Wrangel's fleet

Wrangel's Fleet was the last remnant of the Black Sea Fleet of the Imperial Russian Navy and existed from 1920 until 1924. This squadron was a "White" (that is, anti-communist and anti-revolutionary) unit during the Russian Civil War. It was known also as the Russian Squadron (Русская Эскадра).

History
In 1920 the last remnants of the former Denikin's forces were confined to the Crimean Peninsula and commanded by Pyotr Nikolayevich Wrangel. In November 1920 the Bolsheviks captured the White position and the White forces evacuated to Turkey. The fleet was re-organised under the command of Rear Admiral Mikhail Alexandrovich Kedrov and was granted asylum by the French. The fleet moved to Bizerte in Tunisia by February 1921 and was interned there under the command of Rear Admiral Mikhail Berens. As well as the crews of the ships, the Russian community included 4,500 civilian refugees.

The French government recognized the Soviet Union in 1924 and gave ownership of the ships to the Soviets. A technical commission directed by Alexei Krylov arrived in Bizerte in December and found the warships unrepairable. The ships were sold as scrap metal by the Soviet government in Bizerte. Many of the sailors of the fleet settled in France as White Emigres.

Composition of the Russian Squadron 

 Battleships
 General Alekseyev
 Georgii Pobedonosets
 Cruisers
 General Kornilov
 Almaz
 Destroyers
 Kapitan Saken
 Bespokoiny
 Derzky
 Gnevny
 Pylkiy
 Pospeshny
 Schastlivy (grounded 24 October 1919 while being towed to internment)
 Tserigo
 Zharkiy
 Zhivoi (sank on November 16, 1920)
 Zvonkiy
 Zorkiy
 Submarines
 Tyulen
 Burevestnik
 AG 22
 Utka
 Gunboats
 Vsadnik
 Dzhigit
 Gaidamak
 Strazh
 Grozny

References
In Russian Language
 Колупаев В. Е. Русский флот в Африке // Военно-исторический архив. — М., 2002, N 8 (32). — с. 26.
 Панова М. Русский Тунис //Русская мысль. — Париж, 1998, N 4247 (02.12).- с. 14
 Бизертинский «Морской сборник». 1921—1923 : указ. ст. : биографии авт. / Рос. фонд культуры; сост. В. В. Лобыцын. — М. : Пашков дом, 2000. — 39 с : ил., портр.
 Горячкин Г. В. Русская эмиграция в Египте и Тунисе (1920—1939) / Г. В. Горячкин, Т. Г. *
 Узники Бизерты : док. повести о жизни рус. моряков в Африке в 1920-25 гг. / сост. и предисл. Сергей Власов; ред. Наталья Алексеева. — М. : Рос. отд-ние Ордена св. Константина Великого, 1998. — 272 с, [8] л. цв. ил. : ил. — Из содерж: О крымской эвакуации : Фрагмент воспоминаний / Ген. П. Н. Врангель. «Поход в Бизерту» : Фрагмент воспоминаний / П. А. Варнек. «Что было потом, после Бизерты» : Фрагмент воспоминаний / Н. Аленникова. Бизерский крест : очерк / Н. Андреев. Осколок Империи : очерк / Н. Черкашин.
 Ширинская А. А. Бизерта. Последняя стоянка / А. А. Ширинская. — СПб. : Отечество, 2003. — 343 с, [8] л. цв. ил. : ил., портр.
 Языков Г. Л. Эвакуация Черноморского флота из Крыма в Бизерту в 1920 году // Новый часовой. — 1996. — N 4. — С. 160—166
  Голгофа русской эскадры
 Монастырева Галли. Бизерта. Площадь Анастасии Ширинской

External links 

Category:France–Soviet Union relations
Category:Imperial Russian Navy
Category:Russian fleets
 
Category:White movement
Category:Anti-communist organizations