REMEMBRANCE IN TIME - Index of

230
Remembrance in Time
into the Danube. Very well camouflaged, with engines stopped, preceded by three fast
patrol boats, they use the river stream to reach Ceatal. Romanian observation posts
alarmed the artillery batteries and Tactical Group of Tulcea. It began a shellfire, but
imprecise. Soviet ships started the engines at mile 45 and in full speed passed through the
artillery barrage made by monitor MIHAIL KOGALNICEANU, which was at mile 42,
and the small caliber guns fire of Pătlăgeanca, reaching Ismail xxxv .
During this period continued the mining of the Danube. The mine layer AURORA had
installed a mine barrage at the mouth of Sulina Canal and released stream mines against
Soviet monitors. On July 15, after nearly a month of war, after carrying out the received
tasks, AURORA was sank in Tulcea area by the Soviet aviation, together with barges
DANIEL and AGAPIA xxxvi .
In the first month of war, ships and Romanian crews were kept in constant alarm and air
strikes, with no time for rest and recovery. Were subjected to air attacks all villages and
towns in Danube Delta and towns of Sulina, Tulcea, GalaŃi and Brăila.
The advancement of the land front in Basarabia to south, led to a sudden withdrawal of
forces from the Soviet river disposition, on July 19. In the Reni – Izmail area, the enemy
burned their ammunition and stores because it was little time to escape. At 04.30, the
Soviet ships, 3 monitors and 11 fast patrol boats had passed the village Periprava firing
with all weapons. After two hours, there was another passage and the bulk of the Soviet
forces were evacuated through Otchakov Canal to the sea. It was also hastily evacuated
Vâlcov to Jibrieni xxxvii .
The next day, July 20, a Romanian Marines Company landed and took Reni.
Simultaneously, the action of sweeping the mine barrages installed by the Romanian
forces on the Danube started including the mines launched by the enemy. The sweeping
began at Cotul Pisicii trough Reni, Isaccea and ended at Ceatal. The monitors in GalaŃi
went downstream anchoring, by 20.00, near Pătlăgeanca on Chilia Canal. The same day,
a detachment of the 10th Infantry Division crossed the Danube without opposition,
evidence that the area was deserted. The River Group 2 from Tulcea swept between miles
48 and Ceatal - Ismail and sweeping resumed the next day by Ismail with 3 fast patrol
boats and 3 barges modified for this purpose. It was subsequently executed Pătlăgeanca
mine barrage sweeping, paving the way to a passing convoy made up of 3 passenger ships
and 6 barges loaded with troops of 10th Infantry Division. Few hours’ later 16 barges
with four tugs to transport the troops of the second echelon arrived in Tulcea xxxviii .
In the early hours of July 21, 15th Marines Battalion occupied Chilia Veche, passing,
then, in Chilia Nouă and 17th Infantry Battalion took Vâlcov and continued for Jibrieni.
Thus, on the morning of June 22, around the entire Danube Delta and all three canals
were under Romanian control xxxix .
At this stage another difficult and continuous operation began for the Danube Flotilla.
Its task was to ensure navigation by cleaning the reeds and all canals of unexploded
mines, shells and aviation bombs. The Danube Flotilla moved its headquarters at Tulcea
to be closer to the future theater of operations. The monitors had provided safety for the
sweeping forces and transports from GalaŃi to Vâlcov. Tugs, boats and fast patrol boats
provided the transport of munitions and supplies of all kinds, day and night xl .
After the arriving in the area of the 2nd Army Corps, Marines infantry battalions were
ordered to advance on the littoral to Cetatea Albă in order to clean the shore, employment
of the observation points and establishing communications with Sulina xli .