The dispatch of the marching companies to the army in the field from the Omsk Military District during the years of the First World War (1914-1917)

This article deals with the formation of marching companies in reserve units of the Omsk Military District during the First World War, as well as their travel to the front, structure, quantity, dynamics. This topic has been mentioned earlier, but not in all of its aspects. The author of the article examines information contained in the records of the 38th Siberian Rifle Reserve Battalion (Regiment) of the 5th Siberian Rifle Reserve Brigade and the 23rd Siberian Rifle Reserve Battalion (Regiment) of the 4th Siberian Rifle Reserve Brigade, stored in the state archives of Novosibirsk and Tomsk Oblasts. The author got acquainted with the data on marching companies, beginning from their formation until their arrival at the front. The information considered indicates that the mechanism for the formation of marching companies was well established, as a result of which several officers were responsible for the company, including the commander of a regular company under which it was trained. The dispatch of the company to the front was also carefully prepared and controlled, shortly before it several events were held, including a review and a prayer. A whole staff of officers was called upon to monitor the order in the train on the way to the front. On the way, soldiers periodically made attempts to escape, which were stopped with varying success by the officers accompanying them. During this period, different reserve regiments of the Omsk Military District prepared a different number of companies, which is explained by the different time of their formation and the different level of competence of their officers. After the February Revolution, the Omsk Military District began to experience considerable difficulties with the preparation of marching companies. It began to lack men, the speed of the formation of the companies dropped significantly, the least efficient contingent from the number of deserters, people previously exempted from military service and militiamen was sent to the front as part of marching companies. Appeals to patriotism and the creation of democratic bodies, supposed to improve the situation, did not lead to anything - the soldiers thought, mainly, about being sent to field works, and the officers were engaged in political struggle in the newly formed democratic bodies. The last dispatch of marching companies in the 38th Siberian Rifle Reserve Regiment took place in August 1917, when it managed to send some companies formed in April. The rest were disbanded.

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