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WorldWar2.ro Forum > Romanian Royal Navy > Romanian River Flotilla Actions Aug 1944 to May 19

Posted by: PT Dockyard June 01, 2005 02:16 am

Can someone provide details on actions involving Romanian river monitors and patrol boats against German and possibly Hungarian craft 1944-45?

Posted by: Iamandi June 01, 2005 05:32 am

Danube Flotila saw limited action after 23 Aug. 1944 because soviet troops arrested the crews and take the ships. I think small demining ships make actions after that period.

Like in ww1, in ww2 romanian monitors don't have a "battle" against hungarian equivalents.

Two romanian monitors were sunk by soviet planes. "Ardealul" and "Basarabia" i think, but i don't bet. Maybe someone can say this names with 100 % sure.

Iama

Posted by: Carol I June 01, 2005 06:47 am

If you understand Romanian, you can take a look at the topic on http://www.worldwar2.ro/forum/index.php?showtopic=1191 that gives a link to excerpts from a book describing the actions of the Romanian Navy in WWII. According to the last chapter (http://www.fortele-navale.ro/despre/istoric/mrrazboi.htm#A7) there were some military actions against German convoys on the Danube until about the end of August 1944. Then, the navy focused on demining missions.

Posted by: PT Dockyard June 02, 2005 02:20 am

And if I DON'T Read Romanian....??

Posted by: Carol I June 02, 2005 08:47 am

Here is an approximate translation of the fragment regarding the military actions against the German forces:

QUOTE

...
In the night 23/24 August 1944, after being informed about the new situation, the navy units came into alert and applied the immediate defence plans.
In order to eliminate the German naval forces in Constanţa and to avoid a terrestrial and naval bombardment of the harbour which could have devastating results, rear admiral Horia Macellariu met German vice admiral Brinkman in Constanţa and gave him an ultimatum to retreat the German forces. In reality it has been a common understanding reached by the two officers, allied to that date, who understood the situation and the fact that it is useless to destroy Constanţa harbour and city through a devastating bombardment. The result was the retreat without fight towards Varna of all German vessels in the next two days, but most of them were scuttled due to a violent storm on the sea (see for example the case of the subs from the 30th Flotilla in http://www.worldwar2.ro/forum/index.php?showtopic=1261 and http://www.worldwar2.ro/forum/index.php?showtopic=2164).
Then the powerful Tirpitz battery was liquidated and in the following days the navy and the terrestrial forces of the navy contributed alongside the terrestrial forces in Dobrogea to the complete liquidation of the German troops between Danube and the Black Sea thus preventing them to cross the Danube towards the vital areas of the capital and the oil fields.
On the Danube the fights were more violent than on the Black Sea. The orders of the General Headquarters and the Navy Staff set mission for the river forces in cooperation with the terrestrial forces in the nearby areas to eliminate the German presence on the Danube, to disarm and take over the German vessels and to repel their actions against the Romanian harbours, towns and other objectives.
Working close with the terrestrial units, the river forces managed that in only 41 hours from the beginning of the operation to clear most of the Danube Delta of the German forces, thus easing the advance of the Soviet Navy. Then fights were engaged simultaneously in several areas of the Danube along 1000 km.
The most involved units were the Monitor Flotilla, the Mine-clearing Flotilla, the Safety Flotilla as well as the Mid-Danube Detachment and the Upper-Danube Detachment. The personnel of these units performed heroic deeds starting with the operations in the Danube Delta and then from 25 August continued with pursuing, capturing and destroying the famous Zieb Fighting Group - a German convoy with more than 222 vessels with 100 artillery and 8000 personnel who tried to leave Brăila up the Danube to Baziaş, or in the following days destroying or capturing terrestrial forces which went from Eastern Muntenia (Galaţi, Slobozia, Călăraşi, Buzău, Urziceni, Olteniţa) towards the Danube with the intention to cross into Bulgaria. Heavy fights were carried out at Hārşova, Cernavodă, Ţăndărei, Călăraşi, Olteniţa, Zimnicea, Turnu Măgurele, Corabia, Turnu Severin and Orşova.
On 28 August, the monitor groups Basarabia-Bucovina and Ardeal-Lahovary went in pursuit of German convoys, managing to capture before Cernavodă 14 tugs, 2 motorboats and 60 barges. On the same date, 11 barges, 3 tugs, 2 armed pontoons, 17 river tanks were captured between Hinova and Turnu Severin and 2 tugs and 2 river tanks in Turnu Severin alone.
In the Olteniţa area, Romanian river vessels in cooperation with terrestrial troops have forced into capitulation a German convoy composed of 104 vessels - ferries, barges, tugs, armed pontoons, transport vessels.
Until the end of August 1944, the German naval groups on the Black Sea and the Danube up to Baziaş were liquidated.
...

Source: http://www.fortele-navale.ro/despre/istoric/mrrazboi.htm#A7

Posted by: Carol I June 02, 2005 12:31 pm

I have also found some information on the Romanian actions against German forces on the Danube in http://www.worldwar2.ro/forum/index.php?showtopic=189.

Posted by: PT Dockyard June 04, 2005 01:01 am

I have a drawing of a Romanian Boat, the Vedette 7 and 8. These were modern boats, built around 1943 ( I think) with a 37mm AA in a turret. Were these boats actually used at any time?

Posted by: Petre May 14, 2009 02:54 pm

On Aug.24 1944, river monitors M.KOGALNICEANU and L.CATARGIU, also one river gun boat were sunk by 16 Sov.bombers Pe-2 in Vilcova area. The Monitor I.BRATIANU was damaged.
On Aug.25 there came orders for actions against Germans. On Aug.27 the monitor groups BASARABIA-BUCOVINA and ARDEAL-LAHOVARI went from Braila in pursuit of German ships.
Actions were stopped Aug.31 (?) from Sov. orders, ships were brought in Izmail, then seized, renamed and included in Sov.Dunajskaya Flotila :
Bratianu(Azov), Basarabia(Kerch) and Bucovina(Izmail) were included in 1th Monitor Divizion (not Division, strenght=battalon)/1th Armored Boats Brigade „Kerch”;
Ardeal(Berdijansk) and Lahovari(Mariupol) were included in 2th Monitor Divizion (not Division)/4th RiverShips Brigade „Sulina”.
According to "Dunajskie Monitory" from author Vitaly Kostricenko :
The Monitors arrived in Izmail Aug.29 (?) under escort of Sov. armored gunboats, but Bucovina were seized Aug.27 (?) in Silistra. Ardeal, Bucovina and Lahovari were conserved and kept on Kislitza channel.
Only I.Bratianu (AZOV) and Basarabia (KERCH), together with Sov.Dunajskaya Flotila were relocated Nov.12 at Turnu-Severin. Azov has entered campaign in the beginning of March, 1945. Kerch has spent training shooting on Mar.13. The ships supported with artillery the ofensive of troops of 1 Yugoslavian Army Apr.5 1945 in Backa-Palanka area, and also on Apr.12 a landing of troops of 5th Brigade of the Yugoslavian armies in Sotin-Opatovac area. Azov took part in the Wien offensive operation and at the end of war was in Novi-Sad.
In 1948 these ships were also preserved on Kislitza channel.

Posted by: Petre August 29, 2011 06:26 pm

QUOTE

21 inf posted :
... Interview with romanian military sailor, Mihu Nicolae, ww2
http://claudiustefanraicu.wordpress.com/2011/05/26/o-frantura-din-viata-unui-om-un-interviu-cu-un-veteran-de-razboi/

The old man also remembers his last days onboard the river monitor "Bucovina".
When it came orders the ship must go to Izmail for new missions, the CO wit his deputy took the secret decision not to surrender the monitor, and put it on shore at night. After a few days, the soviets being there, the crew managed to leave and escape...
Indeed, the russian sources say "Bucovina" was seized being on shore at Silistra. I don't know when and how they refloated the ship.