Photo of Split Harbor, Yugoslavia April 1939

[PT Dockyard]

Here is a great pictute of Split Harbor April 1941. The occasion is the arrival of the destroyer "Beograd."



Can anyone identify any of the small craft in this photo? Lots of fascinating small fry here.

Dave G.
The PT Dockyard

[Michael Emrys]

That's a gorgeous yacht right side middle distance.

Michael

[PT Dockyard]

I believe that may be the "Espalmador", a French built yacht. She became the Italian "Daino" after 1941 and went on to serve in the Kriegsmarine in the Venice Hafenschutzflottille as IV55.

With the names of some of the other small ships ( the two boats under construction, the tug looking one in the middle, the tiny yacht outboard of the two steames to the far left) I could cross reference them in Groener's.
Very likely some of these ended up in Italian and German service.

[Andy H]

Hi

There are 3 'obvious' naval vesels within the port, any details?

Regards

Andy H

[Michael Emrys]

The "tug looking" boat might be a fishing vessel. I'd be interested to know what the framework aft of the deckhouse is for.

Michael

[zmija]

I think the two naval vessels on the right are destroyers Zagreb and Ljubljana.

[Andy H]

The "tug looking" boat might be a fishing vessel. I'd be interested to know what the framework aft of the deckhouse is for.

Michael

Hi Michael

My guess is just a framework for a awning (Canvas tent type thing)

Regards

Andy H

[kgvm]

Dave, are you only guessing the identity of the yacht? In Yugoslav possession there was the "Tiha", the former "Sheelah" of Admiral Beatty, built in 1902 by John Brown, Glasgow. She was slightly larger than the "Espalmador" with 466 tons gross.
But I don't have pictures of any of the two candidates
Nor do I have informations about the fate of "Tiha".

Regards
Klaus Günther

[PT Dockyard]

I have seen pictures of the Espalmador and this ship looks similar. It is also based on the fact the Espalmador was captured in this port in April of 1941.

The other candidate I was thinking was Marconi's yacht the Ellettra.

Regards,
Dave

[kgvm]

No, it's not the "Elettra", there are a lot of pictures showing her, she had the funnel with the bridge just in front of it more in the after part of the ship.
But have a look at the following picture taken in 1938:
http://www.shipspotting.com/modules/mya ... lid=474325
There is - somewhat hidden - the same yacht behind the white steamer. And I don't like the idea that a French yacht was there in 1938 and in 1941, a Yugoslavian one seems more likely. (By the way, I would be happy if you have a picture of "Espalmador" you can send to me - you know my e-mail-address already )
And the two small steamers - of course I'm not sure they are the same as in the picture of 1941 - show the funnel mark of Jadranska Plovidba, so I assume we see two of Jadranska'a passenger ships homeported in Split. I'm trying to narrow down the possible candidates.
As for the ship in the foreground I came across a picture of the Italian "AS 67Cappolletti"", which was the former Yugoslav "Mosor". The form of the deckhouse and the rows of skywindows on the engine room are at least very similar. May be it's this ship or one of her sisters.
Regards
Klaus Günther

[Gabbiano]

According to my photo collection, the yacht ist indeed TIHA (ex-Sheelah). The photo was taken in April of 1939, not 1941, when the destroyer LJUBLJANA (sunk after hitting an rock in the entrance to Sebenico harbour and later raised) was been repaired in the Arsenal of Tivat. Probably the photo was taken during the arrival of new destroyer BEOGRAD from France (as already identified), the destroyers on the right are ZAGREB (nearer to the camera) and LJUBLJANA (not fully completed). On the slips in the foreground there are two financial guard boats, ordered as HAJDUK VELJKO and VOJVODA HRVOJE, but completed as MOSOR and VELEBIT. During the war they served under Italian flag for the Guardia di finanza, VELEBIT was restituted to Yugoslavia in 1943, and served with the new Yugoslav Navy, but MOSOR was scrapped in Italy after the war. The tug in the middle is probably one of the newer RYN tugs, built in Germany in the 1930s. Other ships on the left are probably small coastal steamers, an mystery is the vessel with the raked bow, most Yugoslav passenger steamers were having straight bow.

[Gabbiano]

... and by the way, both SARAJEVO and SUMADIJA were launched on the same day.

[PT Dockyard]

Excellent! Any details as to the wartime careers of MOSOR and VELEBIT?

Dave G.
The PT Dockyard

[Andy H]

Thanks for the update Gabbiano

Regards

Andy H

[Gabbiano]

According to the Yugoslav "Pomorska enciklopedija" ("Maritime Encyclopaedia"), MOSOR and VELEBIT of the Pomorska financijska kontrola (Maritime Financial Guard) were former HAJDUK VELJKO and VOJVODA HRVOJE (76 t, 17 kts, built at Split in 1939/40, launched od 15 and 17 June 1939 respectively), and were captured by the Italians in April of 1941. MOSOR was renamed CAPPELLETTI (AS-67) and VELEBIT became MAZZEI (AS-66). Both were used as anti-submarine vessels with Financial Guard crews (Guardia di Finanza). MAZZEI (ex-VELEBIT alias VOJVODA HRVOJE) was restitued to the Royal Yugoslav Navy (RYN) in exile on Malta on 7 December 1943. Her sister-ship remained in Italy and was scrapped after the war. More details on the careers under the Italian flag should be found by our Italian friends. Few years ago there was an interesting article on vessels of the Financial Guard in "Storia militare", including the captured Yugoslav boats. Yugoslav VELEBIT received after 1945 the tactical number 121 and was used as Border patrol vessel, until scrapped in ???.