Coastal Flatiron

General Admiral Ushakov, a coast defence ship forming part of Admiral Nebogatov's third Battleship Squadron at Tsushima. They were variously dubbed, 'auto sinkers' or 'flatirons,' because of their low freeboard, beamy raft bodies.

Nebogatov had three of them, and not a lot was expected of them. Commander Klado, who sold the idea of their inclusion to the Russian Admiralty, opined they would be useful for 'diffusing Japanese fire' - tough break for the poor crews who had to provide target practice for Togo.

In any case, their old fashioned 305mm guns hadn't the elevation to compete in range with Togo's battleships. They did their best, particularly early on, and Nebogatov was a determined customer with crews who, in the main, had never gone to sea before.

Ushakov, reputably, landed a hit on one of Kamimura's armoured cruisers, the Nisshin, and set it on fire.

They were small ships, even for their day, fractionally under 5000 tons, with shallow drafts for defending harbours and river mouths. Built in 1895, a triple expansion engine pushed them along at 15 knots - if they were lucky.

Ushakov became detached from the squadron during the night of the 27th May and refused to surrender when called on by Togo. She took three damaging hits, two below the waterline and one above, and, blazing from end to end, opened her seacocks and sank herself.

Her sisters, Seniavin and Apraxin, surrendered and were taken into service by the Japanese.


Note: All images in this blog were published before 1st January 1954 and so considered in the public domain according to Russian Copyright Law.

Don