Platon Alekseevich Lechitsk

Born in the Grodno province in the family of a rural priest Alexei Nikolaevich and Sofia Alexandrovna (nee Pavlovskaya) Lechitsky. His father graduated from the Lithuanian Theological Seminary in the first category in 1849, was ordained priest on September 14, 1851, and served in the diocese of Grodno. Plato Lechitsky entered the seminary in the footsteps of his father, but already in 1873 he was dismissed from grade 1 as he failed to appear for the whole academic year. On March 25, 1877, the young man entered the military service as a private on the rights of self-determining 3rd rank in the 7th grenadier Samogit adjutant general Count Totleben regiment, stationed in Moscow. And already on August 7 of that year he was sent to study at the Warsaw Infantry Junker School. The future commander graduated from the 2nd category in 1879 and received the rank of ensign. October 22, 1879 he began serving in the 39th infantry reserve personnel battalion, stationed in Brest-Litovsk. August 26, 1880 was promoted to ensign. February 12, 1881 - as second lieutenants, November 8, 1887 - to headquarters captains and December 11, 1889 - to captains. On this rank, February 18, 1891 Lechitsky was transferred to the 6th East Siberian Line Battalion, and June 22, 1892 - to the 5th East Siberian Rifle Battalion. From October 24, 1893 to August 28, 1894 he studied at the Officer Rifle School, which he graduated "successfully." February 26, 1896 promoted to lieutenant colonel. November 24, 1898 with his battalion, transformed and renamed the 4th East Siberian Rifle Regiment, was sent as part of a detachment to occupy the Port Arthur fortress.