Lieutenant Colonel Feofan Ilyich Kurmey /Феофан Ильич Курмей/ with 5th class Rising Sun order that he received in 1913 (note unusual small ribbon rosette that looks very similar to button miniature rosette).
Feofan Ilyich Kurmei (03.03.1868 – 30.07.1916) Education: Akkerman Classical Gymnasium (5th form), Odessa Infantry Cadet School, 1st category.
- Entered service on 01.11.1888;
- Second Lieutenant, with seniority from 01.09.1892
- Lieutenant, with seniority from 01.09.1896
- Staff Captain, with seniority from 01.09.1900
- Captain, with seniority since 06.12.1904
- Lieutenant Colonel, with seniority since 06.12.1908
On 07.1916 - 4th Trans-Amur Border Infantry Regiment, lieutenant colonel.
Since April 8, 1902 temporarily acted as a junior officer for business trips of the 4th Brigade of the Special Trans-Amur Border District of the Separate Border Guard Corps (Liaoyang station). He served in various positions in the same district: head of the emergency supplies warehouse and field hospital (3 years, 1 month, and 20 days); battalion adjutant (5 months and 1 day); battalion paymaster (4 years, 4 months, and 24 days); senior officer for missions at brigade headquarters (1 month and 4 days); company commander (2 years, 10 months, and 22 days); supervisor of the district hospital (3 years, 5 months, and 7 days); staff officer for missions at district headquarters (3 months and 1 day). Junior officer of the 16th company of the district line detachment in 1907–1908. On his initiative, the Holy Iverskaya Church was built in the Hospital Town of Harbin in 1908. I.D. military commandant of the city of Harbin from the 3rd Trans-Amur Border Infantry Regiment in 1913-1914. He left for the theater of military operations with the district units in 1915. He fought as part of the 3rd Trans-Amur Border Infantry Regiment during 1915 and 1916. He was seriously wounded in battle near the city of Stanislavov on July 28, 1916. He died from wounds received in battle in the surgical hospital of the 20th Black Sea Detachment on July 30, 1916.
Back of the photo that was made in Harbin inscribed
"To His Excellency August Aleksandrovich, Lieutenant General Dmitriev, from the truly grateful Feofan Ilyich, Lieutenant Colonel Kurmei. August 30, 1915."
"Его Превосходительству Августу Александровичу Генерал-Лейтенанту Дмитрiеву отъ истинно признательнаго Феофана Ильича Подполковника Курмей. 30 августа 1915 года."
Dmitriev Avgust Aleksandrovich (Дмитриев Август Александрович; 1860-1919). Studied at the Odessa Richelieu Gymnasium. In 1880, after graduating from the Mikhailovsky Artillery School, with the rank of second lieutenant, he was assigned to the Life Guards Horse Artillery. In 1881 he was transferred to the Guards with the rank of ensign. Second lieutenant (1885), captain (1888). In 1891 he graduated from the Nikolaev Academy of the General Staff with the 1st category, then the Officer Cavalry School. From 1896 - Colonel. In 1899 he was enlisted in the Separate Border Guard Corps; Chief of Staff of the 5th District of the Border Guard. From 1902 - Commander of the Khotyn Brigade of the Separate Border Guard Corps. Major General (1906), since 1909 – Chief of the 2nd District. Since 1913 – Lieutenant General, Chief of the Trans-Amur District of the Separate Railway Corps. Participant in World War I. In 1916, at the disposal of the Commander of the 7th Army D.G. Shcherbachev. From November 1916 to April 1917 – Chief of the 4th Infantry Division. After the revolution, he served in the Red Army. For participating in the underground anti-Soviet organization of the National Center, he was arrested by the Cheka in Petrograd and shot.