Edward hsiao axis history forum
In short German "Linse" attack crafts came close to have a contact with Soviet monitors "Azov" and "Kerch" (ex-Romanian "Ion C. I don't believe this has been exposed by other authors (Russian or otherwise). I attempted a direct comparison between the German and Soviet version. With some personal satisfaction, on HM very polite users pointed me some DEFE/ULTRA Files concerning the "Linse" operations in Sharengrad. Sorry double-post (But i guess despite views few people had extra things to say). Interstingly both that source and the romanian forum worldwar2.ro indicate minor riverine crafts losses around 24 August (especially ships seized etc.). In my opinion, these are the main direct riverine clashes occurred in Danube in 1944/1945 involving Soviet forcesĮxtra information - corrections - evaluations are welcome.ĮDIT: Concerning the first fight between Romanian monitors and Soviet BKA at Valcov in 1944, After this source ( ) there is indication Soviet BKA engaged Lascar Catargiu (with above-mentioned results) off Valcov, while Mihail Kogălniceanu sunk shortly later off Novaya Kiliya. Quite interestingly, on 25 March arrived the Soviet (ex-Romanian) monitors "Azov" and "Kerch": to strike such targets could have been potentially both a material and moral victory for the Germans. Germans claims of damages inflicted on that month, but this appears uncomfirmed/inflated, reading the Soviet account.ĭuring the 25/26 March clash, one "Linse" suffered damage (3 WIA), i think after fighting the second group of BKA. u-Drau.pdf), it appears there were German spec-ops with "Linse" assault/explosive crafts. However it is said that on 20 April 1945 unidentifed German monitors covered the retreat of own riverine crafts, it is likely in my opinion that Bechelaren made some shelling during the operation.ģ)) In the night between 25 and 26 March 1945 (Sharengrad, Yugoslavia), Soviet gunboats BK-214, and later BK-4, BK-231, BK-241 and BK-313 reported contacts with unidentified enemy boats, claiming 1 sunk during the second engagement. Reading the above-mentioned book, it is clear no Soviet gunboats operated in the area at the time nor reported such clash. Interestingly, as aftermath of the battle, the same group of BKA reportedly shelled both the harbor Kiliya Veki and later Novaya Kiliya, claiming one steamboat and two barges in the first harbor, and one tugboat and four barges in the second harbor.Ĭonsidering how rare is the confirmed destruction of enemy naval/riverine targets by Soviet boats, it would be of great interest to have some kind of confirmation (given the low importance, it is possible this could exists in own Soviet damage assessment in harbors).Ģ)) Plentiful of western sources indicate German (ex-Czech) monitor Bechelaren having sunk "two gunboats" in April 1945 at Melk (Austria). Someone know the exact disposition of the two monitors and their sinking place? It could be useful to identify the monitor that engaged the gunboats. Monitor-1 (the one engaged also by BKA) was firing "5 Km from Vilkovo" It was either Mihail Kogălniceanu or Lascar Catargiu, as aftermath, raids of Pe-2 bombers sunk both in different locations. Soviet small gunboats BK-32, BK-33, BK-215, BK-422 and BK-434 (all 1124 project) briefly engaged with a unidientified Romanian monitor shelling Soviet forces. I tried to collect information about some naval clashes occurred in Danube river in 1944:ġ)) The biggest interest clash occurred on 24 August 1944 during the Soviet operations in Vylkove. While I usually post in a larger old thread, i wanted to split content because of peculiarity of cases.