Alexander Fok

Alexander Viktorovich Fok (also Foch) Александр Викторович Фок ; September 6, 1843 – 1926 ) was a lieutenant general of the Imperial Russian Army during the Russo-Japanese War.

Biography
Fok graduated from the Konstantinovskoe Artillery School in St. Petersburg in 1864, and from 1871-1876 served in the Special Corps of Gendarmes, an elite unformed security police force responsible for state security. From 1877-1878, he saw combat in the Russo-Turkish War. From 1900, Fok was commander of the 4th East Siberian Rifle Brigade, and participated in the suppression of the Boxer Rebellion.

During the Russo-Japanese War, Fok commanded the 4th East Siberian Rifle Brigade stationed at Port Arthur. He was noted for his precipitous retreat and failure to reinforce Colonel Tretyakov at the Battle of Nanshan, leading directly to the Russian defeat. During the Siege of Port Arthur, Fok was named commander of the fortress and promoted to lieutenant general after the death of General Roman Kondratenko at the insistence of General Anatoly Stessel. He was further awarded the Order of St. George (3rd degree) in October 1904. As commander, Fok constantly refused to commit reserves or reinforcements to front-line units, and after eight months of the siege was one of the first to urge acceptance of the surrender terms extended by Japanese general Nogi Maresuke at the end of 1904.

Taken as a prisoner of war by the Japanese after the fall of Port Arthur, he returned to Russia (and strong public criticism) after the end of the war. He was arrested and brought before a court martial on his return, but was acquitted and released from military service in 1908.

Fok later participated in the Balkan War of 1912-1913 as a volunteer in the Bulgarian Army. He died in 1926.

Honors

 * OrderStGeorge3cl rib.png Order of St. George, 3rd class, 1903