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WWI Russians.

Perhaps these sets are meant to represent WWI and the Russian Civil War. As I understand it, Adrians were issued to Russian brigades on the Western Front and in Salonika. There are many references to Adrians being ordered or produced by Russia but there seems to be no hard evidence of troops on the Eastern Front receiving them. Whatever the case, I think there are too many Adrians in the set.

Similarly, I can't find solid evidence (only unsubstantiated accounts) of the Lewis gun reaching Russia before the Allied landing at Archangel, so I'm not sure it was in use before Brest-Litovsk, although it was widely used in the Civil War.

Strelets doubtless have access to more Russian evidence that I do. Can you throw any light on the above?

Re: WWI Russians.

Hi Warwick,

Adrians were used, mostly by the later war shock regiments and the grenadier elements of the line regiments. Osprey men at arms 364 'The Russian Army 1914-1918 also shows a private from the 5th Latvian rifle regiment 1916-1917 with an adrian helmet. (plate G1) Also, I've read somewere that the russian Empire did import quantaties of lewis guns during ww1. But that won't help you much though:)

Cheers,

Christiaan

Re: WWI Russians.

Thanks, Christiaan. That's more or less what I had heard, but the only photograph I've seen is of a Russian in Salonika with Adrian - and puttees. I haven't seen one of Adrians in the East. I'd be happy to be corrected. I shall have a look for the Osprey book.

As you say, many accounts talk of the Lewis in Russian service, but I haven't found anything to confirm. There's an account by an American serviceman in Russia in which he describes a Lewis platoon, but that involved a battle between rival Russian factions. I've also read that the gun was in service with the French and Belgians, but that is also very doubtful. I'm convinced it was only the British, Anzacs, and germans who used them. Even the Americans only used them for a short time in France. (And, of course, the Portuguese)

Re: Re: WWI Russians.

Hi warwick, I might be wrong, but I remember seeing a photograph of Americans guarding railways near Vladivostok having a Lewis gun. I'll try to find that photograph. Info on the net on Russian ww1 military is scare, especially when helmets are concerned.

Cheers,

Christiaan

Re: Re: Re: WWI Russians.

Maybe this might help you a bit:
http://www.cascoscoleccion.com/rusia/rus17soh.htm

Frank

Re: WWI Russians.

Thank you, Frank. A very interesting site, but equally frustrating. The Russian model based on the Adrian was made in Finland, which was then part of Russia. Although production was from 1915 and distribution in 1917, the accompanying pics only show it in use in the late twenties to late thirties. There are French Adrians with Russian badges, but no dates of service or contemporary photos.

http://www.nyc-techwriters.com/militaria/soviet_helmets.htm shows the "Soviet M1915 Adrian", obviously post-Revolution since it has a hammer & sickle on the badge, and the accompanying photo of troops wearing it in Leningrad is from the twenties.

One glimmer of hope: there are some pics of troops in Romania in 1916 and 17 with Adrians. In one, at the battle of Marasti, it's hard to tell whether the men are Russian or Romanian, and the latter did have Adrians. However, there's a pic of Russians in Dobrudja, Eastern Romania, and at least three Adrians can be seen on the men's packs. Russian troops moved into the area shortly after Romania's entry into the War, in late 1916, so it's just possible that these are French-supplied Adrians.

Although it's a possibility, it still shows that they were a comparative rarity and are over-represented in the Strelets sets, making them more suitable for the Civil War.

Any chance of a response from Strelets?

Re: Re: WWI Russians.

Dear Mr.Hunt,

it makes no sence to calculate the proportions of soldiers in helmets and in hats for one simple reason: HaT released a set with peaked hats and we decided to make a set in helmets.
Best regards,

Strelets

Re: Re: Re: WWI Russians.

Further to our previous message for those of you who are interested in this war, you may check the following link:
http://i-p-s.ru/photo/1916/
Regards,

Strelets

Re: WWI Russians.

Thank you for your kind reply.

The reason I raised the matter is that the Adrian was extremely rare amongst Russian troops, and I remain to be convinced about the Lewis gun, which appeared late in the War, if at all. That restricts the set's usefulness for The Great War, although it is well suited to the Civil War.

Re: Re: WWI Russians.

It should still work for Russian troops serving on the western and Salonika fronts where, judging from photos, the Adrian was more common.

Re: WWI Russians.

Dear Strelets,

Thank you for the link to the reenactors' site. Extremely interesting. There are a couple of "Finnish" helmets and also two Adrians on show. One assumes that the reenactors have done their research, and the proportion of helmets is very small.