Soviet Red Fleet (RKKF) - Officer/NCOs - 1941-1943

I made these quite a while back but didn't get round to posting them, this is my passion and main WWII interest, the Soviet Navy (Or Workers' and Peasants' Red Fleet as it was known pre-1946). I've been researching the Soviet Navy for the last year and a half, in future I hope to start a re-enacting group based upon Soviet Naval Infantry, to me they're one of the most interesting yet forgotten units of WWII.

These are Officers and NCO's of the Soviet Red Fleet, unlike Western Navies the Soviet's did not wear a Black Double Breasted jacket as standard, some officers did but it was usually reserved for Senior Officers/Admirals. Instead the Soviet Naval Officers wore a navy bue "Kitel" (Tunic) similar to the US Navy Officer White Dress uniform and a very similar white cotton version for summer form. 

The first man is an Glavnyy Starshina (Chief Petty Officer), he is wearing a Bushlat, one of the most recognisable pieces of Soviet Naval uniform, the original cut was introduced by order of Revolutionary Military Council № 2443 on the 27th October 1921. The new pea jacket was confirmed by order of the RVSR of the USSR № 006 dated January 5th, 1925 and then finally the Red Navy order № 52 on April 16th, 1934. Although officially NCO's were issued Officer Kitel's, some NCO's chose to maintain the Enlisted Bushlat pea coat with the Officer Cap, an example of this would be a iconic photo of Chief Petty Officer M.P.Anikin at Sevastapol: img-fotki.yandex.ru/get/6607/1…. NCO's were also issued with a particular cap insignia, a gold braided oval with a fouled anchor and Red Star at the top, however many NCO's chose to simply adopt the Officer insignia as shown above with Anikin in the photograph. You may also recognise this uniform in the 2013 movie "Stalingrad" worn by Glavnyy Starshina Krasnov (Oleg Volku) www.kino-teatr.ru/acter/album/….

The second man is a Starshiy Leytenant (Senior Lieutenant, equivalent to a Royal Navy Sub-lieutenant or US Navy Lieutenant Junior Grade), he is wearing a Officer Shinel, this was a double breasted overcoat for Officers, it was very similar to the Red Army double-breasted officer jacket except with Naval colours and insignia/buttons. This was introduced by the order of People's Commissar of the Navy of the USSR № 45 of January 24th, 1941. 

The third man is also a Starshiy Leytenant and is wearing the Kitel (Tunic) in Dark Blue, this tunic was similar to the US Navy Dress Tunic and the Red Army officer dress tunic. This was introduced by the order of People's Commissar of Defence of the USSR by the naval forces of the Red Army № 52 on April 16th, 1934.

The forth man is also a Starshiy Leytenant and is wearing the Kitel (Tunic) in Cotton White, this tunic was similar to the US Navy Dress Tunic and the Red Army officer dress tunic however this was made from Cotton for Summer wear, the visor cap also was covered with a white cover however others simply had a separate white fabric cap rather than a cover. This was introduced by the order of People's Commissar of Defence of the USSR by the naval forces of the Red Army № 52 on April 16th, 1934.

After the change of insignia and uniform in 1943, the Kitel changed slightly when Army style shoulder-boards were introduced but with Naval colours of Yellowed Gold and Black piping and two small buttons were added to the back of the cuffs, the Shinel was also worn with shoulder boards after 1943.