Czech Legion

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Prit
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Czech Legion

#1

Post by Prit » 10 Jun 2004, 08:04

I discovered yesterday that the great-uncle of one of my colleagues died in/near Archangel in 1919. While helping my colleague find suitable websites, I came across the remarkable story of the Czech Legion in Russia, and its confused role in the civil war. Can anyone point me at any good books about this extraordinary unit?

Prit

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USAF1986
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#2

Post by USAF1986 » 11 Jun 2004, 02:10

Hello! There is an excellent article in the Winter 2001 issue of MHQ: The Quarterly Journal of Military History titled “The Czech Legion’s Long Journey Home” by Edgar Chen and Emily Van Buskirk (pp. 42-53). I highly recommend it.

Best regards,
Shawn


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#3

Post by jirka vrba » 20 Jun 2004, 01:13

Hi,
I´m from Czech Republic, and Czech Legion in Russia is my hobby -
You can try to ask me about anything 8)

George

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#4

Post by josef » 20 Jun 2004, 04:41

jirka vrba wrote:Hi,
I´m from Czech Republic, and Czech Legion in Russia is my hobby -
You can try to ask me about anything 8)

George
Ahoj Jiri! Jak se mate? My family come from the Czech Republic, I visit there a couple times a year. Have to say it is a beautiful land with wonderful people and beer!! (Sorry off topic). I do not know much about the Czechoslovak Legion, but my Uncle flew with the 311 RAF in WW2. Nice to see your post!
Joe

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#5

Post by jirka vrba » 20 Jun 2004, 20:55

Ahoj Josefe :D
Děkuji, mám se dobře a ty -> I´m fine, Thank you. And you.
When I was young, I red books about 311 -I love it - I is my youth ...


and about Czechoslovak legion ->

Order of battle

1914 -1916
Česká družina(Czech ?Detachment?) - cca baon

1916 -1917
Czechoslovak Rifle Rgt

1917
Czechslovak Rifle Brg
-1. Rifle Rgt
-2. Rifle Rgt
-3. Rifle Rgt

1917 - 1918
Czechoslovak Army Corps
-I. Division
--1. Rifle Rgt
--2. Rifle Rgt
--3. Rifle Rgt
--4. Rifle Rgt
-II. Division
--5. Rifle Rgt
--6. Rifle Rgt
--7. Rifle Rgt
--8. Rifle Rgt
+ another corps units

1918 -1920
Czechoslovak Army in Russia
-I. Division
--1. Rifle Rgt
--2. Rifle Rgt
--3. Rifle Rgt
--4. Rifle Rgt
-II. Division
--5. Rifle Rgt
--6. Rifle Rgt
--7. Rifle Rgt
--8. Rifle Rgt
-III. Division
--9. Rifle Rgt
--10. Rifle Rgt
--11. Rifle Rgt
--12. Rifle Rgt
-1. assault baon
-1. Light Artillery Rgt
-2. Light Artillery Rgt
-3. Light Artillery Rgt
-1. Heavy Artillery Detachment
-2. Heavy Artillery Detachment
-3. Heavy Artillery Detachment
-1. Cav. Rgt
-2. Cav. Rgt
+ another army units
Last edited by jirka vrba on 20 Jun 2004, 20:58, edited 1 time in total.

jirka vrba
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#6

Post by jirka vrba » 20 Jun 2004, 20:57

... and my creation :oops:
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jirka vrba
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#7

Post by jirka vrba » 20 Jun 2004, 21:01

flag of 8th regiment
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Karri
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#8

Post by Karri » 20 Jun 2004, 21:01

How many of them did they evacuate and how many died in the war?

jirka vrba
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#9

Post by jirka vrba » 20 Jun 2004, 21:06

... and flag of 9th regiment
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jirka vrba
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#10

Post by jirka vrba » 20 Jun 2004, 21:12

artillery car of Czechoslovak armored train "Orlik"
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jirka vrba
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#11

Post by jirka vrba » 21 Jun 2004, 00:17

Situation on Volga and Ural front - August 1918
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jirka vrba
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#12

Post by jirka vrba » 23 Jun 2004, 09:38

When Czechoslovak Corps strarted fights (26/5/1918), it was dispersted along railway.
Units were divided like this:

1-Samara (or Volga, or West)Group - lt. Čeček
1.Rgt - 2800
4.Rgt - 3500
1.Res. Rgt - 1300
1.Art Brg - 200

2-Tchelyabinsk group - col. Vojcechovskij
2. Rgt - 2500
3. Rgt - 2800
II., III./6.Rgt - 2000
-lt. Syrový (east part of Group)
kurgan baon - 1000
2 trains of 6. Rgt
2 trains of 2. Rgt
3. assault company - 200

3-East Group - capt. Gajda (Omsk - Irkutsk)
parts of 7. Rgt - 1600
I./6.Rgt - 680
2. Art. Brg - 500
-col. Ušakov
3 companies of assault baon - 300
I./2.Res. Rgt - 400
other - 350

4-Vladivostok Group - gen. Diterichs
5. Rgt - 4679
3., 4., 6., 9., 12./7. Rgt - 1598
8. Rgt - 3928
parts of 2. Res. Rgt. - 1685
other ...

jirka vrba
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#13

Post by jirka vrba » 23 Jun 2004, 10:00

karri - Sorry, I did not take notice of your replay - it is too small between my pictures :D

Till 1920 were evacuated (by 42 ship transtprts):
72 644 presons - 3004 officers, 53 455 soldiers, 4 914 invalids, 1 726 women, 717 children

losts:
3 652 deads, 739 missings

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Klemen L.
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#14

Post by Klemen L. » 25 Jun 2004, 18:27

Till 1920 were evacuated (by 42 ship transtprts): 72 644 presons - 3004 officers, 53 455 soldiers, 4 914 invalids, 1 726 women, 717 children
Ahoj Jirka! I am somewhat suprised by a considerable large number of women and children evacuated with the Czechoslovakian Corps from Russia in 1918-1920. I don't recall here that there would be living any substantial Czech or Slovakian minorities in Imperial Russia before the war, so I presume that we are here talking about mostly about Russian spouses and their children, eh? :roll: I have read recently memoire of a Croatian officer from IR 6 who was captured in Eastern Galicia in late 1914 and travelled home via Vladivostok, Hong-Kong, Singapore, Ceylon, Suez and Dubrovnik. Quite a journey he had, hehe.. :)

lp,

Klemen

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AJK
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#15

Post by AJK » 25 Jun 2004, 18:53

Hi Jirka,

Do you have a list of Czech Legion officers who went on to become Generals in the post-WWI Czechoslovak Army? I know the Group commanders you listed (Čeček. Vojcechovskij and Gajda) all became Generals, but who else did?

Thanks in advance,

AJK

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