Warships of the Soviet Fleets, 1939-1945: Volume III Naval Auxiliaries

This work provides reliable data on the Soviet Navy's seagoing fleets and riverine flotillas, including over 6200 vessels. It includes auxiliary ships, icebreakers, salvage fleets, and ex-mercantile transport ships. It concludes with appendices on weaponry and a cross-referenced index. It is an important naval reference work for anyone interested in warships, the Soviet Navy, or maritime aspects of the Second World War.

Format: Hardback
Length: 320 pages
Publication date: 12 September 2023
Publisher: Pen & Sword Books Ltd

Seventy-five years after the conclusion of the Second World War, the intricacies of Soviet naval vessels, their operations, and their ultimate outcomes remain a mystery to the West. During wartime, such information was classified, and following a brief period of glasnost (openness), the Russian state has once again restricted access to historical archives. Consequently, the significance and originality of this work cannot be overstated. It presents the first publication of reliable data on both the seagoing fleets and riverine flotillas of the Soviet Navy, encompassing over 6200 vessels ranging from battleships to river gunboats, as well as mercantile conversions and purpose-built warships. This third and final installment of the series includes all the ships in naval service that were not frontline fighting vessels, despite their auxiliary status. Despite their non-frontline role, these ships were not insignificant, as evidenced by the icebreakers, which were the largest vessels constructed by the USSR prior to the war and carried immense prestige. Every prominent member of the Soviet regime desired to have their name associated with one. Apart from the customary fleet support types such as oilers, tugs, and depot ships, this volume also delves into the lesser-known roles of ships like the salvage fleet, which played a crucial role in the 1930s by generating much-needed foreign currency and later became essential to the war effort. This allowed for the restoration of numerous sunken Soviet warships to service. Another notable feature of this volume is the comprehensive listing of ex-mercantile transport ships, detailing their periods of service, eventual fates, and even harbor service craft, including the humble heaters that provided warmth to icebound warships during the harsh Russian winters. This volume concludes with several valuable appendices on subjects such as weaponry and a comprehensive cross-referenced index that facilitates the differentiation of various ships.

Weight: 1860g
Dimension: 255 x 297 x 28 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781399022811