Cap badges of the VOKhR

[Kim]

Here are a couple of cap badges from the BOXP- voenizirovannaya okhrana, armed security guards. From what I learned of the Internet the VOKhR is one organisation but with a great variation in tasks. Some VOKhR guarded prisons, camps and some industrial complexes. But they must have had different uniforms or at least different models over the years. Information one the subject is next to non-existent. An Internet search gives a couple of cap models, not much more. Does anyone have more information?

To the left are two badges m/1982 and to the far right one m/1956.

[Kim]

Here is a man wearing the m/82 badge, silver version.

There are more cap badges. So now that you have seen mine, show yours.;)


/Kim

[Taz]

Kim,
I,m still looking for Uniforms, found this Pic Of a Different Cap Badge.

Eddie.

[Taz]

And this Cap with another sort of Badge.
On both of these variations the crossed Weapons are on the front of the Star.
I wonder why this is? Later Types maybe?

Eddie.

[Kim]

Eddie: I saw the cap badge on E-bay. But if I remeber correct this is modern russian issue?

The cap has the M1969 cap badge. I find the cap badge evolution rather strange in this case because the badges became better made than the previous model. In so many other cases later badges became so ugly...

/Kim

[Kim]

The VOKhR, was older than I thought. I found this in: Red Army; Osprey men-at-arms series: 293

"The Voyenizirovannaya Okhrana (VOkhr) or Paramilitary Security was formed on 29 May 1919 by combining a number of detachments responsible for guarding strategic roads, railways, waterways and factories. VOkhr troops were directly subordinated to the Cheka, and were organised as 35 brigades. By 1 january 1920 they were 105,000 strong."

/Kim

[otlichnik]

Kim,

The civil war VOKhR is not really the same as the later VOKhR. Most of the more "exciting" duties were taken over by other bodies - state security (NKVD, NKGB, MGB, KGB) guarded leaders and few key strategic (read nuclear) industries. The MVD interior troops guarded the next level of leadership, arms and major industries, key transportation points, etc.. MVD also had guards for all prisons and camps while regular Militsia (police) guarded temporary holding cells.

VOKhR served as guards at any factories and warehouses which were important enought to warrant a professional, and at times armed, guard service, but not important enough to be designated a strategic or key industry and get MVD or KGB guards. So you might get VOKhR at a plant making fighter planes, MVD at the plant making the bombs, and KGB or Army at the plant making the nuclear warheads.

Shawn

[Kim]

Thanks for the info Shawn!

What department did the later VOKhR sort under? During the civil war it looks like it's part of the army. But if this was the case with the later VOKhR wouldn't they all have had army caps? According to the Krokardi-book, Kutsenko, they get their first cap badge in 1935.

There is also a great many diffrent types, colours, of VOKhR caps. Who regulated this? The factory...

/Kim

[otlichnik]

The post-war VOKhR weren't under the army or KGB or MVD. They appear to have belonged to the various industries (industrial ministries) which they worked for. In other words they were an internal guard service - employed by the factory just like the workers. But they were regulated by the MVD who licensed them and controlled their arms.

The fact that they actually belonged to many industries may explain why there ae so many badges.

Shawn

[Kim]

Thanks for the info Shawn! I always like when the small things get more stories behind them.

/Kim