Did Russians really wear all those medals in combat?
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- 43rdRecceReg
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Did Russians really wear all those medals in combat?
With the boon of my new fibre broadband connection, ( )I've been vegetating to Amazon Prime streams of Russian made WW2 movies- along box sets of Russian WW2 TV series. Luckily, Vlad doesn't ride bare-chested through any of them, on horse nor even in the turret T-34. In the main though, I've found them highly entertaining- and quite addictive, as many of them sport T34s and IS2-s, as well as early Soviet-era military equipment, and beautiful landscapes ( here and there)
One thing I noted, though (apart from the prevalence of the ' Nasty German Spy' theme) is that all combat troops are required to wear their medals, and decorations, in combat situations. I wonder whether this really was the case?
We're all familiar, I guess with the haughty and strutting Prussian militarists proudly wearing the Knight's Cross (Ritterkreuz) in combat, but were German troops actually required to sport medals in combat?
I would have though that wearing medals would make one sniper-bait, just as wearing badges of rank on sleeves made British officers sniper bait in WW1 (that's the reason they switched to shoulder-board rank badges
later).
from the point of view of having Tank Riders and Tank Commanders with our models, I guess it's important to get the details right.
Would going into combat with this lot be a help or a hindrance? Maybe it would make for a partial defence against intrusive unwanted bullets? Of course, all of these would have had to be won before the end of the War...
One thing I noted, though (apart from the prevalence of the ' Nasty German Spy' theme) is that all combat troops are required to wear their medals, and decorations, in combat situations. I wonder whether this really was the case?
We're all familiar, I guess with the haughty and strutting Prussian militarists proudly wearing the Knight's Cross (Ritterkreuz) in combat, but were German troops actually required to sport medals in combat?
I would have though that wearing medals would make one sniper-bait, just as wearing badges of rank on sleeves made British officers sniper bait in WW1 (that's the reason they switched to shoulder-board rank badges
later).
from the point of view of having Tank Riders and Tank Commanders with our models, I guess it's important to get the details right.
Would going into combat with this lot be a help or a hindrance? Maybe it would make for a partial defence against intrusive unwanted bullets? Of course, all of these would have had to be won before the end of the War...
Last edited by 43rdRecceReg on Thu Jan 30, 2020 10:28 pm, edited 1 time in total.
"Get your facts first, and then you can distort them as much as you please"- Mark Twain.
- 43rdRecceReg
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Re: Did Russians really wear all those medals in combat?
To answer my own question, in part- I've just found a discussion on the theme of medals worn in combat here, but there's no discussion of Russian soldiers in it:
https://www.feldgrau.net/forum/viewtopi ... 609099df1c
https://www.feldgrau.net/forum/viewtopi ... 609099df1c
"Get your facts first, and then you can distort them as much as you please"- Mark Twain.
- Rad_Schuhart
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Re: Did Russians really wear all those medals in combat?
That is a wonderful bulletproof vest!
My RC tanks website, loads of free info for everybody:
https://radindustries.wordpress.com/
https://radindustries.wordpress.com/
- Son of a gun-ner
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Re: Did Russians really wear all those medals in combat?
LOL, reminds me of this little gem.
But don't ask what they actually did to gain a lot of those medals, not for a forum such as this, research it yourself.
But don't ask what they actually did to gain a lot of those medals, not for a forum such as this, research it yourself.
Mick - The grit in the underpants of life!
And always happy to spare the bytes
TOTM needs YOU support YOUR TOTM competition, I'm doing my part, are YOU?
And always happy to spare the bytes
TOTM needs YOU support YOUR TOTM competition, I'm doing my part, are YOU?
Re: Did Russians really wear all those medals in combat?
LOL... Bulletproof vest... More like a super cheap scale mail made of soft metals...
Medals are usually very thin and made of copper/brass/bronze alloys.
IF you are lucky a bullet wouldn't penetrate as far into you due to the soft medal's slowing down and dispersing the kinetic energy slightly...
Multiple pieces sure...
Medals are usually very thin and made of copper/brass/bronze alloys.
IF you are lucky a bullet wouldn't penetrate as far into you due to the soft medal's slowing down and dispersing the kinetic energy slightly...
Multiple pieces sure...
- 43rdRecceReg
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Re: Did Russians really wear all those medals in combat?
yes, I saw that one as well, Mick. Tee hee! (He's the one in the foreground)Son of a gun-ner wrote:LOL, reminds me of this little gem.
But don't ask what they actually did to gain a lot of those medals, not for a forum such as this, research it yourself.
I've often wondered where the Royals- in general- get all of those impressive medal ribbons; winning at polo, perhaps?
But that's just an aside, and not for a forum such as this.
"Get your facts first, and then you can distort them as much as you please"- Mark Twain.
- 43rdRecceReg
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Re: Did Russians really wear all those medals in combat?
Thanks, Rad and thanks, Jarlath, for the impressive pic of the life-saving(?) coins. Now and then, miraculous spent bullets cause only minor injuries; but there are also stories of soldiers being saved by cigarette cases, bibles and the like.Jarlath wrote:LOL... Bulletproof vest... More like a super cheap scale mail made of soft metals...
Medals are usually very thin and made of copper/brass/bronze alloys.
IF you are lucky a bullet wouldn't penetrate as far into you due to the soft medal's slowing down and dispersing the kinetic energy slightly...
Multiple pieces sure...
Does anyone know, though, whether Russian and German soldiers were actually required, by regulation, to wear their medals on active service?
"Get your facts first, and then you can distort them as much as you please"- Mark Twain.
- jarndice
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Re: Did Russians really wear all those medals in combat?
We did not even wear our medal ribbons in combat because as you said in the initial thread it makes you a target,
The reason why badges of rank in the British Army are now worn on the chest when in the field in simple white over green is for the same reason.
There seems little point in wearing camo gear if you are going to dot brightly covered ribbons, shiny awards
and white stripes or silver badges of rank over your uniform
I have to admit as soon as were able we took off our dun coloured helmets and put on our berets complete with shiny badge thereby undoing all the good work we had gone through with facepaint and attached foliage
Something that always made me smile was seeing pictures of German soldiers in the last unpleasantness wearing red and white wound badges on their chests in combat,
If that was not an aiming point for a sniper then what was ?
The reason why badges of rank in the British Army are now worn on the chest when in the field in simple white over green is for the same reason.
There seems little point in wearing camo gear if you are going to dot brightly covered ribbons, shiny awards
and white stripes or silver badges of rank over your uniform
I have to admit as soon as were able we took off our dun coloured helmets and put on our berets complete with shiny badge thereby undoing all the good work we had gone through with facepaint and attached foliage
Something that always made me smile was seeing pictures of German soldiers in the last unpleasantness wearing red and white wound badges on their chests in combat,
If that was not an aiming point for a sniper then what was ?
I think I am about to upset someone
Re: Did Russians really wear all those medals in combat?
Usually a bunch of circumstances that allow for the "victim" to survive being shot. (yes the rolls of coins was in their chest pocket), materials of the interposing object, what type of bullet (handgun/rifle)? Range, etc...43rdRecceReg wrote: Thanks, Rad and thanks, Jarlath, for the impressive pic of the life-saving(?) coins. Now and then, miraculous spent bullets cause only minor injuries; but there are also stories of soldiers being saved by cigarette cases, bibles and the like.
As for worn medals worn into combat, it was done early on to ensure a few things.
- Pride of the soldier for their accomplishments
- Show who was experienced (Respect for veterans and their opinions)
- Show who was commanding (Rank)
Want to get your superior killed in a combat zone? Salute them out in the open.
So by the end of WWI most medals were only worn in non-combat/safe zones...
- 43rdRecceReg
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Re: Did Russians really wear all those medals in combat?
Thanks for that! Yes, kommt Zeit, kommt Rat, as the Germans (In time comes wisdom). We are wise after the event now, but in WW2, awards were still on display. Part of the reason I posed the question, was that in one of the Russian films I saw- I forget which one for now- but it was set in a frontline house in Stalingrad; a soldier was told off for not wearing his campaign medals.Jarlath wrote:Usually a bunch of circumstances that allow for the "victim" to survive being shot. (yes the rolls of coins was in their chest pocket), materials of the interposing object, what type of bullet (handgun/rifle)? Range, etc...43rdRecceReg wrote: Thanks, Rad and thanks, Jarlath, for the impressive pic of the life-saving(?) coins. Now and then, miraculous spent bullets cause only minor injuries; but there are also stories of soldiers being saved by cigarette cases, bibles and the like.
As for worn medals worn into combat, it was done early on to ensure a few things.With the birth of Snipers as rifle & optics grew, so did the muting of displayed rank and medals.
- Pride of the soldier for their accomplishments
- Show who was experienced (Respect for veterans and their opinions)
- Show who was commanding (Rank)
Want to get your superior killed in a combat zone? Salute them out in the open.
So by the end of WWI most medals were only worn in non-combat/safe zones...
As for not saluting an officer, in order to conceal his identity/status, riding boots and a pistol (as opposed to rifle and bayonet) also helped enemy snipers pick off WW1 officers.
To Shaun: yes, well wearing a black beret,with a shiny RAC badge, for example, would also have put a tank commander in jeopardy, as he surveyed the conflict zone from the cupola!
This Comet commander would have made a good target, for example...
"Get your facts first, and then you can distort them as much as you please"- Mark Twain.