Novorossiysk was a Conte di Cavour-class battleship operated by the Soviet Union from 1949 to 1955. Originally the Regia Marina (Italian Royal Navy) battleship Giulio Cesare, she was awarded to Russia as part of war reparations.
Operated mainly as a training ship, she underwent several refits, which included replacing her lights Italian anti-aircraft guns with 37 mm 70-K AA guns. On the night of 28/29 October 1955 an explosion ripped a 4-by-14-meter (13 by 46 ft) hole in the forecastle forward of ‘A’ turret. The flooding could not be controlled, and she capsized with the loss of 617 men, including 61 men sent from other ships to assist. The most likely cause of the explosion was determined to be a World War Two German mine.
Novorosiysk (ex-Giulio Cesare) in 1950 at SevastopolNovorossiysk (Ex-Giulio Cesare) in the USSR NavyNovorossiysk (Ex-Giulio Cesare) in the USSR NavyNovorosiysk (ex-Giulio Cesare)
Imperatritsa Mariya was the lead ship of her class of battleships built for the Imperial Russian navy, along with her sister ships Imperatritsa Ekaterina Velikaya and Imperator Aleksandr III. Launched on 19 October 1913, she was completed on 10 June 1915.
During the First World War, she supported older battleships when they sortied to bombard German positions. She twice engaged the Ottoman light cruiser Midilli, but only inflicted splinter damage. In July 1916, Imperatritsa Mariya along with Imperatritsa Ekaterina Velikaya attempted to intercept the Ottoman battlecruiser Yavuz, which managed to escape.
On 20 October 1916, two explosions (in the forward powder magazine and 40-minutes later in the torpedo compartment) caused Imperatritsa Mariya to sink and capsize killing 228 sailors, while at anchor in Sevastopol. An enquiry concluded that the explosion was probably the result of spontaneous combustion of the nitrocellulose-based propellant as it decomposed.
A salvage operation refloated her on 18 May 1918, however, the Russian Revolution and Civil War prevented further repair work. She was sold for scrap in 1925.
Two of her gun turrets were used as the 30th Coast Defense Battery defending Sevastapol during the Siege of Sevastopol in World War II.
Imperatritsa Mariya Under Construction
Imperatritsa Mariya under constructionImperatritsa Mariya under constructionImperatritsa Mariya under constructionImperatritsa Mariya after being launchedImperatritsa Mariya after being launched
Imperatritsa Mariya in Service
Imperatritsa MariyaImperatritsa Mariya at SevastopolImperatritsa MariyaImperatritsa MariyaImperatritsa Mariya in 1915Imperatritsa Mariya in 1915Imperatritsa Mariya, 24 June 1915Imperatritsa MariyaImperatritsa Mariya in Sevastopol 12 May 1916Imperatritsa Mariya in SevastopolPanorama with Anastasia Nikolaevna Romanova and her family in Sebastopol, 27 May 1916 in front of Imperatritsa MariyaImperatritsa MariyaImperatritsa Mariya at the Chersonesos lighthouseImperatritsa MariyaImperatritsa MariyaImperatritsa MariyaImperatritsa MariyaImperatritsa Mariya entering Sevastopol Sep 1916Russian Imperial family (Nicholas II and Alexandra Romanov, OTMA and Alexei) aboard Imperatritsa MariyaCommander of the Black Sea Fleet Vice-Admiral A.V. Kolchak onboard Imperatritsa Mariya
Imperatritsa Mariya After Capsizing and Being Scrapped
Imperatritsa Mariya after exploding and sinking at her moorings in SevastopolImperatritsa Mariya capsizedImperatritsa Mariya inverted after being salvaged 1919
HDMS Herluf Trolle (1899) was a Danish coastal defense ship. The first of her class of three ships (including Olfert Fischer and Peder Skram), she was launched on 2 September 1899 and commissioned on 7 June 1901.
She had an uneventful career, as Denmark remained neutral throughout World War One. Herluf Trolle and her sisters patrolled Denmark’s coast, enforcing her neutrality. Post war, with reduced naval budgets, she was sold for scrap in 1934.
Belt armor: 178 to 203 mm (7 to 8 in) Gun turrets: 170 to 190 mm (6.5 to 7.5 in)
Herluf Trolle class 2-view line drawingPostcard for Danish coastal battleship Herluf TrolleHerluf Trolle prior to being launchedHerluf Trolle under constructionHerluf Trolle (1899)Herluf Trolle (1899)Herluf Trolle (1899)Herluf Trolle c. 1902Herluf Trolle and Peder Skram (to the left) saluting
