M1926 Unit Flags

[Tal Inbar]

What is this banner?

Tal

[DougD]

Its a regimental standard used from 1926 until sometime in the mid 1930's. I can't say when it was replaced but it must have been about 1936.

Great looking standard, very ornate in design. At least a few were still in use in 1940.

Where is the shot from?

DD

[DougD]

This is the unit flag style I know least about, mostly because i have yet to get my hands on one. Here though is what I can say about it: after the Russian Civil War ended in 1924, the Red Army decided to devise a new unit flag design that would be standard for the entire force. The design was very ornate, requiring a huge amount of work (perhaps one of the reasons the design was done away with in the 1930's); it was square in shape, and listed the unit name as well as the parent unit name above.

Even in museums these unit flags are scarce; I have only actually seen them in the Central Armed Forces Museum (CAFM). Also, I do not know of any in private collections in the world (though that might just be because unit flag collectors tend to be shy about sharing what they have; this is very true in Russia itself).

These photos are from the CAFM and show two superb examples of the M1925/6 unit flag. This design was done away with in 1935(?) in favor of a simplified unit flag design (to be covered next). Some of these flags were used in battle in the War with Finland.

If anyone has further info on the M1925/6 unit flags, let me know.

DougD