Do I have the right to wear a badge of injury. Badges for injury

On July 14, 1942, at a meeting of the State Defense Committee, the issue of the differences between servicemen wounded on the fronts of the Patriotic War was raised, and Resolution No. GOKO-2039 was adopted on this occasion. According to indirect data, this was initiated by the head of the Main Military Sanitary Directorate of the Red Army, Korvrach E.I. Smirnov.

It is interesting to note that this document had a historical precedent in the old Russian army, when by order of the Chief of Staff of the Supreme Commander No. 1815 of December 31, 1916, for the wound stripe, located half an inch above the left cuff. For officers, it was silver or gold, according to the galloon of the epaulette, for the lower ranks - red braid. In general, it should be noted that since the winter of 1941-1942, when the front was relatively stabilized, I.V. Stalin, for every proposal coming from any authority, began to demand a historical background on how it was before.

The GKO decree approved the "Regulations on the distinctive signs of the wounded soldiers of the Red Army on the fronts of the Patriotic War." They were of two types: for a light wound and for a severe one, which was determined by the "Certificate of Wound". The right to wear signs was noted in the Red Army books or identity cards and service records of command personnel. This decree was announced by the order of the NCO of the USSR No. 213 of July 14, 1942 and the order of the People's Commissariat of the Navy of the USSR No. 179 of July 18, 1942.

However, it was urgently necessary to clarify the concept of "light" and "severe" wounds, to introduce a single "certificate of injury", and also to determine who and when could issue it. All this was carried out in the order of the main military sanitary department of the Red Army No. 263a dated July 23, 1942, where a list of injuries was given that should be attributed to one or another category of injuries, the form "Information about the wound" was given and it was determined that it could be issued only by those medical institutions where the final outcome of the damage was determined.

These signs were worn on the right side of the chest at the level of the middle button of the front bar, at a distance of 7-8 cm from it, and if there was a pocket, above it. They were located one above the other at a distance of 3-4 mm from each other. At the same time, for a severe wound, it is higher than for a light one. Later, the wearing of these signs was allowed only on everyday and field clothes, and with the introduction on July 26, 1969 by order of the USSR Ministry of Defense No. 191 of new Rules for wearing military uniforms, they are worn with all forms of clothing on the right side of the chest 8-10 mm above orders or , in their absence, in their place.

In the Navy, the rules for wearing these signs were somewhat different. On May 5, 1943, the USSR Navy NK approved the description of the insignia of the personnel of the Navy, where, unlike the general army rules, they were worn on the right sleeve at a distance of 10 cm from the shoulder seam to the bottom strip. They were sewn from bottom to top in order of injury. These rules existed until the merger of the military ministries in 1953 and the introduction by order of the USSR Ministry of Defense No. 105 of June 30, 1955 of the uniform Rules for wearing military clothing by marshals, generals, admirals and officers of the SA and the Navy, as well as the order of the USSR Ministry of Defense No. 120 dated August 4, 1956 on the introduction of uniform rules for wearing military clothing by sergeants, foremen, soldiers, sailors, cadets and pupils of the SA and Navy.

Description of "Sign of injury"

A horizontally elongated rectangle of silk galloon: with a light wound - dark red, with a severe one - golden. It was fastened on a rectangular piece of fabric, similar in color to the fabric of the uniform, as wide as a badge, and 3-4 mm high above and below it in the form sewn onto clothes. The size of one sign is 6X43 mm.

PATCHES FOR WOUNDS

The badge for the wounds of the military personnel of the Armed Forces of the USSR was introduced on July 14, 1942. Decree No. GOKO-2039 of July 14, 1942 established the use of a distinctive wound badge for the Red Army from the day the Patriotic War began. For the illegal wearing of a badge of injury - the perpetrators are prosecuted. The right to wear a distinctive sign of the number of wounds was given to all Red Army servicemen who were wounded in battles with the enemy, or wounded by the enemy in the performance of their duties. For any simultaneous wound, servicemen had the right to wear one patch - a distinctive sign for a wound, depending on the nature of the wounds. By type of injury are divided into light and severe. The category of “light wounds” includes soft tissue injuries without damage to internal organs, bones, joints, nerve trunks and large blood vessels, as well as burns of the 1st and 2nd degree. The category of "severe injuries" includes injuries with damage to bones, joints, internal organs, large nerve trunks and large blood vessels, as well as burns and frostbite of the III and IV degrees. The fact of each injury was certified by a “certificate of injury” issued by military medical institutions and an extract from the order for the unit (institution).

For persons in command, marks on the right to wear award marks of injury were entered in section 3 "Awards and special rights assigned to the owner of the certificate." The identity of the persons of the commanding staff of the Red Army was certified by the signature of the commander of the unit (institution) and the seal of the unit (institution). For privates, marks on the right to wear award marks of injury were entered in section III “Participation in campaigns, awards and distinctions”, the Red Army book, by the company commander, according to orders for the unit. When transferred to another unit, information about the service was signed by the chief of staff of the unit with a seal attached.

Description of patches

The badge is a rectangular patch 43 mm long, 5-6 mm wide, made of dark red silk lace (for a light wound) or golden (for a severe wound). The patch for wounds was sewn on a fabric basis, in the color of the uniform. It was located on the right side of the tunic (tunic) at the level of the middle button, and in the presence of a pocket - above the right chest pocket. Projects of the award for the wounds of the artist A.B. Bug.

Worn on all forms of clothing on the right side of the chest 8-10 mm above the orders and medals, and in the absence of the latter - in their place. In the navy, the sign of wounds was established by order of the People's Commissar of the Navy of the USSR No. 179 dated July 18, 1942. The difference was in the method of wearing, namely: the sign was worn on the right sleeve of the upper items of naval uniform at a distance of 10 cm from the shoulder seam to the bottom strip. On working and inventory overalls, the sign of the number of wounds was not supposed to be worn. On the general army uniform, the patch for wounds should be worn, as established for the Red Army. The stripes had to be sewn from the bottom up in the order of the wounds, while in the army the stripes were located from the bottom to the top in the order of the severity of the wound (below - for light wounds, above them - for severe ones).

Source: WWII awards medalww.ru

The decision to place patches over the right breast pocket of a tunic or tunic is quite understandable: in the rear army units, rank insignia were still worn above the cuffs, and all awards and insignia were worn on the left until June 1943, so the right location of the patches for the wound visually "balanced" the uniform .

In connection with the "movement" of a number of orders and signs on the right side of the chest, the stripes for the wound were given a place 8-10 mm higher than the awards, i.e. more honorable than for orders.

Undoubtedly, when developing the design of the stripes, the system of distinctions for wounds, introduced in the Russian Imperial Army in December 1916, was analyzed and rethought. Having retained the principle of using fabric stripes and their differentiation by color, the Soviet command abandoned the distinction by ranks (ranks) awarded in benefit of color determination of the severity of wounds. The size was also changed in similar proportions: the length from 1.5 inches (66-67 mm) was reduced to 43 mm (practically - 1 inch), the width from 1/5 inch (9 mm) was also reduced by one and a half times - to 5- 6 mm. It can be assumed that in difficult military conditions, the use of a cheap soutache cord or braid (the production of which was mastered by industry) as a mass insignia looked preferable to the establishment of a fundamentally new metal badge.

The photo chronicle of the war years and the surviving uniforms indicate that many servicemen could wear 4-7 stripes for a wound.

Despite the fact that the size of the stripes was determined at 43x5-6 mm, often instead of a soutache cord or braid of a regulated width. ordinary sergeant galloons 9-11 mm wide were worn. The senior and senior command and command staff had stripes embroidered with satin stitch or gimp.Even before the end of the war, unregulated purple or black stripes began to appear among military personnel - there was an opinion that concussions could be designated this way. In isolated cases, other "author's additions" were also observed.At the same time, another trend was observed: soldiers who were injured did not always wear patches. In some cases, this could be due to the personal aesthetic tastes of a soldier or officer, sometimes due to the lack of braid.

According to official estimates, in the period from June 22, 1941 to September 3, 1945, 14,685,593 cases of injuries, contusions, burns and frostbite were recorded among army and navy personnel. At the same time, 10,530,750 people returned to service. (71.7%), 3,050,733 people were dismissed with an exception from the military register or sent on leave due to injury. (20.8%), 1.104.110 people died. (7.5%). As of October 1, 1945, more than a million military personnel who had several combat wounds and about one and a half million military personnel who received one wound were taken into account in the Soviet Army from among those remaining in the ranks. In the post-war years in the Soviet Union, it was allowed to wear a patch for wounds on everyday and field uniforms, but such an opportunity was not provided for the dress uniform. Contrary to orders, military personnel sometimes wore signs of the number of wounds on their full dress uniforms. In the 50s, an attempt was made to transform galloon signs into a classic award. Well-known Soviet artist, author of many post-war awards Zhuk A.B. developed many design sketches, where alternating golden and red stripes were taken as a design element of the block to which the medallion was attached. The reasons why the award was never released remain unknown.

Signs of the number of wounds were worn quite massively by the participants in the Victory Parade - soldiers, sergeants, officers and even some generals of the ground forces.At the same time, the photo and newsreel known to the author does not illustrate examples of wearing signs of the number of wounds by participants in the Victory Parade - military personnel of the Air Force, NKVD troops and military sailors (neither breastplate nor sleeve. Naturally, the Soviet signs of the number of wounds were not worn by the participants in the Victory Parade - foreign soldiers and officers.

Scheme of wearing patches

Distinctive award badge (badge and not only) for servicemen of the Russian Armed Forces (Russian Army and Navy, Armed Forces of the USSR (USSR Armed Forces)) who were wounded on the fronts of the First World War, the Great Patriotic War and during the hostilities of the post-war period.

The badge was a rectangular stripe 43 mm long, 5-6 mm wide, made of dark red silk lace (for a slight wound) or golden (yellow) (for a severe wound).

The right to wear a badge of injury was given to servicemen of the USSR Armed Forces who were wounded in battle or in the line of duty from the enemy.

The number of stripes indicated the number of injuries and their degree, there were two: light and severe injuries.

Minor injuries included:

soft tissue injuries without damage to internal organs, bones, joints, nerve trunks and large blood vessels;

burns of the 1st and 2nd degree.

Serious injuries included:

injuries with damage to bones, joints, internal organs, large nerve trunks and large blood vessels;

burns and frostbite III and IV degree.

The fact of treatment of each wound (burns and frostbite) of a serviceman was certified by a certificate of injury issued by the military medical commission, a military medical institution, and an extract from the order of a military medical institution (military unit).

For the persons of the commanding staff of the Red Army, marks on the right to wear award marks of injury were entered in section 3 "Awards and special rights assigned to the owner of the certificate" of the identity card of the persons of the commanding staff of the Red Army, certified by the signature of the commander of the unit (institution) and the seal of the unit (institution).

For privates (Red Army, Red Navy) of the Red Army and Navy of the USSR Armed Forces, marks on the right to wear award marks of injury were entered in section III "Participation in campaigns, awards and distinctions" of the Red Army book by the company commander, according to orders in part; when transferred to another unit, information about the service was signed by the unit's chief of staff with a seal attached.

The signs were sewn on the right side of the tunic (tunic) at the level of the middle button, and if there was a pocket, above the right chest pocket. After the war, it was worn on all forms of clothing on the right side of the chest 8-10 mm higher than orders and medals, and in the absence of the latter, in their place.

In the Navy (RKKF) it was determined that the badge is a rectangle of uniform-colored fabric, on which horizontal strips of silk braid 5 mm wide and 43 mm long are sewn. Each wound is indicated by sewn on a rectangle:

with a severe wound - a strip of golden color;

with a slight wound - a strip of dark red color.

In this case, the length of the rectangle corresponds to the length of the strips, and its width depends on the number of the latter. The gaps (distances) between the stripes are 3 mm, the strips themselves are sewn from the bottom up in the order of wounds, but the Badge is worn on the right sleeve of the upper items of naval uniform at a distance of 10 cm from the shoulder seam to the bottom strip, and the stripes are located across the sleeve. On items of working and inventory special clothing issued for short-term use, the sign of the number of injuries is not worn.

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Decree No. GOKO-2039 of July 14, 1942 established the use of a distinctive sign of injury for the Red Army from the day the Patriotic War began. For the illegal wearing of a badge of injury - the perpetrators are prosecuted.

The right to wear a distinctive sign of the number of wounds was given to all Red Army servicemen who were wounded in battles with the enemy, or wounded by the enemy in the performance of their duties.

For any simultaneous wound, servicemen had the right to wear one patch - a distinctive sign for a wound, depending on the nature of the wounds.

By type of injury are divided into light and severe. The category of “light wounds” includes soft tissue injuries without damage to internal organs, bones, joints, nerve trunks and large blood vessels, as well as burns of the 1st and 2nd degree. The category of “severe injuries” includes injuries with damage to bones, joints, internal organs, large nerve trunks and large blood vessels, as well as burns and frostbite of the III and IV degrees.

The fact of each injury was certified by a “certificate of injury” issued by military medical institutions and an extract from the order for the unit (institution).

For privates, marks on the right to wear award marks of injury were entered in section III “Participation in campaigns, awards and distinctions”, the Red Army book, by the company commander, according to orders for the unit. When transferred to another unit, information about the service was signed by the chief of staff of the unit with a seal attached.

The badge is a rectangular patch 43 mm long, 5-6 mm wide, made of dark red silk lace (for a light wound) or golden (for a severe wound).

The patch for wounds was sewn on a fabric basis, in the color of the uniform. It was located on the right side of the tunic (tunic) at the level of the middle button, and in the presence of a pocket - above the right chest pocket.

It was worn on all forms of clothing on the right side of the chest 8-10 mm above orders and medals, and in the absence of the latter, in their place.

In the navy, the sign of wounds was established by order of the People's Commissar of the Navy of the USSR No. 179 dated July 18, 1942. The difference was in the method of wearing, namely: the sign was worn on the right sleeve of the upper items of naval uniform at a distance of 10 cm from the shoulder seam to the bottom strip. On working and inventory overalls, the sign of the number of wounds was not supposed to be worn. On the general army uniform, the patch for wounds should be worn, as established for the Red Army. The stripes had to be sewn from the bottom up in the order of the wounds, while in the army the stripes were located from the bottom to the top in the order of the severity of the wound (below - for light wounds, above them - for severe ones).

As of October 1, 1945, more than a million military personnel who had several combat wounds and about one and a half million military personnel who received one wound were taken into account in the Soviet Army from among those remaining in the ranks.

In the post-war years in the Soviet Union, it was allowed to wear a patch for wounds on everyday and field uniforms, but such an opportunity was not provided for the dress uniform. Contrary to orders, military personnel sometimes wore signs of the number of wounds on their full dress uniforms.

In the 50s, an attempt was made to transform galloon signs into a classic award. Well-known Soviet artist, author of many post-war awards Zhuk A.B. (1922-2002) developed many design sketches based on alternating golden and red stripes as a design element of the block to which the medallion was attached. The reasons why the award was never released remain unknown.

The courage and fearlessness of warriors shown in battles were praised in every era. Those who showed these qualities were awarded orders, which testified to the self-sacrifice they had shown. One of the distinguishing marks was the stripe for the wound.

History of appearance

It should be noted that in the Russian Empire, one of the first among other states of modern history, signs of injury appeared for soldiers and officers of this format. Their issuance was established in 1906. Then the wounded and shell-shocked participants in the war with Japan relied on medals with a ribbon and a bow.

World War I

The last Russian tsar decided to reward the wounded during the battles of the First World War. The procedures for extradition and all related rules were approved in the order of 1916. It became impossible to keep the design of the previous decals. And this time, the Russian Empire provided galloon and fringe stripes. The lower ranks received such stripes in red, and the officers - in gold and silver. They were placed on the left sleeve.

Wearing rules

All those who were wounded in the war wore them on every type of their uniform - on a tunic, uniform, shirt and overcoat. The award was based on the number of wounds. Moreover, if a wounded soldier became an officer, he wore stripes for wounds in red, soldier's color, for wounds received before receiving the rank. The patches were always attached in a horizontal direction. Be sure to mark with such a sign and the wounds preceding this war. It was obligatory for officers to wear them in a contrasting color: for gold epaulettes - silver-colored stripes, and for silver ones - gold. While for all soldiers, the chronology of injuries was not taken into account, and all stripes were red.

These signs were worn only in active units. In the rear, they were strictly prohibited, with the exception of the military, who had at least three stripes. With the end of hostilities, all military personnel were given the right to wear these signs at any time.

During the bloody war of the whites and reds, special stripes existed for both sides of the hostilities. The Red Army used rectangles of silver tinsel.

The Great Patriotic War

Patches for wounds during the Second World War have become legendary. They were introduced into use only a year after the start of hostilities - in 1942. By that time, the evidence of their necessity had increased to the limit. And the decision of the Defense Committee introduced special badges. They were issued to all military personnel who were injured during the fighting with the enemy, or to injured soldiers who were at their combat posts at that time.

All fighters with stripes for wounds were very respected. The situation was aggravated by the fact that orders and medals were being prepared for issuance to a fighter for a very long time. Documents on awards were considered for a long time - sometimes for months. While the life of each fighter constantly hung in the balance. At any moment in every battle, everything ended with a funeral or a hospital for so many Red Army soldiers.

After the hospitals, it was almost impossible to be with comrades in the unit again. This distinguished the Soviet system from the German one. The situation was simpler for officers and pilots. And for a fighter from the infantry troops, the path to former colleagues lay through the regimental or divisional medical battalion. This is after receiving minor injuries.

From the front-line hospital or from the rear one could forget about returning to brothers in arms. The fighters were sent to convalescents, and then replenished with thinned units. Because of this system, many of the rightful accolades from the state were lost by the fighters who deserved them.

Some of the veterans received their orders and medals 15 years after the victory.

That was the advantage of the stripes for the wounds of the Second World War, that they received them in a simplified manner. It was enough for a certificate and a note in the book of a Red Army soldier. This was worn by every fighter. With an injury, everyone sewed galloons on their own. Although shell-shocked decals were not issued. However, according to rumors, purple or dark chevrons were allowed to be sewn on to those who were shell-shocked.

Naval signs

Some liberties existed in the fleet of those times. Badges for wounds for sailors were placed on the sleeves of uniforms. Nevertheless, many sailors sewed them, as in the army, on the chest on the right side. Naval decals were placed according to the chronology of the injuries received, rather than the priority of the gold-colored stripes. This was typical for both privates and officers.

deprivation

The decals once issued were not torn off when they hit the penal battalions. While awards were being thwarted, titles were being taken away. This always happened on the orders of the commanders, there were no decrees about this. Galloon strips were sewn on tightly, they were only torn off, as they say, “with meat”.

With the outbreak of hostilities, the presence of wound patches was recognized as an acceptable insignia. And already closer to the end of the Great Patriotic War in the army ranks, it was considered an exceptional phenomenon when the wounded, especially repeatedly, did not have government awards. This was an oversight by the commander.

There was a lot of brilliant stuff on staff and in the rear, and there weren’t enough stripes on the front lines. And yet, some of the fighters went without brilliant orders. A yellow stripe or a red one was clear evidence that the fighter did not go to the rear, but was a real veteran who sniffed gunpowder and shed blood for his Fatherland.

Appearance

The patches were rectangular, 43 mm long and 6 mm wide. They were silk, for light wounds - red, and for severe wounds - yellow. The number of stripes showed the number of injuries received.

Injuries of mild severity were considered injuries in soft tissues, when vital organs, bones, joints, and the largest blood vessels were not affected. They also included burns of the 2nd and 1st degrees.

Severe wounds were recognized as injuries with damage to the bone, joint, vital organ, large blood vessel. These were any life-threatening injuries. These included serious penetrating wounds, frostbite, burns of the 3rd and 4th degrees.

The treatment of all injuries of the Red Army soldier was confirmed by the provision of relevant documents. They were issued in hospitals and similar organizations during the war years. The commanders of the Red Army necessarily made a mark in their personal certificates, certified by the signatures of higher authorities.

For ordinary soldiers, a similar mark was made in the Red Army book. The signature of the chief of staff was obligatory.

The patches were attached to the right side of the tunics next to the middle buttons. Or over the chest pocket. In the post-war era, they were attached to any form on the right side of the chest 1 cm above orders and medals.

Appearance in the fleet

In the Red Army Fleet, these decals were rectangular in shape and made of silk fabrics. They were sewn in a horizontal direction. They were 5 mm wide and 43 mm long. Stripes of a golden hue denoted severe injuries affecting vital organs, burns and frostbite of the 3rd and 4th degrees, penetrating wounds. Burgundy rectangles are light. There were small gaps of 3 mm between the bands.

Conclusion

The fighters, and later veterans, were proud of the injuries they had once experienced, because they were fraught with many memories of the difficult, but glorious minutes of the battles. They reminded them of the trials they went through while saving their country and their loved ones. They reminded us of those comrades-colleagues who did not return from the fields of the fiercest battles.

With the end of the fighting season, the enemy troops were destroyed with great efforts. But such special stripes on uniforms remained a reminder of the immortal feat of millions of citizens of the Soviet state. Therefore, these rectangles are considered valuable to this day, after almost a century since the beginning of the war years.

It should be emphasized that only in 1985, on the fortieth anniversary of the Victory, all participants in the hostilities were issued orders in memory of the Patriotic War. All wounded and shell-shocked veterans were awarded orders of the 1st degree.

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