Martin Antonenko
A Fixture
- Joined
- Jul 11, 2008
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Total Defeat at Tsushima!
After driving halfway around the world, the Russian “2. Pacific Squadron "(Far East Relief Squadron) under the command of Vice Admiral Sinowij Petrowitsch Roschesdwenskij ...
... the Strait of Tsushima at the southern end of Korea ...:
Shortly after 5:00 a.m. on May 27, 1905, a ship was discovered starboard, which briefly escorted the squadron and then quickly departed. It is the Japanese auxiliary cruiser "Shinano Maru", which - attracted by the bright lighting of the Russian hospital ships - had discovered the squadron around 4:45 am and set out on its course.
Shinano-Maru alarms the Japanese battle squadron under Admiral Heihachiro Tōgō, lying in the Korean Masampo Bay via radio ...:
Tōgō immediately sets course for the Japanese coast and wants to cut off the path of the Russian fleet.
However, since the commander of the auxiliary cruiser had overestimated the speed of the Russian ships, there was initially no clash.
Admiral Tōgō then turns his fleet and heads for the southern half of the Korea Strait.
Already in the face of the enemy Roschesdwenski had the first four - and strongest - ships of the line swerve into a dwars line to starboard in order to be better armed against possible frontal attacking opponents. The Russians screw up the maneuver due to signal misunderstandings ...:
At around 1:20 p.m., the main Japanese forces approach portside within sight. At first it looks as if the two fleets are driving past each other and a skirmish will ensue.
Roschesdwenskij is now trying to bring the four ships of the line back into their original position. But since the speeds of the individual departments were not coordinated with each other, the rear Russian ships have to reduce their speed. The battleship “Ossliabia” has to stop completely.
At this point - around 1:50 p.m. - Admiral Tōgō lets his fleet make an arc - the famous "a loop" - and go on a parallel course to the Russian squadron.
The Japanese battle line now forms a loop for several minutes, which hinders the field of fire of the Japanese ships in the rear.
The Russians could have used this moment for a frontal attack, but this does not happen because they are fully occupied with arranging their own combat formation ...:
After that, the enemy keel lines move in parallel, although the Japanese press on the tip of the Russians due to their higher speed and can slowly push them away to the east.
Both fleets have twelve ships each in their main battle line in battle. On the Japanese side, these were in addition to the four ships of the line built in England ("Fuji", "Shikishima", "Asahi", "Mikasa" - here the flagship "Mikasa") ...
... in the 2nd division including the armored cruiser "Asama", also built in England in 1904 ...
... and other ships of about the same strength.
Due to the long approach and heavy barnacles on their hulls, the Russians can only run a formation speed of at most 12 kn - the speed of the Japanese - outdated - formation is about twice as fast ...
In terms of artillery, both sides are almost equally strong - at least on paper - but the Russians have once again problems with their artillery command, as they cannot detect the impacts of their tank shells equipped with delay fuses (which explode inside the enemy ship).
And besides, the Russian gun crews could only do one effective practice shooting with live ammunition during the voyage around the world, as the ships had to save their grenades for battle - they had nowhere to take new ammunition on board.
The Japanese, on the other hand, are used to war and are “shot in”, but they also shoot explosive HE grenades, which explode on impact and the impacts are clearly visible and therefore easy to guide!
The tall, yellow-painted chimneys of the Russian combat ships are ideal points of departure for the Japanese fire control officers! The Japanese, on the other hand, painted their ships in gray, they literally merge with the sea and the cloudy sky - so it is much more difficult for the Russians to aim precisely.
The Japanese strategy is simple but effective: They shoot the two Russian ships (1st division "Knjas Ssuworow" with Admiral Roschesdwenskij on board) ...
... as well as "Ossliabia" (2nd division with Admiral Baron von Fölkersam on board) ...
... systematically into piles of rubble.
What the Japanese do not know: No admiral leads on "Ossliabia" anymore, because Baron Dmitrij Gustavowitsch von Fölkersam ...
... died of a tropical fever the day before..
At the beginning of the fight, Admiral Roschesdwenskij had the signal "Course 23 degrees northeast" (that is the course to the destination port of Wladiwostok) set - no more signals are coming from the flagship.
And even before the battle, the Russian admiral did not let anyone in on his exact plans, so each ship is more or less on its own and follows the respective guide ship….
The rapid Japanese rapid fire has a quick effect - at 3:15 p.m. "Ossliabia" sinks - 500 men of the 900-man crew perish ...:
The Russian squadron continues on its path northeast 23 degrees. However, the Russian ships can now no longer travel faster than 9 knots due to damage caused by shelling.
The combat distance is reduced to up to 3500 meters, whereby the projectiles are more likely to penetrate the armor. The Russian ships of the line could not withstand this concentrated fire with 30.5 cm shells for long.
Around 3:30 p.m., "Kniaz Ssuworow" shears out of the line, only a burning pile of scrap (and will sink around 7:00 p.m.) ...
Admiral Roschesdwenskij is badly wounded and half unconscious taken from a torpedo boat - and plays no role in the further course of the battle.
Now the ship of the line "Imperator Aleksander III" takes over ...
…unter Captain 1st rang Buchwostow...
... the leading pisition...
... is badly shot to death and also goes down - with the entire crew of over 900 men!
Then „Borodino“ leads (Captain 1st rang Serebrjakow)…
This ship is no different because the Japanese stick to their tactic of uniting their fire on the leading Russian ship. Systematically shot to death, “Borodino” sinks a little later with all 900 men!
**continued next post**
After driving halfway around the world, the Russian “2. Pacific Squadron "(Far East Relief Squadron) under the command of Vice Admiral Sinowij Petrowitsch Roschesdwenskij ...
... the Strait of Tsushima at the southern end of Korea ...:
Shortly after 5:00 a.m. on May 27, 1905, a ship was discovered starboard, which briefly escorted the squadron and then quickly departed. It is the Japanese auxiliary cruiser "Shinano Maru", which - attracted by the bright lighting of the Russian hospital ships - had discovered the squadron around 4:45 am and set out on its course.
Shinano-Maru alarms the Japanese battle squadron under Admiral Heihachiro Tōgō, lying in the Korean Masampo Bay via radio ...:
Tōgō immediately sets course for the Japanese coast and wants to cut off the path of the Russian fleet.
However, since the commander of the auxiliary cruiser had overestimated the speed of the Russian ships, there was initially no clash.
Admiral Tōgō then turns his fleet and heads for the southern half of the Korea Strait.
Already in the face of the enemy Roschesdwenski had the first four - and strongest - ships of the line swerve into a dwars line to starboard in order to be better armed against possible frontal attacking opponents. The Russians screw up the maneuver due to signal misunderstandings ...:
At around 1:20 p.m., the main Japanese forces approach portside within sight. At first it looks as if the two fleets are driving past each other and a skirmish will ensue.
Roschesdwenskij is now trying to bring the four ships of the line back into their original position. But since the speeds of the individual departments were not coordinated with each other, the rear Russian ships have to reduce their speed. The battleship “Ossliabia” has to stop completely.
At this point - around 1:50 p.m. - Admiral Tōgō lets his fleet make an arc - the famous "a loop" - and go on a parallel course to the Russian squadron.
The Japanese battle line now forms a loop for several minutes, which hinders the field of fire of the Japanese ships in the rear.
The Russians could have used this moment for a frontal attack, but this does not happen because they are fully occupied with arranging their own combat formation ...:
After that, the enemy keel lines move in parallel, although the Japanese press on the tip of the Russians due to their higher speed and can slowly push them away to the east.
Both fleets have twelve ships each in their main battle line in battle. On the Japanese side, these were in addition to the four ships of the line built in England ("Fuji", "Shikishima", "Asahi", "Mikasa" - here the flagship "Mikasa") ...
... in the 2nd division including the armored cruiser "Asama", also built in England in 1904 ...
... and other ships of about the same strength.
Due to the long approach and heavy barnacles on their hulls, the Russians can only run a formation speed of at most 12 kn - the speed of the Japanese - outdated - formation is about twice as fast ...
In terms of artillery, both sides are almost equally strong - at least on paper - but the Russians have once again problems with their artillery command, as they cannot detect the impacts of their tank shells equipped with delay fuses (which explode inside the enemy ship).
And besides, the Russian gun crews could only do one effective practice shooting with live ammunition during the voyage around the world, as the ships had to save their grenades for battle - they had nowhere to take new ammunition on board.
The Japanese, on the other hand, are used to war and are “shot in”, but they also shoot explosive HE grenades, which explode on impact and the impacts are clearly visible and therefore easy to guide!
The tall, yellow-painted chimneys of the Russian combat ships are ideal points of departure for the Japanese fire control officers! The Japanese, on the other hand, painted their ships in gray, they literally merge with the sea and the cloudy sky - so it is much more difficult for the Russians to aim precisely.
The Japanese strategy is simple but effective: They shoot the two Russian ships (1st division "Knjas Ssuworow" with Admiral Roschesdwenskij on board) ...
... as well as "Ossliabia" (2nd division with Admiral Baron von Fölkersam on board) ...
... systematically into piles of rubble.
What the Japanese do not know: No admiral leads on "Ossliabia" anymore, because Baron Dmitrij Gustavowitsch von Fölkersam ...
... died of a tropical fever the day before..
At the beginning of the fight, Admiral Roschesdwenskij had the signal "Course 23 degrees northeast" (that is the course to the destination port of Wladiwostok) set - no more signals are coming from the flagship.
And even before the battle, the Russian admiral did not let anyone in on his exact plans, so each ship is more or less on its own and follows the respective guide ship….
The rapid Japanese rapid fire has a quick effect - at 3:15 p.m. "Ossliabia" sinks - 500 men of the 900-man crew perish ...:
The Russian squadron continues on its path northeast 23 degrees. However, the Russian ships can now no longer travel faster than 9 knots due to damage caused by shelling.
The combat distance is reduced to up to 3500 meters, whereby the projectiles are more likely to penetrate the armor. The Russian ships of the line could not withstand this concentrated fire with 30.5 cm shells for long.
Around 3:30 p.m., "Kniaz Ssuworow" shears out of the line, only a burning pile of scrap (and will sink around 7:00 p.m.) ...
Admiral Roschesdwenskij is badly wounded and half unconscious taken from a torpedo boat - and plays no role in the further course of the battle.
Now the ship of the line "Imperator Aleksander III" takes over ...
…unter Captain 1st rang Buchwostow...
... the leading pisition...
... is badly shot to death and also goes down - with the entire crew of over 900 men!
Then „Borodino“ leads (Captain 1st rang Serebrjakow)…
This ship is no different because the Japanese stick to their tactic of uniting their fire on the leading Russian ship. Systematically shot to death, “Borodino” sinks a little later with all 900 men!
**continued next post**
Good stuff!!
