General Anatoly Pepeliaev: the beginning of the military career

The paper is devoted to one of the military leaders of the White Movement in Russia during the Civil War Anatoly Nikolaevich Pepeliaev. The author examines his little-known early life and combat activity. A.N. Pepeliaev was born on July 15 (July 3, according to the old calendar), 1891, in Tomsk. His father Lieutenant-General Nikolai Michailovich Pepeliaev was a hereditary officer. Initially A.N. Pepeliaev was educated at home, then he continued his training at a private school and at Omsk Cadet Corps. When at school, he did not seem to be diligent and did not show good behavior. After he finished the Cadet Corps in 1910, he entered Pavlovsk Military College in St. Petersburg. At the College he showed his interest and ability in the military affairs. He was characterized as an honest person with good manners who could make friends, however, at the same time, he could be hotheaded, untidy and exposed to others' influence. It was not accidental that he received 16 penalties during his study. He graduated from the Military College successfully in 1912, received a rank of the second Lieutenant and was sent to the 42nd Siberian Rifle Regiment located in Tomsk. A.N. Pepeliaev served as a junior officer of the machine-gun team, then he was the head of a scouts team. In 1913 he was promoted to Lieutenant. In 3 weeks after the First World War began his regiment as a part of the 11th Siberian Rifle Division went to the front. Since September 1, 1914 he had been fighting at the North-Western and Western fronts for 3 years. He participated in many battles including bayonet attacks as the head of a scouts team not far from the settlements Graevo (17 September 1914), Markgrabovo (26 September 1914), Prasnysh (27 and 28 November 1914), Rostkovo (13 and 14 February 1915), Zelenka (18 September 1915), Osova (26 September 1915), Pavlovo Kostelne (28 February1916), etc. A.N. Pepeliaev was awarded the Order of St. George of the 4th Degree and the St. George's Weapon for his courage shown during the battles. In 1915 he was promoted to Staff-Captain, in 1916 he obtained the position of Captain and then Battalion Commander. In October-December 1916 A.N. Pepeliaev was in charge of the army's frontline school of warrant officers in the town of Vileika and taught tactics there. In the spring of 1917 he participated in forming the 711th Nerekhtinsky (Nerekhta) Infantry Regiment of the 178th Infantry Division and commanded one of the battalions. He was nominated for the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel by his direct commanders three times, but his appointment to this rank was twice rejected by the front commanders. It was only the third time that the petition was granted, but the order to give this rank to A.N. Pepeliaev had never been received. He returned to Tomsk in early 1918 and soon became one of the leaders of the anti-Soviet underground organization.

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