Russian Expeditionary Force In France
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The Russian Expeditionary Force EF(french: Corps Expéditionnaire Russe en France, russian: Экспедиционный корпус Русской армии во Франции и Греции) was a World War I
military A military, also known collectively as armed forces, is a heavily armed, highly organized force primarily intended for warfare. It is typically authorized and maintained by a sovereign state, with its members identifiable by their distinct ...
force sent to
France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
and
Greece Greece,, or , romanized: ', officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the southern tip of the Balkans, and is located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Greece shares land borders with ...
by the
Russian Empire The Russian Empire was an empire and the final period of the Russian monarchy from 1721 to 1917, ruling across large parts of Eurasia. It succeeded the Tsardom of Russia following the Treaty of Nystad, which ended the Great Northern War. ...
. In 1915 the French requested that Russian troops be sent to fight alongside their own army on the Western Front. Initially they asked for 300,000 men, an unrealistically high figure, probably based on assumptions about Russia's 'unlimited'
reserve Reserve or reserves may refer to: Places * Reserve, Kansas, a US city * Reserve, Louisiana, a census-designated place in St. John the Baptist Parish * Reserve, Montana, a census-designated place in Sheridan County * Reserve, New Mexico, a US vi ...
s. General
Mikhail Alekseev Mikhail Vasilyevich Alekseyev (russian: Михаил Васильевич Алексеев) ( – ) was an Imperial Russian Army general during World War I and the Russian Civil War. Between 1915 and 1917 he served as Tsar Nicholas II's Chi ...
, the Imperial Chief of Staff, was opposed to sending any Russian troops, although
Nicholas II Nicholas II or Nikolai II Alexandrovich Romanov; spelled in pre-revolutionary script. ( 186817 July 1918), known in the Russian Orthodox Church as Saint Nicholas the Passion-Bearer,. was the last Emperor of Russia, King of Congress Pola ...
finally agreed to send a unit of
brigade A brigade is a major tactical military formation that typically comprises three to six battalions plus supporting elements. It is roughly equivalent to an enlarged or reinforced regiment. Two or more brigades may constitute a division. Br ...
strength. The first Russian brigade finally landed at
Marseille Marseille ( , , ; also spelled in English as Marseilles; oc, Marselha ) is the prefecture of the French department of Bouches-du-Rhône and capital of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region. Situated in the camargue region of southern Franc ...
in April 1916. A second brigade was also sent to serve alongside other Allied formations on the
Salonika front The Macedonian front, also known as the Salonica front (after Thessaloniki), was a military theatre of World War I formed as a result of an attempt by the Allied Powers to aid Serbia, in the autumn of 1915, against the combined attack of German ...
in northern Greece. In France, the First Brigade participated in the
Nivelle Offensive The Nivelle offensive (16 April – 9 May 1917) was a Franco-British operation on the Western Front in the First World War which was named after General Robert Nivelle, the commander-in-chief of the French metropolitan armies, who led the offens ...
; with news of the
Russian Revolution The Russian Revolution was a period of Political revolution (Trotskyism), political and social revolution that took place in the former Russian Empire which began during the First World War. This period saw Russia abolish its monarchy and ad ...
affecting morale within the French Army following the failure of that offensive, the 1st and 3rd Brigades participated in the wave of mutinies spreading across France. The First Brigade was disbanded before the end of the year. The ''Honorary Russian Legion'' (french: Légion d’Honneur Russe) of the 1st Moroccan Division continued to maintain a Russian presence in the west and in the
First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
, until the
Armistice of 11 November 1918 The Armistice of 11 November 1918 was the armistice signed at Le Francport near Compiègne that ended fighting on land, sea, and air in World War I between the Entente and their last remaining opponent, Germany. Previous armistices ...
.


Before March 1917

In December 1915 the French politician,
Paul Doumer Joseph Athanase Doumer, commonly known as Paul Doumer (; 22 March 18577 May 1932), was the President of France from 13 June 1931 until his assassination on 7 May 1932. Biography Joseph Athanase Doumer was born in Aurillac, in the Cantal ''dépa ...
while on a visit to
Russia Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a List of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia, Northern Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the ...
, proposed that 300,000 Russian troops be sent to fight in
France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
in exchange for French munitions. While the Russian High Command showed little enthusiasm for this proposal, Tsar
Nicholas II Nicholas II or Nikolai II Alexandrovich Romanov; spelled in pre-revolutionary script. ( 186817 July 1918), known in the Russian Orthodox Church as Saint Nicholas the Passion-Bearer,. was the last Emperor of Russia, King of Congress Pola ...
supported it. General
Alexeyev Alexeyev, Alekseyev, Alexeiev, Alexeev or Alekseev (russian: Алексе́ев) is a common Russian surname that is derived from the male given name Alexey (Алексей) and literally means ''Alexey's''. Often the same name appears in English i ...
, the Russian chief of staff from August 1915, made an offer to send Russian troops to France, as long as they remained under Russian officers (while operating under the French High Command). Another requirement was that the
French Navy The French Navy (french: Marine nationale, lit=National Navy), informally , is the maritime arm of the French Armed Forces and one of the five military service branches of France. It is among the largest and most powerful naval forces in t ...
transport them., by Henri Maurel. Retrieved 14 March 2009. The 1st Russian Brigade formed in January, 1916 under the command of General
Nikolai Aleksandrovich Lokhvitsky Nikolai Aleksandrovich Lokhvitsky (russian: Никола́й Алекса́ндрович Ло́хвицкий; 7 October 1868 – 5 November 1933) was a general in the Russian Expeditionary Force in France. Family background He came from an ar ...
. It did not consist of regiments already in existence but was made up mostly of drafts from various reserve units incorporated into the newly formed 1st and 2nd Regiments, from
Moscow Moscow ( , US chiefly ; rus, links=no, Москва, r=Moskva, p=mɐskˈva, a=Москва.ogg) is the capital and largest city of Russia. The city stands on the Moskva River in Central Russia, with a population estimated at 13.0 million ...
and
Samara Samara ( rus, Сама́ра, p=sɐˈmarə), known from 1935 to 1991 as Kuybyshev (; ), is the largest city and administrative centre of Samara Oblast. The city is located at the confluence of the Volga and the Samara (Volga), Samara rivers, with ...
respectively. The 1st Regiment's troops were mainly conscripted factory workers while the 2nd's were generally drawn from rural areas. The brigade totaled 8,942 men. It left Moscow on February 3, 1916, and arrived in
Marseille Marseille ( , , ; also spelled in English as Marseilles; oc, Marselha ) is the prefecture of the French department of Bouches-du-Rhône and capital of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region. Situated in the camargue region of southern Franc ...
on April 16 of the same year. The regiments were divided into three battalions of four companies each. Each regiment also had a liaison and a service section. The reserve battalion had six companies. The First Brigade was commanded by General Lokhvitsky, and was composed of 180 officers and 8762 enlisted men. Each brigade had a double supply of clothing and a kitchen on wheels. The French Navy and Army undertook to provide shipping, supplies, and equipment. The 3rd, 4th and 5th Brigades soon followed. The 2nd and 4th Brigades arrived on the
Salonika Thessaloniki (; el, Θεσσαλονίκη, , also known as Thessalonica (), Saloniki, or Salonica (), is the second-largest city in Greece, with over one million inhabitants in its metropolitan area, and the capital of the geographic region of ...
front in August and November 1916. The 3rd Brigade comprised serving soldiers plus reserve units formed in
Yekaterinburg Yekaterinburg ( ; rus, Екатеринбург, p=jɪkətʲɪrʲɪnˈburk), alternatively romanized as Ekaterinburg and formerly known as Sverdlovsk ( rus, Свердло́вск, , svʲɪrˈdlofsk, 1924–1991), is a city and the administra ...
and
Chelyabinsk Chelyabinsk ( rus, Челя́бинск, p=tɕɪˈlʲæbʲɪnsk, a=Ru-Chelyabinsk.ogg; ba, Силәбе, ''Siläbe'') is the administrative center and largest city of Chelyabinsk Oblast, Russia. It is the seventh-largest city in Russia, with a ...
under the command of Fyodor Fyodorovich Palitzin; it left for France in August 1916. General
Aleksei Brusilov Aleksei Alekseyevich Brusilov ( rus, Алексе́й Алексе́евич Бруси́лов, p=ɐlʲɪkˈsʲej ɐlʲɪkˈsʲejɪvʲɪdʑ brʊˈsʲiɫəf; – 17 March 1926) was a Russian and later Soviet general most noted for the developme ...
, commander of the Russian Southwest Front from March 1916, was responsible for the four brigades, which contributed a total of 44,319 men to the Entente effort in western and southern Europe. The 6th, 7th and 8th Brigades were never formed due to the outbreak of the
Russian Revolution The Russian Revolution was a period of Political revolution (Trotskyism), political and social revolution that took place in the former Russian Empire which began during the First World War. This period saw Russia abolish its monarchy and ad ...
. Approximately 450
Estonia Estonia, formally the Republic of Estonia, is a country by the Baltic Sea in Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland across from Finland, to the west by the sea across from Sweden, to the south by Latvia, a ...
n troops also served with the REF, mostly in the 1st and 3rd Brigades. After February 1917 these troops wore small Estonian flags to distinguish themselves from their Russian counterparts.


The Russians in action


Order of battle

In January 1916, the 1st Infantry Brigade of the Russian expeditionary Force (REF) was formed and included two regiments, the 1st under Colonel Mikhaïl Netchvolodov, and the 2nd under Colonel Dyakonov, each of 3 battalions in strength. The brigade was under the overall command of Major-General
Nikolai Aleksandrovich Lokhvitsky Nikolai Aleksandrovich Lokhvitsky (russian: Никола́й Алекса́ндрович Ло́хвицкий; 7 October 1868 – 5 November 1933) was a general in the Russian Expeditionary Force in France. Family background He came from an ar ...
. Transported by rail, 8,942 men reached
Dalian Dalian () is a major sub-provincial port city in Liaoning province, People's Republic of China, and is Liaoning's second largest city (after the provincial capital Shenyang) and the third-most populous city of Northeast China. Located on the ...
, on the
Korea Bay The Korea Bay, sometimes the West Korea Bay (; ; or ), is a bight and the northern extension of the Yellow Sea, between the southeastern coastline of China's Liaoning province and the western coastline of North Korea's North Pyongan, South P ...
of the
Korean peninsula Korea ( ko, 한국, or , ) is a peninsular region in East Asia. Since 1945, it has been divided at or near the 38th parallel, with North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) comprising its northern half and South Korea (Republic o ...
and embarked on French naval vessels (including the transports ''Amiral Latouche-Tréville'' and ''Himalaya''). The 1st Brigade reached
Marseille Marseille ( , , ; also spelled in English as Marseilles; oc, Marselha ) is the prefecture of the French department of Bouches-du-Rhône and capital of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region. Situated in the camargue region of southern Franc ...
on April 16, 1916. In July 1916, the 2nd Infantry Brigade, commanded by General
Mikhail Dieterichs Mikhail Konstantinovich Diterikhs (russian: Михаи́л Константи́нович Ди́терихс, r=Michaíl Konstantinovič Díterichs; May 17, 1874 – September 9, 1937) served as a general in the Imperial Russian Army and subsequent ...
, was sent via
France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
to the
Salonika Front The Macedonian front, also known as the Salonica front (after Thessaloniki), was a military theatre of World War I formed as a result of an attempt by the Allied Powers to aid Serbia, in the autumn of 1915, against the combined attack of German ...
. It arrived there, in parts, between August 1 and September 16, 1916. It was formed of the 3rd and 4th Infantry Regiments, of 3 battalions each, for a total of 9560 men. The 3rd Infantry Brigade, formed of the 5th and 6th regiments, under, respectively, Colonels Narbout and Simonov, was formed in June 1916, and was sent to France in August via
Arkhangelsk Arkhangelsk (, ; rus, Арха́нгельск, p=ɐrˈxanɡʲɪlʲsk), also known in English as Archangel and Archangelsk, is a types of inhabited localities in Russia, city and the administrative center of Arkhangelsk Oblast, Russia. It lies o ...
. This brigade was commanded by General Vladimir Marouchevski. The 4th Infantry Brigade, formed of the 7th and 8th regiments, was commanded by Major-General . It was part of the Expédition de Salonique, stopping first at
Brest Brest may refer to: Places *Brest, Belarus **Brest Region **Brest Airport **Brest Fortress * Brest, Kyustendil Province, Bulgaria * Břest, Czech Republic *Brest, France ** Arrondissement of Brest **Brest Bretagne Airport ** Château de Brest *Br ...
aboard the ocean liner ''La Lorraine'' and finally arriving at
Thessaloniki Thessaloniki (; el, Θεσσαλονίκη, , also known as Thessalonica (), Saloniki, or Salonica (), is the second-largest city in Greece, with over one million inhabitants in its Thessaloniki metropolitan area, metropolitan area, and the capi ...
in October 1916, and at the front in November. In July 1917, the two brigades operating on the Macedonian front were grouped together to form the 2nd Infantry Division. This formation was dissolved in January 1918, due to the men and officers being greatly troubled by events on the Russian home front and the Allied commanders similarly fearful of the effect of communist propaganda on the troops, and reports of fraternisation with the Bulgarians on the front. The Russians were relieved of duty on the frontline between January 2 and January 20. Of the remaining soldiers, 784 volunteered to join the Russian Legion in France in March, while 2196 men, formed into two battalions, remained available for work. Over 17500 others refused either position, and were sent away to Bizerte and then further on.


Formations

Readying and equipping was done with the French Army in Camp de Mailly, France. The Russian brigades also found themselves engaged in combat in the Balkans; where British, French, Italian, Albanian, Greek, Portuguese and Serbian forces were already serving together.


Battle fronts

In
France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
the Russian brigade prepared in camp de Mailly, in Champagne and was sent between
Suippes Suippes () is a commune in the Marne department in north-eastern France. It was part of the so-called ''la Champagne pouilleuse'', a region battered by conflict during World War I. In the early months of the war, British soldiers were deployed he ...
and Aubérive on the Western Front. Russian units held the
front Front may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Films * ''The Front'' (1943 film), a 1943 Soviet drama film * ''The Front'', 1976 film Music * The Front (band), an American rock band signed to Columbia Records and active in the 1980s and e ...
of Champagne while French units were fighting the
Battle of Verdun The Battle of Verdun (french: Bataille de Verdun ; german: Schlacht um Verdun ) was fought from 21 February to 18 December 1916 on the Western Front in France. The battle was the longest of the First World War and took place on the hills north ...
. Russians occupied the Fort de la Pompelle near
Reims Reims ( , , ; also spelled Rheims in English) is the most populous city in the French department of Marne, and the 12th most populous city in France. The city lies northeast of Paris on the Vesle river, a tributary of the Aisne. Founded by ...
. Following heavy losses during the offensive of April 1917 (
Second Battle of the Aisne The Second Battle of the Aisne (french: Bataille du Chemin des Dames or french: Seconde bataille de l'Aisne, 16 April – mid-May 1917) was the main part of the Nivelle Offensive, a Franco-British attempt to inflict a decisive defeat on the Germa ...
, also known as ''bataille du Chemin des Dames'') for the taking of Courcy and the Fort of Brimot, the 1st and 3rd Russian Brigades which had been placed under the French 7th Army Corps (General
Georges de Bazelaire Georges de Bazelaire (January 30, 1858 – March 29, 1954) was a Major General in the French Army. During World War I, Bazelaire commanded the 135th Infantry Regiment, the 27th and 38th Infantry Divisions and the 7th Army Corps. World War I In 1 ...
), were both cited at the orders of armed forces and paused at camp de La Courtine. Both Russian infantry brigades became the Russian Division, commanded by Lokhvitski. In Macedonia,
Russian Russian(s) refers to anything related to Russia, including: *Russians (, ''russkiye''), an ethnic group of the East Slavic peoples, primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries *Rossiyane (), Russian language term for all citizens and peo ...
troops participated in the invasion of
Serbia Serbia (, ; Serbian language, Serbian: , , ), officially the Republic of Serbia (Serbian language, Serbian: , , ), is a landlocked country in Southeast Europe, Southeastern and Central Europe, situated at the crossroads of the Pannonian Bas ...
during two
battles A battle is an occurrence of combat in warfare between opposing military units of any number or size. A war usually consists of multiple battles. In general, a battle is a military engagement that is well defined in duration, area, and force ...
, the Battle of Monastir (1916) and the Battle of Monastir of 1917 respectively. On 11 March the 1st Russian Brigade relieved the 152nd French brigade in the Courcy sector, just to the north of
Reims Reims ( , , ; also spelled Rheims in English) is the most populous city in the French department of Marne, and the 12th most populous city in France. The city lies northeast of Paris on the Vesle river, a tributary of the Aisne. Founded by ...
They were part of
Mazel Mazel is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Eugène Mazel (1828–1890), French amateur botanist * Ilya Mazel (aka Ruvim Mazel, 1890–1967), Soviet painter * Isaak Mazel (1911–1945), Soviet chess master * Judy Mazel (1943–20 ...
's Fifth Army and took their place in the frontline, where they suffered casualties in the run up to the
Nivelle Offensive The Nivelle offensive (16 April – 9 May 1917) was a Franco-British operation on the Western Front in the First World War which was named after General Robert Nivelle, the commander-in-chief of the French metropolitan armies, who led the offens ...
. On 15 April, on the eve of the
Second Battle of the Aisne The Second Battle of the Aisne (french: Bataille du Chemin des Dames or french: Seconde bataille de l'Aisne, 16 April – mid-May 1917) was the main part of the Nivelle Offensive, a Franco-British attempt to inflict a decisive defeat on the Germa ...
, the Russian soldiers received news of the
February Revolution The February Revolution ( rus, Февра́льская револю́ция, r=Fevral'skaya revolyutsiya, p=fʲɪvˈralʲskəjə rʲɪvɐˈlʲutsɨjə), known in Soviet historiography as the February Bourgeois Democratic Revolution and somet ...
in Russia. They formed a
soviet The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, ...
and debated whether to participate in the battle the next day, agreeing to do so by a small majority. Thus the next day, 16 April 1917, the 1st Brigade took part in the battle and took Courcy, just to the north of
Rheims Reims ( , , ; also spelled Rheims in English) is the most populous city in the French department of Marne, and the 12th most populous city in France. The city lies northeast of Paris on the Vesle river, a tributary of the Aisne. Founded by ...
. On 23 April the 1st Infantry Brigade transferred to the Châlons-sur-Marne area, overseen by
général is the French word for general. There are two main categories of generals: the general officers (), which are the highest-ranking commanding officers in the armed forces, and the specialist officers with flag rank (), which are high-level offic ...
Henri Gouraud of the French Fourth Army. French President
Raymond Poincaré Raymond Nicolas Landry Poincaré (, ; 20 August 1860 – 15 October 1934) was a French statesman who served as President of France from 1913 to 1920, and three times as Prime Minister of France. Trained in law, Poincaré was elected deputy in 1 ...
, impressed by the state of the Russian camp, awarded General Lokhvitsky the Commander of the
Legion of Honor The National Order of the Legion of Honour (french: Ordre national de la Légion d'honneur), formerly the Royal Order of the Legion of Honour ('), is the highest French order of merit, both military and civil. Established in 1802 by Napoleon ...
. The 1st Brigade was then re-deployed further east up the Marne valley between
Suippes Suippes () is a commune in the Marne department in north-eastern France. It was part of the so-called ''la Champagne pouilleuse'', a region battered by conflict during World War I. In the early months of the war, British soldiers were deployed he ...
and
Auberive Auberive () is a commune in the Haute-Marne department in the Grand Est region in northeastern France. Geography The Aujon flows west through the northeastern part of the commune. The Aube forms part of the commune's southern border, then flows ...
at the end of June 1916. The 3rd Bridgade was also involved in the Second Battle of the Aisne and took Mount Spin. The casualties for the two brigades amounted to 4,542 men killed, wounded or missing in action.


Mutiny

News of the
February Revolution The February Revolution ( rus, Февра́льская револю́ция, r=Fevral'skaya revolyutsiya, p=fʲɪvˈralʲskəjə rʲɪvɐˈlʲutsɨjə), known in Soviet historiography as the February Bourgeois Democratic Revolution and somet ...
started to reach the Russian soldiers in France during April 1917. At first these reports were kept secret by their officers but by 12 April the news became official. Four days later the 2nd Brigade lost over 4,000 casualties killed and wounded. Following the example of their comrades at home, soldiers of the Expeditionary Force based in the camp of
La Courtine La Courtine (; Auvergnat dialect, Auvergnat: ''La Cortina'') is a Communes of France, commune in the Creuse Departments of France, department in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine Regions of France, region in central France. Geography An area of lakes, fore ...
rejected their officers and elected soldier committees. At one meeting the committee representatives made an appeal to their fellow soldiers to refuse to drill, since they would not continue fighting. The rebellious units, considered a dangerous revolutionary influence, were ordered to
Salonika Thessaloniki (; el, Θεσσαλονίκη, , also known as Thessalonica (), Saloniki, or Salonica (), is the second-largest city in Greece, with over one million inhabitants in its metropolitan area, and the capital of the geographic region of ...
. They refused, demanding to be sent home to Russia. With this the military representatives of the
Provisional Government A provisional government, also called an interim government, an emergency government, or a transitional government, is an emergency governmental authority set up to manage a political transition generally in the cases of a newly formed state or f ...
on 25 August 1917 ordered loyal troops to vacate the camp of Courtine, leaving only those soldiers who said they would submit 'conditionally' to the Provisional Government, if allowed to return to Russia. On 14 September 1917 French and Russian commanders isolated the rebel camp, placing the occupants on half-rations, and lining the surrounding roads with a mixture of French and reliable Russian troops and guns. On 15 September 1917, the remaining revolutionary soldiers, numbering around 2,000, were ordered to lay down their arms by 10 A.M. 16 September 1917 or be destroyed. The rebels refused and at 10 A.M. 16 September 1917 the encircling force fired upon the camp with a French artillery piece. After light fire had reduced their numbers, the majority of the Russian soldiers surrendered and were arrested. By 09:00 on September 16 the camp was completely occupied by French forces and the mutineers were disarmed. The casualties had been exclusively among the Russian mutineers, comprising 9 killed, and 49 wounded. The Russians were at first sent to prison camps in
North Africa North Africa, or Northern Africa is a region encompassing the northern portion of the African continent. There is no singularly accepted scope for the region, and it is sometimes defined as stretching from the Atlantic shores of Mauritania in ...
and France. After some months many were sent back to Russia, while others were integrated into French society.. Retrieved on 4 July 2007. In January 2014 the ''Association pour la mémoire de la mutinerie des soldats russes à La Courtine en 1917'' (Association for the memory of the mutiny of Russian Soldiers at La Courtine 1917) was established.


Légion d’Honneur Russe


Russian Legion Battalion

A loyal remnant of Russian troops, under Colonel Gothoua, demanded that they be allowed to continue to fight. They were incorporated into either the French Foreign Legion; units of the '' Polish Army in France'' which was already serving on the Western Front; or the ''Russian Volunteer Legion'' (french: Légion Russe des volontaires), also designated as the ''Russian Legion of Honour'' (french: Légion d’Honneur Russe). The Russian Legion was attached to the French 1st Moroccan Division commanded by Général Daugan on December 13, 1917. It continued to see active service (notably during the
Second Battle of the Marne The Second Battle of the Marne (french: Seconde Bataille de la Marne) (15 July – 18 July 1918) was the last major German offensive on the Western Front (World War I), Western Front during the World War I, First World War. The attack failed wh ...
(french: seconde bataille de la Marne)) until the end of the war, before being disbanded at the end of 1918. The Russian and French units fought around
Amiens Amiens (English: or ; ; pcd, Anmien, or ) is a city and commune in northern France, located north of Paris and south-west of Lille. It is the capital of the Somme department in the region of Hauts-de-France. In 2021, the population of ...
in March 1918 and along the road from
Soissons Soissons () is a commune in the northern French department of Aisne, in the region of Hauts-de-France. Located on the river Aisne, about northeast of Paris, it is one of the most ancient towns of France, and is probably the ancient capital ...
to Paris in May 1918. Losses during this fighting amounted to nearly 85% of the Russian Legion's numbers. In July and August additional Russian volunteers, mainly veterans of the former Expeditionary Force, enabled the Russian Legion to become first a brigade and then a regiment with a total of 2 infantry companies as well as a mortar unit. The unit was assigned to the vicinity of
Laffaux Laffaux () is a commune in the Aisne department in Hauts-de-France in northern France. Population See also *Communes of the Aisne department The following is a list of the 799 communes in the French department of Aisne. The commune ...
. On September 12 the regiment penetrated three lines of fortifications despite heavy losses and were awarded a special flag by the Commander of the French Army, Marshal
Ferdinand Foch Ferdinand Foch ( , ; 2 October 1851 – 20 March 1929) was a French general and military theorist who served as the Supreme Allied Commander during the First World War. An aggressive, even reckless commander at the First Marne, Flanders and Art ...
as well as attracting more volunteers. By November 1, 1918, the regiment had 564 men comprising a machine gun company and three infantry companies. After the German withdrawal to the border the Moroccan Division, including the Russian Regiment, advanced towards Moyeuvre. This operation was halted by the signing of the Armistice on November 11. Near the end of 1918 the entire Russian Regiment was demobilized. Some Russians chose to remain in France, while others returned to revolutionary Russia. Among the latter was
Rodion Malinovsky Rodion Yakovlevich Malinovsky (russian: Родио́н Я́ковлевич Малино́вский, ukr, Родіо́н Я́кович Малино́вський ; – 31 March 1967) was a Soviet military commander. He was Marshal of the Sovi ...
, the future Soviet Minister of Defence.


Battalion Regimental Commander

* Colonel Gothoua. * Chef de bataillon Tramuset. From August 11, 1918, to September 3, 1918 ( killed) * Chef de bataillon Durand. From September 4, 1918, to December 25, 1918.


Decorations

* 2 citations at the orders of the armed forces. The Russian Legion Battalion bears the Fourragere with ruban colors of the
Croix de guerre 1914-1918 Croix (French for "cross") may refer to: Belgium * Croix-lez-Rouveroy, a village in municipality of Estinnes in the province of Hainaut France * Croix, Nord, in the Nord department * Croix, Territoire de Belfort, in the Territoire de Belfort depa ...
bestowed December 19, 1918.


Monuments

The following monuments have been dedicated to the memory of the Russian Expeditionary Force: * on June 21, 2011, a Russian Expeditionary Force Monument was dedicated, in Paris; * in the Marne a monument at the Fort de la Pompelle on September 4, 2010, at the Russian cemetery of
Saint-Hilaire-le-Grand Saint-Hilaire-le-Grand () is a Communes of France, commune in the Marne (department), Marne Departments of France, department in north-eastern France. Geography The commune is traversed by the Suippe river. See also *Communes of the Marne depart ...
. This is an ensemble memorial compromising a chapel and a column; * on June 12, 2011, a monument at Courcy commemorating all the sacrifices of the Russian brigades on the Western front. * a column dedicated in 2012 at the cemetery of La Courtine. The column is in memory of the mutineers of the summer of 1917, and proclaims in Russian « à bas la guerre » (долой войну!). The Lacourtine 1917 Association is dedicated to that memory; * on July 15, 2016, a Russian Expeditionary Force monument was dedicated at
Brest Brest may refer to: Places *Brest, Belarus **Brest Region **Brest Airport **Brest Fortress * Brest, Kyustendil Province, Bulgaria * Břest, Czech Republic *Brest, France ** Arrondissement of Brest **Brest Bretagne Airport ** Château de Brest *Br ...
in France in the ''place of général de Gaulle,''; * on May 12, 2016, at Marseille, the Consulate of the Russian Federation in France dedicated a plaque commemorating the 100th anniversary of the arrival of the 1st Brigade of the Russian Expeditionary Corps formed in Moscow and Samara. There are also two Imperial Russian war graves in the
Gouzeaucourt Gouzeaucourt () is a commune in the Nord department in northern France. It was the scene of fierce fighting during World War I, and is mentioned in the poem "The Irish Guards" by Rudyard Kipling. There are 916 casualties from several nations inte ...
New British Cemetery, near
Cambrai Cambrai (, ; pcd, Kimbré; nl, Kamerijk), formerly Cambray and historically in English Camerick or Camericke, is a city in the Nord (French department), Nord Departments of France, department and in the Hauts-de-France Regions of France, regio ...
.


Russian Expeditionary Force in France - Gallery

File:Monument troupes russes 12293.JPG, Memorial of the 1st and 3rd Infantry Brigades at Fort de la Pompelle File:Russian Monument Zeitenlik.jpg, Russian Monument at
Zeitenlik Zeitenlik (, sr-Cyrl, Зејтинлик) is an Allied military cemetery and World War I memorial park in Thessaloniki, the largest military cemetery in Greece. It contains the graves of circa 20,000 Serbian, French, British, Italian, Russian ...
Allied An alliance is a relationship among people, groups, or states that have joined together for mutual benefit or to achieve some common purpose, whether or not explicit agreement has been worked out among them. Members of an alliance are called ...
military cemetery A war grave is a burial place for members of the armed forces or civilians who died during military campaigns or operations. Definition The term "war grave" does not only apply to graves: ships sunk during wartime are often considered to be ...
,
Thessaloniki Thessaloniki (; el, Θεσσαλονίκη, , also known as Thessalonica (), Saloniki, or Salonica (), is the second-largest city in Greece, with over one million inhabitants in its Thessaloniki metropolitan area, metropolitan area, and the capi ...
File:Bundesarchiv Bild 146-1976-007-32, Champagne, russische Soldaten mit Gasmaske.jpg, Russian
soldiers on the Front of Champagne,
Russian
uniform and boots, and
French
helmets and gas masks File:ЧМиОвФ - 95 - Санитарно-автомобильный отряд.jpg, Receiving Ambulances (''Top'') and gas masks (''Bottom'') File:ЧМиОвФ - 89 - примерка касок.jpg, Trial of steel helmets


Notable members of the REF in France

*
Nikolai Aleksandrovich Lokhvitsky Nikolai Aleksandrovich Lokhvitsky (russian: Никола́й Алекса́ндрович Ло́хвицкий; 7 October 1868 – 5 November 1933) was a general in the Russian Expeditionary Force in France. Family background He came from an ar ...
(1867–1933), Lieutenant-General commandant of the Russian Expeditionary Force in France, immigrated to France and rests at Cimetière Russe de Sainte-Geneviève-des-Bois. *
Rodion Malinovsky Rodion Yakovlevich Malinovsky (russian: Родио́н Я́ковлевич Малино́вский, ukr, Родіо́н Я́кович Малино́вський ; – 31 March 1967) was a Soviet military commander. He was Marshal of the Sovi ...
(1898–1967),
Marshal of the Soviet Union Marshal of the Soviet Union (russian: Маршал Советского Союза, Marshal sovetskogo soyuza, ) was the highest military rank of the Soviet Union. The rank of Marshal of the Soviet Union was created in 1935 and abolished in 19 ...
, Soviet Minister of Defence and wounded on numerous occasions. He joined the Moroccan Division at the corps of the Russian Legion Battalion and took part in the most important combats of 1918. He also served in the
Battle of Stalingrad The Battle of Stalingrad (23 August 19422 February 1943) was a major battle on the Eastern Front of World War II where Nazi Germany and its allies unsuccessfully fought the Soviet Union for control of the city of Stalingrad (later re ...
and the
Battle of Budapest The Siege of Budapest or Battle of Budapest was the 50-day-long encirclement by Soviet and Romanian forces of the Hungarian capital of Budapest, near the end of World War II. Part of the broader Budapest Offensive, the siege began when Budap ...
.


See also

*
Canadian National Vimy Memorial The Canadian National Vimy Memorial is a war memorial site in France dedicated to the memory of Canadian Expeditionary Force members killed during the First World War. It also serves as the place of commemoration for Canadian soldiers of the First ...
*
Givenchy-en-Gohelle Givenchy-en-Gohelle (; pcd, Givinchy-in-Gohelle) is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Hauts-de-France region of France. It is located north of the Canadian National Vimy Memorial dedicated to the Battle of Vimy Ridge and the miss ...
* Moroccan Division **
2nd Marching Regiment of the 1st Foreign Regiment The 2nd Marching Regiment of the 1st Foreign Regiment, (french: 2e régiment de marche du 1er étranger, 2e R.M. 1er R.E) was a French military unit of the Legion which formed the Marching Regiment of the Foreign Legion (R.M.L.E) and existed ephe ...
** 2nd Marching Regiment of the 2nd Foreign Regiment *
Marching Regiment of the Foreign Legion The Marching Regiment of the Foreign Legion (RMLE) (french: link=no, Régiment de marche de la Légion étrangère) was a French military unit that fought in World War I and World War II. Initially composed of marching regiments from the 1st Fo ...
*
Belgian Expeditionary Corps in Russia The Belgian Expeditionary Corps of Armoured Cars in Russia (french: Corps Expeditionnaire des Autos-Canons-Mitrailleuses Belges en Russie) was a Belgian military unit sent to Russia during World War I. It fought alongside the Imperial Russian army ...
* Russian Expeditionary Forces in France and the Balkans electoral district (Russian Constituent Assembly election, 1917)


Notes


References


External links


ASCERF.com - Site de l'association du Corps Expédtionnaire Russe en France (Mourmelon)
* http://www.lacourtine1917.org/


Bibliographies

* Remi Adam, ''Histoire des soldats russes en France 1915-1920 : Les damnés de la guerre'', L'Harmattan, 1996. * Gérard Gorokhoff, Andrei Korliakov, ''Le Corps Expéditionnaire Russe en France et à Salonique 1916-1918'', édition YMCA-PRESS, Paris, 2003 - 656 illustrations. * Cockfield, Jamie H.
With Snow on Their Boots: The Tragic Odyssey of the Russian Expeditionary Force in France During World War I
', 1997, * Gilbert Cahen : « Le temps retrouvé du soldat russe Anissim Ilitch Otmakhov - France 1916-1920 », , 288 pages, 30 photos, 2 cartes. Auto-édition Gilbert Cahen Versailles, mars 2013.


Further reading

* Cockfield, Jamie H. ''With Snow on Their Boots: The Tragic Odyssey of the Russian Expeditionary Force in France During World War I''. . * Poitevin, Pierre, "La Mutinerie de la Courtine. Les régiments russes revoltés en 1917 au centre de la France", Payot Ed., Paris, 1938. {{DEFAULTSORT:Russian Expeditionary Force In France Military units and formations of Russia in World War I Military units and formations of France in World War I Military of the Russian Empire Imperial Russian Army Expeditionary units and formations
Military history of France The military history of France encompasses an immense panorama of conflicts and struggles extending for more than 2,000 years across areas including modern France, Europe, and a variety of regions throughout the world. According to historian ...
Russian Empire in World War I