Russian destroyer Novik (1913)
Encyclopedia
Novík was a destroyer of the Russian Imperial Navy, commissioned in 1913 where she served with the Baltic Fleet
during World War I. She joined the Bolsheviks in November 1917 and was later renamed Yakov Sverdlov
.
Novik was one of the best ships of the type during the First World War. Novik class ships were the first destroyers to be powered by oil instead of coal. When first commissioned she was the fastest ship in the world.
which was being attacked by the Germans. There was an inconclusive encounter between cruisers of the Russian covering force and the German light cruiser SMS München
, but the destroyers were undetected. One of the mines
laid that night blew off the bow of the new German torpedoboat V 107 when she entered Liepāja on the morning of 8 May and rendered her unrepairable. Novik escorted the armored cruiser
Rurik on a mission to shell the German port of Memel
, but they became separated from the rest of the force in heavy fog and encountered the German armored cruiser SMS Roon
. Rurik opened fire, but was soon forced to turn away by a (false) submarine contact and lost sight of the Germans. During the Battle of the Gulf of Riga
in August 1915, Novik and three other destroyers set the German destroyer V 99 on fire. V 99 struck two mines while attempting to break out of the Gulf and was sunk. During the night of 19/20 November 1915 Novik led seven Russian destroyers to attack German patrols off Windau
. They sank the auxiliary patrol boat Norburg and escaped before German reinforcements could arrive. On the night of 13 May 1916, she led two of her half-sisters in search of German iron ore convoys sailing along the Swedish coast. They found a convoy of ten freighters escorted by four auxiliary patrol boats near Häfringe Island. The freighters fled for Swedish waters while the escorts turned to engage the Russians. The Russians sank the auxiliary cruiser Hermann, even though they refused to close the escorts believing them to be far stronger than they actually were, but the freighters escaped and no other damage was inflicted.
In November 1917 she joined the Bolshevik
s and was later renamed Yakov Sverdlov
in 1923.
Baltic Fleet
The Twice Red Banner Baltic Fleet - is the Russian Navy's presence in the Baltic Sea. In previous historical periods, it has been part of the navy of Imperial Russia and later the Soviet Union. The Fleet gained the 'Twice Red Banner' appellation during the Soviet period, indicating two awards of...
during World War I. She joined the Bolsheviks in November 1917 and was later renamed Yakov Sverdlov
Soviet destroyer Yakov Sverdlov
Yakov Sverdlov was a destroyer of the Soviet Navy that served in the Baltic Fleet during World War I and World War II. Originally known as Novík, she was renamed Yakov Sverdlov in 1923. She was a training ship when Operation Barbarossa began, but was recalled to active duty the following day...
.
History
The first ship of its class, Novik was completed in 1910 at the Putilovsky Plant. She was originally designed by AG Vulcan Stettin. The class included 52 other ships in four groups (please see below)- Derzky class destroyerDerzky class destroyerThe Derzky- or Bespokoiny-class destroyers were built for the Imperial Russian Navy just before World War I. Nine ships were built for the Black Sea Fleet These ships were a derivative of the Novik, but were slightly smaller...
- Orfey class destroyerOrfey class destroyerThe Orfey-class destroyers were built for the Baltic Fleet of the Imperial Russian Navy. They were modified versions of the Novik and the Derzky-class destroyers. These ships were larger, had triple torpedo tubes and an extra gun. Fourteen ships were completed in 1914 - 1917 and fought in World...
- Izijaslav class destroyerIzijaslav class destroyerThe Izyaslav-class were a group of destroyers built for the Baltic Fleet of the Imperial Russian Navy. They were modified versions of the Orfey-class destroyer built in Russia with the assistance of the French Company Augustin Normand...
- Fidonisy class destroyerFidonisy class destroyerThe Fidonisy- or Kerch-class were a group of destroyers built for the Black Sea Fleet of the Imperial Russian Navy. They were a slightly enlarged version of the Derzky-class destroyer, with an extra gun and more torpedo tubes...
Novik was one of the best ships of the type during the First World War. Novik class ships were the first destroyers to be powered by oil instead of coal. When first commissioned she was the fastest ship in the world.
World War I
During the night of 6/7 May 1915 Novik, in company with ten other destroyers, mined the approaches to the port of LiepājaLiepaja
Liepāja ; ), is a republican city in western Latvia, located on the Baltic Sea directly at 21°E. It is the largest city in the Kurzeme Region of Latvia, the third largest city in Latvia after Riga and Daugavpils and an important ice-free port...
which was being attacked by the Germans. There was an inconclusive encounter between cruisers of the Russian covering force and the German light cruiser SMS München
SMS München
SMS München was a of the Kaiserliche Marine, named after the city of Munich....
, but the destroyers were undetected. One of the mines
Naval mine
A naval mine is a self-contained explosive device placed in water to destroy surface ships or submarines. Unlike depth charges, mines are deposited and left to wait until they are triggered by the approach of, or contact with, an enemy vessel...
laid that night blew off the bow of the new German torpedoboat V 107 when she entered Liepāja on the morning of 8 May and rendered her unrepairable. Novik escorted the armored cruiser
Armored cruiser
The armored cruiser was a type of warship of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Like other types of cruiser, the armored cruiser was a long-range, independent warship, capable of defeating any ship apart from a battleship, and fast enough to outrun any battleships it encountered.The first...
Rurik on a mission to shell the German port of Memel
Klaipeda
Klaipėda is a city in Lithuania situated at the mouth of the Nemunas River where it flows into the Baltic Sea. It is the third largest city in Lithuania and the capital of Klaipėda County....
, but they became separated from the rest of the force in heavy fog and encountered the German armored cruiser SMS Roon
SMS Roon
SMS Roon"SMS" stands for "Seiner Majestät Schiff", or "His Majesty's Ship" in German. was the lead ship of her class of armored cruisers of the Imperial German Navy. The ship was authorized under the second Naval Law in 1902, and built at the Imperial Dockyard in Kiel at the cost of 15.3 million...
. Rurik opened fire, but was soon forced to turn away by a (false) submarine contact and lost sight of the Germans. During the Battle of the Gulf of Riga
Battle of the Gulf of Riga
The Battle of the Gulf of Riga was a World War I naval operation of the German High Seas Fleet against the Russian Baltic Fleet in the Gulf of Riga in the Baltic Sea in August 1915...
in August 1915, Novik and three other destroyers set the German destroyer V 99 on fire. V 99 struck two mines while attempting to break out of the Gulf and was sunk. During the night of 19/20 November 1915 Novik led seven Russian destroyers to attack German patrols off Windau
Ventspils
Ventspils is a city in northwestern Latvia in the Courland historical region of Latvia, the sixth largest city in the country. As of 2006, Ventspils had a population of 43,806. Ventspils is situated on the Venta River and the Baltic Sea, and has an ice-free port...
. They sank the auxiliary patrol boat Norburg and escaped before German reinforcements could arrive. On the night of 13 May 1916, she led two of her half-sisters in search of German iron ore convoys sailing along the Swedish coast. They found a convoy of ten freighters escorted by four auxiliary patrol boats near Häfringe Island. The freighters fled for Swedish waters while the escorts turned to engage the Russians. The Russians sank the auxiliary cruiser Hermann, even though they refused to close the escorts believing them to be far stronger than they actually were, but the freighters escaped and no other damage was inflicted.
In November 1917 she joined the Bolshevik
Bolshevik
The Bolsheviks, originally also Bolshevists , derived from bol'shinstvo, "majority") were a faction of the Marxist Russian Social Democratic Labour Party which split apart from the Menshevik faction at the Second Party Congress in 1903....
s and was later renamed Yakov Sverdlov
Soviet destroyer Yakov Sverdlov
Yakov Sverdlov was a destroyer of the Soviet Navy that served in the Baltic Fleet during World War I and World War II. Originally known as Novík, she was renamed Yakov Sverdlov in 1923. She was a training ship when Operation Barbarossa began, but was recalled to active duty the following day...
in 1923.
External links
- Almanacwhj.ruhttp://mkmagazin.almanacwhf.ru/ships/novik.htm