Foresters' Corps
Encyclopedia
The Foresters' Corps was a special corps
in the Land Forces of the Russian Empire
, and from 1869, part of the Forests Department of the Ministry of State Property.
The Foresters' Corps was officially created on 30 January 1839. During its formation, it received a military function. It consisted of tho parts, the military part being subject to the Imperial Russian Army
, and the civilian
part being under the Ministry of Finance's Forests Department.
The commander of the corps (who had the rank of General) was called the Inspector of the Foresters' Corps. Under his control were governoral forest administrations and forest battle-schools. The head of the governorate forest administration was the Governoral Forester (with a rank from Major to Colonel
). He was equal in rights and rank to an Army infantry Regiment Commander. Regional Foresters and the Governorate Guard fell under their jurisdiction. The District Forester (rank from Staff Captain
to Major), under whose jurisdiction fell the Forest Guard of the Okrug
(District), had rights equal to a Battalion Commander. Some governorates were not divided into Forest Districts (Okrugs), and the Forest Guard were commanded directly by the Governoral Forester.
Because the Foresters' Corps was considered part of the military, members of all ranks carried regular firearms. Foresters' Corps members continued to carry standard-issued weapons after 1869, when the Corps was officially transferred from the Imperial Army
to the Ministry of State Property, thus becoming a "Militarized division"
On 2 August 1867, a "project on temporary rules regarding the transformation, from military to civilian function, of the Railroad, Forest and Boundary Corps," was published. Later, in accordance with the project, the military ranks of the Foresters' Corps received civilian names, determined by the Table of Ranks. The titles of Inspector of the Foresters' Corps (4th-class), Vice-Inspector of the Foresters' Corps (5th class), Forester (9th class), etc. were added to the Table.
Corps
A corps is either a large formation, or an administrative grouping of troops within an armed force with a common function such as Artillery or Signals representing an arm of service...
in the Land Forces of the Russian Empire
Imperial Russian Army
The Imperial Russian Army was the land armed force of the Russian Empire, active from around 1721 to the Russian Revolution of 1917. In the early 1850s, the Russian army consisted of around 938,731 regular soldiers and 245,850 irregulars . Until the time of military reform of Dmitry Milyutin in...
, and from 1869, part of the Forests Department of the Ministry of State Property.
The Foresters' Corps was officially created on 30 January 1839. During its formation, it received a military function. It consisted of tho parts, the military part being subject to the Imperial Russian Army
Imperial Russian Army
The Imperial Russian Army was the land armed force of the Russian Empire, active from around 1721 to the Russian Revolution of 1917. In the early 1850s, the Russian army consisted of around 938,731 regular soldiers and 245,850 irregulars . Until the time of military reform of Dmitry Milyutin in...
, and the civilian
Civilian
A civilian under international humanitarian law is a person who is not a member of his or her country's armed forces or other militia. Civilians are distinct from combatants. They are afforded a degree of legal protection from the effects of war and military occupation...
part being under the Ministry of Finance's Forests Department.
The commander of the corps (who had the rank of General) was called the Inspector of the Foresters' Corps. Under his control were governoral forest administrations and forest battle-schools. The head of the governorate forest administration was the Governoral Forester (with a rank from Major to Colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
). He was equal in rights and rank to an Army infantry Regiment Commander. Regional Foresters and the Governorate Guard fell under their jurisdiction. The District Forester (rank from Staff Captain
Stabskapitän
Stabskapitän is a historic military rank, used in the Prussian and Russian armies. It ranked between the Premierleutnant and Hauptmann/Rittmeister in the Prussian army, and between lieutenant and captain in the Russian army...
to Major), under whose jurisdiction fell the Forest Guard of the Okrug
Okrug
Okrug is an administrative division of some Slavic states. The word "okrug" is a loanword in English, but it is nevertheless often translated as "area", "district", or "region"....
(District), had rights equal to a Battalion Commander. Some governorates were not divided into Forest Districts (Okrugs), and the Forest Guard were commanded directly by the Governoral Forester.
Because the Foresters' Corps was considered part of the military, members of all ranks carried regular firearms. Foresters' Corps members continued to carry standard-issued weapons after 1869, when the Corps was officially transferred from the Imperial Army
Imperial Army
An Imperial Army is literally an army of any empire. However, only some empires in history and in fiction have actually referred to their armies as "The Imperial Army."-In Europe:* The Imperial Army of the Holy Roman Empire...
to the Ministry of State Property, thus becoming a "Militarized division"
On 2 August 1867, a "project on temporary rules regarding the transformation, from military to civilian function, of the Railroad, Forest and Boundary Corps," was published. Later, in accordance with the project, the military ranks of the Foresters' Corps received civilian names, determined by the Table of Ranks. The titles of Inspector of the Foresters' Corps (4th-class), Vice-Inspector of the Foresters' Corps (5th class), Forester (9th class), etc. were added to the Table.