Mikhail Sablin
Encyclopedia
Mikhail Pavlovich Sablin (June 17, 1869 - October 17, 1920), was an admiral in the Imperial Russian Navy
, the first independent Ukrainian Navy
and a member of the White Russian Movement
.
, his father was Vice Admiral Pavel Sablin and his brother Nikolai Pavlovich Sablin
was also a naval officer.
Sablin graduated from the Sea Cadet Corps
in Petrograd 1890 and was assigned to the Russian Black Sea Fleet. He was later posted to China
where he participated in the suppression of the Boxer Rebellion
. During the Russo-Japanese War
of 1904-1905, he was an officer on the , and survived the sinking of this ship during the Battle of Tsushima
.
After repatriation to Russia after the end of the war, he again served with the Black Sea Fleet, commanding a destroyer
and a gunboat
before being given the command of the battleship
in 1912.
During World War I
Sablin commanded the cruiser squadron of the Black Sea Fleet, and took part in numerous combat actions against the Imperial German Navy and Ottoman Navy
, for shich he was awarded the Order of Saint George for his valour. He was promoted to Chief of Staff of the Black Sea Fleet in 1917.
After the Russian Revolution
Sablin took command of the Black Sea Fleet early in 1918 and raised the colours of the Ukrainian National Republic. In May 1918 the Germans invaded the Crimea
and Sablin moved a portion of his fleet (two battleships and fourteen destroyers) to Novorossiysk
in order to save it from capture. He was ordered to scuttle his ships by Lenin but refused to do so, travelling to Moscow
in order to plead his case. Sablin was arrested and imprisoned by the Bolshevik
s but escaped in August 1918 and made his way via the United Kingdom
to join Pavlo Skoropadskyi's anti-Bolshevik forces in the Crimea. Sablin commanded the naval forces of the White movement
but was invalided out due to ill health in 1920. He died of liver cancer
in Yalta
on October 17 and was buried in Sevastopol.
Imperial Russian Navy
The Imperial Russian Navy refers to the Tsarist fleets prior to the February Revolution.-First Romanovs:Under Tsar Mikhail Feodorovich, construction of the first three-masted ship, actually built within Russia, was completed in 1636. It was built in Balakhna by Danish shipbuilders from Holstein...
, the first independent Ukrainian Navy
Ukrainian Navy
The Ukrainian Naval Forces is the navy of Ukraine and part of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. It was established in 1992. It consists of 5 branches: surface forces, submarine forces, Navy aviation, coast rocket-artillery and marines...
and a member of the White Russian Movement
White movement
The White movement and its military arm the White Army - known as the White Guard or the Whites - was a loose confederation of Anti-Communist forces.The movement comprised one of the politico-military Russian forces who fought...
.
Biography
Sablin was born into a naval family in SevastopolSevastopol
Sevastopol is a city on rights of administrative division of Ukraine, located on the Black Sea coast of the Crimea peninsula. It has a population of 342,451 . Sevastopol is the second largest port in Ukraine, after the Port of Odessa....
, his father was Vice Admiral Pavel Sablin and his brother Nikolai Pavlovich Sablin
Nikolai Pavlovich Sablin
For the Revolutionary please see Nikolai SablinNikolai Pavlovich Sablin was an officer in the Imperial Russian NavySablin was born into a naval family in Mykolaiv...
was also a naval officer.
Sablin graduated 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 Petrograd 1890 and was assigned to the Russian Black Sea Fleet. He was later posted to China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
where he participated in the suppression of the Boxer Rebellion
Boxer Rebellion
The Boxer Rebellion, also called the Boxer Uprising by some historians or the Righteous Harmony Society Movement in northern China, was a proto-nationalist movement by the "Righteous Harmony Society" , or "Righteous Fists of Harmony" or "Society of Righteous and Harmonious Fists" , in China between...
. During the Russo-Japanese War
Russo-Japanese War
The Russo-Japanese War was "the first great war of the 20th century." It grew out of rival imperial ambitions of the Russian Empire and Japanese Empire over Manchuria and Korea...
of 1904-1905, he was an officer on the , and survived the sinking of this ship during the Battle of Tsushima
Battle of Tsushima
The Battle of Tsushima , commonly known as the “Sea of Japan Naval Battle” in Japan and the “Battle of Tsushima Strait”, was the major naval battle fought between Russia and Japan during the Russo-Japanese War...
.
After repatriation to Russia after the end of the war, he again served with the Black Sea Fleet, commanding a destroyer
Destroyer
In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast and maneuverable yet long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, convoy or battle group and defend them against smaller, powerful, short-range attackers. Destroyers, originally called torpedo-boat destroyers in 1892, evolved from...
and a gunboat
Gunboat
A gunboat is a naval watercraft designed for the express purpose of carrying one or more guns to bombard coastal targets, as opposed to those military craft designed for naval warfare, or for ferrying troops or supplies.-History:...
before being given the command of the battleship
Battleship
A battleship is a large armored warship with a main battery consisting of heavy caliber guns. Battleships were larger, better armed and armored than cruisers and destroyers. As the largest armed ships in a fleet, battleships were used to attain command of the sea and represented the apex of a...
in 1912.
During World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
Sablin commanded the cruiser squadron of the Black Sea Fleet, and took part in numerous combat actions against the Imperial German Navy and Ottoman Navy
Ottoman Navy
The Ottoman Navy was established in the early 14th century. During its long existence it was involved in many conflicts; refer to list of Ottoman sieges and landings and list of Admirals in the Ottoman Empire for a brief chronology.- Pre-Ottoman:...
, for shich he was awarded the Order of Saint George for his valour. He was promoted to Chief of Staff of the Black Sea Fleet in 1917.
After the Russian Revolution
October Revolution
The October Revolution , also known as the Great October Socialist Revolution , Red October, the October Uprising or the Bolshevik Revolution, was a political revolution and a part of the Russian Revolution of 1917...
Sablin took command of the Black Sea Fleet early in 1918 and raised the colours of the Ukrainian National Republic. In May 1918 the Germans invaded the Crimea
Crimea
Crimea , or the Autonomous Republic of Crimea , is a sub-national unit, an autonomous republic, of Ukraine. It is located on the northern coast of the Black Sea, occupying a peninsula of the same name...
and Sablin moved a portion of his fleet (two battleships and fourteen destroyers) to Novorossiysk
Novorossiysk
Novorossiysk is a city in Krasnodar Krai, Russia. It is the country's main port on the Black Sea and the leading Russian port for importing grain. It is one of the few cities honored with the title of the Hero City. Population: -History:...
in order to save it from capture. He was ordered to scuttle his ships by Lenin but refused to do so, travelling to Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
in order to plead his case. Sablin was arrested and imprisoned by the Bolshevik
Bolshevik
The Bolsheviks, originally also Bolshevists , derived from bol'shinstvo, "majority") were a faction of the Marxist Russian Social Democratic Labour Party which split apart from the Menshevik faction at the Second Party Congress in 1903....
s but escaped in August 1918 and made his way via the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
to join Pavlo Skoropadskyi's anti-Bolshevik forces in the Crimea. Sablin commanded the naval forces of the White movement
White movement
The White movement and its military arm the White Army - known as the White Guard or the Whites - was a loose confederation of Anti-Communist forces.The movement comprised one of the politico-military Russian forces who fought...
but was invalided out due to ill health in 1920. He died of liver cancer
Liver cancer
Liver tumors or hepatic tumors are tumors or growths on or in the liver . Several distinct types of tumors can develop in the liver because the liver is made up of various cell types. These growths can be benign or malignant...
in Yalta
Yalta
Yalta is a city in Crimea, southern Ukraine, on the north coast of the Black Sea.The city is located on the site of an ancient Greek colony, said to have been founded by Greek sailors who were looking for a safe shore on which to land. It is situated on a deep bay facing south towards the Black...
on October 17 and was buried in Sevastopol.