Transport ships of USSR in 1941-1945 - any info!!

[mjbollinger]

Hi Dido,

My information differs slightly. I have CHERNYSHEVSKII joining the fishing fleet in 1949

ALMA ATA (Алма-Ата)
WWII Registration: UPLI
Builder: NV Burgerhout's Maschinefabriek & Scheepswerf
Location: Rotterdam
Delivered in 1920 / 3611 GRT
Chronology:
1920 Launched as MAASDIJK 11.20
1920 Completed MAASDIJK (Solleveld & v/d Meer & v Hattum) 12.20
1930 DIJKWATER (Stoomvaart Mij. Nederlandsche Lloyd)
1934 Sold for demolition
1935 CHUBAR (ChGMP) acquired by NKVT 03.35
1937 ALMA ATA (ChGMP)
1939 Participated in Soviet-Finnish war 1939-1940
1940 ALMA ATA (MGMP)
1941 QP-1 Arkhangel'sk to Orkney Is. 28.9.41-10.10.41
1941 PQ-4 Hvalfjord to Arkhangel'sk 17.11.41-28.11.41
1942 Armed and militarized for Northern operations
1942 QP-13 Arkhangel'sk Reykjavik 26.06.42-07.07.42
1943 ALMA ATA (DGMP) 01.01.43
1945 ALMA ATA (Krabomorzverotrest) whaling fleet
1956 ALMA ATA (UKF)
1959 ALMA ATA (Kraboflot) whaling fleet
1970 ALMA ATA (Dalmoreprodukt)
1975 Removed from sea register


CHERNYSHEVSKII (Чернышевский)
WWII Registration: UPLB
Builder: NV Rotterdamsche Droogdok Maatschappij
Location: Rotterdam
Delivered in 1919 / 3588 GRT
Type: Dry cargo ship
Chronology:
1919 Completed as HAGNO (N.V. Mij. "Zeevaart") 08.18
1935 POKROVSKII (ChGMP)
1939 CHERNYSHEVSKII (MGMP) 22.09.39
1941 QP-2 Arkhangel'sk to Scapa Flow 03.11.41-17.11.41
1941 PQ-7B Hvalfjord to Murmansk 13.12.41-11.01.42
1942 QP-6 Murmansk to Loch Ewe 24.01.42-02.02.42
1942 PQ-16 departed Reykjavik to Murmansk 21.05.42-30.05.42
1942 Armed and militarized for Northern operations
1942 Attempted NSR transit from Arkhangel'sk to USA 08.42
1942 Blocked at Ambarchik and returned to Arkhangel'sk
1942 Sailed independently Arkhangel'sk to Reykjavik late 42/early 43
1943 CHERNYSHEVSKII (DGMP) 01.01.43
1949 CNERNYSHEVSKII (Krabomorzverotrest)
1978 Removed from roster

Marty

[BIGpanzer]

Dear Marty and Dido, please, give me two days more to analyze your posts and write the answers, I have no time at the moment

As for "Alma-Ata" (ex-Dutch cargo steamer) was used by Murmansk State Shipping company (MGMP) since 1940 (before it was used by Black Sea State Shipping Company, ChGMP) as the ship for coal transportation along Murmansk-Spitsbergen route. "Alma-Ata" served as military transport during WWII.

mjbollinger wrote:
1941 QP-1 Arkhangel'sk to Orkney Is. 28.9.41-10.10.41
1941 PQ-4 Hvalfjord to Arkhangel'sk 17.11.41-28.11.41
1942 Armed and militarized for Northern operations
1942 QP-13 Arkhangel'sk Reykjavik 26.06.42-07.07.42

Yes, and in addition the ship participated also in notorious north convoy PQ-16 (21-30 May 1942) from Reykjavik to Murmansk/Arkhangelsk together with 26 USA transports, 4 British transports and 5 Soviet transports. The crew of "Alma-Ata" had combats with German bombers during that navigation. Ship was armed with additional AA guns in England in June-July 1942, also equipped with gyro-compass then. In July-August 1942 - under repair in New York, since August 1942 made a navigation as the single ship without escort from New York to Vladivostok (Far-East State Shipping Company, DGMP) through Panama Canal, Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.

mjbollinger wrote:
1945 ALMA ATA (Krabomorzverotrest) whaling fleet

Since 1945/1946 - crab factory in Pacific.



"Chernyshevskij" (ex-Dutch dry cargo steamer) had a very experienced polar captain Sh.A.Gogitidze, who could avoid several attacks of German submarines moved "Chernyshevskij" through the ice where submarines couldn't catch up the ship. Participated in several local navigations along Murmansk-Arkhangelsk route as coal transport ship. Participated in convoy PQ-7 01.1942 (convoy number of the ship - S-32).

mjbollinger wrote:
1942 Attempted NSR transit from Arkhangel'sk to USA 08.42
1942 Blocked at Ambarchik and returned to Arkhangel'sk

Participated in convoy from Dikson port to USA (North Sea Route) since 19.07.1942 (which fortunately could avoid the meet with German battleship "Admiral Scheer" in Kara Sea), but that convoy was blocked by strong ice near Ambarchik 08.1942, the convoy returned back. The ship was under repair in USA (San Francisco) before the navigation to Soviet Far-East.

mjbollinger wrote:
I have CHERNYSHEVSKII joining the fishing fleet in 1949

My sources give info that the ship became crab factory in Pacific since 1945.
http://www.dmp.ru/rus/hist_chernyshevsk ... hevsky.jpg (postWWII "Chernyshevskij")

[BIGpanzer]

As for the fate of "Kril'on" (ex-German "Preussen", was built in 1909 by Stettiner Oderwerke AG, 5828 t full displacement, 116x15.56x5.98 m; 538 passengers; 2x2147 hp steam engines and 6 boiling apparatus; 14 knots; 2000 miles range; 122 men crew). I only know that this old passenger/van ferry was given to USSR as the part of WWII reparations and it was in a very bad technical condition (the ship served as van ferry along the routes Germany-Sweden before WWII, also as German mine-layer during WWII).
So the ship was completely repaired and reequipped in China in 1948-1949 and used by Far-East State Shipping Company (DGMP) since 07.1950 - the route Vladivostok - Juzhno-Sakhalinsk, Vladivostok-Kholmsk and Korsakov express line till the end of 1960s. I found also one mention that once old steamer "Kril'on" (cruise speed 12 knots) overran much more modern turboelectric passenger ship "V. Molotov" in the open sea (the most fast passenger liner in that Pacific region in 1960s, cruise speed 20 knots) and only in two hours that competition came to end as "Kril'on"'s firemen got tired completely and ship's steam engines broke down
Reequipped "Kril'on" (edditional reequipment by "Sovkitsudstroy" dockyard in 1960s - including engine modernization to use fuel oil instead of coal, removal of one chimney and improvement of cabins) could take up to 700 passengers (491 in cabins) and was used mainly for the transportation of Korean repatriates from Japan to Korean People's Democratic Republic in the beginning of 1960s. The obsolete and uncomfortable ship was removed from service in the beginning of 1970s and was used for many years as floating hostel at Vladivostok port.

[BIGpanzer]

Just found an additional info about Soviet-built medium timber ship "Aleksandr Pushkin", built in 1929/1930 by Baltic Shipyard ("Tovarisch Krasin"-type, we were talking a lot above here).
That ship (5320 t) was armed with 2x100mm + 2x45mm + 2x7.62mm, 100 mines and used as mine-layer by North Navy (SF) since 07.12.1939. Participated in Soviet-Finnish war (mined sea near Petsamo naval base 12.1939). 10.11.1940 - the ship was disarmed and given back to North State Shipping Company (SGMP). 02.07.1941 it was mobilized again by SF as the mine-layer.

http://sovnavy-ww2.by.ru/minelayers/pic/pushkin.jpg

[BIGpanzer]

As for the cargo-passenger steamer "Anatolij Serov" from AKO (Kamchatka Joint-Stock Company) fleet I've already written about.

It was built in 1926 in UK (5700 t, 26 passengers + 2100 t of cargos, 9 knots) and was used for transportation of fruits till the end of 1930s.

mjbollinger wrote:
1939 Major overhaul in Roste until 25.06.40

Not exactly. The ship was bought by USSR in summer 1938 as transport ship for Far-East fishing fleet (NKRP - People's Commissariat of Fishing Industry). So the hull of the ship was strengthened for the navigations in ice before sale to USSR according to Soviet request. 31.09.1938 the ship came to Murmansk and was completely repaired (total overhaul) then (repair finished 25.06.1940).
Made a navigation from Murmansk to Vladivostok via North Sea Route (NSR) soon (escorted submarine ShCh-423, which made the first submarine navigation in history via NSR). During that navigation screw was completely broken by strong ice and "Anatolij Serov" could reach the shore (Providenie bay) only with the help of ice-breaker "Krasin". The crew could replace 5-t screw during several days and the ship reached Vladivostok.

mjbollinger wrote:
Yes, I believe ANATOLI SEROV was a crab cannery.

No, that ship was used for transportation of fuel, workers, cans and equipment to Kamchatka shore fish-works since 11.1940 (AKO fleet), it took finished marine products and transported them to Vladivostok. So it was transport ship for transportation priority freights. The ship was armed with several MGs and light AA guns for self-defence during WWII and made several navigations to USA and Canada for Lend-Lease cargos (300 t of aviation fuel and 1500 t of ammunition from San Francisco in 1943, 2200 t of military cargos from Vancouver in 1945).

mjbollinger wrote:
1942 Locked in ice three months; damage repaired 06.42

It was heavily damaged in ice (Sea of Okhotsk, drifting 21.03.1942-09.05.1942) - strained nose, bent screw, etc; but could reach Kamchatka fish-works, took marine products (2860 t instead of usual 2100 t) and returned back to Vladivostok. Under repair 09.06.1942-01.07.1942 in Vladivostok - the crew could repair the ship two times faster than it was planned, working 12 h every day. The ship was under addition repair in USA in 1943 ("General Engeenering Company"), where Soviet crew studied also AA shooting at naval school during 3 days. Steamer "Anatolij Serov" had a very luxurious for transport ship interior of the medium topside (cabins for crewmembers), halls and central stair and that British style was carefully preserved by its crew despite the use of the ship in fishing fleet.
http://www.npacific.ru/np/library/publi ... /serov.jpg ("Anatolij Serov")

Used as transport ship by AKO and Kamchatrybprom during and after WWII, correspondingly. Transported equipment and workers to Kamchatka fish-works and finished marine products to Vladivostok. Under repair (total overhaul) in China (Shanghai) in 1954-1956 - reequipment into fish-factory ship. Served as fish-factory ship in 1957-1970.

mjbollinger wrote:
1972 Withdrawn from service
2000 Converted to training center for Glavsostava, Petropavlovsk

The information is not correct. In 1970 - removed from service because of run-down equipment. Used as nonself-propelled training ship/centre for shipboard personnel of fishing fleet for many years since 1970 (Babia bay, Petropavlovsk), 60th anniversary of the ship (training centre) was celebrated in 1976. Several thousands of Kamchatka fishing fleet cadets studied every year there.
The word "glavsostav" (not glavsostava) means shipboard personnel.

I found several mentions in modern Russian sources (2002-2004) about the condition of "Anatolij Serov" at the moment. The ship is rusted, vandalized by "hunters" for nonferrous metals, capsized and water-logged vessel now (Babia bay, Petropavlovsk). Suggestions to make a museum of Far-East sea navigation on board of the ship failed..........

[Dido]

Very intersting information on the Serov. It would be great if there was a photo of her in the afforementioned condition.

[BIGpanzer]

Two modern photos I could find:
1. Babia bay, Petropavlovsk in 2004 - http://autopilot.kommersant.ru/Images/2 ... -95-03.jpg (the last photo)
2. Russian rescuers saved 4 teen-agers, who reached the water-logged and capsized "Anatolij Serov" to explore it and their self-made float was wafted away (May 2002) -
http://images.newsru.com/pict/id/large/ ... 094648.gif

[BIGpanzer]

As for "Kulu" (ex-Dutch diesel ship) - I know that transport ship "Kulu" participated in Japanese-Soviet conflict on lake Khasan (August 1938), transporting wounded soldiers from bay Posiet to Vladivostok. It was used mainly for transportation of political prisoners (up to 3000 men on board) since 1935 from Nakhodka and Vanino to Magadan port (it was bought by Soviet Dalstroj in 1935). During WWII - transported explosives (400-500 t on board) from USA to USSR, also transported Soviet crews to Portland for Lend-Lease US anti-submarine boats.

I found a mention that in 2004 the old ship still stayed at Vladivostok port. Another sources give the following info - the ship sank during towing for scrapping in 1995. I believe that last info is more correct.

[mjbollinger]

BP,

A slight correction. KULU did not move passengers from Vanino to Magadan as Vanino was not established as a shipping point for Gulag prisoners until after KULU left Dal'stroi operations. Vanino was formed as a shipment point, if I recall, in 1942, built with a load of conflict labor carried by ODESSA.

KULU was one of three ships acquired by Dalstroi in 1935 (DZHURMA and DALSTROI were the others). It was seconded to the military for the Lake Khasan conflict but later was deemed surplus and reassigned to Sovtorgflot. Meanwhile, the Dal'stroi fleet had been augmented by FELIX DZERZHINSKY (ex. DOMINIA) and later by INDIGIRKA (ex. COMMERCIAL QUAKER).

I think your reference to KULU in 2004 is probably a mistaken reference to ODESSA.

Marty

[BIGpanzer]

Hi, Marty!

I think your reference to KULU in 2004 is probably a mistaken reference to ODESSA.

Yes, I tnink so. I wrote that some sources give such info (so I mentioned it also), but I believe that "Kulu" sank during towing for scrapping in 1995.

A slight correction. KULU did not move passengers from Vanino to Magadan as Vanino was not established as a shipping point for Gulag prisoners until after KULU left Dal'stroi operations. Vanino was formed as a shipment point, if I recall, in 1942, built with a load of conflict labor carried by ODESSA.

According to the memoires of ex-political prisoners "Kulu" transported political/criminal prisoners from port Nakhodka to Magadan (Nagaeva bay) and later, the ship was used also along Vanino-Magadan route (port Vanino was established in 1943, at the moment it is one of the largest Far-Eastern ports). If so, probably "Kulu" left Dal'stroy operations but sometimes was used for transportation of political prisoners even in 1940s-beg1950s. I don't have additional info about this.

As for "Odessa" - I found a mention that steamer "Odessa" (US Lend-Lease "Liberty"-type) from AKO (DGMP) was damaged by torpedo from US submarine S-44 by mistake 04.10.1943. The ship survived (but 3rd hull, full of flour, was destroyed) and was towed by steamer "Vyborg" to the port. During WWII - "Odessa" transported Lend-Lease cargos (food, tanks, torpedo boats) from USA to Vladivostok.
At the moment "Odessa" (the single preserved ship of "Liberty"-type in Russia) served as workshops for Dalmoreprodukt (Far-East fishing fleet) at Vladivostok port, it is planning to scrapp her in South Korea or Japan.

There were several ships under the name "Balkhash" in Soviet merchant fleet (including cargo-passenger ship of BGMP, 2191 t, which was exploded on mine and sank by German bombers 29.08.1941 in Gulf of Finland - convoy No. 3 from Tallinn to Kronstadt. 87 wounded soldiers and 8 crewmembers were lost). As for "Balkhash" of DGMP - it was the ex-USA passenger ship (built in 1913 by News Shipbuilding and Dry dock Co., 136x16.5x10.25 m, 11890 t, 660 passengers, 3680 hp steam engine, 13 knots, 90 men crew). I know that this large cargo-passenger liner was used along Far-Eastern routes in 1940s-1950s (some sources mention that the ship also transported political prisoners before it was reequipped as passenger ship).

[mjbollinger]

BP,

I am told that ODESSA is gone -- that it has already been scrapped. My information is from Oleg Delev, who now lives in Chicago. This is very sad. Not only was it the only surviving Liberty ship in Russia, it was also the only surviving Liberty ship built by Kaiser, the company that made the greatest number of these ships and the pioneer of the modular construction process.

I am unaware of any direct references to KULU being used in Gulag service after 1938. In fact, in all of my research for my book (published in 2003) I came across only one first-hand reference to KULU in prisoner transport. If there is an additional reference, I would be very interested in learning about it. It is possible something new has emerged. (You need to email your address so I can send the book: send to [email protected].

The story of S-44 sinking ODESSA is not accepted in Western sources. They claim ODESSA must have hit a mine. I agree with your view and I've gone to the effort of a detailed analysis of the movements of S-44 and ODESSA for the weeks before the incident. Their paths crossed exactly at the point and time ODESSA was damaged. I've also checked the minefields laid in the area and haven't found any in that area. However, the two surviving crewmen of S-44 denied every having torpedoed a ship before S-44 itself was sunk.

MB

[BIGpanzer]

Hello, dear Marty!
Thanks a lot for the interesting info.

It's a really great pity that "Odessa" has already been scrapped . My info about still preserved "Odessa" at Vladivostok port came from 2002-2003 year sources. But I indeed found a mention today that she was scrapped in 2004 ("Odessa" was still in a good working condition as the ship-workshop, but its owner decided to scrapp it).
As for the damage of "Odessa" by US torpedo - as I've mentioned the ship was towed to the port and completely repaired by Soviets. Soviet workers found a parts of US torpedo inside the damaged hull (!!!) - so it was torpedoed by S-44 very probably. But some sources really mention that "Odessa" exploded on mine - this info seems not correct. Interesting, that the traces of that old large hole from torpedo explosion could be visible on the left side of "Odessa" even in 1990s.
AFAIK USSR acquired near 40 transport ships of "Liberty"-type as Lend-Lease.

It is quite hard to find the info about "Kulu" (ex-Dutch steamer, was built in 1917, 131x16.68x11 m, 13818 t full displacement, 2502 hp steam engine, 11.5 knots, 6800 miles, 73 men crew + 850 passengers on tween deck) as transport for political prisoners in Internet, but here are some mentions in memoires about "Kulu" (on Russian only so I had no time and possibility to read all this info, just found and analyzed the short info about "Kulu" there):
http://www.blagovestnik.org/books/00055.htm
http://www.vehi.net/solzhenicyn/gulag1/ ... 1p2g3.html
http://memorial.krsk.ru/martirol/Kro_Kt.htm
http://www.greek.ru/catalog/detail.php?ID=13863&print=Y
http://www.dvgma.vld.ru/Litsalon/Knayze ... kolima.htm (GULAG fleet of Kolyma)
http://www.kolyma.ru/gulag/nagaevo_bunt.shtml
http://srcc.msu.su/uni-persona/shalamov/vosp_kolyma.htm
http://ivanvasin.narod.ru/Radio_txt.html
http://www.rtc.ru/encyk/bibl/golovanov/korolev/32.html
http://www.kuzbass.ru/nkz/stalinsk/sergeev.htm
http://www.gulag.ru/page/zk/V_trozk/v_trozk.htm
http://belolibrary.imwerden.de/wr_Dicha ... nyazev.htm

[BIGpanzer]

mjbollinger wrote:
SAMARKAND (1920) operated as a hotel in the 1950s
1920 Completed as EASTERN IMPORTER (USSB) 04.20
1922 ALBERT JEFFRESS (Garland Steamship Corp.)
1927 CALMAR (Calmar Steamship Corp.)
1942 CALMAR (WSA) 11.02.42
1945 SAMARKAND (DGMP) under Lend Lease 14.03.45
1945 Participated in Khomlsk landing operation 09.08.45
1948 Converted to hostel for ship repair workers

That transport ship participated in Kholmsk landing operation against Japanese forces 09.08.1945, not Khomlsk (I've mentioned the correct spelling somewhere above already. Sorry, dear Marty )

mjbollinger wrote:
PETR CHAIKHOVSKY
1919 Completed as WEST HENSHAW (USSB) 07.19
1928 GOLDEN CROSS (Oceanic & Oriental Navigation Co., Inc.)
1938 KOHALA (Matson Navigation Co.)
1942 KOHALA (WSA) 15.03.42
1945 PETR CHAIKHOVSKII (DGMP) under Lend Lease 02.01.45
195- Converted to passenger use after WWII
1964 Withdrawn from service
1966 Transferred to North Korea for fish factory ship

"Petr Chajkovskij" was built in 1918 by Todd Dry Dock (USA) - 116x16.18x7.25 m; 4907 t of cargos + 440 passengers on tween deck; 1x1693 hp steam engine; 10 knots; 60 men crew. Soviets acquired also "Kashirstroj" and "Nogin" cargo ships of the same type (so those ships were called as ships of "Kashirstroj"-type in USSR). Those (and several other cargo ships) were converted to passenger ships by Vladivostok Dockyard and Dalnij Dockyard since 1946.

[mjbollinger]

BP,

Thank you for reminding me. I will never spell Kholmsk correctly.

Actually, the three ships you mention are not identical, though they are similar. PETR CHAIKHOVSKII was constructed in 1919 by J.F. Duthrie. It is a USSB 1013 class ship. NOGIN was a USSB 1079 class ship. KASHIRSTROI was different still, built to a British (not U.S.) "standard ship" design for 7500DWT dry cargo ships. I'm surprised the USSR would call these the same class ship.

KASHIRSTROI was part of a large purchase of 24 ships in 1929/1930 organized by Johann Ohsol. NOGIN was a Lend Lease ship delivered to the USSR in 1942. PETR CHAIKHOVSKII was a Lend Lease ship delivered in 1945.

As for Liberty ships, here is the total delivered (along with all Lend Lease ships) to the Far East Shipping Co.

EC2-S-C1 (dry cargo): 38 provided under Lend Lease, none of which were returned (2 were lost during war)
Z-ET1-S-C3 (tanker): 3 provided under Lend Lease, all of which were returned

Two other EC2-S-C1 ships were gifted to the USSR (Northern Steamship Co.) in lieu of Italian reparations, and while these are often lumped within the Lend Lease category, they shouldn't be. There was no obligation to return them.

MB

[BIGpanzer]

Thanks a lot, Marty!
Soviets really called "Petr Chajkovskij", "Nogin" and "Kashirstroj" as the ships of "Kashirstroj"-type (as "Kashirstroj" was the first ship among them to be acquired by USSR), but may be that classification appeared only after that when they were converted to passenger ships after WWII.

I know that steamer "Kashirstroj" transported military cargos for Spain during Spanish civil war (navigation around Africa), transported equipment for power plant at new port Vanino (Far-East) from Novorossisk (Black Sea) 03.1936. "Kashirstroj" transported food, equipment and prisoners to Magadan port in 1930s. The ship rescued the crew from torpedoed by US submarine (again mistake) cargo ship "Ilmen" 17.02.1943 in Pacific, participated in resque operation 11.1952 when strong earthquake destroyed town Severo-Kurilsk.

About "Nogin" we've posted some info above already. The ship participated in Soviet landing operations against Japanese forces 16.08.1945 (transported tanks and marines to Rasin and Seisin Japanese naval bases, exploded on two mines near Seisin but survived - the ship was towed by escort warship to the shore where its crew unloaded all tanks and ammunition by hand as ship's engine and cargo derricks didn't work after explosions). "Nogin" transported political prisoners from Vanino to Magadan after WWII.