Soldier of the Three Emperors Bashny.Net

He lived 107 years, of which more than 60 years spent on active duty soldier.
Vasily N. Kochetkov. Has survived engraving, made with his photographic portrait. Sits a century warrior in uniform of the Guards, resting his right hand on his knee, with quiet dignity. Between the fingers of the left hand rolled cigarette sticks stuffed with home-grown tobacco ...
Tunic Kochetkova was unique: his uniform entwined monogram of the Three Emperors, who swore an old campaigner. On the sleeve of his uniform in eight rows were gold and silver badges and awards for long service, and on the neck and chest frame will fit nearly 23 cross and medal. He served four military branches. Fought in the infantry, cavalry, artillery was brave, sharp-witted sapper. All kind of ground troops that embodies the warrior ...
Vasiliy was born in Simbirsk Kochetkov Kurmysh County in 1785. Kochetkov was from cantonments (soldier's son). Cantonists of the birth is listed in the military. Began serving March 7, 1811 a musician.
He fought passed all the Patriotic War of 1812. Then as part of the Life Guards Pavlovsky Regiment fought against the Turks in the war of 1828-1829. Transferred to the Life Guards Horse-pioneer (Engineering) division. In 1836, during the life of Alexander Pushkin, Vasily Kochetkov put him already served 25 years, but the army did not go away.
In 1843, 58-year-old soldier is in the Caucasus. He instructed to use a superior military experience and teach soldiers to direct, promote and raise pontoon bridges on the "fast rivers." Vasily Kochetkov enrolled in glorious Nizhny Novgorod Dragoon Regiment. In the Caucasus, he was wounded three times: twice in both legs and in the neck right through. Badly wounded, unable to move, he was taken prisoner.
Recovered, Kochetkov escapes from captivity, showing a rare ingenuity, foresight and courage. In '64 Exam veteran soldiers was made an officer. However, Kochetkov abandoned epaulettes, dear to him were his soldiers' epaulettes, and two years later he retired after 40 years of active service, at the age of 66 years.
In 1853, began the so-called Crimean War. Vasily Kochetkov asking for war in the ranks of the Kazan Jaeger Regiment fighting on Kornilov bastion, in the thick of the defense of Sevastopol. There he was wounded by a bomb exploding.
On the personal order of the king, who was already familiar with Vasily Nikolaevich, Kochetkov again transferred to the Guards and serves dragoons. Nearly a decade, and Vasily N. Kochetkov submits a memorandum to the king and asks "royal permission" to go to war. So he found himself again in the Guard of favorite field of the army in Turkestan horse artillery brigade gunner first class. He was the 78th year.
Twelve years Kochetkov served in Central Asia, participated in the battles of Turkestan and Samarkand, and in 1874 a detachment under the command of the Adjutant General Kaufman, having done a march through the desert, took Khiva. In 1874, by order of the Emperor transferred to the guards of the imperial train.
In 1876, rebelled against Turkish rule Serbia with Montenegro. Five thousand Russian volunteers went to the aid of the fraternal Slavic peoples. Kochetkov again persuaded the king to let him go to war. "Serviceman" in 92 years, fought in the front ranks, dragging the volunteers.
Before he could relax at home on martial affairs, as broke Russian-Turkish war of 1877-1878. 93-year-old fought Kochetkov Shipka as part of the 19th horse artillery brigade. Shipka Kochetkov from the explosion of a bomb lost his left leg. He survived and has served in the Life Guards Horse-Artillery Brigade and lived to be 107 years old.
He died some "in the campaign," being in transit in the city Belozersk Novgorod province, May 30, 1892 of heart failure. In his copy of the order of things found the retirement listing of all ranks, awards and campaigns. This brilliant track record with respectful obituaries, which Vasily Kochetkov was named the most distinguished veterans of the Russian army, was published in the pages of "Official Gazette".




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