The former Guilio Cesare as the Russian Novorossiysk
Drawing made by G.J. Frans Naerebout
Published in Op de Lange Deining written by G.A.J. Bovens
Italian Conte di Cavour-class battleships
Russian cruiser Kirov
An item reported the Russian cruiser
Terek (1) lying before the ordnance yard where her guns were worked. In the
Artillery Cove located north of Sevastopol were a battleship (2) and two
cruisers berthed. The battleship was fitted out with 2x3 gun turrets, one fore
and one aft. The crews consisted of Soviet sailors and during the period that
the ships were sighted were no activities employed for leaving of shifting berth.
In the North Cove west of the South Cove were during the so-called Day of the
Black Sea the heavy cruiser Molotov (3) and several unknown ships berthed. None
of the ships went to the South Cove despite occasionally executing manoeuvres
and almost daily could gunfire be heard coming from western direction. In front
of the dockyard of the South Cove were 7 submarines moored. Alongside the
western shore was a floating dock sighted were a submarine and minor vessels
probably torpedo boats were repaired.
Notes
1. According to Jane’s Fighting Ships a
transport, built as the former Elbe in 1931. Displacement 1.600 tons and as
dimensions 189 x 27¼ x 10 feet. Crew numbered 48 men and with2x6 cylinders diesel engines supplying 1.600bhp a speed of 15 knots. Armament consisted at least of 1-3.5” gun.
Served I the Black Sea.
2. Probably the former Italian
battleship Guilio Cesare, part of the Conte
di Cavour dreadnought battleships class. Laid down at the shipyard of Gio.
Ansaldo&C., Genoa, Italy on 24 June 1910, launched on 15 October a year
later, completed on 14 May 1914, commissioned on 7 June was she decommissioned
on 18 May 1928. Between 1933 and 1937 modernized/rebuilt was she again
commissioned on 3 June 1937, since early 1942 training ship, decommissioned on
15 December 1948 and handed over to the Soviet navy on 4 February 1949. Renamed
and used as a training ship until she sunk on 29 October 1955 due to a (German)
mine explosion. Stricken on 24 February 1956, salvaged on 4 May 1957 and broken
up. After her rebuilding was her displacement 29.600 tons/29.100 long tons
(deep load) with as dimensions 186,4 x 33,1 metres or 611’7”x 108’7”. The
armament consisted of 2x3&2x2-32cm/12.6” guns, 6x2-12cm guns and
4x2-10cm/3.9” anti aircraft guns.
3. Of the Project26bis Kirov-class subclass
Maxim Gorky cruisers, laid down by Marti South, Nikolayev [nowadays Ukraine] on
14 January 1937, launched on 4 December 1939, commissioned on 14 January 1941,
modernized 1952-28 January 1955, renamed Slava on 3 August 1957, training
cruiser since 3 August 1961 and sold to be broken up on 4 April 1972.
Displacement 8.177 (standard)-9.278 (full load) tons and as dimensions 187
(waterline)-191,4 (over all) x 17,66 x 6,3 (full load) metres or 614-627.11 x
57.11 x 20.8 feet. Speed 36,72 (sea trials)-37 (design) knots. Main armament of
3x3-18cm/7.1” guns.
Source
