Grigory Verzhbitsky
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Grigory Afanasievich Verzhbitsky (Russian: Вержбицкий Григорий Афанасьевич) (born January 25, 1875, Letichev Governate of Podolsk - died December 20, 1942 Tianjin, China) was one of the leaders of the White movement in Transbaikal and Primoriye during the Russian Civil War, Lieutenant-General (1918).
Verzhbitsky was graduated from the Odessa Infantry Engineering School in 1897. He was a participant of the Russo-Japanese War and the World War I and he became a colonel in 1915. Verzhbitsky joined the Omsk Provisional Government of Admiral Kolchak and was appointed as a commander of the 3rd Steppe Siberian Corps becoming Lieutenant-General.
After the defeat of Admiral Kolchak's armies in the Ural and Western Siberia, Verzhbitsky took part in the Great Siberian Ice march. After arrival at Chita, Ataman Grigory Semyonov trusted into his hands the 2nd Separate Rifle Corps of the Far Eastern Army from February to August 23, 1920. Verzhbitsky escaped to China and even was a deputy of the Constituent Assembly of the Far Eastern Republic but didn't participate in its work.
He headed the Provisional Priamurye Government Army of Spiridon Dionisovich Merkulov from 1921 to 1922. After the final defeat from the Soviets Verzhbitsky settled down in Harbin heading the branch of the Russian All-Military Union. The Japanese sent him to Tianjin in 1934 where he died.
Verzhbitsky was awarded with:
- Order of St. George of the Fourth Degree
- Order of St. George of the Third Degree
- Order of St. Anna, 2nd class
- Order of St. Anna, 4th class
- Order of Saint Stanislaus, 3rd class
- Order of St. Vladimir, 4th class
- Cross of St. George with a palm branch by his soldiers.
[edit] References
- Бушин А. Ю. Во имя России: генерал-лейтенант Г. А. Вержбицкий // Белая армия. Белое дело. — Екатеринбург. — 2000. — № 7.
