Pavel Vladimirovich Likhachev Novik-class destroyers in the USSR Navy. Destroyers and torpedo boats Modernization and re-equipment
Here the war began simultaneously, as well as along the entire western border. But here its course was noticeably different from the events in the Baltic.
At 3:15 am on June 22, 1941, German aircraft carried out raids on Sevastopol, Odessa, and Izmail. A number of settlements on the banks of the Danube were subjected to artillery shelling. As in the Baltic, the fleet did not suffer any losses on the first day of the war. The forces of the Hitlerite coalition, deployed southwest of the Soviet border, were in many ways inferior to the Workers 'and Peasants' Red Army, and at sea the superiority of the Black Sea Fleet over "half a dozen Romanian destroyers" was simply overwhelming. Already in the first weeks of the war, the front line advanced tens of kilometers into the interior of Romania. And only in July, under the threat of tank wedges of the German army “hanging” from northwestern Ukraine, the Soviet armies began to retreat to Kyiv and Odessa.
“Noviki” at the beginning of the war constituted the 1st division of destroyers of the Black Sea Fleet. It included: “Nezamozhnik”, “Frunze”, “Zheleznyakov” (formerly “Petrovsky”), “Dzerzhinsky” and “Shaumyan”.
At the beginning of the war, the Nazi fleet did not have ships in the Black Sea. The Romanian fleet consisted of 4 destroyers, 3 destroyers, and one submarine. 3 torpedo boats, 3 gunboats and two minelayers. Almost all the ships of the Romanian fleet were outdated, and the combat readiness of the personnel was very low. Bulgaria declared war on the Soviet Union symbolically, but in reality the Bulgarian troops did not participate in any hostilities.
Already in the first days of the war, the Black Sea Fleet, taking advantage of its absolute superiority, tried to conduct combat operations more decisively. This almost immediately led to disaster when, during the first raid on the Romanian port of Constanta, one of the best ships of the Black Sea Fleet, the leader "Moscow", was blown up and sank on a minefield.
"Shaumyan" on a hike">
On the second day of the war, June 23, the destroyer "Shaumyan", accompanied by a minesweeper, went out to lay mines in the Sulin area, and was attacked by three bombers on the way back. Since the Shaumyan’s anti-aircraft armament consisted only of a single 76.2 mm anti-aircraft gun and a pair of machine guns (the author did not find information about the possible strengthening of the ship’s air defense in the pre-war years), it was only by chance that the bombs fell 60 meters behind the stern of the ship. But even so, the force of the hydraulic shock was enough to cause all three stern 102-mm guns to fail.
The situation on the Southwestern Front began to deteriorate rapidly by the end of July. By August, Soviet troops had abandoned almost the entire western half of Ukraine. The battles took place for Kyiv, for the Dnieper region. On August 10, the troops of the coastal army were cut off from the main forces in the Odessa region. The heroic defense of Odessa began.
To support the Primorsky Army, on August 6, 1941, a detachment of ships of the North-Western region was formed. These included “Unlocked” and “Shaumyan”. From the very first days of the defense of Odessa, the main point of application of forces for both attackers and defenders was the area of the village of Grigoryevka. Possession of it allowed long-range artillery to take the Odessa port under fire and interrupt the transport links of the besieged city. The first attacks on Grigoryevka were repulsed by soldiers of the 1st Marine Regiment, with the support of naval guns. The enemy was driven north with heavy losses.
The situation worsened again with the start of a new assault on Odessa on August 20 by the German-Romanian army. On this day, Ochakov was abandoned, the evacuation of whose garrison on the night of August 21 was covered by "Nezamozhnik". In this regard, on August 22, the Odessa detachment was reinforced by the arriving cruiser "Red Crimea". He was accompanied by the destroyers Frunze and Dzerzhinsky. On the same day, Frunze shelled enemy positions near the villages of Chabanka and Sverdlovka. During it, 140 shells were fired. On August 23, the cruiser Chervona Ukraine arrives in Odessa, immediately adding the “voices” of its 15 130 mm guns to the front-line cannonade. But, despite the huge losses, the Romanian units, after a short respite, resumed the offensive along the entire arc of the defensive positions of the Odessa defensive region. By August 28, the situation began to become dangerous again and required further reinforcement of the detachment of ships in the North-Western region.
On this day, parts of the eastern defense sector are supported by the cruiser Leader, destroyers Smyshlyny, Frunze, Shaumyan and the gunboat Red Georgia under the overall command of Rear Admiral D.D. Vdovichenko.
While conducting a counter-battery fight, the Frunze receives a retaliatory hit from a large-caliber projectile. Despite the surface hole at the junction of the side and deck, the engine room was not damaged. Shrapnel killed one and wounded four sailors, including the ship's commander P.A. Bobrovnikova.
The situation near Odessa continued to become complicated, and to help the garrison of the besieged city, the first large tactical landing during the Great Patriotic War was conceived and carried out. The site of the village of Grigoryevka was chosen as the area for its holding. The leadership of the landing force was entrusted to the squadron commander, Rear Admiral Vladimirsky. Direct command of the detachment of landing ships was exercised by the commander of the cruiser brigade, Captain 1st Rank S.G. Gorshkov. The 3rd Black Sea Marine Regiment (3,000 people) was prepared for the landing, and its loading onto ships began at 7 a.m. on September 21 in the area of the Cossack Bay of Sevastopol. The formation put to sea, heading for Odessa at 13:40.
"Frunze" left Sevastopol at six o'clock in the morning on the same day. On it, Rear Admiral Vladimirsky went to Odessa to coordinate actions with the commander of the Odessa defensive region (OOP). Together with him was the Deputy Chief of Staff of the OOP, Captain 1st Rank S.N. Ivanov, who had all the staff documentation for the landing operation.
The destroyer "Frunze" goes to sea">
The death of the destroyer "Frunze".">
At 14:00, while in the area of the Tendrovskaya Spit, the signalmen discovered and then identified the burning gunboat "Red Armenia". Having come to the aid of the ship, which had already been hit by an air bomb, the destroyer repelled a repeated attack by a German bomber, and lowering the boat, began rescuing people floating in the water. But almost immediately the rescue work had to be interrupted due to the outbreak of a new raid. The destroyer, picking up speed, turned sharply into the sea and went in a zigzag, dodging the bombs of nine bombers.
Despite fierce anti-aircraft fire and maneuvering, one of the German dive bombers managed to hit the destroyer's forecastle area. The navigation bridge was partially destroyed, on which many died or were wounded, including Rear Admiral Vladimirsky and the ship’s commander V.N. Eroshenko. After dressing, the latter personally took the helm, replacing the incapacitated helmsman.
The ship's air defenses quickly weakened, and the dive bomber attacks continued. The next bomb hit the stern of the destroyer near the fourth gun. The ship shook violently, and then it abruptly began to sink with its stern. The right engine, engine telegraph and steering were out of order. "Frunze" slowly described the circulation.
In the engine and tiller rooms, in the aft cockpit, emergency crews fought fiercely for their lives and the life of their ship. With enormous difficulty they managed to put the right machine into operation.
But as soon as the team managed to bring the destroyer to a shallow place in the Tendrovskaya Spit area, another raid began. The Frunze, which had almost run out of ammunition for anti-aircraft guns, received further damage and ran ashore. The same fate befell the tug OP-2 that approached it. Some of the sailors reached the Tendrovskaya Spit by swimming, others, who remained on the half-sunken OP-2, were picked up by a torpedo boat at 17:30. 110 people from the Frunze team were saved, about 50 died.
The entire unequal duel lasted about two hours. Further management of the operation was entrusted to Captain 1st Rank S.G. Gorshkov.
But. Despite everything. on the night of September 22, the landing ships arrived safely in the designated area. On the morning of September 22, troops of the Odessa defensive region, with the support of naval artillery, went on the offensive in the eastern sector. The combined strike of ground forces, aviation and amphibious assault ended in the defeat of two enemy infantry divisions. The enemy lost about 6 thousand soldiers and officers and left a bridgehead from which they fired at the city and the nearest fairways. Ships and vessels were able to enter and leave the port without fear of targeted artillery fire.
The defense of Odessa stabilized until the evacuation of the city, carried out in the first half of October 1941. During the period October 1-15, 1941, up to 80 thousand soldiers and commanders of the Primorsky Army and the Odessa Naval Base, 15 thousand residents, and a large amount of military equipment and cargo were evacuated from Odessa by ship. "Noviks" - Black Sea residents during this period actively participated in convoy operations.
In the south of the country, the defense of Odessa continued with the defense of Sevastopol. As a result of the heroism and duration of the defense of Sevastopol, unparalleled in history, a group of three hundred thousand of the fascist army was tied up for eight months.
For the defense of the city, a permanent naval artillery support detachment was created, which included the cruisers "Chervopa Ukraine", "Red Crimea", "Red Caucasus", the destroyers "Bodriy", "Nezamozhnik", "Shaumyan", "Zheleznyakov" and "Dzerzhinsky" . The detachment was headed by the chief of staff of the squadron, Captain 1st Rank V.A. Andreev.
In the last days of 1941, in the days when Sevastopol repelled the December assault by the forces of the Red Army and the Red Army in the period from December 26, 1941 to January 2, 1942, the Kerch-Feodosia landing operation was carried out - one of the largest naval landing operations of the Great Patriotic War. Its goal was the liberation of the Kerch Peninsula and the creation of a springboard for the action of our troops to lift the blockade of Sevastopol and liberate Crimea. The main landing point was the Feodosia port, whose berths allowed the mooring of warships with troops and heavy equipment. Captain 1st Rank N.E. was appointed commander of the landing detachment. Bass.
On the evening of December 28, a naval support detachment under the command of Captain 1st Rank V.A. left Novorossiysk. Andreev, consisting of the cruisers "Red Caucasus" and "Red Crimea", the destroyers "Shaumyan", "Nezamozhnik" and "Zheleznyakov" with the transport "Kuban", on board which was an advanced landing detachment consisting of more than 5,000 soldiers.
On December 29, at 3:00 a.m., the naval support detachment approached Feodosia and formed a wake column. The destroyer "Shaumyan" was leading the way. After 40 minutes, the ships set on a combat course and, reducing speed to 6 knots, opened fire on the port of Feodosia and the village of Sarygol. The destroyers "Zheleznyakov" and "Shaumyan" fired illumination shells at the port and enemy defense centers. At 4:40 a.m., the Shaumyan (330 paratroopers) was the first of the large ships to enter the Feodosia port. Following him, “Zheleznyakov” (287 paratroopers) and “Nezamozhnik” (289 paratroopers) entered the harbor. “Shaumyan”, under enemy fire, approached the Broad Pier and began landing troops, which lasted only 20 minutes. At the same time, the destroyer fired at enemy firing points. The mainmast on it was shot down by an enemy shell. After the landing, "Shaumyan" went to the roadstead and from there continued to fire at enemy batteries.
Commander of the destroyer "Frunze" captain-lieutenant submarine. Bobrovnikov">
The destroyer Nezamozhnik also came under heavy enemy fire when entering the harbor. In an effort to get the ship out of the fire, the commander of the destroyer, when approaching the pier, ordered to increase speed, and the ship hit the wall with its bow, severely damaging the stem above the waterline. On the initiative of the boatswain, midshipman A.G. Egorov's landing force landed directly from the forecastle in just 16 minutes. Then the “Nezamozhnik” went to the outer roadstead and at 9:15 a.m. received orders to proceed to Novorossiysk. On the “Zheleznyakov”, seven sailors died during the landing operation when a mortar shell exploded in the ship’s wardroom. The first landing was completed by 11:30 a.m. on December 19, 1941. During the landing, the destroyer "Shaumyan" expended 168 shells, "Zheleznyakov" 151, "Nezamozhnik" 168.
On January 25, 1942, "Shaumyan" and "Zheleznyakov" took part in a landing operation in the area of the village of Sudak. 1942 was coming - the year of the most stubborn struggle and the heaviest losses in all the years of the war. And yet, on the entire huge front, from the Arctic Ocean to the Black Sea, there were three of the most terrible, bloodiest places of battle in all four years of the war: near Leningrad, near Kharkov... And in the Crimea!
The second defense of Sevastopol became as much a page of Russia’s glory as the first defense. But, as the classic of Marxism-Leninism wrote: “the bravest, most devoted fighters will be defeated if they are poorly armed.” In the first half of 1942, German aviation was able to operate on the sea communications of Sevastopol so effectively that every flight to the besieged city turned into a game with death. Unlike Leningrad, Sevastopol was unable to maintain its “Road of Life”. The fortress slowly faded away due to lack of gasoline, shells and food.
At this time, from January to June 1942, our fleet veterans made a total of 15 voyages to besieged Sevastopol. Each such flight was not just a military campaign, but a breakthrough through enemy minefields under the constant threat of attack from submarines, torpedo boats, and aircraft. "Noviki", along with other ships, time after time came out to provide artillery support to the troops of the Sevastopol defensive region. On April 3, 1942, the Shaumyan was lost as a result of a navigation error.
On April 17, 1942, the Dzerzhinsky and the cruiser Komintern took part in escorting a small convoy from Batumi to Tuapse. The 240th Fighter Aviation Brigade was accepted “with its property” aboard the Comintern and delivered to its destination, as was a tanker with fuel, which is priceless these days. The fighters, apparently, were heading to the front “on their own” (3).
On May 13, the hour of the destroyer "Dzerzhinsky" came. He participated in the transfer of troops of the Primorsky Army from Novorossiysk to the burning Sevastopol, heading there in a group with the cruiser "Red Crimea" and the destroyer "Nezamozhnik". "Dzerzhinsky" was blown up by a mine and sank in 12 hours 27 minutes. In August of the same 1942, the repaired "Nezamozhnik" again took part in the evacuation, this time of Novorossiysk.
After the fall of Crimea and Sevastopol, the front approached the very borders of Georgia, stopping only at Tuapse and the snow-covered high mountain passes of the Caucasus. Squeezed by the war into the south-eastern corner of the Black Sea, suffering serious losses. The Black Sea Fleet finds itself in a position similar to that of the Baltic Fleet, almost similarly locked in the eastern part of the Gulf of Finland. In September 1942, the fleet launched naval artillery strikes against enemy troop bases in Yalta and Feodosia. "Zheleznyakov" and "Nezamozhnik" again took part in these actions. So, for example, to destroy enemy watercraft in the port of Feodosia on October 13, the destroyer "Nezamozhnik" and the patrol ship "Shkval" left Poti. At 1:42 a.m. on October 14, ships from 57 cables opened fire. Having expended 151 shells on the ships, several explosions and fires were noticed on the shore. The ships fired at the Feodosia port again on December 20, 1942.
Until the decisive turning point in the Great Patriotic War, only light naval forces go to sea.
On February 4, 1943, the Noviki supported a diversionary landing in the South Ozereyka area. The battles on “Malaya Zemlya” near Novorossiysk had already taken place without them - the completely outdated and worn-out Black Sea “noviki” had not been participating in hostilities since the beginning of 1943. They were neither near Novorossiysk in 1943, nor off the Crimean coast in May 1944. In general, after a mediocre raid operation that ended on October 6, 1943 with the death of the three best ships of the Black Sea Fleet led by the leader "Kharkov", until the very end of the war, the actions of Soviet large surface ships in the Black Sea were characterized by extreme passivity. Even in May 1944, during the liberation of Crimea, despite complete superiority over the enemy in all branches of the military. The headquarters does not dare to use the fleet.
At the same time, the commander of the Black Sea Fleet, Admiral Oktyabrsky, made a last attempt to use ships of the size “slightly larger than a torpedo boat” off Chersonesus: on May 9, 1944, the cruiser “Red Crimea” was transferred from Batumi to Poti, as well as the destroyers “Nezamozhnik” and “Zheleznyakov” . Obviously, the admiral believed that he would be allowed to risk at least the old ships, but this did not happen either. Headquarters, promising to order large surface ships to act, clearly hesitated in making a decision.
This was the end of the war for the “newcomers” of the Black Sea coast. And three months later, the war itself on the Black Sea ended. Within literally ten weeks, Germany lost control over Romania, Bulgaria, Greece and partially over Hungary and Yugoslavia. Combined with the Allied landing in Normandy, the withdrawal of Finland from the war and the liberation of Belarus, Germany’s defeat in the war became obvious to the whole world.
Material from Wikipedia - the free encyclopedia
| "Gesso" from February 5, 1925 "Shaumyan" | |
|---|---|
Destroyer "Shaumyan" (formerly "Levkas") | |
| Service: | USSR USSR |
| Vessel class and type | Destroyer |
| Organization | USSR Navy |
| Manufacturer | "Naval" |
| Construction has started | May, 23rd |
| Launched | October 10 |
| Commissioned | December 10 |
| Status | died on April 3 (attack by German aircraft) |
| Main characteristics | |
| Displacement | 1326 (normal), 1580 (full). After upgrade: ?/1760 (normal/full) |
| Length | 93.26 (at commissioning) |
| Width | 9,07 |
| Draft | 3,2 |
| Engines | 2 Parsons steam turbines, 5 Thornycroft boilers in 3 boiler rooms |
| Power | 29,000 l. With. (contract) |
| Mover | 2 |
| Travel speed | 36.3 knots (during acceptance tests) |
| Cruising range | 2130 miles at 18 knots |
| Crew | 136 people, including 9 officers |
| Armament | |
| Artillery | 4x1 102 mm/60 guns (600 rounds of ammunition) |
| Flak | from the late 1920s - 2 76 mm Lander guns Since the late 1930s - 4 12.7 mm DShK machine guns |
| Mine and torpedo weapons | 4x3 457-mm torpedoes of the 1913 model (14 torpedoes of the 1910 model or 45-12), 80 mines of the 1908 or 1912 model |
« gesso", since January 1919 "Ivan Sirko", from February 5, 1925, “Shaumyan” was a Fidonisi-class destroyer, which belonged to the Novik-class destroyers.
Service history
In 1923-1925, the ship was completed in Nikolaev at the plant named after. A. Marty; On December 12, 1925, he joined the Black Sea Naval Forces (MSFM). In May-June 1928, "Shaumyan" made a visit to Constantinople. In October 1930, the destroyer made a return visit to Istanbul and also visited the Mediterranean ports of Piraeus and Messina. From October 5 to July 16, 1930 and in 1935, the ship underwent major repairs.
After the end of World War II, the remains of the ship were almost completely raised and dismantled for metal.
Ship commanders
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Excerpt characterizing Levkas (destroyer)
“After all, this is our Tikhon,” said the esaul.- He! they are!
“What a rogue,” Denisov said.
- He will go away! - Esaul said, narrowing his eyes.
The man they called Tikhon, running up to the river, splashed into it so that splashes flew, and, hiding for a moment, all black from the water, he got out on all fours and ran on. The French running after him stopped.
“Well, he’s clever,” said the esaul.
- What a beast! – Denisov said with the same expression of annoyance. - And what has he been doing so far?
- Who is this? – Petya asked.
- This is our plastun. I sent him to take the tongue.
“Oh, yes,” Petya said from Denisov’s first word, nodding his head as if he understood everything, although he absolutely did not understand a single word.
Tikhon Shcherbaty was one of the most necessary people in the party. He was a man from Pokrovskoye near Gzhat. When, at the beginning of his actions, Denisov came to Pokrovskoye and, as always, calling the headman, asked what they knew about the French, the headman answered, as all the headmen answered, as if defending themselves, that they didn’t know anything, to know they don't know. But when Denisov explained to them that his goal was to beat the French, and when he asked if the French had wandered in, the headman said that there were definitely marauders, but that in their village only one Tishka Shcherbaty was involved in these matters. Denisov ordered Tikhon to be called to him and, praising him for his activities, said a few words in front of the headman about the loyalty to the Tsar and the Fatherland and the hatred of the French that the sons of the Fatherland should observe.
“We don’t do anything bad to the French,” said Tikhon, apparently timid at Denisov’s words. “That’s the only way we fooled around with the guys.” They must have beaten about two dozen Miroders, otherwise we didn’t do anything bad... - The next day, when Denisov, completely forgetting about this guy, left Pokrovsky, he was informed that Tikhon had attached himself to the party and asked to be left with it. Denisov ordered to leave him.
Tikhon, who at first corrected the menial work of laying fires, delivering water, skinning horses, etc., soon showed greater willingness and ability for guerrilla warfare. He went out at night to hunt for prey and each time brought with him French clothes and weapons, and when he was ordered, he also brought prisoners. Denisov dismissed Tikhon from work, began to take him with him on travels and enrolled him in the Cossacks.
Tikhon did not like to ride and always walked, never falling behind the cavalry. His weapons were a blunderbuss, which he wore more for fun, a pike and an ax, which he wielded like a wolf wields his teeth, equally easily picking out fleas from his fur and biting through thick bones. Tikhon equally faithfully, with all his might, split logs with an ax and, taking the ax by the butt, used it to cut out thin pegs and cut out spoons. In Denisov's party, Tikhon occupied his special, exclusive place. When it was necessary to do something especially difficult and disgusting - turn a cart over in the mud with your shoulder, pull a horse out of a swamp by the tail, skin it, climb into the very middle of the French, walk fifty miles a day - everyone pointed, laughing, at Tikhon.
“What the hell is he doing, you big gelding,” they said about him.
Once, the Frenchman whom Tikhon was taking shot at him with a pistol and hit him in the flesh of his back. This wound, for which Tikhon was treated only with vodka, internally and externally, was the subject of the funniest jokes in the entire detachment and jokes to which Tikhon willingly succumbed.
- What, brother, won’t you? Is Ali crooked? - the Cossacks laughed at him, and Tikhon, deliberately crouching and making faces, pretending that he was angry, scolded the French with the most ridiculous curses. This incident had only the influence on Tikhon that after his wound he rarely brought prisoners.
Tikhon was the most useful and brave man in the party. No one else discovered cases of attack, no one else took him and beat the French; and as a result of this, he was the jester of all the Cossacks and hussars and he himself willingly succumbed to this rank. Now Tikhon was sent by Denisov, at night, to Shamshevo in order to take the tongue. But, either because he was not satisfied with just the Frenchman, or because he slept through the night, during the day he climbed into the bushes, into the very middle of the French and, as Denisov saw from Mount Denisov, was discovered by them.
After talking a little more time with the esaul about tomorrow's attack, which now, looking at the proximity of the French, Denisov seemed to have finally decided, he turned his horse and rode back.
“Well, damn, now let’s go dry off,” he said to Petya.
Approaching the forest guardhouse, Denisov stopped, peering into the forest. Through the forest, between the trees, a man in a jacket, bast shoes and a Kazan hat, with a gun over his shoulder and an ax in his belt, walked with long, light steps on long legs, with long, dangling arms. Seeing Denisov, this man hastily threw something into the bush and, taking off his wet hat with its drooping brim, approached the boss. It was Tikhon. His face, pitted with smallpox and wrinkles, with small, narrow eyes, shone with self-satisfied gaiety. He raised his head high and, as if holding back laughter, stared at Denisov.
“Well, where did it fall?” Denisov said.
- Where had you been? “I followed the French,” Tikhon answered boldly and hastily in a hoarse but melodious bass.
- Why did you climb during the day? Cattle! Well, didn't you take it?..
“I took it,” said Tikhon.
- Where is he?
“Yes, I took him first at dawn,” Tikhon continued, moving his flat legs turned out wider in his bast shoes, “and took him into the forest.” I see it's not okay. I think, let me go and get another more careful one.
6.3. The “newcomers” of the Black Sea coast are fighting
Military operations in the Black Sea began on June 22, 1941. At 3:15 a.m., German aircraft carried out a raid on the main base of the Black Sea Fleet, Sevastopol, and the cities of Odessa and Izmail. At the same time, populated areas and ports on the Danube came under artillery fire.
By the beginning of the war, the Nazis did not have their own fleet on the Black Sea and hoped to use the Romanian one, which had 4 destroyers, 3 destroyers, 1 submarine, 3 torpedo boats, 3 gunboats, 2 minelayers and auxiliary ships 377.
The Soviet Black Sea Fleet (commanded by Vice Admiral F.S. Oktyabrsky) at the beginning of the war consisted of 1 battleship, 6 cruisers, 3 leaders, 14 destroyers, 47 submarines, 4 gunboats, 2 patrol ships, 1 minelayer, 15 minesweepers, 84 torpedo boats, 10 hunting boats and auxiliary vessels 378.
The Black Sea Fleet squadron included five “noviki” that were part of the 1st division of destroyers: “Nezamozhnik”, “Frunze”, “Zheleznyakov” (formerly “Petrovsky”), “Dzerzhinsky”, “Shaumyan”.
Already on July 23, 1941, the destroyer “Shaumyan” and the minesweeper “TShch-27” were laying a minefield in the Sulin area. They set it to 70 minutes. On the way back to the Shaumyan base, it was attacked by three enemy bombers. The bombs fell behind the stern at a distance of 60 m. Due to the shock of their explosion, three stern guns were disabled.
On August 10, 1941, German-Romanian troops reached the approaches to Odessa and cut it off from land. The enemy had a significant advantage in manpower and equipment. However, the Nazis failed to take the city straight away. The courageous defenders of Odessa - soldiers of the Primorsky Army, Black Sea sailors, residents of the heroic city - put up stubborn resistance to the enemy.
To support the Primorsky Army, by order of the People's Commissar of the Navy on August 6, 1941, a special detachment of ships of the northwestern region was formed, which, among other ships, included the destroyers Nezamozhnik and Shaumyan. With the fire of their four-inch guns, they supported the defense line of the 1st Marine Regiment near the village of Grigoryevka, where enemy units were rushing. Midshipman G.D. Yurin skillfully adjusted the Shaumyan’s fire. The enemy was forced to retreat to the north; the ships' artillery knocked out 12 enemy tanks 379.
Beginning on August 13, for two weeks, the ships of the support detachment alternately fired at the enemy from the sea. The “combat log” of the destroyer “Nezamozhnik” testifies:
"25-th of August.14 h 40 min. They fired at the enemy concentration at the Ilyichevka state farm. The enemy is scattered.
10 hours 43 minutes They fired at enemy firing points and concentrations of troops on the northeastern outskirts of Ilyichevka. The enemy retreated to new positions.
On August 25 and 26 alone, 616 high-explosive shells were fired at the enemy.
20 h 00 min. Fire at an enemy mortar battery in the area of the front line near the Ilyichevka state farm. The battery is destroyed.
19 hours 20 minutes Fire at artillery and mortar batteries and enemy personnel in the area of the front line near Ilyichevka. The enemy's batteries have been suppressed" 380.
On August 22, the cruiser “Red Crimea” and the destroyers “Frunze” and “Dzerzhinsky” arrived in Odessa from Sevastopol to support the city’s defenders with artillery fire. On the same day, the destroyer Frunze (commander - Lieutenant Commander P. A. Bobrovnikov) received orders to fire at the enemy in the area of the villages of Sverdlovka and Chebanka near Odessa. The destroyer completed this task, despite active opposition from enemy coastal batteries. 140 shells were fired at the location of enemy troops.
On August 28, the cruiser "Chervona Ukraine", the leader "Tashkent", the destroyers "Smyshlyny", "Frunze", "Shaumyan" and the gunboat "Red Georgia" supported parts of the eastern defense sector of Odessa with artillery fire in the area of the villages of Ilyinka, Chebanka, New Dofinovka , Gildendorf. The ships under the command of Rear Admiral D. D. Vdovichenko successfully completed the task assigned to them. With well-aimed fire they silenced the enemy battery that was shelling Odessa. Skillfully maneuvering and hiding behind smoke screens, the destroyer Frunze conducted a counter-battery fight against enemy artillery. One heavy shell hit the ship, causing a hole to form at the junction of the side and deck in the area of the engine room. The mechanisms were not damaged. The sailors quickly repaired the hole. One sailor was killed and four were wounded by shell fragments, including the ship's commander P. A. Bobrovnikov, who did not leave the bridge until the end of the operation.
The situation near Odessa became increasingly complicated. To help the besieged troops, the fleet command decided on the night of September 22 to land an amphibious assault force consisting of a marine regiment behind enemy lines in the area of the village of Grigoryevka. The operation was led by the squadron commander, Rear Admiral L. A. Vladimirsky. The landing was entrusted to a detachment of ships, which included the cruisers "Red Caucasus" (under the flag of the landing commander) and "Red Crimea", destroyers "Boikiy", "Impeccable" and "Frunze". Command of the detachment was entrusted to the commander of the cruiser brigade, Captain 1st Rank S. G. Gorshkov.
Early in the morning of September 21, the squadron commander left Sevastopol on the destroyer Frunze to coordinate with the commander of the Odessa defensive region a plan for interaction during the landing. At 14:00, while in the Tendrovskaya Spit area, the Frunze signalmen discovered the burning gunboat “Red Armenia”. It was hit by an enemy bomb. The destroyer quickly approached the ship in distress, opening fire simultaneously from guns of all calibers at the aircraft, which was setting from the direction of the sun for a second attack. Having repelled the attack of a fascist bomber, the sailors of the destroyer "Frunze" lowered the boat and began rescuing people floating not far from the gunboat. At that moment, nine Junkers flew onto the ship. The destroyer turned sharply into the sea and increased speed. But enemy planes caught up with him and began bombing him. The anti-aircraft gunners under the command of midshipman Boyko returned fire. The commander of the destroyer V.N. Eroshenko barely had time to issue commands so that the ship could dodge bombs. The fourth dive bomber managed to drop its deadly cargo alongside the ship's forecastle. The blast wave and a hail of fragments destroyed part of the navigation bridge. The ship's commissar and battalion commissar D.S. Zolkin were killed, and almost everyone in the wheelhouse, including Rear Admiral L.A. Vladimirsky, the ship's commander and his assistant, was wounded. Despite the injury, the ship's commander himself stood at the steering wheel.
The dive bomber attacks followed one after another. Another bomb hit the deck of the destroyer near the fourth gun. The ship was shaken violently once again, and it suddenly sank stern into the water. The right engine, engine telegraph and steering were out of order. The destroyer "Frunze" began to slowly describe the circulation. In the engine and tiller rooms, in the aft cockpit, emergency crews, choking from smoke and steam, fought for the life of the ship. With enormous difficulty they managed to put the right machine into operation.
And again the raid. Nine more fascist vultures attacked the wounded ship, which had already completely expended its anti-aircraft gun ammunition. But the team managed to bring the destroyer to a shallow place in the Tendrovskaya Spit area. As soon as the heroic destroyer touched the ground, the tugboat "OP-2" approached it. At the same moment, bomb explosions were heard. One of them exploded in the stern of the tug. It began to sink into the water, and then, tilting to the left side, lay down on the ground. Some of the sailors reached the Tendrovskaya Spit by swimming; those remaining on the half-sunken “OP-2” were removed at 17:30 by a torpedo boat. 110 people from the Frunze team were saved, about 50 died.
The unequal battle with the enemy lasted about 2 hours, the ship’s crew behaved bravely, no one disgraced the revolutionary traditions of the “new” destroyers of the Black Sea Fleet.
Further leadership of the operation was entrusted to Captain 1st Rank S.G. Gorshkov.
On the night of September 22, the ships arrived safely in the designated area. Cruisers and destroyers opened fire on enemy positions, and after this, longboats and boats with landing troops headed towards the shore. Almost simultaneously, a detachment of paratroopers - 23 naval sailors, led by Sergeant Major A. Kuznetsov - was dropped behind enemy lines.
Half an hour later, the first units of paratroopers reached the shore and immediately entered the battle. They liberated Grigoryevka and cleared the way for the rest of the paratroopers.
The enemy put up strong resistance, using Yu-87 dive bombers that had just been transferred to the Black Sea theater from the Mediterranean Sea. The main targets of their attacks were the destroyers Boykiy, Besposhchadny and Bezuprechny. The ships, despite the attacks of enemy aircraft, fired crushingly at enemy positions.
On the morning of September 22, troops of the Odessa defensive region went on the offensive in the eastern sector. The combined strike of ground forces, aviation and amphibious assault ended in the defeat of two enemy infantry divisions.
The enemy lost about 6 thousand soldiers and officers killed, wounded and captured and abandoned the bridgehead from which they fired at the city and the nearest fairways. Ships and vessels were able to enter and leave the port without fear of targeted artillery fire.
The defense of Odessa, during which the enemy lost 160 thousand soldiers and officers, a huge amount of weapons and military equipment, lasted 73 days, but the enemy was unable to defeat the besieged garrison.
On September 30, 1941, in connection with the threat of losing the Crimean Peninsula, and consequently the main base of the Black Sea Fleet - Sevastopol, the Headquarters of the Supreme High Command decided to evacuate the troops of the Odessa defensive region and strengthen the defense of the Crimean Peninsula with them 381.
The evacuation took place from October 1 to October 15. Ships with troops and cargo on board were sent to Sevastopol. The operation was carried out secretly, the strictest camouflage of transports and ships was observed during sea crossings and in the base.
The destroyers Nezamozhnik, Shaumyan, and Dzerzhinsky took part in transporting troops by sea and guarding convoys along with other ships of the squadron. During the period 1–15 October 1941, up to 80 thousand soldiers and commanders of the Primorsky Army and the Odessa Naval Base, 15 thousand residents, a large amount of military equipment and cargo were evacuated from Odessa.
The 250-day defense of Sevastopol in 1941-1942 was a bright page in the military chronicle of the USSR Navy. As a result of the epic defense of Sevastopol, unparalleled in history in terms of heroism and duration, the enemy group of three hundred thousand was tied up for eight months, which was unable to join the offensive in the south. The headquarters of the Supreme High Command, in a telegram to the defenders of Sevastopol dated June 12, 1942, gave the following assessment of the actions of the forces defending Sevastopol: “The selfless struggle of the Sevastopol residents serves as an example of heroism for the entire Red Army and the Soviet people” 382.
The ships of the Black Sea Fleet made a significant contribution to the defense of the heroic city. For the defense of the city, a permanent naval artillery support detachment was created, which included the cruisers "Chervona Ukraine", "Red Crimea", "Red Caucasus", the destroyers "Bodriy", "Nezamozhnik", "Shaumyan", "Zheleznyakov" and "Dzerzhinsky" . The detachment was headed by the chief of staff of the squadron, captain 1st rank V. A. Andreev, and the head of the political department of the squadron, regimental commissar P. V. Spiryakov.
In the December days of 1941, when the enemy was especially stubbornly striving for Sevastopol, the Kerch-Feodosia landing operation was carried out - one of the largest amphibious landing operations of the Great Patriotic War. It began on December 26 and lasted until January 2, 1942. Its goal was the liberation of the Kerch Peninsula and the creation of a springboard for the action of our troops to lift the blockade of Sevastopol and liberate Crimea. The main landing point was the Feodosia port, whose berths allowed the mooring of warships with troops and heavy equipment. Captain 1st Rank N. E. Basisty was appointed commander of the landing detachment, and Brigade Commissar N. M. Forbitnik was appointed military commissar.
On the evening of December 28, a naval support detachment under the command of Captain 1st Rank V. A. Andreev, consisting of the cruisers "Red Caucasus" and "Red Crimea", destroyers "Shaumyan", "Nezamozhnik" and "Zheleznyakov" with the transport "Kuban" left Novorossiysk , on board of which there was an advanced landing detachment consisting of more than 5 thousand soldiers.
At 3 a.m. on December 29, the naval support detachment approached Feodosia and formed a wake column. The destroyer “Shaumyan” was leading the way. After 40 minutes, the ships set on a combat course and, reducing speed to 6 knots, opened fire on the port of Feodosia and the village of Sarygol. The destroyers Zheleznyakov and Shaumyan fired illumination shells at the port and enemy defense centers. After the first attacks by the ships, the enemy pulled up significant forces to the port and began fire resistance. Soviet boats rushed to the port. The first to break into Feodosia harbor was the boat “SKA-0131” (commander A.D. Kokarev). Under fire from enemy machine gunners, an assault group of sailors landed from the boat onto the protective pier. She captured the entrance lighthouse and two anti-tank guns, turning their fire against the Nazis. Assault groups from other boats fought to occupy the berths, providing entry to the port for large ships carrying the vanguard of the landing party.
At 4:40 a.m., the Shaumyan was the first of the large ships to enter the Feodosia port. Following him, “Zheleznyakov” and “Nezamozhnik” entered the harbor. “Shaumyan”, under enemy fire, approached the Broad Pier and began landing, which lasted only 20 minutes. At the same time, the destroyer fired at enemy firing points. The mainmast on it was shot down by an enemy shell. After the landing, “Shaumyan” went to the raid and from there continued to fire at enemy batteries.
The destroyer "Nezamozhnik" came under heavy enemy fire upon entering the harbor. In an effort to get the ship out of the fire, the commander of the destroyer, when approaching the pier, ordered to increase speed, and the ship hit the wall with its bow, severely damaging the stem above the waterline. On the initiative of the boatswain, midshipman A.G. Egorov, the landing force landed directly from the forecastle in just 16 minutes. Then “Nezamozhnik” went to the outer roadstead and at 9:15 am received orders to proceed to Novorossiysk.
At 5:40 a.m. on December 29, the destroyer Zheleznyakov approached the wall in the southern part of the harbor and began landing troops. After 20 minutes it was finished. As they approached the pier, an enemy mine exploded in the ship's wardroom, the fragments of which killed seven sailors. After the landing, “Zheleznyakov” also retreated to the roadstead.
The cruiser "Red Crimea", having dropped anchor in a roadstead 2 cables away from the Shirokiy Mole, under intense enemy fire, landed troops with the help of four longboats, six patrol boats and the minesweeper "TSH-14".
By 11:30 a.m. the first landing force had landed. In total, the warships of the naval support detachment landed more than 4,500 people, including the destroyers “Shaumyan” 330, “Nezamozhnik” 289, “Zheleznyakov” 287 people. During the landing, the destroyer “Shaumyan” expended 168 shells, “Zheleznyakov” 151, “Nezamozhnik” 168.
Thanks to the excellent landing of troops in Feodosia, the overall success of the entire landing operation with the goal of capturing the Kerch Peninsula was ensured. In connection with the general offensive of the Caucasian Front on the Crimean Peninsula scheduled for the morning of January 16, 1942, it was decided to conduct a tactical landing operation in the area of the village of Sudak in order to capture the Sudak Valley and cut the roads connecting Sudak with Alushta and Old Crimea 383. Two Black Sea “noviks” took part in the landing: “Zheleznyakov” (as part of the support detachment) and “Shaumyan” (as part of the landing detachment). The operation was performed on January 25.
During the defense of Sevastopol, the crews of the squadron ships immediately after the battle sought to repair them on their own in order to defeat the enemy again. The initiators of this initiative were the communists and Komsomol members of the destroyers “Dzerzhinsky”, “Nezamozhnik” and “Shaumyan”.
The heroic defense of Sevastopol required a continuous supply of ammunition, weapons, food, fuel, and medicine to its defenders. It was necessary to evacuate the wounded, civilians, and material assets from the besieged city, and replenish the ranks of its defenders with new fighters. This hard military work fell on the warships and transports of the Black Sea Fleet. The destroyers “Nezamozhnik”, “Dzerzhinsky”, “Shaumyan”, “Zheleznyakov” regularly guarded ships en route to Sevastopol. They not only accompanied the transports, but also transported troops, ammunition, and weapons. From January to June 1942, these fleet veterans made a total of 15 voyages to Sevastopol. Each such flight was not just a military campaign, but a breakthrough through enemy minefields under the constant threat of attack from submarines, torpedo boats, and aircraft.
On March 18, the cruiser "Red Crimea" and the destroyer "Nezamozhnik", guarding the tankers "Sergo" and "Peredovik" on the transition from Poti to Sevastopol, were attacked eight times by enemy aircraft, which dropped 41 bombs and one torpedo on the ships; they did not achieve their goal. Enemy attacks were repelled by naval anti-aircraft artillery and naval aviation covering the ships. This time, 3,400 tons of fuel oil, 1,825 tons of gasoline, 39 tons of motor oil, more than 160 tons of ammunition and 27 tons of various foodstuffs were delivered to the heroic city.
In the first six months of 1942, Black Sea “novik” destroyers provided artillery support to the troops of the Sevastopol defensive region 13 times. In April, the destroyer Shaumyan was lost. On May 13, 1942, the destroyer Dzerzhinsky was lost. He, together with “Red Crimea” and “Nezamozhnik”, transported soldiers of the Primorsky Army from Novorossiysk to Sevastopol. At 12:27 p.m. the ship hit a mine and sank. The Noviki destroyers Zheleznyakov and Nezamozhnik remain in service with the Black Sea Fleet.
At the beginning of August 1942, there was a threat of a breakthrough by fascist German troops in the Novorossiysk direction. In this regard, the ships of the Black Sea Fleet began the evacuation of Novorossiysk. Over the course of a month, “Red Crimea” and “Nezamozhnik” transported more than 10 thousand people and over 1000 tons of cargo to Tuapse.
In September 1942, the People's Commissar of the Navy ordered to intensify naval artillery strikes against enemy troop bases in Yalta and Feodosia. The destroyers Zheleznyakov and Nezamozhnik took an active part in these actions. For example, on October 13, the destroyer Nezamozhnik and the patrol ship Shkval left Poti to destroy enemy watercraft in the port of Feodosia. At 1:42 a.m. on October 14, ships from 57 cables opened fire. They expended 151 rounds and several explosions and fires were noted. The same ships fired at the Feodosia port on December 20, 1942. Low clouds and heavy haze made it difficult to control the fire and monitor its results. Then the commander of the 3rd air squadron of the 5th guards air regiment, Major G. Ch. Sernienko, came to the rescue. He descended over the target to 200 m in his plane and drew fire on himself. Firing efficiency immediately increased. Strong explosions and fires were observed in the port.
During the Novorossiysk landing operation, the destroyers Nezamozhnik and Zheleznyakov supported the landing of the landing group in the South Ozereyka area on February 4, 1943.
On April 29, “Nezamozhnik” and “Storm” carried out the task of destroying German aircraft based in Anapa. The ships fired 265 shells at enemy airfields. Their fire destroyed 6 aircraft and damaged 10.
The defenders of Sevastopol fought for every inch of land. They left the city, vowing to return to it again. A message from the Soviet Information Bureau dated July 4, 1942, in connection with the abandonment of Sevastopol, said: “Sevastopol was abandoned by Soviet troops, but the defense of Sevastopol will go down in the history of the Patriotic War of the Soviet Union as one of its brightest pages... Selfless courage, rage in the fight against enemy and the dedication of the defenders of Sevastopol inspires Soviet patriots to further heroic deeds against the hated occupiers.”
On November 5, 1944, on the eve of the 27th anniversary of the Great October Socialist Revolution, the Black Sea Fleet squadron solemnly entered its main base, Sevastopol. The “noviki” destroyers “Nezamozhnik” and “Zheleznyakov” also returned with the squadron. By decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR dated July 8, 1945, both ships were awarded the Order of the Red Banner. The high award of the Motherland well-deserved appreciation of the great military work of the famous ships in the fight against fascism.
Hitler's Germany was defeated, but the fire of the Second World War still continued to burn in the Far East. The Soviet Union, faithful to its allied duty and obligations, declared war on imperialist Japan on August 8, 1945.
The Pacific Fleet (commanded by Admiral I.S. Yumashev) had to counter enemy maritime transport in the Sea of Japan, facilitate the offensive of the troops of the 1st Far Eastern Front in the Korean coastal direction, and defend the Soviet coast in cooperation with the troops of the 2nd Far Eastern Front.
By August 1945, the Pacific Fleet had 2 cruisers, 1 destroyer leader, 12 destroyers (two of them Novik types), 19 patrol ships, 78 submarines, 10 minelayers, 52 minesweepers, 204 torpedo boats 384. Two Pacific “noviks” “Voikov” and “Stalin” arrived in the Far East in October 1936, having made a difficult transition along the Northern Sea Route in one summer navigation.
During the days of the war with imperialist Japan, “Voikov,” under the command of Captain 3rd Rank A. Abyzov, participated in convoying transports and landing troops in the North Korean ports of Seishin and Genzan.
By decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR dated September 17, 1945, for the excellent performance of combat missions by the personnel of the Voikov command, he was awarded the Order of the Red Banner.
Novik-class destroyers were actively used during the Great Patriotic War in all naval theaters of combat as multi-purpose ships. They solved such diverse tasks as artillery support for the flanks of Soviet troops in the defense of naval bases; landing of tactical and operational landings; ensuring the transportation of troops and military cargo; disruption of the enemy's maritime communications, destruction of his vehicles at sea and in bases. During the war against fascism, having fulfilled their duty to the end, 10 Novik-class destroyers out of 17 were lost. The destroyers Nezamozhnik, Zheleznyakov (Black Sea Fleet), Karl Liebknecht, " Valerian Kuibyshev", "Uritsky" (Northern Fleet), "Stalin", "Voikov" (Pacific Fleet).
After the war, the “noviki” continued to serve as combat and then training ships. The combat path of the Soviet Navy, p. 324.
378 Vaneev G.I. Black Sea people in the Great Patriotic War. M., Voenizdat, 1978, p. 5.
379 TsVMM, handwritten fund No. 5117, l. 2.
380 Ibid., l. 34.
381 Gorshkov S.G. Sea power of the state. M., Voenizdat, 1976, p. 236.
382 There, p. 237.
383 Godlevsky G. F., Grechanyuk N. M., Kononenko V. M. Combat campaigns. M.. Military Publishing House, 1966, p. 130131.
384 The combat path of the Soviet Navy, p. 511.
On this day, parts of the eastern defense sector are supported by the cruiser Leader, destroyers Smyshlyny, Frunze, Shaumyan and the gunboat Red Georgia under the overall command of Rear Admiral D.D. Vdovichenko.
While conducting a counter-battery fight, the Frunze receives a retaliatory hit from a large-caliber projectile. Despite the surface hole at the junction of the side and deck, the engine room was not damaged. Shrapnel killed one and wounded four sailors, including the ship's commander P.A. Bobrovnikova.
The situation near Odessa continued to become complicated, and to help the garrison of the besieged city, the first large tactical landing during the Great Patriotic War was conceived and carried out. The site of the village of Grigoryevka was chosen as the area for its holding. The leadership of the landing force was entrusted to the squadron commander, Rear Admiral Vladimirsky. Direct command of the detachment of landing ships was exercised by the commander of the cruiser brigade, Captain 1st Rank S.G. Gorshkov. The 3rd Black Sea Marine Regiment (3,000 people) was prepared for the landing, and its loading onto ships began at 7 a.m. on September 21 in the area of the Cossack Bay of Sevastopol. The formation put to sea, heading for Odessa at 13:40.
"Frunze" left Sevastopol at six o'clock in the morning on the same day. On it, Rear Admiral Vladimirsky went to Odessa to coordinate actions with the commander of the Odessa defensive region (OOP). Together with him was the Deputy Chief of Staff of the OOP, Captain 1st Rank S.N. Ivanov, who had all the staff documentation for the landing operation.
The destroyer "Frunze" goes to sea
The death of the destroyer "Frunze".
At 14:00, while in the area of the Tendrovskaya Spit, the signalmen discovered and then identified the burning gunboat "Red Armenia". Having come to the aid of the ship, which had already been hit by an air bomb, the destroyer repelled a repeated attack by a German bomber, and lowering the boat, began rescuing people floating in the water. But almost immediately the rescue work had to be interrupted due to the outbreak of a new raid. The destroyer, picking up speed, turned sharply into the sea and went in a zigzag, dodging the bombs of nine bombers.
Despite fierce anti-aircraft fire and maneuvering, one of the German dive bombers managed to hit the destroyer's forecastle area. The navigation bridge was partially destroyed, on which many died or were wounded, including Rear Admiral Vladimirsky and the ship’s commander V.N. Eroshenko. After dressing, the latter personally took the helm, replacing the incapacitated helmsman.
The ship's air defenses quickly weakened, and the dive bomber attacks continued. The next bomb hit the stern of the destroyer near the fourth gun. The ship shook violently, and then it abruptly began to sink with its stern. The right engine, engine telegraph and steering were out of order. "Frunze" slowly described the circulation.
In the engine and tiller rooms, in the aft cockpit, emergency crews fought fiercely for their lives and the life of their ship. With enormous difficulty they managed to put the right machine into operation.
But as soon as the team managed to bring the destroyer to a shallow place in the Tendrovskaya Spit area, another raid began. The Frunze, which had almost run out of ammunition for anti-aircraft guns, received further damage and ran ashore. The same fate befell the tug OP-2 that approached it. Some of the sailors reached the Tendrovskaya Spit by swimming, others, who remained on the half-sunken OP-2, were picked up by a torpedo boat at 17:30. 110 people from the Frunze team were saved, about 50 died.
The entire unequal duel lasted about two hours. Further management of the operation was entrusted to Captain 1st Rank S.G. Gorshkov.
But. Despite everything. on the night of September 22, the landing ships arrived safely in the designated area. On the morning of September 22, troops of the Odessa defensive region, with the support of naval artillery, went on the offensive in the eastern sector. The combined strike of ground forces, aviation and amphibious assault ended in the defeat of two enemy infantry divisions. The enemy lost about 6 thousand soldiers and officers and left a bridgehead from which they fired at the city and the nearest fairways. Ships and vessels were able to enter and leave the port without fear of targeted artillery fire.
The defense of Odessa stabilized until the evacuation of the city, carried out in the first half of October 1941. During the period October 1-15, 1941, up to 80 thousand soldiers and commanders of the Primorsky Army and the Odessa Naval Base, 15 thousand residents, and a large amount of military equipment and cargo were evacuated from Odessa by ship. "Noviks" - Black Sea residents during this period actively participated in convoy operations.
In the south of the country, the defense of Odessa continued with the defense of Sevastopol. As a result of the heroism and duration of the defense of Sevastopol, unparalleled in history, a group of three hundred thousand of the fascist army was tied up for eight months.
For the defense of the city, a permanent naval artillery support detachment was created, which included the cruisers "Chervopa Ukraine", "Red Crimea", "Red Caucasus", the destroyers "Bodriy", "Nezamozhnik", "Shaumyan", "Zheleznyakov" and "Dzerzhinsky" . The detachment was headed by the chief of staff of the squadron, Captain 1st Rank V.A. Andreev.
In the last days of 1941, in the days when Sevastopol repelled the December assault by the forces of the Red Army and the Red Army in the period from December 26, 1941 to January 2, 1942, the Kerch-Feodosia landing operation was carried out - one of the largest naval landing operations of the Great Patriotic War. Its goal was the liberation of the Kerch Peninsula and the creation of a springboard for the action of our troops to lift the blockade of Sevastopol and liberate Crimea. The main landing point was the Feodosia port, whose berths allowed the mooring of warships with troops and heavy equipment. Captain 1st Rank N.E. was appointed commander of the landing detachment. Bass.
On the evening of December 28, a naval support detachment under the command of Captain 1st Rank V.A. left Novorossiysk. Andreev, consisting of the cruisers "Red Caucasus" and "Red Crimea", the destroyers "Shaumyan", "Nezamozhnik" and "Zheleznyakov" with the transport "Kuban", on board which was an advanced landing detachment consisting of more than 5,000 soldiers.
On December 29, at 3:00 a.m., the naval support detachment approached Feodosia and formed a wake column. The destroyer "Shaumyan" was leading the way. After 40 minutes, the ships set on a combat course and, reducing speed to 6 knots, opened fire on the port of Feodosia and the village of Sarygol. The destroyers "Zheleznyakov" and "Shaumyan" fired illumination shells at the port and enemy defense centers. At 4:40 a.m., the Shaumyan (330 paratroopers) was the first of the large ships to enter the Feodosia port. Following him, “Zheleznyakov” (287 paratroopers) and “Nezamozhnik” (289 paratroopers) entered the harbor. “Shaumyan”, under enemy fire, approached the Broad Pier and began landing troops, which lasted only 20 minutes. At the same time, the destroyer fired at enemy firing points. The mainmast on it was shot down by an enemy shell. After the landing, "Shaumyan" went to the roadstead and from there continued to fire at enemy batteries.
Commander of the destroyer "Frunze" captain-lieutenant submarine. Bobrovnikov
The destroyer Nezamozhnik also came under heavy enemy fire when entering the harbor. In an effort to get the ship out of the fire, the commander of the destroyer, when approaching the pier, ordered to increase speed, and the ship hit the wall with its bow, severely damaging the stem above the waterline. On the initiative of the boatswain, midshipman A.G. Egorov's landing force landed directly from the forecastle in just 16 minutes. Then the “Nezamozhnik” went to the outer roadstead and at 9:15 a.m. received orders to proceed to Novorossiysk. On the “Zheleznyakov”, seven sailors died during the landing operation when a mortar shell exploded in the ship’s wardroom. The first landing was completed by 11:30 a.m. on December 19, 1941. During the landing, the destroyer "Shaumyan" expended 168 shells, "Zheleznyakov" 151, "Nezamozhnik" 168.
