§ 4. Ice campaign of the Baltic Fleet For Russia, the events of the winter and spring of 1918 are not formally included in the period of the First World War, but are included in the history of the Civil War. However, in the Baltic Maritime Theater they can be safely attributed to the events of the First World War, since

Cruisers of the Baltic Fleet

Cruisers of the Baltic Fleet The Baltic cruisers Kirov (project 26) and Maxim Gorky (project 26 bis) were quite modern ships. Moreover, their nine 180mm guns with excellent range made them one of the strongest light cruisers in the world. Weight

III–IV. ICE HIKE. THE LAST WAR

III–IV. ICE HIKE. THE LAST WAR Chapter 1. BEFORE AND AFTER THE TILSITI MIRAI As we remember, the previous, “theatrical” war ended with Gustav III not losing any of the territories, but he obtained certain monetary subsidies from Catherine, and decided to lead, so

On February 19, 1918, an operation began to rescue the ships of the Baltic Fleet from capture by German and Finnish troops and transfer them from Revel and Helsingfors to Kronstadt. It entered Russia as the Ice Campaign of the Baltic Fleet.

Baltic Fleet at the beginning of 1918. The need to relocate the fleet

The Baltic Fleet was of great importance in the defense of the Russian capital, Petrograd. Therefore, Russia's enemies sought to destroy it. England and the USA had plans for the future of Russia: they were going to dismember it, divide it into spheres of influence. In a number of directions, the Anglo-Saxons acted with the help of the Germans. In particular, there were plans to surrender Petrograd to the Germans and destroy the Baltic Fleet at their hands. The British command completely stopped military operations in the Baltic Sea, creating favorable conditions for the German Navy to strike the Russian fleet.

The German command was not slow to use this opportunity. The Germans had their own calculations: they wanted to destroy or capture the ships of the Baltic Fleet (it prevented them from striking Petrograd); capture Petrograd; form a pro-German government. Back in September 1917, the Germans developed a plan for the Moonsund operation. It provided for the capture of Riga, a breakthrough of the Moonsund positions, and the weakening or destruction of the Baltic Fleet. After this they wanted to carry out an operation to capture St. Petersburg. The passivity of the British fleet allowed the German command to concentrate more than two-thirds of the entire fleet in the Baltic - more than 300 combat and auxiliary ships, including 10 new battleships, a battle cruiser, 9 cruisers and 56 destroyers. In addition, 25 thousand troops were formed to capture the Moonsund archipelago. landing corps. They were supported from the air by 102 aircraft. This was a huge concentration of forces and resources in one area. However, in the Battle of Moonsund, which took place from September 29 (October 12) to October 6 (19), 1917, the Germans were unable to fulfill their strategic plan, losing 17 ships sunk and 18 damaged. But they achieved tactical success - they captured the Moonsund Islands.

In February 1918, the German command returned to the plan of capturing St. Petersburg. They planned to strike from the same operational directions: from the northwest along the Gulf of Finland and from the southwest through Pskov. The German command was going to cover Petrograd with a simultaneous attack from Finland and the Baltic states and take Petrograd with a quick onslaught.

By the beginning of the peace negotiations in Brest-Litovsk, the front line in the Baltic states ran east of Riga and then, slightly curving to the southwest, went to Dvinsk, east of Vilno, and then almost in a straight line to the south. By the end of October 1917, German troops occupied all of Lithuania and the southern part of Latvia. After Trotsky disrupted the negotiations, German troops occupied all of Latvia. In Estonia, Soviet power also did not last long.

By the start of the German offensive in February 1918, the front in the Baltic states had actually already collapsed. The soldiers abandoned the front and went home. Therefore, the remaining units were greatly inferior to the German troops in numbers and combat effectiveness. There were units of the 42nd Army Corps in Finland, but its numbers were also greatly reduced. The soldiers demobilized on their own, abandoned their units, and went home. Thus, in threatened areas, young Soviet Russia could not stop the enemy’s advance. The Red Army was only in the initial stages of formation and could not ensure the stability of the front. In these critical conditions, the Baltic Fleet was of exceptional importance for the defense of Petrograd from the sea and on the flanks of the most threatened operational directions along the shores of the Gulf of Finland.

During the First World War, the entrance to the Gulf of Finland was protected by a forward mine and artillery position. The northern flank is the Abo-Aland position, which included 17 coastal batteries (56 guns, including 12-inch ones), and minefields (about 2 thousand mines). The Germans had already captured the southern flank - the Moonsund Islands, with 21 batteries and minefields, which deprived the position of stability and increased the threat of a breakthrough of the German Navy into the depths of the Gulf of Finland. On the northern coast of the bay, adjacent to the Abo-Aland position, there was a flank-skerry position that had 6 batteries (25 guns with a caliber of up to 9.2 inches) and minefields. Along the Nargen - Porkkalaudd line there was a central (main) mine-artillery position. Its northern flank rested on the Sveaborg coastal front with the main fleet base - Helsingfors and the Sveaborg fortress. The southern flank was based on the Revel coastal front, with the fleet base at Revel. This position was the most powerful and had 39 batteries, including six 12-inch batteries, which covered the entire bay with their fire. In addition, high-density minefields were located here - more than 10 thousand mines. The immediate approaches to the capital from the sea were protected by an unfinished rear position, which relied on the Kronstadt fortified area with a strong system of artillery forts and the Baltic Fleet base and Kronstadt fortress. The entire water area of ​​the Gulf of Finland, the Gulf of Bothnia and the Abo-Aland region had 80 communications posts.

Mine and artillery positions, in cooperation with the forces of the Baltic Fleet, represented a powerful line of defense that was supposed to stop the enemy fleet. However, its weak point was the insufficient organization of interaction with ground forces. In addition, mine and artillery positions were vulnerable to attack from land.

By the beginning of 1918, the combat capabilities of the Baltic Fleet were limited due to a lack of commands on ships and in coastal formations. In accordance with Fleet Order No. 111 of January 31, 1918 and the Decree of the Council of People's Commissars on the dissolution of the old fleet and the creation of the socialist Workers' and Peasants' Red Fleet, the partial demobilization of the Baltic Fleet began. The fleet at that time consisted of: 7 battleships, 9 cruisers, 17 destroyers, 45 destroyers, 27 submarines, 5 gunboats, 23 mine and net minelayers, 110 patrol vessels and boats, 89 minesweepers, 70 transports, 16 icebreakers, 5 rescue ships, 61 auxiliary ships, 65 pilot and hydrographic ships, lightships, 6 hospital ships. Organizationally, these ships were consolidated into the 1st and 2nd battleship brigades, the 1st and 2nd cruiser brigades, mine, submarine, patrol and minesweeping divisions. There were also detachments: minelayers, mine training, artillery training skerry and protection of the Gulf of Bothnia.

Most of the ships at the end of 1917 were located at the main fleet base in Helsingfors. Some of the ships were stationed in Abo, Ganga, Reval, Kotka and Kronstadt. The resumption of hostilities with Germany found the Baltic Fleet in crisis: some of the sailors went home; others, at the direction of the Soviet government, were its support on land; the fleet itself was in the process of demobilization. The Imperial Navy was dying, and the new one, the Red Fleet, had not yet been formed. In addition, foreigners also wanted to use the Russian fleet. Thus, the British tried to acquire ownership of the former auxiliary cruisers “Mitava”, “Rus”, hospital ships “Diana”, “Mercury”, “Pallada”, military transports “Gagara”, “Lucy”, steamer “Russia”, etc. The former ship owners wanted to sell - the ships were transferred to the navy as part of military service in 1914. However, this attempt failed.

The German fleet was not active at sea after the Moonsund operation. With the onset of winter, the Russian cruisers and destroyers stationed in the roadstead in Lapvik and Abo returned to Helsingfors and Revel. The protection of the Abo-Aland skerry area in Abo was carried out by a gunboat and several patrol boats. In December, when information began to arrive that the Germans were preparing an attack on Revel, the most valuable ships were transferred to Helsingfors. Almost the entire fleet was concentrated here, with the exception of a few ships that remained in Reval.

The situation in Finland

However, Helsingfors was no longer a reliable base for Baltic Fleet ships. The situation in Finland was very alarming. Already at the beginning of the First World War, the Germans began to use Finnish nationalists, inciting anti-Russian sentiments in Finland. A Finnish military chancellery (“Finnish Chancellery”, later “Finnish Bureau”) was created in Berlin; it recruited volunteers for the German army. Volunteers were transported to Germany via Sweden. The 27th Jaeger Battalion was formed from Finnish volunteers; its initial strength was about 2 thousand people. The battalion was transferred to the Riga direction, and then to reorganize in Libau. An officer school was created here, which became the base for training the main personnel of the Finnish White Guard. In addition, German officers were also sent to Finland.

In the autumn of 1917, the activities of German agents in Finland were intensified. A lot of ammunition was also transferred to Finland. In November, the Finnish government of Svinhufvud formed detachments of the White Guard (Schützkor), which were led by Mannerheim. The Germans actively contributed to the military training of the Finns. On December 18 (31), 1917, the Council of People's Commissars decided to grant independence to Finland. At the beginning of 1918, Finnish troops began to attack individual Russian garrisons with the aim of disarming them and seizing weapons. On the night of January 10, the Finns tried to capture Vyborg, but their attack was repulsed. At the same time, a socialist revolution began in Finland. Finland was split into whites and reds. On January 14 (27), power in Helsingfors was seized by the workers and power was handed over to the Council of People's Representatives, which included Kuusinen, Taimi and others.

The Svinhufvud government and Mannerheim's troops retreated north. On the night of January 15 (28), the White Finns captured Vaza and a number of other cities, the Russian garrisons were destroyed. Having strengthened themselves in Vasa, the White Finns, in alliance with the Germans, planned a campaign to the south. Civil war began in Finland. It dramatically complicated the basing conditions of the Baltic Fleet. The White Finns organized sabotage and attacks with the aim of capturing warehouses and ships. Measures were taken to strengthen the security of ships and military equipment. In December 1917, several ships - the cruisers Diana, Rossiya, Aurora, the battleship Citizen (Tsesarevich), moved from Helsingfors to Kronstadt. In fact, this transition was reconnaissance, which showed the possibility of warships crossing in ice conditions.

By the end of January 1918, the situation in Finland had deteriorated even further. The size of the White Finnish army grew to 90 thousand people. The Finnish Red Guards were inferior to the whites in organization and initiative, and did not have experienced military leaders. The position of the Russian troops and fleet in Finland was becoming critical. The Chief of Staff of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief reported on January 27: “... The growing war decisively threatens our position in the Gulf of Bothnia and the Gulf of Finland. The guerrilla actions of the White Finns, operating contrary to the junction railways, stations and ports of the Gulf of Bothnia... put our coastal units and garrisons at coastal points in a hopeless position and deprive them of the opportunity to take any countermeasures, at least ensuring their supplies. Communication with Raumo has been interrupted. Soon the same fate may befall Abo, which is the base of Oland, which is therefore threatened with isolation from the mainland...” It was concluded that the ships of the fleet would soon find themselves isolated. The Svinhufvud government turned to Germany and Sweden for military assistance. There was a threat of German and Swedish troops appearing in Finland.

The situation was no less threatening in the Baltic states, on the southern shore of the Gulf of Finland. In February 1918, German troops occupied the southern coast of the Gulf of Finland and created a threat to Revel. The Soviet government decides to transfer the fleet from Revel, Abo-Aland, and Helsingfors, which were under threat of capture, to the rear strategic base of Kronstadt - Petrograd. This not only saved ships from capture or destruction, but also strengthened the defense of Petrograd in difficult times.

Ice trek

Ice conditions did not allow the ships to be immediately transferred to Kronstadt, so they decided to try to send them to the other side of the Gulf of Finland to Helsingfors with the help of icebreakers. On February 17, 1918, the Board of the Naval Commissariat sent a corresponding directive to Tsentrobalt (TsKBF, Central Committee of the Baltic Fleet - an elected body created to coordinate the activities of naval committees). At the same time, several powerful icebreakers led by the Ermak were sent from Kronstadt to Revel. On February 19, three submarines entered the Revel roadstead in tow from the icebreaker Volynets. On February 22, a general evacuation began. On this day, Ermak led the first group of ships (2 submarines and 2 transports) to Helsingfors.

On the night of February 24, a German detachment tried to capture the coastal batteries of the Wulf and Nargen islands, which were covering Revel from the sea, with a surprise attack, but they were noticed and driven off by gunfire. On the same day, in the afternoon, a new caravan left for Helsingfors: 2 submarines, 3 minesweepers, a minelayer, transport and auxiliary vessels. On February 25, German aircraft raided Revel. And by 19 o'clock on the same day the Germans entered Revel. By this time, most of the ships were already in the outer roadstead and began moving towards Helsingfors. The last group of ships that left the Revel roadstead included the cruisers Rurik and Admiral Makarov. They were escorted by the icebreakers Ermak, Volynets and Tarmo. Just before the group of miners left the mine school under the command of R.R. Grundman, they blew up all coastal batteries on the coast and the islands of Wulf and Nargen, including powerful 12-inch turret guns. During the evacuation from Revel to Helsingfors, about 60 ships were transferred, including 5 cruisers and 4 submarines. During the transition, one submarine was lost - the Unicorn. Several more ships were captured by ice and arrived in Helsingfors in early March. Only 8 old submarines and part of the auxiliary vessels were abandoned in Reval.

However, the transfer of ships to Helsingfors did not remove the threat from the fleet. According to the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, signed on March 3, 1918 (Article 6), all Russian ships were to leave the ports of Finland, and it was stipulated that while the ice did not allow the transition, only “minor crews” were to be on the ships, which made them easy prey Germans or White Finns. The ships had to be urgently transferred to Kronstadt. The organizer of this transition was captain 1st rank, first assistant to the head of the military department of Tsentrobalt Alexey Mikhailovich Shchastny (1881 - June 22, 1918), who at that time actually commanded the Baltic Fleet.

Shchastny had to solve the problem of saving the Baltic Fleet in very difficult political conditions. Conflicting instructions came from Moscow: V.I. Lenin ordered the ships to be withdrawn to Kronstadt, and L.D. Trotsky ordered them to be left to help the Finnish Red Guard. Considering Trotsky’s “special” role in the Russian Revolution and Civil War, his connections with the “financial international,” it can be assumed that he wanted to achieve the destruction of the Baltic Fleet or its capture by Russia’s opponents. The British were also very persistent, advising to destroy the ships so that they would not fall to the enemy (the task of depriving Russia of the fleet in the Baltic was being solved).

Shchastny did not lose his presence of mind and decided to lead the ships to Kronstadt. He divided the ships into three detachments. From March 12 to 17, the icebreakers Ermak and Volynets, breaking solid ice, led the first detachment: the battleships Gangut, Poltava, Sevastopol, Petropavlovsk and the cruisers Admiral Makarov, Rurik and Bogatyr "

The possible fate of the Russian ships is evidenced by the following facts: on April 3, a German landing force from the “Baltic Division” of von der Goltz landed at the Gange (Hanko), the day before, Russian sailors destroyed 4 submarines, their floating base “Oland” and the patrol ship “Hawk” . Due to the lack of icebreakers, these ships could not be taken away from the base. The British had to destroy 7 of their submarines that fought as part of the Baltic Fleet, their mother ship "Amsterdam" and 3 British steamships in the outer Sveaborg roadstead.

With the fall of the Ganges, a real threat arose of the Germans capturing Helsingfors. On April 5, the second detachment was hastily poisoned; it included the battleships “Andrei Pervozvanny”, “Respublika”, the cruisers “Oleg”, “Bayan”, 3 submarines. The transition was difficult, because the Finns captured the icebreakers "Volynets" and "Tarmo". The battleship "Andrew the First-Called" had to make its own way. On the third day of the campaign, near Rodshera Island, the detachment met the icebreaker Ermak and the cruiser Rurik. On April 10, the ships of the second detachment arrived safely in Kronstadt.

There was no time at all, so on April 7–11, the third detachment (172 ships) also went to sea. The ships left as soon as they were ready and went on different routes. Later, these ships joined together in one group with the support of four icebreakers. Along the way, they were joined by the fourth detachment, formed in Kotka. The transition was accompanied by great difficulties, but nevertheless, on April 20-22, all the ships arrived safely in Kronstadt and Petrograd. Not a single ship was lost. Shchastny himself, appointed head of the Naval Forces (Namorsi) on April 5, left Helsingfors on the headquarters ship Krechet on April 11, when fighting with the advancing German troops was already underway on the approaches to the city. On April 12-14, German troops occupied Helsingfors; 38 Russian ships and 48 merchant ships still remained in it and other ports. During the negotiations, during May, 24 ships and vessels were returned.

In total, 226 ships and vessels were rescued during the Ice Campaign, including 6 battleships, 5 cruisers, 59 destroyers and destroyers, 12 submarines, 5 mines, 10 minesweepers, 15 patrol ships, 7 icebreakers. They also removed two brigades of the air fleet, equipment and weapons of the fortress and forts, and other equipment. The rescued ships formed the core of the Baltic Fleet. The organizer of the Ice Campaign, Alexei Shchastny, was awarded the Order of the Red Banner in May 1918.

Trotsky continued his actions to liquidate the Russian fleet. On May 3, 1918, People's Commissar of Military and Naval Affairs Trotsky sent a secret order to prepare ships of the Baltic and Black Sea fleets for destruction. The sailors found out about this. The order to destroy the ships saved with such difficulty and sacrifice caused a storm of indignation. On May 11, on the ships of the mine division that were stationed on the Neva in Petrograd, a resolution was adopted: “The Petrograd Commune, in view of its complete inability and insolvency to do anything to save the homeland and Petrograd, is dissolved and all power is handed over to the naval dictatorship of the Baltic Fleet.” On May 22, at the 3rd Congress of Baltic Fleet delegates, it was stated that the fleet would be destroyed only after the battle. The sailors in Novorossiysk responded in a similar way.

Fleet commanders A.M. Shchastny and M.P. Sablin were summoned to Moscow. On the personal instructions of Trotsky, on May 27, Shchastny was arrested on false charges of counter-revolutionary activities, in an attempt to establish a “dictatorship of the fleet.” The Revolutionary Tribunal, held on June 20-21, sentenced him to death - this was the first judicial death sentence in Soviet Russia. The decree on restoring the death penalty in Russia, previously abolished by the Bolsheviks, was adopted on June 13, 1918. On the night of June 21-22, Alexei Shchastny was shot in the courtyard of the Alexander Military School (according to other sources, he was killed in Trotsky’s office).

Ice campaign of the Baltic Fleet- an operation to rescue the ships of the Baltic Fleet from capture by German and Finnish troops and transfer them from Revel and Helsingfors to Kronstadt. Conducted in difficult ice conditions. The commander of the Naval Forces of the Baltic Sea was Alexey Mikhailovich Shchastny. The hike is completed May 2, 1918.

Having disrupted the peace negotiations in Brest, the Kaiser's Germany began intervention against the Soviet Republic. There was a threat of capture of ships based in Reval (Tallinn). At the direction of V.I. Lenin 17.2 People's Commissar for Maritime Affairs P.E. Dybenko and Chief of the Naval General Staff E.A. Behrens sent a directive to the Military Department of Centrobalt, which ordered the transfer of ships from Revel to Helsingfors (Helsinki). Based on the directive, Centrobalt gave the order to transfer submarines and part of the auxiliary vessels to Helsingfors and to put the cruisers based in Reval on alert. 19.2 in connection with the transition of the German troops to the offensive, Tsentrobalt adopted a resolution on the preparation of ships located in Helsingfors for the transition to Kronstadt.

On February 19, the withdrawal of ships from Revel began. Three submarines were the first to leave in tow from the icebreaker "Volynets". On 22.2 general evacuation began. On the same day, the icebreaker Ermak led a group of ships (2 submarines, 2 TR) to Helsingfors. On 24.2 a caravan of transport and auxiliary ships, 2 submarines, a minelayer and 3 minesweepers went there. On 25.2 German troops occupied Revel, but the remaining ships were already in the roadstead and began moving at 16:00. The icebreakers "Ermak", "Volynets" and "Tarmo" carried out navigation in the ice. About 60 ships and vessels were transferred to Helsingfors. During the transition, the submarine Unicorn sank and was damaged. Several ships, covered in ice, arrived in Helsingfors in early March.

According to the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, Soviet Russia was obliged to transfer all warships to its ports or immediately disarm them. 12.3 The Supreme Military Council ordered the concentration of the fleet in Kronstadt. To save the ships, the sailors took active steps to prepare them for the transition to Kronstadt. The ships were divided into three detachments. From 12 to 17.3, the first detachment (LC "Gangut", "Poltava", "Sevastopol", "Petropavlovsk", KR "Admiral Makarov", "Bogatyr", "Rurik"), accompanied by the icebreakers "Ermak" and "Volynets", moved from Helsingfors to Kronstadt. The transition took place in conditions of continuous ice and heavy fog. 3.4 after the German landing at the Ganges (Hanko), there was a danger of capturing Helsingfors. But the Baltic sailors decided to save the fleet. 5.4 The second detachment left Helsingfors (LC “Andrey Pervozvanny”, “Respublika”, CR “Oleg”, “Bayan”, 3 submarines and 2 port icebreakers).

The transition took place in the most difficult ice conditions. Since the icebreakers "Tarmo" and "Volynets" were captured by the White Finns, the battleship "Andrei Pervozvanny" had to take over their functions. On the third day of the campaign, the detachment was met by the icebreaker Ermak and the cruiser Rurik. 10.4 The ships arrived in Kronstadt. The third detachment (over 160 units) was divided into several groups, which left at different times and took different routes. The crews showed extraordinary dedication to save their ships. By 22.4 all the ships and vessels of this detachment arrived in Kronstadt and Petrograd.

A significant number of ships and vessels remained in Helsingfors and other Finnish ports. 12.4 Helsingfors was occupied by German troops, and the next day a German squadron entered the raid. The seizure of coastal structures, ships and vessels belonging to the RSFSR began. Due to the systematic violations of the terms of the peace treaty by the German side, the Soviet government announced that the sea would not be cleared of mines until the ships captured in Finland were returned. Therefore, the German command was forced to release 24 ships and vessels from Helsingfors during May.

As a result of the heroic Ice Campaign, the Baltic rescued 226 ships and vessels (including 6 LK, 5 KR, 59 EM and M, 12 submarines), removed two air fleet brigades, equipment of the fortress and forts, and reserves of military equipment. The rescued ships formed the basis of the Baltic Fleet and played a big role in the defense of Petrograd.

After completing the campaign, by order Lev Davidovich Trotsky, A. M. Shchastny was arrested “for crimes in office and counter-revolutionary actions.” After the trial he was sentenced to death. This was the first judicial death sentence in Soviet Russia. The accusation, according to historian S. Melgunov, was formulated as follows: “ Shchastny, performing a heroic feat, thereby created popularity for himself, intending to subsequently use it against the Soviet regime " His role during the Ice Campaign was not mentioned in Soviet military historical literature.

THE BALTIC FLEET IS SAVED! Archival documents retrieved decades later from secret storage facilities and memories of witnesses to the events of the spring of 1918 make it possible to restore the whole picture of what happened in these difficult days for the young republic. Her fate literally hung in the balance. Alarming news came both from the front and from Helsingfors, where the main forces of the Baltic Fleet were concentrated in the fall.

In the first ten days of April, a real threat of its capture arose: intelligence reported that the German squadron was already approaching Helsingfors. Early in the morning of April 11, a radio ultimatum was received from the German flagship: “The German command is forced to occupy Helsingfors to protect the interests of Finland today, and not on April 12 at 12 noon. All ships and armed points are asked to raise white and red flags...” The German squadron was convinced that now the Russian fleet will not go anywhere, the trap must slam shut...

From the first days of negotiations in Brest on concluding peace between Germany and Russia, the Baltic Fleet has been the subject of secret plans of the German command. The treaty documents stipulated the withdrawal of all warships to Russian ports or their immediate disarmament. But in fact, the Germans were plotting to capture the Baltic Fleet. “The landing of the Germans in the Ganga,” according to one of the intelligence reports to the Naval General Staff, “has the goal of occupying Helsingfors in the near future in order to prevent Russian military ships from leaving for Kronstadt. Having taken possession of them, in the event of a renewal of the war with Russia, the Germans will look at the ships as war booty, otherwise the ships will be transferred to the Republic of Finland. In any case, the Germans want to put an end to the Russian fleet before the start of navigation in the Gulf of Finland, in order to have complete freedom of action there...”

The enemy expected that in March-April Helsingfors would be cut off from Kronstadt by continuous ice fields with countless piles of hummocks; in such conditions there were not even attempts at crossings. However, when the German squadron approached Helsingfors on the afternoon of April 11, the Germans saw only the smoke of departing Russian ships on the horizon. It was the third (and last) detachment of the fleet that headed for Kronstadt. The path for the caravan of 167 ships, moving in six columns, like the first two detachments that left Helsingfors in mid-March - early April, was cleared by icebreakers. In total, during this campaign, which will go down in the history of the Baltic Fleet under the name “ice”, 211 ships will arrive at the main base. These include 6 battleships, 5 cruisers, 54 destroyers, 12 submarines, 10 minesweepers, 5 minelayers, 15 patrol ships, 14 auxiliary ships, 4 messenger ships, 45 transports, 25 tugboats, one ferry, a lighthouse and 7 yachts. These ships became the basis of the Red Baltic Fleet and a number of flotillas.

One can imagine what feelings the head of the Baltic Fleet forces and the commander of the Baltic Fleet, Alexei Mikhailovich Shchastny, experienced when the ships of the last column approached the Great Kronstadt roadstead. He was appointed to high positions on the recommendation of a member of the Naval Collegium F. Raskolnikov and with the unanimous support of the council of flagships already during the operation. But from the very beginning, even as chief of staff, he carried out its development, and then its practical implementation. All the last weeks, Alexei Mikhailovich lived in great tension, and only now, watching the ships being pulled into the inner harbors, Shchastny could finally breathe a sigh of relief - the Baltic Fleet was saved! He did not know that he would have to command the fleet, which he managed to take away from under the nose of the enemy, for a very short time. In less than a month, he will be arrested right in the office of the People's Commissar of Military Trotsky, he will appear before the court of the Revolutionary Tribunal of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee, and on the night of June 23, the former commanding officer will be shot as an enemy of the people.

During the trial in the Shchastny case, some of the behind-the-scenes intrigues surrounding the ships of the Baltic Fleet were touched upon by the only witness himself, Leon Trotsky. To be convinced of this, it is enough to carefully read a relatively large part of the transcript of the Revolutionary Tribunal, although here Trotsky created a lot of fog. “In fact, at the most critical moment, representatives of the English Admiralty came to me and asked whether we would take measures to destroy the Baltic Fleet. Behrens and Altvater are well aware of the identity of the English officers. When this issue was raised at a military meeting, Shchastny spoke extremely vaguely about the possibility of destruction. Only after his departure this issue was considered more specifically at the same meeting... At this time, an English officer appeared to one of the members of the board and stated that England was so interested in blowing up our ships that it was ready to pay those sailors who would take on this matter...”

The only thing that could not be established for a long time was the name of the English officer who offered Trotsky sums of money. Studying the case allowed us to answer this question. It is contained in Altvater’s testimony to investigator Kingisepp dated June 5, 1918: “The name of the English officer mentioned in the testimony of L. Trotsky is Commander Cromi - he is an English naval agent.”

Was this not the reason for the reprisal against Shchastny, the “leader and organizer of the Red Army”, that he opposed the sale of the Russian Baltic Fleet to the side or even its destruction?

Kingisepp was ordered by the All-Russian Central Executive Committee to carry out investigative actions in the Shchastny case urgently. This issue was specifically considered on May 28 at a meeting of the Presidium of the highest body of Soviet power. The case contains an extract from protocol No. 26 with the following content: “clause 2. About the arrest of the former head of the Baltic naval forces Shchastny (attitude of Comrade Trotsky). Approve the actions of the People's Commissar for Military Affairs, Comrade Trotsky, and instruct Comrade Kingisepp to urgently conduct an investigation and submit his conclusion to the Presidium of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee. Signature of the Secretary of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee Avanesov.”

From the extract it follows that the only basis for approving the arrest was a letter from L. Trotsky to the Presidium of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee, written on the same day: “Dear comrades. I forward to you with this resolution the arrest of the former head of the Baltic naval forces, Shchastny. He was arrested yesterday and taken to Taganskaya prison. In view of the exceptional state importance of the crimes he committed, it would seem to me absolutely necessary for the Central Election Commission to directly intervene in this matter... With comradely greetings, L. Trotsky.”

Attached to the letter was a copy of the arrest order, in which Trotsky considered it necessary to bring Shchastny to an “extraordinary trial.” But the Soviet government did not have such a trial, especially for a criminal of “exceptional national importance.” Therefore, the All-Russian Central Executive Committee urgently prepared a decree and approved it the next day. Kingisepp carried out the investigative actions in 10 days. The fate of Captain 1st Rank Shchastny was predetermined. The chief investigator of the Soviet Republic, V. Kingisepp, was very efficient, which could not but affect the quality of the investigation. Here, too, we must look for the reason for the vagueness and confusion of the indictment materials.

On June 21, 1918, the REVOLUTIONARY TRIBUNAL under the All-Russian Central Executive Committee sentenced to death the head of the naval forces of the Baltic Fleet, captain 1st rank Alexei Mikhailovich Shchastny, accusing him of committing a counter-revolutionary crime. The wording of the charges is vague and vague and does not provide clarity. Only a study of the entire case leads to a certain conclusion: the arrest was made on May 27 in Trotsky’s office, immediately after a stormy explanation between Shchastny and Trotsky. The rear admiral was ruined by the fact that he directly declared the disastrous policy of those who are currently at the head of the fleet. The People's Commissar of the Military Sea boiled, and Shchastny continued to tell the truth: “At present, those officers who remained in the service, realizing that they were present at the agony of the fleet, nevertheless became so accustomed to it that they decided to remain until its complete liquidation, which Apparently it’s already close, so he can fulfill his duty to the end. The tragic situation of this small number of officers, who bear the entire burden of service. It must be duly appreciated by the state and society.” Shchastny’s conclusion about the difficult situation of the Baltic Fleet in 1918 was not far-fetched, and one cannot agree with Trotsky that Shchastny used this circumstance for counter-revolutionary purposes.

The criminal story in the Shchastny case unfolded with amazing speed. Throughout April and part of May, newspapers were full of articles about the legendary “ice crossing” (February - May 1918), when the combat core of the Baltic Fleet was saved, and the courage of its leadership, where A. Shchastny was the main organizer. And here is such a turn - the People's Commissar for Military and Naval Affairs L. Trotsky did not have the right to dismiss by his order A. Shchastny, appointed by decree of the Council of People's Commissars. And even more so, personally arrest him.

Immediately after the verdict in the Shchastny case was announced, the Left Socialist-Revolutionaries spoke out against it, joined by the Maximalist Socialist-Revolutionaries.

The verdict is supported by Lenin and Sverdlov. The Left Socialist-Revolutionaries Yanushkevich and Verdnikov leave the Supreme Revolutionary Tribunal, and its chairman S. Medvedev at this time gives orders to the head of the duty unit, consisting of Latvians, to carry out the sentence. Alexei Mikhailovich’s dying words were: “Death is not scary to me. I completed my task - I saved the Baltic Fleet.”

Alexey Mikhailovich Shchastny saved the Baltic Fleet twice. The first time - thanks to the art of the strategist (“Ice Crossing”). The second - at the cost of one's own

life.

For the first time, archival documents on the case of A.M. Shchastny appeared in the open press in 1991 in the magazine “Man and Law” No. 3-4 in the article “The First Death Sentence” by military lawyer Vyacheslav Zvyagintsev. Unfortunately, this was the only publication. DID YOU SERVE WITH CONSCIENCE? GUILTY! Through the efforts of official propaganda over many decades, we were offered a distorted image of a talented and devoted commander to the fleet. In numerous publications about the heroic “ice campaign” of the Baltic Fleet, this strategic operation was assessed as unprecedented, and unfounded accusations were thrown at its immediate developer and leader. Even now, when Alexei Mikhailovich Shchastny has been completely rehabilitated, many continue to believe in the faceless leadership of this operation by the Bolshevik Party, without even knowing the name of the true leader.

Born on October 4, 1881 in the city of Zhitomir, Volyn province, from the hereditary nobles of the Volyn province. Entered the Naval Cadet Corps (1896), promoted to sergeant major (1900). Graduated from the Naval Cadet Corps, 2nd in academic performance (05/06/1901).
Graduated from the Mine Officer Class (1905). Enlisted as a mine officer: 2nd category (1905), 1st category (1909).
Promoted to: Midshipmen (05/06/1901), Lieutenants

(04/14/1905), Senior Lieutenants (12/06/1910), Captains 2nd rank "for distinguished service" (04/14/1913), Captains 1st rank (07/28/1917).
Officer of the coastal defense gunboat "Burun" (01). Acting as company commander and Chief of Watch of the 2nd rank cruiser "Plastun" (1901 - 1902). Watch officer of the squadron battleship "Sevastopol" (16.01 - 20.04.1903).
Mine officer of the seaworthy gunboat "Manjur" (04/20/1903 - 04/02/1904). Watch officer of the 1st rank cruiser "Diana"
(15.04 - 28.08.1904) . Sent to the disposal of the Main Naval Staff (08/28/1904). Studying in the Mine Officer Class
(1904 - 1905). Junior mine officer of the training ship "Europe" (1905). Commander of the destroyer No. 217 (1905). Sent to the 2nd rank cruiser "Asia" in the Gulf of Bothnia (1905). Seconded to the Headquarters of the Kronstadt Fortress in the Naval Department (10/30/1905 - 04/04/1906). Transferred to the Baltic Sea Mine Training Detachment (1906). Gave lectures on radiotelegraph
case in the Mine officer class (1906 - 1909). Senior mine officer of the training ship "Nikolaev" (1906 - 1907).
2nd flagship mine officer of the marching Headquarters of the Chief of the Mine Training Detachment (1907 - 1909). Acting as 2nd flagship mine officer (for radiotelegraph affairs) of the Headquarters of the Commander of the Naval Forces of the Baltic Sea (1909 - 1912).
Permanent member from the Maritime Ministry of the interdepartmental Radiotelegraph Committee (1912 - 1914). Senior officer of the battleship "Poltava" (01/27/1914 - 08/19/1916). Commander of the destroyer "Border Guard" (08/28/1916 - 02/22/1917). Staff officer for assignments at the Headquarters of the Commander of the Baltic Sea Fleet (22.02 - 31.05.1917).
Flag-Captain for the administrative part of the Headquarters of the Commander of the Baltic Sea Fleet (05/31/1917).
Led the "Ice Campaign" of the Baltic Fleet in 1918. Head of the Naval Forces of the Baltic Sea (04/17 - 05/27/1918).

Awarded orders: St. Stanislav, 3rd degree

(06.12.1906) ,
St. Anne 3rd degree with swords and bow (06/18/1907), "... for distinction in cases against the enemy",
St. Stanislaus, 2nd degree (12/06/1909),
St. Anna 2nd degree (12/06/1914),
swords for the Order of St. Anne, 2nd class (01/28/1916),
swords for the Order of St. Stanislaus, 2nd class (03/31/1916).

Foreign Order: Prussian Crown, 4th class (1905).

Orthodox, married with 1 daughter.
Knew French and English.

Order "On the College of People's Commissars for Maritime Affairs. In Moscow, May 27th (14th) day 1918, No. 363.
The head of the Naval Forces, citizen Shchastny, who revealed a lack of fortitude and management, sowed panic among the sailors B.F. , instead of bringing courage and determination to the struggle and interfering in political issues with clearly reactionary goals, he is dismissed from service and put on trial.
Signed by: People's Commissar for Maritime Affairs L. Trotsky and members of the Board of the People's Commissariat for Maritime Affairs: Raskolnikov and Sachs "
A.M. Shchastny was given the first death sentence in the Soviet Republic.
Shot on June 21, 1918 in the courtyard of the Alexander Military School in Moscow.

According to Russian historian Sergei Melgunov,
Captain Shchastny saved the rest of the Russian fleet in the Baltic Sea from surrender to the German squadron and brought it to Kronstadt. He was, however, accused of treason. The accusation was formulated as follows: “Shchastny, by performing a heroic feat, thereby created popularity for himself, intending to subsequently use it against the Soviet regime.” The main and only witness against Shchastny was Trotsky. Shchastny was shot “for saving the Baltic Fleet.”

At home, in Zhitomir, a memorial plaque was installed in honor of A.M. Shchastny. One of the streets in his hometown is named after him.

As a result of the heroic Ice Campaign, the Baltic rescued 226 ships and vessels (including 6 LK, 5 KR, 59 EM and M, 12 submarines), removed two air fleet brigades, equipment of the fortress and forts, and reserves of military equipment. The rescued ships formed the basis of the Baltic Fleet and played a big role in the defense of Petrograd.

Py.sy. Communists of all stripes! What other proof do you need that the revolution was carried out with German money, met only the interests of Germany and betrayed the interests of Russia???

Glossary.

LK-battleship;

KR-cruiser

EM and M -destroyers and torpedo boats

Submarines

95 years ago in 1918, the “ice campaign” of the Baltic Fleet began - another heroic story with a tragic ending.
I talked about it in a post about its leader - Captain 1st Rank Alexei Mikhailovich Shchastny, now I’ll briefly remind you of those events.
The "Ice Campaign" of the Baltic Fleet is an operation to rescue ships from capture by German and Finnish troops and transfer them from Revel and Helsingfors to Kronstadt, which was carried out in difficult ice conditions in February - May 1918.
After the German army began its offensive in Estonia, there was a threat of the capture of ships based in the Russian port of Reval (now Tallinn). The ice situation did not allow the ships to be transferred directly to Kronstadt and it was decided to use icebreakers to transfer them to the other side of the Gulf of Finland to Helsingfors (Helsinki).
Under the escort of the icebreakers "Ermak", "Volynets" and "Tarmo" on February 19 - 22, the ships began moving, and on February 25 the Germans had already entered Revel.
However, the transfer of ships to Finland did not remove the threat of capture of the fleet, since under the terms of the shameful Brest-Litovsk Treaty, concluded by the Bolsheviks to save their own skins, Russia was obliged to transfer all ships to its ports and disarm them. To save the fleet it was necessary to urgently transfer to Kronstadt. The organizer and leader of this transition was former captain 1st rank A.M. Shchastny, appointed head of the Baltic Sea Naval Forces on March 22. He did not pay attention to numerous contradictory directives from Moscow (V.I. Lenin ordered to withdraw the ships, and L.D. Trotsky - to leave them to help the Finnish Red Guard) and persistent advice from the British to destroy the ships so that they would not fall to the enemy, Shchastny decided to bring them to Kronstadt, for which he subsequently paid with his life.
During March 12 - 17, the first detachment of ships consisting of the battleships “Gangut”, “Poltava”, “Sevastopol”, “Petropavlovsk”, cruisers “Admiral Makarov”, “Bogatyr”, Rurik”, accompanied by the icebreakers “Ermak” and “Volynets” in heavy fogs, breaking solid ice, he moved from Helsingfors to Kronstadt.
As a result of the heroic ice crossings, 226 ships and vessels were rescued, including 6 battleships, 5 cruisers, 59 destroyers and destroyers, 12 submarines, 5 minelayers, 10 minesweepers, 15 patrol ships, 7 icebreakers, two air fleet brigades were taken out, artillery and equipment of fortresses and forts. The rescued ships formed the basis of the newly created Baltic Fleet.
It would seem that everything ended well, but the history of the tragedy of the Russian fleet was just beginning.
German troops continued their attack on Petrograd. Having almost completely lost their combat effectiveness (since most of the admirals and officers were torn to pieces or shot) and faith in the Bolsheviks, the Baltic and Black Sea fleets became a threat to the power of the usurpers, and the sailors themselves also began to pose a serious internal danger. In such a situation, the Bolsheviks were faced with a choice: either reliably subjugate the fleet, or destroy it. On May 3, 1918, the command of the Baltic Fleet was sent from Moscow secret order People's Commissar of Military Affairs L.D. Trotsky about preparing ships for explosion. Special bank accounts were even opened for the executors of the plan to destroy the Baltic Fleet. A little later, citizens I.I. were sent to Novorossiysk. Vakhrameev and F.F. Raskolnikov with the only order - to destroy the last ships of the Black Sea Fleet.