During the Great Patriotic War, the Soviet Navy included thousands of the most diverse ships - battleships, cruisers, destroyers, boats, submarines, numerous auxiliary ships. However, today we decided to talk about the most, perhaps, unusual warships that were part of the Soviet fleet - floating batteries "Don't touch me!" and Marat.
"Kings of the Seas" for the Soviet Navy
During the first half of the XX century. "Dreadnoughts" were a symbol of the power of the world's leading fleets. Each major naval power built the most powerful ships with the most powerful weapons and the most perfect protection for its navy. It was not in vain that such ships were called “kings of the seas”, because they could protect the interests of the country only by their existence. In the mid-30s. a new naval arms race began in the world and the USSR did not stand aside. In our country at the end of the 30s. began large-scale construction of a huge navy, called the "large sea and ocean", but its construction ceased in June 1941.
The basis of the power of the Soviet fleet was to be made up of huge super-battleships, which surpassed in their combat capabilities the ships of foreign fleets. In the USSR, two projects were created in parallel - type "A" (project 23, with a displacement of 35,000 tons with 406-mm artillery) and "B" (project 25, with a displacement of 26,000 tons with 305-mm artillery). It was planned to build 20 battleships: four large and four small for the Pacific Fleet, two large for the Northern Fleet, four small battleships for the Black Sea Fleet, six more small battleships were to replenish the Baltic Fleet. The process of creating large ships was personally controlled by I. V. Stalin. The development took into account the advanced foreign experience, primarily Italian, German and American. In 1937, Project B was recognized as "sabotage" and the Soviet shipbuilding industry was focused on preparing for the serial construction of Project 23 battleships. It was supposed to be a modern combat ship - the total displacement exceeded 67,000 tons, its maximum length was 269.4 m. maximum width 38.9 m, draft 10.5 m, power plant more than 231000 hp, speed about 29 knots, cruising range 7000 miles (at 14.5 knots). In terms of armament (9x406-mm, 12x152-mm, 12x100-mm guns and 32x37-mm anti-aircraft machine guns), he surpassed all "colleagues", with the exception of the American "Montana" and the Japanese "Yamato". The battleship had a powerful reservation and a mine protection system. Its crew consisted of 1,784 sailors. Before the start of the war, four battleships were laid down: "Sovetsky Soyuz" in Leningrad (plant # 189), "Sovetskaya Ukraina" in Nikolaev (plant # 189), in Molotovsk (plant # 402) construction began on "Soviet Russia" and "Soviet Belarus ". But none of them entered service …
Creation of floating battery number 3
In the exposition of the Museum of the Black Sea Fleet in Sevastopol, an entire hall is dedicated to the heroic 250-day defense of the city against German troops in 1941-1942. The sailors of the Black Sea Fleet and residents of the city performed many feats defending the Sevastopol borders. Museum visitors are told about them by numerous exhibits, photographs and wartime relics. Among them there is a small photograph that does not say much to ordinary visitors. It is signed as follows - Lieutenant-Commander S. A. Moshensky, commander of the floating battery No. 3. What made him famous, what kind of floating battery No. 3, what feats her crew performed is not specified. Unfortunately, there is no more information about this ship in the museum's exposition.
As already noted, at the end of the 30s. large-scale construction of battleships of the "Soviet Union" type was launched at the shipyards of the USSR. This was preceded by colossal research and development work carried out by Soviet designers and engineers. They paid special attention to the development of weapons and ship protection systems. Many experiments were carried out in the Black Sea to determine the optimal PMZ system (mine protection - in the terminology of that time). At the first stage, 24 large-scale compartments (on a scale of 1: 5) were detonated with seven different types of PMZ. Based on the results of the experiments, it was concluded that the Italian and American protection systems are most effective. In 1938, the second stage of experiments took place in Sevastopol. As before, they were produced in large-scale compartments, 27 detonations were carried out. But this time, a huge full-scale compartment was built for the experiments, on which the design of the PMZ system of the battleship of Project 23 was fully reproduced. It had the shape of a rectangle, its dimensions were impressive - length 50 m, width 30 m, side height 15 m. According to the results of these experiments, the commission determined that the maximum explosion power for the PMZ was the explosion power of 750 kg. After the end of the tests, the experimental compartment was used as a target for shooting practice, and then it was laid up in one of the Sevastopol bays.
This is how the battleship Sovetsky Soyuz was supposed to look like. Drawing by A. Zaikin
After the start of the war, Captain 2nd Rank G. A. Butakov. He suggested that the command of the Black Sea Fleet use it to create a floating artillery battery. According to his plan, the "square" was planned to be armed and installed at anchor in the Belbek valley, a few miles from Sevastopol. He was supposed to strengthen the air defense of the main base of the fleet and secure the approaches to it from the sea. According to intelligence, a German landing was expected in the Crimea, and a floating battery was supposed to prevent this. The commander of the Black Sea Fleet F. S. Oktyabrsky supported G. A. Butakov, People's Commissar of the Navy N. G. Kuznetsov approved this idea. In July 1941, on the "square" (as the compartment was called in the documents), work began on the installation of general ship systems and the installation of weapons. The work on the project was carried out by engineer L. I. Ivitsky. Inside, they equipped living quarters, a galley, a radio room, warehouses and cellars. A conning tower, range finders and two searchlights were installed on the deck of the former compartment. From the arsenal, 2x130-mm guns were delivered, which were supplied with "diving" shells designed to combat submarines. They were complemented by 4x76, 2mm anti-aircraft guns, 3x37mm anti-aircraft machine guns, 3x12, 7mm anti-aircraft machine guns. The crew of the floating battery was 130 people, 50 of them were called up from the reserve, the rest were recruited from all the ships of the Black Sea Fleet. The workers attached a davit to the side of the "square", but the boat was not found. But the workers found a huge Admiralty anchor in the warehouses of the plant and handed it over to the battery. Old-timers claimed that he was from the battleship Empress Maria. On August 3, 1941, a naval flag was raised on a separate floating battery No. 3. By the order of the commander of the Black Sea Fleet of August 4, she was included in the Guard of the Water Region of the Main Base. The crew of the floating battery, headed by senior lieutenant S. Ya. Moshensky began to serve.
Combat path "Don't touch me!"
On August 9, tugs transferred the floating battery to Belbeks bay. From the threat of attacks from the sea, it was fenced off with several rows of anti-submarine nets, from the coast it was covered by coastal batteries. The Empress Mary's anchor held the square firmly in place. The ship immediately began numerous training sessions, crew damage control drills and various exercises. In the summer of 1941, Luftwaffe raids on Sevastopol were rare. Basically, German aircraft were engaged in reconnaissance of military objects and the laying of magnetic mines. Only occasionally were ships bombed in the port. Several times the floating battery was attacked by German aircraft, but their attacks were successfully repelled. The batteries covered the ships that entered Sevastopol with fire. The situation changed radically at the end of October 1941 after the breakthrough of the Wehrmacht into the Crimea. German units began the assault on Sevastopol. The 250-day defense of the city began. The Germans captured all the Crimean airfields and now the flight time of their bombers to Sevastopol was only 10-15 minutes. Raids on the city and port became daily. The main forces of the fleet went to the Caucasus. At the end of October, two 130-mm guns were dismantled from the "square", which were urgently needed for the land front. Also removed the entire ammunition "one hundred and thirty", except for the "diving" shells, and the calculations of the guns. As a result, the ship's crew was reduced to 111 people.
"Dont touch me!" fighting German planes. Rice. A. Lubyanova
In early November, there were severe storms on the Black Sea. Their strength was such that the huge anchor could not hold the floating battery in place. The waves began to bring it closer to the coast, which was now occupied by German troops. It was decided to change the parking lot of the "square". On November 11, the tugs transferred the floating battery to the Cossack Bay and sunk it on the shallows, now she was not afraid of storms. The new combat mission that the command set for the crew was the protection of the military airfield at Cape Chersonesos. It remained the last Soviet airfield in Crimea. All aviation of the Sevastopol defense region was based on its field. The raids on the Chersonesos airfield became more frequent. In the afternoon of November 29, 1941, the anti-aircraft gunners of the floating battery managed to win their first victory. They shot down Bf-109. On December 17, the Germans began a new assault on Sevastopol. Throughout the day, the batteries had to repel raids on the airfield. At the same time, a Ju-88 was shot down. From that day on, the combat score of the anti-aircraft gunners began to grow - while defending the airfield, they shot down 22 German aircraft. The winter assault was successfully repelled, but the raids on the city continued. The Germans did not forget about the airfield either. They tried to interfere with the actions of the Soviet aviation, and in the stories of our pilots, it was constantly mentioned about the help of the floating battery: "The floating battery put a curtain …" Don't touch me! " cut off the German … ". On January 14, 1942, anti-aircraft gunners shot down another Ju-88, on March 3, Non-111, on March 19, writer Leonid Sobolev visited the batteries. He spent the whole day on the "square", talked with the commander and the crew. He wrote about this in the essay "Don't touch me!" In March, the battery commander, Senior Lieutenant S. Ya, Moshensky was awarded the Order of the Red Banner, he became Lieutenant Commander, and other crew members received awards for downed aircraft.
In May 1942, the raids on the city intensified, the Germans began preparations for a new assault and sought to neutralize the Soviet pilots. In this they were greatly hampered by the precise fire of the anti-aircraft gunners of the floating battery No. 3, which the Black Sea sailors began to call "Don't touch me!" On May 27, anti-aircraft gunners managed to shoot down two Me-109s at once.
Floating battery # 3 "Don't touch me!" in Cossack Bay, spring 1942 Photo taken from a Soviet plane
The commander of the floating battery No. 3 Lieutenant-Commander S. Ya. Moshensky
The Germans began a new assault on the city and concentrated a large number of aircraft on the Crimean airfields. They had multiple superiority in aviation, but the Soviet aviators managed to strike at the enemy, and this was the significant merit of the crew of the floating battery. On June 9, his combat account was replenished with three Ju-88s, on June 12 Bf-109, on June 13 Ju-88. The battery interfered with the actions of enemy aircraft and the German command decided to end it. June 14 "square" attacked 23 Ju-87, 76 bombs were dropped, but they did not manage to achieve direct hits. From close explosions of aerial bombs, the searchlight went out of order, shrapnel cut off the davit, three sailors were injured. When repelling this raid, the sailors shot down two Ju-87s. In the second half of the day, the attacks continued, and a German battery opened fire on the "square". More raids followed. By this time, the defenders of Sevastopol were experiencing great difficulties due to a lack of ammunition. In the period between the assaults, the command of the SOR did not manage to create sufficient stocks of ammunition in the warehouses, and now the shells had to be saved. From the mainland, ammunition was now delivered by ships, but they were still sorely lacking. The Germans, however, created huge stocks of ammunition, shells and cartridges, they did not spare. Their aviation dominated the Sevastopol skies. June 19 on "Don't touch me!" another raid was made. This was the 450th German air attack on the battery, the crew of which was now day and night at the guns. Her fate was decided due to the lack of ammunition for the guns. German pilots managed to break through to the battery. At 20.20 one of the bombs hit the left side of the "square", the second exploded right at the side. The force of the explosion scattered all living things on the deck. The crews of anti-aircraft guns and machine guns were killed and wounded, a fire broke out in the stern cellar, the fire approached the "diving" shells, but it was extinguished. The battery commander and 28 other crew members were killed. Twenty-seven sailors were wounded, and boats immediately brought them ashore. By the evening, the crew managed to commission a 37-mm submachine gun and two DShK machine guns, but there was no ammunition for them on the ship. On June 27, 1942, the crew of the floating battery was disbanded. The sailors were sent to fight on land positions, the wounded were taken to the mainland by the ships of the Black Sea Fleet, which broke through to Sevastopol. After the fall of the city, German soldiers examined with interest the huge "Don't touch me!"
The hull of the floating battery on the shoal in the Cossack Bay, July 1942
The battleship "Marat" from the Leningrad sea channel is firing at the German troops, September 16, 1941. Fig. I. Dementyeva
A few words must be said about the commander of the floating battery "Don't touch me!" Lieutenant-Commander Sergei Yakovlevich Moshensky. He was born in Zaporozhye. He worked at the factory as an electrician, graduated from the workers' school. In 1936 he was called up to serve in the Navy. A Komsomol member with a completed secondary education was sent to a two-year command staff course. Upon completion, he received the rank of lieutenant and was sent to serve as the commander of the first main turret on the battleship Parizhskaya Kommuna. Before the start of the war, S. Ya. Moshensky completed a one-year refresher course for command personnel of the Navy in Leningrad, specializing in commander of an air defense battery. He was married, the family was expecting their first child. After the start of the war, the pregnant wife was evacuated from Sevastopol. For ten months S. Ya. Moshensky floating battery, every day he risked his life for the freedom of the Motherland. On it, he died without seeing his daughter, who was born in the evacuation. He was buried in Kamyshovaya Bay, but the exact place of burial, unfortunately, is unknown.
The history of the battleship "Marat" After Tsushima, the revival of the navy began in our country. The most powerful ships of the Russian Imperial Fleet were four Sevastopol-class battleships - Gangut, Poltava, Sevastopol and Petropavlovsk. The Bolsheviks managed to preserve three of them, it was they who formed the basis of the power of the reviving workers 'and peasants' fleet. By the beginning of the war, the USSR Navy included Marat and October Revolution in the Baltic, and the Paris Commune on the Black Sea. Another battleship - "Frunze" (formerly "Poltava") was never rebuilt after a small fire that occurred in 1919. The Navy leadership has repeatedly proposed to restore it as a battleship, battle cruiser, monitor, floating battery and even an aircraft carrier. In the 20s. dozens of similar projects were developed, but, unfortunately, none of them was implemented. Mechanisms from "Frunze" were used as spare parts in the repair of the remaining battleships. "Petropavlovsk" in March 1921 was renamed "Marat". In 1928-1931. it has been upgraded. The battleship was the flagship of the MSME. Not without an emergency in his biography - August 7, 1933.a protracted shot caused a fire in the Ns2 tower, killing 68 sailors. July 25, 1935 "Marat" rammed the submarine "B-3" during the exercises. The most notable event in his peaceful life was his visit to England in May 1937. The battleship took part in the naval parade on the Spithead roadstead in honor of the coronation of King George V. Soviet sailors proved themselves at this review from the best side. Both battleships were part of the Red Banner Baltic Fleet squadron. The ship took part in the Soviet-Finnish war of 1939-1940, she fired at the Finnish coastal batteries. In May 1941, the LPTI winding was mounted on the battleship - the Marat became the first Soviet ship to receive protection from magnetic mines. It was commanded by Captain 2nd Rank P. K. Ivanov.
The explosion of the "Marat" in Kronstadt on September 23, 1941. The column of smoke rose to a height of about a kilometer. Photo taken from a German plane
"Marat", docked at the Ust-Rogatka pier at the end of September 1941. German aerial photograph. The arrow shows the place of the explosion. There is a rescue ship at the side, fuel oil is still leaking from the damaged tanks
The ship met the beginning of the war in Kronstadt. On that day, anti-aircraft gunners opened fire on the reconnaissance aircraft. During the summer and autumn, 653 sailors from the "Marat" went to fight in the marines. In the summer of 1941, the German offensive developed rapidly, and already on September 9, the battleship, located in the Leningrad sea channel, began to fire at the German units that were on the near approaches to Leningrad. Every day the sailors of the "Marat" helped the soldiers of the 8th and 42nd armies to defend their positions. With their fire, they held back the enemy and did not allow Wehrmacht units to start storming the "cradle of the revolution." During these days, the battleship fired 953 305-mm shells. It was the fire of the Red Banner Baltic Fleet ships that prevented the enemy from successfully completing the offensive and capturing the city. The German command gave the order to destroy the battleship, which was disrupting the offensive plans with its shelling. Aviation and artillery were used against him. On September 16, 1941, Marat received ten 150-mm shells and four direct hits from 250-kg bombs. 24 sailors were killed, 54 wounded. On the battleship, a number of auxiliary mechanisms went out of order, the fourth main battery turret was damaged, the stern group of 76-mm anti-aircraft guns and the bow battery of 37-mm anti-aircraft machine guns ceased to function. These hits significantly weakened the ship's air defense capabilities and played a fatal role in the history of "Marat".
The battleship was sent for repairs to Kronstadt, and on September 18, she moved to the Ust-Rogatka pier. He did not stop firing at the enemy, 89 305-mm shells were fired. German aviation continued to monitor the ship, a new plan was developed for the destruction of the battleship. 1000 kg RS-1000 armor-piercing bombs were delivered to the airfield in Tirkovo from Germany. The Soviet command did not have any reserves to strengthen the base's air defense. everything was thrown into the defense of Leningrad. This is how one of the sailors described the situation: “The enemy flies impudently, and we have only anti-aircraft guns, and they don't shoot well. And there are only six fighters. No more. All naval aviation works in the interests of the front near Leningrad. " Now the ships in Kronstadt became the main target of Luftwaffe attacks. On September 21, 22 and 23, a series of massive raids were carried out on Kronstadt. The anti-aircraft gunners of the battleship "Marat" and the small air defense forces of Kronstadt could not repel the simultaneous attack of several groups of Ju-87. At 11.44 on September 23, the battleship was attacked by "pieces". The first 1000-kg bomb fell near the port side of the battleship. The huge ship was heeled to starboard. At that moment, a 1000-kg armor-piercing bomb hit the nose of the Marat. It pierced the armor, exploded inside the ship and caused the detonation of the ammunition of the first main battery turret. There was a huge explosion. The flames consumed the battleship's superstructure, it was torn from the hull and thrown to the dock. Debris from the explosion scattered across the entire Srednyaya harbor of Kronstadt. A plume of smoke enveloped the Ust-Rogatka pier, it rose up to a height of about a kilometer. 326 sailors died, incl. commander and commissar of the ship. The "Marat" corps sat down on the harbor ground. It was badly destroyed and ceased to exist as a warship. Here is how one of the eyewitnesses described this disaster: “I clearly see how a huge foremast with ladders, wheelhouses, bridges and platforms, completely dotted with figures in white sailor uniforms, slowly separates from the ship, does not fall to the side very quickly, and then divides to pieces and crashes into the water with a crash … Just below the mast, the gun turret also slowly rose, its three 12-inch guns break off and also fly into the water. The bay seems to be boiling from the mass of hot steel thrown into it … ".
This is what the Marat's bow looked like after the explosion from the top of the second chimney. pipes. In the foreground is the roof of the second tower. The barrels of the guns of the first turret of the main caliber are clearly visible, lying on the remnants of the bow.
Floating battery "Petropavlovsk" in Kronstadt, 1943. Its hull is painted to look like a breakwater for camouflage. Additional 37-mm anti-aircraft guns are clearly visible, installed at the stern and lined with cotton bales
Concrete slabs removed from the Kronstadt embankments were laid on the deck of the Petropavlovsk as additional protection against the fire of German large-caliber batteries
Combat path of the floating battery "Marat"
Immediately after the explosion on the Marat, the crew began to fight for survivability, the Maratovites managed to prevent the flooding of the rest of the ship's compartments. Sailors from other ships came to their aid. The explosion interrupted the hull of the battleship in the area of 45-57 frames, about 10,000 tons of water got into the hull, the upper part of the hull in the area of the bow superstructure was destroyed, the nose tower of the main battery, foremast with a conning tower, superstructure and the first chimney ceased to exist. Many of the ship's life support systems were out of order. The hull of the battleship lay down on the ground, but because of the shallow depths in the harbor, it did not sink, the side continued to protrude 3 m out of the water. The sailors of the Marat managed to land the ship on an even keel and soon work began to restore its combat capability. They were assisted by the rescue vessels "Signal" and "Meteorite", divers of EPRON. Here is how one of the sailors described the situation on the ship: “When I boarded the battleship, the deck was already tidied up, everything lay and stood in its place. And only when I approached the second tower, I found myself on the edge of an abyss - here the deck was breaking off … There was simply no ship beyond. I was standing over a vertical wall. It seemed that you see the ship in a section. And in front is the sea … ".
The third and fourth main battery towers were not damaged in the explosion, the second main battery turret needed repairs. It was decided to use the ship as a non-self-propelled floating battery. To do this, it was necessary to raise the corps from the bottom of the harbor and restore the artillery combat capability. The new commander of the ship was Captain 3rd Rank V. P. Vasiliev, the staff of the crew was 357 people. They removed 120-mm guns from it, formed three batteries and sent them to the land front. On October 31, the third and fourth towers opened fire on German positions. The Germans fired at the revived ship from large-caliber artillery. They fired aimed fire at a stationary target. To protect against hits on the deck of the floating battery, granite slabs with a thickness of 32-45 cm were laid, and armor plates were placed in the area of the boiler room. On December 12, the first skirmish with the enemy took place. At the ship, a German battery from the village of Bezbotny fired 30 280-mm shells. The floating battery was hit by three shells, after which the German battery was suppressed by the fire of the Marat. On December 28, 1941, the floating battery again fought an artillery duel with a 280-mm railway artillery battery located at the Novy Peterhof station. 52 shells were fired at "Marat", four of them hit the ship. He received significant damage, but did not stop the fire and suppressed the battery. A German shell sunk an auxiliary vessel "Vodoley" standing at the side, which provided heating of the floating battery. By January 1, 1942, the number of the Marat's crew had increased to 507 people. January 1942the floating battery was fired upon eight times, 85 150-203-mm shells were fired at it, but there were no hits. At the stern were installed 3x37-mm anti-aircraft machine guns on land installations. To protect them from shrapnel, they were fenced with cotton sacks. Later, several more anti-aircraft guns were installed on the ship. On October 25, the floating battery fought another artillery duel with a German battery. 78 280-mm shells were fired at "Marat", four of them hit the deck of the ship, but did not cause significant damage. Additional "booking" helped. Throughout the winter, spring and summer of 1942, work continued to restore the combat capability of the second tower. On October 30, she successfully passed her tests and she entered service. On this day, she fired 17 shells at German positions. On November 6, 29 280-mm shells were fired at the ship, only one hit the ship. The boiler was disabled, a number of mechanisms were damaged, two sailors were killed, six were wounded. Another artillery duel took place on December 30, 1942.
Part of the foremast of the battleship, thrown from the ship by the force of the explosion for several tens of meters. She was raised and placed on the wall of the Kronstadt harbor
The floating battery "Petropavlovsk" at the pier of Ust-Rogatka, 1943, German aerial photography
May 31, 1943 "Marat" was returned to its original name "Petropavlovsk". On December 2, 1943, an artillery duel with a German battery took place. She became the last, tk. our troops were preparing to lift the blockade of Leningrad. The guns of "Petropavlovsk" were involved by the command in shelling German positions in January 1944 during the Krasnoselsk-Ropsha operation to completely lift the blockade of Leningrad. The last shots at the enemy were made by the guns of the floating battery "Petropavlovsk" in June 1944 during the Vyborg offensive operation, which ended the battle for Leningrad. During the Second World War, the ship fired 264 live fires and fired a 305-mm projectile at the enemy in 1971.
Memory
After the liberation of Sevastopol, the hull of floating battery No. 3 continued to stand on the shallows in the Cossack Bay. In the late 40s. it was lifted and towed to Inkerman for disassembly. About the feat of the crew "Don't touch me!" gradually began to forget. Only in the scanty lines of the official chronicle of the war was the unprecedented feat of its crew recorded: “During the defense of Sevastopol, units and ships of the protection of the water area shot down 54 enemy aircraft. Of these, 22 aircraft were shot down by floating battery No. 3. Soviet readers could learn about this unique ship only from the essay “Don't touch me!” By the writer Leonid Sobolev, the story “The Mysterious Island” by the children's writer Oleg Orlov, and several articles in newspapers and magazines. Moscow journalist Vladislav Shurygin played an important role in preserving the memory of the floating battery No. 3. For many years he collected materials about the combat path "Don't touch me!", Met with veterans, worked in the archives. In 1977, with his help, a meeting of floating battery veterans was organized in Sevastopol. In 1979 he wrote the book "The Iron Island", which told about the feat of the crew of the floating battery and its commander S. Ya. Moshensky. Thanks to these people, the feat of the sailors of the floating battery No. 3 was not forgotten. Unfortunately, in Sevastopol there is neither a monument nor a memorial sign dedicated to the heroic deeds of the crew of the floating battery "Don't touch me!"
The floating battery "Petropavlovsk" firing at German positions during the Krasnoselsk-Ropsha operation, January 1944
Marat was more fortunate. After the war, several projects were developed to restore the ship as a battleship (using the fate of the Frunze corps), but they were never implemented. "Petropavlovsk" was used as a training and artillery ship. In 1947-1948. in the dock, work was carried out to completely separate the remains of the bow from the hull. On November 28, 1950, the former Marat was reclassified as a non-self-propelled training vessel and renamed Volkhov. On September 4, 1953, he was excluded from the lists of the fleet. The hull of the former battleship was cut into pieces only at the beginning of the 60s. Veterans of "Marat" decided to perpetuate the memory of the ship. In 1991 g.they unveiled a memorial sign at the Ust-Rogatka pier. In the same year, they decided to create a museum dedicated to the battleship's combat path. We managed to find a small room for him in the Nevsky Polytechnic Lyceum. The museum houses a diorama "Reflection of the September 1941 assault on Leningrad by ships of the Red Banner Baltic Fleet squadron", various photographs and exhibits. In 1997, they managed to publish the collection "Volleys from the Neva". It includes the memoirs of the veterans of the Red Banner Baltic Fleet squadron, including the sailors of the "Marat". The museum continues its activities at the present time.
"Petropavlovsk" in Kronstadt, Navy Day, July 1944. At the side of the ship there is a minesweeper "TShch-69"
Non-self-propelled training ship "Volkhov" in Kronstadt, early 50s.
