Warships of the Soviet Fleets, 1939–1945: Volume III Naval Auxiliaries

By Przemyslaw Budzbon, Jan Radziemski and Marek Twardowski

Seventy-five years after the end of the Second World War the details of Soviet ships, their activities and fates remain an enigma to the West. In wartime such information was classified and after a brief period of glasnost (‘openness’) the Russian state has again restricted access to historical archives. Therefore, the value – and originality – of this work is difficult to exaggerate. It sees the first publication of reliable data on both the seagoing fleets and riverine flotillas of the Soviet Navy, listing over 6200 vessels from battleships to river gunboats, and mercantile conversions as well as purpose-built warships.

This third and final part of the series includes all the ships in naval service that were not frontline fighting vessels. Despite auxiliary status, these were not insignificant ships – indeed the icebreakers were the largest vessels built by the USSR before the war and carried so much prestige that every leading member of the Soviet regime wanted their name on one. Apart from the obvious fleet support types – oilers, tugs and depot ships – this volume also covers unsung heroes like the salvage fleet, highly significant in the 1930s for generating much-needed foreign currency and later essential to the war effort, allowing so many sunken Soviet warships to be returned to service. Another major feature of this volume is the first clear and comprehensive listing of ex-mercantile transport ships, their periods of service and ultimate fates. Even harbor service craft are included, right down to the humble ‘heaters’ that supplied warmth to icebound warships in the depth of the Russian winters.

This volume concludes with a number of important appendices on subjects like weaponry and a massive cross-referenced index that will allow readers to differentiate between ships of the same name and to track every name change.

This is undoubtedly one of the most important naval reference works of recent years and will be welcomed by anyone with an interest in warships, the Soviet Navy or wider maritime aspects of the Second World War. Furthermore, as recent Russian actions appear to revive Soviet-era aspirations, this book offers both new insights and valuable background of contemporary relevance.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Pen and Sword
• Release date: Jul 30, 2023
• ISBN: 9781399022828

Book preview

22. Staff & communication ships and boats Штабные корабли. Штабные катера Корабли связи. Мотоботы связи

The Soviet Navy, like most other navies of that period, did not have specially built staff or headquarters ships. If there were no adequate sea or coastal infrastructure available, ships stationed nearby were used to provide staff spaces or command centres for COs of flotillas or detachments.

Passenger steamer

Vironiia before 1940. Przemysław Budzbon Collection

Vironiia 1940. Drawing by Jarosław Dzierżawski

Passenger paddle steamer

Zheleznodorozhnik as Pamaiat’ Kirova back in civilian service on the Moskva-Volga canal in 1948. Przemysław Budzbon Collection

Paddle steamers

Amur in the late 1940s, as rearmed with twin 25mm 2M-3 type guns. Drawing by Jarosław Dzierżawski

Pripiat’ as Admirał Sierpinek in Polish service. Drawing by Jarosław Dzierżawski

River motor tugs

Miscellaneous

Motorboats

Cross reference: rated as staff and communication craft

2-BT armed with 0.5in DShK MG. Przemysław Budzbon Collection

2-BT with the Pennant No 1 as the command ship of the C-in-C of the Volga Flotilla late in the war. Armed with 37mm/67.5 70-K gun and 0.5in DShK MG. Przemysław Budzbon Collection

23. Dispatch ships Посыльные корабли

KRASNYJ VYMPEL Government yacht

Krasnyj vympel in the 1930s. Drawing by Jarosław Dzierżawski

Yacht of Governor of Kamchatka, dispatch vessel of the Russian Army; seized 1918 by the White Russians, recovered 1921 by the Far Eastern Republic, interned 1921 at Shanghai, returned 1922; conv to patrol ship 1924, conv 1925 to the OGPU Border Guardship, depot ship in 1930s. Recomm 1940 as dispatch and cable vessel, from 1941 multirole staff vessel, cable layer and depot ship. Conv 14.10.1944 to hydroacoustic noise measurement ship. Preserved at Zolotoi Rog Bay in Vladivostok.

PIKKER Patrol ship

Pikker as built. Drawing by Jarosław Dzierżawski

Built in Estonia with public subscription funds as patrol ship of the Estonian Border Guard and presidential yacht. Taken over by the Estonian Navy upon completion and comm 11.5.1940 as submarine tender. Seized in Jun 1940, comm as dispatch vessel; from 22.6.1941 staff vessel. Successfully evacuated from Tallinn to Kronshtadt. Renamed Kiev 2.12.1941, Luga 15.3.1943 and Il’men’ 1944. Trfd 1948 to the Black Sea, conv to naval yacht Rioni. Decomm 1961, conv to research vessel of the University of Moscow, renamed Moskovskij universitet.

Pikker after completion flying the Estonian colours, spring 1940. Eesti Meremuuseum MM F 1644

Cargo steamers

Iastreb as a research vessel in 1949 in the Barents Sea. Note additional deckhouses for laboratories and the pilot bridge. www.littorina.info

Artillerist in 1940. Drawing by Jarosław Dzierżawski

PS-49 Iastreb after conversion to dispatch ship. Drawing by Jarosław Dzierżawski

Trawlers

Fishing trawler Omul’. Przemysław Budzbon Collection

Motor drifters

Steam tugs

Cable layer

Naval harbour craft

Miscellaneous

Cross reference: rated as dispatch ships

24. Surveying vessels Гидрографические суда

Historically, the hydrographic service in Russia has been attached to the Russian Navy and headed mostly by naval officers throughout its full history. In 1885 the service was reorganised into the Main Hydrographic Office changing its name to the Main Hydrographic Office of the Russian Republic after the Feb 1917 Revolution.

Following the Bolshevik coup, the local service units were established during 1918 –1922 to manage the navigation safety infrastructure. The regional units shared the common name Ubeko (Upravlenie po bezopasnosti korablevozhdeniia, ie Navigation Safety Directorate) with the second part of the name corresponding to individual geographic regions:

•Balt for the Baltic Sea (Ubeko Balt)

•Sibir’ for the eastern part of the Arctic Ocean (Ubeko Sibir’)

•Chernoaz for the Black and Azov Seas (Ubeko Chernoaz)

•DV for the Russian Far East, ie Pacific (Ubeko DV)

•Sever for the western part of the Arctic Ocean (Ubeko Sever).

All the units were subordinated to the Main Hydrographic Office which in 1924 was renamed Central Hydrographic Department of the USSR with the status of a government agency. In 1926 it became part of the Naval Forces, with the Ubeko branches replaced in 1935 by the hydrographic offices subordinated to the commanders of regional fleets and flotillas.

To simplify ship the historical notes, in the case of surveying vessels the commissioning date is assumed to be first entry into the Ubeko hydrographic service.

24.1. Naval construction

Okean class Surveying vessels

Seagoing surveying vessels, project code Sedov, design based on the Arctic cargo steamer Georgij Sedov. Hull strengthened for navigation in ice. All three were converted to minelayers, conversion coded Project 201 was substantially altered following trials of Murman, with the mine load reduced by over 60%.

Murman: trfd Jun 1937 to the Arctic. In Feb 1938 participated in rescue operation of the Soviet Severnyj Polius Arctic expedition. Conv 8.5.1939 to minelayer, reverted 8.12.1945 to surveying vessel.

Okean: trfd Oct 1937 to the Far East; conv 24.6.1942 to minelayer but never used in this role. Reverted 29.7.1945 to surveying vessel.

Okhotsk: trfd Oct 1937 to the Far East, conv 31.7.1941 to minelayer, reverted 29.7.1945 to surveying vessel.

Okhotsk alongside the patrol ship Vorovskii in 1943 at Petropavlovsk-Kamchatski. Boris Lemachko Collection

Okhots armed as minelayer. Drawing by Jarosław Dzierżawski

Murman in 1952. Przemysław Budzbon collection

Murman at 1950s. Note the pennant number G-231 where G stands for Gidrograficheskij = Hydrographic. Przemysław Budzbon collection

Kamchadal class Surveying vessels

Project code Cheliuskin, designated for hydrographic research off the coast of Kamchatka. Scaled-down version of the Okean class with icebreaking lines and strengthening for navigation in ice. Following completion trfd to Vladivostok via the Panama Canal.

Partizan: conv 23.11.1939 to training ship, conv 28.10.1941 to escort ship. Sunk by mine off Vonsan.

Kamchadal as built. Boris Lemachko collection

Poliarnyj on 27.5.1956. US Navy

Kamchadal in 1943. Boris Lemachko collection

*After launching trfd to 194 (A. Marti) Yard for completion.

Ost class (Project 31) Surveying vessels

Nord: sunk by mine off Cape Juminda.

Ost: renamed Pelengator on 15.6.1953, hulked 13.3.1969, numbered PKZ-119.

Vest: sunk by mine north of Vormsk Island.

Ziujd: conv 23.8.1941 to minelayer, never used in this role, reverted 12.11.1943 to surveying vessel. Conv to salvage vessel after the war, renamed Disk.

Zuid as minelayer in 1943. Drawing by Jarosław Dzierżawski

Ost after the war. Przemysław Budzbon Collection

Vekha class Surveying vessels

Vekha: sunk by mine off Hanko.

Volna: lost in a gale off Osmussaar Island.

VAL Surveying vessel

Conv end Jun 1941 to minesweeper Tral'shchik № 76. Sunk by German aircraft near Sõrve Point in the Gulf of Riga.

Rulevoj class Buoy tenders

Buoy tenders fitted with an A-frame.

Gidrolog before the war. Boris Lemachko Collection

VOLNOREZ Surveying vessel

Conv to minesweeper in Jun 1941, numbered Tral'shchik № 79 on 25.7.1941, № 58 on 7.9.1941, T-58 on 5.6.1944. Reverted to surveying vessel after the war.

Volnorez back in the survey ship role after the war. Boris Lemachko Collection

24.2. Conversions

24.2.1. NAVAL CONVERSIONS

ASTRONOM Transport

Armed transport built for the Baltic Feet, conv 1920 to surveying vessel, laid up 1925 –1927. Rebuilt 23.12.1937 to 6.7.1940, conv to a dual role of surveying vessel and netlayer. Damaged 28.8.1941 by German aircraft, wrecked in the Gulf of Finland. The wreck blown up 2.9.1942 to avoid use by the enemy.

Astronom photographed on 29.8.1931. Naval History and Heritage Command NH 79340

AZIMUT Minelayer

Minelayer of Kronshtadt Fortress laid up 1925–1927. Recomm 1927 as surveying vessel, sank accidentally 22.8.1938 in Luga Bay, raised and recomm 1940. Сonv to netlayer 31.7.1941, reverted to surveying vessel 18.10.1941. Sunk by mine east of Hanko.

Azimut in the early 1930s. Boris Lemachko Collection

Naval transport

Tajmyr in the late 1920s displaying the flag of the Hydrographic Service. Boris Lemachko Collection

Army surveying vessel

Inzhener at mid 1920s. Przemysław Budzbon Collection

Cross reference: rated as surveying vessels

24.2.2. MERCANTILE CONVERSIONS

Cargo steamers

Mgla in 1934. Boris Lemachko Collection

Motor schooners

Estonian Kompass class Steam schooners

Steamers fitted with machinery taken from older namesake ships. Planned to launch in Dec 1917 but remained on slips because of heavy