Imperial Russia Colonel V.Z Stepanoff Soviet Forces

[Craig]

I hope this has found the right forum!

This week I was working in Brompton Road Cemetery Chelsea London. This is a an old cemetery with many famous occupants of Britians Imperial age with a great amount of war graves. It was the cemetary for the Gaurds Regiments before filling up.

Away from the main war grave areas I discovered the following war Grave ( I have a photo but I am a computer dunce and don't know how to put this on the computer)

It is of regulation British construction of white stone. Where the Regimental crest is placed is a Soviet star with the inscription

Colonel V.Z STEPANOFF

SOVIET FORCES

18th FEBRURARY 1918.

Can anyone shed light why he was buried here. I thought that Russia had left the War at this stage and I thought The British Government had sided with the White Russians during the Civil War. Any replies would be gratefull.

Thanks in advance

Craig.

[Gerd Becker]

Very interesting. I don?t have an answer for your, but i found the photo on the net.

Gerd

[Guest Rick Research]

I can't imagine how a "Soviet" would have been in Britain in early 1918, either!

They had done away with the old rank titles, and were busily armisticing with the Germans at Brest-Litovsk.

I wonder if the 1918 date was his BIRTH date rather than DEATH date?

Though the "-ff" ending was the preferred Anglicized spelling for what was later "-v."

I wonder if somebody screwed up and put the marker up in WW2 or later and completely lost the fact that White was opposed to Red--

in which case yon Tsarist officer must be oscillating underneath that marker!!!!!

[Craig]

Great photo Gerd better than mine taken on my mobile phone

Rick,

What were the chances that the Bolshevicks had a form of Embassy in the UK though not offically recognised by GB. Just a thought!

I will have another tour of the cemetery when I am at work and see if there are any other Soviet graves. But maybe not tonight a bit dark and spooky for my liking

Craig

[Michael Johnson]

Great photo Gerd better than mine taken on my mobile phone

Rick,

What were the chances that the Bolshevicks had a form of Embassy in the UK though not offically recognised by GB. Just a thought!

I will have another tour of the cemetery when I am at work and see if there are any other Soviet graves. But maybe not tonight a bit dark and spooky for my liking

Craig

A PoW perhaps?

[Pete A]

Stepanoff probably was an imperial officer. (or should I say "provisional government" officer at the time? ) To me the gravestone looks like it's erected much later than 1918, and since the inscription is in english, this was done by the British. Then the term Soviet seems plausible. There sure was no "Soviet colonels" at the time.

Just my thoughts.

Pete