Postcard "Major General Fok"

The original postcard is in very good collectible condition. I didn't get the mail. Quite rare. Guarantee of authenticity.

Russian Russian Lieutenant General Alexander Viktorovich Fok (August 25 (September 6), 1843 — December 2, 1926) was a Russian lieutenant general (08/21/1904), a participant in the Russo-Turkish War of 1877-1878 and the Russo-Japanese War. He graduated from the Novgorod Count Arakcheev Cadet Corps (1863) and the 2nd military Konstantinovsky College (1864), from where he was released as a second lieutenant in the 99th Ivangorod Infantry Regiment. In 1871-1876 he served in a Separate corps of gendarmes. With the outbreak of the Russian-Turkish War, on January 28, 1877, Captain Fok was assigned to serve in the 53rd Volyn Infantry Regiment. He was awarded the Order of St. George, 4th degree, for the fact that on the night of June 15, 1877, when landing on the right bank of the Danube, holding the rank of captain, with a company of the 53rd Infantry Volyn Regiment entrusted to him, he stormed the Turkish mill on the Tekir Dere River and then, together with other units of the troops, knocking out the Turks with bayonets, he captured an important height for us on the left flank. He was promoted to major, and on May 6, 1884, he was renamed lieutenant colonel. In 1890, he was promoted to colonel and appointed commander of the 3rd Transcaspian Infantry Battalion. On July 27, 1892, he was appointed commander of the 17th Infantry Regiment, on August 2, 1894 - commander of the 16th Infantry Regiment, and on December 11, 1897 — commander of the 58th Infantry Regiment of Prague. On July 17, 1900, he was promoted to Major General "for distinguished service", with the appointment of the head of the 4th East Siberian Rifle Brigade. He participated in the Chinese campaign of 1900-1901, was wounded, and was awarded the golden weapon "for bravery".

With the beginning of the Russian-Japanese War, he became the commander of the 4th East Siberian Rifle Division. On August 21, 1904, he was promoted to Lieutenant General "for distinction in cases against the Japanese", with confirmation in office. He participated in the defense of the fortress of Port Arthur. He was awarded the Order of St. George, 3rd degree In recognition of the excellent courage and bravery shown in the cases against the Japanese during the bombing and blockade of Port Arthur. In December 1904, after the death of General R.I. Kondratenko, General A.M. Stessel was appointed head of the land defense of the fortress. On August 19, 1906, he was dismissed from office with a secondment to the General Staff. In 1908, he was one of the defendants in the case of the surrender of the fortress of Port Arthur. On March 5, 1908, he was acquitted by the Supreme Military Criminal Court of unproven charges.

On the same day, the well-known "general duel" of Fok took place with the former participant in the defense of Port Arthur, General K.N. Smirnov, who accused Fok in the press and in his testimony to the investigative commission of surrendering the fortress to the enemy and cowardice. Fok was the initiator of the duel, and Smirnov invited V. M. Purishkevich as one of his seconds. In addition, both participants asked for help from the expert on the dueling issue, General A. A. Kireev, who, at their request, prepared the duel and instructed the seconds, as well as was present at it himself. The duel was with pistols from 20 paces, took place on March 5 (18), 1908 in the arena of the Life Guards Cavalry Regiment. During her duel, the duelists unsuccessfully exchanged three shots from each, from the fourth shot of Foka Smirnov was wounded in the thigh near the groin. In the St. Petersburg world, the duel received a great ironic resonance due to the large number of blunders of the participants. On April 2 of the same year, A.V. Fok was dismissed from service "due to domestic circumstances with a pension. In 1912-1913 he took part in the Balkan Wars as part of the Bulgarian army. After 1917, he emigrated to Bulgaria. He died on December 2, 1926. He was buried in a mass grave near the town of Svishtov. He was single.