The use of submarines during the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905 gave the first practical combat experience and revealed both positive and negative qualities of the Kasatka-class submarines. One of the main disadvantages of submarines of this type was the presence of only torpedo tubes of the Drzewiecki system. In addition to many positive qualities, they also had serious drawbacks - the difficulty of accurately aiming during the underwater movement, the impossibility of adjusting and inspecting the torpedoes that are in the vehicles. In contrast, tubular torpedo tubes installed on submarines such as Sturgeon and Som ensured better safety of torpedoes. At the same time, the internal torpedo tubes in the submerged position could be reloaded, which made it possible to have a spare set.
The need to use tubular internal torpedo tubes was justified in a memo, submitted to the General Music School on May 30, 1905, by Rear Admiral, head of diving, Eduard Nikolayevich Schensnovich. In particular, he drew MGSh's attention to the successful construction of Kasatka-class submarines by the Baltic Shipyard and the creation of 400-horsepower efficient engines for the surface course. Considering it necessary to further develop domestic submarine shipbuilding, Shchensnovich proposed "to immediately order submarines with internal torpedo tubes to the Baltic Shipyard."
Contents of the memorandum of E. N. coincided with the plans of the Maritime Ministry, since the MTK on May 3, 1905 considered the project of a submarine with a displacement of 380 tons, drawn up by the ship engineer I. G. Bubnov. and captain of the second rank Beklemishev M. N. The designers chose the path of further development of the Kasatka-class submarines. The submerged speed increased by 4 knots (up to 18), the cruising range on the surface was 5 thousand miles, in the submerged position - 32 miles (versus 24). The project provided for the installation in the bow of a tubular torpedo tube and in the cutouts of the superstructure - 6 torpedo tubes of the Drzewiecki system. Members of the ITC, upon a detailed examination of the project, expressed a desire to move the tubular apparatus to the upper part of the superstructure to protect it from damage when the submarine touches the ground. The MTK meeting approved the project, indicating that "the construction of such a submarine … in Russia with its own means is desirable for the independent development, construction and improvement of diving facilities." The Baltic shipbuilding and mechanical plant was offered as a builder, and the L. Nobel plant - as a manufacturer of surface motors. Based on the positive feedback from MTK, Vice Admiral, Head of the Ministry of the Sea, Avelan F. K. On May 4, 1905, he ordered the implementation of the project to be included in the general program of shipbuilding.
Bubnov I. G. On September 25, he sent a memo addressed to the chief inspector of shipbuilding. In it, he pointed to the increased explosiveness of gasoline engines. Two 600-horsepower gasoline engines were proposed to be replaced by two diesel engines with a power of 600 and 300 hp, operating on one shaft in series. To maintain the design speed Bubnov I. G. proposed to reduce the width of the submarine by 305 mm and abandon the use of wood in the hull skin. In addition, the designer suggested using four tubular apparatus with four spare torpedoes instead of one tubular and 6 torpedo tubes of Drzewiecki.
The amendments were approved by the ITC; at the same time, the submitted I. G. Bubnov was considered and approved. project of a small submarine with a displacement of 117 tons, armed with two tubular bow devices. The basis for the development of this project was the conclusions of the MGSH commission about the need to have two types of submarines in the fleet - coastal, with a displacement of about 100 tons, and cruising, with a displacement of 350-400 tons. The MTK meeting approved the project of a small submarine and the changes made to the documentation of a submarine with a displacement of 360 tons. The construction of the submarine was entrusted to the Baltic Shipyard, and general supervision was entrusted to the ship engineer I. G. Bubnov. On February 9, 1906, the Department of Structures of the GUKiS, on the basis of the resolution of the Minister of Marine Birilev A. A. The term of the work is 20 months.
The order to the Baltic shipyard was not sufficiently financed from the very beginning (only 200,000 rubles), which made it possible only to start negotiations with counterparties and start preparatory work. Factory specialists in the summer of 1906 negotiated with the MAN company (Augsburg, Germany), which at that time was engaged in the construction of diesel engines with a capacity of 300 hp. for French submarines. Petersburg plant "L. Nobel" also undertook the creation of such engines, but this seemed very doubtful due to the lack of experience. Bubnov I. G. On August 19, he presented a memo to the ITC, in which he proposed to change the power plant for the underwater course. Taking into account the fact that the supposed 600-horsepower diesel engine was not included in the dimensions of the solid hull and had a number of drawbacks, Bubnov proposed using three 300-horsepower diesel engines, each of which would operate on a separate shaft.
Such an unusual project was considered three times at the ITC meetings - on August 21, September 22 and October 13. At the first meeting, the committee members proposed to suspend the construction and order 1 diesel engine for comprehensive tests. All this entry of submarines into service was postponed indefinitely, which is why the head of the Baltic plant Veshkurtsev P. F. took responsibility for the construction of submarines with a displacement of 117 and 360 tons. At the last meeting of the ITC, Veshkurtsev's proposal was accepted. The plant in October presented MTK tech. conditions approved on December 7th. This date should be considered the beginning of the construction of submarines.
The plant "L. Nobel" in January 1907 received an order for the manufacture of three 300-horsepower and two 120-horsepower engines, and the "Volta" plant in Reval - for propeller motors. In this case, the delivery time for diesel engines is 15 months from the date of receipt of the order. The French company "Mato" was supposed to supply the storage batteries (term 11 months). Hull work proceeded quite quickly, especially on a small submarine, officially laid down on February 6, 1906.
On June 14, 1907, the small and large submarines of the Baltic shipyard were included in the lists of the fleet as "Lamprey" and "Shark".
The launch of the first of them, scheduled for the spring of 1908, had to be postponed, since the L. Nobel plant delayed the delivery of surface engines. Much time was spent on the manufacture of the reversing device, developed by the engineer K. V. Khagelin. In this regard, the first of the diesels was presented only in July, and the second in October 1908. The Volta plant also did not meet the contractual deadlines. All the work was complicated by the fire that occurred on March 21 at the Baltic plant and destroyed the new batteries. This was the reason for the second order of the company "Mato". The submarine "Lamprey" was launched on October 11 with one diesel engine, 15 days later the tests were started, which had to be stopped due to the solid ice. On November 7, only mooring tests were carried out. In April 1909, the Lamprey submarine was raised to the wall to install a lead keel, since a large number of pipelines in the hold did not allow additional ballast to be placed inside the hull.
At the beginning of June, a second diesel engine, a storage battery was installed and all mechanisms were tested. June 7, the submarine "Lamprey" under the command of Lieutenant Brovtsyn A. V. She began runs under diesel engines in the Sea Canal, and later moved to Bjorke-Sound for acceptance tests (October 15-18). The acceptance committee concluded that the submarine is subject to acceptance into the treasury, even despite the decrease in underwater and surface speeds compared to the contract ones (0, 75 and 1 knot, respectively). Also, the commission proposed to strengthen the armament of the submarine with two Dzhevetsky torpedo tubes. However, this proposal remained on paper due to fears of a deterioration in the stability of the submarine.
The submarine "Lamprey" (displacement 123/152 tons, buoyancy reserve 24%) is a further development of submarines of the "Killer Whale" type with the characteristic placement of the main ballast outside a strong hull in light ends. A sturdy case, designed for a 45-meter dive, was recruited along a transverse system. Concentric frames from 18 to 90 were made of angle steel 90x60x8 millimeters with a spacing of 305 millimeters, sheathing - 8 mm, limiting a strong hull from bow to stern. An oval solid wheelhouse (wall thickness of 8 millimeters) was riveted to the solid hull in the middle part, the skin of the light ends (from 0 to 18 and from 90 to 108 frames) was half the thickness.
Along the entire length of the upper part of the hull, to improve seaworthiness, a waterproof lightweight superstructure was assembled (skin 3 mm thick). The Lamprey immersion system consisted of two tanks (each 9 tons) of main ballast at the extremities, which were designed for a 6-meter immersion depth. The end tanks in the stern and bow were filled with two centrifugal reversible pumps of the Maginot system (the diameter of the valves was 120 millimeters, the capacity, depending on the immersion depth, ranged from 45 to 200 m3 per hour). Inside the end tanks, there were aft and bow trim tanks (each with a capacity of 0.75 tons), designed for the maximum depth. 76mm valves were used to fill them. Inside the sturdy hull (frames 48-59) there were 2 medium tanks (each with a capacity of 2 tons), filled through separate 152-mm kingstones, the drives of which were in the conning tower. In the superstructure in the bow and stern (frames 23-49 and 57-74) there were two deck tanks of 4 tons each, designed for a pressure of 0.5 atmospheres and filled during diving through scuppers by gravity. Differential and medium tanks were blown with air under high pressure (approximately 3 atmospheres) at maximum depth. Water from these tanks was pumped out through a special pipeline by centrifugal pumps. The residual buoyancy was regulated by two small tanks, with a total capacity of about 15 liters, located in the aft part of the conning tower. Filling was carried out with a manual pump.
On the whole, the ballast system of the Lamprey submarine was distinguished by its reliability and simplicity. An important innovation was the presence of deck tanks, with the ventilation valves closed (after filling the stern and bow), the submarine moved to a positional position in which only the wheelhouse remained on the surface.
When submerged, the middle bow cistern was filled completely, the stern - partially, which made it possible to regulate the residual buoyancy. In essence, the feed tank served as an equalizing tank. Blowing medium tanks with high pressure compressed air allowed the submarine to surface quickly in an emergency.
The breeches of the torpedo tubes, the compressor, the bow centrifugal pump and the electric motor for the underwater anchor were located in the upper part of the bow compartment (frames 18-48). The lower part housed the Mato system battery, consisting of 66 cells, located side by side in two groups with a passage in the middle. In this case, the flooring of the battery served as a floor. Metal lockers were attached on the sides above the batteries. Their covers were intended for the rest of the team. In the hold of the bow compartment there were 7 air guards, torpedo firing was carried out through one of them. On the starboard side (frame 48) a fresh water tank with a capacity of 400 liters was attached. Between frames 48 and 54 there were enclosures for the officers' quarters, which were fenced off from the passage with fabric curtains. Here were the commander's and assistant's bunks, a periscope electric motor and fans. The aft bulkheads of the "cabins" were the walls of the fuel tanks, and the bow bulkheads were light bulkheads (frame 48). Between frames 54 and 58 there were fuel tanks riveted from steel 7 millimeters thick, with a passage in the middle.
The engine room was located between the 58th frame and the spherical bulkhead, in which there were two three-cylinder four-stroke diesel engines (piston stroke 270 mm, cylinder diameter 300 mm), total power at 400 rpm - 240 hp. On the surface, the engines allowed a speed of up to 10 knots and provided a cruising range of up to 1000 miles with an 8-knot economic speed. Under water, the submarine moved under a rowing 70-horsepower electric motor at a speed of 4.5-5 knots. The battery capacity was enough to cover 90 miles. The electric motor and diesel engines, installed in the center plane, could be interconnected by Leblanc friction clutches. The stern engine worked to charge the battery. Under the foundations of the diesel engines there were 6 fuel tanks, the capacity of which was 5, 7 tons, from where the diesel fuel was fed into the supply tanks by a hand pump, and from there it was fed by gravity.
The presence of dissimilar engines on the same propeller shaft on the submarine "Lamprey", as well as the small possibilities of changing the rotational speed of diesel engines, led to the use (for the first time in world practice) of a CPP, the pitch of the blades was set only without load, depending on the operating mode. As a result, this technical innovation was practically not used. In the engine room, in addition to the above, there was a compressor, a centrifugal pump for the aft ballast tank and 5 air guards. One of the air fuses (capacity 100 liters) was used to start the diesels.
The submarine was controlled by a vertical rudder with an area of 2 m2, as well as two pairs of horizontal rudders - aft and bow (areas of 2 and 3, 75 m2, respectively), the posts of the latter were located in the stern and bow compartments, which made it difficult to control. The central post was absent as such, and the steering wheel of the vertical rudder was located in the conning tower. The same steering wheel was installed on the roof of the wheelhouse for surface control. Visual observation of the external situation was carried out through five windows in the wheelhouse. Here, in the upper part, a strong cap with four portholes was made; its cover also served as an entrance hatch. Two more hatches located in the stern and bow were used for loading spare parts, torpedoes and batteries. In the underwater position, observation was carried out using a kleptoscopic and a periscope of foreign designs, and the first had the following difference: during the rotation of the lens, the observer remained in place, and in conditions of extreme constraint, this was very important.
Armament of the submarine "Lamprey" - two VTTA plant "GA Lessner" and two torpedoes R34 mod. 1904 caliber 450 millimeters. Due to the absence of a torpedo replacement tank, volley firing was impossible. The supply consisted of a mushroom-shaped underwater anchor weighing 50 kg and a surface anchor weighing 150 kg. The submarine's crew consisted of 22 people, two of whom were officers.
The submarine Lampau, based at Libau, began combat training, carried out independent exits, and took part in annual fleet maneuvers. On March 23, 1913, during a training dive, the unexpected happened - into the solid hull through the ship's ventilation shaft, due to the ingress of a foreign object, its valve was not completely closed, water began to flow. The submarine, having lost its buoyancy, sank at a depth of 30 meters, but thanks to the competent actions of Lieutenant A. N. Garsoev, the submarine commander, calm weather, as well as timely assistance, victims were avoided. With the help of specialists from the Libavsky military port, the submarine was raised and repaired. The practical lesson learned from this incident served an excellent service - on all subsequent submarines of the Russian fleet, the ventilation valves were now made opening only inside the hull.
During the First World War, the submarine "Lamprey" was part of the first division of the Baltic Fleet Brigade. "Lamprey" was actively used to carry out patrols in the area of the Moonsund archipelago at the Central mine and artillery position.
They called him Barsoev
Once in childhood, Garsoev dreamed of becoming an artilleryman. The house in Tiflis was located near the artillery regiment. Alexander was accustomed early to the horses, which carved sparks from the pavement, and to the singing of the trumpet. He liked the little, like toy, mountain fluffs, with which the soldiers on the parade ground dashingly managed. However, his passion for artillery disappeared as quickly as it appeared. Having left for Moscow to study, he said goodbye to Tiflis for a long time. Then the sea came. By the age of 23, Garsoev graduated from Moscow University, Faculty of Physics and Mathematics, Department of Mathematics. The father wanted his son to become a scientist. At the same time, Alexander was counting the days when he would receive a diploma and would be able to apply for admission to the fleet as a cadet.
On August 6, 1904, Garsoev reported to the duty officer of the capital's Eighteenth Fleet Crew. The summer was cold and rainy. The walls of the huge barracks, thick, like fortifications, were covered with mold …
For 16 months in the crew, Garsoev was able to master the full course of the Marine Corps. Having passed the exams and received the rank of midshipman, he was assigned to a destroyer. In the beginning there was No. 217, later "Attentive", "Prominent", "Finn". Having gulped his fill of the life-threatening life, he was suddenly transferred to the battleship "Andrew the First-Called". Then a quick transfer to the cruiser "Diana". But Garsoev wanted to dive. On October 19, 1910, he finally manages to secure a referral to a scuba diving training squad. After the story with the Lamprey submarine, he realized that he could not live without a fleet. Then he could send the boats and the fleet to hell. He could, however, did not.
Boats … He could not explain why they so entered into his life. After all, people serve on cruisers, battleships, at worst, there are destroyers. After all, people serve, and he himself served. He was offered more than once to go to the headquarters. During the war, Garsoev almost got to the headquarters forever. How it happened is not clear, but the clerical confusion brought the combat commander of the submarine to Revel to a land position. With great difficulty, operatives of the Main Naval Headquarters dragged him to their place. However, the "ungrateful" Garsoev continued to file report after report. The position and position of an officer of the high staff did not suit him. He wanted to go to submarines.
Head of Garsoev - N. I. Ignatiev (a year after the October Revolution, they met again at the Scientific Research Committee, where Ignatiev became the head) to the commander of the Baltic submarine formation Podgursky N. K.: Dear and dear Nikolai Konstantinovich! As you know, there is a senior Lieutenant Garsoev This officer really wants to command the boat and constantly pesters me with a translation. Of course, being left without a scuba diving specialist does not suit me, but what to do … But if you have many candidates without Garsoev, or you generally have anything against this officer, I will not cry very much, because without him it will be hard for me … On the other hand, it is a shame not to use such an officer in wartime…. Your Ignatiev.
Garsoev was immediately given the submarine "Lioness" - the newest submarine of the "Bars" type for that time. He did not know about the correspondence between Ignatiev and Podgursky.
Yes, having got out of the "Lamprey" - a steel coffin - he could give up scuba diving without fear of being accused of cowardice. He could, however, did not give up. Moreover, Garsoev blamed only himself in many ways. How was it?
Garsoev, after graduating from a training scuba diving detachment, was appointed assistant commander of the Akula submarine. While in the detachment, he studied "Lamprey", "Beluga", "Whitefish", "Postal". During the training, the students moved from one boat to another. The same questions and activities, however, the boats are all different. It seemed that Garsoev on the Pochtovy submarine could, blindfolded, figure out the intricacies of the engine and the intricacies of highways. To be fair, the boat was creepy. Its designer Dzhevetskiy S. K. for the first time made an attempt to implement the idea of a single engine for surface and underwater travel. Everything turned out quite complicated, the living conditions were at the limit, something broke almost during every exit. No one grieved when the Pochtovy submarine was handed over to the port, in other words, for scrapping due to its complete unusability.
In 1913, Garsoev received the submarine "Lamprey" - a new, third submarine of Bubnov I. G., the world's first submarine with a diesel-electric power plant. With the arrival of a new commander, almost all of the crew on the Lamprey has changed. Basically, the sailors were from the Pochtovy submarine - long-term servicemen, family, sedate. We got to know the device of the submarine "Lamprey" superficially, believing that after the "Postal" the devil himself is not afraid.
On March 23, 1913, at 14:00, Garsoev took the submarine Lamprey into the sea for the first time. The carousel started right away. Working in reverse from the wall, Garsoev, not yet knowing the inertia of the submarine, hit her stern against a barge standing at the opposite wall of the bucket. The two-headed eagle, gilding on the sternpost of the submarine, shattered to smithereens. Provided, or as they said at the time, escorted the submarine by the port boat "Libava". Garsoev sent the helmsman of the Lamprey submarine Guryev on it: the sailor knew how to handle the phone on the rescue buoy in an emergency. The pumps started working, filling the tanks. At first, the boat began to submerge smoothly, but failed and, hitting, lay down to the bottom.
Garsoev knew: here the depth is 33 feet, but mechanically he looked at the device. The arrow confirmed: the boat is at a depth of 33. A report came from the vehicle: "There is water between the diesels on the site." Here he made a mistake. Garsoev blew not all the tanks at the same time, but one at a time … To no avail. I got into the car and realized that I was late. A powerful jet was pouring from somewhere in the hold. The water level rose rapidly. Probably, the valve of the ship's ventilation shaft did not close. The pipe seems to go into the hold, and there is a valve on the bridge. He swore to himself, as he was not sure that this was the case. I looked through the drawings fluently, hoping for a memory - since I had been studying the "Lamprey" as a listener of the detachment quite recently. As if now it did not come with a dear price … Garsoev caught the glances of the sailors. I was thinking. He ordered the rescue buoy to be returned. - "Allow me to report, Your Honor?" Ivan Manaev, a non-commissioned officer of the second article appeared in front of Garsoev. ". - "So why didn't you report?" - "I thought that everything on the Lamprey is different than on the Post.“This is through whom we will perish,” someone cried out. - "Calm down, brothers, we have not drowned yet," Garsoev responded, but did not feel firm confidence. Now, as if looking at myself from the outside, I was surprised at my frivolity. How did he dare to go with a crew that practically did not know the boat? He tried not to think about himself, postponing reprisals against himself for later. But will it be "later"? Having picked up the phone, he began to call Guriev. In response, silence. Where is Guryev? What's happening on the surface?
The Lamprey crew made an attempt to overcome the stream pouring into the boat. Someone raised the deck and, looking into the hold, determined where the water was coming from. Confirmed - water gushes from the lower end of the ventilation pipe. They cut the pipe above the deck and wanted to plug it. Garsoev, taking off his tunic, ordered to hammer it as "chop". Few. He pulled the green cloth off the table in his cabin, tore off the curtains from the bunk, ordered the curtains to be brought from the officers' quarters. Pillows, ripped mattresses and a set of stern flags went into action … They even brought a rug torn into strips from the commander's cabin and hammered it. All in vain. It was not possible to tame the water. Perhaps for some time the jet weakened, but then the "chop" flew out. Oily cold water has risen above the main motor.
"What happened next?" - recalled Garsoev, feeling the grave cold of the sunken submarine. The commander made the right decision, ordering everyone to move away from the battery - to the stern. I knew that when the water gets to the batteries, chlorine will be released. In this case, it is definitely the end. It is necessary that the batteries are flooded immediately, part of the chlorine will then dissolve in the water. Commanding as if in a half-forgotten state - perhaps it was - he somehow managed to raise the stern. Water poured onto the battery. Garsoev reduced one threat, but the lights in the boat went out.
People gathered at the stern. Established resting places, the role of which was played by the lids of the boxes for accumulators (the personal belongings of the team were stored in boxes) flooded. Therefore, whoever could settle down in the stern wherever they could. Nerves gave out. Many were delirious, someone groaned …
Subsequently, reflecting on this incident, Garsoev could not understand in any way what they were breathing then. A destructive mixture of carbon dioxide, chlorine, oil and fuel fumes. An hour, two, three … The sailors took turns holding Nazarevsky by force. The healthy and strong non-commissioned officer felt confused in his mind. Boatswain Mate Oberemsky was shouting something incoherently. The mine driver Kryuchkov, who lost consciousness, fell into the water near the diesel engines. They pulled it out with difficulty, because he could drown right in the submarine. Garsoev periodically plunged into oblivion and, by an effort of will, burst out of complete silence and darkness onto the sunken ship. Sweat poured on his face, Garsoev shivered, because after he gave the jacket, he was left with only one shirt. The sailors brought a blanket.
Garsoev, creating a trim, pursued another goal: the raised stern, perhaps, will come to the surface, which will speed up their disposal and facilitate the task of rescuers.
Why, the commander wondered, no one showed up, why was there no floating crane? Garsoev realized that their fate completely depended on what would be done above.
There is a lot of air on the surface, and people breathe freely and easily, without even noticing it. And here every minute their chances of salvation are reduced. A sigh is followed by an exhalation, saturating the already poisoned atmosphere of the boat with another portion of carbon dioxide …
So why are they lingering at the top, where is Guryev, finally, and what is happening?
From the report of the chief of the first mine division of the Baltic Sea to the commander of the Baltic Sea Naval Forces: "During the first dive, the boat sank, but since the flag on the mast was clearly visible above the water, Guryev did not assume that an accident had occurred, and continued to hold on in 5 cables Only 5 hours later, when I came close to the mast of the boat, I saw an ejected emergency buoy. The excitement was so strong that it was impossible to take the buoy from the boat without the danger of damaging the wire, so Guryev went to the floating lighthouse, where he took the boat and people, and also asked for an alarm signal … Guryev himself remained on the boat, which raised the buoy. Thus, communication with the crew of the submarine was established."
The electrician non-commissioned officer Nikolaev answered Guryev: "Help, but quickly!" A destroyer on duty came up from the port. Captain of the second rank Plen jumped into the boat right from the side, picked up the phone from Guriev, ordered Nikolayev to report in detail and in order. The information was not encouraging: there was water in the boat, people gathered in the stern, a large air buffer had formed there. Garsoev asked if the food had appeared above the water. If not, you need to raise it as quickly as possible so that the hatch appears …
Rear Admiral Storre, Chief of the 1st Mine Division, who took over the leadership of the rescue work, nervously walked along the deck of the Aquarius transport. Divers put on suits. Before approaching the scene of the accident, the admiral talked with the head of the port and learned that the crews of the floating cranes were civilians, at 5 pm they finished their work and, not knowing about the accident, went home. They all live in the city, not in the port. When can the messengers find them? Finally, what can you do without a 100-ton crane? Therefore, the primary task is to provide the boat with air. The divers sank to the bottom, they were given hoses from the transport, and they made an attempt to attach one of them to the special. valve on the wheelhouse of the submarine Lamprey. The torpedo boats that surrounded the crash site flooded the sea with searchlights. Soon one of the divers entangled in his own air hose was raised to the surface unconscious. Others from the bottom conveyed the sad news: you cannot attach a single hose nut to the valve, since the thread does not fit … Storre, whom everyone knew as an imperturbable person, stamped his feet and swore like a drunken stoker.
- "Your Excellency," Cavtorang Plen shouted to him from the boat, "no one answers the calls, I hear only groans!"
Storre fled from the deck. He seemed to have done everything, but people died. Only at 22:25 did private tugboats hired by the harbor master brought the 100-ton crane to the scene of the accident. While the crane was being anchored, while the diver was putting on the equipment, another hour and eleven minutes passed. The diver went to the submarine, laid down gini - devices used to lift loads of the largest mass. - "The groans have stopped, - screamed, without looking up from the pipe, Plen. - Nobody responds from the submarine."
At midnight, the Commander of the Fleet, Storre, reported that people had been in an atmosphere saturated with chlorine for 9 hours and the hope of salvation was constantly diminishing. The 100-ton crane started working, several people with chisels and hammers prepared to open the hatch as soon as it appeared above the water. Storre took the risk of giving the order to begin the climb immediately after the first guineas had been laid. The diver, without undressing, waited for the stern to come out. Then it will be possible to lay the second guineas for insurance, and the boat will definitely not break. A hatch appeared over the water at 00:45, which then began to open from the inside. So there are living ones! Three officers from the students of the scuba diving training detachment rushed to the submarine from the boat - Warrant Officer Terletsky, Lieutenants Gersdorf and Nikiforaki. “Waist-deep in water,” Rear-Admiral Storre wrote in his report, “they helped to lift the hatch and began to take out the rescued one by one. Lieutenant Garosev was lifted eighth. appearance were terrible after what they experienced. The boat commander, Lieutenant Garsoev, who had been unconscious lately, as soon as the hatch was opened, came to his senses. He was transported to the crane, where they laid him near the boilers … The boat was left with the helmsman Ivan Gordeev, who was cut off in the command room from the aft compartment with water. They talked to him, and the boatswain's mate said that he had enough air, but before pumping out the water it was impossible to extract it from the cabin.
Warrant officer Terletsky, lieutenants Gersdorf and Nikiforaki, repeatedly descended into the submarine and took out exhausted and weakened people from there and, according to these officers, selflessly devoted to the service, who showed an outstanding example of courage, even with the hatch open, the air in the boat was impossible, they were suffocating in it. To free Gordeev, the water from the boat was pumped out by the port tugs Avanport and Libava. The water was decreasing slowly, in an hour and 45 minutes its level was reduced to a level that allowed Lieutenant Nikiforaki to give Gordeev a board, on which he slid and left the hatch himself; in the boat on the surface of the water floated acid, coming from batteries and oil."
Further Storre noted: “According to the report of Lieutenant Garsoev, the commander of the Lamprey submarine, the behavior of the helmsman Gordeev during the accident is outstanding and beyond praise: the time before the hatch was opened, he took a boat from Lieutenant Garsoev, who called him for this purpose and lost consciousness at the same time. help, and immediately inquired about the health of the commander and other lower ranks."
After the accident, 6 days later, an order came to award the boatswain's mate Garsoev "for distinction in service with the rank of senior lieutenant." Gordeev was awarded the rank of non-commissioned officer of the second article.
The trial took place in May.
Before the special presence of the Kronstadt naval court appeared Rear Admiral, head of the training scuba diving detachment P. P. Levitsky, his assistant captain of the second rank A. V. Nikitin. and senior lieutenant Garsoev A. N.
From the verdict:
"The reason for the sinking of the submarine" Lamprey "on the Libau roadstead, which occurred on March 23 of this year, was that an uncleaned bundle of rags and two semaphore flags left in the casing fell under the valve of the ventilation pipe, making it impossible to close it tightly. When the boat was immersed in a firing position through the above valve, water began to pour into the hold and, losing buoyancy, the boat sank to a depth of 33 feet, where it lay to the bottom. All those in the boat were rescued … But many parts of the boat were damaged, which will require 20,000 rubles to be repaired."
In the verdict about Garsoev it was said: "Although Garsoev did not show proper care during the above-mentioned dive, regarding the safety of this test, and did not properly and timely assess the sudden circumstances of the boat's loss of buoyancy, nevertheless, in his subsequent actions, showed discretion and full presence of mind, managed to maintain vigor in the team, which worked all the time with outstanding energy, thanks to which the submarine held out until the moment of assistance."
The court acquitted Nikitin and Garsoev. Levitsky was reprimanded for poor control. The accident of the submarine "Lamprey" forever left Garsoev's memory - a disturbed health, as well as a deathly pale complexion - the result of poisoning with acid vapors and chlorine. From the cruel lesson of the Lamprey, he drew conclusions. Actually, Garsoev became a real submariner only after the accident, having gone through what all submarine employees are afraid of. Garsoev did not suffer from gentleness of character before, but 9 hours spent in a steel "coffin" were not in vain: but he became stricter and tougher.
He commanded the submarine "Lamprey" for another 8 months. How long did it take to make the first dive after the accident? "Lamprey" submarine made friends Garsoev and Terletsky. Garsoev forever retained good feelings for the person whom, having regained consciousness, he saw first. The meetings were a pleasure for both, especially since their fates were similar, like those of many officers who swore allegiance to the new Russia. The names of these outstanding people will forever remain in the history of the Russian submarine fleet. When Garsoeva was assigned to the submarine "Lioness" of the "Bars" type, the submarine wits gave him the nickname Barsoev and so it remained for him.
Once the following happened … There was a fog in which the Lamprey submarine was making its way to the position. The fog suddenly cleared away, almost a German destroyer appeared nearby, heading on a collision course and immediately spotting the Russian submarine. The Lamprey commander saw how the destroyer's feed had settled and the breaker grew almost instantly, while the water rose under the stem - the enemy's ship was increasing its speed. - "Urgent dive!" - the signalman and the commander of the submarine rushed down, closing the hatch behind them. The noise of the torpedo boat's propellers was already heard. And in the stern of the submarine, near the cars, Grigory Trusov, a non-commissioned officer of the first article, rushed about. What he had foreseen for a long time happened: the clutch was out of order.
The Lamprey submarine was the world's first diesel powered submarine. A propeller motor and two diesel engines operated on one shaft. The couplings were located in three places on the gross line. On a submarine, clutches are indispensable, since the underwater and surface engines were on the same shaft, and when switching to an electric motor, it was necessary to turn off the diesel engines. Not everything went well with the couplings.
The third aft clutch, installed between the electric motor and diesel engines, was located low in the engine hold, in a place where waste oil and water accumulated. When rolling, especially during a storm, a mixture of water and oil got into the clutch, so it did not work at the right moment. And now, when the fate of the submarine is being decided, there was a refusal.
The diesels were stopped, but since the clutch did not work, the electric motor, howling strained from the load, rotated only the propeller, but also the diesels. In turn, they became a reciprocating compressor, sucking air from the boat, distilling it into a gas manifold. After a few more revolutions, the vacuum will become critical. Moreover, the submarine sinks very slowly …
Wielding a crowbar, Trusov still manages to disconnect the clutch. The diesel stopped, the sinking speed increased. Over the submarine "Lamprey", stunning everyone with its propellers, a German torpedo boat rushed by. The submarine from the ram was separated by seconds won by Trusov. He acted contrary to all the rules that categorically forbade to disconnect the clutch during the move. Working without turning off the electric motor, Trusov took a great risk - he could be hit with a crowbar or tightened under the shaft. But there was no choice. As stated in the order of the Baltic Sea Fleet Commander, "the destroyer passed over the submarine in such proximity that the latter received a roll of 10 degrees." In October 1915, non-commissioned officer Trusov was awarded the St. George cross of the third degree …
In the winter of 1914-1915, during the next repair, a 37 mm caliber gun was installed in the stern of the submarine. In the fall of 1917, after several years of combat service, the submarine, together with 4 submarines of the Kasatka type, were sent to Petrograd for overhaul. However, the revolutionary events postponed the repair timeline for an indefinite period. By order of MGSH # 111 dated January 31, 1918, all these submarines were put into storage at the port.
In the summer of the same year, an urgent strengthening of the Caspian military flotilla was required. By order of VI Lenin, Chairman of the Council of People's Commissars of the RSFSR, the submarines "Lamprey", "Kasatka", "Mackrel" and "Okun" were urgently repaired and sent to Saratov by rail. On November 10, after launching, they were enlisted in the Astakhan-Caspian military flotilla.
Submarine "Lamprey" under the command of Poiret Yu. V. On May 21, 1919, near Fort Aleksandrovsky, during a battle with British ships, she was on the verge of death, as she lost her speed by winding a steel cable around a screw.
Only the courage of the helmsman and signalman V. Ya. Isaev, who managed to release the propeller in cold water, saved the submarine from being shot by the invaders. V. Ya. Isaev was awarded the Order of the Battle Red Banner for this feat. The submarine "Lamprey" after the end of hostilities in the Caspian Sea was for some time in storage in the Astrakhan military port. On November 21, 1925, after almost 16 years of service, it was scrapped.
Long-term operation of the submarine "Lamprey" only confirmed the correctness of the constructive decisions of I. G. Bubnova. Some of them (the device of the immersion system, the general layout) were further developed during the design and construction of small submarines in the Russian and Soviet fleets.
Astrakhan … The strategic and economic significance of this outpost of the Soviet Republic on the Caspian Sea in the summer of 1918 was enormous. He chained, not allowing to connect, the forces advancing from the North Caucasus "volunteer" army of General Denikin, and moving from Guriev Ural White Cossack army. Through Astrakhan at the mouth of the Volga, which became almost the only transport artery of the Soviet Republic surrounded by enemies, seafood products and oil were transported, and contacts were maintained with the Caucasian revolutionary forces.
A new and probably the most serious threat to Astrakhan was approaching from the Caspian Sea. British interventionists in September 1918 began to form their own navy in the Caspian. They seized the merchant ships "Africa", "America", "Australia", the tanker "Emmanuel Nobel" and others, they were armed with long-range naval artillery and turned into auxiliary cruisers. A large number of small and medium-sized vessels were converted into patrol ships and gunboats. From Batum, where the British ruled at that time, the newest torpedo boats of the Tornikroft company, as well as the Shortyu naval aviation aircraft, were delivered to the Caspian via Georgia by rail. And all this force was moving north - to the "red" Astrakhan. In addition, the ships of the interventionists and White Guards supplying ammunition and weapons to the White Cossacks and the troops of General Denikin, threatening the city, penetrated into the mouth of the Volga.
The Soviet government decreed: "… in the shortest possible time to organize a powerful military flotilla, the main task of which is to seize the Caspian Sea, expelling enemy forces from its waters and the coast - enemies of the Russian proletarian revolution and opponents of Soviet power …"
During the formation of the flotilla, many difficulties had to be overcome. There was a lack of technical means, ammunition, and most importantly experienced personnel. The Soviet government and Lenin personally provided serious military assistance and support to the young Caspian flotilla. In the fall of 1918, destroyers Rastoropny, Deyatelny, and Moskvityanin came from the Baltic to Astrakhan. A little later - the destroyers "Turkmenets Stavropolsky", "Emir Bukharsky", "Finn", as well as the minelayer "Demosthenes".
IN AND. Lenin in August 1918 ordered the headquarters of the Naval Forces to send several submarines from the Baltic to the Caspian Sea. Lenin, checking the execution of the order, on August 28 asked: "What is the question of sending submarines to the Caspian Sea and the Volga? Is it true that only old submarines can be sent? How many? How was the order given to send? What has already been done?""
The next day, having received an unsatisfactory answer from the headquarters, Lenin again categorically demanded: "It is impossible to limit ourselves to such uncertainty -" we are looking for " "The possibility of sending" is also incredibly vague. Who ordered to "find out" and when? I ask on August 30, that is, tomorrow, to inform me of this officially, since the matter with the dispatch of submarines is urgent."
Exactly one week later V. I. Lenin, not recovering from his injury after the assassination attempt by Kaplan, sent a directive to Petrograd: “There is a struggle for the Caspian and the south. I beg you to break all the barriers, making it easier and moving forward the task of quickly obtaining what is required. The North Caucasus, Turkestan, Baku, of course, will be ours if the demands are met immediately. Lenin."
This directive was submitted for execution to S. E. Saks, a member of the Board of the People's Commissariat for Maritime Affairs. A voluminous file is kept in the funds of the Central State Archive of the Navy: instructions, telegrams, letters, dispatches, which in one way or another are connected with the transfer of the Lamprey, Makrel submarines to the Caspian Sea, and later, of the same type with the latter, Okun submarines "and" Killer Whale. "And no special comments on the documents are required to understand the scale of the maneuver unprecedented for that time by submarine forces, to appreciate the difficulties that faced the performers of Lenin's assignment and to feel the spirit of the times.
August 31. Sachs - Sklyansky. Lamprey can be finished in two and a half weeks. To send a boat, two transporters are required, each with a lifting capacity of at least 3000 poods. The Lamprey submarine is 108 feet long … 8.75 feet wide, 22 feet from top to keel, 150 tons without crew and fuel …"
September 1. Sklyansky to Saks. "The Izhora shipyard has the required transporters. Immediately start preparing and loading two submarines of the indicated types …"
September 7. Sachs - Sklyansky. "Repair of submarines Lamprey and Mackrel began on September 3 … Transporters for loading submarines are being transferred to the loading site from the Izhora shipyard … To maintain the workers' strength, flour is supplied daily for baking bread … The repairs are being carried out successfully."
September 17th. "Comrade Breitshprecher, extraordinary commissioner. I suggest you, upon receipt of this instruction, IMMEDIATELY depart through Moscow to the city of Saratov, as well as other points of the Volga coast to exercise control over the activities of a commission consisting of engineers: Alexei Pustoshkin, Vsenofont Ruberovsky, Pavel Belkin and carpenter Semyonov Ivan, who must find, adapt, carry out preliminary work, as well as equip a place for the launch of submarines, which will arrive at the place of launch by October 1 of this year. works … Sachs, member of the board of the People's Commissariat for Maritime Affairs."
September 30th. Altfater - to the chief of military communications. "Echelon No. 667 / a, on the night of September 29-30, a submarine" Lamprey "left Petrograd en route Moscow-Saratov.
I ask you to order the unhindered and urgent advance of the echelon …"
October 1st. Member of the board of the People's Commissariat for Maritime Affairs - Commissioner of the Baltic Sea Submarine Division. "I propose to immediately begin staffing the Kasatka and Okun submarines with commands, naturally, communists and extremely sympathetic, since these boats are intended for serious operations in the Caspian."
The train was equipped in the strictest secrecy. It looked very unusual: a cool carriage, freight cars, and between them a multi-axle conveyor carrying a huge iron box. Workers of railway workshops and lubricators worked under the conveyor. And then the beeps of two steam locomotives sounded and the secret train # 667 / a set off … It happened on the night of 1918-30-09 …
The unusual train moved slowly. Under the platform on which the box with the cargo was installed, the sleepers groaned dully, the rails sagged. So the submarine "Lamprey" weighing 115 tons set off on a long journey by rail. A few days later the second echelon left with the Mackrel submarine and torpedoes. Two more submarines followed from Petrograd, the Kasatka and the Okun. The final destination of the route of these four submarines was the Caspian Sea …
The echelons went south without delay, at a speed unprecedented for that time. Telegraph operators, warning neighboring stations about the departure of trains, tapped out: "By order of V. I. Lenin …"
Yes, in 1918 it was very difficult to transport an entire submarine division across almost the entire country, mainly by land. However, the military situation in the Astrakhan Territory demanded this, and people did everything to ensure that the submarines took turns to arrive at the banks of the Volga. However, another question arose - how to remove steel masses weighing more than 100 tons from the conveyors and launch them into the water without cranes?
The miracles of engineering invention were shown by the Extraordinary Commissioner Konstantin Breitshprecher and members of the technical commission sent to Saratov. After all, the slightest inaccuracy and oversight could cause a disaster, since the width of the slip was 10 times less than the length of the submarine. The preparatory work turned out to be very difficult, but they were carried out technically competently, and the Volga waters received the Baltic submarines one after another. "Mackerel" and "Lamprey" arrived in Astrakhan in late autumn. And if the first ships were transferred more or less smoothly, then later the counter-revolution decided to "correct" its mistake. The enemies did everything in their power to prevent the Baltic submarines from reaching their targets. Sabotage, sabotage and sabotage were used. Some secret plans were revealed - for example, a plan to disable the transporters.
A few days later, an emergency occurred. In this regard, II Vakhrameev, the manager of the technical and economic unit of the maritime department and the authorized RVS of the Republic, "very urgently" informed the People's Commissar of Railways: "An echelon with submarines crashed at Bologoye. It is assumed that the switch was deliberate. I ask for instructions. the train accident should be strictly investigated. " During the investigation, it turned out that the transfer of the arrow was not accidental … Baltic submariners in the Caspian Sea performed many glorious military deeds. But in the spring of 1919, they especially distinguished themselves in battles. During this period, the submarine "Lamprey" more than once went to the enemy shores for combat positions. The crew of the submarine headed by commander Poiret Yuliy Vitalievich acted skillfully and bravely in these battles. Despite the difficult and extremely difficult sailing conditions - frequent storms and shallow waters, Poiret managed the submarine with exceptional skill. Thanks to the skill of the captain, "Lamprey" evaded attacks from the water and from the air, and enemy airplanes and boats have never been able to catch the crew of this submarine by surprise.
On May 21, 1919, the auxiliary cruisers of the British interventionists tried to break through into the Tyub-Aaragansky gulf of the Caspian Sea, where several Soviet ships were stationed at Fort Alexandrovsky. The naval battle that ensued has been described more than once, and we will only recall: even despite the almost 3-fold superiority in forces, the enemy abandoned his plan - mainly because of the danger of getting hit from under the water.
In this battle, the Lamprey submarine and its commander were unlucky from the very beginning. In the beginning, the engines went bad, and the captain took the submarine to the command steamer "Revel", so that, as the commander later wrote in the report, "hastily repair the engines." However, as soon as the submarine moored to the "Revel", as a shell hit it, the steamer "caught fire like a torch, the boat was also engulfed in fire." Poiret tried to take the boat away from the burning ship, but "steel mooring lines were wound on the propeller, and the machines did not have enough strength to turn."Then Poiret and five other sailors, despite the fact that the steamer with a supply of torpedoes and mines on board at any moment could explode, jumped into the longboat and towed the submarine to safety. But how do you get rid of the cable? Is it possible to turn the shaft with an electric motor? However, where is there! - "Allow me to try," the helmsman of the PKP (b) Vasily Isaev addressed to Poiret. after all, work for several hours.”Yu. V. Poiret became thoughtful, weighed all the pros and cons, and finally decided:“Okay, try!”
Vasily Isaev had been working in the freezing water for the second hour when the commander of the Lamprey submarine received a written order to blow up the ship. The moments of painful reflection came, because the captain himself had already begun to believe that the warrior-hero could do the impossible. However, the order is an order … - "We will not violate the order," Isaev said when he was rubbed with alcohol before the next dive, "and we will not surrender the submarine to the invaders. Please prepare the ship for an explosion. When enemy ships approach, everyone must go ashore." - "I will stay, Yuliy Vitalievich. Together, it is safer and more convenient," said Isaev's friend, the communist electrician "Lamprey" Grigory Yefimov. So they decided.
Isaev again and again dived under the propeller, and Efimov, standing at the safety end, supported his friend. There was an alarming moment when the British ships pulled out and set sail. This is probably the end. But no, the enemy ships are not going into the bay, but away. It looks like they were running away from someone. Indeed, they are "running" from the Mackrel submarine, which Mikhail Lashmanov led towards the enemy, even though the submarine was detected by an airplane and attacked by it. I steered in shallow water with only a few feet under the keel. And the enemy flinched, moved away.
“I managed to remove the first turns of the rope from the propeller blades relatively easily, although my body was constantly cramping from the cold,” recalled Vasily Yakovlevich Isaev, several decades later. in the bay of the court."
By the evening Isaev managed to almost completely free the screw from the cable. The remaining end was pulled out with a small winch used to load the torpedoes.
The following is an excerpt from the report of the commander of the submarine Poiret Yu. V. from 1919-25-05: "On the" Lamprey "all day work was carried out to clean the propeller, which was crowned with success at 5:30 pm. got the opportunity to move, I immediately transferred her to the supply base, from there already at 21:30 went to the 12-foot roadstead. The boat arrived there on May 23 at about 14:00 ".
It remains to add that for this feat and other services to the Motherland, Isaev Vasily Yakovlevich in 1928 was awarded the Order of the Red Banner of the Battle and the Certificate of Honor of the Presidium of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee.
Poiret concluded his report that "… the enemy did not enter the bay because he found the Mackerel submarine from an airplane and ships. Hence, it is clear that in our war, Soviet boats can play one of the main roles … Our flotilla needs boats in just like Russia needs fuel."
All 4 submarines - "Lamprey", "Mackerel", "Kasatka" and "Okun" - in the spring of 1920 were already in Baku at the floating base, opposite the Maiden Tower: Soviet power came to Azerbaijan. The White Guards and interventionists were defeated and thrown out of the Caspian Sea. Peaceful days have come.
Garsoev Alexander Nikolaevich in 1918 moved from the old fleet to the RKKF without being demobilized. Garsoev's service was curious: in almost all posts he had to establish or create something, since he was entrusted with cases that were in complete desolation or completely new. Garsoev was engaged in the revival of the scuba diving training detachment, which completely collapsed after two evacuations from Libava and Reval. The same scuba diving detachment, which he, together with Zarubin, completed at one time. In 1920, Garsoev was sent to the south. He took part in the creation of the naval forces of the Azov and Black Seas. In 1921 he became the main submariner, there was such a position in the fleet. A year later there was a department at the Naval Academy. Garsoev created a department for a new discipline - submarine tactics. Then he organized his own faculty.
In December 1923, while continuing to work at the academy, Garsoev was introduced to the newly created scientific and technical committee by the chairman of the diving section. However, this is not all.. Garsoev in 1925, having retained all other posts, begins work in the Technical Department. The load has increased. Everything that Garsoev was entrusted with, he performed flawlessly. R. Muklevich, the head of the Red Army Navy, summoned Garsoev along with Leskov, the chairman of the NTC. Having warned that the topic of the conversation was absolutely secret, and that the most urgent actions would be required, Muklevich said: "It's time to start developing projects for the first submarines. Who will we entrust?" He noticed how Garsoev's usual pallor was replaced by a feverish blush, how his eyes lit up. It seemed that for another moment, and Garsoev, forgetting about the subordination, would start dancing or scream with delight. However, the submariner, constrained by the framework of discipline, patiently waited for what the head of the Red Army Navy would say. "Comrades, are there any suggestions?" Leskov stretched out: "That's right. We've been waiting for such an order for a long time, we have thought it over more than once. Comrade Garsoev and I believe that tasks for the development of boats, as well as all calculations, should be carried out by a small group of proxies within the walls of the Scientific and Technical Complex. They will not do better anywhere, and not yet an organization that can take on such a task. " Muklevich looked at Garsoev: "Has the line-up been planned?" Muklevich nodded: "I can report. I believe in the first place to put engineer Boris Mikhailovich Malinin. I have known this engineer for 10 years. Once he took the submarine" Lioness "from him. A real submariner, a man of subtle mind."
Muklevich confirmed: "I know him, he fits unconditionally." - "Still," Garsoev continued, "engineers Ruberovsky Xenophon Ivanovich, Scheglov Alexander Nikolaevich, Kazansky Nikolai Ivanovich." - "And Zarubin?" - interrupted Muklevich. - "Of course. Such a group without him simply cannot be imagined …"
The temporary design group also included professor Papkovich P. F., electrical engineer V. I. Govorukhin, mechanical engineer L. A. Beletsky, three designers - K. V. Kuzmin, F. Z. Fedorov, A. Kyu Shlyupkin. …
"It is necessary to work in an atmosphere of complete secrecy, not to waste a minute in vain," Muklevich admonished the employees of STC.
Everything took exactly one year - from October 1, 1925 to October 1, 1926. They worked in the evenings, since everyone at the main places of work had responsibilities. For twelve months, the engineers and designers invited to the NTC did not have a single holiday, for one free evening. Garsoev supervised the development of the design assignment, as they say, on a voluntary basis. He was not paid a single ruble. The command only at the very end encouraged the participants with very modest sums. Work in the NTK is probably the most important thing that Garosev did for the Soviet submarine fleet.
All his previous life and military service prepared Garosev for such work, since he not only knew perfectly well the structure of submarines, but also brilliantly understood the principle of their combat use.
In 1930, Garsoev was appointed commander of a new submarine division. This was logical, since he was standing at their cradle, and he was entrusted with organizing the organization of the service on these boats.
