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

[BIGpanzer]

3. T-483 (till 29.01.1940 and 10.11.1940-29.06.1941 - "Traktorist", till 21.10.1936 - "Rabotnitsa", till 22.08.1935 - "Batrak"). Laid down in autumn 1927, launched in 1929. Completed 25.05.1930 as cargo schooner. The conversion to mine-sweeper started 29.10.1939. 29.01.1940 accepted by navy. 10(23?).11.1940 demobilized and unarmed, returned back to AGMP. 22.06.1941 mobilized again, was accepted as mine-sweeper of Black Sea Navy (ChF) since 29.06.1941 (hull No. 33). But because of unserviceability as mine-sweeper was excluded from the list of ChF 15.05.1942. The ship was used as military transport till the end of WWII and was awarded by honoured pennant of Ministry (Comissariat) of Sea Fleet.
Armament: 3х 45mm 21K AA guns, 2х12.7mm MGs; 2x7.71mm MGs; 1x7.62mm MGs; 2 mine-sweeps (Schulz-type and kite); 120 mines. In 1945 - 3x45mm 21K AA guns.

4. T-504 (till 29.06.1941 - "Rabotnik"). Laid down in autumn 1927, launched in 1929. Completed 29.06.1930 as cargo schooner. 28.06.1941 mobilized and reequipped as mine-sweeper, was used since 17.07.1941 by ChF (hull No. 34). It was sunk by several German bombers during the navigation from Balaklava to Tuapse with the families of navy commanders (80 women and children) on-board 6 km from the cape Ai-Todor 02.11.1941 (some sources give the date 05.11.1941). No info about killed crewmembers and passengers, but some people were saved. During that navigation T-504 also transported the equipment of naval workshop of the Central Naval Base, which was lost.
Armament: 2x76.2mm guns; 1x45mm AA gun; 2х7.62mm MGs, 2 mine-sweeps (Schulz-type and kite), 120 mines.

5. T-505 (till 29.06.1941 - "Sudkom"). Laid down in autumn 1928, launched in 1929. Completed 29.06.1930 as cargo schooner. 22.06.1941 mobilized, was used as mine-sweeper since 24.06.1941 by ChF (hull No. 35). 23.09.1944 partly unarmed and reclassified as transport (not demobilized till the end of WWII!).
Armament: 2х76.2mm, 3х45mm, 1x20mm, 2х7.62mm MGs (since 1943 - 5x45mm, 1х20mm, 3х12.7mm MGs; since October 1944 - 3х45mm, 1х20mm, 2х12.7mm MGs), 2 mine-sweeps (Schulz-type and kite), 120 mines.

6. T-506 (till 29.01.1940 and 23.11.1940-29.06.1941 - "Mestkom"). Laid down in autumn 1928, launched in 1930. Completed 02.11.1930 as cargo schooner. The conversion to mine-sweeper started 29.10.1939. 29.01.1940 accepted by navy, demobilized 23.11.1940. 29.06.1941 was mobilized again (hull No. 36). But because of unserviceability as mine-sweeper was excluded from the list of ChF 15.05.1942. The ship was used as dumb lighter till October 1942 and as military transport till the end of WWII.

7. T-507 (till 29.06.1941 - "Delegat"). It was built in 1928-1931. 22.06.1941 was mobilized and accepted as mine-sweeper of Black Sea Navy (ChF) since 17.07.1941 (hull No. 37).
The ship was in quite bad technical condition and navy committee even didn't want to mobilize the ship at first. Nevertheless, it was reequipped as mine-sweeper. 15.09.1941 T-507 was attacked by six Ju-87, but its captain second lieutenant V.N.Ushakov could avoid 22 dropped bombs during skilful manoeuvring, 4 crew members were wounded.
27.10.1941 the ship was sunk at moorage by several direct bomb hits during the German massive air raid against Kerch port. No info about killed crewmembers (but not all were killed!). The ship was raised 27.12.1948 and scrapped by "Glavvtorchermet".
Armament: 4х 45mm 21K AA guns, 3х12.7mm MGs; 2 mine-sweeps (Schulz-type and kite); 120 mines.

Marty wrote: DELEGAT.......
1941 T-507 (ChF) accepted as minesweeper 17.07.41
1941 Bombed at pier in Kerch 27.10.41; all killed
1948 Wreck refloated and transferred to Glavvtorchermetu

As I've mentioned, not all crew members were killed, for example, captain V.N.Ushakov was wounded, but survived. See below.

Some info about captain of T-507 second lieutenant V.N. Ushakov. He was a young (30 years old) but very experienced civil sailor, participated as mate in many navigations in 1930s to almost all countries except Australia. He was captured during Spanish civil war as the crew member of Soviet cargo ship "Zyryanin" and was in Spanish prison two years (1937-1938). He was three times heavily wounded during WWII. After the destruction of T-507 (when it was wounded for the first time) V.N. Ushakov became the captain of the famous Red Banner hospital ship "Lvov" (ex-Spanish liner, 2468 t). Made much of excellent AA fire training and manoeuvring at full speed to avoid torpedos, V.N. Ushakov made "Lvov" as one of the most legendary ship on Black Sea - it made 125 dangerous navigations during WWII, transported 32000 wounded men, avoided 900(!) attacks of German bombers, 730 bombs and 26 torpedos (!) - absolutely record among all ships of WWII. Several German bombers were knocked down by AA fire from "Lvov" and only 17 crew members were killed during the war. Legendary captain was killed accidentally in 1948 during hunting - fate is a really strange thing :roll:

8. T-517 (till 29.06.1941 - "Rajkomvod"). It was built in 1928-1931. 22.06.1941 was mobilized and accepted as mine-sweeper of Black Sea Navy (ChF) since 25.06.1941 (hull No. 38). The ship participated in several tens of dangerous navigations from Poti and Batumi to Novorossiysk, Gelendzhik and Tuapse in summer 1942 (transported civilians, soldiers, equipment of evacuated factories) under German bombs. In October 1942 with the battalion of soldiers on board had a combat with eight Ju-87 bombers, no losses in crew members and soldiers. In February 1943 participated in unsuccessful Ozereika (Novorossiysk district) landing operation under very strong German artillery fire with marines on board, supported marines by artillery fire, returned back with marines according to the order. Later transported ammunition and marines during the nights from Gelendzhik to Stanichka (Novorossiysk area, where landing operation succeded) under German artillery fire, attacks of bombers and torpedo boats. Also evacuated wounded marines. Once, during unloading at Stanichka was unsuccessfully attacked by German submarine. In March 1943 T-517 with 400 wounded marines on board (escort - base mine-sweeper and three patrol boats) was attacked by submarine, could avoid the torpedo by maneuvring and artillery fire of submarine. After that the ship was camouflaged.
23.09.1944 partly unarmed and reclassified as transport (not demobilized till the end of WWII!).
Armament: 2х76.2mm, 1х45mm, 2х7.62mm MGs (since 1943 - 2x76.2mm, 1х45mm, 1x20mm, 1x4x12.7mm MGs, 2x7.62mm MGs; since 1944 - 2х76.2mm, 3x45mm, 1х20mm, (1x4 + 2х1)x12.7mm MGs; since October 1944 - 2x45mm, 1x20mm, 2x12.7mm), 2 mine-sweeps (Schulz-type and kite), 120 mines.

Note: "Rajkomvod", "Zemlyak", "Sudkom" and "Pioner" were used by the 3rd division of mine-sweepers of Black Sea Navy, participated in mine-sweeping near Novorossoiysk area in 1943.

[BIGpanzer]

By the way, I found the info that mine-sweepers "Rajkomvod", "Zemlyak" and "Traktorist" were reequipped as landing ships during the preparation to the famous Novorossiysk landing operation (began 3-4 February 1943). The nose section was removed and watertight door + wrench raising 10-12m metal ramps were installed. Does anybody have the photos of those landing ships?


Regards, BP

[BIGpanzer]

As for "Rot-Front". I have the same info - that diesel schooner of "Pioner"-type was not mobilized as mine-sweeper or mine-layer. It was used as transport and was sunk by German bombers 04.11.1941 near cape Takil (Kerch strait), 13 men were killed. The ship was raised in parts 18.11.1953 by rescue service of Black Sea Navy and scrapped by "Rudmetalltorg" company.

"Serp and ""Molot" were also not mobilized and were used as cargo ships at Far East State Shipping Company (DGMP) during the whole WWII. "Molot" was scrapped soon after WWII.
What do NaGMP and SaGMP mean exactly?

"Spartakovets" - it was also the ship of "Pioner"-type, not mobilized, cargo ship of ChGMP. The ship was destroyed by three German bomb hits during the unloading at Feodosia port (Black Sea) 09.01.1942.

[mjbollinger]

Thanks, BP...

NaGMP = Николаев-Амур Государственное Морское Пароходство

SaGMP = Сахалиное Государственное Морское Пароходство

Are you sure of date ROT-FRONT was sunk. Another source says 1941, not 1942.

[BIGpanzer]

Thanks, Marty!

I found an interesting info about "Elpidifor"-type ships, will post it soon.

Well, I've checked spelling of NaGMP (Nikolaev-na-Amur State Shipping Company). According to Russian sources - Николаев-на-Амуре ГМП
SaGMP (Sakhalin State Shipping Company) = Сахалинское ГМП
AFAIK there was DGMP (Far Eastern State Shipping Company), did NaGMP and SaGMP originate from DGMP or were they separate companies?

"Rot-Front" was sunk 04.11.1941 according to my sources. I just misprinted, very sorry! I also corrected my post, thanks for the note!

As for "Don" and "Volga" - I don't know exactly. Russian Internet sites give the info that they were ships of "Pioneer"-type, completed in the middle of 1930s. If so, they were not sunk and not mobilized as I couldn't find such names in the ChF & TF warships list as well as in the list of lost civil ships in 1941-1945. Probably, they were used as transports during WWII.
Almost all "Elpidifor"-type ships were completed in the beginning of 1920s (five - in 1927-1929), but some were reequipped later. Also I found the names of all "Elpidifor"-type ships, and there was "Volgo-Don" only (ex-"Elpidifor-423").

Regards, BP

[Dido]

I know also that USSR had training ship "Dnepr", which was used for military cargo transportation during WWII from Odessa port (Black Sea), but I don't know was that ship ex-"Miltonstar" or another type of ship.

That was a different Dnepr, the former CABO SAN AGUSTIN
Completed 1930 for Compañia Ibarra.
1936: Sequestrated by Republican Government.
1937: Detained by U.S.S.R. in Feodosia, Crimea.
1939: Seized by U.S.S.R. from Spain at end of Civil War, renamed ДНЕПР for use by the Black Sea State Sea Shipping Co.
1940: Operated by the Black Sea Fleet as troopship.
03.10.41: Sunk in the Black Sea by German aircraft in position СШ 44°38', ВД 37° 15'.

[BIGpanzer]

Thanks, Dido!
I checked my sources and what I found - USSR used 5 ex-Spanish passenger liners, which could reach USSR after the fall of Republican Spanish Government. The largest of them was "Cabo San Agustin" (16000 t), but that ship also lived the shortest life in Soviet service among ex-Spanish liners.
It was named "Dnepr" and was used as training and transport ship (Black Sea). In August-September 1941 "Dnepr" made sevaral navigations (in convoys) to blockade Odessa, transporting soldiers and ammunition, successfully avoiding the attacks of German bombers. 03.10.1941 empty "Dnepr" came from Novorossiysk to Sevastopol to take the equipment of evacuated factories, near Novorossiysk it was attacked by German torpedo bombers and was sunk by torpedo (44°38', 37° 15'). Now this is the popular place for divers.

http://danube.riverships.ru/Teplokhod_Dnepr.jpg

Regards, BP

[Dido]

Hi everyone, I am looking for the date of construction of the KIM and KOMSOMOL. Also for post-ww2 information on the CHELUSKINETS and KIM. All were memebs of the Max Hoelz class.

I am also looking for information on the fate of the Finnish reparation Aalotar which became the Soviet BELOOSTROV.

Any help?

[BIGpanzer]

Hi, Dido!
As for "Kim", "Komsomol" and other Soviet-built cargo ships of "Max Hoelz"-type. Marty and I have posted a lot of info about those ships here - see for example, my posts from 27 May and 18 September here, Marty's post from 18 September. Also some additional info is possible to find inside other posts in this thread.

ex-Finnish "Aalotar" (Soviet "Beloostrov") - http://www.sea.infoflot.ru/photo/1/50.jpg
I will try to find some info about this ship soon.

Regards, BIGpanzer

[Dido]

I did read the previous posts on this class but I did'nt found those details.

[mjbollinger]

KIM
1932 Completed as KIM (STF-BGK)
1934 KIM (BGMP) 15.03.34
1939 KIM (DGMP)
1940 Engine failed; taken in tow by URALMASH 10.40
1965 KIM (DMP)
1970 Removed from DMP roster
1971 Broken up in USSR

KOMSOMOL
1932 Completed as KOMSOMOL (STF-ChGK)
1934 KOMSOMOL (ChGMP) 15.03.34
1936 Scuttled while intercepted by CANARIS in Spanish Civil War 14.12.36

CHELYUSKINETS
1934 Launched as CHELYUSKINETS 04.34
1936 Completed as CHELYUSKINETS (BGMP) 09.36
1939 Severely damaged; towed to Leningrad?
1965 CHELYUSKINETS (BMP)
1970 Broken up in USSR

BELOOSTROV
1937 Completed as AALLOTAR (Finska Ångfartygs A/B)
1944 AALLOTAR (USSR) reparations from continuation war
1945 BELOOSTROV (BGMP) reparations from Finland - replacing ARIADNE
1954 BELOOSTROV (ChGMP)
1965 BELOOSTROV (DMP) managed by Sakhalin office
1975 Broken up at Yamaguchi

MB

[BIGpanzer]

1. Some additional info about "KIM" (Soviet-built cargo ship of "Max Hölz"-type, III series, 10910 t full displacement, was built in 1932 by Leningrad North Yard): http://simvolika-ru.narod.ru/Actions/Im ... p_59_1.jpg (Soviet badge in memory of launched "KIM", 1931)

AFAIK in 1930s the ship was used on cargo routes to USA, Germany and UK from Soviet Black Sea ports (home port - Odessa), so I don't understand why Marty wrote about BGMP (Baltic State Shipping Company), but not ChGMP (Black Sea State Shipping Company). "KIM" together with "Komsomol" came to Odessa in spring 1933 from baltic and were accepted by ChGMP.
Later it was really moved to Far East (DGMP). “KIM” as one of the best cargo ships on Far-Eastern route made the dangerous navigations from USA and Canada to USSR with strategic cargos during the whole WWII, several times avoided the torpedoes and bombs from German and Japanese submarines/torpedobombers.
For many years after WWII (1950s-1960s) “KIM” was used as Soviet civil cargo ship on routes to Japan, Korea, Canada, and South America.

2. "Komsomol" of the same type (also III series), was used by ChGMP. The most famous cargo ship of "Max Hölz"-type in 1930s as it delivered tanks, cars, guns, equipment, ammunition and volunteers to Republican Spain during the Spanish civil war since October 1936.

“Komsomol”, carrying the manganese ore, was sunk by 35 hits from the Spanish heavy cruiser “Canarias” (14 December 1936) in Mediterranean Sea near Algeria during the route from USSR (port Poti, Black Sea) to Denmark (port Gent). All Soviet crew (36 men) with captain G.A. Mezentsev was arrested, tortured, sentenced to death and was in Spanish captivity 9-10 months until liberation, using diplomatic channels. Seven sailors from "Komsomol" were liberated only in 1940. This caused the great international scandal, as "Komsomol" was a civil unarmed cargo ship and made the navigation to Denmark not to Spain. Many patriotic songs about “Komsomol” and special memorable badges appeared in USSR after the sinking of “Komsomol”. Spanish republicans collected money to build a new one.
http://www.sovr.ru/images/collection/nu ... znach1.jpg (memorable badge in honour of "Komsomol").

3. "Chelyuskinets" of the same type (IV series) - completed in 1936.
Circumnavigated the globe before WWII, and made the navigations to Antarctica. In March 1940 (not in 1939!) during the navigation from New York to Leningrad came across with the stone shoal near Tallinn (Baltic Sea) and was broke into two parts by the storm. The bow was found at a distance of seven miles from the stern. Soviet sailors joked that “Cheluskinets” was the longest ship in the world. Both parts of the ship were successfully raised (which was impossible as naval engineers and resque specialists all over the world said, but USSR had the excellent naval resque service on Baltic Sea - EPRON or "Expedition of Underwater Work of Special Purpose", which made this) and repaired (weld together) in Leningrad during the hardest conditions of winter blockade. The ship was completely repaired by spring 1945 for the first peaceful navigation after WWII. “Cheluskinets” was used as civil cargo ship after WWII till late 1960s on Baltic Sea.

4. "Beloostrov" - ex-Finnish "Aallotar". It was built in Denmark by Helsingors Jernskibs-og Maskinbyggeri in 1937 (Marty wrote that by Finska Ångfartygs A/B - no mistake?). 4140 t; 89x13.8 m; 482 t of cargos + 156 passengers; 2326 hp steamengine; 15 knots; 2600 miles; 60 men crew.
Received from Finland in 1945 as reparation of WWII, was used by BGMP, later ChGMP and DGMP (was used till 1970s - the last steamer of DGMP).
Participated in secret operation of Soviet NKVD to deliver Italian physicist Bruno Pontecorvo (who worked in USA, Canada, UK) to USSR for work in nuclear physics. In the beginning of 1950s the famous physicist B. Pontecorvo agreed to work for USSR, came to Finland with his family for vacation to disappear from US/UK secret service and was transported by "Beloostrov" to USSR in great secret.

[Dido]

Thank you both for the information.

"Beloostrov" - ex-Finnish "Aallotar". It was built in Denmark by Helsingors Jernskibs-og Maskinbyggeri in 1937 (Marty wrote that by Finska Ångfartygs A/B - no mistake?).

Finska Ångfartygs A/B was its owner, I think it is translated to Finland Steamship Co.

[mjbollinger]

I'd be curious as to the source of your information on Komsomol being sunk by Canarias. That is the conventional wisdom but I have never seen an authoritative report. The best information I have come from a history of the Soviet fleet operations during the Spanish Civil war written in 1955 by a former member of Sovtorgflot who was involved in the operation. He says that in fact Komsomol was scuttled rather than sunk and presents a very detailed description of the events that day. The subsequent history, regarding the abuse of the crew, is well documented.

Finska Ångfartygs A/B was the owner. The buidler was Helsingörs Jernskibs-og Maskinbyggeri A/S

MB

[mjbollinger]

Thanks, BP, for information on KIM. I did not have the records of it serving in ChGMP in the 1930s. Where is this information from?

Regarding Komsomol, the standard practice for Soviet cargo missions to Spain involved setting destination such as Denmark, and then within a nights sailing of a Spanish harbor, the ship would make a sudden dash and unload its cargo of military aid. Thus, I doubt you can call Komsomol an innocent merchant ship. It was taking arms for the Republican armies in Spain. It was not surprising that a Nationalist cruiser would stop it.

The detailed history of these shipping operations suggests the ship was scuttled (1) to create an incident and (2) avoid detection of contraband cargo.