published on: 10/05/2026
Author:
W. Jarvis
A brief introduction to this month's Russian Civil War Campaign
This campaign follows the key events of the Allied intervention in the Russian Civil War following the October Revolution in 1917. To be specific, we will be following two engagements fought between Allied and Bolshevik forces during the North Russia intervention; The 1918 Battle of Tulgas and The 1919 Battle of Bolshie Ozerki.
The North Russia intervention was constituted of a mixed force drawn from all of the major Allied Powers of the First World War, namely, the British Empire, France and the United States. The Allies intervened in the conflict on the side of the White’s (made up of Tsarist officers and anti-Bolshevik’s) and despite initial successes against the poorly trained and equipped troops of the ‘Workers and Peasants Red Army’, the British-led expeditionary force withdrew from Northern Russia in late 1919 following a series of defensive battles against Bolshevik forces.
The Allied failure in Northern Russia was attributed to a multitude of reasons: low morale amongst Allied forces (many units had seen fighting on the Western Front and were told they were being decommissioned before being sent to Russia), the poor weather conditions, a lack of reinforcements due to low public support for the intervention, numerical superiority of Bolshevik forces and the disorganised nature of the White Russian allies who suffered from infighting and mutinies.
Russian Civil War Campaign - The Battle of Tulgas - 10th of May 2026
The Battle of Tulgas was an engagement fought between Allied (British, American, Canadian and White Russian) and Bolshevik troops on the Northern Dvina River around a small collection of villages known as Upper and Lower Tulgas during the North Russia Intervention as part of the Russian Civil War. Despite the battle taking place over several days, the initial Bolshevik assault on Allied positions took place on the 11th of November 1918, or Armistice Day, resulting in this battle sometimes being known as 'The Battle of Armistice Day'.
In prelude to the Bolshevik attack against Tulgas, the local waterways dotted around the villages had frozen over, effectively cutting off the Tulgas Garrison from outside assistance. This opportunity was soon seized by the Bolsheviks who, possessing much superior numbers, launched an aggressive surprise attack against this isolated Allied outpost.
The situation was only stabilised following the arrival of troops of the 2/10th (Cyclist) Battalion, Royal Scots and Bolshevik troops suffering horrendous casualties attempting to storm a Canadian field artillery battery, who fired over open sights into the ranks of the charging Russians.
Russian Civil War Campaign - The Battle of Bolshie Ozerki - 17th of May 2026
The Battle of Bolshie Ozerki was a several day long battle that took place from the 31st of March to the 2nd of April 1919, following a Bolshevik force seizing the village weeks prior. A mixed force of British, American, Polish and White Russian troops were involved in bitter fighting against several Red Army partisan regiments after the failure of the initial Allied attack to recapture the settlement.
The attempts of the Red Army troops to flank and destroy the outnumbered Allied force over the following days were repeatedly repelled under withering rifle, machine gun and mortar fire, resulting in hundreds of casualties for the Reds, who were later ordered to withdraw.
This operation will follow C Company, 6th Battalion, Yorkshire Regiment (Green Howards), as they launch a counterattack against Bolshevik positions around the village of Bolshie Ozerki.
Further reading and sources
The Battle of Tulgas
The Battle of Bolshie Ozerki
North Russian Intervention Documentary