"Tyulkin's fleet" consisted not only of seiners, barges and tugs. It also included a kind of aristocracy. We are not talking about some kind of supernova ships or faster ones, but about the most peaceful pleasure boats. The war required sea transport. And the passenger ships were mobilized without any questions. If the seiner still served the country by fishing, i.e. provisions for the army, the pleasure boat in its former role in such conditions became a burden.
On the very first day of the war, the modest, to some extent even elegant passenger ship "Zarnitsa" was mobilized. This ship, like its sister ship, was laid down in 1927 at the Odessa shipyard named after Andre Marty. The future Zarnitsa was single-rotor and single-deck with a displacement of 353 tons. German diesel from Benz with a capacity of 220 hp. provided a speed of 10 knots. With a length of 32.3 m, a width of 5.5 m and a draft of 2.1 m, Zarnitsa could take on board over 200 passengers.
The new all-metal ship was delivered to the customer (Sovtorgflot) in 1929 and was assigned to the Yalta port. In 1935 "Zarnitsa" was renamed, named in honor of the hero of the civil war and the head of the port of Yalta, Pyotr Ilyich Lukomsky. This is how the motor ship of ordinary passengers and joyful vacationers rolled, demonstrating the beauty of the coast, because was originally designed for coastal marine areas.
Already on June 27, 1941, "Lukomsky" began to be converted into a minelayer. Less than half a month later, the newborn minesag became part of the Black Sea Fleet. The ship was armed with 2 45 mm 21-K guns, 2 12, 7 mm DShK machine guns and ten mines. The crew consisted of up to 33 sailors. At first, "Lukomsky" served in the Odessa naval base. In March 42, during a raid by enemy aircraft, the mine layer was out of order, but by the summer it was lifted from the ground and repaired, but he was not destined to do his mine work. From 42nd to 43rd "Lukomsky" was engaged in the transportation of the wounded from the Caucasian ports from Novorossiysk to Sochi. During its short service, the ship performed up to 50 evacuations and rescued 2,807 people (of which 1,826 were bedridden and seriously wounded).
On January 3, 1945, the ship was disarmed and returned to the civilian fleet. "Lukomsky" began to walk along the route "Odessa - Luzanovka" and "Odessa - Chernomorka". In 65, the tired ship was sent for disassembly.
The Sistership of the motor ship Lukomsky (formerly Zarnitsa) also entered service in 1929 under the name Zarya. Only "Zarya" went far from its place of birth, it was assigned to the Sochi Shipping Company. This pleasure boat was also mobilized and converted into a minelay. And again, it was used for its direct "mine" purpose only in the first months of the war, and even before its brother, it joined the ranks of sea transport. He took part in the Kerch-Feodosiya landing operation, and then transported the wounded along the route of the Caucasian ports. The motor ship made 21 evacuations, carrying 1400 people, including 645 seriously wounded.
Zarya was not prepared for the peaceful death of Lukomsky. On March 5, 1943, the Zarya minelayer once again left Gelendzhik to deliver cargo to the Malaya Zemlya bridgehead. In the Myskhako area, a minelayer was blown up by a mine (a cruel joke of fate, although it does not hold others) and sank at a depth of about 40-45 meters.
In general, during the war years, the Sochi Shipping Company was practically cleaned out for the needs of the army, which is understandable. Following "Zarya", 8 passenger boats and two passenger motor ships - "Ost" and "Nord" were transferred to the disposal of the Black Sea Fleet.
Both ships began to be built in 1932 by order of the Sovtorgflot at the above-mentioned Odessa shipyard. The motor ships were of the same type - single-screw and single-deck with a displacement of 285 tons. Length - 37, 5 m, width - 6, 6 m, draft - 2, 3 m. But, unlike the older comrades ("Zarnitsa" and "Zarya"), these ships were equipped with a Benz diesel engine with a capacity of 375 hp.., which made it possible to give a course of 13 knots. The passenger capacity was about 300 people.
Resort pleasure boats plied local lines off the picturesque shores of the Caucasus. When you look at the photo of the motor ship "Ost" you catch yourself thinking that there is not enough young lady in a wide-brimmed hat with a veil on the deck for the entourage. But in June, both ships were shaded and mobilized. "Nord" and "Ost" were converted into minesweepers. The ships received two 45-mm guns, two DShK machine guns and, of course, were equipped with trawls. The crews of the "new" minesweepers numbered 35 people each. In addition, "Nord" became "T-513", and "Ost" - "T-514".
The T-513 "Nord" almost immediately began to combine the duties of a minesweeper with the work of a transport worker, and was repeatedly used as an assault ship. Member of the Kerch-Feodosiya operation. Since 1942, the minesweeper began to conduct regular evacuation flights between the Caucasian ports, of course, and to the Myskhako area. In total, "Nord" made 76 for many rescue flights, evacuating 6, 5 thousand people.
As soon as the war ended, "Nord" was returned to the Sochi Shipping Company. In the mid-50s, the ship again delighted tourists on the Tuapse-Sochi-Gagra line. In 1968, a veteran ship that saw blood on its deck was scrapped.
The T-514 "Ost" was much less fortunate. At first, the newly minesweeper went through the same "school". Participation in the Kerch-Feodosiya landing operation, regular evacuations, whose number reached 30, during which the minesweeper rescued 2,250 people, including 874 seriously wounded.
From the very beginning of the formation of the Malozemelsky bridgehead, the "Ost" was transferred to supply the landing force with ammunition and replenishment. 4 (possibly 5) March 1943 at 18:30, i.e. as it got dark, the minesweeper left Gelendzhik and headed for Myskhako with a cargo of food and ammunition. But as soon as he passed the village of Kabardinka, he was blown up by a German magnetic mine and sank.
Such is the sad story of those who were originally created to delight tourists and the southern sun.
