Interesting Photos

[cuprum]

I know about the great famine in 30th years. Here in Siberia, and beside, in Kazakhstan, also died of hunger a lot of people. But the Conquest, in my opinion, is very biased researcher.

Uniforms on your photo certainly looks like a uniform Civil War period - all the armies used then a similar uniform. But it is very unusual cap badges on their caps. I have not seen these earlier. If you want - I will place this photo on Russian specialized resources to try to establish what the this military unit.

[grant]

Thanks cuprum; indeed it was a difficult time for all.

Looking forward to more information!

[area23]

Very interesting information.

[cuprum]

Hi Grant.

Your grandfather served in the the infirmary public organization "Union of Russian cities." This organization was established in August 1914 to help the government in the supply of military weapons and equipment, the provision medical aid wounded at the front. July 10, 1915 together with the "Zemsky Union" organized "Zemgor": https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zemgor
Employees of this organization had an informal nickname of "Zemsky Hussars."

If you want details - need large scans of the shoulder straps in order to be visible letters.

[cuprum]

I guess it's the Chinese. 1929 - the Soviet-Chinese conflict.
Peaks short, for the cavalry, as it seems to me not suitable. And shoes for cavalrymen are not suitable. Even the officer. Pikemen?



Soviet armored train in battle. 1929.



Chinese improvised armored train. 1929.

[Hammers]

Cool. Also, the spears seem a bit short to be used as horse lances.

[cuprum]

I thought the same thing. In addition, they do not have sabers.

[Hammers]

I thought the same thing. In addition, they do not have sabers.

Well, one of them has a big sword, but those were more like infantry melee weapons, if I remember correctly.

[Ignatieff]

I just love this shit, thank you again Cuprum

[Mark Plant]

I guess it's the Chinese. 1929 - the Soviet-Chinese conflict.
Peaks short, for the cavalry, as it seems to me not suitable. And shoes for cavalrymen are not suitable. Even the officer. Pikemen?



They have rifles, so I doubt the pike is their prime weapon.

I wonder if it isn't to fight off cavalry. Spears went out of fashion when bayonets came in, but spears are better if you know you are going to have to fight off mounted troops.

[cuprum]

Perhaps the rifles do not have a bayonet? In addition, there is a certain predilection of the Chinese for hand-to-hand fighting with traditional weapons. Perhaps a spear for the Chinese is more convenient and familiar to the bayonet in hand-to-hand combat.

Combat infantry against the cavalry with cold steel? In the 20th century? We need a tight formation. An ideal target for artillery or a tachanka. Even for ordinary infantry with shop rifles ...

I think the spear is a replacement for the bayonet.

[Truscott Trotter]

One thought,  spears are quite effective  against unarmed civilians not so much  against trained and armed soldiers.

[cuprum]

A rifle with a bayonet is still more effective anyway. From it you can simultaneously shoot and use in melee. I think here the issue is not efficiency, but lack of armament.

Let's remember Chinese units of swordsmen of the period of the Second World War. The reason for their appearance is the lack of modern weapons.

[ts]

"Combat infantry against the cavalry with cold steel? In the 20th century?"

Yes, the Polish general Juliusz Rómmel, Commander of the 1st Cavalry Division, ordered the Polish infantry just to receive the much feared red cavalry of Semyon Budyonny in formations from the Napoleonic wars, in closed ranks with bayonets and infantry fire (plus of course use of all the available machine guns).
And it worked fine.
If I remember correctly, it is described in "White Eagle, Red Star", by Norman Davies.

[cuprum]

The tactics of Napoleonic wars 
Did the Poles have special spears to fight the Red cavalry or did they have enough rifles with bayonets? 

Such cases often occurred during the Civil War in Russia. Even reflected in feature films. But still, no special spears were made for this. But the guerrillas, with a lack of modern weapons used spears often. In Siberia, two-thirds of the red partisans were armed with spears and used them in combat.

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