12 Facts About Wilhelm Souchon

Wilhelm Anton Souchon was born on 2 June 1864 in Leipzig Saxony, to a family of Huguenot ancestry.

Wilhelm Souchon's father was an artist and his mother the daughter of a Berlin banker.

Between 1884 and 1903 Wilhelm Souchon progressed through several sea going and staff positions, reaching the rank of Korvettenkapitan in what was a steadily expanding navy.

Wilhelm Souchon undertook a number of diplomatic and liaison assignments in Japan, China and the Dutch East Indies.

Rear Admiral Wilhelm Souchon, feared being trapped in the Adriatic Sea in the event of other nations joining in the conflict.

Wilhelm Souchon successfully eluded British attempts to corner him and on 10 August 1914, his small squadron arrived at the Dardanelles.

Wilhelm Souchon was appointed Commander-in-chief of the Ottoman Navy and served in this position until September 1917.

On 15 August 1914, in the aftermath of Wilhelm Souchon's daring dash to Constantinople, Turkey cancelled their maritime agreement with Britain and the Royal Navy mission under Admiral Limpus, and left by 15 September.

At the outbreak of the Kiel mutiny on 3 November 1918, Wilhelm Souchon asked for outside troops, but revoked his request for military help when his staff claimed the situation was under control.

Wilhelm Souchon had been deployed to Kiel a few days earlier on 30 October 1918, and had therefore to rely heavily on his staff.

Wilhelm Souchon had to negotiate and order the withdrawal of the units.

In 1919 Wilhelm Souchon retired from a navy that had ceased to exist.