June 1918 destroyers/torpedo boats at Vladivostok

[jerryasher]

I have a citation that Japanese warships maneuvered to prevent Russian destroyers from assisting in the defense of Vladivostok from the Czech's in late June 1918. They did not engage but parked or sailed so that the naval personnel could not help to defend. Can any one confirm? What dates --what ships. Many thanks in advance.

[lupodimare89]

Greetings, in last year i searched a bit info on the Far East during the civil war but mostly subsequent years.

First time i read of some kind of naval activity (but we can't really call it a confrontation?) at that point.
There were a number of "destroyers"/torpedo boats in service in 1914 in the Siberian , but most were moved to the Arctic, some were left however the following ships were left, all reportedly captured in harbor by Japanese around 30 June 1918:
"Tochnyy", "Trevozhnyy", "Tvordyy" "Inzhener-mekhanik Anastasov", "Leĭtenant Maleev" , "Bravyy", "Bódryy", "Bóykiy", "Groznyy", "Serdityy", "Skoryy", "Statnyy", "Smelyy"

Possibly there could be some description of events in Soviet literature searching the name of ships, and your citation came from the time when the ships were seized by the Japaneses

[jerryasher]

Thank you lupodimare 89. was there any naval activity during the intervention? I'm still seeking to understand Japanese naval operations, transport of forces to Nickolaevsk-on-Amur, etc. Russian gunboats on the Amur. I have one citation that says Czech leaders in summer of 1918 asked Japan to send a ship--but no confirmation of names to research. Good to know of Japanese securing these destroyers --even if only to keep them locked up.--were other ships captured? Again many thanks.

[lupodimare89]

Thank you lupodimare 89. was there any naval activity during the intervention? I'm still seeking to understand Japanese naval operations, transport of forces to Nickolaevsk-on-Amur, etc. Russian gunboats on the Amur. I have one citation that says Czech leaders in summer of 1918 asked Japan to send a ship--but no confirmation of names to research. Good to know of Japanese securing these destroyers --even if only to keep them locked up.--were other ships captured? Again many thanks.

Greetings again, and it's indeed interesting because it's all very obscure matter even in local russian sources/books and i could only gather few info about it. The most basic element of the naval warfare on the Far East was the repetitive capture/recapture in port of ships, especially the ones of the river flotilla. This is my quote from another reply on this forum:

The Amur Flotilla was actually seized MULTIPLE times (and re-seized): first Japanese seizure occurred in September 1918, then some scuttling by Japs, re-seizure by Soviets in February 1920, re-seizure by Japs in May 1920, FAR own scuttling in December 1921 and Japs re-seizure, followed by final FAR re-seizure on February 1922.

By FAR it's "Far Eastern Republic", that interestingly retained its own nominally indipendent Armed Forces, Navy/Flotilla, flag etc...

This is the brief account of the fragments known of river warfare on this period:

1) On unclear day of May 1920, Far-Eastern Republic gunboat "Mark Varyagin" engaged in Shilka River two steamboats, claiming both damaged. No actual detail or description of the incident.

2) July 1921, minelaying operation by Far-Eastern Republic ships of the Amur Flotilla

3) on Summer 1921 (unclear date), at least two engagements between Far Eastern Republic ships in Sungari River versus unidentified ships with unknown results.

This is literally the most i could find google-translating some old soviet books.

There were however other 3 significant naval warfare episode:
After a pro-White coup in Vladivostok, Japanese/Whites controlled the city and it was formed some guerrilla-partisan units loyal to the Chita goverment (FAR) and obviously the Soviet Russia. Since September 1921, a partisan detachment located in Terney Bay begun a series of sea operations, mostly using few auxiliary ships/tugs escaped from Vladivostok. They captured in action two White-controlled steamers, and the "auxiliary cruiser" Lieutenant Dydymov. However the Whites countered making an assault on the partisan harbor on 13-14 November 1921 capturing or recapturing all the ships: during the attack there were few casualties on both sides, except a group of Korean communists fighting with the partisans that put up a stronger resistance and were killed.
In July 1922 partisans attempted to re-start the campaign, but i think it was cut off early when the Whiters re-attacked the Ternay Bay seizing the only boat left to partisans.

In September 1921 the FAR chartered a British (!!) merchant to secretly deliver weapon supplies to partisans in Kamchatka peninsula, but she was intercepted by White gunboat Batareya and forced to hide in Japenese waters, giving up the cargo to local authorities.

Final episode (and probably most known) is the odyssey of armed yacht "Admiral Zavoyko" of the FAR. She was caught with the news of the Vladivostok's coup while on voyage to deliver weapons and supplies to partisans in Kamchatka (she even visited Komandorski Islands!) and rather than returing to Vladivostok she avoided Whites/Japanese ships and reached Shanghai. She was basically stuck in the harbor, and even read a Soviet report debating to simply sell the ship but she was nominally useful to keep a vessel there "displaying the flag" of the FAR (that was basically a variation of the St.Andrew flag, so not really enjoyed by communist sailors).
There are different reports of the (in)action of the ship, with Soviet sources stating she made lots of propaganda efforts with printing papers etc, while White countered saying they stood idle. Probably truth lie in the middle, because on unclear day of 1922 her sailors were surely active in the sabotage/capture of two White steamers "Astrakhan" and "Erivan": preventing their departure to evacuate Vladivostok.
Interestingly the ship "Admiral Zavoyko" survived the very existance of the Far-Eastern Republic and even the disbanding of the FAR naval forces, before returning to Vladivstok and finally joining the Soviet Navy as Krasnyy vympel (ship still exists and kept as museum-ship).

[jerryasher]

Many thanks Lupodimare 89: Oddly, never picked up on the Admiral Zavoyko before. It's action on November 29th was fascinating. Found a British source that confirms your list of destroyer/torpedo boats at Vladivostok. Again many thanks. Assume your reference to Terney Bay was 13-14 November 1921 not 1941. Many thanks.

[lupodimare89]

Ah yeah ops xd sorry sometimes i write in a rush and my stored material is in my language so may happens some mistake by distraction.
What you found on 29 November? i have a reported attept of Whites attempting taking over the ship on Shangai but not many details.
Also if you find extra reference for 1918-1919 its welcome because i have found very little

[jerryasher]

Have come across a citation that a Russian navy destroyer Boiki was seized at Vladivostok on April 5th by the Japanese. Assume that this is your Boyki, in response #2. Citation indicates four Japanese ships present--2 warships. I assume Iwami and Asahi and two troop ships--totally unknown to me. But collier Seito or Seto is present on April 15th and an unknow Japanese destroyer arrives on the 15th and departs on the 17th.