Background
PARKHOMENKO, Aleksandr was born in 1885 in village Makarov-Yar, Yekatcrinoslav Province. Son of a peasant.
PARKHOMENKO, Aleksandr was born in 1885 in village Makarov-Yar, Yekatcrinoslav Province. Son of a peasant.
From age 10 worked as farmhand on an estate, then worked in Lugansk. From 1900 worked at Lugansk Locomotive Plant. From 1903 active in revol movement.
Organized strike at Locomotive Plant. Formed armed workers’ squad. Summer 1906 directed peasant revolt in Makar-Yar distribution
Fall 1906 arrested and jailed for four months. Then continued revol work in Lugansk. Went underground under persecution from tsarist authorities and moved to Sevastopol’.
1909 arrested in Sevastopol’ and jailed until 1912. From 1915 worked at Lugansk Ammunition Plant. 1916 helped stage strike at this plant in protest against the war.
1916 re-arrested and drafted into army. Assigned to reserve regt at Voronezh, where he conducted Bolshevik propaganda among troops. At time of 1917 February Revol served in Moscow with another military unit
He and his unit took active part in overthrowing tsarist regime, arresting tsarist officials and disarming police. Appointed head, March’inskiy Rayon, Moscow. March 1917 sent to Lugansk to command Red Guards.
After 1917 October Revol continued to command Lugansk Red Guards. Early 1918 appointed deputy chairman, Lugansk Rayon Staff for Mustering Red Army. Summer and fall 1918 active in defense of Tsaritsyn as special plenipotentiary of 10th Army’s Revol Military Council.
From January 1919 military comissar, Khar’kov Province. 1919 commanded Yekatcrinoslav sector of front and Khar’kov flank. From fall 1919 helped organize 1st Horse Army and appointed special plenipotentiary of this army’s Revol Military Council.
From April 1920 commander, 14th Division, 1st Horse Army. Led this div 1,000 km from Northern Caucasus to Polish Front, breaching it at Somgorodok. Fought at NovogradVolynsk, Rovno, Dubno and L’vov with great distinction.
Routed Wrangel’s forces at Otrada, Rozhdestvenskiy and Novo-Alekscyevka.
Communist Party member from 1904.