ABSTRACT
It was said that Rear-Admiral Walter Cowan, commanding the First Light Cruiser Squadron, was ‘the only officer in the Grand Fleet who was sorry that the war was over’.1 Rugged and fearless, he was an inspiring leader and an outstanding seaman. He commanded the battlecruiser Princess Royal at Jutland and later led sweeps against the enemy, characteristically desiring to close with them.2 When the disruptive effects of the Russian Revolution produced a chaotic situation in the Baltic, Britain and other western powers intervened. On 1 January 1919, Cowan was ordered to relieve Rear-Admiral Alexander-Sinclair. He was informed, ‘The primary object of your visit is to show the British flag and to support British policy as circumstances may dictate.’ British policy was ‘to prevent the destruction of the Estonian and Latvian provinces by external aggression’, and he was authorised ‘to assist forces fighting Bolshevism with Materiel and supplies, but not to take an active part in hostilities’. He was also to ensure that the considerable German forces withdrew gradually, and was under the strictest constraints not to land except under ‘Very exceptional circumstances’. He was not to visit Riga or Reval without Admiralty permission, not deal with German forces, and not interfere in local politics, or favour any party. He was warned about ice and mine dangers and to treat Bolshevik ships as hostile.3 Cowan was temperamental, hasty, aggressive, highly strung and lacked judgement but proved himself a tactful but forceful diplomat and his mission succeeded in its aims.4
