WHO IS KOLCHAK?

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XL, Issue 9897, 30 August 1919, Page 2

WHO IS KOLCHAK?

A STIRRING CAREER

Admiral Kolchak, or the " General as he is sometimes called, is the subject of a personal memoir contributed to the "Pall Mall Gazette" by a fellow-countryman, Count A. TeherepSpiridovitch,'- who writes: 1—; Kolchak, whom I first met at the Imperial Naval School at Petrograd, to which only members of the nobility are admitted, finished his course of study about 1892-93. Beyond exhibiting a high sense of discipline, coupled with efficiency in his work, there was nothing really remarkable in the present "Supreme Regent" to attract the notice of his colleagues. j

A few years later (1900-03) he held rank as an assistant commander on the yacht Zaria in the polar expedition of Baron Thol. He had served on board the ironclad Sevastopol in the Mediterranean prior to joining Thol, to whom, in his eagerness, he offered his''services by telegram. In addition to performing the duties of hydrologist to the expedition, Kolchak wrote a monograph oil "polar ices," and supplied the material, for a new chart of the northern coast of Siberia. For the monograph he received a prize from the Academy of Science at Petrograd. Not very tall. dark, with penetrating brown eyes, Admiral Kolchak at this period is remembered for his unusual perseverance, couraee, and cood judgment. His scientific knowledge was considerably higher than the average attained by his contemporaries. When, during bis second year of polar exploration. Baron Thol was lost, Kolchak led a whale-boat party sent to find him. Bennet Island." 300 miles north of the New Siberian Islands, was searched in vain for the missing explorer.

In 1905. at the time the RussoJapanese War was :>t its height. Lieutenant Kolchak was <ziven command of a destroyer, in which he served until peace was declared. He carried out several daring exploits, and received the St. George, Sword from the Emperor. The sword, ornamented by a brilliant gilt handle- with the Cross of St. George, was destined to figure in .an incident connected with the BolsheYiki. .; Following the Japanese War, Ivol-' ehak took a. degree in naval science at the Naval Academy, and entered the service of the Naval General Staff. Although he still only ranked as a lieutenant, he carried out some complicated technical work, with excep-J tional ability., and also prepared ten I years' shipbuilding programme for the Duma. When he had completed his tasks in this direction, he retired from the Naval General Staff, on which he had been offered a very prominent position, and asked for the command of a destroyer in the Baltic Sea. He was then promoted to the rank of commander and placed under Admiral Essen. The latter, on the outbreak of wur in 1914, appointed him to his staff, giving him the responsible task of working out the plans of "naval action against the enemy. A friend of mine, who was in command of a squadron of cruisers, and came into constant contact with Kolchak, formed the highest appreciation of his former subordinate. "Our free exchange of opinion," he declares, "always gave the best results, and I affirm that the successful work of the Baltic Fleet in the operations against the Germans was largely due to the young officer in question." After" the death of Admiral Essen, Kolchak declined to remain on the staff. He thereupon took over a flotilla of destroyers, which he operated so successfully that it quickly became obvious that he was as avell equipped to execute dashing exploits as lie was to plan them. He now ranked as a naval captain.

When'the first revolution broke out in 1917, he had already reached admiral's rank and commanded the Black Son Fleet. He promptly, recognised the Provisional Government, and later carried through the political reforms among the crews of his ships without bloodshed. He succeeded in maintaining; discipline and good behaviour among all afloat, as well as showing the enemy that the Baltic fleet was ready to fight. In spite of Bolshevik propaganda, Kolchnk's seamen remained for some time a threat to the Turks and Germans. However through the evil example of the Baltic fleet, there was a decline in their morale. They eventually became so unruly,' indeed, that Kolchak presented them with an ttltimatum, the sense of which was that if they did not recognise him as their chief he would at once resign.' No agreement was reached. The Bolsheviki had voted for the disarming of all officers, and before the admiral left his ship a deputation requested him to give up his arms. The St. George Sword he had received from the Czar he refused to hand over. "There was a scene, in which he defied the sailors and threw the sword into the sea. Other officers were arrested, but his prestige was so _reat that he was allowed to leave Sebastouol for Petrograd without further molestation. He was later sent by the Admiralty to America. From America Kolchak went to Siberia, and in due course formed the nucleus from which .the new Government has sprung.