Snake Island

Discussion in 'The Eastern Front' started by Ramiles, Feb 26, 2022.

  1. Ramiles

    Ramiles Researching 9th Lancers, 24th L and SRY

    Snake Island (Black Sea) - Wikipedia

    Has quite a big segment on its WW2 history...

    World War II
    See also: Black Sea campaigns (1941–44) and Romanian Navy during World War II
    The island, under Romanian control during the Second World War, was the location of a radio station used by the Axis forces, which turned it into a target for the Soviet Black Sea Fleet.[27] The island's defences mainly consisted of several 122 mm and 76 mm anti-aircraft guns, captured from the Russians.[28] The Romanian marine platoon defending the island was also equipped with two 45 mm coastal guns, two 37 mm anti-aircraft guns and two anti-aircraft machine guns.[29]
    The first naval action took place on 23 June 1941, when the Soviet destroyer leader Kharkov together with the destroyers Bezposhchadny and Smyshlyonyi and several torpedo boats ran a patrol near the island, but found no Axis ships.[30]
    On 9 July 1941, the Soviet destroyer leader Tashkent together with four other destroyers (Bodry, Boiky, Bezuprechny and Bezposhchadny) conducted a shipping sweep operation near the island, but did not make any contacts.[31]
    On 7 September 1941, two Soviet submarines of the Shchuka class (Shch-208 and Shch-213) and three of the M class (M-35, M-56 and M-62) conducted a patrol near the island.[32]
    On 29–30 October and 5 November 1942, the Romanian minelayers Amiral Murgescu and Dacia, together with the Romanian destroyers Regina Maria, Regele Ferdinand, the Romanian flotilla leader Mărăști, the Romanian gunboat Stihi and four German R-boats laid two mine barrages around the island.[33]
    On 1 December 1942, while the Soviet cruiser Voroshilov together with the destroyer Soobrazitelny were bombarding the island with forty-six 180 mm and fifty-seven 100 mm shells, the cruiser was damaged by Romanian mines, but it managed to return to Poti for repairs under her own power. During the brief bombardment, she struck the radio station, barracks and lighthouse on the island, but failed to inflict significant losses.[34][35][36][37][38]
    On 11 December 1942, the Soviet submarine Shch-212 was sunk by a Romanian minefield near the island along with all of her crew of 44.[39][40][41] The Soviet submarine M-31 was either sunk as well by the Romanian mine barrages near the island on 17 December,[42][43] or sunk with depth charges by the Romanian flotilla leader Mărășești on 7 July 1943.[44]
    On 25 August 1943, two Romanian motorboats spotted a Soviet submarine near the island and attacked her with depth charges, but it managed to escape.[45]
    The Romanian marines were evacuated from the island and Soviet troops occupied it on 29–30 August 1944.
     

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