Azov flotilla

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Azov flotilla

active 1768 to 1944
Country Russian Empire 1914Russian Empire Russian Empire 1768–1774

Russia Soviet Federal Socialist RepublicRussian SFSR Russian SFSR 1920–1921 Soviet Union 1941–1944
Russian Soviet Federative Socialist RepublicSoviet Russia

Armed forces Armed Forces of the Soviet Union
Armed forces Soviet Navy
Type flotilla
Headquarters Mariupol , Yeisk
commander
Last commander Rear Admiral S.G. Gorshkov

The Azov flotilla ( Russian Азовская военная флотилия Azovskaya wojennaja flotilija ) was a flotilla of the Russian and Soviet navy, which was intended for military operations on the Sea of ​​Azov .

Predecessor 1695

As early as 1695, under Tsar Peter I, the first Azov fleet was set up, which contributed to the conquest of Azov during the second of the Azov campaigns . Its first commander was François Le Fort , followed by Admiral Fyodor Golowin with the support of Vice-Admiral Cornelius Cruys and Frigate Admiral Jan van Rees . After Azov was lost again to the Turks in 1712, the Azov fleet was disbanded, in which u. a. Vitus Bering served from 1704 to 1724.

history

The flotilla was formed during the Russo-Turkish War (1768–1774) under the command of Vice Admiral AN Senjawin . In 1783 it was reformed and its ships became part of the Black Sea Fleet .

Russian civil war

During the Russian Civil War, the Bolsheviks formed the flotilla in April 1918 to fight the Germans and the White Guards . As early as the end of June, the flotilla was destroyed after the coastal strip of the Azov Sea was lost, and the crews were transferred to the Red Army . After Denikin's defeat in March 1920, the Red Army recaptured the coast of the Sea of ​​Azov, and in the future Mariupol base the flotilla was re-established under the command of HE Markelov. All ships that were in the ports of the Sea of ​​Azov were included in their inventory. Barges and tugs were converted into warships. From September to November the flotilla base was relocated to Taganrog and after a short time back to Mariupol. In July 1920 the flotilla had:

A division of 4,600 men was deployed for landing operations. The tasks of the flotilla were, for example, fire support for the troops or the erection of mine barriers in the Kerch Strait . She also played an important role in crushing General Wrangel's forces . In April 1921 the flotilla was disbanded and crews and ships were taken over by the Black Sea Fleet.

German-Soviet War

First lineup

The flotilla was formed in July – August 1941 to support the troops on the southern front . The headquarters became Mariupol. Organizationally, it was part of the Black Sea Fleet. When the Wehrmacht advanced to the coast of the Azov Sea, the flotilla base was relocated to Primorsko-Akhtarsk and Yeisk on October 8, 1941 . In September 1941, the Don Group was created as part of the Azov flotilla. Their task was to support the front troops in the Tangora area and the river plains of the Don. The group operated until July 1942. Then their boats were transferred to Yeisk when Azov and Rostov-on-Don were captured by German troops. In June 1942 the flotilla had:

On May 3, 1942, the leadership of the North Caucasian Front ordered the formation of the Cuban Ship Group, which the ships of the Don Group joined. The base of this group was Krasnodar . Their tasks consisted of anti-mine defense, securing communications on the Kuban River, supporting the armed forces of the 47th Army on the Taman Peninsula , transporting troops across the Kuban River and supporting the 56th Army in this area. After the German troops took the flotilla bases, the flotilla was disbanded on September 8, 1942 by order of the commander of the Black Sea Fleet.

Second lineup

On February 3, 1943, Kuznetsov ordered the second deployment of the Azov flotilla. The headquarters of the flotilla became Yeisk. At that time the flotilla consisted of:

  • 2 torpedo speedboats
  • 15 armored boats
  • 3 guard ships
  • 8 minesweepers

The Akhtarsk Combat Division was established as part of the flotilla, which included a battalion of marine infantry, a rifle division and four anti-aircraft batteries . The flotilla was also assigned 20 Neman R-10s , 12 Ilyushin Il-2s , an air fighter squadron with seven Il-2s and a flight reconnaissance squadron with five Beriev MBR-2s . The flotilla supported various landing operations and participated in the liberation of Mariupol and the Taman Peninsula. During the Kerch-Eltigen operation , ships of the flotilla landed troops of the 56th Army northeast of Kerch. In January 1944, three more tactical landings were made on the Crimean coast. From November 1943 to April 1944, the flotilla performed supply tasks for the Independent Coastal Army in the Kerch deployment area. In the Battle of the Crimea , they carried the army's rear forces to the Crimea and dropped landing troops on the flanks of the German enemy.

In April 1944, the Danube flotilla was formed from the Azov flotilla .

Commanders

Russo-Turkish War

Russian civil war

  • II Gernstein (April – June 1918)
  • SE Markelow (March – April 1920)
  • ES Gernet (April – August 1920)
  • SA Chwitzki (September – November 1920)
  • BL Dandre (December 1920 – April 1921)

German-Soviet War

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Heinz Setzer: Taganrog, the “Pearl of the Russian South” at a glance. (No longer available online.) German Chekhov Society, archived from the original on May 3, 2014 ; Retrieved May 5, 2014 .
  2. ↑ a b c The Azov flotilla on enciklopediya.narod.ru (accessed on August 15, 2010)