Landships II

Members Login
Username 
 
Password 
    Remember Me  
Post Info TOPIC: Lewis Guns in Russian Army


Commander in Chief

Status: Offline
Posts: 671
Date:
Lewis Guns in Russian Army
Permalink   


I'm currently reading The Czar's British Squadron by Perrett & Lord. I have just come across this passage, 'Locker Lampson... did provide the Wild Division with a dozen Lewis guns, 50,000 rounds of ammunition and some instructors.' This takes place at Gusiatyn (which I believe is present-day Husiatyn) on the border between the Austria-Hungary and Russian empires, after the February Revolution.

The Wild Division are described as, 'semi-savage, half-disciplined... recruited from Caucasian Moslem cossacks... They enjoyed killing for its own sake and were regarded slightly askance by other Cossacks.' The Wild Division were used to bring '40,000 armed deserters' under control, which they did with not a little brutality, 'witnessed, with mounting disgust, by British personnel.'

Not quite the Russian Army perhaps, and not quite the Russian Empire. But a reliable explanation for the appearance of a dozen Lewis guns (fired from the saddle) in a latterly Russian Army unit.

__________________
In wine there is wisdom, in beer there is freedom, in water there is bacteria.


Hero

Status: Offline
Posts: 870
Date:
Permalink   

An excellent book I found. It was the first WW1 book I read and gave me a lot to think about regarding the direction of my model making.
Enjoy
Paul

__________________

 The finest stories of the Great War are those that will never be told.



Field Marshal

Status: Offline
Posts: 486
Date:
Permalink   

The Wild native division was completed on a voluntary basis not with Cossacks, and representatives of the mountain people of Caucasus: Chechens, Daghestanis, Kabardians, Balkaris, Ingushs (Moslems) but also Ossetins (Christians) and other people. It was well prepared part of Russian Imperial army - true to the oath, disciplined, the truth a bit severe, brutal that for them is characteristic. On division arms there were also cars, including one armour car personally welcomed by it by the Czar in 1915. They were at war bravely, and bad relations with Cossacks is a tradition since conquest by Russian of Caucasus. It is also today.

Staff of Wild division, 1915. AC Russo-Balt Ischorski

Attachments
__________________
Джорж Дебил-Ю Буш козел вонючий!


Commander in Chief

Status: Offline
Posts: 671
Date:
Permalink   

I agree with you; it is a good book, Paul. Although, judging by what Ivan says, it seems as though some details are not quite right. Perhaps that is because they received no help from USSR officialdom when the book was written. I can see how the Czarist Empire would have been unpopular with the old USSR regime.

Ivan, thank you for the corrections and extra information. I have read only a few books about the Civil War. I find it extremely confusing!

__________________
In wine there is wisdom, in beer there is freedom, in water there is bacteria.


Field Marshal

Status: Offline
Posts: 486
Date:
Permalink   

Here are many good pictures from Wild division in 1WW.
Look at: http://1914.borda.ru/?1-4-0-00000143-000-10001-0-1271551957

__________________
Джорж Дебил-Ю Буш козел вонючий!
Page 1 of 1  sorted by
 
Quick Reply

Please log in to post quick replies.

Tweet this page Post to Digg Post to Del.icio.us


Create your own FREE Forum
Report Abuse
Powered by ActiveBoard