Icon "Voroshilovsky shooter": photos, varieties, for which awarded

After the events of the October Revolution, the defense-mass work was actively promoted and strongly encouraged among the youth. The leading place in the military training of the working people in the mid-1920s was occupied by sport shooting.

By 1928 in the USSR there were 2.5 thousand tiers, in which about 240 thousand people trained. In order to encourage the best, a very large number of different awards were made. The most popular of these was the "Voroshilovsky Shooter" badge. For what was given, what did the reward look like, in what kinds and in what quantity was it produced? Information about this is provided in the article.

History

In the summer of 1932 the commanders' firing took place. Chairman of the Revolutionary Military Council Kliment Voroshilov, when examining the targets, drew attention to one of them, which remained completely untouched. The shooter, assigned to her, complained about the poor quality of the revolver. Voroshilov took his weapon and went to the line. Then he took aim and produced seven shots, knocking out 59 points. Returning the revolver back, Voroshilov noticed that there was no bad weapon, but there were bad arrows. According to one version, the idea of creating the icon "Voroshilovsky shooter" was born just after the incident with a famous revolutionary.

"Shoot Voroshilovsky!"

In order to encourage skill with the mark of shooting, the Presidium of the Central Council of the USSR in October 1932 approved the title and the badge "Voroshilovsky Shooter". Soon, the very first in the Soviet Union, the Voroshilov Riflemen Club, was opened in Moscow. In the early thirties, the club members introduced the country to international shooting competitions. The rival to the Moscow club was the Portsmouth Rifle Club (USA). During the competition, the victory was won by the Soviet participants, knocking out 207 points more. The movement "Voroshilovsky shooter" due to the high enthusiasm of the workers, assistance from the VKP (b) and the Soviet leadership has acquired a massive character. The USSR in those years became the most shooting country in the world. Soon several varieties of the "Voroshilovsky Shooter" badge were created: a breastplate of the first and second steps and a reward for young shooters.

Regulations and standards

On May 28, the Revolutionary Military Council of the USSR approved Order No. 92 on the badge "Voroshilovsky Shooter". The document outlined the standards for surrendering firing to obtain this mark. The initiator of the adoption of the Order was the Political Administration of the Workers 'and Peasants' Red Army. In June 1934, the Regulations on awarding the badge "Voroshilovsky Shooter" to the best servicemen of the Red Army and Navy were adopted.

Sign of the first stage

The left side of the chest became the place for wearing this badge "Voroshilovsky Shooter" (photo is presented in the article). The breastplate of the first stage with a diameter of 25 mm was made of high-quality brass and cold enamel. Fastening was carried out by means of the screw with a nut.

In its form, this sign resembled a wrong oval. On the front side was a five-pointed red star, against which was depicted a Red Army soldier, aiming from a rifle. From below was a target, and from above a red flag bearing the inscription: "Voroshilovsky Shooter". In the right part of the icon was a wheat ear, and in the left - gears with the inscription "Osaviahim".

For what was awarded the "Voroshilovsky Shooter" badge of the first stage?

After the events of 1917 in the Soviet Union, all the potential of the working people was directed to the defense-labor activity. The Osoaviakhima society was particularly distinguished by its zeal - the members of this organization were engaged in defense, aviation and chemical construction.

Since among other Soviet social and political defense organizations in terms of shooting standards and scope of work Osoaviakhim was in the lead, the owners of the Voroshilov Shooter badges were mostly its members. To get this sign, it was necessary to pass the standards for shooting to "excellent". The badge of the first step was also given to the Red Army men, who demonstrated high skill.

Sign of the second stage: the conditions for obtaining

To the second stage of this sign higher demands were made. To get this sign, you need to be the owner of the icon of the first stage. To each sign issued a certificate. In the event that the owner of the breastplate of the first stage did not hand over the standards, he did not lose his badge. The exception was the case when a member of Osoaviakhim was expelled for any discrediting act from the community.

The delivery of specifications for obtaining the "Voroshilov arrow" of the second stage was carried out only with the use of rifles.

This breastplate was intended for the command, political and commanding officers of the Red Army and the RKKF of the USSR. The award was made by the commander of the unit. Also had the right to wear the badge of the second stage of the Red Army, Red Navy, cadets, who demonstrated excellent shooting from the rifle.

Badges of the second stage were awarded from 1934 to 1939. By that time, a new award was approved - "For the excellent shooting of the Red Army", which was given to workers of defense enterprises before the Great Patriotic War.

Design

The sign has the form of a circle, in which, just as in the icon of the first stage, there are images of the ear of wheat and gears. But in this inscription the inscription: "Osoaviakhim" was replaced by "Red Army" and "NKVD". Under the icon's enamel there is an image of a red five-pointed star with rays in the form of incisions. Against the backdrop of this star is a Red Army soldier dressed in summer uniform. In his hand he holds a three-linear rifle from the 1930's. Above the star there is a red flag with the inscription: "Voroshilovsky Shooter". Between the two lower rays of the star there is a standard target of white color, with a small black circle in the center. In some icons the target did not represent a single whole with the main sign, but was a separate element.

The size of the product is 57x44 mm. With an external examination of the badge, the impression was created that the Red Army soldier was standing on the target circle and was preparing to shoot. On the icon "Voroshilovsky shooter" of the second step, the Roman figure "2" was necessarily present. In some samples, the number was represented by an Arabic numeral. The back of the badge is the abbreviation of the NKVD and the number.

Awards for children

For the pioneers and schoolchildren, there was a badge "Young Voroshilovsky Shooter". From previous breastplates, he was different in that in the children's version the shooting Red Army soldier was replaced by a pioneer fire. The badge was created from pure copper, and also from copper with additives of nickel. A sign was produced by the method of stamping. It depicted a pioneer fire, under which the target was located.

Above the flame fluttered the flag with the inscription: "Young Voroshilov Shooter." To cover the image of the flame and the flag, red enamel was used, the image of the shooting target was covered with white and black enamel. All of them were framed by a circle. In the left part of the icon there was a cog-wheel and an inscription: "Osoaviakhim". In the right part was a wheat ear. The number of the icon was on the reverse side. The size of the product was 35x40 mm. There were also smaller icons - 15x20 mm. For attaching the badge, a threaded pin and a nut with a number stamped on it were provided.

Rarities

Millions of Soviet people proudly wore this sign of the popular society Osoaviakhim. Great interest for collectors is represented by earlier and very rare specimens. Several types of the award badge "Voroshilovsky Shooter" were issued:

• Icon of the year 1932. Differed large size: 4x5 cm, each sample was equipped with its own number. The target was a separate invoicing element. The sign was awarded for only one year.
• The sign of 1933. It was smaller in size: 3x4 cm.
• The icon of 1935. It is a rare miniature "fancy" version.
• "Voroshilovsky marksman" of the second stage of 1934 of release. It is typical for him to have an invoice Roman "deuce".
• A badge with an Arab "deuce" on the target.
• The sign "Voroshilovsky Shooter" of the second step with the inscription: "The Red Army".

This badge was awarded to:

1. Border troops. The product was engraved: "GUPVO".
2. Soldiers and commanders of the Red Army and Navy. The badge was engraved: "Red Army" and "RK Navy".
3. Servicemen and command staff of the NKVD. The corresponding engraving was located on the reverse of the target.

The dimensions of the icons for these three options were: 44x57 mm.

• Icon "Young Voroshilov Shooter". He was awarded to the pioneers from 1934 to 1941. During this time, 550 thousand children were awarded this badge.

Conclusion

Manufacture of badges "Voroshilovsky shooter" was carried out at many factories. 700,000 items were produced at the Mint in Leningrad. Over the entire period, the icon was handed to about 10 million people.