Oskar Enkvist

Oskar Adolfovich Enkwist or Oskar Enquist (Russian: Оскар Адольфович Энквист; October 28, 1849 – March 3, 1912) was an admiral in the Imperial Russian Navy, noted for his role in the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905.

Biography
Of ethnic Swedish descent, Enkvist was a classmate of future Admiral Nikolai Nebogatov at the Naval Cadet Corps in 1866. He graduated as a midshipman in 1869 and was promoted to petty officer in 1871. He served in the Russian Baltic Fleet from 1871–1874, and was promoted to lieutenant on August 30, 1874. From June 15, 1884 - October 24, 1887, he was an officer on the gunboat Sivuch (built on April 15, 1884– launched July 21, 1904, in service October 28, 1884– scuttled July 20, 1904) on which he led an expedition to the Far East. On April 13, 1886 he was promoted to lieutenant commander, while still on his expedition.

On his return to Russia on October 28, 1887, Enkvist was transferred to the cruiser RUSSIAN CRUISER Pamiat Azova as executive officer on April 9, 1888, on which he made a second voyage to the Far East from 1890-1891. On board this ship was the Tsarevich Nicholas II

From May 27, 1891 to September 21, 1893 Enkvist commanded on the gunboat Bobr (built January 1884– launched April 10, 1885– in service December 20, 1885– struck in 1905) and supervised hydrological studies off the shores of Korea. While on this voyage, on December 6, 1894, he promoted to the rank of captain.

On the return from this voyage, Enkwist was appointed captain of the training cruiser RUSSIAN CRUISER Gerzog Edinburgski on June 5, 1895, and commanded this vessel until June 7, 1899.

On December 6, 1901, Enkvist was promoted to rear admiral. With this rank, he became commandant of the port and city of Nikolaïev on September 9, 1902 to April 26, 1904.

During the Russo-Japanese War, Enkvist, largely through the political patronage of his cousin Fedor Avelan, Vice-Chairman of the Russian Admiralty, he was appointed as commander of the First Cruiser Division of the Second Pacific Squadron, over numerous officers with higher seniority. He made the new cruiser RUSSIAN CRUISER Oleg as his flagship. During the Battle of Tsushima on May 27–28, 1905, in order to avoid capture or destruction by the Imperial Japanese Navy, he fled the scene of the battle together with the RUSSIAN CRUISER Aurora and RUSSIAN CRUISER Zhemchug to the neutral port of Manila, where he and his squadron were interned by the Americans until the end of the war.

After his return to Russia, he was released from service with the Russian Imperial Navy on November 10, 1907 with the rank of vice admiral.

Oskar Adolfovitch Enqvist died on March 3, 1912 in Kronstadt and was buried there.

Imperial Russia decorations

 * Order of Saint Stanislaus Ribbon.PNG Order of St. Stanislaus 2nd degree, January 8, 1890
 * Order of Saint Anne Ribbon.PNG Order of St. Anne 2nd degree 1892
 * Saint vladimir (bande).png Order of St Vladimir 4th degree with bow, 1897.
 * Saint vladimir (bande).png Order of St Vladimir 3rd degree, December 6, 1899.
 * Order of Saint Stanislaus Ribbon.PNG Order of St. Stanislaus 1st degree, January 1, 1904

Foreign distinctions

 * GRE Order Redeemer 5Class.png Order of the Redeemer, Knight, 1866 (Greece)
 * JPN Zuiho-sho (WW2) 3Class BAR.svg Order of the Sacred Treasure, 3rd class, 1891 (Japan)
 * PRU Roter Adlerorden BAR.svg Order of the Red Eagle, 2nd class, 1897 (Prussia)
 * Legion Honneur Officier ribbon.svg Officer of the Legion of Honor, 1897 (France)
 * GRE Order Redeemer 3Class.png Order of the Redeemer, Commander, 1899 (Greece)
 * Commendatore SSML Regno BAR.svg Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus, Commander, 1900 (Italy)
 * JPN Kyokujitsu-sho 3Class BAR.svg Order of the Rising Sun, 3rd degree, 1902 (Japan)