Kalitin, Pavel Petrovich

Pavel Kalitin was born on August 30, 1846 in the Pskov province . He was educated at the Pavlovsk military school, from which in 1865 he was promoted to lieutenant in the Orenburg battalion (later the 1st Turkestan rifle battalion ).

The whole short life of Kalitina was spent in a combat situation: in 1866–1868. he participated in the conquest of the Bukhara Khanate , where he particularly distinguished himself during the storming of Ura-Tyube , in 1873 - in the conquest of the Khiva Khanate , in 1875-1876. - in the conquest of the Kokand Khanate ; all the ranks and awards he received for military distinction, among his awards are the most visible Order of St. Vladimir 4th degree with swords and bow and a golden sword with the inscription "For courage . "

Produced for distinction during the assault of Makhram on the lieutenant colonels, Kalitin, with the beginning of the Russian-Turkish war in 1877, voluntarily went to the Danube Theater and was appointed commander of the 3rd squad of the Bulgarian militia .

In the battle of Eski-Zagre , July 19, 1877, the Turks violently attacked and pushed the squad. To stop their onslaught, Kalitin, having already been lightly wounded twice already, decided to go on the offensive. During the bayonet landfill, the 3rd squad was killed. The banner donated to the squad by the city of Samara fell to the ground, and the hands of the Turks stretched to it. Then Kalitin jumps off his horse, raises the banner and shouts to his squad: “Guys! Our banner is with us! Next - for him, for me! ". The militia, inspired by him, rushed forward, the Turks quivered, but at this time three bullets struck Kalitin’s chest, sitting on a horse with a banner in his hand.

S.I. Kisov wrote: “Popov and I were near and rushed to lift our commander from the ground, he was already dead ... Meanwhile, the front ranks of the enemy were already mixed with ours and the Turks rushed again to the banner ... from our side, several unfriendly shots rang out at point-blank ... then the staff captain Popov shouted "Hurray!" and the militia gathered around him, as one, rushed at the Turks, overturned them ... The retreat began; the militiamen, stopping, shot from the Turks who were advancing on their heels. Of the four who carried the body of the hero Kalitin, three ... were killed or injured and were replaced by others, while we caught up with the porters two more of them were killed. Further, it was not possible to carry the body of the hero Kalitin, and therefore the order was given to leave him. The militiamen gently lowered the body of their brave commander to the ground, took off their hats and made the sign of the cross on themselves; all around who saw this tragic scene also did prayer - such were the military burial and the burial of the hero Kalitin. ”

Pavel Petrovich Kalitin's younger brother, Petr Petrovich , took part in Skobelev’s Akhal-Teke campaign, commanded the 1st Caucasian Army Corps during the First World War and was a general from cavalry, later in exile.

In the Bulgarian city of Stara Zagora there was a society of reserve non-commissioned officers, which in memory of Kalitin was called “Lieutenant Colonel Kalitin”. Currently, there is a monument and a mass grave to lieutenant colonel Kalitin, Russian soldiers and Bulgarian militias. In honor of Lieutenant Colonel Pavel Kalitin, the Bulgarian village of Kalitinovo is named.

In the town of Kholm, in the Novgorod region in July 2007, “from the grateful descendants of Bulgaria”, a monument and a memorial plaque was installed.

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  Monument in honor of P.P. Kalitin in the Hill

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  Memorial plaque to Kalytin in the Hill

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  "The Heroic Death of Lieutenant Colonel Kalitina" (modern picture)

• Kalitin, Pavel Petrovich // Military Encyclopedia : [in 18 t.] / Ed. VF Novitsky [et al.]. - SPb. ; [ M. ]: Type. t-islands I. D. Sytin , 1911-1915.
• Kisov S.I. From the combat and field life of 1877–1878. Sofia, 1903
• Radeev N. Defender on Shipka and the history of the Samara Zname. Sofia, 1902