Axis naval presence in Black sea in the summer of 1941

[panzerkrieg]

Here is what I know of

Romanian navy
4 destroyers
3 torpedo boats
8 MTB
3 minelayers
2 subs

Bulgarian

2 S-boats
3 patrol boata
4 old torpedo boat

german
small river minesweepers

italian
MTBs ??

Hungarian ?
I am sure they had gunboats and river moniters of some kind

will really appreciate if anyone can provide a more detailed description of the forces avalible ( including those avalible to the danube flottilas)

Thanks in advance

[panzerkrieg]

on this forum i found this kindly posted by BIGpanzer dont know how many of the vessels given below were present in 1941

Found an info about Bulgarian warships in 1939, when Bulgaria had only very small navy for Black Sea coast defense(navy bases Varna (main) and Burgas, 6 torpedo boats + 2 patrol boats) and Danube river bank defense (6 rivercraft). There were also 14 merchant ships. Naval air support was supplied by Army seaplanes.

1. Torpedo boats

Type "Derzki" - 6 were built in France for Bulgaria (by "Schneider-Crezo" yard) in 1907/1908, 97.5 t, 38.56 x 4.4 x 2.64 m; steam-engine and two steam-boilers, 1950 hp, 26 knots, 11 t of coal, 2 x 4.7cm AA gun "Schneider" + 2 (3?) x 45cm torpedo-tubes, 23-30 men.
There were 4 such ageing torpedo boats in Bulgarian Navy in 1939: "Derzki", "Hrabri", "Smeli", "Strogi".
In 1912 Derzki successfully sank the Turkish cruiser "Hamidie".

Type S 1 (delivered in 1938-1939, German torpedo S-Boat built by "Luerssen" yard): 60 t, 28.04 x 4.50 x 1.68 m, 3 x Mercedes-Benz engines, 36 knots, 2 x 533mm TT + 1 x 20mm gun + 2 x MG + 4 mines, 18 men. There were 2 such torpedo boats in 1939 - No.1 and No.2, which became the Navy's main strike element.

2. Patrol boats

Type "Belomorets" - former French anti-submarine boats, were built in 1917/1918 or 1920 (different info) in USA and were bought by Bulgaria in 1922, wooden hull, 80-87 t, 33.5 x 4.3 x 1.2 m; diesel 600 hp (or 2 x 220 hp petrol engines according to other sources), 16 knots, 1 x 4.7cm Flak + 2 x MG + depth bombs. There were 2 such patrol boats in Bulgarian Navy - "Belomorets" and "Tschernomorets".


*Also ship "Kamchiya" was used by Bulgarian Navy (former french yacht "De Romas", it was built in England in 1882 and was bought by Bulgaria in 1906, in 1911 was reequiped as a minelayer, later used as a hydrographic ship; 105 t, 36.18 x 4.8 x 2.43 m, steam-engine and two steam-boilers, 250 hp, 11 knots, 8.5 t of coal, 12 mines).

[Victor]

For Romania, see here: http://www.worldwar2.ro/organizare/?article=25

The article would need some corrections here and there, but it will give you a basic idea.

The Hungarian naval forces in the Black Sea were only transport ships. The Bulgarian navy limited its military ships to its territorial waters. Thus the only Axis military vessels sailing across the Black Sea were Romanian, German, Italian and Croatian.

[Allen Milcic]

The Croatian Naval Legion, titled '23.Minesuch-Flottilla' by the Kriegsmarine, officially commenced duty on the Black Sea as of September 30, 1941. The boats initially assigned to the Legion were mostly motorized sailing boats and converted fishing boats. By August of 1942 the Legion had 31 MFK's (Motorfischkuter), and 35 other motor boats under their command. Including the command ship "Tovaris" (captured from the Soviet navy) and other smaller boats, the Legion was 130 boats strong.

Allen/

[tigre]

Hello to all ; well not exactly in 1941, but surely Axis naval units in the Black Sea.........................

Meeting in the Black Sea!

AFAIK in May 1942 the Flotilla Commander, Korvettenkapitän Birnbacher, had on hand the first 4 boats (S-26, 28, 72 and 102) ready to sail in Constanza.

Source: http://www.delcampe.net/page/item/id,35 ... age,F.html

Cheers. Raúl M .

[LColombo]

Italian: in summer 1941 there was nothing. The Italian Black Sea flotilla was sent in April-May 1942.

Since we're at it:

* CB Submarine Flotilla with six CB-class midget submarines (CB 1, CB 2, CB 3, CB 4, CB 5, CB 6)
* 4th MAS Flotilla (Commander Francesco Mimbelli) with:
VIII MAS Squadron (Lieutenant Emilio Legnani) with MAS 566, MAS 567, MAS 568, MAS 569
XIX MAS Squadron (Lieutenant Commander Curzio Castagnacci) with MAS 570, MAS 571, MAS 572, MAS 573
* A flotilla of five MTSM type small motor torpedo boats
* A flotilla of five MT type explosive motor boats.

Mimbelli was also in charge of the whole force, based in Yalta.

[tigre]

Hello to all ; something more.........................

The NMS Delfinul. Brief synopsis.

Ordered by Contract No. 15,276 of December 7, 1926 to the shipyard Cantieri Navali del Quarnaro, Fiume - Italy. Work began in 1927. Launched on June 6, 1930, but due to technical problems, delivery was delayed until May 9, 1936. On June 27, 1936 reached Constanta and was commissioned on August 15, 1936 under căpitanul Victor (Niţă) Voinescu.

Operations.

In June, July and August 1941 carried out a cruise to the eastern and western basins of the Black Sea. In September 1941 carried out a new cruise to the eastern basin of the Black Sea. On November 5, 1941 under the command of căpitanul Constantin Costăchescu south of Crimea she torpedoed a Soviet ship, the freighter "Uraleţ" (1,975 t.), but was detected and heavy attacked with depth charges forced the submarine to dive down to 80 meters and after eight hours she escaped towards the coast of Asia Minor where she could emerge to recharge batteries.

On November 7, 1941 she entered the port of Constanta. During May and June 1942 she completed three missions in the Black Sea. In October 1942, her operational missions were completed with the arrival at the Black Sea of the first German submarines of the 30. U-Flotille (6 units).

Source: http://www.ligamilitarilor.ro/activitat ... atriotism/

Cheers. Raúl M .

[bertamingo]

Before the end of 1941, there were two German minelayers operating in the black sea, one was Xanten, formerly a FM-class minesweeper that was sold to Romania post ww2 and then repurchased by KM in 1941 Oct., the other was Theresia Wallner, which was a river minelayer from Danube. Germans also had a tanker, the Ossag, and some transport ships which were trapped in the black sea at the beginning of ww2, as well as many riverine craft.


Hungarian riverine forces only operated on Danube, only several merchant ships were able to reach black sea.


Italy might also had some tankers and freighters there in 1941, before the arrival of the Italian naval flotilla.

[LColombo]

Italy might also had some tankers and freighters there in 1941, before the arrival of the Italian naval flotilla.

When Italy entered WWII, on 10 June 1940, there were eight merchant ships in the Black Sea: three in Romania (Abbazia in Costantia, Capo Arma in Braila, Caterina Madre in Galati) and five in Bulgaria (steamer Pier Luigi, tankers Giuseppina Ghirardi, Torcello, Superga, Maya and Celeno, all in Varna). They were not blocked, however, as they were able to return to Italy and they did so in a short time.

Afterwards, there was a tanker traffic between Italy and Romania. Empty tankers sailed from Italy with Italian escort, were escorted till shortly before the Dardanelles, crossed the Dardanelles without escort, and once in the Black Sea they were escorted by Bulgarian and/or Romanian ships till Costantia, where they loaded much needed Romanian oil for Italy (they often made a stop also in Varna). Same for the return voyage.

Two of these tankers were sunk in the Black Sea by Soviet submarines: Superga on 21 September 1941 by SHCH 211, Torcello on 5 November 1941 by SHCH 214. Other tankers involved in this traffic during 1941 were Strombo (torpedoed by HMS Parthian on 3 June 1941 while on her way to the Dardanelles, damaged, did not enter the Black Sea), Annarella, Dora C., Tampico (torpedoed and damaged by HMS Proteus in the Aegean Sea, on 3 November 1941, while returning to Italy with full load; damaged), Maya (sunk by HMS Perseus on 4 September 1941 in the Aegean Sea, while on her way to the Dardanelles; had already been in the Black Sea in previous voyages), Giuseppina Ghirardi (sunk by HMS Torbay on 10 June 1941, just after exiting the Dardanelles), probably also Celeno and others.

[bertamingo]

Italy might also had some tankers and freighters there in 1941, before the arrival of the Italian naval flotilla.

When Italy entered WWII, on 10 June 1940, there were eight merchant ships in the Black Sea: three in Romania (Abbazia in Costantia, Capo Arma in Braila, Caterina Madre in Galati) and five in Bulgaria (steamer Pier Luigi, tankers Giuseppina Ghirardi, Torcello, Superga, Maya and Celeno, all in Varna). They were not blocked, however, as they were able to return to Italy and they did so in a short time.

Afterwards, there was a tanker traffic between Italy and Romania. Empty tankers sailed from Italy with Italian escort, were escorted till shortly before the Dardanelles, crossed the Dardanelles without escort, and once in the Black Sea they were escorted by Bulgarian and/or Romanian ships till Costantia, where they loaded much needed Romanian oil for Italy (they often made a stop also in Varna). Same for the return voyage.

Two of these tankers were sunk in the Black Sea by Soviet submarines: Superga on 21 September 1941 by SHCH 211, Torcello on 5 November 1941 by SHCH 214. Other tankers involved in this traffic during 1941 were Strombo (torpedoed by HMS Parthian on 3 June 1941 while on her way to the Dardanelles, damaged, did not enter the Black Sea), Annarella, Dora C., Tampico (torpedoed and damaged by HMS Proteus in the Aegean Sea, on 3 November 1941, while returning to Italy with full load; damaged), Maya (sunk by HMS Perseus on 4 September 1941 in the Aegean Sea, while on her way to the Dardanelles; had already been in the Black Sea in previous voyages), Giuseppina Ghirardi (sunk by HMS Torbay on 10 June 1941, just after exiting the Dardanelles), probably also Celeno and others.

Thank you, it's very interesting story! Do you also have the status of German merchants in the black sea?

[LColombo]

Do you also have the status of German merchants in the black sea?

Unfortunately I don't.
As a side note, the old tanker Celeno (built 1899) was captured by the Germans after the Italian armistice in September 1943, renamed Claudia and then Elbing, then ceded to Bulgaria (1944) as Claudia and captured by the Soviet Union in Varna on 30 August 1944. She sailed under Soviet flag with name Groznyi until scrapped in 1966.

[bertamingo]

Do you also have the status of German merchants in the black sea?

Unfortunately I don't.
As a side note, the old tanker Celeno (built 1899) was captured by the Germans after the Italian armistice in September 1943, renamed Claudia and then Elbing, then ceded to Bulgaria (1944) as Claudia and captured by the Soviet Union in Varna on 30 August 1944. She sailed under Soviet flag with name Groznyi until scrapped in 1966.

Thank you again for the interesting story

[tigre]

Hello to all ; something more.........................

The NMS Rechinul and NMS Marsuinul. Brief synopsis.

In 1938, the Galati shipyard began the construction of two new submarines: S1 and S2, both were conceived as mine layers but then ended up as attack submarines. The S1, was based on the German / Ingenieurskantoor voor Scheepsbouw project 298 and was related to the German IA type (see photo), the ship was renamed NMS Rechinul (Shark) and was launched on May 5, 1941, but only on May 9, 1943 officially entered into service with the Royal Romanian Navy. After the trial period, she was declared ready for action in April 1944. The S2 was also built under German / Ingenieurskantoor voor Scheepsbouw license but it was an improved version of the Type E1 (see photo), which was renamed as NMS Marsuinul (Porpoise) and she was launched on May 25, 1941, but was commissioned in the Royal Romanian Navy in July 1943 and declared ready for action in April 1944.

The NMS Rechinul carried out two war patrols, the first under lt. cdor. Corneliu Lungu from 15 April to 15 May 1944; first she went to monitor the Turkish port of Zonguldak and from April 28 sailed to Batumi. The second, under cpt. Nicolae Turcanu, was longer from 29 June to 29 July 1944 in the area of ​​Novorossiysk.

The NMS Marsuinul carried out one war patrol under cpt. Grigore Ciolac, from 10 to 27 May 1944 for surveillance in the area of ​​Batumi.

Neither of them registered sinkings.

Source: http://www.dutchsubmarines.com/export/e ... orRoumania
http://www.worldwar2.ro/arr/?section=21
http://www.cartula.ro/forum/index.php?a ... _id=101349

Cheers. Raúl M .

[tigre]

Hello to all ; a little more...............................

Romanian ships in harbor.

Source: http://constanta-imagini-vechi.blogspot ... ietic.html

Cheers. Raul M .

[tigre]

Hello to all ; a little more...............................

Soviet air raid on a Italian M.A.S. (Motoscafo Armato Silurante).

A few days before the attack I paid a brief visit to the south coast to take a closer look at 30 Corps' own preparations. Our command post down there was a charming little Moorish-style palace, perched on a steep cliff overhanging the Black Sea coast and formerly the property of a grand duke. On the last day of my stay I made a reconnaissance trip in our only naval vessel, an Italian E-boat, along the coast to a point off Balaclava, my object being to ascertain how much of the coastal road, up which the whole of the corps' reinforcements and supplies must pass, was visible from the sea and liable to come under observed bombardment from that quarter.

On the way back a calamity occurred just outside Yalta. Without any warning a hail of machine-gun bullets and cannon-shells began pumping into us from the sky. We were being strafed by two Soviet fighters which had swooped out of the sun, their sound having been drowned by the roar of our own powerful engines. In a matter of seconds seven of the sixteen persons on board were dead or wounded and the heat from the flames threatened to detonate the torpedoes slung alongside. The behavior of the captain, a young Italian sub-lieutenant, was beyond all praise, and he showed immense presence of mind in the steps he took to save us and his ship.

One Italian petty officer was dead and three sailors wounded. Captain v. Wedel, the port commandant of Yalta, had also been killed. But at my feet, severely wounded in the thigh, lay the truest comrade of all, my driver, Fritz Nagel.

I think that boat was the MAS Nº 571.

Source: Lost Victories. Erich von Manstein.

Cheers. Raul M .