Unsinkable "Old Bolshevik"

51
Unsinkable "Old Bolshevik"


27 of May 1942 of the year the Soviet steamer accomplished a feat that became a symbol of the resistance of sailors from the Arctic convoys

В stories Of the Great Patriotic War, the Arctic convoys, which supplied a considerable part of military equipment from the countries - allies of the anti-Hitler coalition - to the USSR, occupy a special place. They accounted for about a quarter of all goods transported by Lend-Lease, because it was the fastest way to transfer equipment that was so necessary to our warring country. But the most dangerous one: it took about 14 days, however not all ships reached the end of the route: only 1941 of the convoy passed from 1945 to 42, that is, 722 transport in total, and 58 transports failed to reach the ports of destination. How hard this route was, one can judge by the history of a single Soviet ship, the “Old Bolshevik”. This ship only survived the 27 day of May, 1942 of the year, survived the 47 attacks of German aircraft - and yet, even after a direct bomb hit, it managed to reach Murmansk.

The first deliveries to the USSR under the program of allied aid, which is now all en masse called Lend-Lease (although initially this word referred only to American military aid), began in the second half of the summer of 1941. The arctic route was chosen as the fastest and most secure route at that time. The ice-free Soviet ports of the Arctic Ocean - Murmansk, as well as Arkhangelsk, became the finishing point of the Arctic convoys. It was this city of 31 in August that 1941 of the year received the first allied convoy, called “Dervish”, and consisted of 7 cargo ships and 15 escort ships. The next convoy, to which the PQ-1 index, which soon became famous, was already assigned, arrived in the USSR on October 11. And the first convoy that reached Murmansk - PQ-6 - arrived at its destination on December 20 of the year 1941.

The most famous among the polar convoys were two marching in a row - PQ-16 and PQ-17. The first was famous for being the most successful in terms of the ratio of the costs of its posting and the value of the delivered goods. The second, alas, is notorious for the fact that his training was under the tight control of the German intelligence services, and therefore along the way he was literally defeated by the German aviation and naval fleetprimarily by submarines. Moreover, this defeat was a kind of revenge for Germany for the successful posting of the PQ-16. Although the fate of the "sixteenth" can not be called simple, which is an example of the feat of the ship "Old Bolshevik".

This ship fell into the polar convoys with purely peaceful work - transportation of the forest by the Northern Sea Route. The “Old Bolshevik” was built in the 1933 year at the Northern shipyard in Leningrad and belonged to the category of large-capacity logging trucks (length about 111 m, displacement - 8780 t, carrying capacity - 5700 t general cargo or 5100 t forest materials). The project was so successful that within five years - from 1930 to 1935 years - they built a very large series of 15 ships. Nine timber trucks passed Admiralteysky plant, another six - Northern shipyard. These vessels were distinguished by a deck of increased strength, since according to the project, up to a third of the timber cargo was placed on it. Moreover, such a load could have a height of up to 4 m, and therefore timber trucks of the “Old Bolshevik” type, which were also called “big timber trucks”, were famous for their excellent stability, that is, the ability to sail without losing balance. Finally, since the northern seas were identified as the main navigation area for large logging trucks, they received a reinforced hull and ice reinforcement. In a word, for their time these were excellent vessels, highly maneuverable, with good seaworthiness.

All this was the reason why large logging trucks with the beginning of the war called for service. A considerable part of them worked in the Far East, delivering steam locomotives vital to our country from the USA to the Soviet Union - and very much succeeded in this. A "Old Bolshevik", who worked in the Murmansk Shipping Company, became part of the polar convoys. To ensure the protection of the ship from the attacks of enemy aircraft, two anti-aircraft guns and several anti-aircraft machine guns were mounted on it - and the forest truck turned into a transport.

At the end of March 1942, the “Old Bolshevik” came to New York, where more than 4000 tons of shells and explosives, as well as a dozen planes, were loaded onto its board. In early May, the ship sailed into the open sea and headed for Reykjavik, where at that time most of the polar convoys were being formed. In the late evening of May 19, the formed caravan PQ-1942 headed for Murmansk. It included 16 cargo ships escort ships under cover of 35, as well as cruisers and 17 destroyers accompanying the caravan to Bear Island.

The first five days of the journey were calm: Hitler’s airplanes or submarines did not get to the caravan. But in the morning of May 25, when the convoy reached the island of Jan Mayen, two dozen bombers and torpedo bombers attacked him. And hell began. The attacks followed one after another, and the short May nights did not bring great relief to the ships and ships of the convoy. The worst day for PQ-16 was the May 27 day - the same one that forever changed the fate of the “Old Bolshevik” and its crew.

By the will of fate, Soviet transport was at the tail of the warrant, and therefore it was subjected to particularly violent attacks by German aircraft. For the time being, the dense fire of his own anti-aircraft guns and machine guns, as well as very active and precise maneuvering, saved him from major troubles. The ship literally dodged "Junkers" diving at him, and the main merit in this belonged to his captain - a seaman with 20-year experience, experienced northern seaman Ivan Afanasyev, and a helmsman - a former Baltic-seaman Boris Akazenko. It is through the efforts of the steering "Old Bolshevik" three times managed to dodge close torpedoes dropped by the enemy's torpedo bombs.


Ivan Afanasyev. Photo: sea-man.org

However, no matter how maneuvered the transport, no matter how they put a fire barrier in the path of the attacking aircraft of its anti-aircraft gunners, one of the 47 air attacks ended with the success of the Nazis. At the same time, the “Old Bolshevik” attacked nine enemy aircraft, and one of them managed to get directly into the forecastle, just before setting up. The explosion killed the calculation of the front anti-aircraft gun, but it itself was broken; the captain's bridge hit Ivan Afanasyev with a blast wave. But the worst thing is that the same bomb caused a fire in the hold where the ammunition load was located. In order to prevent an immediate explosion, Boris Akazyonok and the political assistant to the captain, the real old Bolshevik (he participated in the October Revolution as a Baltic sailor) Konstantin Petrovsky built a human conveyor through which shells were manually transported from a burning compartment to a safe place.

Noticing that a fire was starting up at the “Old Bolshevik”, and having a good idea of ​​what kind of cargo was on its board, the command of the PQ-16 convoy suggested the Soviet sailors to leave the ship that threatened to explode every minute. The English destroyer had already approached him to pick up the crew of the Russian transport and then sink the ship: this was the usual practice of convoys. But the crew of the “Old Bolshevik” answered this proposal with one phrase: “We are not going to bury the ship”. And then the convoy, snapping at the continuing attacks of the aircraft, went further, and the burning transport remained alone with the cold sea and the burning flame.

The crew of the “Old Bolshevik” fought for eight hours to save their ship - and in the end won! The fire was extinguished, a patch was put on the holes, and the transport moved after the convoy. He caught up with him the next day, when no one expected him to return. Seeing a logging truck wounded, with a hole in the board, a trumped-down timber carrying vessel and a burnt deck, approached the order and took its place in it, the convoy commander ordered the “Made good” signal to be raised on the leier of the flagship escort ship. On the stingy on emotions language of sea signals, this means admiration for the actions of the crew of the ship, to which this phrase is addressed.

In the evening of May 30, when the main part of the PQ-16 convoy entered the Kola Bay, the Old Bolshevik, smoking with a disfigured pipe, met with artillery salute of ships standing in the roadstead. The senior escort officer gave the following telegram to the fleet command: “Allow me to convey to you my personal admiration, the admiration of all our officers and all the English sailors for the heroic actions of your Old Bolshevik. Only Russians could do that. ” And soon a new telegram came to the Soviet Navy command - from the British Admiralty: “On behalf of the Royal Navy, I would like to congratulate your ships on the excellent discipline, courage and determination shown during the battle for six days. The behavior of the “Old Bolshevik” team was magnificent. ”

In the Soviet Union, the feat of the “Old Bolshevik” crew was rated no less highly. The captain of the log truck Ivan Afanasyev, pompoly Konstantin Petrovsky and helmsman Boris Akazyonok 28 on June 1942 were awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union, and all other crew members were awarded orders and medals, both alive and dead (four seamen were buried after the battle at sea). The Old Bolshevik himself was also awarded the Order of Lenin: his image has since graced the flag of the ship. With this order-bearing flag "Old Bolshevik" in June 1942, as part of the next convoy, went to England, from where he went to the Pacific Ocean and until November 1945, acting as part of the Far Eastern Shipping Company, continued to be engaged in the delivery of military cargo from the United States. The ship remained in the working class until the 1969 year, until finally the years took their toll ...

The memory of the “Old Bolshevik” and its heroic crew is still alive today. In 2011, the Oka shipyard handed over to the seamen of Azov the universal cargo ship Kapitan Afanasyev (type RSD44 Heroes of Stalingrad, a series of ten ships). And in Murmansk, a rescue tug vessel “Captain Afanasyev” has been working since 1960, which has conducted more than one rescue operation in the Arctic.
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  1. +28
    29 May 2016 08: 08
    There were people. Steel could not stand it, but they held on.
    1. aba
      +4
      29 May 2016 11: 25
      and they held on.

      Even without support from the convoy.
      1. +13
        29 May 2016 12: 15
        As conceived by the authors, the memorial to fishermen and ships of the trawl fleet that died during the Great Patriotic War was to resemble a stylized column of sea water swept up to the sky by a powerful explosion. Then, a stele appeared on Schmidt Street, fenced with a parapet with anchors, framed by chains, covered with plates of special glass. At its top are the mosaic flags of the USSR and the Soviet Navy. The monument glowed from the inside, speakers were mounted in it that reproduced the sound of the sea, the screams of seagulls, the battle of flasks during a shift, and the melody of a song that has become an unofficial anthem of our region since the war years: “Farewell, rocky mountains”.
        Today, few will say that the stele looks like a column of water, and flasks can be heard rarely. In the lower part of the monument is surrounded by a stainless steel ring - the inscription is engraved on the ring: “Eternal glory to the sailors of the trawl fleet who died during the defense of the Soviet Arctic during the Great Patriotic War”. Next to the memorial are two large pedestals and 26 granite boards with ship silhouettes and the names of 32 dead trawlers. As soon as the war began, fishing trawlers hastily converted into watchdogs and military vehicles. Almost unarmed, with worn out steam engines, despite the mortal danger, they went fishing. Their crews consisted of fleet veterans, adolescents and women. But they carried out combat missions: they supplied ammunition and food to the defenders of the Rybachy and Sredny peninsulas, took out the wounded, and more than once landed assault forces.
        And originally it was planned that the monument will be dedicated to the legendary crew of the trawler - RT-10 "Winch", better known as SKR-12 "Fog". This small boat entered into battle with three fascist destroyers. “Fog” received 11 direct hits, due to damage, he could not return fire, the commander and commissar of the ship were killed. But under continuous shelling of the enemy’s ships, two Fog sailors raised the flag of the ship, shot down from the mast.
        The memorial was opened on May 9, 1975 to the sounds of the song “Farewell, Rocky Mountains”. Until now, from 8 am to 20, every four hours this song is heard beginning with the cry of seagulls, and at night the monument itself shines and is illuminated from all sides. Now there is a monument, like the entire park is being reconstructed.

        FAREWELL ROCKY MOUNTAINS

        Words by N. Bukin
        Music by E. Zharkovsky

        Goodbye rocky mountains
        The Fatherland is calling for a feat!
        We went out to the open sea
        On a harsh and long trip.
        And the waves both moan and cry
        And splashing on the side of the ship ...
        Fisherman melted in the distant fog -
        Our dear land.

        Our ship stubbornly shakes
        Abrupt sea wave
        Pick up and throw again
        In the boiling abyss she is.
        I'll be back soon,
        But enough for the battle of fire.
        I know, friends, that I cannot live without the sea,
        Like the sea is dead without me

        Uneasy gait sailor
        I'm going to meet the enemies
        And after with a heroic victory
        Back to the rocky shores.
        Though the waves moan and cry
        And splashing on the side of the ship
        But joyfully will meet the heroes Rybachy -
        Our dear land.

        Last couplet repeats

        words - 1942, music - 1943
        https://youtu.be/zDd8gtTlG0E
    2. The comment was deleted.
    3. 0
      20 November 2016 01: 40
      This selfless person was also lucky: a large steamboat, more than eight thousand tons of displacement, and it was laden with forest that did not sink. If there was a tanker or cargo - explosives, it would be more difficult to survive.
      1. 0
        20 November 2016 01: 50
        Quote: ava09
        eight-plus thousand tons of displacement, and yes laden with forest that does not sink. Would there be a tanker or cargo - explosivesit would be harder to survive

        - um ... I read the article carefully, and what I see:

        At the end of March 1942, the "Old Bolshevik" came to New York, where they loaded it on board over 4000 tons of shells and explosives, as well as one and a half dozen aircraft. In early May, the ship went into the open sea and headed for Reykjavik, where at that time most of the polar convoys were forming. And in the late evening of May 19, 1942, the formed caravan PQ-16 headed for Murmansk ...

        - there is no "forest" in the cargo, not even a trace request
        - but 4000+ tons of shells and explosives Yes

        ava09, look at the book, but what do we see? wink
        1. +1
          20 November 2016 02: 11
          Uel ...))) I confess that Pikul, that I read about the convoys of the FESCO as a schoolboy, was especially struck by the case of Mont Blanc: (c) The explosion in Halifax (English Halifax Explosion) - an explosion that occurred on December 6, 1917 in the harbor the Canadian city of Halifax. The French military transport Mont Blanc, loaded with practically one explosive (TNT, pyroxylin and picric acid), collided with the Norwegian ship Imo. A fire started on the ship, which led to an explosion, as a result of which the port and much of the city were completely destroyed. About 2 thousand people died under the rubble of buildings and because of the fires that emerged after the explosion. Approximately 9 thousand people were injured, 400 people lost their sight. In 2003, the feature film "The Ruined City" was shot about this event [1]. The explosion in Halifax is [2] among the strongest explosions arranged by mankind, this explosion is considered the most powerful explosion of the pre-nuclear era [3]. (C)
          In this case, the steamer "Old Bolshevik" was doubly lucky: with such a load, the bomb hit the engine room, and not into the hold with explosives, and there was no detonation.
          PS Thank you for the amendment.
          1. +1
            20 November 2016 02: 24
            Quote: ava09
            Thanks for the amendment.

            Quote: activator
            That neme for sho hi

            - this case with the "Old Bolshevik" and in the "Requiem for the PQ-17 caravan" is mentioned, EMNIP
            - I can be confused, because after "Caravan" I read "The Cruiser of His Majesty Ulysses" by Maclean (also, in general, about convoys)
            - and I read the "Cruiser" only because in Pikul's "Requiem" the epigraph was worn out from there laughing

            And it was all about thirty years ago ... damn it, it was a good time winked
  2. +18
    29 May 2016 08: 20
    Good article. More to such. good
    1. +9
      29 May 2016 08: 28
      wonderful article. Heroes
      The next caravan was PQ-17, everything turned out to be much sadder there.
      1. +5
        29 May 2016 11: 56
        The British escort ships (supposedly "the mistress of the seas"), having learned about the exit of the "Tirpitz", fled and fled, leaving the convoy. Here are the losses. And "Tirpitz" Lunin knocked out, and he did not reach the caravan ...
        1. -5
          29 May 2016 12: 02
          This is what happens to people who study history using thin works like Pikul.
          1. +2
            29 May 2016 13: 19
            This is what happens to people studying history using thin works such as Pikul,
            Konstantin, I hope you can make 2 + 2, why then, if there was no torpedo hit, Tirpicz returned to the parking lot?
            1. 0
              29 May 2016 15: 41
              I can even integrals but this is irrelevant. After the war, according to German data, the successes of submariners were specified. For Lunin, less than half of the declared. Tirpitz was not there. What is attacked is seen only by the commander. By the way, the sunken destroyer was also mentioned. Can you name what kind of destroyer it was. Any combat damage carries a lot of consequences analysis, repair, report to the top. None of this was found in Tirpitz. Total Pikul somewhat inflated propaganda myth. Although this does not plead with the heroism and professionalism of submariners in general and Lunin in particular

              Still, 4 goals were confirmed to him.
              1. +2
                29 May 2016 16: 20
                Quote: Kenneth
                it does not plead with the heroism and professionalism of submariners

                For some reason I don’t want to believe you, if you are right at least 1000 times. As long as there are versions of Tirpitz’s presence, I will believe them, because I’ve been brought up on such examples as the feat of the crew * of the Old Bolshevik *.
                1. 0
                  29 May 2016 19: 30
                  Yes, believe in anything once you are brought up as an adherent of this religion
                  I will not discuss issues of faith with believers.
          2. +5
            29 May 2016 13: 19
            And what does V.S. Pikul not like? What gives an artistic "wrapper" to documentary facts? You give specific examples of his "lies". And so, balabolit.
            1. +7
              29 May 2016 18: 43
              the pikul didn’t lie — he imagined and presented the existing material — who can let it do better!
          3. +6
            29 May 2016 15: 04
            Valentin Savvovich was not a liar! ...
            1. +4
              29 May 2016 15: 46
              Of course he was not a liar like Rezun. He wrote excellent historical books and by the way I read almost everything. Another thing is that he was sometimes mistaken, and sometimes exaggerated, because he was engaged in literature and not historical research.
              1. +3
                29 May 2016 17: 18
                I understood why you were jarred - they wrote that the British abandoned the convoy, having done it in fear of "Tirpitz". It's true. Saved their asses. And V.S. Pikul is right here a thousand times. No - prove otherwise.
                1. +1
                  29 May 2016 19: 50
                  I am disgusted with you to talk with such a tone
                  What do you mean crap. And how many convoys they spent, how many ships they lost. Probably this they deserved that everyone .... did not write about crap.
                  1. 0
                    30 May 2016 00: 11
                    Firstly, I did not call you "everyone ...", you are not in a pub, maybe you are more used to it. In fact - So in the article for the "Old Bolshevik" - a civilian team, practically unarmed, repulsed an air attack and rescued the ship, and brought it up. The Naglo-Saxons - armed ships THROWN the convoy, only hearing "Tirpitz" went out to sea. "I do not like the word crap - read it, the essence is the same, they did not have a military darling (at least in the leadership of the Admiralty) not one iota.
                    1. The comment was deleted.
                    2. 0
                      30 May 2016 00: 28
                      But in fact, for the "lies" Pikul frankly MADE, about .. or okay.
                  2. The comment was deleted.
                2. +2
                  29 May 2016 22: 54
                  - You can read about how the British escorted the convoys in Alistair McLean, in the book "HMS Ulisses" - "His Majesty's Ship" Ulysses ", in Russian translation -" Polar Convoy "... McLean served on the cruiser" Royalist "and participated in polar convoys ...
              2. +8
                29 May 2016 17: 58
                Quote: Kenneth
                Of course he was not a liar like Rezun. He wrote excellent historical books and by the way I read almost everything. Another thing is that he was sometimes mistaken, and sometimes exaggerated, because he was engaged in literature and not historical research.

                Pikul was a writer. And he masterfully missed historical facts conveyed in artistic literary language. For example, I re-read Moonsund several times. From a historical point of view, real events are described there, but in a way that is interesting to read. A writer and a writer is that he can impart varying degrees of emotion to the description of a given event. From what a lot looks like exaggerated or understated. The ideology in society has not yet been canceled, and Pikul wrote during the years of the USSR. The same is the case with the "Caravan PQ-17". Historically, from the point of view of Russia, "Tirpitz" turned away after contact with the K-21, and therefore one could assume a successful attack. Maybe from the point of view of the Germans, "Tirpitz" turned away after contact (not an attack!) With the enemy submarine and the message about the dissolution of the convoy. So how many participants, so many opinions. Pikul only conveyed what he considered necessary as a writer. Once again, I repeat - Pikul is a writer, not a documentary historian. And exaggeration had the right to be used if it did not significantly change the picture of history. after all, thanks to literature, among other things, the ideology of youth is being formed. I personally grew up on Pikul's books. hi
              3. +3
                29 May 2016 19: 26
                And for me, there would be more such exaggerations .... In contrast to the history of the United States, "who won the Second World War, like the first, and defeated Napoleon, on their territory." If Pikul exaggerated, then the context of events remained ... hi
          4. +1
            29 May 2016 23: 00
            So the feat of the “Old Bolshevik” was not? The English did not abandon the guards PQ 17. Was this all the half-educated historian Pikul invented?
            1. 0
              30 May 2016 00: 15
              Mr. Kenneth doesn't think so. According to him, VS Pikul "is lying", the Naglo-Saxons brought the convoy to Murmansk, no one dressed in latrines, no one threw the convoy, the attacks on the Old Bolshevik were repulsed by the "brave" homefleet warriors, no one offered to abandon the ship to the crew. An alternative story, which gentlemen from abroad, with the support of the "fifth column", are trying to stuff.
        2. +2
          20 November 2016 01: 48
          (c) The British escort ships (allegedly "mistress of the seas"), having learned about the exit of "Tirpitz", did it and fled, leaving the convoy (c)
          Eck, you screwed up. The escort ships were ordered the other way around, supposedly to intercept the Tirpitz, while the convoy was tormented by aircraft and submarines. I think it was a military-political provocation with the aim, at least temporarily, but to interrupt the supply of goods to the USSR under Lend-Lease. This is a motive for dragging out the war and, as a consequence, a greater weakening of the USSR and Germany. The Zionists and Anglo-Saxons who unleashed this war generally wanted to take them lukewarm after as much damage as possible as a result of hostilities.
  3. +7
    29 May 2016 08: 30
    At school, this must be done, or rather starting from school!
  4. +11
    29 May 2016 08: 43
    Article offset. Heroism during the Second World War was shown by Soviet people in all areas of the war. But war at sea is a separate topic. Therefore, it is great that such articles are being written, we need them so that people remember their heroic ancestors, be proud of them and keep the bar of patriotism they have raised high. I advise you to read "Requiem for the PQ-17 caravan" by Valentin Pikul. It describes the unparalleled heroism of our sailors, abandoned by an English escort and forced to get to their native shores face to face with enemy submarines and aircraft. This is a real example of courage and heroism displayed by Soviet sailors in the face of mortal danger.
  5. +6
    29 May 2016 09: 31
    The legendary ship for me. For the first time I read about him and the people who went to him at school ..... Eternal Glory to the unbending sailors! Thanks for the good article!
  6. +1
    29 May 2016 09: 35
    In the Soviet Navy, the responsibility for leaving the ship on which all means of struggle against survivability was not exhausted was somewhat more severe than in English. Could and be shot. And shot by the way. If the political commissar fusses.
    1. +2
      30 May 2016 10: 17
      By mistake, plus. Again, the information of the OBS - give examples, shooting lists, the names of the political officers. And, I understand, in your opinion, the NKVD naval detachments were still operating. You seem to be with the Russian flag, but you are talking outright nonsense. People acted to the end not before the fear of death at the hands of the political leader. And I think there’s no reason to call you reasons, you don’t accept them, you have your own alternative view of history.
  7. +8
    29 May 2016 10: 22
    No less interesting is the fate ofnker "Azerbaijan": went with a load of linseed oil from England in a caravan of PQ 17, was attacked, got a hole and broke out - the height of the fire reached 70 meters!
    But they managed to put out the fire and refused to evacuate, they came to Arkhangelsk, though most of the cargo leaked into the sea ....
  8. +1
    29 May 2016 11: 31
    Although I live in Murmansk, but to my shame I am reading an article for the first time!
    Strong people were! I thought to bury the dead sailors in the sea,
    stopped even with the sailing fleet!
    1. +5
      29 May 2016 12: 05
      You can also recall the timber truck Izhora.
      1. 0
        29 May 2016 13: 21
        Yes, I got hit by "Tirpitz" and co., One.
        1. +3
          29 May 2016 18: 37
          I didn’t get there, I took the fight and did everything possible to do the most harm, interfere with the performance of the combat mission, it happened when the kitten fell into the jaws of a dog and died .... and these guys went to death with a contemptuous smile and without body armor.
          1. +2
            29 May 2016 19: 47
            Most of the girls. With a single gun which they didn’t even seem to have time to shoot. But they managed to get in touch and report.
          2. +2
            30 May 2016 10: 20
            Don't cling to words. He hit it, because he deliberately did not look for "Tirpitz". They did not lower the flag, did not surrender, they broadcast on the radio about the meeting with the Germans. They died a heroic and terrible death. I don't argue with that.
          3. The comment was deleted.
      2. The comment was deleted.
    2. +2
      29 May 2016 18: 41
      there is no common historical information board so that our children of today can poke a finger at a place and date and find out what was happening .... but they don’t want to read, we didn’t have computers and televisions and read historical books, but these learn the world through American toys. ....
  9. +3
    29 May 2016 13: 22
    Courage always inspires respect. And imagine a burning ship, a leaving convoy and the icy ocean around, in the water of which a person freezes for a quarter of an hour! Well, you know ... The attack is probably easier.
  10. +6
    29 May 2016 16: 21
    "The ship sank, but did not saddle from horror. The cargo was smashed by bombs, but not a single container cried out in pain. The metal was covered with frost, but the soulless iron did not feel the cold. All suffering fell on the human lot ..." Pikul V.S. "Requiem for the PQ-17 caravan".
  11. +1
    29 May 2016 18: 17
    Another heroic page from the book in memory of the feat of the Soviet people in the Great Patriotic War. How many and how many still do not know, but each feat is an example of courage that leads to victory. We now really need such examples. Thanks to Sergey Antonov for a very timely article!
  12. +1
    29 May 2016 18: 33
    “Well done” - as short and concise. and how much is behind it: they put out burning shells, put a band-aid. few probably imagine what it means, in the compartments flooded with water it builds a wall, props it up .... they are brave heroes of only small stature and no one sees them, unfortunately.
    1. +1
      29 May 2016 19: 43
      And there is also very COLD water ...
  13. ple
    +2
    29 May 2016 19: 11
    I'm proud of these brave people
    1. 0
      29 May 2016 20: 53
      Take a look - they are among you.
  14. +2
    29 May 2016 22: 09
    The material is good, but with a fly in the ointment.
    ".. The second, alas, is notorious for the fact that his training was carried out under the tight control of the German special services, and therefore on the way he was literally crushed by German aviation and the navy, primarily submarines. Moreover, this defeat became a kind of revenge on Germany. for the successful posting of PQ-16 ... "
    The author, apparently, did not read much, otherwise he would have known that the PQ-17 was defeated because it was abandoned by an escort on the orders of the British Admiralty. The history of the PQ-17 is described in sufficient detail and there is no need to pull by the ears the version of the revenge of the Germans for the previous successful convoy.
    1. 0
      29 May 2016 23: 16
      We can say that the Germans took revenge for the failure with PQ16

"Right Sector" (banned in Russia), "Ukrainian Insurgent Army" (UPA) (banned in Russia), ISIS (banned in Russia), "Jabhat Fatah al-Sham" formerly "Jabhat al-Nusra" (banned in Russia) , Taliban (banned in Russia), Al-Qaeda (banned in Russia), Anti-Corruption Foundation (banned in Russia), Navalny Headquarters (banned in Russia), Facebook (banned in Russia), Instagram (banned in Russia), Meta (banned in Russia), Misanthropic Division (banned in Russia), Azov (banned in Russia), Muslim Brotherhood (banned in Russia), Aum Shinrikyo (banned in Russia), AUE (banned in Russia), UNA-UNSO (banned in Russia), Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar People (banned in Russia), Legion “Freedom of Russia” (armed formation, recognized as terrorist in the Russian Federation and banned)

“Non-profit organizations, unregistered public associations or individuals performing the functions of a foreign agent,” as well as media outlets performing the functions of a foreign agent: “Medusa”; "Voice of America"; "Realities"; "Present time"; "Radio Freedom"; Ponomarev; Savitskaya; Markelov; Kamalyagin; Apakhonchich; Makarevich; Dud; Gordon; Zhdanov; Medvedev; Fedorov; "Owl"; "Alliance of Doctors"; "RKK" "Levada Center"; "Memorial"; "Voice"; "Person and law"; "Rain"; "Mediazone"; "Deutsche Welle"; QMS "Caucasian Knot"; "Insider"; "New Newspaper"