Military life from 1900 to 1911

Imperial Navy Uniform Regulations (1) The naval uniform regulations of the early 20th century were somewhat conservative. They merely modified existing uniforms or made incremental changes. The type of changes give one an idea of what was considered important in terms of old naval tradition meeting the modern world prior to the Great War.
Date		Naval Uniform Change
1900
	21 December	Bayonets with scabbards are approved for privates and petty officers instead of boarding broadswords. Broadswords will be retained only for the pupils of the Naval College and Emperor Nicholas I's Naval Engineering School.
1901
	9 December	Black waterproof capes with a hood and without shoulder straps are introduced for naval officers.
1902-1910
		Seamen are authorized to walk with dark blue collars turned down over peacoats.
1904
	27 September	All navy personnel are given the right to wear buttons with a double headed eagle's image on the occasion of Tsarevich Alexey's birthday.
1906
	18 February	Naval conductors are ordered to wear officer's sabers without the sword knot in place of dirks.
1907
	26 April	A scarf with a clasp is introduced for admirals and officers.
	5 May	Naval conductors are ordered to wear an officer's cockade on the cap band.
1908
	26 January	A waist belt with a buckle is introduced for navy privates and petty officers.
1909
	25 January	An officer's scarf is established for naval physicians.
1910
	25 January	A dark blue naval jacket is approved.
1911
	30 May	A dark grey (almost black) cloth coat is introduced.
	3 August	Regimental numbers (1 to 13) are established for naval officers to facilitate the announcing of same.
1912
	2 August	Index numbers are to be marked (according to a pattern) the battle stations of the privates on their working uniforms.
1913
	28 March	Naval mechanical engineers are given uniforms and frock coats with red edging on the cuffs, epaulets with a black lining, and gold shoulder straps with a black lining and red edging.
	3 June	Regimentals for the Pilot and Lighthouse Department of Finland are introduced.
	18 June	A sporting dress uniform is approved for the Navy Department personnel.
	1 August	Metal badges of rank on the shoulder straps are introduced for naval conductors replacing those worn on the collar and uniform. Chevrons on the left sleeve of the uniform, overcoat, greatcoat, dark blue flannel shirt are introduced for extended servicemen.

Training Manual for Latvian Soldiers in the Imperial Russian army. Here we have a training manual from the Imperial Russian army. This 100 page manual measures approximately 130mm wide by 180mm long. It was designed to help Russian officers train their Latvian soldiers in the rules, procedures, and traditions of the Tsarist army. It is written in both Russian and Latvian (on facing pages) and is written in a question and answer format so that regulations can be taught. It covers military organization, rank structure, medals and awards, and other topics. This particular manual was the work of the Captain of the 114th Infantry Novororzhsky Regiment: Captain I. Bush. It was published in the Imperial Russian city of Mitau (now known as Jelgava, Latvia). Artifacts such as these help testify to the diverse and multinational character of the Russian Empire at the time.

The Front Cover	A View of the Manual Interior

Military Life 1879-1899

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War, Revolution, and Reform

Military Life of the Great War

This section will feature pictures, history, stories, and other facets of military life in the Imperial Russian Army and Navy between the years 1900 and 1911. Currently we have almost nothing here, but more will be added as time permits.	Imperial Navy Rank Structure Imperial Army Rank Structure Imperial Navy Uniform Regulations 1906 Russian-Latvian Training Manual Conscription
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