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Eduard Nikolaevich Schensnovich | |
|---|---|
 Schensnovich before 1905 | |
| Born | (1853-01-06)January 6, 1853 |
| Died | January 3, 1911(1911-01-03) (aged 57) Saint Petersburg, Russian Empire |
| Allegiance |  Russian Empire |
| Branch |  Imperial Russian Navy |
| Service years | 1871–1910 |
| Rank | Vice Admiral |
| Conflicts | Russo-Japanese War |
| Awards | |
Eduard Nikolayevich Schensnovich (Shchensnovich) (Russian:Эдуа́рд Никола́евич Щенсно́вич,romanized: Eduárd Nikoláevič Ščensnóvič;Polish:Edward Nikołajewicz Szczęsnowicz; January 6, 1852 – January 3, 1911) was an admiral in theImperial Russian Navy.
Schensnovich was born inArkhangelsk into an ethnic Polish noble family in the Russian Empire. His father,Nikolai Schensnovich, was a career naval officer, who had been exiled to Arkhangelsk in 1833 for his role in theNovember Uprising. The family moved toKronstadt in 1862. Schensnovich entered military service in 1867, and joined theSea Cadet Corps inPetrograd, graduating as amidshipman in 1871. His first assignment was to theclipper shipPearl in thePacific Ocean in 1871, following which he joined thegunboatSmerch as awarrant officer. In 1876 he was posted to theBlack Sea Fleet serving on board torpedo boats, and was promoted to lieutenant in 1877. During theRusso Turkish War of 1877 he served as amine warfare specialist. In 1878 he joined the mine warfare school of theRussian Baltic Fleet and represented Russia during theExposition Universelle (1878) inParis, and went on to study the latest developments in mines in France and England later that year. From 1880 to 1885 he conducted numerous experiments with naval mines as part of the Russian Navy technical department, wrote numerous technical articles, and was decorated for his successes in the development of new weapons.
In 1885, Schensnovich was promoted toCaptain 2nd Rank and commanded the destroyer division of theRussian Pacific Fleet. In 1886, he returned to the Baltic Fleet and commanded gunboats and destroyers, and was also involved in the drafting of tactics and battle plans for potential use against theImperial German Navy in the event of a conflict. In 1895 he was base commander inVladivostok.
In 1898, Schensnovich was promoted to Captain 1st Rank and was sent toPhiladelphia to supervise the construction of the battleshipRetvizan and cruiserVaryag in America. He returned to Russia in 1902 aboard theRetvizan which he commanded for the duration of her Russian Navy career. On September 21, 1902Retvizan andVaryag were assigned to the Far East and arrived at Port Arthur April 20, 1903.
During theRusso-Japanese War of 1904–1905, Schensnovich was based atPort Arthur. TheRetvizan was struck by Japanesetorpedoes during one of the opening sorties of theBattle of Port Arthur. After emergency repairs, Schensnovich took part in theBattle of the Yellow Sea where, by attempting to ram the Japaneseflagship, he proved to be a far more aggressive captain than many of his colleagues. During the battle,Retvizan took many hits, and Schensnovich was severely wounded in the abdomen byshrapnel. He never fully recovered from this injury. Captain Schensnovich signed the capitulation of Port Arthur for the Imperial Russian Navy on 2 January 1905.[1]
After repatriation following the war, Schensnovich was based with the Baltic Fleet and promoted to rear admiral in 1905. By express order of TsarNicholas II, on March 19, 1906, he was made base commander atLibau and commander of the first Russian Navysubmarine squadron, with responsibility for developing all aspects ofsubmarine warfare. From 1908, he was promoted to vice admiral and made a member of the Admiralty Board, directing a committee to rewrite the rules and regulations for conduct of the Imperial Russian Navy, and issuing numerous memorandums on the shortcomings of the Russian shipbuilding industry and tactics during the Russo-Japanese War. His health continued to deteriorate, and he died in 1911.
Order of St. Stanislaus 3rd class, 1878
Order of St. Anne 3rd class, 1880 or 1881Order of St. Stanislaus 2nd class, 1890Order of St. Anne 2nd class, 1894
Order of St Vladimir, 4th class, 1897
Order of Prince Danilo I, Montenegro, 1899Order of St Vladimir, 3rd class, 1902
Order of the Red Eagle, 2nd class, Prussia, 1902
Order of the Saviour, Commander's Cross, Greece, 1903
Order of St. George, 4th class, 1904Order of St. Stanislaus 1st class, 1907Order of St. Anne 1st class, 1910