Imperial Russia 197th Forest Infantry Regiment Badge

[Chuck In Oregon]

Forest Infantry? Forest Shooters? I don't know how else to translate "197-го пехотного лесного полка".

Here's how one of my books describes it: Крест красной емали, типа креcта лейб-гвардии Кексгольмского полка, на которoм серебряный меч с золотой рукоятью , по рисунку изображенного на Пертовских знаменах. So, similar in type to the Keksgolm Cross. I've got one of those around here somewhere. A guy asked me to put it "on hold" two years ago. Hmmm, I wonder if he decided not to buy it.

This example is 50.28 mm tall and 30.18 mm wide. My books says 35 mm wide but I talked to a museum guy in Tbilisi and he said the book is wrong, that it should be 30 mm. It weighs 12.41 grams without the screwplate.

Edited May 18, 2008 by Chuck In Oregon

[Chuck In Oregon]

And here's the reverse:

[Chuck In Oregon]

And a close-up of the marks:

[Guest Rick Research]

That's a STUNNER! Karelian unit, presumably?

I guess "infantry forest regiment" will have to do, since "wooden infantry" doesn't sound too good!

[GeorgeCL]

Welcome back Chuck.

My books shows this as the 197th Lesnaya Infantry Regiment.

Nice badge

George

[Chuck In Oregon]

That's a STUNNER! Karelian unit, presumably?

I guess "infantry forest regiment" will have to do, since "wooden infantry" doesn't sound too good!

* * * * *

Speaking only for myself, as a graduate in reasonably good standing of the Ft. Benning School for Boys/Chattahoochee Military Academy, "blockhead infantry" has a certain ring to it.

[Guest Rick Research]

Coulda been worse. If it was strelikogo instead of pekhotnogo it'd be "Wooden RIFLES" which would have caused GREAT merriment anywhere they went!

[Chuck In Oregon]

Welcome back Chuck.

My books shows this as the 197th Lesnaya Infantry Regiment.

Nice badge

George

* * * * *

Hello George

Always good to be among old friends. I'll have a few more new things to share soon.

The bold type in my first post is the spelling I took from the book Знаки боевого отличия, published in Tbilisi in 1982. I don't make any other claims to know. That's just where I got my information. I'll be quite happy to learn the correct ID if I'm wrong.

Chuck