Krasnoselsky Camp

Categories / Army. Navy/Military Ceremonies, Life, and Service
Categories / Army. Navy/Garrison
KRASNOSELSKY CAMP, military field camp, where annually from May 1 to August 2-4, the Guards, Military Academic Schools and other units, encamped for field training and manoeuvres. Set up in 1731, in the 18th century it was used irregularly, and from 1795 annually (except for the times, when the guards were at war). The troops encamped as if in the field - in tents and temporary constructions, on the grounds specially allotted to each regiment in the 1830 the use of Krasnoselsky camp led to the development of the Red Village (Krasnoe Selo) as a large rural community centre: stimulating construction of military objects (firing ranges and training grounds, schools, storages, military hospitals, road and transport networks, officers' assemblies, Emperor's and the generals' residences, amusements, trade and sports installations, and country-houses. Krasnoselskie manoeuvres were operational army training, which included training campaigning and battling - divided into minor exercises (took place annually in full complement of the Krasnoselsky camp for 3-7 days at the end of July, and completed the course of the camp training program) and major exercises, which took place since 1882 once every 3-5 years for 2-4 weeks in July with numerous army units of the St. Petersburg Military District taking part. The annual camp ended on August 1-4 with a parade of all encamping troops. In recent history the Krasnoselsky camp functioned from 1924 to 1941.

References: Антонов Б. И. Императорская гвардия в Санкт-Петербурге. СПб., 2001; Макаров Ю. В. Моя служба в старой гвардии, 1905-1917: Мирное время и война. СПб., 2001.

G. V. Kalashnikov. Антонов Б. И. Императорская гвардия в Санкт-Петербурге. СПб., 2001
Макаров Ю. В. Моя служба в старой гвардии, 1905-1917: Мирное время и война. СПб., 2001