What is the convoy? Almost everyone will be able to intuitively select the answer to this question. But only in the most general terms. Let’s figure out what it is, in what context this concept is used and what meaning, depending on the circumstances, can be put into it.
Definition
Start with the fact that this is a convoy. There are several interpretations of this word:
- A string of carts, carts, sleighs, vehicles and other similar objects that are engaged in the transport of a certain load and / or people.
- The set of vehicles attached to military units. There may be an additional designation indicating the intended purpose. For example: artillery, sanitary, people's commissary.
- Several carts, carts or other vehicles with luggage that follow the column.
- There may also be a mention in a figurative sense. For example, to stretch (trail, to be) in a wagon train - this means is behind everyone.
In military affairs
Perhaps this is the most famous use case for this word. In military affairs, a convoy means not only directly attached vehicles that are part of separate units, such as a regiment or division, but also a service specializing in specific tasks. For example, sanitary, artillery, engineering convoys. Before the mass introduction of vehicles, horse traction was used. In the Russian state, a senior boss, the head of this area was called a lookout. Although other designations were popular. For example, the words kosh were used and arose.
Specialized Units
So who could one meet? On a regular basis, this applies to:
- To the wagon train. This means artillery and engineering supplies, along with accompanying personnel. This also included camping food.
- Fire train. This is a special unit, which was equipped with many devices for extinguishing fires and saving people.
- Cesspool wagon train. It means the totality of transported devices that are necessary for organizing the export of sewage from the location of troops. Such, for example, were hermetically sealed barrels and other similar devices.
But this is not the only list. Separate units with unique tasks were also formed. An example of this is the golden convoy. So, for example, called the compounds that were involved in the convoy during the transportation of precious reserves. As the most famous example, we can cite the situation with the Civil War and the so-called royal gold. Although precious metals are transported even now, it’s just not in such a large amount and they are usually issued not as a convoy, but as a separate specialized unit.
Another rather rare contemplation possible is the dowry of transport supplies for higher persons. For example - the People’s Commissariat train That was the name of all accompanying persons and services that moved with the people's commissars.
Conclusion
So it is considered what constitutes a convoy. This concept changed depending on the conditions in which it was used. So, in the seventeenth and twentieth centuries, they invested a slightly different meaning. Of course, the essence itself did not change, but the details that affected the overall picture were constantly in motion and the effect of modification.
It should be noted that to a greater extent this refers to the emergence of new units. For example, the organization of military units in the Russian-Turkish war of 1877-1878 and the times of the conflict with the Japanese in 1904-1905 differ only in the presence of machine gun teams. It should also be remembered that the concept of convoy was used not only in military affairs, but also in the equipment of merchants, as well as in relocation.