Vasily Kochetkov

He lived 107 years. 100 of the 107 years Vasily Kochetkov fought Vasily N. Kochetkov (1785-1892), "the soldiers of the Three Emperors" lived 107 years. 100 of the 107 years Vasily Kochetkov was on active duty.

Tunic Kochetkova was unique: its straps entwined monogram of 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 crosses and medals





Born in Simbirsk Kurmysh County in 1785. Kochetkov was from cantonments (soldier's son). Cantonments of the birth in the list of the military. He started to serve in 1811 of 7 March musician.
He was fighting the whole Patriotic War of 1812. Then as part of the Life Guards Pavlovsky Regiment fought against the Turks in the war of 1828-1829. He transferred to the Life Guards Horse-pioneer (Engineering) division. In 1836, during the life of Pushkin, Vasily Kochetkov already served their 25 years, but the army did not go away.
In 1843, 58-year-old soldier is in the Caucasus. He was ordered to use superior military experience and teach soldiers to direct, strengthen and raise pontoon bridges on the "fast rivers." Kochetkov enrolled in glorious Nizhny Novgorod Dragoon Regiment. In the Caucasus, he was wounded three times: twice in both legs and in the neck clean through. Badly wounded, unable to move, he is captured.



Having recovered, Kochetkov runs from captivity, showing a rare ingenuity, foresight and courage. In '64 Exam veteran soldiers was made an officer. V.N.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, he began the so-called Crimean War. Vasily Kochetkov asking for a 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 Nikolayevich, Kochetkov again transferred to the Guards and serves dragoons. Nearly a decade, and Vasily N. Kochetkov delivers a memo to the king and asked, "royal permission" to go to war. So he turned back from the Guard in his 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 and in 1874 by decree of the emperor transferred to the guards of the imperial train.



In 1876, rebelled against Turkish rule of Serbia with Montenegro. Five thousand Russian volunteers went to help the brotherly Slavic peoples. Kochetkov once again persuaded the king to let him go to war. "Servicemen" in the 92 years he fought in the front ranks, carrying volunteers.
Before he had time to relax at home on martial affairs as broke Russian-Turkish war of 1877-1878. 93-year-old Kochetkov fighting at the Shipka Pass in the composition of the 19th horse artillery brigade.
On Shipka Kochetkov from the bomb he 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 for something "in the campaign," being in transit in the city of Belozersk Novgorod province, May 30, 1892 of heart failure. In his things I find a copy of the order of dismissal resigned listing of all ranks, awards and campaigns. This brilliant track record with respectful obituary in which Vasily Kochetkov was named the most distinguished veterans of the Russian army, was published on the pages of the "Official Gazette».



Petersburg artist PF Borel made an engraving of a photographic portrait Kochetkova. Out Vasiliy 11 days before his death. Sitting in a century warrior Guards uniform, resting his right hand on his knee, with quiet dignity. Between the fingers of his left hand rolled cigarette sticks, stuffed, I think, not a weak home-grown tobacco. 23 crosses and medals appear in premium sheet Vasily Kochetkov. On the left sleeve of his uniform dark eight bands of gold and silver -nashivki for the differences in service. He served in the four military branches. He fought in the infantry, cavalry, artillery was brave, sharp-witted sapper. All the land of the armed forces, he has personified.



Source: ribalych.ru