For the ships that showed special valor, performing combat missions, the Russian fleet had a special award - the St. George flag, located at the stern. It represented the St. Andrew's flag, in the center was a heraldic red shield with George the Victorious, the canonical saint. Only two ships in the entire history of the fleet have been honored to have this award for courage and skill - the ship "Azov" and the brig "Mercury". No one else has received such a high award.
Why both ships received such a high award
The exploits of the sailors who served on the ships were truly worthy of the St. George flag award: Azov distinguished itself in the Navarino battle, in which for a long time it fought simultaneously with five powerful enemy ships; "Mercury" won a brilliant victory in a duel with two Turkish ships, which had a tenfold superiority in the number of guns.
Both ships and their crews with commanders, Lazarev Mikhail Petrovich and Kazarsky Alexander Ivanovich, respectively, covered themselves with undying glory, and their exploits were very significant. But the St. George flags of "Azov" and "Mercury" were inherited by successor ships, which were always prescribed to be in the Russian fleet - "Memory of Mercury" and "Memory of Azov".
St. George's flag: the history of what it is
St. George's Ribbon - a simple two-color ribbon for famous Russian awards - the St. George medal, the St. George's Cross and the Order of St. George. St. George's ribbons were also worn by sailors with a peakless cap if they served in the crew of a vessel awarded the St. George flag. The ribbon was used as an element of the banners of the same name and as an accessory to the standard and banner. It was not used in any Soviet award until 1992, when the orders of the George Cross and St. George were restored.
However, the ribbon was used in its former capacity in the white armies at the St. George awards, in the Russian Corps and became the prototype of the ribbons of the USSR awards - the medal "For the Victory over Germany", the Order of Glory and the Guards Ribbon. We also inform you about the characteristics of the St. George Ribbon flag: its material is flag jersey (street), 115 g/m2, 100% polyester, 35 mm pole pocket, size 0, 9 x 1.35 m.
History of the combat symbols of the Russian fleet
Peter I in December 1699 established the St. Andrew's flag as the official Russian navy. The emperor explainedhis choice by the fact that "from this apostle Russia received holy baptism." The white banner with the St. Andrew's blue cross on the masts of Russian ships fluttered until 1917. Under it, they sailed around the world, discovered new lands, several generations of sailors went into battle. Everyone knows from history the words of ship commanders to crews before any battle: “The St. Andrew's flag and God are with us.”
From 1692 to 1712, Emperor Peter 1 personally drew eight draft flags, all of which were successively adopted by the navy. The eighth, final, version was described by Peter 1 himself as follows: “A white flag, across there is the St. Andrew's Cross, with which he christened Russia.” It was in this form that the St. George Andreevsky flag lasted in the Russian fleet until November 1917.
Evidence of the Russian origin of the Andreevsky (Georgievsky) flag
Proof may also be that Peter I dedicated the first Russian order to the holy apostle - the patron saint of the Orthodox East. This order, St. Andrew the First-Called, as the highest award of the Russian state, was established by the tsar in 1698 in order to reward public service and military exploits. It consisted of a gold cross, a blue ribbon, an eight-pointed silver star and a gold chain. In the very center of the star, in its rosette, there is a two-headed eagle crowned with three crowns, on the eagle's chest - St. Andrew's blue cross.
Therefore, it is unlikely that the Russianthe emperor had in mind the traditions of Scotland, which long ago considers Andrew the Apostle to be its patron saint in heaven. Peter I, despite the anecdotes associated with his era, with his name, was primarily concerned with the greatness of the Russian state. Since 1819, ships that distinguished themselves in battle began to be assigned the St. George flag.
Details about St. George's flag
His story begins in 1813. Near the city of Kulym in the summer of that year, a detachment led by Count A. Osterman-Tolstoy stood in the way of the corps of the French Marshal Vandam and by this act saved the Allied army, which was retreating from Dresden. It was the toughest fight. The Russians have won. The detachment also included a naval guards crew, which was awarded the St. George banner. But this did not affect the flags of the ships. This was corrected by Tsar Alexander I by decree of 1819-05-06. From now on, the guards crews began to be distinguished by St. George's pennants. In the spring of 1918, the raising of the Andreevsky flag on the ships of the Soviet Republic was stopped.
In December 1924, the White Guard ships did the same. On January 17, 1992, the Russian government decided to return the Andreevsky / St. George flag to its old status - the Russian naval flag. He was consecrated in St. Petersburg. On July 26, 1992, the flag of the USSR was raised for the last time, covered with the glory of the Great Patriotic War. Under the anthem of the Soviet Union, he was handed over to the commanders of the ships for eternal storage. Then the flag of St. George was raised to the anthem of the Russian Federation.
