Feb-Mar-Apr, May-June-July 1972 - Navy League of Australia

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Telephone: 41 5027 Page Thirty-rtght THE NAVY May/Jun*/Ji FAITH WITHOUT FOUNDATION tained their Japanese opposite numbers were not prepared for what hit them. Togo's ships were firing direct-action, shimose-filled shells with extremely sensitive fuses that exploded on contact with anything solid: even a funnel-guy. The object was to sweep the decks clear of personnel and turn the less-protected areas into a blazing wasteland, thereby completely demoralising the crews to the point where they could not work their ships effectively. Captain Vladimir Semenoff had served under Vice-Admiral Makharoff in the Far East and was now a supernumery aboard the Kniaz Suvaroff under Rozhestvensky. He left a horribly detailed account of the hell created by the Japanese shellfire: "It seemed impossible even to count the number of projectiles striking us. I had not only never witnessed such a fire before, but I had never imagined anything like it. Shells seemed to be pouring upon us incessantly one after another . . . The steel plates and superstructure on the upper deck were torn to pieces and the splinters caused many casualties. Iron ladders were crumpled up into rings, and guns were literally hurled from their mountings. Such havoc would never be caused by the simple impact of a shell, still less by that of its splinters. It could only be caused by the force of the explosion ... .In addition to this there was the unusually high temperature and liquid flame of the explosion which seemed to spread over everything. I actually watched a steel plate catch fire from a burst. Of course, the steel did not burn, but the paint on it did. Such almost incombustible materials as hammocks and rows of boxes, drenched with water, flared up in a moment. At times it was almost impossible to see anything with glasses, owing to everything being so distorted with the quivering,.heated air. No! It was different!" A Japanese officer later stated his impression was that: "At first the Russians shot fairly well, causing some loss of life at the more exposed stations on board our leading ships. But after the first twenty minutes they suddenly seemed to go all to pieces and their shooting became wild and almost harmless." It is no wonder. At approximately 1420 hours. Togo's ships changed to armourpiercing shells and. having closed to little over a mile, the carnage was appalling as hit after hit thudded into the vitals of Rozhestvensky's demoralised vessels. The Oslyabaya was the first to go. Her sheer walls made a perfect target which the Asahi could hardly miss. Three 12 inch hits in the bows peeled off the heavy armour like onion-skin, admitting the heaving seas which poured in and finished her in approximately ten minutes. She drowned in a forest of shellfire at 1530 hours: thus becoming the first armoured battleship ever to be sunk by gunfire alone. Admiral Felkerzam accompanied her to the bottom: he had not died in action, but from a final massive stroke the previous evening. For reasons of morals, only Rozhestvensky. the ship's Captain and the medical staff knew of the event. The Kniaz Suvaroff was slowly being transformed from a fine modern vessel into a red-hot ruin. With most of her topsides virtually unrecognisable and both funnels gone, she absorbed a heavy shell in the steering gear thereby causing her to swing uncontrollably out of the line. By now Rozhestvensky had been seriously wounded and the Captain killed. She slowly drifted Eastwards and for about thirty minutes the shellfire lifted from her. Japaneee gunners working an eerty pattern six Inch m The Aleksandr III thus became the leading ship. Her Captain, with no orders from his wounded Admiral on the blazing wreck astern led the remainder of the First Division in a great circle (South) and then turned back North. Togo started to follow them around, then seeing the Aleksandr Ill's intention, reversed his course and again "crossed the 'T'". As the two battle lines converged on a collision course, the fire of every one of the Japanese vessels concentrated on the Aleksandr III. She turned East in an attempt to escape the murderous fire, but soon dropped out of line leaking like a sieve and with roaring fires aboard. Borodino took over the dangerous role of leader. Togo drew up his forces again. His clean-bottomed hulls were able to out-steam and outmanoeuvre the fouled Russian vessels which had been in the water over seven months. However, his cruisers had absorbed battle-damage whilst chasing the smaller units. The old Dmitri Donskoy carried herself into fame by beating off and seriously damaging no less than four light cruisers, sinking two T.B.D.'s. and damaging a third before being captured. Noone left aboard was unwounded. all guns were shattered and she finally sank from her injuries. Admiral Dewa's Flagship Kasafl was holed below the waterline and headed for home. The Naniwa was similarly hit and also dropped out of the fight. The whole Russian Fleet by late afternoon was in an almost helpless huddle under the fire of Togo's main line to the East and by his May/June/July THE NAVY Pace Thirty-nine
This space sponsored as a Goodwill Gesture to all Nav\ Members from .. . W. TURNER PTY. LTD. General Engineers Hanson Rd., Wingfield SOUTH AUSTRALIA, 5013 Telephone: 45-8113 Best wishes to all Naval Personnel from ... George Wills & Co. Limited Carrieri and Hauliers 21 DIVETT STREET PORT ADELAIDE P.O. BOX 111 Telephone: 47 5366 BCNI wishes to all Njval Personnel from . . S.A. Stevedoring Co. Pty. Ltd. LIPSON ST., PORT ADELAIDE Telephone: 47 5833 FAITH WITHOUT FOUNDATION cruisers from the South. Rozhestvensky was again seriously wounded and lay. almost insensible and paralysed in his lower limbs, on the floor of a 6 inch turret, all the control stations being shot to scrap-iron. The T.B.D. Buiny was summoned alongside the blazing Kniaz Suvaroff and. showing tremendous courage, the little craft's Captain brought her alongside in the heav- The Japanese now turned their attention once again to the tortured Kniaz Suvaroff. Hardly a gun was able to fire yet she refused to strike her colours. Her tormentors marvelled at her courage as they rammed point-blank fire into the flaming hulk. Rozhestvensky. his Chief of Staff. Semenoff and a few sailors had already left aboard the with her when she finally succumbed to four torpedoes at 1900 hours. Nebogatoff. aboard the Tsar Nicholas I, was now Commander-in-Chief. Rozhestvensky had given him orders to push on to Vladivostok and to take what was left of the Pacific Squadron with him. Borodino still led the Russian battleship line. Astern of her limped the Oryol, then Aleksandr III, the damage to which was partially repaired. Behind them came the remainder of the Squadron in a confused group including ing swell and Rozhestvensky was Nebogatoff's own ships which had gently lowered over the side. been largely ignored by Togo who had. wisely, concentrated his fire on the more modern vessels. With the coming of night. Aleksandr III finally gave up the struggle to stay afloat; she slowly rolled on her side and died. A few minutes later, the fires aboard the Borodino reached her magazines and she disappeared in a gigantic explosion. Buiny. Her engines stopped. Kniaz As night fell, the Japanese battleline suddenly withdrew from the Suvaroff was manned now by only a handful of volunteers who perished killing-ground. The Russians soon found out why. Over eighty Japanese T.B.D.'s sallied out from bays and small ports into the heavy seas and fell upon the struggling battleships. Only the total blackness of the night coupled with an increasingly foul sea saved the Russians from complete annihilation. Navarin absorbed two torpedoes and sank next morning. Other ships were hit and damaged but did not sink. The Japanese lost two T.B.D.'s to gunfire and others were severely damaged by collisions in the inky night. Daybreak found the Russians scattered all over the Sea of Japan. Only Nebogatoff's original Squadron was still largely intact, but. outranged and out-gunned, he acted wisely and quietly surrendered There remained only the stragglers to be mopped up. Some Russian vessels refused to surrender and went down with their remaining guns firing until the barrels burnt out. The cruiser Svietlana and the coast-defence ship Admiral Ushakov were in this courageous bracket. The cruisers Oleg, Aurora, What does ONE Johnnie's Credit Card give you? Easy Shopping at Johnnie's Four Stores in South Australia RUNDLE STREET; ARNDALE; MARION; ELIZABETH The opportunity to use any of our Accounts . . . a monthly, with up to 60 days to pay; a Budget or No. 2. with small extended payments: a Household Account, for larger-than-usual items. Open your account at Johnnie's, today. Ask any sales-person for details. Pag* Forty THE NAVY May/June/. Russian battleship Oryol after capture by Japoneee. Note extensive theN-holes In left-hand photograph and secondary turrot pointing outboard. Right-hand photograph depicts forecastle of Oryol after capture. Note damage to muzzle of right hand 12 Inch gun. May/Juna/July THE NAVY Pag* Fortyon*
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Feb-Mar-Apr, May-June-July 1972 - Navy League of Australia

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