WW1 Russian Convoys

[johnvoe]

Looking for any information on merchant ships routing to/from the White Sea area during WW1 - list of names, dates, convoy numbers etc. I have just finished transferring written records for the port of Lerwick, Shetland onto computer for the period August 1914 until December 1917 and am now trying to match arrivals up to convoys or establish where a number of vessels sailed to - in particular any to/from Russia. Sail dates and destinations were more than often not noted in the port records. Would really like to find anyone with a particular interest in this area who might be able to help me fill in some of the blanks in my records as regards ships heading for or arriving from Archangel, Murmansk and White Sea area that routed through Lerwick, Shetland during WW1.

On a separate matter I would also like to find out a little more about the merchant ship Tobol (ex Sunderland 1901) as regards voyages to/from Archangel. She was sunk by uboat off Scotland 11 Sept 1917 whilst in convoy to Archangel via Lerwick. Any records of previous voyages would be most welcome as would any photographs of her.

Many thanks

John

[Dr Eisvogel]

Looking for any information on merchant ships routing to/from the White Sea area during WW1 - list of names, dates, convoy numbers etc. I have just finished transferring written records for the port of Lerwick, Shetland onto computer for the period August 1914 until December 1917 and am now trying to match arrivals up to convoys or establish where a number of vessels sailed to - in particular any to/from Russia. Sail dates and destinations were more than often not noted in the port records. Would really like to find anyone with a particular interest in this area who might be able to help me fill in some of the blanks in my records as regards ships heading for or arriving from Archangel, Murmansk and White Sea area that routed through Lerwick, Shetland during WW1.

On a separate matter I would also like to find out a little more about the merchant ship Tobol (ex Sunderland 1901) as regards voyages to/from Archangel. She was sunk by uboat off Scotland 11 Sept 1917 whilst in convoy to Archangel via Lerwick. Any records of previous voyages would be most welcome as would any photographs of her.

Many thanks

John

Dear John,

I think I have found a Russian page about the ship, which might be the same ship you've mentioned, but there is a number of different details.


"Tobol" (ex-Cheltenham) built in Sunderland by "William Doxford Location & Sons" shipyard in 1901. Owned by "Austin Friars Stm. Sg. Co Ltd".

Passengers: 18 in the 1st class and 1150 deck passengers.

Tonnage: 3741 brt (5500 t)

Dimensions: 104,4x14,2x7,6m

Speed: 10,5 knots



Captured by Russian cruiser "Gromoboi (Громобой)" off Liancourt Rocks in the Sea of Japan on June 19th 1904, while en route Otaru (Japan) => Busan* (Korea).

Brought to Vladivostok the next day. Confiscated by the decision of the Russian court.

In February of 1905 mobilized by Russian Navy and armed with four 47 mm guns and two machineguns. Included into Siberian Flotilla.

Its Russian crew numbered 86 people.

It could transport 1500 infantrymen.

After the end of the Russo-Japanese War, the Englishmen tried to get it back through international court, but it was left to Russia as a war prize by the court decision.


"Tobol" connected US and English ports in WWI with Archangel (Архангельск).

It was sank by German U-boat U-52 on November 11th 1917 at Orkney Islands.

Best regards,
Eisvogel


*Fuzan (Фузан) in Russian text

Source: http://anrai.ru/korabli/node/54.htm

[James A Pratt III]

uboat.net would be the place to go for information on which ships were sunk by U-boats ect

[Dr Eisvogel]

uboat.net would be the place to go for information on which ships were sunk by U-boats ect

Dear Mr. Pratt,

thank you very, very much on the suggestion.

The place to start: http://uboat.net/wwi/

And there it is: http://uboat.net/wwi/boats/successes/u52.html

"Tobol" (http://uboat.net/wwi/ships_hit/6038.html) was torpedoed on September 11th 1917 according to uboat.net, U-52 was then commanded by Hans Walther.
http://uboat.net/wwi/men/commanders/386.html


List of the Russian ships torpedoed by German U-boats:
http://uboat.net/wwi/ships_hit/search.php?country=ru

Best regards,
Eisvogel

[Dr Eisvogel]

On a separate matter I would also like to find out a little more about the merchant ship Tobol (ex Sunderland 1901) as regards voyages to/from Archangel. She was sunk by uboat off Scotland 11 Sept 1917 whilst in convoy to Archangel via Lerwick. Any records of previous voyages would be most welcome as would any photographs of her.

Many thanks

John

Dear John,

the photograph of Tobol.


This Russian page claims it was torpedoed on October 29th 1917 to the west of Orkney Islands, while en route Blythe-Archangel, while uboat.net has a location of sinking to the southeast of Orkney Islands on the same route.

29.10.1917 г. торпедирован западнее Оркнейских островов немецкой подводной лодкой «U 52» при следовании из Блита в Архангельск с 5147 т угля и затонул.

http://www.retroflot.com/dobrovoljnyj_f ... tobol.html

Just a comment about two Russian dates of sinking of Tobol. I think November 11th and October 29th are in fact one date: November 11th according to Gregorian calendar and October 29th Old Style according to Julian calendar, which was official calendar in Russia until 1918.

However, http://www.uboat.net puts the sinking exacty two months earlier on September 11th.

Best regards,
Eisvogel

[Dr Eisvogel]

Looking for any information on merchant ships routing to/from the White Sea area during WW1 - list of names, dates, convoy numbers etc. I have just finished transferring written records for the port of Lerwick, Shetland onto computer for the period August 1914 until December 1917 and am now trying to match arrivals up to convoys or establish where a number of vessels sailed to - in particular any to/from Russia. Sail dates and destinations were more than often not noted in the port records. Would really like to find anyone with a particular interest in this area who might be able to help me fill in some of the blanks in my records as regards ships heading for or arriving from Archangel, Murmansk and White Sea area that routed through Lerwick, Shetland during WW1.

Many thanks

John

Dear John,

I tried to compile a list of Russian ships sunk by German U-boats in Atlantic, North Sea, Norwegian Sea, Barents Sea and White Sea during WWI with destinations, if available.

Ship (date sunk - U boat), link, route

General Radetzky (17 July 1915 - U 41) http://uboat.net/wwi/ships_hit/2407.html, Archangel - London
Rubonia (22 July 1915 - U 36) http://uboat.net/wwi/ships_hit/5240.html, Cardiff - Archangel
Kovda (12 August 1916 - U 75) http://uboat.net/wwi/ships_hit/3390.html
Tourgai (3 or 4 October 1916 - U 43) http://uboat.net/wwi/ships_hit/6076.html, New York (USA) - Archangel
Sigrid (191 February 1917 - U 49) http://uboat.net/wwi/ships_hit/5561.html, Romanoff* - ?
Ganslei (9 April 1917 - U 75) http://uboat.net/wwi/ships_hit/2703.html, Tyne - North Russia
Truvor (3 May 1917 - U 45) http://uboat.net/wwi/ships_hit/6143.html, Tyne - Russia
Hermes (11 May 1917 - U 45) http://uboat.net/wwi/ships_hit/7071.html, Newport - Archangel
Algol (4 June 1917 - U 28) http://uboat.net/wwi/ships_hit/194.html, Barry Dock - Port Romanoff
Betty (10 June 1917 - U 61) http://uboat.net/wwi/ships_hit/6814.html, Cardiff - Murmansk
Kildin (30 July 1917 - U 94) http://uboat.net/wwi/ships_hit/3318.html, Archangel - Lerwick
Souma (30 July 1917 - U 94) http://uboat.net/wwi/ships_hit/5661.html, Archangel - Lerwick
Junona (25 August 1917 - U 80) http://uboat.net/wwi/ships_hit/3219.html, Archangel via Lerwick - Liverpool
Marselieza (28 August 1917 - U 28) http://uboat.net/wwi/ships_hit/3992.html, Brest (France) - Archangel
Tobol (11 September 1917 - U 52) http://uboat.net/wwi/ships_hit/6038.html, Blyth - Archangel
Voronezh (11 October 1917 - UC 40) http://uboat.net/wwi/ships_hit/7679.html, ? - Lerwick

*Port Romanoff was name for Murmansk until April of 1917

Kildin and Souma were obviously navigating together.

Source: http://uboat.net/wwi/ships_hit/search.php?country=ru

Best regards,
Eisvogel

[bdanderson]

I'm interested in finding the crew roster and history of a Norwegian cargo steamer called Ivanhoe that made multiple trips between UK and Archangel in 1915/16. She was ultimately sunk by U56 on November 1, 1916. The U-boat was then damaged by an unknown Russian warship while the crew of Ivanhoe was aboard. U56 survived the Russian attack, put Ivanhoe's crew ashore in Tana Fjord on November 3, and was never seen or heard from again. I'd also like to see if there's a way to identify the Russian warship. Any help or advice will be appreciated.

[Felix C]

the Russian old destroyer “Grozovi”, dispatch vessel “Kupava” and British minesweeper “T-13” engaged U56