marina Posted 20 July , 2004 Share Posted 20 July , 2004 Ignorance is supposed to be bliss, but I'm merely embarrassed - I never knew that Russian soldiers fought o the Western Front. What is this man's story? How many Russians were there in the West? Can anyone tell me anything about this? Marina Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcderms Posted 20 July , 2004 Share Posted 20 July , 2004 I believe that there was a token force (less than a division) fighting with the French on the Western front. There's a little bit about them in one of Lyn MacDonalds book (Paesschendale I think) - In 1917 the Russians sided with the Bolshies and refused to co-operate with their former allies so the French turned their artillery on them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris_Baker Posted 20 July , 2004 Share Posted 20 July , 2004 This page is not a bad place to get a quick overview. The Forum Pals Tour a couple of months ago visited the Russian cemetery and chapel at St Hilaire le Grand. There a picture here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul guthrie Posted 20 July , 2004 Share Posted 20 July , 2004 There is a terrific account, With Snow On THeir Boots about the 2 brigades of Russians who fought in Champagne. The chapel Chris mentions is adjacent ot their cemetery which is standard French. Buried alongside them on the chapel grounds are their officers who could not return, some with French wives, some live quite a while. I have been twice, chapel closed both times. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Coulson Posted 20 July , 2004 Share Posted 20 July , 2004 Russian POW's from the Eastern Front were also used as labour in F&F by their captors. Bob. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marina Posted 20 July , 2004 Author Share Posted 20 July , 2004 Thanks for all those responses, Pals - you ( I mean 'I'!) learn something every day. This will be something more for me to investigate. How very sad the story of the soldiers shot post revolution is. Thanks again, Marina PS Who wrote 'Snow On Their Boots'? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul guthrie Posted 20 July , 2004 Share Posted 20 July , 2004 Jaime Cockfield.Amazon UK has it for L37.50, ouch, it's a 98 book so you should be able to do better than that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marina Posted 20 July , 2004 Author Share Posted 20 July , 2004 Thank you, Paul. I;ll try the library - they're very good at calling up whatever people want to read! Marina Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marina Posted 20 July , 2004 Author Share Posted 20 July , 2004 Chris - just read the overview you posted. very moving to think of them there with their bear and the balalaikas. Thanks. Marina Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul guthrie Posted 20 July , 2004 Share Posted 20 July , 2004 Amazon has it for $1.79, might as well buy it! Real good. Used copy, new $ 18.95 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Burns Posted 20 July , 2004 Share Posted 20 July , 2004 Couldn't agree more with Paul an excellent book and really the only source in English that I know of. enjoy, Neil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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