The 2nd Emperor Alexander III's Sofia Infantry Regiment () was an

infantry Infantry, or infantryman are a type of soldier who specialize in ground combat, typically fighting dismounted. Historically the term was used to describe foot soldiers, i.e. those who march and fight on foot. In modern usage, the term broadl ...

regiment A regiment is a military unit. Its role and size varies markedly, depending on the country, military service, service, or administrative corps, specialisation. In Middle Ages, Medieval Europe, the term "regiment" denoted any large body of l ...

of the

Russian Imperial Army The Imperial Russian Army () was the army of the Russian Empire, active from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was organized into a standing army and a state militia. The standing army consisted of Regular army, regular troops and ...

. By 1914, the 2nd Sofia Infantry Regiment was part of the 1st Infantry Division, and it fought in

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

before being dissolved in 1918 after the

Russian Revolution The Russian Revolution was a period of Political revolution (Trotskyism), political and social revolution, social change in Russian Empire, Russia, starting in 1917. This period saw Russia Dissolution of the Russian Empire, abolish its mona ...

History

The unit was founded on 17 January 1811 as the 49th

Egersky Regiment His Majesty Lifeguard Jaeger Regiment (), short also Lifeguard Jaeger Regiment (or: ''LG Jaeger Regiment''), was a Jäger regiment of the Russian Imperial Guard from 1796 to 1917. History The history of the LG Jaeger Regiment began in the ye ...

. In March of that year it was renamed Sofia Infantry Regiment and in 1833 the 2nd naval regiment was attached to the unit. Later in 1833 the regiment was renamed the Sofia Naval Regiment before its name was changed back in 1856. On 6 April 1863 three

battalion A battalion is a military unit, typically consisting of up to one thousand soldiers. A battalion is commanded by a lieutenant colonel and subdivided into several Company (military unit), companies, each typically commanded by a Major (rank), ...

s of the regiment were taken to form a new Sofia reserve infantry regiment. The following year it was renamed the 2nd Sofia Infantry Regiment and in December 1877 it gained the title of "His Imperial Highness the Heir and

Tsarevich Tsarevich (, ) was a title given to the sons of tsars. The female equivalent was ''tsarevna''. Under the 1797 Pauline Laws, Pauline house laws, the title was discontinued and replaced with ''tsesarevich'' for the heir apparent alone. His younger ...

's Sofia Infantry Regiment". In February 1881 it became "His Majesty's" and on 11 February 1894 it became the 2nd Emperor Alexander III's Sofia Infantry Regiment.

Combat chronicle

The Sofia Regiment fought in the defense of Smolensk in 1812 during the

French invasion of Russia The French invasion of Russia, also known as the Russian campaign (), the Second Polish War, and in Russia as the Patriotic War of 1812 (), was initiated by Napoleon with the aim of compelling the Russian Empire to comply with the Continenta ...

, fighting off a French attack as part of the 7th Infantry Division against Mstislav and Roslavl districts of the city. About 200 men of the unit were killed or missing. During

, it was part of the 1st Infantry Division and took part in the

Battle of Tannenberg The Battle of Tannenberg, also known as the Second Battle of Tannenberg, was fought between Russia and Germany between 23 and 30 August 1914, the first month of World War I. The battle resulted in the almost complete destruction of the Russ ...

. The 2nd Sofia Infantry Regiment was dissolved in 1918 after the

Memorial

A memorial for the Sofia Regiment was built in its city of origin,

Smolensk Smolensk is a city and the administrative center of Smolensk Oblast, Russia, located on the Dnieper River, west-southwest of Moscow. First mentioned in 863, it is one of the oldest cities in Russia. It has been a regional capital for most of ...

, on 5 August 1912 at the Lopatinsky Park. It was made on the 100th anniversary in the victory during the

Patriotic War of 1812 The French invasion of Russia, also known as the Russian campaign (), the Second Polish War, and in Russia as the Patriotic War of 1812 (), was initiated by Napoleon with the aim of compelling the Russian Empire to comply with the continent ...

against

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

, commemorating the regiment's participation in the conflict. The memorial was made by a private of the regiment's 7th company. It consists of a period held up by six columns in a circular base. On the side it has a cross and the regimental insignia, while on the top there is an imperial eagle.

References

{{coord, 54.7831, N, 32.0363, E, source:wikidata, display=title Infantry regiments of the Russian Empire Smolensk Governorate Military units and formations established in 1811 Military units and formations disestablished in 1918