Empire on fire. First year of war 1914. Alexey Glazyrin

on this their similarity ended, they were two opposites, both purely externally and in character. The eldest, the father’s sister, was of impressive size, strict and domineering. The widow of a merchant, with business acumen, but at the same time a devout one who established strict Orthodox orders in the house. She led all economic affairs in the family.The younger, the mother’s sister, was a classic Russian beauty, but she looked miniature against the background of the older one. The widow of a professor, an intellectual and a noblewoman who despised any boorish peasant, as she put it, in the heat of disputes with her elder aunt. With each other, they were constantly in no way disagree, but reconciled them, and even united tireless concern for their beloved boy. Moreover, this treasure of theirs constantly fell into any kind of trouble, due to its restlessness and curiosity.

      And indeed, from early childhood, adventures constantly happened on the verge of life and death with Alexei. It’s not clear how it will fall out of the cradle, it will fall off the roof of the house, it will start to sink in the village pond, it will strike with lightning, then it will knock down a horse with a branch, or something extraordinary will happen.

      From early childhood, his father was assigned an uncle, an old soldier and a former batman of his father, from the Cossacks, to look after and preserve the child, as well as to educate the male character in his son. Here old Mikhalych constantly got him out of nowhere, either from a pond or from under a horse, and at the same time, all military Cossack sciences taught the young man how his father punished his uncle. At first, the aunts were outraged by this approach to raising a child on the part of the father, but over time, everything was settled, because they saw that the old soldier protects the little one and treats him with all care, so Mikhalych became an integral part of the family.

      It was in such a sincere and loving triangle of aunts and uncles that he was brought up, absorbing everything that these three extraordinary people gave in their own way, emotional care, a craving for science and love.

      Maria Alekseevna the elder instilled faith in the Orthodox and business acumen, Maria Alekseevna the younger revealed her abilities for languages and physical and mathematical sciences, as well as a general interest in scientific work, Mikhalych, brought up a physically strong body and taught the Plastun Cossack combat skills, which are an integral part and included the ability to survive in critical conditions, on the verge of life and death.

      From the news that they heard their beloved child entered the school of ensigns, at first they fell into a stupor. Maria Alekseevna the eldest was the first to come to her senses, crying a little, she immediately rushed to prepare the boy, as she put it, for war. Maria Alekseevna, the youngest, first clutching his hand, demanded that these stupid things be thrown out of her head, otherwise Russia would lose the great scientist, but then, realizing that everything was useless, she went into the living room, perched on the couch, sobbed into the voice, lamenting: “to whom you are leaving us, “like an ordinary Russian woman.Alexei, standing in the middle of the living room, was simply at a loss from such a reaction from his younger aunt, who had never seen a single tear in her life. Old Mikhalych helped out as always. Slightly gaining by the shoulders, saying: “Let Lexei go, let Marya Lexevna go out, it’s such a woman’s business to escort the Cossack to the war,” he led him to his room.

      September frontline reports

      September 1, 1914 The Allies liberate Reims.

      September 2, 1914 In the Pacific, in German New Guinea, German units surrender to British troops. The battle on En. Allies attack the German position. The infantry begins to dig trenches.

      September 4, 1914 “Running to the sea” was called the operation, when the Allied and German troops tried to get around each other from the flank. As a result, the Western Front stretched from the North Sea through Belgium and France to Switzerland.

      September 5, 1914 The August operation (first) began – an offensive operation in the area of the Polish city of Augustow of the Russian armies against the German army.

      September 14, 1914 Russian troops cross the Carpathians and invade Hungary. The city of Douala in Cameroon, Germany, is captured by British and French troops.

      September 15, 1914 The first battle for Warsaw – Warsaw-Ivangorod operation. German and Austrian troops attack Russian positions from the south, but are forced to retreat.

      September 18, 1914 Turkey closes the Dardanelles for passage of ships.

      September 26, 1914 Antwerp captured by German troops.

      September 29, 1914 On the Western Front, the first battle begins at Ypres, Belgium, during which the German units try to break through the defenses of the Allied forces.

      Moscow Ensign School October 1914

      The first days of study seemed to Alexei vain and stupid.

      The future junior commanders of the army were taught the basics of military science in accordance with the realities of modern warfare: small arms, tactics, trenches, machine guns, topography, and communications services.

      They also studied military regulations, the foundations of army law and administrative law, and underwent combat training and field training.

      The usual daily routine at the ensign school was as follows:

      at 6 in the morning the rise, given by a trumpeter or a bugler;

      from 6 a.m. to 7 a.m. time for putting oneself in order, examination and morning prayer;

      at 7 o’clock morning tea;

      from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. scheduled classes;

      at 12 o’clock breakfast;

      from 12.30 to 16.30 drill on schedule;

      at 16.30 lunch;

      from 17 to 18.30 personal time;

      from 6.30 p.m. to 8 p.m. preparation of assignments and lectures given by the next day;

      at 20.00 evening tea;

      at 20.30 the evening summons and roll call;

      at 21.00 evening dawn and lights out.

      No classes were held on Sundays and during Orthodox holidays; these days, cadets from ensign schools could get fired in the city.

      The school was located in the barracks of the 5th grenadier Kiev regiment. Nearby, in the barracks of the 6th Grenadier Tauride Regiment, stood the 56th and 55th reserve battalions, which replenished the Grenadier Corps.

      The barracks were old, still Catherine’s times. But there was no tightness. There were bedrooms, separate classes for classes. On the basement floor there was a dining room, kitchen, warehouses and a restroom.

      The heating was an “Amos stove”. In the basement were four huge stoves. From them, pipes were laid in the walls along which hot air came from these stoves. In each room there were one, and sometimes more, depending on the size of the room, the so-called “stranglers”, through which hot air penetrated into the room. These stoves devoured a lot of firewood, but in the barracks it was always very warm. The stoves were downstairs in the basement, in a long corridor. It was always dark there, day and night.

      The officers were from military officers. Most of them were disabled. There were St. George cavaliers. But the disability of the officers was such that they did not prevent them from engaging in the formation in the rear. For example, Captain Sergeyev was wounded in the heel of his right foot and could not step on this heel. Staff captain Manchurov was wounded in the left hand, but could do anything with one right hand. Lieutenant Lviv. the left arm did not bend from being wounded in the elbow, etc., all in the same spirit.

      Upon leaving the bedroom, as usual unexpectedly, Alexei was rather sensitively slapped on the back. – What are you thinking about, comrade Golovin? Did you remember Vera again? Look, I’ll report to my superiors