Worker-Peasant Red Army abbreviated (RKKA), the term Soviet Army (SA) appeared later, the beginning of World War II, oddly enough, met in military uniform sample 1925

The People's Commissariat of Defense, by its order of December 3, 1935, introduced new uniforms and insignia for the entire personnel of the Red Army. The old official ranks were partially preserved for the military-political, military-technical. military-legal, military-medical and junior commanding staff.

It is about the military ranks of the private and junior commanding staff of the Red Army that this article will touch on the changes in the middle, senior and senior command staff.

Lapel insignia, used since 1924, lasted virtually unchanged until 1943, 1943, when shoulder straps were introduced.

Lapel insignia from 1924, existed unchanged until 1943

Over the 19 years of the existence of lavalier insignia, changes in Insignia and buttonholes of the Red Army small ones were added.

changed appearance emblems of the military branches and services, the colors of piping and buttonholes, the number of signs in the buttonholes and the technology for the production of signs underwent changes.

IN various years How additional element sleeve patches were introduced and abolished to buttonholes.

But on by and large the insignia of the military uniform of the Red Army, the entire pre-war period and the first year and a half of the beginning of the Great Patriotic War remained practically unchanged. With the exception of changes in production technologies towards cheaper products, cheaper materials were used. But the degradation of the quality of the materials used was not as catastrophic as in the Wehrmacht troops, which, as you know, steadily reduced the quality of the materials used for the production of military uniforms.

The military branches differed in the color of their buttonholes, the colors of their caps, piping on uniforms and emblems. Here everything is described in more detail about the samples of uniforms of the Red Army 1940-43.

The width of the buttonholes for tunics and tunics was 32.5 mm along with the piping, the buttonholes were about 10 cm long. Soviet Union larger size 13.5 x 9.

The buttonholes of the highest military personnel were edged with gold embroidery, for the rest, cloth edging was used, depending on the type of troops.

For the manufacture of emblems, brass was used, the emblems were silvered and covered with gilding, but mostly with red enamel.

Interestingly, by order of the emblem on the buttonholes of the rank and file, it was supposed to be stenciled, but this was rare, metal emblems were used on paws or screws.

Enlisted personnel: 0. Red Army soldier.

Junior commanding staff:

1. junior sergeant,
2. sergeant,
3. senior sergeant,
4. foreman.

Many are confused about military ranks, it's all about the changes in 391 orders.

Buttonholes and sleeve badge of a foreman up to 40 g and after

For example, until the age of 40, the foreman had three triangles in the buttonhole and three stripes on the sleeve, and from the age of 40 four.

The squares and rectangles defining the military rank were colloquially called "kubari" or "cubes", respectively, the rectangles of the "sleepers".

Rhombuses and triangles did not have slang names, the foreman was an exception, his four triangles were called "saw".

Emblems and sleeve patches of the Red Army

• (A) Sleeve chevron. Junior lieutenant, model 1935
• (B) Patch chevron of the deputy politician
• (C) Air Force Pilot Patch, Khaki, Field Uniform
• (D) Air Force pilot's sleeve insignia "casual" dress code
• (E) Traffic officer's sleeve insignia
• (F) Artillery Patch

Artillerymen and armored troops used black buttonholes, but the buttonholes of tank commanders were velvet. The emblem of gunners and motorists were introduced in the First World War, crossed cannons and winged wheels with a steering wheel for drivers. Both are still in use today with minor modifications. Tankers have emblems in the form of miniature BT tanks. The chemists on the emblem had two cylinders and a gas mask. In March 1943 they were changed to a hammer and key.

ordinary and junior commanding staff of the Red Army

The corporal received a red stripe of fabric, regardless of the type of troops. And the corporal began to look like a student of a sergeant's school, which also introduced some confusion. With further assignments of titles, the triangles were applied to the fabric strip.

• 1-Red Army soldier, autobat
• 2nd corporal, artilleryman
• 3 ml sergeant, technical service
• 4th Sergeant, Air Force
• 5th Sergeant, Armored Troops
• 6-foreman, sapper

The buttonholes of the foreman were different from the rest of the junior commanding staff. Between the piping and the field of the buttonhole, along the edge there is a golden galloon, the same as that of senior officers.

For pilots, the emblem has also practically not changed to this day, the same winged propeller, on blue buttonholes with black piping.

A golden or silver bowl with a snake (exactly the same as today) for military doctors and veterinary services.

By 1937, the time of the creation of military schools dates back. Metal letters were applied to the buttonholes according to the color of the troops. The letters of the MPU, for example, corresponded to the Moscow Border School.

Metal letters were applied to the buttonholes according to the color of the troops

The students of the Academy put the letter A in front of it with enamel triangles denoting the military rank.

Ranks and insignia of the Red Army in the middle, senior and senior command staff, 1936

At the end of 1935, the armed forces were built almost entirely according to the personnel principle. On September 22, 1935, the Supreme Soviet of the USSR approved personal military ranks, for compliance with which, in just two months, certification for the command staff of the Red Army was completed.
And on December 3, 1935 Nar. The Commissar of Defense signed an order on the introduction of new uniforms and insignia for the entire personnel of the Red Army. New insignia and military uniforms, by their distinctive details, made it possible to determine to which branch of the military or service a soldier belongs.

Ranks and insignia of the Red Army in the middle, senior and senior command staff, 1940

Four years later, there is another change in military uniforms and ranks.

Order of the NPO of the USSR No. 226 of 07/26/40 introduces new and changes the old insignia for the command and political staff of the Red Army.

Rank	Insignia V buttonhole	Patch according to rank
middle and senior com. compound
junior lieutenant	one square	One square of gold galloon 4 mm wide, on top of the galloon there is a clearance of red cloth 10 mm wide, at the bottom edging 3 mm wide
Lieutenant	two squares	Two squares of gold galloon 4 mm wide, between them a gap of red cloth 7 mm wide, at the bottom of the edging 3 mm wide
Senior Lieutenant	three squares	Three squares of gold galloon 4 mm wide, between them two gaps of red cloth 5 mm wide each, at the bottom of the edging 3 mm wide
Captain	One rectangle	Two squares of gold galloon 6 mm wide, between them a gap of red cloth 10 mm wide, at the bottom of the edging 3 mm wide
Major	Two rectangles
Lieutenant colonel	three rectangles	Two squares made of gold galloon, upper 6 mm wide, lower 10 mm, between them a gap of red cloth 10 mm wide, at the bottom edging 3 mm wide
Colonel	four rectangles	Three squares made of gold galloon, upper and middle 6 mm wide, lower 10 mm, between them two gaps made of red cloth 7 mm wide each, at the bottom edging 3 mm wide
Political composition
Junior political officer	two squares
Politruk	three squares	Red star with hammer and sickle
Senior political officer	One rectangle	Red star with hammer and sickle
Battalion Commissar	Two rectangles	Red star with hammer and sickle
Senior Battalion Commissar	three rectangles	Red star with hammer and sickle
Regimental Commissar	four rectangles	Red star with hammer and sickle

Regarding the military ranks of the "sample 1935" for the command staff, the rank of "lieutenant colonel" is introduced, and for the military-political staff "senior battalion commissar".

Lapel pins and sleeve patches of the Red Army

The colonel and the regimental commissar now wear four sleepers instead of three on their buttonholes, which went to the lieutenant colonel and the senior battalion commissar.
The order completely revised the system of sleeve insignia for senior and middle command personnel. Red cloth chevrons gave way to sleeve insignia with golden galloon.

According to the rules for wearing uniforms from 1936, political workers could not wear emblems of military branches on their buttonholes. Although they were equated in rights with unit commanders, by order of May 10, 1937, as well as in 1925.

Drawing experience from the Finnish company of 1939, in order to strengthen unity of command in July - August 1940, all commissars were transferred to the positions of deputy commanders for political affairs. Obliging to wear lavalier emblems of a kind of troops, and to master the military specialty of a kind of troops.

sleeve patches with golden galloon

Examples of buttonholes of various families and ranks.

A. Major. One sleeper. Armored troops. Dress uniform 1935
B. Ceremonial officer's buttonhole 1943
C. Overcoat buttonhole, ml. sergeant 40
D. Marshal of the Soviet Union. 1940
E. Border Troops Senior Lieutenant 1935
F. General's buttonhole 1943

Insignia and uniform of the Marshal of the Soviet Union and the generals of the Red Army since May 1940.

The Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of May 7, 1940 introduced general ranks. July 13 were approved corresponding signs differences. The general's uniform turned out to be similar to the general's uniform of the tsarist generals, the same closed tunic, trousers with stripes, a hat and a fringed overcoat with "coat of arms" buttons. The ceremonial single-breasted uniform is the same as in the German army. The general's cap had a round gilded cockade. To top it off, the general was given a white cotton tunic.

General in summer uniform, Major General in dress uniform, Marshal in everyday uniform.

On the buttonholes of the General of the Army there were five gilded stars, the colonel general had four, the lieutenant general had three stars, the major general was supposed to wear two in his buttonholes. Komkor G.K. Zhukov was the first to be awarded the rank of army general.

Designer Major General V.G. Grabin and General of the Army Zhukov.G.K. in dress uniforms of a general, 1940

The title of Marshal of the Soviet Union was established on September 22, 1935 by a decree of the Central Executive Committee and the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR. The marshal was dressed in a general's uniform, the differences were red buttonholes, a gold embroidered star, laurel branches and a hammer and sickle on their crosshairs, sleeve squares with laurel branches embroidered in gold and large sleeve stars. Until the fortieth year, there was no ornament of laurel branches with a hammer and sickle on the buttonholes of the marshal.

The difference between the Marshal's buttonholes is clearly visible on the uniforms of Budyonny. Voroshilov in the uniform of 1940

Tukhachevsky, Voroshilov, Yegorov, Budyonny and Blucher were the first to be awarded the title of Marshal of the Soviet Union.

Ranks and insignia of the Red Army in the middle, senior and senior command staff. Two months after start of the war due to the differences in the military uniform of the senior and senior command personnel from the rest of the military uniform. On August 1, 1941, an order was sent by telegraph obliging to abolish the wearing of sleeve insignia for all command personnel participating in hostilities, and to establish for all military branches the wearing of khaki buttonholes with protective insignia. The generals are to be given camouflage tunics and trousers without stripes.

Tellingly, the most difficult period of the beginning of the war seemed to be a complete mess, but by the end of August 1941, protective buttonholes and insignia were sent to the fronts.

Personal belongings, mobilization, vacation and award documents, the black arrow indicates the "white ticket"

This article is intended to help all interested parties in determining the types of troops (services) of fighters and commanders of the Land and Air Forces of the Red Army, captured in photographs in uniform with lapel emblems, introduced by Orders of the NPO of the USSR No. 33 of 10.03.1936 and No. 165 dated 08/31/1936 (The lapel emblem of the scout-observer of the cavalry of the 1st (2nd) class (introduced by order of the NCO No. 26 of 20.02.1936, canceled by order of the NCO of the USSR No. the list was not included, because denoted the qualifications of a serviceman belonging to a certain type of troops, namely cavalry.In more detail, this topic is discussed in the article by A. Stepanov "Reconnaissance observers of the cavalry of the Red Army and the NKVD troops 1936-1941" ["Tseikhgauz", No. 8, 1995, pp. 44-46]).

In the work of O.V. Kharitonov [Kharitonov O.V. - An illustrated description of the uniforms and insignia of the Soviet Army (1918-1958). - Ed. AIM. - Leningrad. - 1960 .] it is noted that initially it was supposed to wear the indicated lapel metal emblems only by command, commanding and junior commanding staff of long-term service, as well as cadets of military schools, while they should have been applied to the buttonholes of private and junior commanding and command staff of military service stenciled paint, however, the application of emblems with paint was practically not used due to the poor quality of small details. All lavalier emblems by type of troops (services, specialties) had a golden color, with the exception of the emblem of the military veterinary staff, which had a silver color. During the Great Patriotic War, emblems of the branch of service (service) painted with green paint were used on khaki buttonholes.

In accordance with the Rules for wearing uniforms of the Red Army (December 1936), lavalier emblems were located along the edges of the tunic buttonholes, touching the edges of their transverse edging and in the upper edges of the overcoat buttonholes, close to their corner edging [A. Kibovsky, A. Stepanov, K. Cyplenkov. - The uniform of the Russian military air fleet. - Volume 2. - Part 1 (1935-1955). - 2007.].

This arrangement of lapel emblems remained until 1940, when By order of the NPO of the USSR No. 87 of 05.04. 1940new buttonholes were introducedfor cadets of military schools and regimental schools of the Red Army and By order of the NPO of the USSR No. 391 dated 11/02/1940 - for corporals and junior commanding staff of the Red Army, as well as Red Army soldiers with higher and completed secondary education, being trained in training companies (batteries, squadrons).

Since 1940, the lapel emblem of the branch of service (service) among cadets of military schools of the Red Army was worn on overcoat buttonholes close to the golden galloon, among cadets of regimental schools and Red Army soldierswith higher and completed secondary education, undergoing training in training companies (batteries, squadrons) - below the red cloth triangle located in the upper corner of the buttonhole, for corporals and junior commanding officers - below the golden metal triangle located in the upper corner of the buttonhole. On gymnastic buttonholes cadets of regimental schools, Red Army soldierswith higher and completed secondary education, undergoing training in training companies (batteries, squadrons), corporals and junior commanding staff emblem fastened on a red longitudinal cloth clearance, on overcoat buttonholes- above him.

Description of the lapel emblems of the military branches (services) of the Land and Air Forces of the Red Army (Introduced by Orders of the NPO of the USSR No. 33 of 03/10/1936 and No. 165 of 08/31/1936)

	Type of troops (service, specialty)	Emblem photo	Description
	Armored Troops (ABTV)		BT tank
	Military-technical composition of all branches of the armed forces and services
	Air Force (Air Force)		propeller with wings
	Railway Troops and Military Communications Service (VOSO), including students of the Military Transport Academy and VOSO schools		Crossed ax and anchor (Order of the NPO of the USSR No. 33 of 03/10/1936), then a winged anchor with a red star, a hammer and a French key (Order of the NPO of the USSR No. 165 of 31.08.1936 )
	Artillery and artillery units of other military branches		Crossed gun barrels
	Auto parts and drivers of all types of troops, except armored vehicles
	Signal Corps		A winged beam of lightning, on which a red enamel star is superimposed on top in the center
	Engineering Troops		crossed axes
	Military medical staff of all military branches
	Military veterinary staff of all military branches
	Chemical troops and chemical units in other branches of the military		Two gas masks
	Sapper units and sapper units in other branches of the military		Crossed pickaxe with shovel
	Bandmasters of all military branches		Lyra
	Military-legal composition of all military branches
	Military-economic and administrative composition of all branches of the armed forces
	Pontoon units and pontoon units in other branches of the military		Anchor, on the stem of which two crossed axes are superimposed
	Electrical parts

The emblems of ABTV, military medical and military veterinary personnel were paired, i.e. turned gun barrels and snake heads, both to the right and to the left. A regulatory document that established the correct orientation of paired lapel emblems has not yet been identified. In the photographs, BT tanks can look with gun barrels both at each other and from each other, the same applies to the orientation of the heads of snakes, although the military personnel of the military medical service more often oriented the heads of snakes to each other, the military veterinary - from each other. More rare is the simultaneous use of only left or only right types of paired lapel emblems.

The colors of the buttonholes of the commanding, junior commanding, rank and file and cadets of the Red Army by type of troops (services) (according to the Orders of the NPO of the USSR No. 176 of 12/03/1935 and No. 165 of 08/31/1936) Type of troops (service, specialty) Buttonhole color Field Kants Infantry Crimson Black Cavalry Blue Black Artillery Black Red Armored troops Black Red Technical troops Black Blue Chemical troops Black Black Railway Troops and Military Communications Service (VOSO) Black Blue Aviation Blue Black Administrative, military-economic, military-medical, military-veterinary services dark green Red

Drawings of lapel badges-emblems published in the "Charter of the Internal Service of the Red Army (UVS-37)"

When attributing photographs of Red Army servicemen with lapel emblems introduced in 1936, it is also useful to take into account the color of the field and the edges of the buttonholes. It should be taken into account that for many photographs of the period of the Great Patriotic War, fighters and commanders, who were in the theater of operations and in marching units, depicted in uniform with khaki buttonholes, the wearing of which was regulated by the Order of the NPO of the USSR No. 253 of 08/01/1941 "On changing the uniform of the Red Army for wartime."

The absence of emblems on buttonholes with gold edging and rank insignia in the form of squares, rectangles and rhombuses, i.e. in persons of middle, senior and senior command staff of the Red Army, testifies in favor of the fact that the photo shows the face of the command staff of rifle (infantry) or cavalry units, which did not have in the period from 1936 to July 1940. emblems by type of troops. (The buttonholes of the officers of the Red Army had a cloth field of the same color as the buttonholes of the commanding staff of the same type of troops (service), but they were edged not with colored cloth, but with gold-colored galloon or thread. The buttonholes of the foremen had both a cloth edging of the established color, and the field of buttonholes of the commanders of the ABTV, railway troops and VOSO was made of black velvet.It should be noted that the situation changed in 1940 after the announcement by the Order of the NPO of the USSR No. 212 of 13.07. 05/07/1940 "On the establishment of the military ranks of the highest command of the Red Army" general ranks. Buttonholes of combined arms generals received a red color, aviation - blue, artillery and ABTV - black (velvet), signal troops, engineering troops, technical troops, quartermaster service - crimson. Emblems by type of troops (services) were worn on the buttonholes of artillery generals, ABTV, signal troops, engineering troops, technical troops, Air Force, quartermaster service (the emblem on the buttonholes of the latter differed from the emblem of the senior and middle commanding staff of the service and was a pair (left and right ) emblems in the form of a golden hammer and sickle with a red enamel star superimposed on them).

The absence of emblems on buttonholes with colored cloth piping and rank insignia in the form of triangles or no insignia at all testifies to the fact that the photo shows the face of a junior commanding officer or rank and file of rifle (infantry) or To cavalry units in the period 1936 - July 1940.

The absence of emblems of the type of troops among the rifle (infantry) and cavalry units in the period under review may have been due to the historical Russian army the practice of distinguishing by the presence of emblems is relatively small, compared with such branches of the armed forces as infantry and cavalry, technical branches of the military and various military services.

The absence of lapel emblems in the photo on the buttonholes with colored cloth piping and rank insignia in the form of four triangles, as well as a different number of squares, rectangles and rhombuses, testifies in favor of what is depicted in the photo face of the military-political staff any kind of troops (services), which in the period 1936 - July 1940. it was not supposed to wear lavalier emblems and which was introduced by the Order of the NPO of the USSR No. 226 dated 26.07. 1940.

The general principles of wearing buttonholes of a certain color and placing the corresponding buttonhole emblems on them were regulated by the Rules for wearing uniforms by personnel of the Red Army, introduced by Order of the NPO of the USSR No. 229 of 12/17/1936:

"The command, military-political, military-technical, military-legal commanding and rank and file of the land and air forces of the Red Army wear the uniform and buttonholes of the type of troops in which they serve.

Command, military-political, military-technical, military-legal commanding staff of logistics institutions and headquarters (up to and including district headquarters, directorates and departments)- wears the uniform and buttonholes of the type of troops in which they served before being assigned to the rear establishment or headquarters.

The military economic and administrative, military medical and military veterinary staff of the land and air forces of the Red Army wear the uniform and buttonholes established for these units, regardless of the type of troops in which they serve.

NOTE:
1. Special units that are part of individual military units (regimental artillery, communications, etc.) wear the uniform and buttonholes of these units
2.Reconnaissance battalions of rifle divisions wear:
a) cavalry squadrons- uniforms and buttonholes of the cavalry
b) all other units, including headquarters - uniform and buttonholes ABTV
3. Automotive parts wear ABTV uniforms and buttonholes
4. Local air defense units wear uniforms and buttonholes of technical troops.

The command and rank and file, including special units of individual military units, wear lapel emblems of a kind of troops.

Military-technical, military-economic and administrative, military-legal, military-medical and military-veterinary commanding staff (except for those who are students in academies, military faculties and military schools), wear their lapel emblems, regardless of the type of troops in which they serve.

The military-political staff (except for those who are students in academies, military faculties and military schools), do not wear lapel emblems.

< Увеличить> Unknown assistant or deputy political instructor. There are no emblems of the military branch (service) on the buttonholes.	< Увеличить> Junior political officer V.N. Kuznetsov	< Увеличить> Senior political officer V.P. Kuznetsov There are no emblems on the buttonholes according to the type of troops.	< Увеличить> Ensign A.I. Kuznetsov, 24th reserve rifle regiment, p. There are no emblems on the buttonholes according to the type of troops.
< Увеличить> Captain K.P. Panasyuk, Chief of Staff of the 29th Infantry Regiment, There are no emblems on the buttonholes according to the type of troops.	< Увеличить> Unknown Red Army cavalrymen. There are no emblems on the buttonholes by the type of troops	< Увеличить> Unknown Red Army cavalryman. There are no emblems on the buttonholes according to the type of troops.	< Enlarge> Junior political officer A.K. Kuznetsov. Emblems of the engineering troops on the buttonholes.
< Enlarge> TO commander of the 8th service category ON THE. Radetsky. Emblems of the engineering troops on the buttonholes.	< Увеличить> < Увеличить> Brothers, junior commander of the ABTV platoon (left) and a Red Army soldier of the engineering troops (right), with their grandmother.		< Увеличить> Lieutenant colonel Shevlyakov B.A. Artillery emblems on buttonholes.
< Увеличить> Military engineer 2nd rank Tsarev. On the buttonholes there are emblems of the military-technical staff.	< Увеличить> Unknown Air Force Lieutenant On the buttonholes of the emblem of the Air Force.	< Увеличить> Senior military assistant Mikheev E.A. Lapel emblems of the military medical staff	< Увеличить> Unknown military veterinarian
< Увеличить> Lieutenant Tikhonov N.A..On the buttonholes of the emblem of the signal troops	< Увеличить> chemical troops.	< Увеличить> Unknown junior lieutenant of chemical troops	< Увеличить> Red Army driver.
< Увеличить> Unknown junior command platoon ABTV	< Увеличить> Unknown ABTV sergeant.	< Увеличить> Unknown military officer of the 2nd rank. Emblems of the military-legal staff on the buttonholes	< Увеличить> Lieutenant Serukin(?). Emblems of electrical parts on buttonholes.
< Увеличить> Two lieutenants of electrical parts. Emblems of electrical parts on buttonholes.		< Увеличить> Unknown Quartermaster 2nd rank. Emblems of the military and administrative staff on the buttonholes	< Увеличить> Unknown separated commander of the railway troops with his wife.
< Увеличить> Lieutenant of the railway troops Kolomiichenko A.A.	< Увеличить> Quartermaster 3rd rank H. Batrshi(?) Kapellmeister emblems on buttonholes	< Увеличить> Hero of the Soviet Union, separated commander V.K. Artyukh. Emblems of pontoon parts on buttonholes	< Увеличить> A.F. Radetsky, commander of the 5th service category of sapper units Photo of the late 1920s
< Увеличить> N.A. Radetsky, commander of the 3rd service category of sapper units Photo of the late 1920s	< Увеличить> Unknown commander of the 8th service category of sapper units. Photo from the early 1930s	< Увеличить> Military 1st rank A.A. Suvorov with his wife. .....
< Enlarge> Major engineering troops HELL. Kuznetsov	< Увеличить> unknown nurses		< Увеличить> Lieutenant A.E. Kuznetsov. Infantry. There are no emblems on the buttonholes.
	< Увеличить> Unknown Senior lieutenant of chemical troops

Periodization of the use of emblems arr. 1936 in the USSR Armed Forces (taking into account the use of emblems in different periods as both lapel and shoulder straps)

	Image on the emblem	Year of discontinuation
	BT tank	1956 (Given the use of armored troops on the shoulder straps of marshals)
	Crossed french key and hammer	1985
	propeller with wings	1991
	Ax and anchor	1936
	Winged anchor with red star, hammer and French key	1991
	crossed guns	1991
	Axle with auto wheels, fenders and steering wheel	1991
	Winged lightning bolt, red enamel star on top	1991
	crossed axes	1956 (Given the use of marshals of engineering troops on shoulder straps)
	Bowl with golden snake	1991
	Bowl with silver snake	1980
	Two gas masks	1943
	Crossed pickaxe with shovel	1969 (Given the use of the emblem, made in white metal, by military personnel of military construction units in 1955-1969)
	Lyra	1991
	Crossed swords covered by a shield	1991
	Helmet, wrench, compass, half gear and half wheel	1942 (30.03. 1942. By order of the NPO of the USSR No. 93, the lavalier emblem of the quartermaster service was introduced, similar in design to the one established in 1940 for generals of the quartermaster service, and on February 14, 1943, by order of the NPO of the USSR No. 79, the wearing of the emblem of the military administrative staff (helmet, wrench, compasses, half of the gear and half of the wheel).
	Anchor, on the stem of which two crossed axes are superimposed	1955
	Crossed shovel and ax with a beam of lightning	1955

In conclusion, it should be noted that the appearance of the emblems considered in this article was not new either for the Red Army or for Russian uniforms in general: 12 of them had already been used in various years prior to 1936 as lapel emblems of the Red Army (No. 2 ,3,4,6,7,9,10,12,13,14,17,18), 7 - used until 1917 in the Imperial Russian Army to designate types of weapons, certain types technical troops, special teams, etc. (No. 3,4,6,7,9,13, 14, 17), 3 - as fittings for civilian specialists Russian Empire (№№2,4,18)

The conciseness and functionality of the visual solution of these emblems led to their long-term use as symbols of the military branches and services of the Soviet Armed Forces.

At the time of the cessation of the existence of the Soviet Army (1991), its Land and Air Forces used 8 emblems of military branches (services), similar in appearance to the emblems of the 1936 model. Currently, 8 emblems are also used as emblems of the military branches (services) in the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, similar in appearance to the lapel emblems of the 1936 model.

Illustration sources

1. Photos of lavalier emblems (except for the ABTV emblem) were provided by Alexander Zubkin, who specializes in the manufacture and sale of commercial copies of metal fittings of the Red Army (contact address Email for orders and purchases [email protected] ) .

2. Photos of ABTV lavalier emblems of the pre-war stamp were provided by Evgeny Drig.

3. All photographs of the Red Army soldiers, which are illustrations for the text of this article, are the property of the author

The uniform of the Workers 'and Peasants' Red Army (RKKA), which was a collection of military uniforms, equipment and insignia, was sharply different from all analogues that existed in the prewar years. It was a kind of material embodiment of the abolition of the class division of citizens and civil (and then military) ranks declared by the Soviet government in November 1917.

The Bolsheviks believed that in the free army they were creating of the new state of workers and peasants, there could be no external forms that would indicate the power and superiority of one over the other. Therefore, following the military ranks and ranks, the entire system of external insignia that existed in the Russian army - stripes, shoulder straps, orders and medals - was canceled.

In appeals, only the titles by position were preserved. Initially, two forms of address were allowed: citizen and comrade (citizen battalion commander, comrade platoon commander, etc.), but soon “comrade” became the generally accepted form of address.

During the formation of the first units and formations of the Red Army, the stocks of uniforms stored in the warehouses of the Russian army demobilized in 1918 were widely used. Therefore, the Red Army soldiers and commanders were dressed in military shirts of the 1912 model approved by Tsar Nicholas II, khaki, trousers of the same color, tucked into boots or windings with boots, as well as caps.

From Russian military personnel and created during civil war white armies, they differed only in the absence of shoulder straps, a breastplate and a red star on the cap band.

To develop new uniforms for the Red Army, on April 25, 1918, a special commission was established, which already in December of the same year submitted a new type headgear - the famous "Budyonovka", insignia for command personnel and insignia of the main branches of the military. They were approved on January 16, 1919 and became a kind Starting point a rather long process of creating a uniform that was used during the Great Patriotic War.

The diameter of the sleeve star of the Marshal of the Soviet Union and the General of the Army, together with the edging, was 54 mm. The sleeve star of the Marshal of the Soviet Union and the combined arms generals had a red cloth edging 2 mm wide, the sleeve star for the rest of the generals had an edging in the color of the type of troops (crimson, blue or red), 2 mm wide. The diameter of the sleeve star, together with the edging, was 44 mm.

The chevron of the general of the army was a single square of gold galloon 32 mm wide, and in the upper part - of red cloth 10 mm wide. The generals of the military branches were supposed to have one square of gold galloon 32 mm wide, below - a 3 mm wide edging according to the type of troops.

The chevrons of the command staff, which looked very impressive, were canceled shortly before the start of World War II, and with its start in the active army and marching units, the insignia were replaced by field ones: for all branches of the military, the wearing of protective color buttonholes with insignia painted in protective color. The wearing of commissar stars on the sleeves of political workers was also abolished.

A radical change in the system of insignia took place on January 15, 1943, when, in accordance with the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of January 6, 1943, People's Commissar of Defense I.V. Stalin issued an order "On the introduction of new insignia for the personnel of the Red Army." In accordance with this order, new insignia were introduced - shoulder straps.

In their form, the shoulder straps of the Red Army were similar to the shoulder straps adopted in the Russian army until 1917. They were a strip with parallel long sides, the lower end of the shoulder strap was rectangular, and the upper end was cut off at an obtuse angle. At the shoulder straps of marshals and generals, the top obtuse angle cut parallel to the bottom edge.

Servicemen in the active army and the personnel of units being prepared for dispatch to the front were to wear field shoulder straps, and servicemen of other units and institutions of the Red Army - everyday shoulder straps. Both field and everyday shoulder straps were edged along the edges (except for the bottom edge) with colored cloth piping. According to the assigned military rank, belonging to the branch of service (service), insignia (asterisks, gaps, stripes) and emblems were placed on the field of shoulder straps, and on everyday shoulder straps of junior commanders, privates and cadets of military schools - also stencils indicating the names of the military unit (connections). Field and everyday shoulder straps of generals and all infantry personnel - without emblems, in other branches of the military - with emblems.

For the Marshals of the Soviet Union and generals, the field of shoulder strap was made of galloon of special weaving: for field shoulder straps - from khaki silk, for everyday ones - from gold drag.

With the introduction of shoulder straps, the functions of the buttonholes were reduced mainly to the designation of the military affiliation of the Red Army soldiers, while the placement of buttonholes on tunics and tunics was generally canceled.

On the collar of the uniform of the senior and middle command personnel there were longitudinal buttonholes made of instrument cloth without edging. Buttonhole length in ready-made was 82 mm, width - 27 mm. The color of the buttonholes - according to the type of troops:

infantry - crimson;

artillery - black;

armored troops - black;

aviation - blue;

cavalry - light blue;

engineering troops - black;

quartermaster service - raspberry;

medical and veterinary service - dark green;

military-legal composition - raspberry.

On the buttonholes of the senior command staff are two longitudinal stripes embroidered with gold thread, intertwined with silver thread. On the buttonholes of the middle command staff - one strip.

Ranks and insignia of the Red Army in the middle, senior and senior command staff, 1936

Ranks and insignia of the Red Army in the middle, senior and senior command staff, 1940

Four years later, there is another change in military uniforms and ranks.

Order of the NPO of the USSR No. 226 of 07/26/40 introduces new and changes the old insignia for the command and political staff of the Red Army.

Rank	Insignia V buttonhole	Patch according to rank
middle and senior com. compound
junior lieutenant	one square	One square of gold galloon 4 mm wide, on top of the galloon there is a clearance of red cloth 10 mm wide, at the bottom edging 3 mm wide
Lieutenant	two squares	Two squares of gold galloon 4 mm wide, between them a gap of red cloth 7 mm wide, at the bottom of the edging 3 mm wide
Senior Lieutenant	three squares	Three squares of gold galloon 4 mm wide, between them two gaps of red cloth 5 mm wide each, at the bottom of the edging 3 mm wide
Captain	One rectangle	Two squares of gold galloon 6 mm wide, between them a gap of red cloth 10 mm wide, at the bottom of the edging 3 mm wide
Major	Two rectangles
Lieutenant colonel	three rectangles	Two squares made of gold galloon, upper 6 mm wide, lower 10 mm, between them a gap of red cloth 10 mm wide, at the bottom edging 3 mm wide
Colonel	four rectangles	Three squares made of gold galloon, upper and middle 6 mm wide, lower 10 mm, between them two gaps made of red cloth 7 mm wide each, at the bottom edging 3 mm wide
Political composition
Junior political officer	two squares
Politruk	three squares	Red star with hammer and sickle
Senior political officer	One rectangle	Red star with hammer and sickle
Battalion Commissar	Two rectangles	Red star with hammer and sickle
Senior Battalion Commissar	three rectangles	Red star with hammer and sickle
Regimental Commissar	four rectangles	Red star with hammer and sickle

Regarding the military ranks of the "sample 1935" for the command staff, the rank of "lieutenant colonel" is introduced, and for the military-political staff "senior battalion commissar".

Lapel pins and sleeve patches of the Red Army

The colonel and the regimental commissar now wear four sleepers instead of three on their buttonholes, which went to the lieutenant colonel and the senior battalion commissar.
The order completely revised the system of sleeve insignia for senior and middle command personnel. Red cloth chevrons gave way to sleeve insignia with golden galloon.

According to the rules for wearing uniforms from 1936, political workers could not wear emblems of military branches on their buttonholes. Although they were equated in rights with unit commanders, by order of May 10, 1937, as well as in 1925.

Drawing experience from the Finnish company of 1939, in order to strengthen unity of command in July - August 1940, all commissars were transferred to the positions of deputy commanders for political affairs. Obliging to wear lavalier emblems of a kind of troops, and to master the military specialty of a kind of troops.

sleeve patches with golden galloon

Examples of buttonholes of various families and ranks.

A. Major. One sleeper. Armored troops. Dress uniform 1935
B. Ceremonial officer's buttonhole 1943
C. Overcoat buttonhole, ml. sergeant 40
D. Marshal of the Soviet Union. 1940
E. Border Troops Senior Lieutenant 1935
F. General's buttonhole 1943

Insignia and uniform of the Marshal of the Soviet Union and the generals of the Red Army since May 1940.

The Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of May 7, 1940 introduced general ranks. On July 13, the corresponding insignia were approved. The general's uniform turned out to be similar to the general's uniform of the tsarist generals, the same closed tunic, trousers with stripes, a hat and a fringed overcoat with "coat of arms" buttons. The ceremonial single-breasted uniform is the same as in the German army. The general's cap had a round gilded cockade. To top it off, the general was given a white cotton tunic.

General in summer uniform, Major General in dress uniform, Marshal in everyday uniform.

On the buttonholes of the General of the Army there were five gilded stars, the colonel general had four, the lieutenant general had three stars, the major general was supposed to wear two in his buttonholes. Komkor G.K. Zhukov was the first to be awarded the rank of army general.

Designer Major General V.G. Grabin and General of the Army Zhukov.G.K. in dress uniforms of a general, 1940

The title of Marshal of the Soviet Union was established on September 22, 1935 by a decree of the Central Executive Committee and the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR. The marshal was dressed in a general's uniform, the differences were red buttonholes, a gold embroidered star, laurel branches and a hammer and sickle on their crosshairs, sleeve squares with laurel branches embroidered in gold and large sleeve stars. Until the fortieth year, there was no ornament of laurel branches with a hammer and sickle on the buttonholes of the marshal.

The difference between the Marshal's buttonholes is clearly visible on the uniforms of Budyonny. Voroshilov in the uniform of 1940

Tukhachevsky, Voroshilov, Yegorov, Budyonny and Blucher were the first to receive the title of Marshal of the Soviet Union.

Ranks and insignia of the Red Army in the middle, senior and senior command staff. Two months after the start of the war, due to the differences in the military uniform of the senior and senior command personnel from the rest of the military uniform. On August 1, 1941, an order was sent by telegraph obliging to abolish the wearing of sleeve insignia for all command personnel participating in hostilities, and to establish for all military branches the wearing of khaki buttonholes with protective insignia. The generals are to be given camouflage tunics and trousers without stripes.

Tellingly, the most difficult period of the beginning of the war seemed to be a complete mess, but by the end of August 1941, protective buttonholes and insignia were sent to the fronts.

Personal belongings, mobilization, vacation and award documents, the black arrow indicates the "white ticket"

Insignia of the ranks of the Russian Army. 20th century

Insignia of the Red Army servicemen by rank
1941-42

The period under review covers the time from December 1940 to the beginning of January 1943.

Significant changes in the insignia of ranks after November 1940 and until August 1941 did not occur. Already after the start of the war, by order of NPO No. 253 dated August 1, for the entire personnel of the Active Army and marching units (that is, units formed and sent to the Active Army), a number of changes are made in the uniform and insignia:

1. The wearing of sleeve chevrons for command personnel and sleeve stars for political workers is cancelled.
2. Colored stripes on the marching uniform of generals are cancelled.
3. Canceled colored piping on the trousers and tunics of the middle and senior command staff.
4. Colored buttonholes are replaced with camouflage buttonholes without piping.
5. Red enamel rank insignia are replaced with green ones.
6. Golden emblems of military branches are painted green.
7. Golden stars on the buttonholes of generals are replaced with green ones.

For troops and military institutions not assigned to the Active Army, rank insignia do not change.

From secondary sources (M.M. Khrenov and others. Military clothing of the Armed Forces of the USSR and Russia (1917-1990s.)) It follows that the marching uniform with protective insignia for the infantry was adopted back in January (according to other sources, in February) 1941. However, the author could not find the corresponding NPO order.

From the author. Interesting feature- in army documents since the summer of 1941, the abbreviation of the Red Army or the name "Workers 'and Peasants' Red Army" is almost never found. The name "Red Army" is used everywhere. The abbreviation of the Red Army or the name "Workers 'and Peasants' Red Army" is used mainly on solemn occasions.

This order in the army was perceived ambiguously. Political workers unanimously ignored the abolition of their sleeve stars, believing that the stars on the sleeves give them more significance and influence among the personnel. This opinion was fully supported by the head of GlavPUR Mekhlis.
They did not yet know about Hitler's Directive OKW No. 44822/41 of June 6, 1941 "Instructions on the treatment of political commissars", which ordered the destruction of captured commissars and political officers. To recognize them among the rest of the prisoners, this Directive prescribed precisely by the presence of sleeve stars.
Commander of the 9th Mechanized Corps, Major General K.K. Rokossovsky, having raised the corps on alarm on the morning of June 22, simply forbade the issuance of khaki buttonholes to sergeants and officers, believing that the visibility of commanders for his soldiers is much more important than their visibility to the enemy.

From the author. Judging by the memoirs of Rokossovsky, such buttonholes in the corps were prepared before the war. I can't explain these lines of memories. But it is documented that they were introduced only on August 1. Perhaps in the memory of the marshal there was a shift of events in time. Or a really new marching uniform and insignia for it were prepared from February 1941, and they were available in the warehouses of the 9th Corps.
If he really did not consider this measure of disguise necessary, then one can only guess how many officers this opinion of Rokossovsky cost their lives. After all, the main task of snipers during the battle is the destruction of enemy officers and signalmen. This achieves a violation of the control of the battle with the enemy.
And there are no more noticeable signs of an officer for the shooters, like a cap with a colored band, colored buttonholes and chevrons shining with gold on the sleeves. All this is noticeable with enough long distance and no binoculars. And the sniper has an optical sight. And in the years 41-42, the Wehrmacht snipers knew how to shoot very well. The Germans are generally very fond of shooting sports and know a lot about shooting.

And further. We somehow generally like to give assessments to our commanders, either purely positive or unambiguously negative. But Zhukov, and Rokossovsky and Vasilevsky and others like them, are ordinary people with all their advantages and disadvantages. Each of them had both major achievements and solid failures. All of them sometimes found excellent solutions and made serious miscalculations. And to consider all of them or some of them mediocrity because in this or that operation they did not find a victorious solution, in my opinion it is dishonest. And not everything in this war depended only on the Soviet side.
To some extent, war resembles a chess match, in which far from stupid players meet. And you don't consider a grandmaster to be mediocre if he defeated his opponent not with a score of 21:0, but with a score of 11:10.
And why do some allow themselves to consider the Soviet marshals boobies because they defeated the Wehrmacht not in a border battle in the summer of 41, but only four years later? After all, on the other side of the front, it was by no means kids in short pants who led the troops. And the German generals had plenty of talent.
Nevertheless, Stalin's generals outplayed the Nazis. So who should be considered great commanders - those who lost the war, Or those who won?

The NPO's order to switch to protective insignia was far from being fully implemented. Such buttonholes, insignia and emblems in the pre-war period the right amount was not prepared. Although the clothing industry switched to sewing uniforms in August in accordance with this order, however, until the mobilization stocks of military clothing were used up, people drafted into the army after the start of the war continued to dress in uniforms with colored buttonholes and give them red enamel insignia. Moreover, in the confusion of the first weeks of the war, no one could say where this or that team of mobilized people would be sent.

The production of protective insignia lagged far behind and they appeared on the uniform only in the late autumn of 1941.

In the picture on the right: a typical example of wearing a military uniform in the first military autumn-winter. An overcoat with hastily sewn khaki buttonholes, on which there are no insignia at all. Under the overcoat, a tunic with pre-war colored buttonholes, an infantry emblem and a junior lieutenant's cube is visible. But on the tunic buttonhole we see not a commander's lace, but a black edging, which the command staff should not wear. On the cap with earflaps, there is a red enamel star, i.е. pre-war model.

From the author. Another of the generals of the tsarist army wrote that the attitude of soldiers and officers to military uniforms is a true indicator of the morale of the army and, in general, the state of affairs in it. The Great Patriotic War the war showed how true this remark is. Tracking photographs of the war from 41 to 45, we see how the appearance of the Wehrmacht soldiers gradually changed for the worse and vice versa, the appearance of the Red Army changed from dull-indifferent at 41 to dandy at 45.
Of course, in the most difficult days of the battle near Moscow, it seemed that the fighters were not up to the task. However, in the fall of 42 in Stalingrad, in the same combat conditions, the Red Army soldiers and commanders look much more decent. A introduction new form and shoulder straps at 43 were clearly perceived as the fact that the Red Army was confidently marching towards Victory and should be dressed beautifully. And everyone followed their form much more carefully.

The author considered it necessary to show various real-life options for wearing rank insignia in 41-42 years.

1. Foreman. Red enamel triangles are attached to the overcoat protective buttonhole. The emblem of the military branch is missing. On the protective tunic buttonhole, triangles laid in a protective color are attached. The emblem is missing.

2- Senior sergeant. Here, on the contrary, overcoat insignia are shown correctly, and red enamel triangles on the tunic.

3- Sgt. Here, camouflage triangles are attached to the buttonholes of the 1940 model, and the emblem of artillery is golden.

There are triangles cut out of green fabric and sewn to buttonholes, cut out of canned tin. Very often you can see in the pictures of overcoats without buttonholes and any insignia at all.

It should be noted that in general, the emblems of the military branches on the buttonholes of the private and junior command personnel were absent in the infantry and cavalry, since the infantry emblems in the summer of 1940 were introduced only for the middle and senior command personnel, and in the cavalry they, obviously, were not introduced at all.
In other branches of the military, emblems are quite rare. More often than others in aviation and artillery.

4. Junior lieutenant of artillery, 5th major of armored forces, 6th military officer with the rank of brigade commander (briengineer, brigvrach, brigvetvrach, brigvoyenurist), 7th major general.

It should be noted that although with the introduction of general ranks, the rank of brigade commander went down in history, however, the process of re-certifying yesterday's brigade commanders was not completed by the beginning of the war. Moreover, in the confusion of the first period of the war, brigade commanders called up from the reserve were not re-certified. So brigade commanders and brigade commissars met in the army until 1943.

By the middle of 1942, the inconsistency in insignia had significantly decreased. Obviously for the reasons that the newly issued form already usually had field buttonholes and khaki insignia. The red enamel signs were gradually lost. The war led to a significant decrease in the number of career officers, who could still retain pre-war insignia.

On January 28, 1942, by order of NPO No. 23 for the engineering and technical staff (as the military-technical staff of the Air Force is now called) of the Air Force, the rank scale and, accordingly, the insignia of ranks are changed.

Instead of the existing junior military technician,.......arming engineer introduced:

* lieutenant technician (2 squares),


* Major General of the Aviation Engineering Service (2 stars on the general's blue buttonhole), * Lieutenant General of the Aviation Engineering Service (3 stars on the general's blue buttonhole), * Colonel General of the Aviation Engineering Service (4 stars on the blue buttonhole general pattern).

The emblem of the military-technical staff on the buttonholes of the Air Force (crossed French key and hammer) is replaced by the newly introduced emblem of the engineering and technical staff of the Air Force (1).

Accordingly, the insignia also change.

Naturally, these insignia were not intended for the Army in the field, but in aviation in the vast majority of cases and in the Army in the field continued to wear peacetime insignia.

Since January 42, the generals of the aviation engineering service have blue buttonholes with general stars they had a black edging, and not a commander's gold lace (2).

The picture on the right shows:
1- emblem of the engineering staff of the Air Force,
2 - buttonhole of the lieutenant general of the aviation engineering service,
3- buttonholes engineer-captain of the Air Force.

March 3, 1942 By the Decree of the State Defense Committee (announced by order of the NPO No. 68 of March 4), the rank scale and, accordingly, the insignia of ranks are changed for the engineering and technical staff of artillery. Instead of the existing junior military technician,.......arming engineer introduced:
* lieutenant technician (2 squares),
* senior technician-lieutenant (3 squares),
*engineer-captain (1 rectangle),
*major engineer (2 rectangles),
* lieutenant colonel engineer (3 rectangles),
*colonel engineer (4 rectangles),
* Major General of the Engineering and Artillery Service (2 stars on the buttonhole of the general's sample in black with a red edging),
* lieutenant general of the engineering and artillery service (3 stars on the buttonhole of the general's sample in black with a red edging),
* Colonel General of the Engineering and Artillery Service (4 stars on the buttonhole of the general's sample in black with a red edging).

On March 8, 1942, by order of NPO No. 71, a similar rank scale and similar insignia are introduced for the engineering and technical staff of the armored forces. Only the generals have the prefix "... engineering and tank service."

At the same time, the emblem of the military-technical staff (crossed hammer and French key) still remains in the buttonholes.
Naturally, in the Active Army, the buttonholes are green with green insignia and emblems.

From the author. That's only when the title of "briging engineer" (1 rhombus in the buttonhole) began to go down in history. In March, for the engineering and technical staff of aviation, artillery and armored forces. The briging engineers, in accordance with the new scale, were awarded the rank of engineer-colonel. However, this was seen by many as a reduction in rank. After all, the brigengineer belonged to the highest commanding staff, and the new rank of engineer-colonel only to the senior. Everywhere they continued to wear their rhombuses, and not the 4 sleepers now assigned to them. Moreover, in the rest of the military branches, the rank of brigengineer in March 1942 was still preserved.

On March 30, by order of NPO No. 93, new ranks were introduced to replace the previous ones for the middle and senior commanding staff of the quartermaster service:
* lieutenant of the quartermaster service (2 squares),
* senior lieutenant of the quartermaster service (3 squares),
* captain of the quartermaster service (1 rectangle),
* major of the quartermaster service (2 rectangles),
* lieutenant colonel of the quartermaster service (3 rectangles),
* colonel of the quartermaster service (4 rectangles).

Recall that for the highest quartermasters, general ranks were introduced back in 1940, simultaneously with the introduction of general ranks for command personnel.

The last change in the insignia of 1942 can be considered a change in the names of the ranks of senior artillery commanders:
* engineer-captain - captain of the artillery and technical service,
* Major Engineer - Major of the Artillery and Technical Service
* engineer-lieutenant colonel - lieutenant colonel of the artillery and technical service
* engineer-colonel-colonel of the artillery and technical service.

By the same order, they changed the emblems in their buttonholes - instead of the emblem of the military-technical staff (crossed hammer and French key), they now must wear artillery emblems (crossed guns). At the same time, on everyday uniforms, they are not golden, like those of the command staff, but silver.

The year 1943 was approaching, in which these insignia would forever go down in history.

Sources and literature

1. Order of the NCO of the USSR No. 253 of August 1, 1941.
2. Order of the NCO of the USSR No. 23 of 01/28/1942.
3. Order of the NCO of the USSR No. 68 of 03/04/1942.
4. Order of the NPO of the USSR No. 71 dated March 8, 1942.
5. Order of the NCO of the USSR No. 93 dated 30.03.1942.
6. Order of the NPO of the USSR No. 168 dated 05/28/1942.
7. Order of the NPO of the USSR No. 278 of 14.09.1942.
8. Website "deutschewaffe.narod.ru".
9. K.K. Rokossovsky. Soldier duty. Moscow. Military publishing house 1988
10.G.K. Zhukov. Memories and reflections. APN. 1987
11.O.V. Kharitonov. An illustrated description of the uniforms and insignia of the Red and Soviet Army (1918-1945). Artillery Historical Museum of the Main Artillery Directorate of the USSR Ministry of Defense. 1960
12. M. M. Khrenov et al. Military clothing of the Armed Forces of the USSR and Russia (1917-1990s.) Military publishing house. Moscow. 1999