14 banners of the Preobrazhensky regiment of 1742. One of white, the rest of orange silk fabric. All with a narrow double side red. A double-headed eagle is embroidered with silk. On the chest of the eagle is the monogram of Elizabeth Petrovna. 13 with flat gilded copper spears, red shafts with copper inflows. The banners were deposited in the Artillery Museum in 1796. In 1762 they were replaced by new ones in the regiment.
"Descriptions of banners, standards, ensigns, ensigns, badges, trumpets for distinction, certificates, staples and other military regalia stored in the Artillery Historical Museum, indicating belonging to such units of the troops." - St. Petersburg, 1903. 
On February 19, 1762, a new pattern of regimental colors was approved. There is a broadened cross on the banner. In the center of the banner, in an orange circle, is a double-headed eagle surrounded by Holstein coats of arms. The main regimental banner had a white cross, colored banners had a red cross. The corners are red. The shafts are yellow. In the corners are the gold imperial cyphers of Peter III. According to V. Zvegintsov, white banners have a white cross, blue corners, and colored banners have a red flag, blue corners. The spear is gilded. Silver cords and tassels.
Handwritten drawing from Zvegintsov's work
After the palace coup on June 29, 1762, which brought Catherine II to the throne, the monograms on the banners changed to the corresponding ones.
Guards regiments received in 1763 one white banner and several black ones with gold fringe (in Preobrazhensky - 16). In the center is an orange circle framed by a laurel wreath, in which there is a black double-headed eagle with St. Andrew's cross on the chest. The corners are red, in the corners are the gold monograms of the Empress. The banners had golden cords and tassels. In the pommel is Catherine's monogram.
An illustration from the book "Banners of Russian Regiments", comp. V. Gonikberg, A. Meshcheryakov, I. Ostarkova. Text according to A. Viskovatov. On the right - a handwritten drawing from the book by V. Zvegintsov
13 banners of 1762 entered the Artillery Museum for storage in 1797 in the presence of Paul I. One of white silk fabric, 12 of black fabric. In the center, on an orange silk oval, the state eagle is embroidered with black and yellow silk. On the chest of the eagle is the crucifixion of St. Andrew. In the corners of the insertion of a triangular shape of red matter, they bear the monograms of Catherine II. In 1796 they were replaced by new ones in the regiment.
"Descriptions of banners, standards, ensigns, ensigns, badges, trumpets for distinction, certificates, staples and other military regalia stored in the Artillery Historical Museum, indicating belonging to such units of the troops." - St. Petersburg, 1903.
Dragoons
Peter I, forming a regular cavalry, established for her clothes, common to almost all the troops of northern and western Europe.
The uniforms, equipment and weapons of the Dragoon Prince Meshchersky Regiment were made on a living thread, since it was possible to supplement and improve all this under the personal supervision of Field Marshal Sheremetev, upon the arrival of the regiment in Pskov, in the spring of 1701; but at the end of that year, presumably, the dragoons of Prince. Meshchersky were already uniformed, equipped and armed, as they participated in the battle of Erestfer.
Dragoon Regiment Prince. Meshchersky was dressed in a dark green cloth, infantry type, single-breasted caftan, buttoned only at the waist, or with all buttons, depending on the time of year, and under it was an elk camisole, reminiscent of the cut of the current Caucasian beshmet. Instead of a collar, the caftan had a narrow red trim, and the lining on the caftan, edges, trims at the loops and wide split cuffs, from under which the shirt cuffs were visible, were of the same color; around the neck is a black tie tied with a wide bow. Elk pants and boots with bells (similar to today's over the knee boots), to which iron yellow spurs were tied, were used only in the ranks; at home, the dragoon's shoes consisted of green stockings and black blunt shoes, fastened in front with a buckle, which was closed with a leather flap. The headdress was a small triangular hat trimmed around the edges with white braid; from under this hat, long hair fell in strands on his shoulders. The outer clothing of the dragoon was an epancha made of dark green cloth with a karaze lining, fastened with a copper hook and had a narrow turn-down collar with a small hood. Epancha reached only to the knees and was so narrow that it served only as a weak protection from rain and cold.<…>
The armament of the dragoon was very diverse. In the regiment, at the same time, were: sabers, swords, broadswords, baguettes, spears, fuzei, carbines and pistols.
Over the caftan on the dragoon, two wide elk baldrics were worn crosswise, of which a fox hung on one, and a gun was attached to the other. Melee weapons hung on a belt harness, and a pistol was placed in an open pig at the saddle.
Bags were attached to the rear pommel of a bulky German saddle, and on the side - the originality of that time - an ax, a pick or a shovel, one of three, were attached.
Non-commissioned officer of the regiment Meshchersky was no different from a dragoon; the officer, on the other hand, was distinguished by gilded buttons, a narrow gold galloon that turned off the edges of the harness, and copper spurs. In addition, the officer relied on cut gloves with bells.
 |
According to the new rules issued by the Military Collegium on February 9, 1720, a change followed in the cut of the dragoons' clothing: small turn-down cloth collars were given to the caftans; pocket valves, instead of serrated ones with five buttons, were supposed to be cut at an angle with three buttons. The color of the caftans was also changed, and the dragoons were ordered to build them from cornflower blue cloth; the collar of the cuff, the fringes of the loops and the linings began to be made of white cloth. |
Dragoon Regiment Prince. N.F. Meshchersky, |
First cavalry guards
Peter, who did not like luxury, this time retreated from his habits: preparations for the coronation began long ago, and the Sovereign spared no means to give the imperial coronation, approved for the first time in Russia, extraordinary magnificence. The first Imperial coronation was supposed not only to prove to the whole world that Peter considers his right to the Imperial title undoubted, but also to demonstrate with his own eyes all the might of the new Empire.
Among the concerns of Peter to furnish the upcoming coronation with possible splendor should also include the establishment of “drabants” or “cavalry guards”.<…>
On March 31, 1724, “Mr. Major General Lefort appeared at the State Collegium and announced that yesterday he was with His Imperial Majesty in the house on the former Golovinsky Yard, where His Imperial Majesty deigned to order him to choose from those found in Moscow from the army and from the zapoloshny officers who are now in Moscow are 60 people in drabant, and whoever has a command over them will henceforth be sent a decree to the Military Collegium of His Imperial Majesty.
Exactly two weeks later, the "drabants" were recruited: on April 14, "there was a review of the officers from the captain to the ensign of the army and guard regiments, of which 6 people were selected for the drabants."
On the same day, Tolstoy “promemory” notified the Military Collegium: “By His Imperial Majesty’s decree, 6o caftans were prepared for 6o people in drabants of a dress, 6o caftans, and 6o red overhead caftans with coats of arms on both sides and trousers, and we need a dress for drabants to the Military Collegium to accept and order certain drabants to put on and try on, and if which of them is short or narrow, these drabants have announced that, and that will be corrected. And the State Military Collegium to do this according to His Imperial Majesty's decree.<…>
All cavalry guards were 71: 4 officers, 6 complete cavalry guards, 4 spares, 1 timpani and 2 trumpeters; the last three from the lower ranks.
Contemporaries, describing the "cavalry guard", agree that the cavalry guards "people were chosen from the whole army the most tall and prominent."
Their outfit, made under the supervision of the supreme marshal of the coronation of Tolstoy, amazed everyone with its beauty and wealth.
The supply of the "cavalry guards" with horses was carried out with the help of requisition: on April 21 and 22 they were demanded to Prince Menshikov from all Moscow merchants, Russian and foreign, riding and draft beautiful and tall of them were appointed under drabants.<…>The color of the horses was black.
On May 4, the Imperial family moved from Golovinsky to the Kremlin Palace. On May 5, a “publication” was made about the coronation, scheduled for Thursday, May 7.
On the eve of the day of the coronation, an all-night vigil was sent in all Moscow churches.
On the morning of May 7, “both guards of His Imperial Majesty and other battalions came to the Kremlin and were placed on Ivanovskaya Square ... And from the very apartments of the Imperial, both at the top and along the large porch, called Red, and along the bridge, which from that porch to the church was made a cathedral, grenadiers from the guards were placed on both sides, ie. grenadier companies of the Preobrazhensky and Semenovsky regiments.<…>
At 10 o'clock the procession to the cathedral began. It was opened by "half of the Imperial cavalry guards with their officers in front." Probably the cavalry guards went 3 in a row, with carbines on the left shoulder. They were followed by pages, deputies from the provinces, generals, then they carried regalia (mantle, scepter, orb and crown). Behind the regalia, having before him the supreme marshal, was the Emperor with his two assistants, princes Menshikov and Repnin. Peter was "in a summer caftan, heavenly
blue, richly embroidered with silver, wearing red silk stockings and a hat with a white feather. The caftan was embroidered by the "hands" of Catherine. Behind the Emperor was Catherine "in the richest robe" made in the Spanish style and in a headdress strewn with precious stones and pearls. Her dress was of purple material, richly and magnificently embroidered. The Empress was led by the Duke of Holstein; supported by her assistants, counts Apraksin and Golovkin; the train of the mantle was carried by five ladies of the "first rank". The Empress was followed by ladies-in-waiting and ladies of the court, and "then came the colonels, officers and other national gentry, which were determined in this ceremony."
The procession was brought up by "the other half of the company of the Imperial Cavalry Guards."
Met on the locker of the Assumption Cathedral by the clergy, the Emperor and the Empress, in the precedence of him and while singing Psalm 100 “I will sing Mercy and Judgment to Thee, Lord”, went to the “throne” arranged in the middle of the cathedral. “Waiting for Their Imperial Majesties to ascend the throne, Mr. Lieutenant General Yaguzhinsky, like the captain of the Imperial Cavalry Guards, and Mr. Major Dmitriev-Mamonov, the same cavalry guards lieutenant, stood on both sides of the entrance of a large assault on the throne to protect it; the other two gentlemen, the commanding officers of that cavalry guard, Brigadier Leontiev and Colonel Meshchersky, stood on both sides of the middle attack, between ascending the throne, all four with the staves of their team in their hands.
This is how the first appearance of cavalry guards in Russia is described ...
The Life Guards Preobrazhensky Regiment is a legendary regiment that was part of the Russian army in the 17th-20th centuries. It was re-created in April 2013 under the name of the 154th separate commandant's regiment.
Historical information about the Preobrazhensky Regiment
The name of the regiment comes from the former village of Preobrazhenskoye, which was located somewhat east of Moscow, and in 1864 it was included in its composition. It was here that Tsar Peter Alekseevich, who was fond of military games in his youth, recruited one of his two “amusing” regiments from his peers. The second - Semenovsky - was recruited, respectively, in the village of Semenovskoye.
The soldiers of the regiment tirelessly engaged in combat training and war games, sometimes even involving real guns, which only increased their realism and gave the troops valuable experience in interacting with artillery. The regiment initially consisted of two "regiments" - that was the name of the battalions (small regiments). It was in this composition that the "Preobrazhensky" participated in the Kozhukhovsky campaign. This campaign, in fact, was a test of the combat effectiveness and organization of the troops of the new system. So, about seven and a half thousand archers participated in the Kozhukhovsky maneuvers as the defending side, and the regiments of the new system (Preobrazhensky and Semyonovsky regiments, as well as separate elected companies of various composition, in total about nine thousand people) were the attacking side. During the exercises, the serious superiority of the new military concepts proposed by Tsar Peter Alekseevich, as well as the good military training and experience of the "Preobrazhenets" and "Semyonovites" were revealed.
In 1695, the Preobrazhensky Regiment was again at the forefront of events. This year, Tsar Peter decided to carry out a campaign against the fortress of Azov, held at that time by the Ottoman Empire, to seize it and thereby put an end to the trade and diplomatic isolation of Russia caused by unsuccessful wars for it in the 17th century (then the Russian coast of the Baltic and a number of territories were lost). in the region). The first Azov campaign and the siege of the fortress ended in nothing - with the onset of cold weather, the Russian army was forced to leave for Russia in order to spend the winter. However, the Russian tsar did not even think of giving up. The winter had barely ended when the Russian army reappeared at the mouth of the Don. The fortress of Azov was besieged for the second time in May 1696 and capitulated two months later. In battles with the enemy, the “Preobrazhensky” also demonstrated high valor and courage, gaining experience in real combat operations.
Two years later, in 1698, the Preobrazhensky Regiment was reorganized. Now the regiment included 16 fuselery, bombardment, and also grenadier companies, which were subsequently reorganized into four infantry battalions (which was more than in any other regiment of the Russian army at that time).
New trials for the "transformers" came already in 1700, when the Great Northern War against Sweden began. In this war, Russia, the Commonwealth and Denmark united against the Kingdom of Sweden, which received undivided hegemony on the Baltic Sea, which by the beginning of the 18th century was called nothing more than the “Swedish Sea”. The aggressive policy of Sweden and its new king, Charles XII, led the country to form an anti-Swedish coalition.
The Preobrazhensky Regiment received its baptism of fire in the Northern War during the siege of Narva. This fortress was an important strategic point that opened the way for troops to the territory of Estonia (modern Estonia) north of Lake Peipsi, as well as a major port. The capture of Narva was part of the plans of the Russian command for 1700, in order to ensure the further occupation of Livonia and Courland (the territory of modern Latvia).
However, the plans of the Russian leadership were violated by Charles XII. Even earlier, he had landed near Copenhagen in a deft maneuver and forced Denmark to surrender, and now he intended to withdraw Russia from the war as well. Having landed in Livonia in the autumn of 1700, Charles XII, with an army of nine thousand, moved against the Russian army, which was besieging Narva. The battle that unfolded in November and was called Narva was marked by the almost complete defeat of the Russian army. Foreign military mercenaries and advisers, of whom there were many in the Russian army, simply fled and surrendered, which could not but upset the management of the army. Among those who stubbornly repulsed the attacks of the Swedes and valiantly held their positions were the Russian guards - the Preobrazhensky and Semyonovsky regiments. However, nevertheless, almost the entire command of the Preobrazhensky regiment was captured, including its commander, Colonel Bloomberg. There is no reliable data on the losses of the "Preobrazhenians" in the Battle of Narva, but it is quite natural that they were very high.
As a result of the heroic efforts of the Russian soldiers, the army was not completely defeated, but was able to retreat to Novgorod for the winter in a completely organized manner. Struck by the valor and courage of the Preobrazhensky and Semyonovsky regiments, the Swedes allowed them to withdraw with their banners unfurled.
After that, the regiment was understaffed and soon again participated in the hostilities of the Russian troops to capture the mouth of the Neva and Kexholm (the modern north of the Leningrad region). Here the regiment distinguished itself in the capture of the Noteburg fortress.
In 1704, the "Preobrazhensky" took part in the siege and capture of the fortress of Narva. And here, four years after that terrible defeat, the Russian guards finally broke the enemy, which made it possible for the Russian troops to advance into Estonia and Livonia and occupy the Swedish Baltic.
Two years later, Tsar Peter Alekseevich became the chief of the Preobrazhensky Regiment. Also at the same time, a decree was introduced that fixed the special position of soldiers and officers of the Life Guards regiments. According to this decree, the officers of the Preobrazhensky and Semyonovsky regiments were one step higher than the combined arms ranks. However, after some time the difference was already increased to two steps.
In 1707, the Preobrazhensky Regiment was transferred to horses, which significantly increased its mobility and combat effectiveness. A year later, the "Preobrazhenians" together with the "Semyonovites" participated in the battle of Lesnaya, in Belarus. Here, Russian troops defeated the corps of the Swedish commander Levengaupt. In 1709, the Russian guards brilliantly participated in the Poltava battle, which brought Russian weapons a bright and outstanding victory. But it was not only and not so much about prestige, but at the beginning of a radical turning point in the war in favor of the anti-Swedish coalition. The expulsion of the remnants of the defeated Swedish troops from the territory of Russia began.
However, Charles XII, who fled to the Ottoman Empire, did not abandon his attempts to turn the tide of the war back in his favor. With all his efforts, he managed to convince the Sultan to advance with a war against Russia in order to divert Russian troops from the Baltic states and thereby gain time. In 1711, the Port declared war on Russia in order to return Azov to its control. Tsar Peter, inspired by successes in the war against Sweden, moved to Bessarabia with an army to defeat the Turks there. Among the Russian troops were the Preobrazhensky and Semyonovsky regiments.
The Russian army, having entered the territory of the Moldavian principality and united with the army of the Moldavian governor Cantemir, was surrounded by superior forces of the Turks. Only through diplomatic negotiations did the Russian troops avoid complete defeat. The terms of the peace were unfavorable: the fortress of Azov was returned back to the possession of the Sultan, and the Russian fleet on the Black and Azov Seas was disbanded.
After the Prut campaign, the "Preobrazhenians" participated in the foreign campaign of the Russian army in Pomerania, where a number of territories were cleared of the Swedes. After that, in 1714, the Preobrazhensky Regiment as part of the army moved to Finland, where it fought to capture Helsingfors (the modern city of Helsinki), participated in the Gangut battle and liberated the territory of southern Finland. Also at the final stage of the Great Northern War, the regiment participated in a number of naval campaigns in the Baltic.
After the victory of Russia in the war against Sweden, the regiment was advanced to the southern borders of the country, which became an empire. A campaign against Persia was planned here to strengthen Russia's positions in the Caspian Sea. The Preobrazhensky Regiment as part of the Russian army participated in the capture of Derbent, but they failed to take Baku. Already on December 18, 1722, the Preobrazhensky Regiment returned to Moscow.
Already next year the regiment will be redeployed to St. Petersburg. Here the "Preobrazhensky" were about 15 years old, and then they were transferred to the regimental settlement in the area of Liteyny Prospekt of the capital. As a rule, the rulers of the Russian Empire became the chiefs of the regiment, and enrollment in the regiment was considered an exceptional reward for any military rank. Also, the role of the Preobrazhensky Regiment was in the military education of the heirs to the throne and in obtaining military experience and knowledge.
"Preobrazhentsy" participated in the war with the Ottoman Empire in 1735-1739. During this war, Russian troops carried out a campaign in the Crimea, took the fortress of Perekop, and also cleared the northern Black Sea region from the Turks. And everywhere the "Preobrazhensky" showed high training, discipline and courage.
Also, a number of units of the Preobrazhensky Regiment participated in the Russian-Swedish war of 1741-1743. This war was a logical continuation of the Great Northern War, and Sweden hoped for the return of a number of territories lost under the Nystadt Peace Treaty, as well as regaining hegemony in the Baltic. But thanks to the courage of the Russian soldiers, the Swedish troops were defeated, and the war ended without significant changes.
Participation of the Preobrazhensky Regiment in palace coups
After the death of Emperor Peter I in January 1725, a serious dynastic crisis arose in Russia. On the one hand, the death of Peter was so unexpected that he simply did not leave a will regarding the succession to the throne. On the other hand, the only descendant of the emperor - Peter Alekseevich - was still small (at that time he was not even ten years old) and could not manage a huge country. However, the courtiers were divided into two parties. One continued to support the candidacy of the grandson of Peter I, while the other stood on the side of the widow of Emperor Catherine. The disputes did not last long, and it was the Preobrazhensky Regiment that put an end to them, supporting Catherine. So Catherine I ascended the Russian throne.
However, the participation of the Russian guards in the enthronement of the elected candidates did not end there. The next "finest hour" for the "transfiguration" was the coup of 1741, when with their help the young emperor John VI and his mother Anna Leopoldovna were overthrown. As a result of this most bloodless coup in the history of Russia, the daughter of Peter I, Elizabeth, ascended the throne.
The last coup from the so-called "era of palace coups" in Russia took place in the summer of 1762. By this time, Emperor Peter III, who had ruled for about six months, caused serious dissatisfaction among the courtiers with his transformations of the state and army according to the Prussian model. From the very beginning, the "Preobrazhensky" supported Catherine, the wife of Peter III, and, when the emperor left St. Petersburg, they took power in the capital. After that, Peter tried to escape, but he was caught and exiled to Ropsha. After this story, Empress Catherine II Alekseevna ascended the Russian throne, and the “Preobrazhenians” received great privileges in addition to those already available.
Preobrazhensky Regiment in the XIX-XX centuries
The beginning of the 19th century was not calm for the "Preobrazhensky": the regiment took part in battles with the French in the war of the third coalition. After that, the Preobrazhensky Regiment, as part of the Russian army, participated in battles with the Swedish troops during the war of 1808-1809, during which Finland seceded to Russia.
Of course, the regiment could not but participate in such a significant and tragic event for our country as the Patriotic War of 1812. "Preobrazhensky" showed miracles of courage in the Battle of Borodino, participated in the foreign campaign of the Russian army in 1813-1814 and ended the war in Paris.
Also, the 19th century for the Preobrazhensky Regiment turned out to be truly rich in military operations. Thus, the regiment participated in the Russian-Turkish wars of 1828-1829 and 1877-1878, as well as in the suppression of a number of Polish uprisings.
As of 2018, the 154th Preobrazhensky Separate Commandant's Regiment takes part in all kinds of ceremonies, and also guards important objects (is on guard duty). You can get into the regiment only if you have excellent health, a height of at least 180 cm, and no criminal record for both the conscript and his immediate family. Additionally, attention is paid to the external data of potential military personnel of the Preobrazhensky Regiment. People of Slavic appearance are required, with a stately figure, straight legs and a pleasant appearance. And this is not surprising - after all, these soldiers often appear at various ceremonial events, and they can judge the Russian Army by them.
As for the conditions of acceptance for contract service in the regiment, they are even higher. It is necessary to pass special exams for physical, fire, combat training and knowledge of a number of other necessary military disciplines, it is highly desirable to have a higher education. Those who passed these tests will also have to take a course in a specially trained unit to replenish the glorious ranks of the “transformers”.
If you have any questions - leave them in the comments below the article. We or our visitors will be happy to answer them.
Seniority since 1683. May 23. Regimental feast on August 6 (New Style 19), Transfiguration of the Lord.
1683 Tsar Pyotr Alekseevich began to gather near him, in the village of Preobrazhensky near Moscow for military games, the so-called Amusing, from his peers, the children of boyars and courtiers. Contemporaries did not leave any notes about the original device of amusing; it is only known that their number, which at first did not exceed 50, quickly increased, so that, due to lack of premises, some of them were transferred to the village of Semenovskoye.
1687 Amusing are already beginning to be called soldier regiments: Preobrazhensky and Semenovsky.
April 30, 1695. The Preobrazhensky regiment, reorganized into 9 companies, with a special Artillery or Bombardier company, set out from Moscow on a campaign to Azov.
1698 The regiment was assigned to the 4th battalions; in addition, Bombardier and Grenadier companies were with him.
1700 August 22, on the day of the march to the fortress of Narva, for the first time officially named the Life Guards Preobrazhensky Regiment.
1703 In March, when the regiment marched to the Nyenshantsu fortress, its ranks, which turned out to be incapable of military service, were left in Moscow and the Moscow Retired Company of the Life Guards of the Preobrazhensky Regiment was formed from them.
August 3, 1706, Tsar Pyotr Alekseevich deigned to accept the rank of Colonel.
1707 In April, a command was issued: the regiment should be on horseback during marching movements; as a result of this, in the campaigns of 1707, 1708, 1709 and 1710, the regiment was in a cavalry position.
January 24, 1722. According to the table of ranks, the Headquarters and Chief Officers of the regiment were granted seniority of two ranks against the army.
1726 March 19. The Moscow retired company was expelled from the regiment and turned to the compilation of the Life Guards battalion, which on November 11, 1727 was named the Moscow Life Guards battalion, and on February 26, 1763 was abolished; instead of it, a disabled team was established in the city of Murom, called the Life Guards of Murom and abolished on March 28, 1811.
December 26, 1741. The grenadier company, by order of EMPRESS ELIZABETH PETROVNA, was expelled from the regiment and named the Life Company, and a new company was formed in its place.
Artistic Moskvitin F. Oath of the Preobrazhensky Regiment to Elizabeth
1762 March 13. Bombardier's company was expelled to form a special Bombardier's battalion;—July 5th, this command was canceled.
1770 A Jaeger team of 93 people was established at the regiment, and in 1773 r. one more Grenadier company was added to the composition of the regiment.
On November 9, 1796, the regiment received from His Majesty's own Gatchina troops (also called the Pavlovsk garrison) battalions No. 1 and 4, and then the regiment was brought into the 3rd Grenadier companies and 3rd battalions. The bombardier company is separated into the formation of the Life Guards Artillery Battalion; battalions and companies were ordered to be named after the Chief and Commanders: the 1st battalion - His Majesty, the 2nd - Lieutenant General Tatishchev, the 3rd - General Field Marshal Count Suvorov and the Consolidated Grenadier - General Mayopa Arakcheeva.
1800 April 15. The regiment was reinforced by another battalion of 5 Musketeer companies and one Grenadier company, which, with the previous 3, became part of the Consolidated Grenadier Battalion.—December 3rd, the first battalion of His Majesty was transformed into the Grenadier, and the Consolidated Grenadier was disbanded.
1801 In March, the regiment was named His Imperial Majesty's Life Guards Regiment. The third battalion was abolished, and instead of it, two Grenadier Wing companies were formed in addition to the remaining 20 companies, which were not included in the battalions.
1801 March 14th regiment, as before, was named the Life Guards Preobrazhensky; The wing-company was disbanded and then 4 Grenadier battalions were formed.
1811 February 22. The first companies of the battalions retained the name Grenadier, and the rest were renamed Fuselery; battalions and companies are named by numbers.—November 7th—the second battalion was deducted for the formation of the L.-Gds. Lithuanian regiment and then the regiment was reorganized into 3 battalions.
January 25, 1842. For the preparation of reserve troops, the 4th battalion was formed from indefinitely-leave the lower ranks, on March 10, 1854, it was transferred to the 4th active, and the 5th or Reserve Battalion was formed for the regiment. On August 20, the 5th Reserve Battalion was renamed the Reserve Battalion and the 6th Reserve Battalion was formed. On September 17, the 4th, 5th and 6th battalions became part of the Life Guards of the Preobrazhensky Reserve Regiment.
February 9, 1856. From the best riflemen, rifle companies were formed for each battalion of the regiment, and on August 6, the regiment was brought into the ranks of 3 active battalions, with 3 rifle companies.
1857 August 19. The third battalion was ordered to be called reserve and disbanded in peacetime.
1863 April 30. The 3rd battalion was formed and named active.
1876 January 1. The regiment was reorganized into 4 battalions, each of 3 companies, and at the same time the first 3 battalions were from line companies, and the 4th from rifle companies (for which one new company was formed).
August 28, 1877. On the occasion of the campaign of the 4th battalions of the regiment, a 4th company reserve battalion was formed, September 8, 1878 disbanded.
1906 June 15. The 1st battalion was renamed into the Special Infantry and was deprived of the rights of the Guard, a new first battalion was formed (from the Knights of St. George and distinguished ranks - participants in the Russo-Japanese War of 1904 - 05).
(Source: Imperial Guard: reference book Imperial Headquarters / ed. V. K. Shenk. - 2nd ed.; correct and additional - St. Petersburg: Printing house of V. D. Smirnov, 1910. - S. 51-52)
1. Formation of the regiment
At first, the soldiers of the Preobrazhensky Regiment were mostly nobles. Many of them, who acted voluntarily, were guided by the calculation of the benefits of service under the direct supervision of the sovereign, who so closely followed the service of each individual private and, moreover, did not distinguish between ranks despite his differences. Under such circumstances, everyone, relying on their abilities, willingly went to the service of the Tsar's favorite Transfigurators, fully believing that the usefulness of his service would be commensurately rewarded by the monarch's distinctions.
On the other hand, the advantage of service in the Preobrazhensky regiment was the fact that it made it possible for everyone to subsequently direct their forces in any direction according to their abilities. The tsar's regiment at that time was the hotbed of all the dignitaries of the Russian state, from the commander to the administrator and diplomat.
In addition, the influx of nobles into the Preobrazhensky Regiment was especially sensitive from February 26, 1714, when by decree of Peter the Great it was forbidden to promote nobles who did not serve in the guard as soldiers.
But in addition to the voluntary entry of nobles into the ranks of the guard, the recruitment of the regiment was sometimes carried out on the personal appointment of the sovereign: for example, by decree of February 12, 1715, it was ordered to write out 200 underage people from the nobles from Moscow to replenish the Preobrazhensky and Semenovsky regiments, and in the same year, in During March, April and May, Peter himself personally examined the noble children presented to him by Major Ushakov of the Preobrazhensky Regiment, who had come to St. in Moscow at the Slavic-Latin Academy.
Among the examples of the mandatory recruitment for recruiting from undergrowth, here is the tsar's decree of November 28, 1711, which ordered the Axis to deliver 125 people to the Preobrazhensky Regiment, who must be found from the undergrowth of noble children. If there are none, then send the best recruits.
In addition to the nobles who entered the guard voluntarily and without fail, persons of other classes were also recruited, who also enjoyed certain rights and advantages when they entered voluntarily.
So, for example, all volunteers who entered the Preobrazhensky Regiment from tributary families were given the advantage that their widows, wives, children and mothers were freed from serfdom and from dues, and male children were no longer subject to recruitment duty.
In addition, military service to the lower class, along with the nobles, opened the way to officers, and the officer rank elevated them to the highest noble class; so, on January 16, 1721, the tsar's handwritten decree was given: All chief officers who did not come from the nobility, these and their children and their descendants are nobles, and it is necessary for them to give patents for the nobility.
Then one of the most important ways of manning the guard with recruits existed in the form of so-called private recruitments, about which a special decree was given to the Senate each time, and in most cases the recruitment was carried out one person from 20 yards. Sometimes Prince Romodanovsky, who was in charge of the Preobrazhensky order and the affairs of the entire guard, with a general recruitment and with a lack of people in the guard, appointed recruits to the Preobrazhensky and Semenovsky regiments at his own discretion, but in this case he assumed full responsibility for their suitability.
There was also a procedure for recruiting guards, according to which all male children of the Preobrazhenians and Semenovtsy enjoyed the right to enter the service in the same regiments and often enrolled in the places of their fathers in order to dismiss them.
Relatives of those who served in the guards, who entered the service from home or were transferred from other units for joint service, also enjoyed a similar right. Persons belonging to the latter category were recorded separately in the regimental lists and were called supernumeraries. This should also include minors who had the right to enter the regiments for the service of their relatives.
Many noble nobles, wanting to please the sovereign, recorded their children almost from the cradle. There were especially many such examples in the lists of the Preobrazhensky Regiment in 1704, so Peter paid special attention to this inconvenience and in the subsequent years of his reign destroyed this recruitment system.
By the methods listed, the ordinary replenishment of the lower ranks of the guard regiments was carried out, so to speak, but in some cases, with a large loss in people, as, for example, during hostilities, to staff the guard, the sovereign sometimes resorted to transfer from the army, as well as to enrollment consented by foreigners. Subsequently, the reception of the latter was limited only by the number of musicians and artisans necessary for the regiment.
As for the replenishment of officer vacancies in the regiment, they were mainly replaced by productions from among non-commissioned officers and transfers for distinction of officers from the army and navy. Among the examples of the transfer of officers from the army for distinction to the guards, it is enough to point out one: in 1708, when Peter sent a message to Prince Romodanovsky about the defeat of the Swedish army and the capture of General Levengaupt, the postscript read: I ask that this whistleblower be welcome to our regiment.
There were also examples, especially in the early years of the Northern War, that Peter the Great appointed his stolniks and other more or less high officials of the civil department as officers in the guard, but such cases were, as it were, exceptions.
It remains to be said about the staffing of the regiment by clerks, who were elected for the most part from clerks; so, for example, on July 6, 1707, the tsar wrote to Romodanovsky: Our regiment badly needs a regimental clerk; for the sake of it, if you please, choose a kind and unusual person from the clerks. In addition, clerical vacancies were also replenished by voluntarily enrolling or selected from recruits who were well literate.
Those who wished to enter the service filed petitions about this to the sovereign himself or his entourage. This continued until 1710, and from that time petitions began to be written in the highest name, but were submitted to the part in which the petitioner expressed a desire to enter. These requests, after their consideration, were satisfied at the suggestion of the regimental authorities and at the discretion of the tsar, and then the enlistment of those who expressed a desire who were awarded as meeting the requirements of a soldier of the guard followed.
As for the order of recruitment, the recruits had to come to the designated places for collection uniformed and supplied with fodder money. At the assembly points, they were distributed in parts according to their abilities, and to select people for the guard, an officer from the regiment was sent and he was instructed to choose people who were certainly prominent.
A specific time for the collection of recruits was not established, and they were going to the dates assigned for each set separately, through which very often the units remained understaffed for a long time.
A similar order of replenishment with people existed until 1706, when a decree was issued to send Vedomosti from the regiments to Moscow to the Military Order in each year in September in the last or October in the first days, and from the Military Order, having collected recruits from the orders, to send these Military orders to the judge from his order of the same year in December, and so that, of course, these recruits were delivered to the regiments in January, and for the passage of recruits, determine exactly two initial persons, which recruits should be given to the generals themselves and take replies from them.
But, despite all the orders of the sovereign, there was a mess in the reception and supply of recruits: the recruits were not brought to their destination on time, and, moreover, the number of escapes from their bad maintenance increased every year.
It was necessary to pay special attention to this, and Peter the Great instructed the Military Collegium, having investigated this issue, to determine the exact rules for eliminating the existing unrest in sending recruits, and in September 1719 the Military Collegium decided: “Although decrees were repeatedly sent and published in the province about a decent collection and recruits, however, these decrees are for the most part not executed, which is why there is a considerable ruin for the state and a malfunction in the regiments, namely: when recruits are collected in the provinces, they are first led from their houses chained, and, having brought them to the cities, they are kept in great cramped conditions, in prisons and prisons for a considerable time, and, thus, having exhausted them on the spot, they will be sent, not judging by the number of people and the distance of the path, with one, and then unfit, officer or nobleman with insufficient food; besides, they will lead, having missed a convenient time, a cruel mudslide, which is why many illnesses happen on the road and die untimely, and the worst thing is that many without repentance, while others, unable to endure such a great need, flee and stick to thieves' companies, from which The worst state is ruined, because from such a bad order, neither the peasants nor the soldiers, but the ruins of the state become. From the provinces, a considerable number are sent crippled and very unfit for military service, of which more than 700 people in the Military Collegium are not accepted into the service for unfitness for service alone.
So that there are no such disorders, when the squad of recruits is initiated, it is necessary to immediately send a statement to the Military Collegium, how many recruits will be determined from which the province will be recruited, and then in the Military Collegium those recruits should be painted according to commands and sent to receive their good headquarters, chief and non-commissioned officers, depending on the number of recruits, and these officers to accept recruits from the governors and governors of the kindest and fit for service; garrison soldiers should see them off; officers, having received recruits, must immediately swear them in and, so as not to run, entrust them with mutual responsibility; then, connecting those recruits with garrison soldiers, dividing them into corporals and companies, teaching them by all means the soldier's exercise and reading them the military article, so that they would come to the regiments not real peasants, but partly as ordinary soldiers; and the grain and monetary salary determined by him from the very reception of them to give in full. So as not to exhaust them on the road with a quick march, lead them as usual for a soldier's march: three days to go, and the fourth to rest.
In October 1717, a decree was issued that allowed everyone to hire a recruit instead of himself, but with the condition, however, that the hired hand be of good behavior, and not a runaway soldier and not a thief, and, moreover, if he runs away from his unit, then in return he had to join the ranks of the employer. In the recruiting lists, both hirers and employers were accurately indicated with the expectation that at their first (hirers') escape, the regiment reported to the Military Order a list of escaped hirers, whom the employer had already searched for on his own and delivered them to the appropriate units.
2. Composition and number of ranks
The composition of the Preobrazhensky Regiment underwent various changes during the reign of Peter the Great. So, initially the regiment did not have a specific staff: people were added and removed depending on the number of those who wanted to enter the service, and only in 1694 the Preobrazhensky were divided into battalions and companies.
Then, in 1698, the regiment was brought into four battalions, which until 1716 did not have their own internal control, but constituted only an independent part of the regiment in combat terms. Each battalion was divided into four fusilier, or musketeer (infantry, armed with flintlock rifles or muskets), companies, following one after the other in numerical order.
In addition, the regiment also included bombardier and grenadier companies, which did not belong to any of the battalions, but sometimes during hostilities they were divided between them in parts. The company, in turn, was divided into corporals, the number of which varied from four to eight, but was always an even number. This division of the company existed for its internal management, while in combat terms it was divided into platoons, or plutongs. The formation of that time was four-rank; the ranks stood one after another at a distance and closed only for shooting. Two-thirds of the men in each battalion were armed with rifles and bayonets, and the remaining third were armed with pikes and swords.
In addition to subdividing the regiment into battalions for formation and into companies for internal control, the Preobrazhensky Regiment also had a detachment, or non-combatant, team, a retired Moscow company and a team of gunners.
The first of them, at the beginning of its formation, consisted of halberdiers, cabmen and batmen, and later, in 1716, increased by the addition of oboists, clerks, paramedics, medical students, all kinds of artisans and, finally, professes. All company ranks were shown in the lists of the fourth battalion.
The retired company was established in 1703 and was permanently in Moscow, which is why it was called Moscow. It included all the ranks of the regiment, which, due to old age, wounds, illnesses or injuries, could not remain in the ranks. Its set, of course, could not be determined by any states, since it was replenished by accidentally falling ill in peacetime and wounded in wartime. The appointment of regimental ranks to it depended on the definition of a doctor and regimental headquarters officers.
The service of the ranks of the retired company consisted in the maintenance of guards at the regimental outbuildings, in looking after the regimental church and the houses of regimental officers.
Finally, the team of gunners was the so-called servants of the regimental artillery and consisted of two corporals and 62 privates. Until 1704, the ranks of the regiment did not have a specific staff, but were divided into corporals, furiers (non-commissioned officer responsible for quartering the company), ensigns, company clerks, captains (in charge of receiving, accounting, storing and issuing weapons), sergeants and corporals - these are for the lower ranks; as for the officers, they were divided into ensigns, second lieutenants, lieutenants, captain-lieutenants, captains, majors and colonels.
The ranks, starting with the major, were considered headquarters officers, and the persons who wore these ranks were known at that time under the general title of "gentlemen of the regimental headquarters." A half-colonel, or, as he was later called a lieutenant-colonel, was in charge of the Preobrazhensky Regiment; only the monarch, who was, as it were, the chief of the regiment and his immediate superior, was considered a colonel in the regiment. So it was during the reign of Peter the Great and remained until 1796.
At the end of the reign of Peter the Great, the names of officer ranks were somewhat changed, but at what time these changes followed, for lack of precise instructions, it is difficult to determine.
With these changes, ensigns became known as Fendriks, second lieutenants - non-commissioned lieutenants, lieutenants - lieutenants and captain-lieutenants - captain-lieutenants.
In addition to the indicated ranks, the regimental secretary and the priest were also attached to the staff of the regiment at different times, and with the establishment of the Engineering School for officers in 1722, positions and conductors (for the engineering department) were determined.
The first secretary of the Life Guards of the Preobrazhensky Regiment was Alexander Mikhailov, and the first priest was Ivan Maksimov.
As for the size of the regiment, until 1704 the ranks of the regiment were not determined by any states, and only this year, Field Marshal Ogilvy, by order of the sovereign, returning to Moscow after the capture of Narva, took up the organization of the Russian army and presented Peter the Great with a staff of regular infantry and cavalry , and for the Preobrazhensky Regiment, not including the bombardment company, the following staff was proposed: battalions -4; mouth: grenadier - 1, fusilier - 16; regimental headquarters: colonel, lieutenant colonel, majors - 2, quartermaster, regimental secretary, regimental priest, adjutant, paramedic, paramedical assistants - 8, waggenmeister, profos; the number of military ranks in the regiment: captains - 17, lieutenants 34, warrant officers - 16, sergeants - 34, ensigns - 16, furiers - 17, company clerks - 17, corporals - 134; corporals - 268, drummers - 67, batmen - 67, privates - 2663.
The sovereign, on October 12 of the same, 1704, actually for the Life Guards of the Preobrazhensky Regiment, not including the bombardment company, this state was approved.
In the bombardment company, it was considered: captains - 2, lieutenant, sergeants - 6, corporals - 8, drummers - 2, privates - 160, captains - 2, clerks - 2. after his betrayal - Fedor Pleshcheev. The first lieutenant in this company was Alexander Danilovich Menshikov.
In 1714, there were two lieutenants in the scorer's company, one second lieutenant, there were still four corporals and the lower ranks also about 160, but the scorers with their students and gunners formed two flank non-numbered corporals; only two middle ones remained numbered.
In the grenadier company, the number of people was added to the axle to 170, which is why instead of the previous four, five corporalities were formed, and the fusilier companies remained almost unchanged.
In 1716, in the composition of the Preobrazhensky Regiment, the change was that the division into battalions began to concern internal management, and the bombardier and grenadier companies in this respect were ranked as the first battalion.
Finally, in 1723, a change was made in the composition of the bombardment company: instead of two fusilier corporals, in addition to the bombardment corporality, another bombardment, two bombardment corporal apprentices, two gunners and one engineer were formed. It remains to be said about the existing position for regimental musicians, which the sovereign created for the first time in 1698 on his return from abroad. Regimental music of that time was composed of oboes, flutes, sipoches (reed or willow pipe) and drums.
Each fusilier company had two drummers and an oboist, while the grenadier company had two drummers and a flute player. In 1702, the sovereign issued a special regulation on regimental musicians, and one more oboist was added to each fusilier company, and one flute player to the grenadier company. Among the orders of the last years of the reign of Peter the Great, his decree on the appointment of priests exclusively from among those who studied at schools attracts special attention.
"March of the Preobrazhensky Regiment" - the world will recognize this music already by the first chords. Their sound accompanies military parades and official ceremonies and makes the audience with bated breath follow the movements of the tall guardsmen of the world-famous Preobrazhensky Regiment, honed to the ideal. His appearance reflects the unbending character and mighty strength of Russian wars. For more than three hundred years, the Preobrazhensky people have personified the history of the entire Russian Army. And all this time, the march of the Preobrazhensky Regiment “Our grandfathers were glorious! The Turks know us and the Swedes!”
To the sounds of this march and with the words of an old soldier's song, the Preobrazhensky Regiment went on military campaigns and parades of the victors, marched in honor of the great military victories of the Russian army and the imperial greatness of Russia on the days of the coronation of royal persons.
The pace of the march at a speed of 120 steps per minute, a special sublimely solemn sound and the Kant form made this piece of music the personification of the victories of the Russian Army and the military glory of the Transfiguration soldiers.
The history of the Preobrazhensky Life Guards Regiment began more than three hundred years ago. When the heir of the Russian Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, the young Tsarevich Peter was exiled to the village of Preobrazhenskoye and for the sake of fun he gathered around him young falconers, courtyards and just peasants for military fun. From this composition, the future great Emperor of All Russia created two detachments, one of which he called the Semyonovsky, and the second - the Preobrazhensky Regiment. It is this event, which took place in 1683, that is considered to be the moment of birth of the glorious Russian guard.
Since that time, the Preobrazhensky have always been close to the tsar, both in peacetime and in wartime. They wore a green uniform with red cuffs and were not just the first. They were always at the forefront, they were not afraid of death on the battlefields and fought for the Fatherland to the last. Starting from the legendary battle, which also became a baptism of fire - near Narva and up to the last battles for the Russian Empire in the civil war of the early 20th century.
Music of the Russian Empire
The generally accepted historical version says that the march of the Preobrazhensky Regiment was written in honor of the glorious victories of the elite guard during the lifetime of its founder. In any case, the Petrine Decree on the creation of full-time regimental bands was published at the beginning of the 18th century, and in 1716 forty musicians were already assigned to the Life Guards of the Preobrazhensky Regiment. According to one version, it was this orchestra that was the first to reproduce the legendary march of the Preobrazhensky Regiment.
It was not just the first music of the first regiment of the Russian guard and the Russian army. The march of the Preobrazhensky Regiment became a symbol of the Russian Empire and sounded at all palace ceremonies and the most significant events of the Tsar's Court. Just like the Preobrazhensky Life Guards Regiment itself, it was also a key and system-forming support of the state system of the Russian Empire.
History and traditions of Preobrazhentsev
The Russian rulers not only patronized the military unit, but they themselves considered it an honor to wear a green-red uniform and have a rank in this regiment. All subsequent Russian emperors after Peter the Great, it was in the soldiers of the Preobrazhensky Life Guards Regiment that they saw their reliable protection and support. That is why it was these servicemen who had to take part not only in the most glorious and heroic battles of our Motherland, but also in numerous palace coups that took place in the 17th-18th centuries. Largely thanks to the Transfiguration, Catherine the First, Elizabeth and Catherine the Great ascended the throne.
And the last Russian Emperor Nicholas II was not only the August commander, but also had the military rank of Colonel of the Life Guards of the Preobrazhensky Regiment. It was under Nicholas II that the Transfiguration March began to be positioned as the main march of Russia.
With the coming to power of the Bolsheviks, the military leadership of the Preobrazhensky Regiment decides to disband the formation itself and shelter the regimental banner. The event, which interrupted the glorious history of the Preobrazhensky Regiment for almost a century, took place in the middle of 1931. It was at this time when the banner of the Preobrazhensky Regiment was found and destroyed by the Bolsheviks.
According to historians, in no country in the world there is such a military unit that would play such a role in the history of its country. It is no coincidence that the Russian autocrats called the Transfiguration soldiers the "Iron Wall of the Russian Tsardom". And the Preobrazhensky March continued its sound both in the emigration of the warriors of the legendary regiment, and in the homeland - Soviet Russia.
rebirth
The glorious history of the famous Preobrazhensky Regiment began its new countdown on April 5, 2013. When, by decree of Russian President Vladimir Putin, the 154th separate commandant's regiment was given the honorary name "Preobrazhensky".
Today, these military personnel take part in all the highest state events - state ceremonies and military parades, meetings and seeing off heads of foreign states and military delegations, accompany top officials at wreath-laying ceremonies at monuments and the Eternal Flame. In addition, the Preobrazhenians carry out garrison and military service, ensure security in Moscow and the region, including in terms of anti-terrorist security.
This military unit has always been considered the elite of the Russian Army. To get to serve in the Preobrazhensky Regiment is considered a great success. However, the requirements for candidates are quite strict. On the one hand - representative external data and high growth, on the other - good health and a prosperous family. It goes without saying that conscripts should not have problems with the law, or have bad habits. So this is where the best come in. Moreover, regiment commanders personally select candidates for service. Needless to say, the chances of recruits from pairs of twins who meet all these requirements are at least doubled.
How to get into the Preobrazhensky Regiment:
- Growth from one hundred and seventy-five to one hundred and ninety centimeters;
- Optimal ratio of weight and height;
- 100% vision without correction and normal color perception;
- Acute hearing, which allows you to perceive a whisper at a distance of six meters;
- No tattoos on the body;
- Education in a complete family;
- Twin brothers take precedence.
The conditions for acceptance into military service under a contract are even higher. All applicants pass a rigorous examination selection for physical fire and combat training and basic military subjects. At what receipt happens on the basis of higher education. And even when enrolled in the regiment, contract soldiers take additional training courses in a special training unit.
Army everyday life of the Preobrazhensky Regiment
It is the Preobrazhenians who, without taking their eyes off and with bated breath, are watched by the whole world during military parades and demonstration performances. Looking at the tall guardsmen, the schoolboys involuntarily freeze and stand at attention. At this moment, each of them dreams of becoming a military man when he grows up. However, it is difficult for civilians to imagine what hard army work is behind their honed movements and military bearing. Only for daily drill training is given from five to eight hours. In fact, combat shagistics is not just a military science, but also a high art.
Learning to stand still is no longer an easy task, and Transfiguration soldiers often have to do this. But these guys know how to stand for several hours, while at any time they are ready to perform a drill.
If the Preobrazhensky Regiment is the heart of the Russian Army, then the Guard of Honor Company is the pride of the regiment itself. In the company of the guard of honor - the most serious selection. The highest and most athletic conscripts serve here. It will not be difficult for these guys to sit on the longitudinal and even transverse twine. The soldier with the best stretch is determined in the line. They are the visiting card of the guard of honor company. It is precisely along the linear ones that all the soldiers passing through Red Square are guided by beacons. They were given the honor of being the first to start moving at the Victory Parade. By the way, the March of the Preobrazhensky Regiment sounds at the Victory Parade second in a row after the performance of the "Holy War".
The guard of honor is the only military unit of the Russian Army, where each serviceman is assigned three firearms at once. These are a training carbine, a combat carbine, and a special Simonov self-loading carbine for parade exits.
Once upon a time, these guns were held in the hands of the guards of the Preobrazhensky Regiment. They fired from it near Narva, fought hand-to-hand near Poltava, with the help they took Ishmael. It passed through hundreds of guard hands, conveying the strength of the spirit of Russian wars and carefully preserving the history of glorious victories. Such Russian weapons remained only in the 154th Separate Preobrazhensky Commandant's Regiment. Juggling with a carbine is another modern martial art, which not every fighter, even the elite troops, can master. But absolutely all Preobrazhenians should be able to march correctly and effectively with weapons. The banner group, linemen, wreath-bearers and basket-bearers - all have their own tasks. If the guard of honor needs to stand at attention for several hours in hot and cold weather, then, for example, wreath bearers need to beautifully lay a wreath, the weight of which can reach 50 kilograms.
The modern Military Band was formed in 2011. Today it is the central military orchestra of the Russian capital, which accompanies the most important events at the highest level.
Transformation in the Preobrazhensky Regiment
The Transfiguration of the Lord is one of the most significant Orthodox holidays for the military system of Russia, and, of course, for the soldiers and officers of the Life Guards of the Preobrazhensky Regiment. Two years after the revival of the history of the Preobrazhensky Regiment, the Church of the Transfiguration was also restored in the capital of Russia. This is the Church of the Transfiguration of the Lord, which was blown up by the Soviet authorities during the Khrushchev era. In addition to holding divine services and church sacraments, the Church of the Transfiguration of the Lord has another equally important task. And it consists in perpetuating the memory and the glorious military past of this military unit. In the basement of the Preobrazhensky, a historical museum of the Preobrazhensky Regiment has been created, in which, among other exhibits, copies of the historical banners of the glorious military unit are also kept.
Every year on August 19, in the newly rebuilt church of the Preobrazhensky Regiment, a festive liturgy is served and all those who laid down their lives for the Faith, the Tsar and the Fatherland are commemorated.
