We wrote about the Russian troops on the allied fronts during the First World War (see Russian troops on the allied fronts). Now let's take a look at some of the brigade commanders of the Special Infantry Brigades who found themselves on the French and Macedonian fronts.
N. A. Lokhvitsky
One of them was Nikolai Alexandrovich Lokhvitsky (07.10.1868 - 05.11.1933.). He came from the nobility of the St. Petersburg province, was the son of a sworn attorney. After graduating from the 4th Moscow Cadet Corps (1887), he entered the service on 01.09.1887. He graduated from the 2nd Military Constantine School (1889) and was released as a second lieutenant in the 105th Orenburg Infantry Regiment.
And then (Article 10. 08. 1889) he was transferred with the rank of second lieutenant of the Guard to the Izmailovsky Life Guards regiment.
Head-captain (art. 06.12.1896) N. A. Lokhvitsky graduated from the Nikolaev Academy of the General Staff (1900).
Captain (Art. 06.12.1900) N. A. Lokhvitsky commanded a company of the 1st Pavlovsk Military School for almost 4 years.
N. A. Lokhvitsky - participant of the Russo-Japanese War of 1904 - 1905. On 01.01.1909, Colonel (Art. 06.12.1906) N. A. Lokhvitsky served in the 145th Novocherkassk Infantry Regiment.
Promotional video:
He went to the First World War as the commander of the 95th Krasnoyarsk Infantry Regiment (in the rank of colonel he commanded it during the period 30.05.1912 - 11. 02.1915). For military distinction he is awarded the Order of St. George, 4th degree (VP 09.06.1915) and St. George's weapon (VP 09.06.1915).
Major General (pr.11.02.1915; Art.22.11.1914 for distinction) N. A. Lokhvitsky - commander of the same regiment (11.02.03.04.1915), and then commanded brigades - in the 25th (03.04. - 08.05.1915) and in the 24th infantry divisions.
In 1916, as the commander of the Special (since May 1917 - the 1st Special) infantry brigade, directed to the French front, he landed in Marseille.
The 1st Special Infantry Brigade of the French 4th Army fought in Champagne - which was an unpleasant surprise for the Germans.
Russian units regularly carried out searches, raids by hunters, destroyed firing points and posts, participated in attacks and counterattacks, and repelled enemy advances. On September 26, 1916, the valor of the soldiers of the brigade of N. A. Lokhvitsky was reflected in the orders of the army commander and the commander-in-chief.
During the Offensive of R. Nivelle in April 1917, the 1st brigade performed a shock combat mission, operating in the sector of the village of Kursi. On the very first day of the offensive, April 16, she overfulfilled her combat mission - knocking the enemy out of fortified positions north of Kursi and acting much more successfully than the neighboring French units. The brigade was awarded the Military Cross and was mentioned in the orders of the French command.
During the battles for Kursi, N. A. Lokhvitsky was twice shell-shocked. The general becomes a Knight of the Order of St. George 3rd Class and the Commander's Cross of the Order of the Legion of Honor.
From 06.1917 N. A. Lokhvitsky - commander of the 1st Special Infantry Division, which included all Russian troops (1st and 3rd Special Infantry Brigades) in France.
Promoted to lieutenant general with the approval of the division chief.
Until July 1918, N. A. Lokhvitsky commanded the Russian military base in Laval, actively involved in the creation of the Russian Legion. The latter fought to the bitter end, solemnly carrying the Russian banner under the Arc de Triomphe during the Victory Parade.
The Russian Legion (Legion of Honor) (maximum composition - 51 officers and 1625 lower ranks) distinguished itself during the 1918 campaign of the year - when repelling the Great German offensive (operating near Soissons), and then breaking through the Hindenburg line. So, in battles 2 - 16.09.1918, the Legion of Honor attacked in the vanguard of the famous Moroccan division, and then advanced to the Rhine.
In April 1919 N. A. Lokhvitsky left for the north of Russia and then moved to the east.
He was assigned to the headquarters of the army of the Supreme Ruler of Russia Admiral A. V. Kolchak, then (April - June 1919) he commanded the 3rd Ural Mountain Corps, 1st and, after reorganization (from July 1919) - 2 1st armies (through August 1919).
He was seconded to Irkutsk to negotiate with the ataman G. M. Semenov, was the commander of the Far Eastern Army (27.04.2020 - 22.08.2020), and in August - December 1920 - chief of staff of the commander in chief.
In October 1920 (on the basis of disagreement with the actions of the ataman) withdrew from the subordination of G. M. Semenov with part of the troops, recognizing the only commander-in-chief of the Russian armed forces, the commander of the Russian army, General P. N. Wrangel.
Returning to Europe, from 1923 he lived in Paris - being the chairman of the Society of Monarchists-Legitimists, the Council for Military and Naval Affairs under the Grand Duke Kirill Vladimirovich. He also served on the Military History Commission of the French Ministry of War. In Paris and died, being buried at Sainte-Genevieve de Bois.
N. A. Lokhvitsky is a holder of a number of awards, including: Orders of St. Stanislav of the 2nd and 1st (with swords) degrees, St. Anna of the 2nd and 1st (with swords) degrees, St. Vladimir 4 1st (with swords and bow), 3rd (with swords) degrees, St. Stanislav 1st degree with swords, St. George 4th and 3rd degrees, as well as St. George's weapons.
V. V. Marushevsky
Another brigade commander was Vladimir Vladimirovich Marushevsky (12.07.1874 - 24.02.1951), a native of Peterhof, from the nobility of the Petersburg province.
Educated at the St. Petersburg gymnasium, 01.10.1893 entered the service. After graduating from the Nikolaev engineering school (1896), he was released as a second lieutenant (article 12.08.1896) in the 1st sapper battalion. Officer of the 18th Sapper Battalion. Lieutenant (Article 08.08.1898).
Graduated from the Nikolaev Academy of the General Staff (1902, 1 grade each), staff captain (Art. 28.05. 1902).
V. V. Marushevsky was a participant in the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905. In February - December 1904, he was a chief officer for special assignments at the headquarters of the 4th Siberian Army Corps. And then Captain V. V. Marushevsky - Assistant to the Senior Adjutant of the Quartermaster General of the 1st Manchurian Army (up to August 1905) and the I. D. of the Senior Adjutant of the Office of the Quartermaster General of the 1st Manchurian Army (up to December 1905) …
From 08.12.1905 to 28.01.1908 V. V. Marushevsky - assistant to the senior adjutant of the Guard Troops and the St. Petersburg Military District - Headquarters officer for assignments at the headquarters of the same district. Then Lieutenant Colonel (Article 13. 04. 1908) V. V. Marushevsky was the senior adjutant of the district headquarters.
As Chief of Staff of the 2nd Finnish Rifle Brigade (in the period 06.12.1913 - 23.06.1915) Colonel V. V. Marushevsky for the distinction of his formation in the First August operation of 1914 (battles on September 13-16 under Augustov and September 17 - 19 near Olshanskaya) becomes a Knight of the Order of St. George, 4th degree (V. P. 21.03.1915).
As the commander of the 7th Finnish Infantry Regiment (from 23.06.1915) - a participant in hostilities on the Dniester front.
Major General (pr. 03.02.1916, st. 05.12.1915) V. V. Marushevsky - Commander of the 3rd Special Infantry Brigade, directed to the French front. The brigade withstood the German gas attack. In April 1917 she took part in the Offensive of R. Nivelle. The 3rd brigade was brought into battle at the final stage of the offensive - having completed the combat mission, it broke through the enemy's defenses and repelled all the counterattacks of the latter. And she earned the same collective combat distinctions as the 1st brigade.
In mid-1917, V. V. Marushevsky was recalled to Russia and enlisted in the reserve ranks at the headquarters of the Petrograd military district.
From 26.09.1917 V. V. Marushevsky - id. Chief of the General Staff. 20. 11. 1917 he was arrested by order of the Council of People's Commissars (together with NN Dukhonin) for "sabotage" in the truce with Germany and imprisoned in "Kresty".
01.12.1917 he was released and fled to Finland (then in August of the next year he moved to Stockholm).
19. 11. 1918, at the invitation of the allied military missions, arrived in Arkhangelsk, becoming the commander of the troops of the Northern region, as well as taking on a number of posts (including a member of the Provisional Government of the Northern Region and Governor-General). Under his leadership, the Northern Army (about 20,000 people) was formed, which participated in hostilities with the Red Army.
Lieutenant General (from 30.05.1919) V. V. Marushevsky 10.06.1919 was sent to Finland for negotiations with K. Mannerheim. 06. (19). 08. 1919 he retired from the post of commander, and 23. 08. (05. 09.) 1919 left for Sweden.
Was the representative of P. N. Wrangel in Hungary.
In 1921 V. V. Marushevsky left for France, then moved to Yugoslavia. He was Assistant Attaché of the French Embassy in Zagreb, a member of the Union of Russian Writers and Journalists of Yugoslavia. After becoming a French citizen (in 1935), he died in Zagreb.
Chevalier of a number of awards, including the Russian Orders of St. Stanislav (3rd with swords and a bow, 2nd with swords, 1st with swords of degrees), St. Anne (4th, 3rd with swords and bow, 2nd with swords, 1st with swords of degrees), St. Vladimir (4th with swords and bow, 3rd with swords of degrees), St. George 4th degree, White Eagle with swords, French orders of the Commander's Cross with 2 palm branches and the Military Cross with 2 palm branches, as well as the Golden Weapon.
People with a difficult fate, participants in the First World War and the Civil War, were outstanding commanders of the Russian imperial army and prominent figures in the Civil War in Russia.
Author: Oleinikov Alexey
