Russian battleship Sevastopol (1911)

The Sevastopol (Севастополь) was a Russian and Soviet Dreadnought battleship of the Gangut class.

The Sevastopol built at the Baltic Shipyard, St.Petersburg, was laid down 1909, launched in October 1911, and completed in November 1914. "Sevastopol"-type ships at that time were technically the best military Gangut class ships. [http://slovari.yandex.ru/dict/bse/article/00069/53900.htm "Sevastopol"] entry in the Great Soviet Encyclopedia] In 1914-1918 she fought in the World War I at the Baltic Fleet, in 1918 she took part in the Ice Cruise of the Baltic Fleet [http://flot.sevastopol.info/ship/linkor/sevastopol.htm Линейный корабль "Севастополь" Черноморского Флота ] ] and in 1919 - in the Defense of Petrograd. Originally named after the city of Sevastopol in the Crimea, renamed "Parizhskaya Kommuna" after the Paris Commune of 1871 on March 31, 1921, she was transferred to the Black Sea Fleet in 1929, because all of the Black Sea dreadnoughts were lost during the Revolution and subsequent Russian Civil War. Arriving at Sevastopol on January 18 1930 the ship became the flagship of the Soviet Black Sea Fleet. During the Great Patriotic War she took part in the Defence of Sevastopol (1941-1942) and later in other military actions of the Black Sea Fleet. In particular, approaching occupied Sevastopol in December 1942, she opened fire on Nazi positions, destroying 13 tanks, 8 field guns, 4 prime movers and 37 trucks with military freight. She was renamed "Sevastopol" in 1943 and awarded the Order of the Red Banner on July 8 1945. [http://www.steelnavy.com/OS%20Sevastopol.htm] She was scrapped in 1957.

References

* [http://web.ukonline.co.uk/aj.cashmore/russia/battleships/gangut2/sevastopol.html page in English]
* [http://flot.sevastopol.info/eng/ship/dreadnoughts/sevastopol.htm page in English from Black Sea Fleet (with photos)]