In Summary, the Sich Riflemen Held a Special Place in Ukrainian Military Tradition

In summary, the Sich Riflemen held a special place in Ukrainian Military tradition. They were the first military organization to re- vive and assume the Ukrainian military tradition of times past. Their ranks produced the first nationally conscious formations for the offi- cers of the later Ukrainian armies and their military spirit also in- fluenced the mass of Ukrainians who were serving in the other units of the regular Austrian Army. At the outbreak of the Revolution in 1917 in the Russian Empire, they at once established contact with the nationally conscious groups of Ukrainian soldiers serving in the Russian Army. Initially, this re- sulted in the formation of the Corps of Kievan Riflemen of the Sich under Col. E. Kenovalets. In addition, they actively promoted the ideas of independence and unity of all of the Ukrainian lands° Their presence in the Ukrainian political representation in Austria resulted in an intensification of the demands on the Austrian government in the interests of the Ukrainian people. After the revolution in 1917, they pressed for the complete break in negotiations with Austria in preparation for the establishment of the independent Ukrainian state. Let me close the portion on the short review of their history with an anecdote. During the campaign on the Lysonian Hill in 1916 the Le- gion was evaluated by Bavarian and Turkish Generals as observers. The Austrians had previously deployed the Legion in rather hopeless situa- tions, in hopes of their annihilation if not success. However, they usually carried out their assignments in a brilliant manner and retired with small losses. In a German report it was said, "we were accompanied in Battle by the U.S.S., the best military formation of the Austrian Army." Finally during the battle of Mt. Lysonia a German General stated: "My Bavarians fight like lions, the Ukrainians fight like devils." At that time the unit was decorated with both the German Iron Cross and the Turkish War Cross ("Iron Crescent").

CROSS OF THE LEGION U.S.S. - The cross, as shown here, is in bronze-gilt and blue enamel. The form of the crosses takes that of the many wayside crosses to be found around Hutsul, a region in the Carpathian Mountains. The design was by Professor Leo Getz. There is both a large form and small form, both sho~na here (photo is slightly larger than scale). The larger one was for parade dress or formal wear, while the smaller version was for every day wear in the buttonhole. The reverses were uniface. Every member of the Ukrainian Legion U.S.S. was eligible. It was issued just prior to the dissolution of the Austrian Empire, about August of 1918. The metal was supplied by the Kiev Government (during the Hetmanate) and it was made in Vienna. There was a plenti- ful supply manufactured, but due to the unsettled times very few were actually issued and still fewer actually were sent to recipients in the Ukraine proper. It is said that the ribbon was to be the same as the Austrian War Ribbon (white, with two vertical red side stripes respectively connected by alternating horizontal red and white bars), which would have been a very familiar and significant pattern to the troops of the Legion. How- ever, the colors would be changed to blue for the red and yellow for the white. Now, I have never seen an original piece of ribbon for this award, only a photo of a piece of ribbon. From this photo, the pattern would seem to be different than the Austrian War Ribbon. Actually, it would be a series of alternating blue and yellow (or gold) horizontal stripes with vertical yellow side stripes.

OPPOSITE PAGE - Combat Cross of the U.S.S., 1st form in silvered bronze and enamel, two piece construction along with the screw- back miniature (obverse above reverse of large cross and reverse inset). (CENTER) The 2nd form of the Combat Cross of the U.S.S., of one piece construction. (BOTTOM) The two sizes of the Cross of the Legion U.S.S. in gilt and blue enamel.

This golden cross with blue ename! gives both the principle colors of Ukrainian Galicia, as does the ribbon, as mentioned in previous ar- ticles. The "Y G C" on the upper three tips of the cross are in the alphabet of 01d Slavonic and would be the Ukrainian initials of the UoS.S. The date "191~’’ on the lowest tip ]~ould be the date of the foun- dation of the Legion. The large cross in the Podlusky collection is 47 x 44mm including the loop. The dimension for the small cross from the same collection is 40 x 37mm. Both of these came fitted with the rings shown, but the ribbons were missing.

SIGH RIFLEMEN COMBAT CROSS - This award was initiated by a veterans organization during the German Occupation of Poland. It was first made in Crakow in 1940, supposedly from Polish silver coins, for the members of the brigade of the U.SoS. with the Ukrainian Galician Army. It was proposed by Mro Leo Lepkyj. The form of the cross was taken from a cross in the coat of arms of a famous Ukrainian historical figure - Herman Ivan Mazepa (1687-1709)- a Ukrainian statesman and leader. He lived during the period of Peter the Great (from whom he received the Order of Sto Andrew), but later be- came an ally of Charles XII during the Russo-Swedish War. The device is also taken from a badge of a Ukrainian veterans organization in War- saw. An original cross examined was 38 x 29mm, in silvered bronze (for the cross proper, but the silver had all worn away) with the superim- posed light blue enameled shield in gilt (or natural bronze) with gold- en trident as the central design. The back is flat uniface, but this particular example had many file (?) marks on the reverse surface, which may have been indicative of hand finishing under difficult conditions. The precise method of suspension is unknown. The miniature (also shown here) is a bronze gilt and blue enamel screw-back, a small version of the original cross. Due to the fact that there were no supplies of this cross available to those qualifying recipients who were outside the German controlled area (and presumably after the war the supply was exhausted or destroyed), there was a need for additional specimens of this cross° So, a new form was executed in 1964. This is struck out of a single piece of bronze~ then silvered with the center shield enameled light blue and left in a polished bronze for a gilt appearance. A small ring goes through the integral loop, which in turn takes the larger ribbon ring. The first strikings of this cross left a slight concave impression on the reverse (see photo), but most of the examples were given an ad- ditional two strikes to correct this deficiency. So~ the present supply has a flat uniface reverse. The differences between the two forms is quite apparent upon examining the photos (silhouette effect) of the re- verses. The ribbon on the first form, but not known positively to have been the original ribbon, was 39mm of watered black with pinkish red side stripes: bk-2/ r-4/ bk-27! r-4/ bk-2mm. For the 2nd form, a new supply of ribbon was ordered from Germany. This is 37mm and of the same colors as above, but distributed thusly: bk-13/4 / r-~/ bk-27½i r-3/ bk-13/4mm...... OPPOSITE PAGE - At the upper left and lower left is a projected example of the Cross of the Legion U.S.S. never adopted. It is sho~n in actual size of 41 x 37mm (including loop), having" a maximum thickness of 3mml, and also enlarged to show the center with the super- imposed Lion of Galicia facing left. At the upper right is a 23mm cir- cular celluloid badge on stickpin. From the outer edge to inner there are circular bands of yellow, black, white, red, green, white, red, whitej green and yellow, with the date "1914" in yellow on blue. This represents the colors of the Ukrainian allies, being Austria, Germany, Hungary and Bulgaria. The Ukrainian colors would be the date on its field of blue. At the lower right is an example of the ist form of the Combat Cross of the U.S.S. (38 x 29mm) on an 6riginal ribbon (bk-l~-, r-3~, bk-27, r-3-~-, bk-l~-) of 37mm in black and red, with the red being a deep rich hue. The differences between this example and that of the other example, may perhaps be just due to the cutting, trimming and other evidences of hand-finishing. The cross was finished in frosted silver, with a gilt and blue enamel center affixed to the cross. 18