“Baltic Varyag” is not surrendering to the enemy

19 August 1915, the crew of the gunboat "Sivuch" repeated the feat of the cruiser "Varyag"

For Russia, hostilities in the spring and summer of 1915 in the western direction were unsuccessful. Germany significantly strengthened the Eastern grouping, as a result, the enemy forces managed to break through the Russian front and occupy part of the Russian territories. We left Poland, Galicia, Kurland (part of modern Latvia). The enemy troops reached the Gulf of Riga, and the front came close to Riga.

To support the Sloki detachment, which held the defense of Riga and at the same time had practically no artillery, the command sent gunboats Sivuch and Koreets. Together with other Baltic ships fleet they participated in joint hostilities with the ground forces of the Riga fortified area and provided significant support to the infantry.

The German military leadership to speed up the operation to seize Riga sent a squadron of ships to the Gulf of Riga to eliminate the Russian naval forces stationed in the gulf and preventing the capture of the city.

An attempt to break into the 8 Gulf on August 1915 of the year for 7 German battleships, 6 cruisers, 24 destroyers and 14 minesweepers was unsuccessful. The Russian forces were much smaller, but the battleship Slava, gunboats Sivuch, Brave and Ghost, mine-laying Amur and 16 destroyers prevented the German squadron from passing through the Irben Strait.

In the following days, the Germans securely covered their minesweepers, who cleared minefields in the strait. The forces defending the Gulf of Riga gave heroic resistance to the Germans who were pushing, knocked the enemy out of the offensive schedule, but as the captain of 2 rank George Stark clearly noted, “we cannot hold our position with our forces, it’s just a matter of time”.

By August 18, the Germans had struck a strip of minefields and destroyed the anti-submarine network. By this time, all the ships retreated to the Moonsund base, their further stay in the bay was extremely dangerous. Only "Sivuch" and "Korean" continued to work on the installation of mines. The order to leave the Gulf of Riga sounded too late when the enemy ships already entered the bay. The chance to get out of it by the commander of the Korey, captain of the 2 rank Ivan Fedyaevsky, was assessed as one out of a hundred.

Fedyaevsky and the commander of Sivuch, captain of 1 rank Peter Cherkasov, made a decision “in case of death from a submarine, do not take other people off the ship; in the case of a meeting with a stronger and more numerous enemy, do not hold together ”.

The 6 (19) of August, the gunboats left the port of the Ust-Dvinsk fortress, until the evening they managed to take a course to the north, remaining unnoticed. However, at about nine o'clock they found the approaching German ships: the cruiser "Augsburg" and two destroyers.

The enemy ships were faster and better armed, in the sum of 17 German guns against the 12 Russians. Collisions could not be avoided, “Korean” with “Sivuch”, having developed the maximum speed, tried to leave. The Germans joined in the pursuit, while reducing the distance from the onboard guns, they opened fire, and the destroyers fired torpedoes. From the torpedoes, the candelds dodged, but the German artillery took out the Sivuch and smashed the feeding implements.

The Koreans managed to knock down the nasal searchlight from the Ausburg and, when darkness fell, move away. The withdrawal of the Korean was covering the Sivuch, it took over the full power of the German cruiser’s fire, which was soon joined by the German destroyers and the battleships Posen and Nassau.

The Sivuch did damage to the Augsburg and the destroyer, but the forces were too unequal. The ship turned into a flaming torch, the boat lost speed and began to sink into the water. In such conditions, midshipman Mikhail Murzin continued to fire at the enemy from the only surviving weapon.

The last news, which was sent by the commander of the ship Pyotr Nilovich Cherkasov, reported: "I perish, but I do not give up."

Sivuch sank off Cuneau Island (now Estonia). The Germans picked up the surviving sailors and helped them. 98 seafarers, along with captain Cherkasov, were killed; 50 seafarers died from wounds among the selected 8. Peter Cherkasov was posthumously promoted to captain of 1 rank and awarded the Order of St. George 4 degree.

The very one of a hundred cases that Captain Fedyavsky spoke about fell out to the crew of his ship. The Koreyian ran aground and the next day, so that the ship would not get to the enemy, the commander decided to blow it up. Captain Fedyavsky did not possess information that the Germans were leaving the gulf. The German squadron, methodically making its way into the Gulf of Riga, left 20 in August.

What made change the plans of the German command? One of the factors was the stubbornness of the Russians, with small forces they disrupted the offensive schedule, destroyed and destroyed several German ships.

The Sivuch, like the Koreets, was originally built for the Amur military flotilla, and they were named after the ships participating in the Russian-Japanese war. The Sivucha team, led by captain Peter Cherkasov, accomplished a feat equal to the feat of the crew of the famous Varyag, therefore this gunboat is called the “Baltic Varyag”. The feat of Russian sailors and officers will remain forever in stories.

Comments

[27091965]

What made change the plans of the German command? One of the factors was the stubbornness of the Russians, with small forces they disrupted the offensive schedule, destroyed and destroyed several German ships.

They took the battle and showed heroism, but I’m not exaggerating that writing about the fact that two gunboats disrupted the German command’s offensive plans.

[Amurets]

Quote: 27091965i

They took the battle and showed heroism, but I’m not exaggerating that writing about the fact that two gunboats disrupted the German command’s offensive plans.

IMHO. It seems to me that the Germans were afraid of big losses.
"By August 18, the Germans had broken through the minefields and destroyed the anti-submarine network. By this time, all the ships had retreated to the base at Moonsund, their further stay in the bay was extremely dangerous." But before that, pay attention to the dates there was a battle of the Novik destroyer with the latest German destroyers V-99 and V-100.
On the night of August 17, the latest German destroyer destroyers V-99 and V-100 {239} entered the Gulf of Riga for a mine attack of the battleship Glory.
Entering the Arensburg Bay at about. Ezel, they entered into a skirmish with Russian guard ships - destroyers General Kondratenko, Ukraine and Voyskova. After several shell hits, the enemy was forced to retreat. When they departed, German ships were met by the destroyer Novik, which entered into battle with them. "
“A week after this battle, its results became known for sure. 11 four-inch Novik shells hit the German destroyers, 17 people were killed, 39 injured and 6 missing. The V-99 destroyer was especially seriously damaged. , having lost control, got entangled in anti-submarine nets and, trying to free himself from them, backed up, exploded in the stern on two Russian mines and sank. " Link: Stepanov. Of flowers. The destroyer "Novik". It dismantled the defense of the Gulf of Riga.
https://profilib.com/chtenie/112202/yuriy-stepano
v-eskadrennyy-minonosets-novik-31.php

[27091965]

Quote: Amurets

It seems to me that the Germans were afraid of big losses

Not much activity of the German fleet in the Baltic Sea is associated primarily with the position of the Chief of the Naval General Staff, Admiral Paul. He considered the Baltic Sea and the Russian Navy a secondary task, and what he wrote in his memorandum in 1914. In his opinion, Russia needed to be defeated on land. The main enemy at sea, he considered England.
If he turns to foreign editions, "The Maritime History of the War, 1914-1918." Henry Newbolt. I will give only one publication, although there are a lot of them, unfortunately, it is not even mentioned about these naval battles. Russia was an appendage to the Entente. If you wish, find a visit by a delegation of the Entente of Russia, where they have not unambiguously indicated to Russia that loans should be spent on the Army, and not on the Navy.

[Amurets]

Quote: 27091965i

If he turns to foreign editions, "The Maritime History of the War, 1914-1918." Henry Newbolt. I will give only one publication, although there are a lot of them, unfortunately, it is not even mentioned about these naval battles. Russia was an appendage to the Entente

What's there to argue? In fact, Russia did not have modern light cruisers in WWI. Their functions were performed by destroyers of the Novik type. Yes, and the Baltic and Black Sea fleets, due to their geographical position, were actually locked in their theaters. This can also be read by Herbert Wilson in his monograph "Battleships in Battle." Geography played a role in this struggle that should not be underestimated. By virtue of
geographical conditions, the Russian fleets located in the Baltic and Black Seas were
isolated and unable to connect with both the British and French
fleets. The difficulties of access to the Baltic and Black Seas were such that the Allies did not
could send the Russians no reinforcements or supplies there. German-Turkish blockade
Russia, which the Allies never managed to completely break through, was one of the most
important reasons for the defeat of Russia.

[27091965]

Quote: Amurets

What is there to argue? In fact, in WWI Russia did not have modern light cruisers. Their functions were performed by Novik type destroyers.

It is difficult to agree that the destroyer will be able to perform the functions of a cruiser. It is not a matter of performing cruising tasks, but the performance characteristics of destroyers that do not allow this to be done.
There are a lot of interesting things in building the Russian Navy after the Russo-Japanese War, I understand that this is from the “if” area, but if you would have agreed to the American proposal for the construction of warships and loans for Russia, in which direction would history go?

[Amurets]

Quote: 27091965i

There are a lot of interesting things in building the Russian Navy after the Russo-Japanese War, I understand that this is from the “if” area, but if you would have agreed to the American proposal for the construction of warships and loans for Russia, in which direction would history go?

Honestly, I don’t know. The Americans have proposed many projects in our Far East. Not only the construction of the fleet.

[27091965]

Quote: Amurets

Honestly, I don’t know. Americans offered many projects in our Far East

Reading the documents of our Russian State Archive of Naval Forces, they have this form of service for a fee, they send you an electronic copy of the document you are interested in, it seems that most of the meetings took the form of “expressed their opinion and parted”, and someone should make a decision on the construction of the ship then another. Therefore, many decisions from our point of view are considered rather strange. But, this is a story and we perceive it as it is.

[Monarchist]

Amurets, I agree with you 60%: until February 1917, the RIA thoroughly battered the Kaiser. Even after February 1917, Russian troops could still show themselves

[Amurets]

Quote: Monarchist

Amurets, I agree with you 60%: until February 1917, the RIA thoroughly battered the Kaiser. Even after February 1917, Russian troops could still show themselves

And I will not argue on this subject. Just talking about the fleet, and the Baltic Maritime Theater, for the Germans, was not the main one. In the WWI, for the Germans the main goal was the English Grand Fleet. The Germans were well aware that the battle in the Central Mine and Artillery position, even at the beginning of the WWII in 1914, did not promise them anything good.

[Amurets]

Quote: Amurets

The Germans were well aware that the battle in the Central Mine and Artillery position, even at the beginning of the WWII in 1914, did not promise them anything good.

I want to add more. Check out this work on the significance and fortifications of Moonsund in the years of WWII and WWII.
http://www.moremhod.info/index.php/library-menu/1
6-morskaya-tematika / 251-zabytyj-moonzund? Showall =
1 & limitstart =

[Turist1996]

Not only thanks to the actions of "Sivuch", but thanks in part to his actions. In general, the operation to defend the Gulf of Riga (in this campaign) was quite successful for the Russian fleet. Evidence of this (as a result) is the withdrawal of German naval forces from the bay. And this is a fact!

[parusnik]

"Korean" ran aground and the next day, so that the ship did not reach the enemy, the commander decided to blow it up.

... "They blew up the" Korean "" .. the story repeated ...

[Music]

As you call, it will float. Alas, history does not teach anything ...

[Yarik]

An attempt to break into the bay on August 8, 1915 for 7 German battleships, 6 cruisers, 24 destroyers and 14 minesweepers .....

I definitely do not understand the standing of Sevastopol. Probably, the revolutionaries were trained.

[Amurets]

Quote: Yarik

I definitely do not understand the standing of Sevastopol. Probably, the revolutionaries were trained

Here is the answer to your question. I.F. Tsvetkov. Baltic Dreadnoughts. "The fleet commander could use new battleships only with the permission of the Headquarters. Usually, when this permission was received, the need to use them already ceased."

[Andrei from Chelyabinsk]

Quote: Yarik

I definitely do not understand the standing of Sevastopol.

What is there to understand? Neither “Sevastopoli" nor "Andrei" could enter the Gulf of Riga from the Gulf of Finland - they didn’t allow sediment, therefore only Slava and Tsesarevich could cover Moonsund, but the guns at Tsesarevich were not modernized, i.e. could not shoot far. So Glory had to pout for everyone.
thus, Sevastopoli could take part only if they were withdrawn from the Gulf of Finland and went into open battle (and not to cover minefields). And there 4 of our battleships were waiting for 8 German dreadnought and three battlecruisers, not counting the battleships. Pure suicide

[1970mk]

You are frankly talking nonsense ... "Sevastopol" was created solely to protect the mine-artillery position and they were not supposed to give any open battle - the technical characteristics are not the same.

[Conductor]

Indeed, where were the battleships? Not the history of the war in the Baltic is described enough, but where were these chests? They drank milk in Helsingfors.

[Bakht]

Where were Sevastopoli? You can see the draft of the ships. And their possibilities of passage to the Gulf of Riga.

[Monarchist]

Comrades, in the first post I forgot to add. The North Star yacht was the property of the Dowager Empress Maria Fyodorovna, née Danish Princess Dagmar. Nicholas 2 was a loving husband and son.
Maria Fedorovna went to Copenhagen every year and, of course, took groceries on the road. When loading products, the team tried to load more Vologda oil, and in Copenhagen they sold it to merchants. Then this oil, disguised as Danish, was supplied to Russia.

[Paranoid50]

Sivuch inflicted damage on Augsburg

Wow, the other day, near the island of Matua at the bottom they found, it seems, the very “Augsburg”. Although there is evidence that after the transfer to Yap, in 1920, it was cut into metal.

[Kenxnumx]

What the hell a Varangian. Unlike the Varangian, they fought to the last.

[Captain Nemo]

An amazing, but not the first and not the last example of the Russian army and navy fulfilling its military duty to the end. Glory!

[1970mk]

Not for profit - every naval battle is a feat. Forces in 90% of cases are not equal. This is a war ... always like that. All fleets of all powers performed similar feats.