Training of commanding (technical) staff for the Red Army’s railway troops at the military railway technicians’ schools in the first half of the 1920s

Abstract

The article deals with the training of commanding (technical) staff at schools of military railway technicians’ during the period of military staff training system foundation for the Red Army railway troops in the first half of the 1920s. Topicality of the study is caused by insufficient research of training problems of Red Army railway painter technicians throughout the days of the Civil War ending, the military reform of the 1920s, reorganisation of system of military professional education and stabilisation of a staff contingent. The article reveals the primary activities of the military administration, managing and teaching staff of military railway technicians’ schools in the interests of training technical specialists for the Red Army railway troops. An analysis is made of the disbandment background of mentioned military educational institutions, as well as of the countermeasures taken to preserve them. The finding is about the unreasonableness of the total abolition of military-railway technicians’ schools with the transfer of training junior technical personnel functions directly to the units of railway troops in the format of regimental schools. A brief generalised comparison is made of the Red Army technicians’ historical experience versus the modern training system of junior specialists and technicians of railway troops.