Christine Spangler Posted 2 February , 2021 Share Posted 2 February , 2021 I am researching my grandfather, Thedore Petter's, family. He was born in 1895 in the Germany colony of Adolin in Volhynia, Russia, and emigrated to the U.S. in 1913, four years after his brother, Karl, did. There were 12 other children in the family, at least four of whom died in persecution by Stalin or the Holodomor famine in what now is Ukraine. I know my Uncle Karl (Charlie, we called him), snuck out using his cousin's military service papers to avoid conscription. This photo was in my grandfather's belongings. I think at least one or more are brothers and/or cousins. I believe they might have been in the 44th Siberian Rifle Regiment in 1914, from another geneology buff's information. However, I am unsure. Does anyone have more difinitive information, and while I am at it, where might I be able to searh for Russian soldiers at that timne? Also, I posted a photo of my first cousin ... I think he shares genes with the soldier on the top left, don't you? Thanks much for anything you can share!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FROGSMILE Posted 3 February , 2021 Share Posted 3 February , 2021 (edited) Welcome to the forum Christine. The number on the shoulder boards (as they are termed) is definitely 44, but I’m unsure if that relates to regiment or division (a larger formation). I would suggest that as well as posting here, you join and post in the following forum too: https://en.topwar.ru/143034-sibirskaya-armiya-velikoy-voyny-ili-7-faktov-o-sibirskih-strelkah-ch-2.html Apparently there was also a 44th Siberian Military School for training soldiers. Edited 3 February , 2021 by FROGSMILE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christine Spangler Posted 3 February , 2021 Author Share Posted 3 February , 2021 Thank you so very much! I would like to find out more about the regiment and it looks as though that group also could be a big help. Again, thank you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FROGSMILE Posted 3 February , 2021 Share Posted 3 February , 2021 (edited) 11 hours ago, Christine Spangler said: Thank you so very much! I would like to find out more about the regiment and it looks as though that group also could be a big help. Again, thank you! Christine it seems that the 44th Siberian Rifle Regiment was a constituent part of the 11th Siberian Rifle Division. [11-ya Sibirskaya Strelkovaya Diviziya.] Omsk Military District. Headquarters, Omsk. See: http://marksrussianmilitaryhistory.info/RUSS1914.html There’s also some information on uniforms here: https://www.rbth.com/arts/2015/03/03/the_last_hurrah_of_the_russian_imperial_uniform_41727 Edited 3 February , 2021 by FROGSMILE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christine Spangler Posted 3 February , 2021 Author Share Posted 3 February , 2021 Thanks. Very interesting story on the way Russian uniforms changed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FROGSMILE Posted 3 February , 2021 Share Posted 3 February , 2021 (edited) 5 hours ago, Christine Spangler said: Thanks. Very interesting story on the way Russian uniforms changed. I’m glad to help just a little. I suspect you will have to find an English speaker in Russia who specialises in genealogy there (probably someone quite young), as I don’t know of anyone in the forum here who might help with that aspect. It’s a relatively unusual part of the world to research. Edited 3 February , 2021 by FROGSMILE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikhail Posted 22 March , 2021 Share Posted 22 March , 2021 Hello, Christine! I am Russian and I know a little about the uniform of the Russian imperial army. On the photo are 3 privates of 44th Kamchatsky Infantry regiment. The wore just numbers 44. on the shoulder boards. The 44th Siberian Rifles regiment wore 44Сб. on the shoulder boards (44Сб. means 44th Siberian). The regiment was in 2nd Brigade of 11th Infantry division in 1914 (Brigade HQ - Lutzk). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/11th_Infantry_Division_(Russian_Empire) regards, Mikhail Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FROGSMILE Posted 22 March , 2021 Share Posted 22 March , 2021 (edited) 18 hours ago, Mikhail said: Hello, Christine! I am Russian and I know a little about the uniform of the Russian imperial army. On the photo are 3 privates of 44th Kamchatsky Infantry regiment. The wore just numbers 44. on the shoulder boards. The 44th Siberian Rifles regiment wore 44Сб. on the shoulder boards (44Сб. means 44th Siberian). The regiment was in 2nd Brigade of 11th Infantry division in 1914 (Brigade HQ - Lutzk). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/11th_Infantry_Division_(Russian_Empire) regards, Mikhail Thank you for posting Mikhail. It’s very interesting to learn more about the Russian system of regimental insignia during that period. There is not so much information online in English to learn these things, especially for the old Imperial army. Edited 23 March , 2021 by FROGSMILE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikhail Posted 23 March , 2021 Share Posted 23 March , 2021 (edited) Dear Christine, may be do you have the original black - white photo? in this case I suppose will be possible to get more information. Here in Russia there are a lot RIA uniform experts and I would ask them on numerous forums to help. Because usually black - white photos give more information for experts than colorized ones. Thanks in advance! regards, Mikhail Edited 23 March , 2021 by Mikhail Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FROGSMILE Posted 23 March , 2021 Share Posted 23 March , 2021 (edited) I will try to draw the attention of @Christine Spangler to your offer of assistance. She should get an email notification from this now. Edited 23 March , 2021 by FROGSMILE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christine Spangler Posted 23 March , 2021 Author Share Posted 23 March , 2021 Hi Mikhail, Thank you so very much for the information about the 44th. It make sense because my grandfather's family was from the tiny German colony of Adolin in Volhynia, just southwest of Novograd-Volynsk and not far east of Lutsk. I would love to be able to identify some or all of the three. Do you know if there is a place I could find the records for infantry soldiers? The last name of my great-grandfather is Peter and my great-grandmother, Krampitz. I greatly appreciate your assistance! Chris Spangler. By the way, I am pleased to say that I recently connected with my second cousin I never knew. His grandfather was my great-uncle, and I am hoping to learn more about the family's fate from him. I am so excited to be learning about my grandfather's siblings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikhail Posted 23 March , 2021 Share Posted 23 March , 2021 (edited) Thanks a lot, Christine! will try to get more information. Do you have some inscriptions on the back side of this photo? as for information about soldiers, serving in WWI, we have some lists of PoW and KIA soldiers, but it looks quite small and not full... I will try do my best. Edited 23 March , 2021 by Mikhail Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christine Spangler Posted 23 March , 2021 Author Share Posted 23 March , 2021 Thanks for the quick reply! There is nothing written or printed on the back of the photo, unfortunately. All I know is the story about my Uncle Charlie (Karl Peter) being able to leave Russia for America in 1909 because he used his cousin's papers indicating that he had served his mandated military service. He was three years older than Uncle Charlie. My grandfather's brothers who remained in Russia were: Alexander, Johan, Emil, Georg, Ernst, Reinhold, Arnold and Ewald Peter. Inlaws' surnames included Eichhorst, Hofman, Puddel, Micik, Krenz and Sobchak. One document has my great-grandfather, Heinrich Peter, as Heinrich Petrich. If you do come across anything, or can share any websites I can visit, I greatly appreciate it! Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikhail Posted 24 March , 2021 Share Posted 24 March , 2021 (edited) Some more information from Russian uniform experts... This photo was taken about 1910 - spring 1913. These date based of uniform features (specific type of shirts and shoulder boards etc). At the moment this is all info that I have. as for names of your relatives... We have big portal of names of soldiers partisipated in WWI (https://gwar.mil.ru/heroes/) , The portal is dedicated to the losses of Russia during the First World War. Its basis is a card index of losses (more than 10 million cards: so far 6 million have been digitized, 2.2 million have been laid out). These cards were drawn up for the wounded, shell-shocked, out of service for other reasons. In addition, the portal will contain data from the Fund 16196 RGVIA (this is a list of losses). it is possible to search people by names, surnames , places and dates of birth, and even by regiments.. Unfortunately I was not able find any your relatives there, I have tried different combination of searching... it's interesting there are 2 soldiers from of Adelin in Volhynia, the countrymen of your ancestors. both of them have German names and surnames. So it looks like nobody from your relatives was wounded or killed in WWI or probably still don't digitized and still not on the portal. They still work and fill the portal. So sorry, I am not able to help more. Best regards, Mikhail Edited 24 March , 2021 by Mikhail Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christine Spangler Posted 24 March , 2021 Author Share Posted 24 March , 2021 Thanks so very much, Mikhail! It is wonderful to be able to pin down the regiment, rank and estimated date of this photo. I visited the website — what a treasure trove! — but also did not find any Peters or surnames of the other known relatives. I should be glad because that would mean that they were not casualties of war! I tried to find the two soldiers from Adelin/Adolin, but was unsuccessful. If it is not too much trouble, would you be able to tell me their names so I can look them up? Adelin/Adolin was a very small community, so I am thinking I might be able to connect with others whose ancesters might have been neighbors back then. At the very least, it never hurts to try! I truly appreciate all your work on my behalf. Every piece of information fills in a piece of the puzzle. Take care, Chris. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikhail Posted 25 March , 2021 Share Posted 25 March , 2021 Dear Christine, this is a link to those soldiers (fist two names) from Adelin, Volyn province. https://gwar.mil.ru/heroes/?birth_place=Аделин&groups=awd:ptr:frc:cmd:prs&types=awd_nagrady:awd_kart:potery_doneseniya_o_poteryah:potery_gospitali:potery_spiski_zahoroneniy:potery_voennoplen:frc_list:cmd_commander:prs_person&page=1&birth_place_gubernia=Волынская All words should be written in Russian of course. First man is Evalit Gein (I suppose his real name should be Evald Gein). Second man is Reingold Bodner. both soldiers served in the Caucasus, although in different units, and were sick. Best regards, Mikhail Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leanne Posted 21 June Share Posted 21 June My great-grandfather served in the 44 Siberian Rifle Regiment. Is there any information about this regiment available online? I would love to learn more. He was discharged in 1910, so a bit before your relatives, Christine! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin Bob Davies Posted 22 June Admin Share Posted 22 June Welcome to the Great War Forum @Leanne' as you say he was discharged in 1910, that puts it out of time line for the Forum. However, is there a chance he might have been called up again, to fight in 1914 to 1918? There are a number of links on the existing thread posted by other members, have you explored them yet? Regards, Bob. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FROGSMILE Posted 22 June Share Posted 22 June (edited) 22 hours ago, Leanne said: My great-grandfather served in the 44 Siberian Rifle Regiment. Is there any information about this regiment available online? I would love to learn more. He was discharged in 1910, so a bit before your relatives, Christine! This should draw the attention of @Mikhail who is a good forum member and always helps where he can. He will be able to make an investigation and probably confirm any WW1 service that there might be if that was so. Edited 22 June by FROGSMILE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikhail Posted 26 June Share Posted 26 June On 22/06/2024 at 00:25, Leanne said: My great-grandfather served in the 44 Siberian Rifle Regiment. Is there any information about this regiment available online? I would love to learn more. He was discharged in 1910, so a bit before your relatives, Christine! Hello, yes of course there a some information about 44 Siberian Rifles mostly on russian websites and of course in Russian language. Do you understand Russian? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leanne Posted 5 July Share Posted 5 July I do not, but if those are the only sites available, I would be grateful for any references you can provide and I can work with translations. No, this great-grandfather of mine emigrated to North America in 1913, so I am sure he did not serve in WWI, at least not on the Russian side. I know this is out of the timeline for this forum, but I have had trouble finding any information at all. I am very grateful for any information or direction that anyone can share with me! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikhail Posted 1 August Share Posted 1 August On 22/06/2024 at 00:25, Leanne said: My the 44 Siberian Rifle Regiment. Is there any information about this regiment available online? I would love to learn more. He was discharged in 1910, so a bit before your relatives, Christine! Hello Christine, 44th Siverian rifle regiment was founded in 1910 only. On September 1, 1910, the 11th Siberian Infantry Reserve Semipalatinsk Regiment and the 12th Siberian Infantry Reserve Barnaul Regiment were merged into the 44th Siberian Rifle Regiment. It was part of the 11th Siberian Rifle Division and was stationed in Omsk. Probably your great-grandfather served in on of those reserve regiments and was discharged just after the merger. there are some links with lot of information about the regiment (in Russian only, sorry...) https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Сибирский_44-й_стрелковый_полк https://ria1914.info/index.php/44-й_Сибирский_стрелковый_полк https://antologifo.narod.ru/pages/list2/histore/ist44SibStP.htm https://gwar.mil.ru/army/661/ but I think it will be not possible to find detailed info about some privates, even about every officers of this regiment :(( Uniform and regimental badge are below... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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