Ranks of the Soviet armed forces 1918–1935

First distinction badge of the Soviet armed forces from August 1918, here ranks soldiers / teams “Red Guard” and “Tamaner Army”.

In the period from 1918 to 1935 , the political elites of the young Soviet Union put all ideas of bourgeois military science under general suspicion of counterrevolution . Among other things, the Russian tradition of using epaulettes and shoulder pieces as badges of distinction was rigorously broken.

First distinction badge

In the initial period of the October Revolution , newly formed and regrouped units of the old Russian Imperial Army were used. Outward signs were new names and the abolition of shoulder pieces and epaulettes as distinctive badges for all ranks and ranks.

The first all-encompassing unit rank designation in the entire area of ​​the Red Army was Red Army ( Russian Красноармеец Krasnoarmeez ), which was completely inadequate for the entire area of ​​the army. Since there was no alternative to immediate solutions, unofficial names such as “Roter Kommandeur or Heerführer” (ru: Kraskom) soon emerged, from which “KomandArme” and the later rank designations KomandArm I and KomandArm II emerged. Brigade commanders received the personal ranks KomBrig and division commanders KomDiw . Since there were no precisely defined badges of distinction, the red ribbons, cap ribbons, chevrons and Soviet stars that were worn in the Red Guard associations were used. The distinction badges to be used were decreed in 1920.

Red Star

The first official emblem, as a sign of membership of the Red Army, was introduced in April 1918 in the form of a chest badge (red fabric bow and oak leaf branch, in the middle a star with a plow and hammer). From the summer of the same year the cap cockade was arranged in the form of a five-pointed star with a hammer and plow in the center. At times, two beams pointed upwards before the uniform way of wearing, two beams towards 6 o'clock, one beam towards 12 o'clock, had prevailed. With order number 953 and order 1691 of the “Revolutionary Military Council” of the Red Army, the shape and manner of wearing the cap's cockade in the form of a star were ordered.

designation	Chest badge & cap cockade of the Red Army from April 1922
designation	Chest badge, Soviet star (with plow & hammer in the center)	Star cockade headgear	Badge according to order № 953 (dated April 13, 1922)	Badge according to order № 1691 (dated July 11, 1922)

Distinction badge, rank and uniform

By order of April 25, 1918 from the People's Commissariat for Defense, a temporary committee was set up to work out proposals for uniforms for the so-called “Red Guard”.

The All-Russian Central Executive Committee approved the proposals on November 29, 1918 and also had the following rankings:

Distinction badge in command of the Red Army according to the order of RMR № 116 of January 16, 1919.

• Red Army soldier (original name Krasnoarmeez)
• Sub-unit leaders (Komandir otdelenija - in short Komot / Otdeljonnyi komandir [Fig. 1])
• Assistant / Deputy Platoon Leader (Pomostschnik komandira wswoda - short: Pomkomwswoda [Fig. 2])
• Company sergeant (Starschina roty), battery sergeant (Starschina baterei), squadron sergeant (Starschina eskadrony) or Sotni [Fig. 3]
• Platoon leader (Komandir wswoda - short: Komwswoda [Fig. 4])
• Assistant company commander (Pomostschik komandira roty - short: Pomkomroty), assistant squadron chief (Pomostschik komandira eskadrony - short: Pomkomesk) initially only as a service position
• Company commander (Komandir roty - short: Komroty), squadron chief (Komandir eskadrony - short: Komesk [Fig. 5])
• Assistant battalion commander (Pomostschik komadira bataljona - short: Pomkombat) initially only as a service position
• Battalion commander (Komandir bataljona - short: Kombat [Fig. 6])
• Regimental commander (Komandir polka - short: Kompolka [Fig. 7])
• Brigade commander (Komandir brigady - short: Kombrig [Fig. 8])
• Divisional commander or head of division (Natschalnik diwisii - short: Natschdiw [Fig. 9])
• Corps commander (Komandir korpusa - short: Komkor) initially only as a service position
• Army commander (Komandujuschtschi armii - short: Komdarm [Fig. 10])
• Front commander (Komandujuschtschi fronta - short: Komfronta [Fig. 11])

On December 18, 1918, the “Revolutionary Military Council” confirmed the uniform proposals, including three different headgear and different distinctive badges to identify the relevant position. The official confirmation took place on January 16, 1919 with order number 116 of the "Revolutionary Military Council" (see Fig. 1 to 11).

Distinction badges and ranks 1924 to 1935

Rank group	Nations dimensional Cate- gory	Name of the service position			Collar badge army (infantry)	Sleeves badge Seekriegs- fleet
		in the army (according to command RMS USSR № 807 of June 20, 1924)	in the air force	in the naval war fleet
Teams	No	Red Army soldier	Red aviator	Red sailor
simple career	K1	Squad leader (командир звена, komandir swena)	Auxiliary machinist (младший моторист, mladschi motorist)	Group leader (командир группы, komandir gruppy)
				Assistant sub-unit leader (помощник командира отделения, pomoschtschnik komandira otdelenija)
		Sub-unit leader		Sub-unit leader Boatswain
	K2	Assistant platoon leader (помощник командира звода, pomoschtschnik komandira swoda)	machinist	Deputy Head of Combat Section Captain
		Starschina Company (старшина роты, Starschina Roty)	Chief machinist	Starschina combat sector Chief Boatswain
Medium career	K3	Platoon leader (командир звода, komandir swoda)
	K4	Assistant company commander, battery, squadron Independent train driver	Sub-pilot	Assistant Watch Officer
	K5	Company commander, battery, squadron Political leader of the company, battery, squadron	Chain commander	Ship commander 4th class Senior assistant ship commander 3rd class and equivalent
	K6	Commander's assistant or political leader battalion, department, squadron Chief independent company	Commander flying group	Ship commander 3rd class Senior assistant ship commander 2nd class and equivalent
Higher career	K7	Battalion commander, department commander War Commissioner Battalion, Department	Squadron commander	2nd class ship commander
	K8	Assistant regimental commander Commander of an independent battalion / independent division	Squadron commander of an independent air force	First assistant ship commander 1st class and assimilated
	K9	Regimental commander	Commander of the air park / air base	Ship commander 1st class and assimilated
Top use	K10	Brigade commander Assistant Division Commander	Commander Fliegerstaffel	Commander naval brigade / ship brigade
	K11	Division commander	Commander of the Air Brigade	Commander ship squadron
	K12	Corps commander Assistant army commanders and equals	no equivalent	Commander Flotilla
	K13	Assistant Commander Military District	Assistant Commander Air Force of the Red Army	Commander in Chief of the Navy, Commander in Chief of the Naval Forces of the USSR
	K14	Commander of a military district, army or front Member of the "Revolutionary Military Council" district	Commander Air Force of the Red Army	no equivalent		not provided

See also

• Ranks of the Russian armed forces until 1917
• Ranks of the Soviet armed forces 1935–1940
• Ranks of the Soviet armed forces 1940–1943
• Ranks of the Soviet armed forces 1943–1955
• Ranks of the Soviet Armed Forces 1955–1992
• Ranks of the Russian Armed Forces

Individual evidence

1. ^ Order number 953 of the " Revolutionary Military Council " of the Red Army of April 13, 1922 on the shape and design of the cap cockade of the "Red Workers 'and Peasants' Army".
2. ^ Order number 1691 of the "Revolutionary Military Council" of the Red Army of July 11, 1922 on the new shape and design of the cap cockade of the "Red Workers 'and Peasants' Army".
3. ↑ Order of April 25, 1918 by the People's Commissariat for Defense to form a temporary committee to work out proposals for uniforms for the so-called “Red Guard”.
4. ^ Decision of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee of November 29, 1918 ... to approve the proposals regarding uniforms for the so-called "Red Guard" ... and the determination of rankings.
5. ^ Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR); Red Workers and Peasants Army (RABA); Badge of rank land forces 1924-1935 according to the order of the Revolutionary Military Council of the USSR No. 1244 of October 2, 1924, here small collar tabs (raspberry-colored with black border) for uniform blouse (infantry and other army units and facilities).