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Tuesday 23 August 2016

Russian battleship Slava sunk in action according to the Dutch newspaper Bataviaasch nieuwsblad dated 20 October 1917

Russian battleship Slava

German König-class battleships

An item dated London, England 18th reported that during a battle in the Gulf of Riga the Russian battleship Slava sunk.(1)

Note
1. Of the Borodino-class. Building ordered on 30 January 1900, laid down at the Baltic Shipyard, Saint Petersburg, Russia on 1 November 1902, launched on 29 August 1930, commissioned in October 1905, participated not in the Russo-Japanese war due to late delivery, used as training ship for new officers after 1906, added to the Baltic Fleet after 1910, grounded in the Moon Sound Strait near the island of Muhu while she -being heavily damaged by the German SMS König- could not escape from the German naval forces and sunk by Russian destroyers on 17 October 1917, stricken from the Navy List on 29 May 1918 and broken up by Estonian inhabitants in 1935. Displacement 13.733 tons/13.516 long tons (design)-14.646/14.415 (normal ) tons and as dimensions 118,69 (waterline)-121,1 (over all) x 23,2 x 8,9 metres or 389.5-397.3 x 76.1 x 20.2 feet. The 2-4cylinder vertical triple expansion steam engines and 20 Belleville water tube boilers, all made by Baltic Works, supplied via 2 screws 15.800 ihp (design)-16.378 ihp (trials) allowing a maximum speed of 17,64 knots (trials). With the maximum coal bunker capacity at full load of 1.372 tons/1.350 long tons and a speed of 10 knots was her range 2.590 nautical miles. Her crew numbered 846 men. The original armament consisted of 2x2-30,5cm/12” guns with 60 rounds each gun, 6x2-15,2cn/6” guns with 180 rounds each gun, 20x1-7,5cm/3.0” guns with 300 rounds each gun, 4x1-4,7cm/1.9” Hotchkiss saluting guns and 4-38,1cm/15” torpedo tubes (1x bow, 1xstern both surfaced, 2x1 broadsides submerged) for which 12 torpedoes were taken with her. Originally was the number of 4,7cm guns much more but before completion already removed. In the First World War was her armament changed with reducing the number of 7,5cm guns to 12 and adding anti aircraft guns, in begin 1917 numbering 4-7,6cm/3” guns.

The König was a dreadnought laid down at the Kaiserliche Werf, Wilhelmshaven. Germany in October 1911, with a displacement of 28.600 tons (full load) and a main armament of 5x2-30,5/12” cm guns and 14-15cm/5.9” guns. The Slava was lost during Operation Albion in September-October 1917 when Germany invaded the West Estonian Archipelago and trying to eliminate the Russian naval forces in the Bay of Riga.