and they seem to be eating watermelon.

I wondered if anyone can offer any opinions on who or what these guys might be.

[Red Orc]

sorry double post

[pocoloco]

The ones with leather jackets are commissars? Supposedly their favorite piece of outfit back then.

[Red Orc]

Do you mean Chekists? The leather jacket and pistol was the unofficial uniform of the CHEKA.

[Ignatieff]

they're not actually cooking anything if you look closely.  Its a pile of straw alight and a pot to one side.  re-enactors?

[pocoloco]

Do you mean Chekists? The leather jacket and pistol was the unofficial uniform of the CHEKA.

Commissars were parading a lot in leather jackets meant for the pilots and drivers during the WW1, IIRC a shipment of leather jackets from the US ended up in "wrong hands".

Cheka jackets were usually of the longer type?

Interesting to read what more pro-LAFers say about it.

[Red Orc]

they're not actually cooking anything if you look closely.  Its a pile of straw alight and a pot to one side.  re-enactors?

Interesting that you say that. I wondered if they might be actors from some Soviet propaganda film.

Of course they have just moved/be about to move the pot.

Commissars were parading a lot in leather jackets meant for the pilots and drivers during the WW1, IIRC a shipment of leather jackets from the US ended up in "wrong hands".

Cheka jackets were usually of the longer type?

Interesting to read what more pro-lacers say about it.

Yes, perhaps the Chekists wore leather coats rather than those shorter jackets.

[darrowind]

I am afraid no one can precisely identify them. It can be Cheka unit, Unit of Special Function (ChON) or regular army unit. But it is definitely cavalry unit - look at their carabines, sabres and spurs.

It is not a watermelon. It's a loaf of the rye-bread, very typical shape. And pay attention to the tin next to the fire.

[Mark Plant]

The Cheka thing is a total blind alley.

Lots of people wore black leather, because it was immensely practical. It was the Cheka "uniform" only because they had access to all the best stuff. If they wore long ones, it was because they were the best for town use. These guys are in the field.

There were no "Cheka" soldiers in the RCW as far as I can work out, they only had ordinary units attached to them. Though there might be some armed Cheka groups, in that they went in armed, they're unlikely to walk around with cavalry sabres. Nor would they be out in the field very much.

The "Red Guard" is also a red herring. It was a generic term for Bolsheviks, just as "White Guard" was for their opponents.

They are cavalry obviously. Unlikely to be Cossacks, as they are wearing spurs and the rifles are slung the wrong way.

Given how well they are dressed, I'd guess something like junior officers in 1st Horse Army, or ChON, as suggested above.

[darrowind]

It can be also the reconnaissance platoon of an infantry regiment.

There is a chance I will meet this photo in the Russian Cinema and Photo Archieve (RGAKFD), but this chance is very low. 

[cuprum]

Mark all true described.

One of the men (with a loaf of bread in his hand) seems to have on his cap Cavalry badge (horseshoe and crossed sabers), on his chest visible badge of red commander. So it is quite possible it is the men of the cavalry unit.

Establish their exact affiliation to a specific military unit without comment the authors photo is not possible.