Dumenko, Boris

Born in 1888; died May 11, 1920. Hero of the Civil War of 1918-20. Member of the CPSU from 1919.

Dumenko was the son of poor Ukrainian peasants living in the khutor (Ukrainian farmstead) of Oblast Voiska Donskogo (Oblast of the Don Cossack Host). Dumenko served in World War I as a cavalry sergeant major. In the spring of 1918 he organized a partisan detachment on the Veselyi khutor and then commanded a battalion in the Peasant Socialist Regiment. In July 1918 he became commander of a cavalry regiment, and in September 1918 of the 1st Don Soviet Cavalry Brigade. In November 1918, Dumenko became chief of the Combined Cavalry Division, in which S. M. Budennyi was his assistant and a brigade commander. In March 1919, Dumenko became assistant chief of staff of the Tenth Army, Cavalry Section. He was seriously wounded in May 1919. In September 1919 he became commander of the Combined Cavalry Corps, which liberated Novocherkassk in January 1920. He was awarded the Order of the Red Banner. He was condemned to death and shot after being falsely accused. A street in Novocherkassk has been named after him.