Mine division. Baltic Fleet

As mentioned earlier, the plan future war was developed and prepared at the Naval General Staff based on the alleged actions of the enemy. The plan was based on a series of defensive measures designed to prevent the enemy from advancing deep into the Gulf of Finland east of the Revel-Porkala-Udd line during the first two weeks from the start of the war, in order to ensure the completion of the mobilization of troops guards corps and the Petersburg Military District and enable the ground forces to concentrate to repel the landing force.

One of the most effective measures At that time, it consisted in creating a “Central mine position” at the indicated line and, in the event of an enemy attempt to force it, conducting battle with all the naval forces available there. Any deviation from this plan had to be agreed upon by the Conference under the chairmanship of the sovereign himself. The Chief of the Naval General Staff, Rusin, informed the Commander of the Baltic Fleet, Admiral von Essen, of this by telegram dated July 12, 1914.

Explaining the need for preventive laying of mines, Rusin pointed out: “... the setting of the main minefield should be carried out by special order of the sovereign. Now to have everything in full readiness and vigilantly watch the enemy. If we turn to the statistics of mine laying, then the fact that the ships of the Baltic Fleet laid 38,932 mines during the entire war attracts attention. 69 enemy ships were blown up by mines, including 48 sank.

Events in the world in the summer of 1914 developed at lightning speed. On July 13, 1914, Admiral Essen again received a telegram from St. Petersburg from Rusin, announcing that this day was being declared the first day of the "preparatory period for war." From that moment until the very beginning of the war, Essen's headquarters worked in emergency mode to carry out defensive measures. It became quite clear that war could break out any day, and until this happened, it was required in as soon as possible have time to regroup forces in the Baltic and eliminate the existing shortcomings. The commander of the Baltic Fleet was greatly alarmed by the delay by the Naval General Staff of the final decision on the issue of laying mines in the "Central Positions".

On the other hand, Essen was confident in Rusyn, who did everything possible to ensure that he was allowed to start mining even before the German fleet was in threatening proximity to the Russian shores. Accordingly, the mines had to be delivered before the official announcement of mobilization.

This work, although familiar to the Baltic Mine Division due to the previously conducted training mines, but, of course, did not belong to the category of easy ones. As you know, for greater efficiency, mines should have been laid out in eight lines with a recess of 4.9 m at mine intervals of 45.7–85.7 m.

On July 15, 1914, Admiral Essen's flag captain, Captain 1st Rank Alexander Vasilyevich Kolchak entered the cabin of Admiral Essen, who delivered a telegram from Admiral Rusin to the chief: "The Austrians declared war on Serbia and mobilized 8 corps of their army." Thinking for a moment, von Essen said anxiously: "Now soon" ...

The commander of the Baltic Fleet turned out to be right. On the morning of July 16, 1914 (old style), a new telegram arrived at his headquarters: “The Naval Minister ordered the training detachments to be disbanded. Probably, the mobilization of the fleet of the Kyiv, Odessa, Kazan and Moscow districts will be announced today.

At 2:50 pm the same day, von Essen telegraphed to St. Petersburg. “I consider it necessary to put up a barrier now. I'm afraid to be late." An hour later, the radio of the Naval General Staff reported that, according to Russian military agents, the German fleet was heading from Kiel to Danzig. It was no longer possible to delay. After reading this report, Admiral von Essen, addressing his officers, said:

Let me then be replaced, but I will put up a barrier, - and ordered to prepare his radio order to the fleet. Then he suddenly became thoughtful and canceled his order. A disciplined military man defeated an ardent patriot in him ... After all, the laying of mines should take place only at the behest of the sovereign. He could not disobey him at such a time. Instead of issuing an appropriate order, von Essen sent one of the flag officers to St. Petersburg, to the Naval General Staff, to clarify the situation, but immediately, in pursuit, sent a telegram to the Naval Minister Grigorovich: “Please report on the political situation. If I don't get an answer tonight, I'll put up barriers in the morning."

In the first hour of the night, a telegram from the commander of the Baltic Fleet was brought to the Chief of the Naval General Staff. Rusin read it fluently and ordered to urgently call his assistants to him - Captain 1st Rank Vladimir Konstantinovich Pilkin and Captain 2nd Rank Vasily Mikhailovich Altfatter. When both of them appeared on the threshold of Rusin's office, he immediately announced to them:

We all need to report to the Minister of the Navy. Perhaps he will be able to persuade the sovereign to allow him to put up a minefield. There is not a minute to lose!

Soon the officers arrived at the apartment of the Minister of the Navy, Admiral Ivan Konstantinovich Grigorovich. Then he got up, dressed, went out, but, having learned from the arrivals about the reason for the night visit, he hesitated, and then firmly refused to disturb the sovereign at such a late hour.

Do you understand, Ivan Aleksandrovich, - said Grigorovich, turning to Rusin, - that laying mines can be considered by the Tripartite Alliance as a hostile act and an open aggressive action, unjustified by the political situation?

But we have confirmed data about the transition of the German fleet to Danzig, Rusin objected to him.

The Naval Minister remained adamant. The Chief of the Naval General Staff had no choice but to bow and retire with his flag officers. Walking with them along the sleeping street for only a few steps in thought, Rusin said:

There is, perhaps, another way to draw the attention of the sovereign to the urgency of our request ... That's what, gentlemen, you now go to Grand Duke Nikolai Nikolayevich, and I will go to my place and begin to wait for news from you, so that upon receipt of it, immediately send a telegram to the commander of the fleet . God knows, perhaps the Grand Duke will not refuse us to point out to the sovereign the whole complexity of the situation, or even take responsibility for ordering the laying of mines. One way or another, but he is the commander of the troops of the St. Petersburg Military District!

The admiral returned to headquarters, and Altfatter and Pilkin went to the Grand Duke's palace on Petrovskaya Embankment, recently rebuilt by architect A.S. Khrenov.

The long-absent flag officers brought disappointing news from the palace. The Grand Duke, raised from his bed, listened attentively to their report, but also categorically refused to disturb the sovereign and intervene in "marine affairs" himself. After listening to this news, Admiral Rusin thought about it.

Well, - he said after a long pause, - the war is undoubtedly on the threshold. And we will do the following. Go, gentlemen, now to the apartment of General Yanushkevich, for he, as chief of the land General Staff, according to the regulations on the field command of the troops, with the declaration of war, becomes the chief of staff of the Supreme Commander. Explain everything to him and return as soon as possible with an answer.

Pilkin and Altfatter departed, and Rusin, left alone, recalled that it was previously agreed between him and Essen that upon receiving a command to lay mines, a telegram would be sent to the commander with one word - “Lightning”. Having received it, von Essen immediately gets down to business, and the minelayers go to sea. No one knows about this word, only the two of them ... “In that case, this is useful,” he remembered the words of von Essen, “if the enemy penetrates our ciphers ...” Time seemed to drag on incredibly slowly. The admiral looked at his watch. Four o'clock in the morning. In half an hour, von Essen will send his minelayers to the sea. By all means, it is necessary to cover up his actions, because for violating the order of the sovereign emperor, he will not avoid being removed from office. And the commander of the Baltic Fleet is not only a necessary person in the conditions of an impending war, but in terms of the totality of his qualities and skills, he is practically irreplaceable. Having torn off the letterhead of the Naval General Staff, Admiral Rusin wrote on it in large handwriting: “To the fleet - urgently. "Lightning"", and called the officer on duty.

Try to send urgently. Out of line. And quickly ... - and the transmitted text of the telegram rushed to Essen's headquarters.

Meanwhile, the flag officers sent to Yanushkevich had not yet appeared. The minutes of the night dragged on. The very stillness of the night was oppressive. But then there was a knock on the door, and the long-awaited messengers appeared on the threshold. Their faces shone.

Rusin rose from the table with relief.

I sincerely thank you, gentlemen, and I won’t detain you anymore, ”Rusin turned to the flag officers. A stone fell from my soul. The role of the coast is fulfilled. Now it's up to the fleet!

At four o'clock in the morning, the commander of the Baltic Fleet, von Essen, was awakened - at his own request. First of all, he inquired whether the telegram had come from the Naval General Staff. The flagship radiotelegraph officer replied in the negative. Without delaying more than a minute, von Essen gave the order to transmit over the radio to the head of the minelayer detachment, Rear Admiral Vasily Alexandrovich Kanin and the head of the 4th destroyer division, captain 1st rank P.V. Viltken, just one conditional word: “Buki”. The Slavic name of the letter “B” in the code of naval signals meant: in case the cars were stopped, the order “Suddenly drop anchor for everyone” or “Set a move”, and if not, “Big move”. Kanin and Wiltken knew that in this case, the Buka's order meant the anchoring and leaving of the ships to lay mines.

At 04:18, a radiotelegraph officer again entered the admiral's cabin, reporting on an urgent radio with a strange code that had just been received from the Chief of the Naval General Staff, which could not be deciphered.

What a word? von Essen asked the officer.

- "Lightning", Your Excellency, - came the answer; The Admiral breathed a sigh of relief.

Soon von Essen was brought an official radio telegram from the Chief of Staff of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief, which read: "I give permission to put the main minefield." Meanwhile, the destroyers and minelayers had long been at sea.

At 6:54 am naval forces A telegram signed by von Essen was sent to the Baltic Fleet from the commander's headquarters: "I am starting to set up the main minefield." By this time, four minelayers in the formation of the front had already approached the place where this setting began.

At 6:55 a.m., the first mine rolled down the rails through the open “mine port” into the sea, flopping heavily into the water, raising a column of spray. Mine officers on minelayers stood with stopwatches in their hands, carefully watching the non-stop rotating arrows. At 10:30 a.m., the last mine was laid by the minelayers. In three and a half hours, two thousand one hundred and twenty-four mines were installed in eight lines! The mine-laying operation was covered by ships cruising on the Packerort meridian, with destroyers on patrol. At 11:30 a.m., von Essen sent a telegram to the Naval General Staff about the completion of the installation of barriers. The admiral reported that during the operation not a single mine surfaced, and 11 of those delivered exploded.

... A little later on the same day, at the highest reception, Admiral Grigorovich had the opportunity to report this to the sovereign. Smooth and calm as usual, the sovereign, having heard about the mines exposed in the Baltic, changed in a minute. He turned sharply to Grand Duke Nikolai Nikolayevich, who was present at the reception, and indignantly asked:

Is that what you ordered?

Grand Duke before he could open his mouth, the voice of General Yanushkevich rang out:

Your Majesty, it was I who gave the order.

Hearing this, the sovereign again assumed his usual expression and, without any hint of displeasure, almost indifferently said, addressing the Chief of Staff of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief:

Oh, it's you ... - the conversation ended there.

In the evening, at 20:00, a message was received at von Essen's headquarters that Germany had declared war on Russia.

... In total, in 1914, 3440 mines were exposed in the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe "Central mine position" and in the area of ​​\u200b\u200bskerries. In October, after the death of the cruiser Pallada, mines from the engineering department were placed on wires in the Surop pass. After the German minelayer "Deutschland" set mines on August 4, 1914, it was concluded at von Essen's headquarters that the enemy did not have an immediate goal to penetrate deep into the Gulf of Finland and land troops, as previously assumed. Nevertheless, the Commander of the Baltic Fleet ordered a transition to mine-blocking operations in the middle and mainly in the southern part of the Baltic Sea. The minefields placed in the southern part of the Baltic Sea turned out to be very effective, because they were located on the most important communication routes of the German fleet and on key fairways.

And already on November 17, 1914, the Friedrich Karl armored cruiser hit two minefields near Memel and sank. The Elbing steamer sent to help him from Memel also landed on a minefield and also sank.

Since the beginning of 1915 Baltic Fleet began laying mines in the northern part of the future "Forward Position" - a new defensive line, in the Dago - Ganges region. German cruisers repeatedly approached this area, which created the impression of preparation offensive operation. However, due to the lack of mines, more minefields were not placed at the "Forward Position".

In 1915, minefields were installed in the Gulf of Riga and Moonsund. Fully The New Frontier defense was equipped in 1916.

On January 25, 1915, near Arkona, the German cruiser Augsburg hit one barrier, and the cruiser Gazelle hit another. And although both cruisers were able to save, the Gazelle was so damaged that it was declared beyond repair.

In our story about the great mine war against the Germans, one cannot fail to mention the operation on August 27, 1915 to block the Irben Strait, which connects the Gulf of Riga and the Baltic Sea and is located between the Estonian island of Saaremaa and the Latvian mainland coast, called by sailors "Irbenka".

Her command of the Baltic Fleet entrusted four destroyers of the Okhotnik type, four destroyers of the 1st division and the destroyer Novik. Special importance was attached to ensuring the operation, since the laying of mines was caused by the German offensive in Courland and their occupation of Libava and Vindava.

Under these conditions, the Gulf of Riga acquired the significance of the flank area of ​​the land front of the Russian troops. The entrance to this bay was virtually defenseless, and the only means that could at least to some extent delay the penetration of the ships of the German fleet into the Gulf of Riga was the setting of the Irben barrier.

To achieve this goal, the fleet command allocated the Sevastopol and Gangut battleships, as well as the Oleg and Bogatyr cruisers and 4 destroyers. This operation was the only mine laying in the Irben Strait, for which even battleships were used!

According to the plan of the operation, the simultaneous flooding of steamships and lifeboats in the Gulf of Riga was planned, but due to the increased wind, this part of the operation was postponed. But part of the operation to lay a minefield was completed by the ships in full. In total, the destroyers dropped 310 mines into the sea. The operation was successful, and the enemy never appeared here.

Later, the minefield was defended by the Slava battleship, gunboats and destroyers. In the summer of 1916, the German destroyer "149" was blown up on the barrier near Memel.

Based on the effective deployment of minefields, the command of the Baltic Fleet considered it necessary to ask the Headquarters for permission to mine the entire Abo-Oland region from Gange to the coast of Sweden ...

Russian fleet

Chapter III.

The current state of the Russian Navy.

The Supreme Command of the Russian Imperial Fleet belongs to the Sovereign Emperor as the Supreme Leader.

At the head of the Naval Ministry and all naval forces is the Naval Minister.

At the head of the naval forces of the Baltic and Black Seas are naval commanders, and at the head of the Siberian flotilla, the commander of this flotilla, equal in rights to the commanders of the naval forces.

The commander is the chief naval commander of the given sea, and all squadrons, detachments and ships of the operating fleet, 1st and 2nd reserves, means of observation and communications, as well as the chief commanders and commanders of ports in all, with the exception of economic and administrative, relations and management, are subordinate to him. port personnel. The commanders of the naval forces, in comparison with the military commanders of the land, correspond to the commanders of the troops of the military districts.

The regulation on the commanders of the naval forces THE HIGHEST was approved on May 9, 1911 and announced by order of the maritime department on May 27, 1911, No. 150.

Naval Forces of the Baltic Sea.

BUT. von Essen, participant in the war of 1904-1905, in Port Arthur, holder of the Order of St. George 4th class, former combat commander of the Novik cruiser and Sevastopol battleship.

active fleet.

The current fleet consists of: brigade battleships, a brigade of cruisers, two mine divisions, a detachment of minelayers and a brigade of submarines.

Brigade of battleships: "Andrew the First-Called» (1906), "Emperor Paul I"(1907), "Tsesarevich".(1901) and "Glory"(1903); with the brigade - an armored cruiser " Rurik"(1906).

From a photo by A.D. Dalmatova.

The battleship "Andrew the First-Called".

The same type of "Emperor Paul I"; differs in that it has a red stripe on the pipe in the middle of it.

Cruiser Brigade: « Thunderous"(1899), "Admiral Makarov"(1907), "Pallada"(1906)

1st Mine Division consists of divisions: 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th, 8-9 destroyers each, and one special purpose division of 4 destroyers; in total, the division has 37 destroyers and three auxiliary transports.

Cruiser "Admiral Makarov".

(The cruiser had this type until the autumn of 1911; at present, it has two masts. The Pallada and Bayan are of the same type with it; these cruisers differ from each other in different arrangements of blue stripes on the pipes).

2nd Mine Division consists of three divisions: 5th, 6th and 7th, with 8-9 destroyers each, and two special-purpose destroyers; in total there are 10 squadrons in the division. destroyers, 17 destroyers and 7 auxiliary transports.

A detailed list of destroyers and surface boats is included in Appendix 1.

Retrieval Squad: "Amur", "Yenisei", "Volga", "Ladoga", "Onega" and "Narova".

Submarine brigade consists of two divisions. In total, the brigade has 11 submarines and two auxiliary vessels.

Auxiliary court operating fleet consist of two transports "Anadyr" and "Riga".

1st reserve.

Cruisers "Russia", "Aurora", "Oleg", "Bogatyr" and gunboat "Khivinets".

2nd reserve.

Vessels of the second reserve are part of the training detachments.

Artillery Training Detachment: battleship "Emperor Alexander II", training ship "Peter the Great" and two messenger ships.

Mine Training Detachment: training ship "Dvina" and transport "Nikolai".

Consolidated reserve detachment of destroyers from 2 squadrons. destroyers, 11 destroyers and 1 destroyer.

Training detachment of the Naval Corps: training ships "Warrior", "Loyal" and gunboat "Brave".

Diving training squad- from two submarines.

Special purpose ships: 5 gunboats and 2 training ships.

Naval Forces of the Black Sea.

The Commander of the Naval Forces is Vice Admiral A.A. Eberhard (former boss Naval General Staff).

active fleet.

Black Sea detachment.

Brigade of battleships: "St. Evstafiy"(1906), "John Chrysostom"(1906), "Panteleimon"(1900) and "Rostislav"(1896). With a cruiser brigade "Cahul"(1902).

Black Sea Mine Division consists of a cruiser "Memory of Mercury"(1903), 3 destroyer divisions and submarine divisions; a total of 13 squadrons in the division. destroyers, 4 destroyers and 4 submarines.

The barriers "Prut" and "Danube".

Auxiliary court- two transports: "Kronstadt" and "Dnieper".

1st reserve.

battleships "George the Victorious" and "Three Saints" .

Gunboats: "Donetsk", "Terez", "Ural", "Kuban" and "Zaporozhets".

2nd reserve.

Training Detachment of the Black Sea Fleet: battleship "Sinop", one transport and one messenger ship.

Black Sea Reserve Destroyer Division consists of 10 numbered destroyers.

Siberian Flotilla.

active fleet.

It consists of two cruisers, a mine brigade and a submarine division.

Cruisers: "Askold"(1900) and "Pearl"(1903).

mine brigade consists of two divisions: a total of 9 squadrons in the brigade. destroyers and 11 destroyers.

Submarine division consists of 12 submarines.

1st reserve.

Gunboat "Manjur", 7 numbered destroyers and 7 transports.

Caspian flotilla.

Operating fleet: gunboats Kars and "Ardagan".

Amur River Flotilla.

active fleet. It consists of 10 river gunboats (with two 75-mm guns and four machine guns each). They finish with the construction of 5 river 4-turret armored gunboats (with 2 6-inch guns, 4 120-mm guns and 7 machine guns each) and 10 messenger ships.

In the summer of 1911, battleships of the Dreadnought type were launched: Sevastopol, Poltava, Petropavlovsk and Gangut. They will be finally ready for sailing in two years.

Destroyers are called destroyers with a displacement of 335 tons or more, and destroyers with less than 335 tons.

This was at a time when the Russian State owned in the Baltic Sea almost all the ports of the Gulf of Finland, Bothnia and Riga and the islands of the Abo-Oland skerries. The ships of the fleet were scattered, according to their location, in the ports of Libava, Helsingfors, Abo, Marienhamn, Kronstadt and St. Petersburg.

A detachment of recruits of the 1st Mine Division, together with the same submarine fleet, was in the Port of the Emperor Alexander III. Both made up two separate battalions under the command of the adjutant wing Capt. 2nd rank S. S. Fabritsky and submariner cap. 2nd rank A. N. Nikiforaki. The entire detachment, as a senior, was commanded by S. S. Fabritsky. They were placed in a stone two-storey building, with an arena, on one of the banks of the canal of the port's inner basin. The spacious square in front of the barracks overlooked the canal wall, near which stretched orderly rows of destroyers of the 1st Mine Division and submarines, with the Okean training ship on the flank. Such a sea town was in perfect harmony with the purpose and way of life of the Recruit Detachment, in which the future cadres of the ship crews of the Baltic Fleet were brought up. Here, the recruits visually got acquainted with all branches and order of naval life and with the tireless work of old sailors in repairing and arming ships preparing for the upcoming summer campaign.

Further, behind the barracks, closer to the sea, were the officers' wings, the Port Office, the post office, and, finally, beautiful building Marine Assembly with beautiful sea views. It had a huge dance hall, salons, a library and a wonderful buffet - restaurant. Our regular guests at the Assembly were the Smolensk Lancers and the officers of the Staraya Russian Infantry Regiment, who at that time were quartered in Libava.

Head of the Detachment, he is also the commander of the esq. min. "Amurets", led the Detachment according to the model and programs of the then guards regiments. It was necessary to pull up the fleet in combat terms. There was also a hope that the young officers of the Detachment would pour a new stream into ship life. The Royal review was coming, and the young sailors were supposed to show off their combat bearing on it.

The unmarried officers all had to live in the barracks, near their companies, and all dined in a common wardroom, in the same barracks. Thanks to this, a special cohesion was created in the Detachment, and everyone was inspired by the desire to show themselves no worse. ground forces. And, indeed, the results of this animation and such work showed themselves at the Tsar's review.

In my time, the 1st battalion was commanded by Lieutenant P.P. Mikhailov and four of his companies by Lieutenants G.P. Gedrimovich V.V. Zavadsky, P.S. Pogozhev and B.P. Ivanov. Daily except Sundays and public holidays, all the companies went to the square and, in view of the destroyers, scattered into platoon groups. The whole area was covered with a frantic din, especially young midshipmen, who excelled in various ways commands, and in response there was a friendly crackle of rifle butts or monotonous typing with their feet "as one" of the brave, quickly pulling themselves up beyond recognition, naval recruits.

A drawn-out command “battalion at attention! Gentlemen officers! - Head of the Detachment S. S. Fabritsky descends the gangway from the Amurets. His representative, tall, broad-shouldered figure, military bearing and golden aiguillettes on his frock coat simply hypnotized the young sailors. The whole area froze in silence, and only on destroyers did the crew get out of the cockpits, engine rooms and stokers to stare at the "army porridge", as they called the recruits.

The 3rd company of helmsmen and signalmen under the command of P. S. Pogozhev was especially distinguished in the drill art. One should have seen his extraordinary ability to "conduct" not only the mazurka at balls in the Naval Assembly, but also on the square - with his trained company. The company was proud of its superiority over others, and the young sailors swaggered like roosters, knowing in advance that their company would be called to show our work at the Tsar's review. But that's the end of pre-lunch time. From the barracks for a mile away you could smell the soaring "naval cabbage soup" and freshly baked rye bread. The smell of this unusually stimulating effect on the appetite. Everyone knew that in the wardroom the “team test” was already waiting for the Head of the Detachment, on a tray in the hands of the cook on duty (the cook in a white cap and snow-white apron). Right there stood the duty officer and the sergeant major, with a pipe around their necks. The remaining sample was usually handed over to the midshipmen and lieutenants who rushed from the square to be torn to pieces, in order to have a bite and grunt under a cold glass of vodka.

With dashing songs, accompanied by overflows and whistles, the companies went to the barracks. After dinner, everything calmed down around, and there was an "afternoon" serene rest in the Detachment and on the destroyers. Complete silence was interrupted only by the fragmentary ringing of flasks on all ships; they fought back every half an hour, according to the exact time.

After a lunch break, the companies in most cases were engaged in the so-called "literature" (History of the Navy, Naval Charter and Charter of the Coastal Service). This happened under the leadership of officers and non-commissioned officers. Some groups under the command of the same officers and non-commissioned officers went on ships to study in various specialties or to study ship engines on the Ocean. On Sundays, under the command of their junior officers, walked separate companies on military walks, as they say "without weapons, but with songs."

In the evenings, in their free time from service, the youth - midshipman - rolled into Libava, on the famous "octopuses" (old-fashioned high 4-seater landau, harnessed by a pair of nags) and, depending on inspiration, went to the Bojnitsa confectionery or to the "Petersburg Hotel" listen to a local celebrity - the violinist Kreisler and eat oysters, or turned into the Hamburg Garden Variety, which was forbidden for her, where she occupied a box with dignity. Those who stayed until late hours in restaurants found shelter in a charitable institution of the so-called "Princess Maria Alekseevna", distinguished by its disinterested care for young, inexperienced young men.

But, in addition to "coastal" entertainment, young people often attended balls and masquerades in the officers' assembly of the Starorussky regiment. The regiment commander had two daughters and, naturally, the sailors were welcome guests for him. More often than not, when "midshipmen's finances sang romances" and the midshipman was aground, drying his empty pockets, there was an opportunity to have fun in the wardroom. As a rule, in the evening the officers gathered in the wardroom of the Detachment, in a circle of good friends. Over a good glass of cognac, the mood quickly became complacent and cheerful, at the piano appeared the mischievous prankster midshipman Boba, a participant in many midshipman pranks and tricks, which he somehow always successfully got away with. The soul of this cheerful society was usually the assistant to the Head of the Detachment, Capt. 2nd rank Timofei Leonidovich von der Raab-Thielen. floated a lot Far East, a typical representative of the local famous humorous "Lancepup tribe", the description of which should be devoted special essay, short stature, thin, reddish, with sideburns and mustaches and a typical sea waddle.

When he appeared in the wardroom, the youth gradually closed the ring around him and the stories of the unforgettable storyteller poured out about the old days of the cheerful and carefree life of youth in Vladivostok. His crowning number was the presentation in the faces of prominent generals and admirals passing by a ceremonial march at parades in Tsarskoye Selo. This number was performed by him inimitably.

But back to the Recruit Squad. The month of March came, a breath of spring was felt, and the sun sent its life-giving rays to the ships standing at the wall, gleamed on the shiny parts of compasses, guns, mine vehicles and other marine fittings. There was a smell of red lead and other fresh paint. The mechanical "woodpecker" (drill) tapped out its monotonous, sharp melody, and the father-commanders courted their offspring, looking with a jealous eye at the resurrecting beauty of their ships.

It was at this time that a detachment of recruits set out in a long echelon of a military train from the station of Libava to the Tsarsky Review, to Tsarskoye Selo. The train was moving very slowly, through Muravevo, Riga and Pskov. Occasionally, at large stops in the first-class station premises, officers arranged dinners with a balalaika orchestra, and the Detachment brass band played on the platform, entertaining the assembled audience, eyeing the sailors with curiosity. In Riga and Pskov, the Detachment was met by representatives of the garrison, who accompanied it to the barracks of the regiments, where a hot meal was waiting for it.

In Tsarskoye Selo, the detachment was located in the barracks of l. guards His Majesty's Hussar Regiment.

The next day, the day of the review, the weather was rainy and the square in front of the palace was full of puddles. The detachment was lined up in brilliant order opposite the main entrance to the palace. At the appointed time, the Sovereign Emperor and the Heir Tsesarevich left the palace in naval uniform, accompanied by the Flag-Captain of His Majesty Admiral Nilov, the Minister of the Navy Admiral Grigorovich, the Chief of the Naval Forces of the Baltic Fleet Admiral von Essen and the next watch. The orchestra played "Nikolaev March", the Sovereign went along the front, greeting the young sailors. In response, a statutory greeting thundered, a shout of "Hurrah" and the orchestra played the national anthem. After the detour, dead silence reigned, and then the command of the commander of the parade, captain 2nd rank Fabrytsky, was heard: “Battalions for gymnastics!”

Having reformed, the Detachment began gymnastics to the cheerful sounds of the orchestra, and with each kick of the feet, puddles sprayed on the ground, ruthlessly dousing our shiny full officer uniforms embroidered with gold. The sovereign thanked the detachment for the gymnastics, and then called the 3rd company under the command of Lieutenant Pogozhev for a company exercise. The teaching also went brilliantly and the company was awarded the Tsar's "thank you". After that, the Detachment marched in a ceremonial march in half company. The sovereign thanked each half-company separately, and we returned with the orchestra to the hussar barracks, where the sailors were offered a wonderful dinner, while the officers were invited to the palace, to the Tsar's table. Half of the officers received leave for three days, and the other went with the Detachment to Libau.

Upon returning to Libava, the young sailors were assigned to ships and I had to lead a party on the cruiser Gromoboy, where I sailed as a ship's midshipman. Thus ended my epic in the Recruit Detachment, and the coming Light Christ's Resurrection I already met on my own ship, the mine layer "Narova".

Boris Arsky.

We will try to illustrate the little-known text of the memoirs of an officer of the Russian fleet with photographs of that time and today's photographs of familiar places.

Chronology of the formation of mine forces in the Baltic after the Russo-Japanese War

"Initially, in February 1906 that entered service mine cruisers, built on voluntary donations from the population, were included in the Practical Defense Detachment of the Baltic Sea coast under the command of the retinue of Rear Admiral Grand Duke Alexander Mikhailovich. Shortly after the flight of the Grand Duke from the fleet, by order of the chief commander of the fleet, Vice Admiral K.P. Nikonov dated September 28, 1906 d. all mine cruisers from the Practical Detachment were brought together in separate Detachment mine cruisers under the command of the captain of the 1st rank N.O. von Essen.

Vice Admiral N.O. von Essen among the officers on board the destroyer "Pogranichnik"


Vice Admiral N.O. von Essen

In October 1906 g. to Destroyers were attached to the detachment, and it became known as the 1st detachment of mine ships of the Baltic Sea, while being directly subordinate to the chief commander of the fleet. Libava became the base of the mine detachment. Initially, it included mine cruisers (destroyers): "Ukraine", "Kazanets", "Moskvityanin", "Volunteer", "Finn", "Hunter", "Emir of Bukhara", "Amurets", "Ussuriets", "Zabaikalets ”, “Border Guard”, “Siberian Shooter”, “General Kondratenko”, “Horseman”, “Gaydamak”, “Guarding”, “Terrible”, “Don Cossack”, “Trukhmenets”; destroyers Vidny, Gromyashchy, Combat, Mechanical Engineer Zverev, Mechanical Engineer Dmitriev, Stormy, Attentive, Impressive, Hardy, Vigilant; transport "Angara".
By order of the Naval Department of December 8, 1907 1st detachment of mine ships from April 1, 1908 The city was renamed the Destroyer Division. It consisted of four divisions of eight destroyers each (according to the classification of 1907 mine cruisers were also referred to as destroyers), three destroyers at the disposal of the division commander, as well as auxiliary vessels.

Vice Admiral His Serene Highness Prince A.A. Lieven.

(Until November 24, 1908 the division was commanded by N.O. von Essen, then - captain of the 1st rank Most Serene Prince A.A. Lieven. March 12, 1909 The division of destroyers of the Baltic Sea was renamed the 1st Mine Division, until October 11, 1911 was headed by A.A. Lieven. The already mentioned order of the chief commander of the fleet and ports and the head of the naval defense of the Baltic Sea, Vice Admiral K.P. Nikonov dated September 28, 1906 d. part of the older destroyers was brought together in the Detachment of destroyers under the command of the captain of the 1st rank M.V. Knyazev to protect the skerry region (from October 1906 G. - 2nd detachment of mine ships of the Baltic Sea).
April 1, 1908 the detachment was called the Destroyer Division, which, in turn, on March 12, 1909 The city was renamed the 2nd Mine Division. April 1915 The 1st and 2nd Mine Divisions were merged into the Mine Division).

AT all the ready-made destroyers were concentrated in the port. AT the division included: four squadron destroyers of the "Border Guard" type, which made up the semi-division special purpose(on the "Border Guard" the admiral raised his flag); 1st division - four destroyers of the "Volunteer" type, four of the "Horseman" type; 2nd division - eight destroyers of the "Ukraine" type; 3rd division - eight destroyers of the type "Mechanical Engineer Dmitriev" and the 4th a division of eight destroyers of the type "Light" ("French"). But many of them were still being completed in Riga and Helsingfors, and stern guns were installed on the 4th division, and it stood in the Neva. The admiral made every effort to gather the entire division as soon as possible, which he managed to achieve by the spring of 1907. G.
AT essence, then it was the only warhead Baltic Fleet, which over time could carry a serious military service and become the core of the resurgent Baltic Fleet».

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The composition of the 1st detachment of mine ships of the Baltic Sea ( mine division) with a base in Libava:

Semi-Division of Special Purpose - destroyers of the type "Borderguard":

Destroyer "Borderguard"

"Hunter" during target shooting

"Siberian shooter"

"General Kondratenko"

1stdivision:

Destroyers of the "Volunteer" type:

"Volunteer"

"Finn"

"Moskvityanin"

"Emir of Bukhara"

Type destroyers Rider type:

Destroyer "Rider". (In the background the cruiser "Admiral Makarov")

"Ussuriets"

"Amurets"

"Gaydamak"

2nd division:

Destroyers of the type "Ukraine":

2nd division destroyers of the "Ukraine" type in the port of imp. Alexander III. 1906(Published for the first time. Photo from the collection of V. Mitskevich)

"Ukraine"

"Truhmenets" ( "Turkmen of Stavrapolsky")

"Don Cossack"

"Scary"

"Military"

"Transbaikalian"

"Kazan"

2nd division on the march

3rd division:

Destroyers of the type "Mechanical Engineer Dmitriev":

"Mechanical engineer Dmitriev"

"Mechanical engineer Zverev"

"Vigilant"

"Attentive"

"Hardy"

"Impressive" on the slip.

"Captain Yurasovsky"

"Combat" in the port imp. Alexander III

4th division:

Destroyers of the type "Light" ("l-t Burakov" - "French" ):

"Lieutenant Burakov"

"Strong" in Revel

"Light"

"Accurate"

"Very well done"

"Powerful"

"Nimble"

"Volatile"

"Dashing"

"Strong","Volatile","dexterous","Accurate" in Malmo (Sweden)

4th division on the march

4thdivision in the wake column

Transport-floating workshop "Angara"

List of personnel of the Mine Division, naval crews of the port imp. Alexander III, the Libau fortress and parts of the garrison in

Admiral Nikolai Ottovich Essen always stood out for his exceptional personal courage, adhered to the most daring tactical decisions, and showed himself to be a fearless and skilled naval commander. He repeatedly assumed responsibility for the most important decisions and always stood for the active use of the fleet and its weapons, in particular mines, and was an opponent of passive forms of warfare. He was convinced that "the fleet exists only for war, and therefore everything that is not related to combat training should be discarded as not only unnecessary, but also harmful."

Naval school and service on the ships of the Russian fleet

Nikolai Ottovich von Essen was born in St. Petersburg on December 11, 1860 in the family of a prominent statesman. His father, Otto Vasilyevich, was an example of fidelity to business and duty for his son. The Essen family had almost two hundred years of maritime tradition and gave the fleet seven Knights of St. George. - Admiral Essen - the pride of the Russian fleet.

Nikolai Essen, who had great abilities and an enviable diligence in the study of sciences, stood out noticeably among his classmates with his deep knowledge of the general scientific and special disciplines studied at the school. With special enthusiasm, he studied higher mathematics, mechanics, weapons, maritime practice and some other disciplines directly related to the theory of the ship and the use of combat weapons of the armored fleet. With great benefit he spent educational practice on the ships of the Baltic Fleet, during which cadets and midshipmen consolidated their theoretical knowledge and gained practical experience in the use of weapons and ship control. - (The most detailed story about N.O. Essen)

Since 1902 - commander of the newest cruiser of the 2nd rank "Novik", captain of the 2nd rank N.O. von Essen. Having accepted the ship at a shipyard in Germany, N.O. Essen transferred it to Port Arthur as part of the squadron Pacific Ocean.

Participation in Russo-Japanese War 1904-1905

Golden saber with the inscription "For bravery". - von Essen Nikolai Ottovich

Bold steps "Novik" against the background of the first setbacks were noticeable. For the battle on January 27, 1904 near Port Arthur N.O. Essen was awarded the Golden St. George Saber with the inscription "For Courage", and 12 crew members of the Novik received St. George's Crosses. At the request of the squadron commander S.O. Makarov, on March 16, 1904, Captain 2nd Rank Essen was instructed to command the squadron battleship Sevastopol. -

Squadron battleship "Sevastopol" in Kronstadt. September 1900

Beginning in August 1904 combat activity BUT. Essen, as the commander of the battleship Sevastopol, was most closely connected with the defense of Port Arthur, and above all with artillery support for the defenders of the fortress. He was usually entrusted with the most responsible and difficult tasks related to the destruction of the most active enemy batteries that systematically bombarded the fortress.

The death of Makarov made a demoralizing impression on most of the flagships and officers of the Pacific Fleet. Mine fear and the desire to remain in the fortress soon besieged by the Japanese became the prevailing "tactical methods" of the Arthurian commanders. At meetings of flagships and captains with Rear Admiral V.K. Vitgeft in May-June all commanders big ships, except for Essen, almost unanimously spoke out against going to sea and fighting with Japanese fleet, which puzzled even the admiral himself, who also considered it impossible to defeat the Japanese in naval battle. - Tsushima - Personnel of the Russian Fleet in the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905.

Reflection of the night attack of Japanese destroyers on the squadron battleship "Sevastopol"

For six nights, the Sevastopol, together with the gunboat Brave, fought off more than 30 Japanese destroyers, sank 2 of them, and inflicted heavy damage on five. - Red kaoliang. Anton Utkin. - Around the World No. 2 (2773) February 2005

When the destruction of the ships of the squadron began on December 19, 1904, the Sevastopol, the only one of them all, was towed to deep place and flooded, which did not allow the Japanese to raise and use it ... the main thing that N.O. Essen took out of this campaign was the richest experience of observing and thinking about the lost war.

Command of the Baltic Fleet

BUT. Essen was well aware that success in preparing the fleet for war depends primarily on the degree of training of the personnel and their attitude to service, i.e. fulfillment of his military duty. Acquaintance with N.O. Essen with the personnel of the fleet, and especially with the officers, showed that the morale of many of them is at a low level. Under the influence of the defeat of the Russian fleet in the war with Japan, they lost faith in their weapons and became disillusioned with the naval service. Among some of officers decadent moods appeared, military discipline noticeably deteriorated.

Head of the Operating Fleet of the Baltic Sea, Vice Admiral N.O. von Essen with a group of officers aboard the gunboat "Beaver" on the day of the tenth anniversary of the capture of the Taku forts. Revel, June 4, 1910. - Gunboats of the Baltic Fleet "Gilyak", "Korean", "Beaver", "Sivuch". - Gangut No. 34-35.

To rectify the situation, it was necessary first of all to change the system of training and education of personnel that existed in the fleet. It was from this N.O. Essen began his naval activities in the Baltic, first as commander of the 1st mine division, and then the fleet, and achieved exceptionally good results. Within two years, he turned the mine division into best connection fleet, for which he received gratitude from the king, who, watching the teachings of the division, praised her combat skills.
Mine division, thanks to N.O. Essen, has become a real school for the training and education of officers of the Baltic Fleet, and above all for ship commanders, whom Nikolai Ottovich, like all outstanding naval commanders Russian fleet, considered as a decisive link that ensured success in the combat training of personnel on the ship and the success of the ship in battle. Many officers, having gone through a good Essen school in a mine division, later on being assigned to large ships: battleships and cruisers, transferred to them the principles of combat training used in a mine division.
In the system of combat training of ships and formations of the fleet, Admiral N.O. Essen adhered to the two famous mottos of his teacher: "At sea means home" and "Remember the war." Having turned these mottos of S. O. Makarov into the principles of combat training, Nikolai Ottovich made a rule, first on the mine division, and then on the entire Baltic Fleet - to swim as much as possible in order to work out at sea combat missions, and be less in the database. - Nikolai Ottovich Essen. - Russian Imperial Fleet / "InfoArt". Preparation of materials: Alexander and Dmitry Loparev.

Participation in the First World War

On the night of July 30-31, 1914, the commander of the Baltic Fleet, Vice Admiral N.O. Essen telegraphed to the naval minister: "I ask you to inform me about the political situation. If I do not receive an answer tonight, I will put up a barrier in the morning" (Fleet in the First World War, vol. 1, p. 90).
On the morning of July 31, on the orders of Essen, a detachment of minelayers consisting of the ships "Ladoga", "Narova", "Amur" and "Yenisei" began laying mines in the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe main mine-artillery position. To cover the minelayers, a brigade of battleships and a brigade of cruisers were deployed, which included the destroyer Novik. So he entered the war.
By the autumn of 1914, convinced that the German fleet was not yet going to make a breakthrough to the eastern coast of the Gulf of Finland, and preferring not to risk its main forces, the Essen headquarters developed a new plan of operation, which, along with defensive actions, included offensive ones. The plan, in particular, involved the setting of active minefields in the southern and southeastern parts Baltic Sea, as well as the destruction of enemy merchant ships and observation posts (TsGA Navy, f.479, op.1, file 970, l.27). - Yu.G.Stepanov, I.F.Tsvetkov "Destroyer "Novik". L.; Shipbuilding, 1981.

Tsvetkov I. F. Admiral N. O. von Essen - commander of the Baltic Fleet on the eve and during the First World War // Germans in Russia: People and Fates: Sat. Art. SPb., 1998.

Starting from August 1, the Baltic squadron led by the armored cruiser "Rurik", on which Admiral N.O. Essen held her flag, concentrated on the central position, maneuvering behind the minefield. In the meantime, cruisers and destroyers alternately (cruisers during the day, and destroyers at night) carried out sentinel service at the mouth of the Gulf of Finland in order to warn the fleet commander in time about the appearance of the enemy.

Admiral N.O. Essen with officers on board destroyer"Border Guard". -

His high mind, military talent and great organizational skills rendered invaluable services to the Russian fleet, and his paternal and fair attitude towards his subordinates inspired deep love for him by all the personnel of the fleet. For him and with him - they worked not for fear, but for conscience ... - Count G.K. On the "Novik". The Baltic Fleet in War and Revolution. - St. Petersburg: Gangut, 1997.

Destroyer "Novik".

Admiral Nikolai Ottovich Essen, the youngest full admiral in the history of Russia, the most talented student and follower of S.O. Makarov, the last among the outstanding naval commanders of the Russian fleet.

Giving all of himself to the cause, Essen cared little about his health, still tried to act energetically. On May 1, he went on a destroyer to Revel and, having caught a serious cold in the cold Baltic wind, finally fell ill with lobar pneumonia. On the third day, doctors in Revel recognized the situation as dangerous, and on May 7 (20), 1915, N. O. Essen died.
Beloved von Essen's destroyer "Border Guard", accompanied by a guard of honor from the Knights of St. George, on May 9 (22), 1915, delivered the coffin with the body of the commander of the Baltic Fleet to Petrograd, to the English Embankment. With a huge gathering of people and troops, the coffin was loaded onto a gun carriage, and six horses, followed by a huge funeral procession, delivered the body of the admiral to the Church of the Savior on the Waters, and then to the Novodevichy cemetery.

Destroyer "Border Guard" with the body of N.O. Essen leaves Reval, May 1915. - Domestic ships of the period of the Russian-Japanese and the First World War

The original monument on the grave of Admiral Essen on Novodevichy cemetery not preserved. The red granite tombstone with an enamel photo portrait was renewed by the Naval Academy in 1960 on the centenary of the birth of the naval commander. - von ESSEN Nikolay Ottovich (1860-1915)

The Naval Minister, Admiral I. Grigorovich, then vowed to name the best of the new ships after Essen. But, alas, he did not keep his oath. - Essen Nikolay Ottovich. - Slavic world

Three Project 11356 frigates for the Russian Navy, the first of which is planned to be laid down at the Yantar Shipyard (Kaliningrad) in January 2011, will be named after the tsarist admirals. This was reported by a source in the defense industry.
The frigate "Admiral Grigorovich" is supposed to be laid first, followed by "Admiral Essen" and "Admiral Kolchak". However, the names have not yet been finally approved, the source noted.

About the Admiral's perspicacity

Admiral N.O. Essen was preparing the fleet for war on the air. - Gangut: Collection of articles: Issue 46. (Edited by Kuznetsov L.A.)

Compiled by Nakhimov 1953, captain 1st rank N.A. Veryuzhsky.

Veryuzhsky Nikolai Aleksandrovich (VNA), Gorlov Oleg Aleksandrovich (OAG), Maksimov Valentin Vladimirovich (MVV), SWF.
198188. St. Petersburg, st. Marshal Govorov, house 11/3, apt. 70. Sergey Vladimirovich Karasev, archivist. [email protected]