Memory of the world: “The Russians in France: the forgotten contingent” in the Sverdlovsk region

To the 100th anniversary of the formation of the 1st Special Infantry Brigade of the Russian Expeditionary Force in the Museum of Military Equipment "Battle Glory of the Urals" (Verkhnyaya Pyshma, the Sverdlovsk region), with the support of the Sverdlovsk regional branch of the Russian military-historical society was opened the exhibition "The Russians in France: the forgotten contingent" dedicated to military heroism of soldiers who fought on the French-German front during the First world war.

The basis for its formation was a unique album "Through the seas and oceans in France. Author Ernest Shults". The edition was published in 1916 and belonged to the officers of the Russian Expeditionary Corps.

- This album can be considered a unique artifact, perfectly preserved to this day. It collects a real chronicle of the life and combat path of the soldiers and officers of the military unit, they travel 30 000 kilometers, which they carried on the Trans-Siberian Railway, across the Pacific and Indian Oceans, the Mediterranean Sea. Professional historians have examined in detail in the 20s of the last century, the participation of our compatriots in battles in Western Europe. On the French-German front, fought about 20 000 thousand of our compatriots, including soldiers of the 5th Special Infantry Regiment, formed in Yekaterinburg in Orovaysky barracks, a building which is perfectly preserved to this day - said the Chairman of the regional branch of RVIO in the Sverdlovsk Region, Director of the museum Alexander Yemelyanov.

In addition to unique photographs, the exhibition presents awards, items of equipment of soldiers, captured weapons, uniforms, periodicals during the First World War. 

At present, the Museum of military equipment is considered to be one of the largest exhibition sites of Russian military-technical sites, along with museums of Moscow, St. Petersburg, Togliatti and Saratov. Over 10 years the museum's collection contains more than 200 pieces of military equipment and vintage cars, a unique collection of domestic awards, models of weapons and firearms, as well as uniforms, equipment, insignia of the Russian armed forces from the XVIII century to the present day.