Alexey Schastny
Encyclopedia
Alexey Mikhailovich Schastny (1881–1918) was a Russian and Soviet naval commander. he commanded the Baltic Fleet
during the ice cruise
.
Schastny was born into a military family in Zhitomir, Ukraine. His father Mihail Mikhaylovich Schastny, was a major genneral of artillery in the Imperial Russian Army. Schastny was educted in the Vladimir Kiev cadet Corps (a military school) 1892-1896. He graduated second in his class from the Sea Cadet Corps
in 1901 and completed the mine warfare officers class in 1905.
His initial service was aboard the battleship Sevastopol
, transferring to the cruiser Diana
he served during the Russo Japanese War and was interned with his ship in Saigon. On returning to Russia, Schastny served in the Kronstadt Naval Base as an instructor in the Torpedo School (1906–1909) and as Flag Lieutenant to the commander destroyers, Baltic Fleet. In 1912-1914 he was transferred to the Caspian Sea to co-ordinate the building of radio transmitters.
During World War I, Schastny served as second officer on the dreadnought Poltava
, and as commander of the minelayer Pogranichnik. In 1917 he became Flag Captain to the commander Baltic Fleet.
Schastny was given command of the Baltic Fleet in 1918 and was responsible for organising the evacuation of the fleet from Helsinki
to Kronshtadt in March and April 1918. The Baltic was frozen and the ice cruise took nearly a month. The ships evacuated comprised 236 vessels and included 6 battleships, 5 cruisers, 59 destroyers and 12 submarines.
Schastny however fell foul of Trotsky and was arrested on 27 May 1918. Trotsky declared at his trial that: "Schastny strongly and steadily deepened the gulf between the navy and the Soviet government. Wreaking havoc, he has consistently put forward his candidature for the role of saviour. He was the vanguard of the conspiracy of the officers of the mine divisions ,he openly put forward the slogan "dictatorship of the fleet.". Schastny was setntenced to death and shot 22 July 1918.
Schastny was married to Antonina Nikolayevna (née Priyemskaya) and had two children; a daughter Galina (1913–1982) and a son Lev (born 1915). Schastny was rehabilitated after the fall of the Soviet Union. A street was named after him in his native Zhitomir in 1992.
Baltic Fleet
The Twice Red Banner Baltic Fleet - is the Russian Navy's presence in the Baltic Sea. In previous historical periods, it has been part of the navy of Imperial Russia and later the Soviet Union. The Fleet gained the 'Twice Red Banner' appellation during the Soviet period, indicating two awards of...
during the ice cruise
Ice Cruise of the Baltic Fleet
Ice Cruise of the Baltic Fleet was an operation which transferred the ships of the Baltic Fleet of the Imperial Russian Navy from their bases at Tallinn and Helsinki to Kronstadt in 1918, caused by the possible threat to those bases from the final German offensives against Russia during World War...
.
Schastny was born into a military family in Zhitomir, Ukraine. His father Mihail Mikhaylovich Schastny, was a major genneral of artillery in the Imperial Russian Army. Schastny was educted in the Vladimir Kiev cadet Corps (a military school) 1892-1896. He graduated second in his class from the Sea Cadet Corps
Sea Cadet Corps (Russia)
The Sea Cadet Corps , occasionally translated as the Marine Cadet Corps or the Naval Cadet Corps, is an educational establishment for training Naval officers for the Russian Navy in Saint Petersburg.It is the oldest existing high school in Russia.-History:...
in 1901 and completed the mine warfare officers class in 1905.
His initial service was aboard the battleship Sevastopol
Russian battleship Sevastopol (1895)
Sevastopol was the last of three ships in the Petropavlovsk class of pre-dreadnought battleships built for the Imperial Russian Navy in the 1890s...
, transferring to the cruiser Diana
Russian cruiser Diana (1899)
The Diana was the second of three Pallada-class protected cruisers built for the Imperial Russian Navy. The cruiser served as part of the First Pacific Squadron at Port Arthur during the Russo-Japanese War and took part in the Battle of the Yellow Sea on August 10, 1904. Later, she served as part...
he served during the Russo Japanese War and was interned with his ship in Saigon. On returning to Russia, Schastny served in the Kronstadt Naval Base as an instructor in the Torpedo School (1906–1909) and as Flag Lieutenant to the commander destroyers, Baltic Fleet. In 1912-1914 he was transferred to the Caspian Sea to co-ordinate the building of radio transmitters.
During World War I, Schastny served as second officer on the dreadnought Poltava
Russian battleship Poltava (1911)
Poltava was the second of the s of the Imperial Russian Navy built before World War I. The Ganguts were the first class of Russian dreadnoughts. She was named after the Russian victory over Charles XII of Sweden in the Battle of Poltava in 1709. She was completed during the winter of 1914–15, but...
, and as commander of the minelayer Pogranichnik. In 1917 he became Flag Captain to the commander Baltic Fleet.
Schastny was given command of the Baltic Fleet in 1918 and was responsible for organising the evacuation of the fleet from Helsinki
Helsinki
Helsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is...
to Kronshtadt in March and April 1918. The Baltic was frozen and the ice cruise took nearly a month. The ships evacuated comprised 236 vessels and included 6 battleships, 5 cruisers, 59 destroyers and 12 submarines.
Schastny however fell foul of Trotsky and was arrested on 27 May 1918. Trotsky declared at his trial that: "Schastny strongly and steadily deepened the gulf between the navy and the Soviet government. Wreaking havoc, he has consistently put forward his candidature for the role of saviour. He was the vanguard of the conspiracy of the officers of the mine divisions ,he openly put forward the slogan "dictatorship of the fleet.". Schastny was setntenced to death and shot 22 July 1918.
Schastny was married to Antonina Nikolayevna (née Priyemskaya) and had two children; a daughter Galina (1913–1982) and a son Lev (born 1915). Schastny was rehabilitated after the fall of the Soviet Union. A street was named after him in his native Zhitomir in 1992.
Sources
This article is translated from Russian Wikipedia- http://rjw.narod.ru/people/Kr/officers/tshastniy.htm Biography in Russian
- http://www.russian-globe.com/N48/Zinko.PervayaZhertva.htm - the first victim page in Russian
- http://www.nvspb.ru/stories/obueknovennoe_chudo_ledovogo_p - Article about the Ice Cruise from Novoye Vremya in Russian
- http://www.whoiswho.ru/old_site/russian/Curnom/22006/ach1.htm - Article in Russian