A Collector's Forgery.
The 272nd Kazan Foot Militia was part of the State Militia of the Russian Empire, established after the outbreak of World War I (1914) to perform auxiliary and rear-area tasks, and later to replenish the active army.
It was an irregular infantry unit, analogous to a battalion (approximately 1,000–1,300 men). It was formed from second-category militiamen (primarily older men or those unfit for active service in regular units) and volunteers. They were typically commanded by career officers or reservists.
Following the February Revolution of 1917, discipline in the militia units, as in the entire army, began to decline.
After the October Revolution and the start of demobilization of the old army, the 272nd Kazan Militia, like all others, ceased to exist. Its personnel dispersed and returned home.
1 Kopek 1916.
The 272nd Kazan Foot Militia.
