Romanian River Flotilla Actions Aug 1944 to May 19

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

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

If you understand Romanian, you can take a look at the topic on Romanian Navy in World War II that gives a link to excerpts from a book describing the actions of the Romanian Navy in WWII. According to the last chapter (Acţiunile de luptă ale marinei române alături de forţele naţiunilor unite după 23 august 1944) 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.

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

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

Source: Acţiunile de luptă ale marinei române alături de forţele naţiunilor unite după 23 august 1944

I have also found some information on the Romanian actions against German forces on the Danube in Sources on Danube Naval Actions 1944-45.

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?

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.

This post has been edited by Petre on July 03, 2011 05:41 pm

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.

This post has been edited by Petre on August 29, 2011 06:32 pm