A Russian naval officer in his memoirs described the state of the Black Sea Fleet at the beginning of the First World War

Triumphant cruise of two Imperial Navy cruisers fleet Germany - “Goeben” and “Breslau” across the entire Mediterranean Sea to Constantinople at the beginning of the First World War sharply aggravated the situation in the Black Sea.

Against the backdrop of the above-mentioned success, the pro-German Young Turk party, essentially controlled by the German ambassador, became more active in the Ottoman Empire. As a result, without informing either the Sultan or the government, this political force led the matter to war with Russia.

At the same time, as he writes in his memoirs Russian naval officer Nestor Monastyrev, who before the outbreak of World War I was assigned to the Black Sea Fleet in Sevastopol, the breakthrough of German cruisers to Constantinople greatly changed the balance of power in the Black Sea.

According to him, Russia found itself in a very difficult situation. The Russian Black Sea Fleet at that time had in service five outdated battleships, whose speed did not exceed 14 knots. In addition, two old cruisers and several dozen obsolete destroyers were in service.

As Monastyrev writes, by the beginning of the war only 4 new destroyers capable of reaching speeds of up to 38 knots had entered service. Regarding submarines, according to the author of the memoirs, we can assume that they did not exist at all. The thing is that the submarines in service with the Black Sea Fleet are so outdated that they could barely sail near the coast itself.

As a result, Russia could only operate successfully against Turkish ships, where our fleet surpassed the enemy in the number of combat units and training of personnel. However, as Monastyrev writes, the appearance of the battle cruiser Goeben completely changed the roles.

German battlecruiser Goeben

A modern warship, equipped with heavy artillery and developing a speed of up to 28 knots, according to the author, could fight on equal terms with almost the entire Black Sea Fleet.

Comments

[zombirusrev]

Goeben did not reach the required 28 knots. And during testing I reached a maximum of 26 knots. only luck allowed him to escape from the Empress Maria, which sometimes accelerated to 25 knots..

[Desperado]

“Goeben” met with “Ekaterina Ekaterina” a couple of times, the exchange of pleasantries took place at a distance of 20-23 km. The speed of "Catherine the Great" did not exceed 23.5 knots.

[Andrei from Chelyabinsk]

Quote: zombirusrev

which sometimes accelerated to 25 knots..

This is according to German data :))) Fear has big eyes. And so "Ekaterina" sailed 20 knots

[South Ukrainian]

Quote: zombirusrev

only luck allowed him to escape from Empress Maria,

Yes, he then barely survived when he came under precise, powerful fire from the newly built battleship "Empress Maria", it's a pity for him, he did not serve Russia for long.

[S.Z.]

As far as I remember, the Goeben received the greatest damage from our battleship and from our mines; the Empress Maria did not hit it (just as it did not hit her).

[South Ukrainian]

Quote: S.Z.

he then barely survived having come under precise, powerful fire from the newly built battleship "Empress Maria",

I quoted a line from a book that I read many times as a child. Don’t judge strictly)))

[Andrei from Chelyabinsk]

Quote: South Ukrainian

Do not judge strictly)))

let's not :)) But Catherine fought with Goeben, Maria, it happened, she fired at Breslau

[S.Z.]

"A modern warship, equipped with heavy artillery and developing a speed of up to 28 knots, according to the author, could fight on equal terms with almost the entire Black Sea Fleet."

As far as I remember, at the beginning of the war we did not have equal ships in the Black Sea Fleet, only battleships renamed from squadron battleships, essentially almost the same type as those that fought in Tsushima. However, dreadnoughts were subsequently built, which radically changed the balance of power in our favor.

But even before the dreadnoughts, our battleships gave a worthy rebuff to Geben at Cape Sarych, so he fought the entire Black Sea Fleet, but only once.

Although, of course, the ship was beautiful, as shown by the actions of the German battle cruisers against the British Navy.

[Andrei from Chelyabinsk]

Quote: S.Z.

But even before the dreadnoughts, our battleships gave a worthy rebuff to Goeben at Cape Sarych,

The second battle turned out to be really good - near the Bosphorus, when Goeben attacked 2 of our battleships and they accepted the battle, hitting him with at least one shell. And then Potemkin approached, and with more than 100 cables he fired the second (or already the third) with the first salvo... Goeben fled

[Catfish]

Hi Andrew!))
You've probably read "Strategic Mistake" by Boris Lavrenev, I read it in my youth and I liked the book. How do you like it now, in the light of knowledge of what we could not know in Soviet times?

[Andrei from Chelyabinsk]

Quote: Sea Cat

You've probably read "Strategic Mistake" by Boris Lavrenev

Actually no :))))

[Catfish]

Read it, you won't regret it. It will be interesting to discuss with you.))

[Andrei from Chelyabinsk]

I’ll read it, why not? :)))) I’m never against good prospects.