Armed Forces of South Russia
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| Armed Forces of South Russia | |
|---|---|
 Most territory controlled by South Russian forces as of October 1919 | |
| Active | 8 January 1919 – April 1920 |
| Country | Russia |
| Allegiance |  GCAFSR |
| Size | 85,000 (January 1919) 160,000 (July 1919) |
| Engagements | Russian Civil War |
| Commanders | |
| Commander-in-Chief | Anton Denikin |
The Armed Forces of South Russia or AFSR ([Вооружённые силы Юга России, Vooruzhyonniyye sily Yuga Rossii] Error: {{Lang-xx}}: text has italic markup (help)) were formed on 8 January 1919, it incorporated many of the smaller formations of the White Army in South of Russia (called "White South" in Soviet historiography), including the Volunteer Army (which was renamed the Caucasian Volunteer Army). Besides that, the AFSR included the Don Army, the Crimean-Azov Army, the Forces of Northern Caucasus and the Army of Turkestan.
In January it numbered 51,000 Infantry, 34,000 Cavalry, 204 Field guns, 682 machine guns and 6 armoured trains. By July 1919 it had grown to 104,000 Infantry, 56,000 Cavalry, 600 Field guns, 1,500 machine guns, 19 aircraft, 34 armoured trains, 1 Cruiser, 5 Destroyers, 4 Submarines and 20 Gunboats. By October, after heavy losses and the transfer of units to other armies, the armies strength fell drastically.
In April 1920 Anton Denikin, commander-in-chief of the AFSR, delegated all authority to Pyotr Nikolayevich Wrangel, who took command of the so-called "Russian Army", which included all units remaining from the AFSR after its defeat.
Order of Battle of the AFSR, early 1919
- Volunteer Army (renamed Caucasian Volunteer Army)
- 1st Army Corps (Gen. Kutepov)
- 2nd Army Corps (Gen. Promtov)
- 5th Cavalry Corps (Gen. Yuzefovitch)
- 3rd Kuban Cavalry Corps (Gen. Shkuro)
- Kiev Army Group (Gen. Bredov)
- Northern Group (Starshina Semiletov)
- Southern Group (Gen. S. Denisov)
- Trans-Don (Zadonskaya) Group (Col. Bykadorov)
- Army of the Caucasus
- 1st Kuban Corps (Gen. Pokrovsky)
- 2nd Kuban Corps (Gen. Ulaguy, later Gen. Nahumenko)
- 4th Kuban Corps (Gen. Shatilov, later Gen. Toporkov)
- Army of Turkestan
- Zakaspiyskaya Composite Inf. Division (Maj. Gen. Lazarev)
- Turkestankaya Rifle Division (Maj. Gen. Litvinov)
- Cavalry Division (Maj. Gen. Oraz-Khan Sedar)
Gallery
-
Military map of March 1919 after the Armistice of Mudros -
Volunteer Army recruitment poster saying "Why are you not in the army?" -
Volunteer Army soldiers and officers next to a train in January 1918 -
Volunteer Army Mark V tank named "General Drozdovsky" in 1919 -
Volunteer Army armoured train "United Russia" on its way towards Tsaritsyn, June 1919 -
Local citizens welcome Denikin and officers to Tsaritsyn on 1 July 1919 -
Denikin and Wrangel during a AFSR parade in Tsaritsyn in July 1919 -
Don Army troops and Major General Vladimir Sidorin (center) with a Mark V tank in 1919 -
Don Army Austin Armoured Car named "Ataman Bogayevsky" in 1919 -
AFSR 2nd Infantry Division soldiers in Sochi, 1919
See also
Sources
- Н.Е.Какурин, И.И.Вацетис "Гражданская война. 1918-1921" (N.E.Kakurin, I.I.Vacietis "Civil War. 1918-1921") - Sankt-Peterburg, "Polygon" Publishing House, 2002. ISBN 5-89173-150-9