The creation of new types of troops is always preceded by the invention of a new type of weapons. So it was with the grenadier troops. Since the middle of the XVI century, in some countries of Europe, manual wick grenades were used in battles.
Seventeenth Century Grenades
Ball-shaped, made of cast iron, stuffed with gunpowder and bullets, seventeenth-century grenades caused damage not only to the enemy. They were dangerous for grenade launcher soldiers. Grenada, as they were called then, did not have a shock type fuse. The grenadiers set fire to a wick inserted into a wooden cork. The weight of the grenade was approximately 800 g, and to throw it required strength and training.
In those days, the concept of standardization was very arbitrary, so grenades often exploded in the hands of soldiers setting fire to wicks. But in war as in war, and by the middle of the XVII century, grenadier regiments were in many European armies.
Grenadiers in Russia
Grenadier troops appeared in Russia at the beginning of the 18th century, during the time of the global reforms of Peter the Great. Grenadier companies were formed in the regiments by decree of 1704. In 1708, the existing companies were consolidated into five infantry and three horse-grenadier regiments.
For service in the grenadier troops gathered heroes. The minimum height was set at 170 cm. This was not a whim of the king: to throw a wick grenade weighing almost a kilogram required remarkable strength and fearlessness. The throwing range played a significant role: the risk of death from the explosion of one’s own grenade was reduced, and the enemy had little chance of throwing that grenade back.
Grenadiers differed from infantrymen in uniform and weapons. The borderless hat, dubbed the Grenadier, did not interfere with the throwing of grenades. She was decorated with an image of a burning grenade. The same image was on grenade bags and buckles. Later it became the basis of the sign of the grenadier regiments.
In addition to grenades, the grenadiers were armed with shortened by about 10 cm fusees, equipped with belts. While throwing grenades, rifles were worn behind their backs.
On the edge of attack
Grenadier regiments have always been the main assault force. In battle, they were either in the front ranks of the attacking, or covered the flanks with the linear formation of infantry. Because of the weight and size - from seven to fifteen centimeters in diameter - only five grenades were included in the standard weapons of each ordinary grenadier. After using them, the grenadiers took up their guns and fought like regular infantrymen or cavalrymen. However, in hand-to-hand combat, such a soldier was superior to any infantryman.
Line infantry regiments had grenadier companies, consisting of heavily armed, aggressive and skilled soldiers. Some companies of the grenadiers remained in the ranks of the infantry after the creation of the regiments, but abandoned the grenades. Instead, each grenadier company became a heavy infantry - a group of the largest and most powerful soldiers in the regiment.
After the death of Peter I, the grenadier regiments were transformed into musketeer and dragoon ones.
They reappeared in the “Rumyantsevsky” era of the reign of Empress Catherine II. Immediately after the overthrow of the hated spouse Peter III, Catherine abolished all the "Holstein" orders in the army and returned the regiments to their former names and Elizabethan military uniforms.
Life Guards Grenadier Regiment
Formed by Field Marshal Rumyantsev on March 30, 1756. It existed until 1918.
There are many glorious military victories in the history of the regiment: he participated in many battles of the Seven Years War, the first to enter Berlin. For the courage and heroism shown during the Russo-Turkish war of 1768–1774, the regiment in 1775 was awarded the title of Leib Grenadier, and Empress Catherine II became his boss. Until the fall of the empire, all subsequent emperors were the chiefs of the regiment.
The regiment fought in the Russian-Swedish war of 1788-1790. During this campaign, the regiment’s grenadiers as part of a naval squadron participated in battles near the islands of Gogland and Sveaborg, as well as in patrolling and naval battles on the Baltic Sea.
For participation in the Patriotic War of 1812, the regiment was awarded the St. George Regimental Banner.
In honor of the 150th anniversary of the regiment, a memorial sign of the Life-Grenadier Regiment with the monograms of Elizabeth and Nicholas II was issued.
The regiment with honor carried the banner of the regiment along the fronts of all the wars waged by the Russian Empire from 1756 to 1918.
The soldiers and officers of the regiment were repeatedly awarded orders, medals and personalized weapons. The first in the history of the Order of St. George 3rd class was awarded the colonel of the Leib-Grenadier Regiment F.I. Fabritsian.