Semyonovsky Life Guards Regiment
This article includes a improve this article by introducing more precise citations. (March 2011) ) |
Semyonovsky Lifeguard Regiment — III — | |
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Семёновский лейб-гвардии полк | |
Active | 1683–1918 2013–present |
Country | Tsardom of Russia (until 1721) |
Motto(s) | Что хорошо для других, то недостаточно для Семёновцев! (What is good for others is not enough for Semyonovites!) |
March | Slow: March of the Semyonovsky Regiment |
Insignia | |
Badge of the regiment |
The Semyonovsky
History
Peter's Toy Army
The history of the regiment dates back to 1683 when it was formed as a company of the
The Great Northern War
During the
In 1702, a squad of the regiment took part in the
In 1703, the regiment excelled in the siege of
Russo-Swedish War of 1741–1743
Following active service against the Turks in 1738–1739, the Semyonovsky Regiment took part in the Russo-Swedish War of 1741–1743.[1]
Russo-Swedish War of 1788–1790
The Semyonovsky Regiment saw active service in Finland during this campaign.
The Napoleonic Wars
The entire regiment participated in the wars with France (1805, 1806–1807, and 1812–1814).
During the French invasion of Russia in 1812, all three battalions of the regiment formed part of the 1st Brigade of the Guard Infantry Division of the 5th Infantry Corps. Upon departure from Saint Petersburg, it had 51 officers and 2147 enlisted personnel in service. In the Battle of Borodino, the regiment was held in reserve; after the French captured the battery of Raevsky, it fought against the French heavy cavalry in the center of the Russian positions (120 servicemen lost).
In the
19th century
The regiment participated in the wars against Turkey (1828–1829 and 1877–1878).
On 16 October 1820, the senior company of the Semyonovsky regiment, at the initiative of its former commander Yakov Potyomkin, forwarded a petition seeking to cancel the harsh regime instituted under Russian statesman Aleksey Arakcheyev and to change the regiment's commander Schwartz. The company was brought to a riding academy, arrested and imprisoned in the Peter and Paul Fortress. The remainder of the regiment interceded in favour of their comrades, but were surrounded by the garrison of Saint Petersburg and also sent to the Peter and Paul Fortress. The first battalion was court-martialled by a tribunal; the instigators were condemned to run the gauntlet, while other guardsmen were exiled to remote garrisons. The other Semyonovsky battalions were disbanded and the men were reassigned to various line infantry regiments. The Semyonovsky Regiment was reformed with the reduced rights and status of a "young guard" unit. The former privileges were restored to the regiment in 1823.[2]
1905 Revolution
In 1905, the regiment played a key part in quelling the
On 16 December, when the Semyonovsky Regiment arrived in Moscow by train from Saint Petersburg, rebels still held the Presnya quarter as well as the Moscow-Kazan railroad line to Golutvin. While part of the Semyonovsky remained in the suburbs, the regiment's commander, Colonel Georgiy Min, detached the third battalion under Colonel Nikolai Riman to join the fighting around the Presnya barricades. Colonel Min himself commanded the assault on the center of the rebellion, giving an order not to take prisoners. For these actions, Min received special praise from Emperor Nicholas II, was promoted to major general, and was appointed to the Emperor's personal entourage.
Less than a year later, on 13 August 1906, General Min was assassinated by
World War I and disbandment
During World War I, the regiment was dispatched to the Southwestern Front as part of the 1st Guards Infantry Division. The reserve battalion, which remained in Petrograd, took part in the February Revolution in 1917.
In March 1918, the Semyonovsky regiment returned from the front to Petrograd and was disbanded the same month. The 3rd
In 1925, 21 former officers of the regiment were arrested. Eleven of these men were shot; some others were sent to Gulag (punishment) camps.
Revival
In 2013,
The renewed regiment's first-ever enlistment ceremony for new recruits was held on 11 December 2013. Unlike the Kremlin Regiment, the current unit reports directly as a component unit of the Russian Ground Forces - the only independent regiment of infantry in service, and thus is part of the Russian Armed Forces proper, reporting to the President, who is the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, and the Minister of Defense, through the Commander of the Ground Forces. Since it is a military unit of the Armed Forces, it wears the same uniforms and uses the same ranks, uniforms and armaments as the rest of the Ground Forces. Operationally it is part of the Western Military District.
Organization of the reformed regiment
- Regimental HQ
- Regimental Band
- Special Troops Company
- Transport Company
- 1st Guards Rifle Battalion, Semyonovsky Regiment
- 2nd Guards Rifle Battalion, Semyonovsky Regiment
- 3rd Guards Rifle Battalion, Semyonovsky Regiment
- 4th Guards Rifle Battalion, Semyonovsky Regiment
- 1st Motorized Rifle Company (Independent)
- 5th (Training) Rifle Battalion, Semyonovsky Regiment
- Regimental Depot Zyuzino Selo
Uniforms and physical appearance
Throughout its history under the Russian Empire, the regiment wore the standard uniform of the Infantry of the Imperial Guard, which from 1683 to 1914 was predominantly of dark green (eventually verging on black) colour. The main distinctions of the Semyonovsky Regiment were the red
A peculiarity of the Russian Imperial Guard was that recruits for most regiments were required to meet certain criteria of physical appearance, in order to provide a standardised appearance on parade.[6] For the Semyonovsky Regiment conscripts were selected for their height (tallest of the Guard Infantry), light brown hair and being clean-shaven. [7]
The current regiment wears full dress and service uniforms similar to those worn by the rest of the Ground Forces, but with the regimental distinctive unit insignia worn as a patch on all orders of dress.
References
- ^ Patrick de Gmeline, page 35 "La Garde Imperiale Russe 1896-1914", publisher Charles-Lavauzelle Paris 1986
- ^ "Semenovsky Story 1820".
- ^ "1st independent Rifle Brigade for Protection".
- ISBN 978-0-7524-8634-5.
- ^ Patrick de Gmeline, pages 36 & 38 "La Garde Imperiale Russe 1896-1914", publisher Charles-Lavauzelle Paris 1986
- ISBN 978-0-297-85266-7.
- ^ Patrick de Gmeline, pages 36-37 "La Garde Imperiale Russe 1896-1914", publisher Charles-Lavauzelle Paris 1986