Elpidifor-415 is a Soviet gunboat of the Elpidifor type (formerly a minesweeper ), which took part in the Civil War and repelled the attacks of French interventionists at the Black Sea War Theater.
| Elpidifor-415 | |
|---|---|
 Remains of Elpidifora-415 on the shore | |
| Service | |
 RSFSR | |
| Class and type of vessel | Gunboat |
| Manufacturer | Russud |
| Construction started | 1917 year |
| Commissioned | 1920 year |
| Status | Sank 01/01/1921 |
| Main characteristics | |
| Displacement | 1400 t |
| Length | 74.67 m |
| Width | 10.39 m |
| Draft | 3.51 m |
| Crew | 84 people |
| Armament | |
| Artillery | 3 × 130 mm , 2 × 76 mm , 2 machine guns |
| Mine torpedo armament | up to 250 min |
Content
- 1 History
- 2 Fight January 9, 1921
- 3 Current status
- 4 Sources
History
The keel of the future ship was laid at the Russud plant ( Nikolaev ) on January 19, 1917 . The construction of the T-315 (the ship was listed under the design documentation with this number) was delayed in connection with revolutionary events, and only on May 16, 1920 the ship was launched under the red flag. On July 28 of that year, Elpidifor-415 entered service as a gunboat.
The second half of 1920, the ship was used to transfer marching replenishment of the Red Army and combat trawling of unknown waters.
Fight January 9, 1921
On January 9, 1921, returning from staging minefields, Elpidifor-415 was attacked by a detachment of French navy ships consisting of two destroyers and one minesweeper . G. A. Butakov , who commanded a gunboat, decided to land ashore in the Anapa region, where Elpidifor could find protection for coastal artillery batteries. According to one of the sailors from the engine room, "in the battle, about 70 people were killed and wounded." After some time, the surviving crew members were transported to Sevastopol .
Current status
In official documents, it appears that, due to the impossibility of restoration, the Elpidifor-415 was dismantled for scrap in 1922 . But, as it turned out later, this message needs to be amended, because at the place of the ship’s death at least 20-30% of its bottom set was preserved.
Underwater research in the High Coast area ( Anapa city) showed the presence of many fragments of the ship's hull, constructed at the beginning of the 20th century. Scuba divers found: several sections of the bottom, mast, propeller , part of the shaft line and other small mechanisms and appliances.
An analysis of the description of the battlefield on January 9, 1921 gives one hundred percent confidence that the found fragments belong to Elpidifor-415.