THE STATUTE OF THE ORDER OF THE RED BANNER

The ordinance of the Presidium of the CEC of the Union of the SSR of January 11, 1932 y.(Code of Laws of the USSR 1932 y. # 14, art. 73).

The Presidium of the Central Executive Committee of the Union of the SSR in accordance with art. 5* of the General regulations about orders of the Union of the SSR and in repeal of the ordinance of the Presidium of the Central Executive Committee of the Union of the SSR about the order "The Red Banner" of August 1, 1924 (Code of Laws of the USSR 1924 y. # 4, art. 48) decrees to approve the following statute of the order "The Red Banner".

1. The order "The Red Banner" is awarded to servicemen of all ranks (rank & file and officers) of the Workers and Peasants' Red Army and to other people who have shown special bravery, selflessness and courage in the immediate fighting activity; it is also awarded to military units and formations for their special distinctions in battles against enemies of the Union of the SSR:

a) for individual feats of arms performed by persons in a tactical situation when there was a manifest danger to life;

b) for outstanding battle leadership of military units and formations;

c) for excellent operations of military units and formations which, inspite of the sustained defence of the enemy or other unfavourable conditions, have gained a victory or have defeated the enemy seriously or have eliminated the previous success of the enemy or have assisted in the success of our troops and in the result has had a decisive influence in the favourable outcome of the battle or operation.

The order "The Red Banner" is awarded to military units and formations only if they were awarded with a revolutionary red banner or the honorary revolutionary naval flag before.

2. The order "The Red Banner" is the badge representing a laurel wreath; there is an unfurled red banner with a superscription "Workers Of The World Unite!". In the upper part of the wreath; in the centre of the wreath there are crossed torch, rifle, hammer and plough on a white field covered with a red five-pointed star with a hammer & sickle lodged in the centre of the star; the two upper points of the star are covered with an unfurled panel of the red banner; lower ends of the flagstaff and the torch come out from behind the lower part of the laurel wreath; a red band with the inscription "USSR" is situated on the wreath; with repeated orders there is a small white plate with a numerical indication ("2", "3" and "4") below the middle of the band.

3. The investiture with an order "The Red Banner" can be repeated for performing new feats of arms and distinctions.

4. The Investiture with an order "The Red Banner" is carried out:

a) in peace-time - by the Central Executive Committee of the Union of the SSR or by it's Presidium after recommendations for award made by the Revolutionary Military Council of the Union of the SSR.**

b) in war-time - by the Revolutionary Military Council of the Union of the SSR** in relation to servicemen and to military units and formations after recommendations made by the command of fronts and independent armies; in relation to other persons after recommendations made by separate institutions, enterprises and voluntary organisations.

5. The Decoration Commission of the Revolutionary Military Council of the Union of the SSR** under the Chairmanship of the Military and Naval Affairs People's Commissar*** or his deputy is established for consideration and conclusion on recommendations for award with an order "The Red Banner".

6. Persons awarded with an order "The Red Banner" are named "krasoznamency"**** and military units and formations awarded are named "krasnoznamennye".*****

7. ***The investiture of the recipient with an order "The Red Banner" is accompanied by delivering him the decoration certificate signed by the chairman and the secretary of the CEC of the Union of the SSR and the Defence People's Commissar of the Union of the SSR with the following text -

"The Central Executive Committee of the Union of the SSR (the text of the appropriate ordinance of the CEC of the Union of the SSR about awarding, the post, the name, the patronymic, the surname of the individual recipient or the name of military unit, institution ,organisation awarded are inserted) has issued an Ordinance about awarding him (her) with an order "The Red Banner.""

If awarded in war-time with an order "The Red Banner" they are given the decoration certificate signed only by the Defence People's Commissar of the Union of the SSR and the beginning of the text is changed thus:

"... On authority of the Central Executive Committee of the Union of the SSR... " (In the editing of the ordinance of the GEC of the Union of the SSR of August 27, 1935 y. - Code of Laws of the USSR 1935 y. # 47, art. 392).

8. Bearers of the order "The Red Banner" enjoy rights of privileges and advantages in accordance with the General regulations about orders of the USSR.

9. The order "The Red Banner" which has been awarded to military units and formations of the Workers and Peasants Red Army is attached to the revolutionary red banner or to the honorary revolutionary naval flag.

10. It is the duty of those awarded with an order "The Red Banner" to wear it at sittings of congresses of the Soviets, at sessions of the Central Executive Committee of the Union of the SSR. at official parades, revolutionary festivities and ceremonial meetings.

11. If the bearer of the order "The Red Banner" is under arrest or in custody, then he is prohibited to wear the order "The Red Banner" until they are released from arrest or custody.

12. The order "The Red Banner" which had been given to a serviceman who died or whose whereabouts is unknown afterwards, is sent to the military unit where he served at the time of his distinction. The order "The Red Banner" which had been awarded to a person who died or whose whereabouts is unknown afterwards is sent to the military unit where he served at the time of his distinction and the decoration certificate is given to the family of the awarded.

13. ***The deprivation of the order "The Red Banner" is executed by the Presidium of the Central Executive Committee of the Union of the SSR in accordance with art. 25****** of the General regulations about orders of the Union of the SSR while in relation to serviceman in the ranks of the army or regular servicemen of the WPRA******* after the demand of the conclusions from the People's Commissariat of the Defence of the Union of the SSR. (In the editing of the Ordinance of the CEC of the Union of the SSR of December 177 1935 y. - Code of Laws of the USSR 1936 y. #1, art. 5).

14. People awarded with the order "The Red Banner" are obliged:

a) to give all fighters an example of bravery, selflessness and courage in fighting activity;

b) to have an exemplary approach to military service;

c) to perfect themselves in military training, giving an example to all;

d) to take an active part in socialist emulation and in the work of voluntary organisations at their military units.

15. Decrees of the Central Executive Committee of the Union of the SSR or it's Presidium about awarding with the order "The Red Banner" and about the deprivation of this order are published in the official organ of the press "Proceedings of the CEC of the USSR and the AREC"******** and are announced in orders of the Revolutionary Military Council of the Union of the SSR**.

The chairman of the SEC of the Union of the SSR M Kalinin.

The secretary of the SEC of the Union of the SSR A. Yenukidze.

Moscow-Kremlin.

January 11, 1932.

* Art. 5 corresponds with art. 6 of the new editing of the General regulations about orders of the Union of the SSR (Code of Laws of the USSR 1936 y. # 24, art. 220-b).

** The People's Commissariat of the Defence of the Union of the SSR

*** The Defence People's Commissar of the Union of the SSR

**** A neologism meaning "the person awarded with the order "The Red Banner".

***** A neologism meaning "the collective awarded with the order "The Red Banner".

****** Art. 25 corresponds with art. 18 of the new editing of the General regulations about orders of the Union of the SSR (Code of Laws of the USSR 1936 y. # 24, art. 220-b).

******* The Workers and Peasants' Red Army

******** "Izvestia of the CEC of the USSR and the AREC".