Soviet Military Poster: Changing of the Guard

Soviet Military Training Poster Changing of Sentries at Posts

The poster was used in the Soviet army as a training aid for Soviet soldiers and sergeants on guard duty. Size: 450 x 560 mm.

Text on the poster:

The movement of shifts to and from posts is carried out in a column, one at a time. The movement of shifts to posts at the Battle Banner of the military unit (formation) and at the monuments is carried out in a marching step. All commands are given by the guard supervisor of the new guard.

At the command of the old guard commander, “Sentry, surrender your post,” the sentry verbally surrenders the post. At the same time, the sentry and the guard turn their heads towards each other. The verbal surrender of the post consists of the sentry, having named the post number, listing to the guard taking over the post everything that must be guarded according to the post list, and also indicating what was noticed near the post during his service.

After the verbal surrender of the post, the guard, at the command of his guard commander “Sentry to accept the post”, is obliged, together with the guard commander of the new guard, within the framework of the sentry and guard commander of the old guard, to go around the guarded object and check the serviceability of the fences, doors (gates), windows and walls of the storage facilities (warehouses, parks), the number and condition of the boxes, the number of cars, aircraft, guns or other equipment. If there are locks, seals and stamps under the surrender, he is obliged to inspect them, compare them with the casts (imprints) and check whether they are intact and whether the cords are in good condition. When accepting the post at the cells with the arrested, the guard, in addition, is obliged to check the number of arrested people in them. If during the acceptance and delivery of a post any malfunction is discovered (damage to the fence or seals, lead seals, locks, cords, doors, windows) or the seals (seals) do not correspond to the impressions (imprints), or the number of equipment under guard does not correspond to the number indicated in the post table, the guard in charge stops handing over the post and calls the head of the guard; when a new guard takes over posts, in such cases the heads of the old and new guards are called.
Having completed the acceptance and delivery of the post, the sentry and the guard taking over the post stand facing the guard in charge and report to their guards in turn – the first about the delivery of the post, the second about its acceptance.
The guard’s transition to the position of sentry (the sentry to the position of guard) is determined by his report on the acceptance (delivery) of the post.

When the last guard of the first shift of the new guard is posted, the guard leader of the old guard leads his replacement guards to the guardhouse, following at the head of the shift. The guard leader of the new guard follows next to and to the left of the guard leader of the old guard.
All commands are given by the guard leader of the old guard.
Upon returning from the posts, the weapon is unloaded and inspected in the same sequence as it was loaded. The bayonet is unlocked (folded back) after the weapon is unloaded and inspected.
The guard leaders report the change made to their guard commanders.