Insignia of ranks of the Russian Army. XX century

Insignia of Red Army military personnel by rank
1941-42

The period under consideration covers the time from December 1940 to early January 1943.

There were no significant changes in rank insignia after November 1940 and until August 1941. After the start of the war, by order of NKO No. 253 of August 1, a number of changes were made in the uniform and insignia for all personnel of the Active Army and marching units (i.e., units formed and sent to the Active Army):

1. The wearing of sleeve chevrons for command personnel and sleeve stars for political workers is abolished.
2. Colored stripes on the generals’ marching uniforms are abolished.
3. Colored piping on trousers and tunics for middle and senior command personnel is abolished.
4. Colored buttonholes are replaced with khaki buttonholes without edges.
5. Red enamel insignia of ranks 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, the rank insignia does 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 was unable to find the corresponding order from the NGO.

From the author. An interesting feature is that since the summer of 1941, the abbreviation RKKA or the name “Workers’ and Peasants’ Red Army” has almost never been found in army documents. The name "Red Army" is used everywhere. The abbreviation RKKA or the name "Workers' and Peasants' Red Army" is used mainly on special occasions.

This order was received ambiguously in the army. Political workers unanimously ignored the abolition of their sleeve stars, believing that the stars on the sleeves gave them more significance and influence among the personnel. This opinion was fully supported by the head of GlavPUR Mehlis.
They did not yet know then about Hitler’s OKW Directive No. 44822/41 of June 6, 1941, “Instructions for the Treatment of Political Commissars,” which ordered the destruction of captured commissars and political instructors. This Directive prescribed to recognize them among other prisoners precisely by the presence of sleeve stars.
Commander of the 9th Mechanized Corps, Major General K.K. Rokossovsky, having raised the corps on alert on the morning of June 22, simply prohibited the issuance of khaki buttonholes to sergeants and officers, believing that the visibility of commanders for their soldiers was much more important than their visibility to the enemy.

From the author. Judging by Rokossovsky's memoirs, such buttonholes in the case were prepared before the war. I can't explain these lines of memories in any way. But it is documented that they were introduced only on August 1. Perhaps there was a time shift in events in the marshal's memory. Or, indeed, a new marching uniform and insignia for it had been prepared since February 1941, and they were available in the warehouses of the 9th Corps.
If he really did not consider this measure of camouflage necessary, then one can only guess how many officers this opinion of Rokossovsky cost their lives. After all, the main task of snipers during battle is the destruction of enemy officers and signalmen. This is achieved by disrupting the enemy's control of the battle.
And for shooters there are no more noticeable signs of an officer than a cap with a colored band, colored buttonholes and shiny gold chevrons on the sleeves. All this is noticeable from a fairly large distance and without binoculars. And the sniper has an optical sight. And in 1941-42, Wehrmacht snipers knew how to shoot very well. The Germans are generally very fond of shooting sports and know a lot about shooting.

And one more thing. In general, we like to give assessments to our commanders either purely positive or clearly 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 significant failures. All of them sometimes found excellent solutions and made serious mistakes. And to consider all of them or some of them as mediocrities because they did not find a winning solution in one operation or another is, in my opinion, dishonest. And not everything in this war depended only on the Soviet side.
War is to some extent reminiscent of a chess match, in which far from stupid players meet. And you don’t consider the grandmaster mediocrity, who defeated his opponent not with a score of 21:0, but with a score of 11:10.
Why do some allow themselves to consider the Soviet marshals idiots for defeating 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 the troops were not led by kids in short pants. And the German generals had plenty of talent.
Still, Stalin’s generals outplayed Hitler’s. So who should be considered great commanders - those who lost the war, or those who won?

The NGO's order to switch to protective insignia was far from being fully implemented. The required quantity of such buttonholes, insignia and emblems was not prepared in the pre-war period. Although the clothing industry in August switched to sewing uniform items in accordance with this order, however, until the mobilization reserves of military clothing were used up, people conscripted into the army after the outbreak of the war continued to be dressed in uniforms with colored buttonholes and given red enamel insignia. Moreover, in the confusion of the first weeks of the war, no one could say where this or that mobilized team would be sent.

The production of protective insignia lagged significantly behind and they appeared en masse on uniforms only in the late autumn of 1941.

In the photo on the right: a typical example of wearing a military uniform in the first military autumn-winter. An overcoat with hastily sewn buttonholes of khaki color, on which there are no insignia at all. Under the overcoat you can see a tunic with pre-war colored buttonholes, an infantry emblem and a junior lieutenant's cube. But on the tunic buttonhole we see not a commander’s braid, but a black piping, which command personnel should not wear. On the hat with earflaps there is a red enamel star, i.e. pre-war model.

From the author. Another general of the tsarist army wrote that the attitude of soldiers and officers towards military uniforms is a true indicator of the morale of the army and the general state of affairs in it. The Great Patriotic War showed how true this remark is. Tracking photographs of the war from 41 to 45, we see how the appearance of Wehrmacht soldiers gradually changed for the worse, and vice versa, the appearance of the Red Army soldiers changed from dull and indifferent in 41 to dandy in 45.
Of course, in the hardest days of the battle near Moscow, it seemed that it was not a matter of how the soldiers were dressed. However, in the fall of 1942 in Stalingrad, under the same combat conditions, the Red Army soldiers and commanders looked much more decent. And the introduction of a new uniform and shoulder straps in 43 was clearly perceived as the fact that the Red Army was confidently marching towards Victory and should be dressed beautifully. And everyone watched their form much more carefully.

The author considered it necessary to show the various actually existing options for wearing rank insignia in 41-42.

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

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

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

There are triangles cut from green fabric and sewn to buttonholes, cut from tin cans. Very often you can see in photographs an overcoat without buttonholes or any insignia at all.

It should be noted that in general, the emblems of the military branches on the buttonholes of private and junior command personnel were absent in the infantry and cavalry, since infantry emblems in the summer of 1940 were introduced only for middle and senior command personnel, and in the cavalry they were obviously never introduced at all.
In other branches of the military, emblems are quite rare. Most often in aviation and artillery.

4. Junior lieutenant of artillery, 5 - major of armored forces, 6 - command personnel with the rank of brigade commander (brigengineer, brigade doctor, brigade doctor, brigade military lawyer), 7 - 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 recertification of yesterday's brigade commanders was not completed by the beginning of the war. Moreover, in the turmoil 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 mid-1942, the discrepancy in insignia had decreased significantly. Obviously for the reasons that the newly issued uniform already, as a rule, had field buttonholes and khaki-colored 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 their pre-war insignia.

On January 28, 1942, by order of NKO 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 scale of ranks and, accordingly, the insignia of ranks are changed.

Instead of the existing junior military technician, ....... armored engineer, the following were introduced:

*technical lieutenant (2 squares),


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

The Air Force Engineering Staff emblem (crossed French key and hammer) is being replaced by the newly introduced Air Force Engineering Staff emblem (1).

Accordingly, the insignia also changes.

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

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

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

March 3, 1942 By decree of the State Defense Committee (announced by order of the NKO No. 68 of March 4), the scale of ranks and, accordingly, the insignia of ranks are changed for the engineering and technical personnel of the artillery. Instead of the existing junior military technician, ....... armored engineer, the following were introduced:
*technical lieutenant (2 squares),
*senior lieutenant technician (3 squares),
*engineer-captain (1 rectangle),
*major engineer (2 rectangles),
*engineer-lieutenant colonel (3 rectangles),
*engineer-colonel (4 rectangles),
*Major General of the Engineering and Artillery Service (2 stars on the general’s pattern buttonhole in black with red edging),
*Lieutenant General of the Engineering and Artillery Service (3 stars on the general’s pattern buttonhole in black with red edging),
*Colonel General of the Engineering and Artillery Service (4 stars on the general's pattern buttonhole in black with red edging).

On March 8, 1942, by order of NKO No. 71, a similar scale of ranks and similar insignia were introduced for the engineering and technical personnel of the armored forces. Only generals have the prefix “...tank engineering service.”

At the same time, the emblem of the military-technical personnel (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. It was only when the title of “brigengineer” (1 diamond in the buttonhole) began to fade into history. In March for the engineering and technical staff of aviation, artillery and armored forces. In accordance with the new scale, brigade engineers were awarded the rank of colonel engineer. However, this was perceived by many as a reduction in rank. After all, a brigade engineer belonged to the highest command, and the new rank of engineer-colonel only belonged to the senior rank. Everywhere they continued to wear their diamonds, and not the 4 sleepers they were now entitled to. Moreover, in other branches of the army the rank of brigade engineer was still retained in March 1942.

On March 30, by order of NKO No. 93, new ranks were introduced to replace the previous ones for the middle and senior command 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).

Let us recall that for the highest quartermaster staff, 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 the senior commanding staff of the artillery:
* engineer-captain - captain of the artillery and technical service,
*engineer major - major artillery 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 personnel (crossed hammer and French key), they must now wear artillery emblems (crossed cannons). At the same time, on everyday uniforms they are not golden, like those of the command staff, but silver.

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

Sources and literature

1.Order of the USSR NGO No. 253 of August 1, 1941.
2.Order of the USSR NGO No. 23 dated January 28, 1942.
3.Order of the USSR NGO No. 68 dated March 4, 1942.
4.Order of the USSR NGO No. 71 dated March 8, 1942.
5.Order of the USSR NGO No. 93 dated March 30, 1942.
6.Order of the USSR NGO No. 168 dated May 28, 1942.
7.Order of the USSR NGO No. 278 dated September 14, 1942.
8. Website "deutschewaffe.narod.ru".
9.K.K.Rokossovsky. Soldier's duty. Moscow. Military publishing house 1988
10.G.K. Zhukov. Memories and reflections. APN. 1987
11.O.V. Kharitonov. Illustrated description of 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 and others. Military clothing of the Armed Forces of the USSR and Russia (1917-1990s). Military publishing house. Moscow. 1999

Over the 19 years of existence of lapel insignia, changes in Insignia And buttonholes Red Army small contributions were made.

The appearance of the emblems of the military branches and services changed, the colors of the edgings and buttonholes, the number of badges in the buttonholes, and the technology for producing badges underwent changes.

Over the years, sleeve bands have been introduced and abolished as an additional element to buttonholes. stripes .

Many people get confused about military ranks; it’s all about changes in 391 orders.

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

Squares and rectangles defining military rank were colloquially called “kubari” or “cubes”, respectively, rectangles “sleepers”.

Diamonds and triangles had no slang names, with the exception of foreman, its four triangles were called "saw".

Artillery and armored troops used black buttonholes, but among tank commanders buttonholes were velvet. The emblem of artillerymen and motorists was introduced in the First World War, crossed cannons and winged wheels with a steering wheel for drivers. Both are still used today with minimal changes. The tankers have emblems in the form of miniature BT tanks. The chemists had two cylinders and a gas mask on their emblem. In March 1943 they were changed to hammer and wrench.

Regarding military ranks "of the 1935 model" The rank of “lieutenant colonel” is introduced for command personnel, and “senior battalion commissar” for military-political personnel.

On the buttonholes of the Army General there were five gilded stars, 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 receive the rank of army general.

The title of Marshal of the Soviet Union was established on September 22, 1935 by a resolution 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 distinctions were red buttonholes, a gold embroidered star, laurel branches and at their crosshairs a hammer and sickle, 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 marshal’s buttonholes.

The difference between the Marshal's buttonholes is clearly visible on Budyonny's uniforms. S.M on the left is the uniform of the 1936 model, and K.E. Voroshilov in a 1940 uniform

The first to be awarded the title of Marshal of the Soviet Union were Tukhachevsky, Voroshilov, Egorov, Budyonny and Blyukher.

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On January 6, 1943, shoulder straps were introduced in the USSR for personnel of the Soviet Army. Initially, shoulder straps had a practical meaning. With their help, the belt of the cartridge bag was held on. Therefore, at first there was only one shoulder strap, on the left shoulder, since the cartridge bag was worn on the right side. In most of the world's navies, shoulder straps were not used, and rank was indicated by stripes on the sleeve; sailors did not wear a cartridge bag. In Russia shoulder straps

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Even before the First World War, a uniform appeared in the Russian army, consisting of khaki trousers, a tunic shirt, an overcoat and boots. We have seen it more than once in films about the Civil and Great Patriotic Wars. Soviet uniform from World War II. Since then, several uniform reforms have been carried out, but they mainly affected only the dress uniform. The edgings, shoulder straps, and buttonholes in the uniforms changed, but the field uniform remained virtually unchanged.

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We continue to talk about the uniform of the Red Army. This publication will focus on the period 1943-1945, that is, the very height of the Great Patriotic War, and attention will be paid to the changes in the uniform of the Soviet soldier that occurred in 1943. An Air Force senior sergeant with his father, who is a major. Winter and summer uniforms, 1943 and later. The winter tunic looks neat and clean, the summer one looks dirty

Military uniforms, which include all items of uniform, equipment, and insignia established by the highest government bodies for personnel of the state’s armed forces, not only make it possible to determine the affiliation of military personnel to the types and branches of the military, but also to distinguish them by military rank. The uniform disciplines military personnel, unites them into a single military team, helps to improve their organization and strict performance of military duties.

Privates, junior command and command personnel.

*Red Army soldier,
*corporal,
*junior sergeant
*sergeant,
*senior sergeant
*sergeant major

The same order introduced new insignia for them, which they were ordered to switch to on January 1, 1941. Until this time, the junior command and command staff did not have personal ranks, but were named and wore insignia according to their positions.

Insignia in the form of triangles were placed on the buttonholes on the collar of the tunic and overcoat. The buttonholes on the tunic had the shape of a parallelogram 10 cm long. and height 3.25cm; on an overcoat in the shape of a rhombus with rounded concave upper sides with a buttonhole height of 11 cm, width of 8.5 cm..

*infantry - crimson, black;
*cavalry - blue, black;
*artillery - black, red;



*aviation - blue, black;

The ranks differed in the number of triangles.
1 triangle - junior sergeant;
2 triangles - sergeant;
3 triangles - senior sergeant;
4 triangles - sergeant major.

An equilateral triangle has a side of 1 cm. It was made of copper and covered with dark red enamel.
The rank of corporal was indicated by a scarlet stripe (the color is the same for all branches of the military). The same stripe remained on the sergeants' buttonholes. It, in combination with a red cloth triangle in the corner of the buttonhole, denoted not a corporal, but a cadet of a sergeant school or a specialist school.
The sergeant's buttonhole was edged with a narrow gold braid similar to the officer's, but unlike the officer's buttonhole, the braid did not go instead of a colored edging, but followed it.
Also, cut golden triangles were introduced into the corners of buttonholes for all ranks of private and junior command and command personnel, but they were issued before the war only in the Moscow, Leningrad districts and partially in the Kiev special district.
The buttonholes of cadets at officer schools were distinguished by the fact that the outer field of the buttonholes was red for all schools, the inner field, the color of the branch of service, was separated from the outer field by a narrow golden braid. The emblem of the school's military branch was placed on the inner field. The code for the abbreviated name of the school was also located there. Cadets of sergeant ranks wore triangles on their tunic buttonholes on the outer field just above the braid, and on their overcoat buttonholes in place of the encryption.

From left to right: 1- buttonholes of a Red Army artillery soldier (NKO No. 391 dated 2.11.40). 2- buttonholes of a cadet of the regimental sergeant school (NKO No. 87 dated 04/05/40) Here are the buttonholes of a cadet of the school of junior aviation specialists (SHMAS). 3- buttonholes of an artillery corporal (NKO No. 391 dated 2.11.40. 4- buttonholes of a junior artillery sergeant (NKO No. 391 dated 2.11.40). 5- buttonholes of an artillery sergeant (NKO No. 391 dated 2.11.40). 6- buttonholes of a cadet military school (NKO No. 87 dated 04/05/40). Here is the buttonhole of a cadet of the Kazan Tank School.

In addition to the insignia of rank in the buttonholes, it was determined to wear the emblems of the military branches established by order of the NKO of the USSR No. 33 of March 10, 1936. The emblems could be golden metal or stenciled with yellow paint.

By order of the NKO of the USSR No. 253 of August 1, 1941, the wearing of colored buttonholes and insignia for all categories of military personnel was abolished. It was ordered to switch to green khaki buttonholes, emblems and insignia. With the transition to protective buttonholes, the insignia of corporals were actually lost. However, during the war and the rapid increase in the size of the army, protective buttonholes and insignia were received mainly by military personnel mobilized from the reserves. In peacetime, a uniform with wartime insignia was prepared for them. The rest switched to new signs whenever possible. A number of military leaders opposed the transition to wartime insignia. For example, the commander of the 9th Mechanized Corps of the Kyiv Special Military District, Lieutenant General Rokossovsky K.K. By his order, he categorically forbade all commanders to change their insignia to field insignia, believing that the Red Army soldiers should see their commanders in battle.

Difficulties in supply led to the fact that the troops simultaneously encountered both those and other insignia in a variety of combinations (red triangles on field buttonholes, field triangles on colored buttonholes, etc.). This situation lasted until the army switched to shoulder straps in the winter-spring of 1943, and in the rear districts until mid-summer and even autumn of 1943.

Middle and senior command and control personnel.

The main insignia were squares (“cubes”, “kubari”) and rectangles (“sleepers”) in the buttonholes on the collar of the tunic and overcoat. The buttonholes on the tunic had the shape of a parallelogram 10 cm long. and height 3.25cm; on an overcoat in the shape of a rhombus with rounded concave upper sides with a buttonhole height of 11 cm, width of 8.5 cm.

The buttonholes of middle and senior command personnel did not have a colored edging, but were trimmed along the edge with narrow golden braid.

The buttonholes of middle and senior political, technical, administrative, veterinary personnel, and judicial authorities had, like those of the rank and file, a colored edging.

The color of the buttonhole field and the color of the buttonhole edging were determined by the branch of the military:
*infantry - crimson, black;
*cavalry - blue, black;
*artillery - black, red;
*armored troops - black velvet, red;
*technical troops - black, blue;
*chemical forces - black, black;
*aviation - blue, black;
*military economic, administrative, justice, military medical, military veterinary services - dark green, red.

In addition to the insignia of rank in the buttonholes, it was determined to wear the emblems of the military branches established by order of the NKO of the USSR No. 33 of March 10, 1936. The emblems were metallic golden in color.

Rank insignia on buttonholes:
A. Middle command and management personnel.

1 cube. Junior lieutenant, junior military technician.
2 cubes. Lieutenant, junior political instructor, military technician 2nd rank, quartermaster technician 2nd rank, military paramedic, junior military specialist.
3 cubes. Senior lieutenant, political instructor, military technician 1st rank, quartermaster technician 1st rank, senior military paramedic, military lawyer.

B. Senior command and control personnel.

1 sleeper. Captain, senior political instructor, military engineer, quartermaster, military doctor, senior military lawyer.
2 sleepers. Major, battalion commissar, military engineer 2nd rank, quartermaster 2nd rank, military doctor 2nd rank, military officer 2nd rank.
3 sleepers. Lieutenant Colonel, senior battalion commissar, military engineer 1st rank, quartermaster 1st rank, military doctor 1st rank, military officer 1st rank.
4 sleepers. Colonel, regimental commissar.

Middle and senior command staff, middle and senior political staff had additional insignia on their sleeves, but all political workers had the same ones, and commanders differed in rank.
From left to right: 1st junior lieutenant, 2nd lieutenant, 3rd lieutenant, 4th captain, 5th major and lieutenant colonel, 6th colonel.

Senior command and control personnel.

2 stars. Major General.
2-diamond. Divisional commissar, divisional engineer, divisional officer, divisional doctor, divisional veterinarian, divisional military lawyer.
3 stars. Lieutenant General.
3-diamond. Corps commissar, corn engineer, corintendent, correspondent doctor, corvette doctor, corvoen lawyer.
4 stars. Colonel General.
4-diamond. Army commissar 2nd rank, army engineer, army tendant, army doctor, army veterinarian, army lawyer.
5 stars. Army General.
4 diamonds and 1 golden star. Army commissar 1st rank.
1-large star with laurel branches. Marshal of the Soviet Union.

Insignia on the sleeves of senior command personnel.

Shoulder straps in the Red Army 1943, 1944, 1945

(using the example of artillery shoulder straps)

On January 6, 1943, the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Council (PVS) of the USSR “On the introduction of shoulder straps for the personnel of the Red Army” was signed, announced by NKO order No. 24 of January 10, 1943. Following this, on January 15, 1943, the USSR NKO order No. 25 “On the introduction of new insignia and changes in the uniform of the Red Army” (). In it, in particular, it was determined that field shoulder straps are worn by military personnel in the active army and personnel of units being prepared to be sent to the front. Everyday shoulder straps are worn by military personnel of other units and institutions, as well as when wearing dress uniforms. That is, in the Red Army there were two types of shoulder straps: field and everyday. Differences in shoulder straps were also introduced for command and command personnel (see the regulations on command and command personnel) so that the commander could be distinguished from the chief.

It was ordered to switch to the new insignia in the period from February 1 to February 15, 1943. Later, by order of the NKO of the USSR No. 80 dated February 14, 1943, this period was extended until March 15, 1943. By the beginning of the transition to summer uniforms, the Red Army was fully provided with new insignia.

In addition to the above-mentioned directive documents, later the Instruction of the Technical Committee of the Main Quartermaster Directorate of the Red Army (TK GIU KA) No. 732 01/08/1943 “Rules for the selection, attachment to uniforms and wearing of shoulder straps by Red Army personnel” was issued, as well as a whole range of technical specifications of the TC GIU KA. In addition, some technical documentation was adopted long before the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR. For example, the Temporary Technical Specifications (TTU) of the TC SIU KA No. 0725, which contained a description of the emblems and insignia (stars) on shoulder straps, were published on December 10, 1942.

The dimensions of the shoulder straps were established:

• Null– 13 cm (only for women’s uniforms)
• First– 14 cm.
• Second– 15 cm.
• Third- 16 cm.
  The width is 6 cm, and the width of the shoulder straps of officers of justice, medical, veterinary and administrative services is 4 cm. The length of the sewn-in shoulder straps was set to 1 cm longer for each size.
  The width of the general's shoulder straps is 6.5 cm. The width of the shoulder straps of the generals of the medical, veterinary services and the highest command. composition of the military-legal service - 4.5 cm. (in 1958, a single width for such shoulder straps was established for all generals of the Soviet Army - 6.5 cm.)

Types of field shoulder straps according to manufacturing method:

• Soft sewn shoulder straps( ) consisted of a field (top), lining (lining), lining and edging.
• Soft removable shoulder straps( ), in addition to the above parts, they had a semi-flap, a semi-flap lining and a jumper.
• Hard detachable shoulder straps( ) differed from soft ones in that during their manufacture, fabrics and shoulder straps were glued together with a paste consisting of 30% wheat flour and wood glue, as well as the presence of an additional lining made of electrical cardboard - pressed board, jacquard or calibrated, 0.5 - 1 mm thick .

— Coloring of field and everyday shoulder straps of the Red Army - .

— Military ranks of the USSR Armed Forces 1935-1945. (table of ranks) - .

Shoulder straps of junior command, command and rank and file of the Red Army
(privates, sergeants and sergeants)

FIELD EMAILS: The field of field shoulder straps was always khaki. The shoulder straps were edged (trimmed) along the edges, except for the bottom, with colored cloth edging according to the branches of the military or services. The stripes on the shoulder straps of junior command and command personnel were silk or semi-silk galloon. The patches were produced in various sizes: narrow (1 cm wide), medium (1.5 cm wide) and wide (3 cm wide). Junior command staff were entitled to burgundy-colored braid, and junior command staff were entitled to brown braid.

Ideally, the stripes should have been sewn onto shoulder straps in factories or in sewing workshops attached to military units. But often the servicemen themselves attached the stripes. In conditions of front-line shortages, stripes made from scrap materials were often used. It was common to use everyday (golden or silver) stripes on field shoulder straps and vice versa.

Field shoulder straps were supposed to be worn without emblems of military branches and stencils. On the shoulder straps there were uniform 20-mm iron buttons of a khaki color with a star in the center of which was a hammer and sickle.

This type of shoulder straps existed until December 1955, when double-sided shoulder straps were introduced. In the period from 1943 to 1955, the technology for manufacturing these shoulder straps changed several times. In particular, in 1947 and 1953 (TU 1947 and TU 1953)

Field shoulder straps of junior command personnel using the example of a senior artillery sergeant. The patch (galloon) is sewn on at the factory using a sewing machine. Iron buttons of khaki color.

EVERYDAY EMAILS: Everyday shoulder straps of junior commanders, junior commanders and enlisted personnel were edged (trimmed) along the edges, except for the bottom, with colored cloth edging, and also had a field of colored cloth according to the branch of service. The stripes on the shoulder straps of junior command and command personnel were silk or semi-silk galloon. The patches were produced in various sizes: narrow (1 cm wide), medium (1.5 cm wide) and wide (3 cm wide). The junior command staff was entitled to a golden-yellow galloon, and the junior command staff – silver.

Everyday shoulder straps had golden emblems for the branch of service and yellow stencils indicating the unit (formation). It is worth noting that stencils were used extremely rarely.

On the shoulder straps there were shaped golden brass 20-mm buttons with a star, in the center of which was a hammer and sickle.

This type of shoulder straps existed until December 1955, when double-sided shoulder straps were introduced. In the period from 1943 to 1955, the technology for manufacturing these shoulder straps changed several times. In particular in 1947 and 1953. In addition, since 1947, encryption was no longer applied to everyday shoulder straps.

Everyday shoulder straps of junior command personnel using the example of a senior artillery sergeant. The patch (braid) is sewn on by the soldier himself. There are no encryptions, as on most shoulder straps. Buttons: top is brass (respectively yellow-golden color), bottom is iron.

Shoulder straps of senior and middle command and command personnel of the Red Army
(officers)

FIELD EMAILS: The field of field shoulder straps was always khaki. The shoulder straps were edged (trimmed) along the edges, except the bottom, with colored cloth edging. On the shoulder strap, one or two gaps were sewn in burgundy color for the command staff and brown for the command staff. In accordance with the assigned military rank, belonging to a branch of the military or service, insignia were placed on the shoulder straps.

The shoulder straps of the middle command personnel have one gap and silver-plated metal 13-mm stars.

The shoulder straps of senior officers have two gaps and silver-plated metal 20-mm stars.

On the shoulder straps of the command personnel, in addition to the infantry command personnel, silver-plated emblems were installed according to the branch of the army and service.

On the shoulder straps there are uniform 20-mm metal buttons of a khaki color with a star in the center of which is a hammer and sickle.

Field shoulder straps of middle command personnel using the example of ml. artillery lieutenant. The star denoting rank must be silver. In this case, the silver plating has worn off.

EVERYDAY EMAILS: The field of shoulder straps for command personnel is made of golden silk or golden braid. The shoulder straps of the engineering and command staff, commissary, medical, veterinary, military-legal and administrative services are made of silver silk or silver braid. The shoulder straps were edged (trimmed) along the edges, except the bottom, with colored cloth edging. In accordance with the assigned military rank, belonging to a branch of the military or service, insignia were placed on the shoulder straps.

The shoulder straps of the middle command personnel have one gap and 13-mm gold metal stars.

The shoulder straps of the senior command staff have two gaps and 20-mm gold metal stars.

On the shoulder straps of the command personnel, in addition to the infantry command personnel, golden emblems were installed according to the branch of the army and service.

The emblems and stars on the shoulder straps of the engineering and command personnel, quartermaster, administrative and medical services are gold plated. On the shoulder straps of military veterinary personnel, the stars are gold-plated, the emblems are silver-plated.

On the shoulder straps there are uniform golden 20-mm buttons with a star, in the center of which is a hammer and sickle.

The shoulder straps and insignia of the middle and senior command staff of the military legal service fully corresponded to the shoulder straps and insignia of the senior and middle command staff of the medical and veterinary services, but with their own emblems.

The shoulder straps of the military administrative personnel were exactly the same as the shoulder straps for the senior and mid-level command staff of the medical and veterinary services, but without emblems.

These shoulder straps existed until the end of 1946, when the technical conditions of the Technical Specifications of the State Military Institution No. 1486 dated October 9, 1946 for officers of the Armed Forces established shoulder straps with a cut off corner, i.e. shoulder straps became hexagonal.

Everyday shoulder straps of middle command personnel using the example of an artillery captain's shoulder straps. The button should be golden.

Shoulder straps of the Red Army senior command staff
(generals, marshals)

FIELD EMAILS: A field of shoulder straps made of specially woven silk braid on a cloth lining. The color of the shoulder straps is protective. Color of shoulder straps: generals, artillery generals, tank troops, medical and veterinary services, senior commanders. composition of the military legal service - red; aviation generals - blue; generals of technical troops and quartermaster service - crimson.

The stars on the shoulder straps were embroidered in silver, 22 mm in size. On the shoulder straps of generals of the medical and veterinary services and the highest command. members of the military legal service - gold, size 20 mm. The buttons on the shoulder straps with the coat of arms are gilded. On the uniforms of generals there is honey. services – gilded metal emblems; there is a breeze on the generals' uniforms. services - the same emblems, but silvered; on uniform of the highest beginning. members of the Supreme Legal Service - gilded metal emblems.

By order of the NKO of the USSR No. 79 dated February 14, 1943, shoulder straps were installed, including. and for the highest engineering and technical personnel of the signal troops, engineering, chemical, railway, topographic troops - to the generals of the engineering and technical service, according to the model established for the generals of the technical troops. From this order the highest beginning. The composition of the military legal service began to be called generals of justice.

EVERYDAY EMAPOLDS: Field of shoulder straps made of braid of a special weave: made of gold wire. And for generals of medical and veterinary services, the highest level. members of the military legal service - made of silver wire. Color of shoulder straps: generals, artillery generals, tank troops, medical and veterinary services, senior commanders. composition of the military legal service - red; aviation generals - blue; generals of technical troops and quartermaster service - crimson.

The stars on the shoulder straps were embroidered on a gold field - in silver, on a silver field - in gold. The buttons on the shoulder straps with the coat of arms are gilded. On the uniforms of generals there is honey. services – gilded metal emblems; there is a breeze on the generals' uniforms. services - the same emblems, but silvered; on uniform of the highest beginning. members of the Supreme Legal Service - gilded metal emblems.

By order of the NKO of the USSR No. 61 dated February 8, 1943, silver emblems were installed for artillery generals to wear on their shoulder straps.

By order of the NKO of the USSR No. 79 dated February 14, 1943, shoulder straps were installed, including. and for the highest engineering and technical personnel of the signal troops, engineering, chemical, railway, topographic troops - to the generals of the engineering and technical service, according to the model established for the generals of the technical troops. Probably from this order the highest beginning. The composition of the military legal service began to be called generals of justice.

These shoulder straps existed without fundamental changes until 1962, when by order of the USSR Ministry of Defense No. 127 of May 12, sewn shoulder straps with a steel-colored field were installed on the ceremonial overcoats of generals.

An example of everyday and field shoulder straps of generals. Since 02/08/1943, artillery generals additionally had artillery emblems on their shoulder straps.

Literature:

• Uniforms and insignia of the Red Army 1918-1945. AIM, Leningrad 1960
• Shoulder straps of the Soviet Army 1943-1991. Evgeniy Drig.
• Color chart for field and everyday shoulder straps of the Red Army ()
• Newspaper "Red Star" dated January 7, 1943 ()
• Article by Alexander Sorokin “Field shoulder straps of soldiers, sergeants and officers of the Red Army, model 1943”
• Website - http://www.rkka.ru

article code: 98653

NOTES

Beginning composition in the ranks of military engineer 1st rank, quartermaster 1st rank, military doctor 1st rank, military lawyer 1st rank, as they wore three sleepers in their buttonholes until 1940, they remained with three sleepers. In fact, nothing has changed at all, because... they were previously considered a step below the colonel. But if previously they had as many sleepers on their buttonholes as the colonel, now it turned out that they had all been demoted in rank. There were a lot of grievances, to the point that many of them arbitrarily attached the fourth sleeper.

The regimental commissars were pleased, because they now wore four sleepers and this distinguished them from quartermasters, engineers, and military doctors of the regimental level, that is, their higher status, equal to the regimental commander, was clearly emphasized. But the battalion commissars were dissatisfied (especially those who were about to be awarded another rank) due to the fact that another one was wedged between their rank and the coveted rank of regimental commissar.

Middle and senior command personnel, middle and senior political personnel had additional insignia on their sleeves. The command staff wore various triangular braids that differed by rank. All political workers had the same ones in the form of a sewn-on star. The middle and senior commanding staff (lawyers, doctors, veterinarians, quartermasters, administrative staff, technical staff) did not have any marks on their sleeves.

Although wearing emblems of military branches in buttonholes was mandatory (except for political workers), there were significant difficulties in their production and supply of troops. Expensive red copper was used for the emblems; emblems were stamped on machines, and there were not enough such machines in the country. Sewing emblems from golden thread was prohibited. Therefore, the overwhelming majority of Red Army soldiers and sergeants, and a significant part of the officers, did not have emblems in their buttonholes at all. To combat the shortage of insignia, they began to use cheaper materials for their production. But even these measures could not significantly correct the shortage of insignia.

By the decision of the State Defense Committee of October 9, 1942, the system of military commissars was eliminated in the army and navy, and all of them were assigned command ranks.
Moreover, titles are assigned one step lower. For example, if previously a junior political instructor was equal to a lieutenant, then he was given a new rank - junior lieutenant. The number of political positions was sharply reduced. Some of yesterday's political instructors and commissars were appointed deputy commanders for political affairs (from company and above), some were transferred to command positions. If previously a political instructor or commissar enjoyed equal power with the commander in a unit or unit, now they have become deputy commanders.

It is difficult to imagine the ocean of resentment among political workers over this decision of the State Defense Committee.
The wartime situation and the increased role of the Special Departments (NKVD) kept them from open discontent. Many of them had to change the comfortable position of a commander who is not responsible for anything, but an all-powerful commander, to the bitter fate of a commander responsible for everything and everyone; others had to come to terms with the fate of the second person in a regiment, battalion, company; places of an equal, or even superior, commander to the place of a subordinate. It is much easier to imagine the relief of commanders who have lost the obligation to constantly look back at the opinion of the commissar and are obliged to coordinate every step with him. Previously, you had to decide together and answer alone, but now you decide it yourself and answer it yourself.