On November 7, 1941, the Soviet motor ship Armenia, with over 5,000 people on board, perished in the Black Sea.
"White spot" of war
A symbol of large-scale disasters at sea was the death of the passenger liner Titanic, which in April 1912 claimed the lives of about 1,500 people. In fact, the Titanic is not even among the top thirty maritime disasters with the largest number of casualties. The most terrible tragedies of this kind occurred during the Second World War, when transports with thousands of people, not only military personnel, but also women, old people and children, sank to the bottom. On November 7, 1941, the Soviet motor ship Armenia, with several thousand people on board, perished in the Black Sea. The tragedy of “Armenia” to this day remains one of the “blank spots” of the Great Patriotic War, since many questions in this story have not been answered.
In the mid-1920s, when the country had recovered a little from the shock Civil War, the government began to think about the development of civil shipbuilding. In 1927, at the Baltic Shipyard in Leningrad, the construction of the motor ship "Adzharia", the lead ship of the series of the first Soviet passenger airliners. In 1928, at the same Baltic plant, work was completed on five more ships of this project: “Crimea”, “Georgia”, “Abkhazia”, “Ukraine” and “Armenia”.
“Armenia” was a vessel 107.7 meters long, 15.5 meters wide, with a side height of 7.84 meters and a displacement of 5,770 tons. The ship was served by a crew of 96 people. The motor ship could simultaneously take on board up to 950 passengers. “Armenia”, like other vessels of the project, was intended for transportation between the ports of Crimea and the Caucasus. The ships coped with their task perfectly, having a very decent speed of 14.5 knots for their size.
floating hospital
With the beginning of the Great Patriotic War, “Armenia” was “called up” for military service. At the Odessa shipyard, she was urgently converted into a floating hospital, designed to transport and provide emergency care to 400 wounded. On August 10, 1941, “Armenia” began to fulfill its new duties. The captain of the ship was Vladimir Plaushevsky, and military doctor 2nd rank Pyotr Dmitrievsky was appointed chief physician of the floating hospital. Until recently, the head doctor was a civilian and worked in one of the hospitals in Odessa. The situation at the front was depressing. Five days before the Armenia officially became a medical ship, the enemy came close to Odessa. The ship had to evacuate not only the wounded from the besieged city, but also civilian refugees. Then “Armenia” began transporting the wounded from Sevastopol. By the beginning of October the ship had transported to Mainland about 15 thousand people.
By the end of October 1941, a catastrophic situation had developed in Crimea. Manstein's Eleventh Army, sweeping away Soviet defense lines, occupied one city after another. The threat of the fall of Sevastopol within a few days was more than real.
Under these conditions, on November 4, 1941, “Armenia” left the port of Tuapse in the direction of Sevastopol. On board there were reinforcements for the garrison of the main fleet base. "Armenia" reached Sevastopol safely. On November 5, Captain Plaushevsky received an order: to take on board not only the wounded, but also the personnel of all hospitals and medical institutions of the Black Sea Fleet, as well as part of the medical staff of the Primorsky Army.
Thousands of refugees and secret cargo
Considering that at that moment the battles for Sevastopol were just unfolding, the order looked somewhat strange. Who will save the lives of the wounded? Historians who studied this issue believe that the commander of the Black Sea Fleet, Admiral Filipp Oktyabrsky, considered the fate of the city a foregone conclusion and decided to begin evacuation. But on November 7, 1941, Oktyabrsky received a directive from Headquarters, which said: “Do not surrender Sevastopol in no case should we defend it with all our might.” However, before November 7 there were no orders from Moscow, so “Armenia” took on board evacuated doctors and not only them. Actors of the local theater named after Lunacharsky, management and staff of the Artek pioneer camp and many others boarded the ship. There were no exact lists of those who boarded the Armenia. Captain Plaushevsky received another order: after loading in Sevastopol, go to Yalta, where to take refugees and local party activists on board. After leaving Sevastopol, an additional order came: to go to Balaklava and pick up a special cargo. The boxes were brought on board accompanied by NKVD officers. Perhaps it was gold or valuables from Crimean museums.
“The brave climbed onto the ship using the shrouds”
“Armenia” left Sevastopol at 17:00 on November 6, and arrived in Yalta at 2:00 on November 7. Crowds of refugees were waiting for the ship here. This is what Vera Chistova, who was 9 years old in 1941, recalled about this: “Dad bought tickets, and my grandmother and I had to leave Yalta on the ship “Armenia.” On the night of November 6, the pier was full of people. First they loaded the wounded, then they let in the civilians. No one checked the tickets, and a stampede began on the ramp. The brave ones climbed onto the ship using the shrouds. In the bustle, suitcases and things were thrown off the board. By dawn the loading was completed. But we never got to “Armenia”. Hundreds of people remained on the pier. My grandmother and I went to my father’s workshop on the embankment. I fell asleep there.” At that moment, those remaining on board the “Armenia” seemed lucky. In fact, everything was exactly the opposite.
How many people were on “Armenia” by that time? According to the most conservative estimates, about 3,000 people. The upper limit is 10,000 people. Most likely, the truth is somewhere in the middle, and there were between 5,500 and 7,000 people on board. And this despite the fact that even in its “passenger” version the ship was designed for only 950 people.
In fact, “Armenia” could have successfully evacuated a similar number of people if it had departed from Yalta in the dark. But the loading was completed around 7 o'clock in the morning. Going to sea during the day without virtually any cover was tantamount to suicide. Admiral Oktyabrsky later wrote that the captain of the Armenia received a strict order to remain in the port until the evening, but violated it. But captain Plaushevsky, in fact, had no choice. The port of Yalta, unlike Sevastopol, did not have a powerful air defense system, which means that ships here became an excellent target for aviation. In addition, German motorized units were already approaching the city and occupied it in just a few hours. Therefore, at 8 o’clock in the morning on November 7, “Armenia” went to sea. The ship sank in 4 minutes
Before talking about what happened next, it should be noted that historians still have not decided whether “Armenia” can be considered a legitimate military target. According to the laws of war, a medical ship bearing the appropriate identification marks is not one of them. Some argue that “Armenia” was marked with a red cross, which means that the attack on the ship was another crime of the Nazis. Others object: “Armenia” violated its status by having four 45-mm anti-aircraft guns on board. Still others are completely sure that the ship, which was engaged not only in transporting the wounded and refugees, but also military cargo, did not have the signs of a medical ship. As cover, the “Armenia” was accompanied by two patrol boats, and two Soviet I-153 fighters were in the sky.
The circumstances of the fatal attack on the ship are also contradictory. For a long time it was believed that “Armenia” was the victim of an attack by several dozen bombers. One of the surviving passengers, a resident of Yalta Anastasia Popova, spoke about this: “Having gone out to sea, the ship was attacked by enemy aircraft. All hell broke loose. Bomb explosions, panic, people's screams - everything mixed up in an indescribable nightmare. People rushed around the deck, not knowing where to hide from the fire. I jumped into the sea and swam to the shore, losing consciousness. I don’t even remember how I ended up on the shore.” However, today the version that there was only one plane seems more reliable: the German torpedo bomber He-111, which belonged to the first squadron of air group I/KG28. This was not a targeted attack on “Armenia”: the torpedo bomber was looking for any of the Soviet transport ships on the Crimea-Caucasus line. Entering from the shore, the Non-111 dropped two torpedoes. One passed by, and the second hit the bow motor ship. "Armenia" sank in just four minutes. Only eight people on board were saved. The bottom of the Black Sea became the grave for thousands.
Could not find
The mysteries of “Armenia” do not end there. 75 years after the tragedy, the exact location of the ship’s death has not been discovered. The official report on the death of the “Armenia” reads: “At 11:25 a.m. (November 7, 1941) TR “Armenia”, guarded by two patrol boats from Yalta in Tuapse with wounded and passengers, was attacked by an enemy torpedo plane. One of the two dropped torpedoes hit the bow of the ship and at 11:29 am it sank at w = 44 deg. 15 min. 5 sec., d = 34 deg. 17 min. Eight people were saved, about 5,000 people died.” The supposed site of the ship’s sinking was studied several times. In 2006, Robert Ballard, who found the Titanic at the bottom of the Atlantic, joined the search. In Ukraine it was reported that “Armenia” was about to be found, but this did not happen. No traces of the lost ship were found. There is an assumption that the real place of death of the “Armenia” is not where indicated in the documents. According to this version, Captain Plaushevsky sent the ship not to Tuapse, but to Sevastopol, under the protection of the air defense of the fleet base, but along the way he was attacked by a torpedo bomber.
This, however, is only an assumption, like much else in the history of the death of “Armenia”.
It will be possible to reveal all the secrets only when the ship’s final refuge is found.
The crash, which surpassed the number of victims of the Armenia, occurred at the end of the war. On the night of April 16, 1945, the Soviet submarine L-3 under the command of Vladimir Konovalov torpedoed the fascist transport Goya at the exit from Danzig Bay. Of the more than 7,000 people on board, less than 200 survived.
Andrey Sidorchik
Olga Tonina
The sinking of the motor ship "Armenia".
Technical data of the passenger ship "Armenia":
Length - 112.1 m;
Width - 15.5 m;
Side height - 7.7 m;
Displacement - 5770 tons;
Power plant - two diesel engines with a capacity of 4000 hp. With.;
Speed - 14.5 knots (about 27 km/h);
Number of passengers - up to 980 people;
Crew - 96 people; The official information about the sinking of the motor ship "Armenia" is as follows: "At 11:25 am (November 7, 1941) TR "Armenia", guarding two patrol boats from Yalta to Tuapse with the wounded and passengers, was attacked by an enemy torpedo plane. One of the two torpedoes dropped hit the bow ship and at 11:29 am it sank inw = 44 g. 15 min. 5 sec., d = 34 deg. 17 min.
Eight people were saved, about 5,000 people died."
There is also an approximate schematic map in accordance with the indicated coordinates: 
In 2006, at the request of the Ukrainian side, the US Institute of Oceanography and Oceanology, led by Robert Ballard, joined the work. The Americans found many interesting objects in the supposed area of the ship's sinking, but the Armenia was never found. Robert Ballard - famous person in world marine archaeology, director of the Massachusetts Institute of Oceanography, USA. The man who found the Titanic, the battleship Bismarck, and the aircraft carrier Yorktown. Having received information about "Armenia", he suspended the search for Atlantis on the island of Santorini and went to the Black Sea on his research vessel "Endever", equipped with modern sonars and remote-controlled robots. The expedition cost the American side $2.5 million. So, “Armenia” was not found. Were you looking there? What do we know? "
Onlyat 08:00 November 7, 1941
the medical ship was able to leave and head for Tuapse,..."
"
Onlyat 8 o'clock in the morning
The ship stopped loading and the commander of the "Armenia", captain 3rd rank V.Ya. Plaushevsky, ordered the mooring lines to be given up."
That is, the “Armenia” went to sea at 08:00 on November 7, 1941 from Yalta. What's next? What do eyewitnesses say? http://militera.lib.ru/research/nepomniaschy_nn/01.html "
Let us turn to the testimony of the boat from the sea hunter MO-04 M.M. Yakovleva.
"
November 7,
around 10 o'clock in the morning
,
near Cape Sarych
A German reconnaissance aircraft flew over us,and after a short time
over the water, at low level, almost touching the crests of the waves (the weather was stormy, and we were thoroughly shaken), two enemy torpedo bombers entered our area. One of them began to make a turn for a torpedo attack, and the second went towards Yalta.
We could not open fire, since the boat's roll reached 45 degrees. The torpedo bomber dropped two torpedoes, but missed, and
they exploded in the coastal rocks of Cape Aya.
We were amazed by the force of the explosion - we had never seen a more powerful one before, and almost everyone said at once that if the second torpedo bomber hits "Armenia", then it will be in trouble...That's how it happened"
.
On the Tsushima forum there is a slightly different quote from M.M. Yakovlev’s memoirs (or a retelling of it?): http://wap.tsushima4.borda.ru/?1-9-0-00000001-000-0-0 "
Next are the memories of the boatman with MO-04 M. M. Yakovlev:"
November 7 at 10 am
on the way to Tuapse the ship was attacked by two Heinkel-111s
near Cape Sarych
. The MO could not fire, the sea was very fresh, the list reached 45 degrees. We went to"
Armenia
"
from two sides: one He-111 from the side of Yalta, and the other from the sea. The first torpedo bomber missed. The second one hit
. In about four minutes the ship sank under water."
Only 8 people survived."
In both versions Cape Sarych appears. Cape Sarych is located about 40 kilometers from Yalta - if you measure the distance by land, and about 50-55 kilometers if you go by sea. In two hours at full speed (2 hours x 27 km/h = 54 km), “Armenia” could well have reached Cape Sarych. Only Cape Sarych is located WEST of Yalta! And “Armenia should have gone EAST - to Tuapse or Novorossiysk. Or should it not? Following Cape Sarych, M.M. Yakovlev mentions Cape Aya, which is located EVEN WEST of Yalta! It was on its rocks that the torpedoes of the first torpedo bomber exploded. On the torpedo bombers type "He-111" torpedoes of the "F 5w" type with a caliber of 450 mm were used. combat unit included 170 kilograms of explosives. The range was 3000 meters. In order for such a torpedo to hit the rocks at Cape Aya, the Armenia must be between the torpedo release point and Cape Aya. In this case, the torpedo release point should not be further than 3000 meters from the cape, otherwise the torpedo will sink before reaching it. That is, “Armenia” should be approximately 2500-2000 meters from Cape Aya. 
What's next? If you believe the quote from the Tsushima forum, then the second torpedo bomber attacked almost immediately after the first, or simultaneously with it. If this is so, then "Armenia" sank in the Laspi area. About 2-3 kilometers from the coast. 
What if not? Commander of the Black Sea Fleet, Admiral F.S. Oktyabrsky: “When I learned that the transport was going to leave Yalta during the day, I personally conveyed the order to the commander, under no circumstances should you leave Yalta before 19.00, that is, until dark. We did not have the means to provide good air and sea cover for the transport. The communication worked reliably, the commander received the order and, despite this,
left Yalta at 08.00.
At 11.00, she was attacked by torpedo planes and sunk. After being hit by a torpedo, "Armenia" was afloat for four minutes
".
At 11-00, if we assume that after 10-00 "Armenia" was moving from Yalta at the same speed of 14 knots, it should have been in the area of Cape Fiolent, or somewhat to the north-west. And finally, 11-25. At the same speed of 14 knots, we get the place of death of the “Armenia” approximately in the area of Cape Chersonesus (to the north, west or south). Thus, we have three possible places for the death of “Armenia”. All of them are located WEST OF YALTA AND CAPE SARYCH. That is, absolutely not where Robert Ballard was looking. Why did "Armenia" end up on its way to Sevastopol, and not to Tuapse? Most likely, its captain received an order from the series “smoke up, roll out dumplings” - to return the staff of Sevastopol hospitals back. Most likely in compliance with the following directive: "
DIRECTIVE OF THE Supreme Command Headquarters N 004433 TO THE COMMANDER OF THE CRIMEA TROOPS, THE BLACK SEA FLEET ON MEASURES TO STRENGTHEN THE DEFENSE OF THE CRIMEA
Copy: to the People's Commissar of the Navy.
November 7, 1941 02 h 00 min
In order to pin down enemy forces in Crimea and prevent them from entering the Caucasus through the Taman Peninsula, the Headquarters of the Supreme High Command orders:
1. The main task of the Black Sea Fleet is the active defense of Sevastopol and the Kerch Peninsula with all its forces.
2. Do not surrender Sevastopol under any circumstances and defend it with all your might.
3. Keep all three old cruisers and old destroyers in Sevastopol. From this composition, form a maneuverable detachment for operations in the Gulf of Feodosia to support the troops occupying the Ak-Monai positions.
4.A detachment of the Azov flotilla to support the troops of the Ak-Monai position from the north.
5.Battleships and new cruisers will be based in Novorossiysk, used for operations against the coast occupied by the enemy, and to strengthen a detachment of old ships. Deployment of destroyers at your discretion.
6. Part of the ZA from the abandoned areas will be used to strengthen the air defense of Novorossiysk.
7. Organize and ensure transportation to Sevastopol and Kerch of troops leaving for Yalta, Alushta and Sudak.
8. Leave fighters, attack aircraft and some ICBM aircraft in Sevastopol and Kerch, and use the rest of the aircraft from the airfields of the North Caucasus Military District for night strikes on enemy airfields, bases and troops in Crimea.
9.Evacuate from Sevastopol and Kerch to the Caucasus everything valuable, but not needed for defense.
10. Entrust the leadership of the defense of Sevastopol to the commander of the Black Sea Fleet, Comrade Oktyabrsky, subordinating to you. The deputy commander of the Black Sea Fleet will have a naval staff in Tuapse.
11.You are in Kerch.
12. To directly lead the defense of the Kerch Peninsula, appoint Lieutenant General Batov.
I. STALIN B. SHAPOSHNIKOV N. KUZNETSOV"
There are no other logical explanations for the return of “Armenia”. All sorts of versions about “gold in bullion”, “NKVD employees” - for the orphaned and wretched, who were undertreated with haloperidol, or were released from “House-2” for exemplary idiotic behavior. Since “Armenia” did not reach Sevastopol, the order was “healed.” Or maybe it wasn’t in written form. Quite often, oral orders are given, and in the event of the death of the person receiving the oral order, the one who gave the order may not admit that such an order was given. Especially if there are people who persistently ask questions. One way or another, Laspi, Fiolent, and Kazachka - three famous beaches of Crimea - can, in fact, be the outskirts of a mass grave for several thousand people. However, both Kazachka and Fiolent are already such - if you remember last days defense of Sevastopol in July 1942. In this regard, much more ethical, although less safe in sanitary terms, are the city beaches located inside the Sevastopol Bay. But the topic of beaches is not the topic of this article; it just so happens that the place of death of the “Armenia” is most likely located not far from the coast. How can we explain the small number of those saved? Wind from the coast towards the sea and minefields, cold water (November 7) and heavy seas (“... The boat's roll reached 45 degrees..."). How can we explain the quick time of sinking of the ship - 4 minutes? Its design. A large number of passenger cabins along the entire side of the ship, provides for the presence of long corridors along the entire ship. Taking into account the rough seas, as well as the fact that German torpedoes are often did not hold depth and jumped to the surface, the hole from the torpedo could be at or above the waterline, which contributed not only to the flooding of the bow holds, but to the rapid spread of water throughout the ship. The overload of passengers several times higher than normal certainly created difficulties for the crew when fighting for the ship. survivability. Should we continue to look for “Armenia” or the exact location of its death should still remain unknown? This is a question of more politics than ethics If we still want to turn into ruminant cattle, eating popcorn and contemplating the next “Superman” in tights. blue tights - there is no point in looking for the lost ship. But if our history is important to us and we value it, "Armenia" must be found. Materials used:
75 years ago, on November 7, 1941, Nazi pilots dropped two torpedoes on the motor ship Armenia. As a result, according to some sources, up to 7 thousand people died. Read about how the "Armenia"'s journey began, what happened during the voyage and why the ship has not yet been found.
Once upon a time in Crimea
At the end of September 1941, Nazi troops under the command of Erich von Manstein captured the Perekop Isthmus and penetrated deep into Crimea. The capture of the peninsula was of great importance for Adolf Hitler - it would deprive the Soviet army of air bases and would give the Germans unhindered access to the oil fields of the Caucasus. By the end of October, Nazi troops had strengthened their positions on the peninsula and forced the Soviet army to retreat to Sevastopol, the main Black Sea base. In early November, the siege of the city began. The Soviet command decided to evacuate the civilian population by sea along the Sevastopol-Tuapse route.
Until 1941, pleasure and tourist Crimean-Caucasian ships sailed along the Black Sea. The first motor ships - "Abkhazia", "Georgia", "Ukraine", "Adjaria", "Crimea" and "Armenia" - appeared in the mid-1920s. Some of them were built in Germany, and some in Leningrad at the Baltic Shipyard. After the start of the war, the “Krymchaks,” as they were popularly called, were converted into ambulance transport ships and given to the medical service of the Black Sea Fleet. They carried the wounded, children, women and medical personnel. The ship "Armenia" was the largest among the converted ships. Its displacement was about 6 thousand tons, length - 112 meters, and capacity - about a thousand passengers. Under the leadership of experienced captain Vladimir Plaushevsky, during August-September, “Armenia” transported about 15 thousand wounded soldiers from Odessa to the mainland. In early November, Manstein's troops shelled Sevastopol from land, air and water. There was a real threat of the city surrendering to the enemy. The leaders of the defense of Sevastopol decided to evacuate hospitals, infirmaries and part of the civilian population in Tuapse on the ship "Armenia".
Mysterious cargo in Balaclava
The evacuation began on November 6, according to orders received from high command the day before. A participant in the defense of Sevastopol, Colonel of the medical service Alexander Vlasov, recalled the first days of evacuation:
“On November 5, the head of the Main Base department received orders ... to close hospitals and infirmaries. About 300 wounded, medical and economic personnel of the Sevastopol Naval Hospital (the largest in the fleet), headed by its chief physician, military doctor 1st rank S. M. Kagan, were loaded onto the "Armenia". The heads of departments (with medical staff), X-ray technicians were also located here... The 2nd naval and Nikolaev base hospitals, sanitary warehouse No. 280, sanitary-epidemiological laboratory, 5th medical-sanitary detachment, hospital from the Yalta sanatorium were also located here. Some of the medical personnel of the Primorsky and 51st armies, as well as evacuated residents of Sevastopol, were accepted onto the ship...”
As soon as it became known that the ship was preparing to depart for Tuapse, panic began in the city. Everyone wanted to escape, to get out from under the endless shelling, but the small capacity of the ship did not allow everyone to be taken on board. According to various estimates, from 4.5 thousand to 7 thousand people ended up on the Armenia, which significantly exceeded the permissible number of passengers. On the Sevastopol-Tuapse route there was supposed to be one planned stop in Yalta, but immediately after departure, at 17:00, the captain of the “Armenia” Vladimir Plaushevsky received an order to stop in Balaklava along the way. There, NKVD boats were waiting for the ship to load secret boxes onto it, which, according to one version, contained gold and valuables from Crimean museums, in particular, paintings by famous Russian artists.
“We never got to “Armenia””
On November 7 at 2 a.m. the ship "Armenia" arrived in Yalta. Nazi troops continuously attacked the city. E. S. Nikulin, a man who did not get on the ship, recalled the arrival of the “Armenia” in Yalta:
“Since the evening, we still didn’t know anything about the motor ship “Armenia”. At night, at about two o'clock, they woke us up and led us almost in formation down the middle of the street to the port. There was a huge ship in the port. The entire pier and pier are filled with people. We joined this crowd. Boarding the ship was slow; In two hours we moved from the pier to the pier. The crush is incredible! Loading lasted from about two o'clock until seven in the morning. NKVD soldiers with rifles stood across the pier and only women and children were allowed through. Sometimes men broke through the cordon.”
Along with the wounded, employees of the Artek pioneer camp, and staff of the main hospital of the Black Sea Fleet, representatives of the party leadership of Crimea were on board. While waiting for the authorities to arrive at the landing site, the ship remained in the port for several hours longer than planned. Vera Chistova, who was unable to get to “Armenia” that day, recalled:
“Dad bought tickets, and my grandmother and I had to leave Yalta on the ship “Armenia”. On the night of November 6, the pier was full of people. First they loaded the wounded, then they let in the civilians. No one checked the tickets, and a stampede began on the ramp. The brave ones climbed onto the ship using the shrouds. In the bustle, suitcases and things were thrown off the board. By dawn the loading was completed. But we never got to “Armenia.”
After everyone was on the crowded deck, the ship was ready to continue its journey along the Sevastopol-Tuapse route. But Admiral Philip Oktyabrsky gave the order to leave after 19:00, with the onset of darkness. During daylight hours, the ship could have been subject to air strikes. But the captain of the “Armenia” Plaushevsky dared not to carry out the order, since he perfectly understood that being in a port unprotected from the air was mortally dangerous. At any moment, the Wehrmacht pilots could strike. According to another version, pressure on the captain from the NKVD officers on board could also be the reason for such an early departure. Party leaders wanted to quickly leave the peninsula in order to save themselves and not allow the Nazis to seize the secret precious cargo. On November 7 at 8 o’clock in the morning, accompanied by two armed boats and two I-153 “Chaika” fighters, the ship “Armenia” sailed from Yalta.
"All hell has broken loose"
In July 1941, Wehrmacht air forces bombed hospital ships on the Black Sea. Then the ambulance ships “Kotovsky” and “Anton Chekhov” came under fire, and later, in August, as a result of air raids, the ships “Adzharia” and “Kuban” sank. To prevent possible attacks from the air, the hospital ship's distinctive sign - a huge red cross - was placed on board the Armenia. Hospital ships on which such a cross is depicted, according to international law, should not have been subjected to fire. But this did not stop the Nazis. To protect the ship from possible raids, four 21-K anti-aircraft guns were placed on the deck of the Armenia, but they did not save it from destruction. Three and a half hours after departure, at 11:25 am, a few kilometers from Yalta, the ship was overtaken by the Nazi torpedo bomber Heinkel He-111, which dropped two torpedoes on the Armenia from a height of 600 m. One hit the water, and the second landed right in the bow of the ship. A few minutes later the ship sank.
According to another version, “Armenia” was bombed by eight Nazi Junkers Ju 87s at once. Of all those on board (remember, this is about 4.5 thousand - 7 thousand people), only eight managed to survive. Among them was Anastasia Popova. Despite the terrible cold, she, pregnant, swam to the shore on her own. Anastasia recalled the terrible minutes of the tragedy this way:
“On November 6, 1941, on the advice of friends, I decided to evacuate from Yalta. With great difficulty they took me on board, since the Armenia was already overcrowded with wounded and refugees. Having set out to sea, the ship was attacked by enemy aircraft. All hell broke loose. Bomb explosions, panic, people's screams - everything mixed up in an indescribable nightmare. People rushed around the deck, not knowing where to hide from the fire. I jumped into the sea and swam to the shore, losing consciousness. I don’t remember how I ended up on the shore.”
“The death toll is about 7,000 people”
On the day of the tragedy, November 7, a parade was held in Moscow on Red Square in honor of the 24th anniversary of the October Socialist Revolution. During the war and after its end, the fact of the tragedy was hushed up, so there was no reliable information about the location of the death of “Armenia” and the number of victims for a long time.
Pyotr Morgunov, one of the organizers of the defense of Sevastopol, mentioned the tragedy in passing in the 1970s in his memoirs “Heroic Sevastopol”:
“On November 6, an ambulance transport left Sevastopol - the motor ship "Armenia" with wounded soldiers, employees of the main hospital and evacuated citizens. He went to Yalta, where he also picked up some of the evacuees from Simferopol, and on the morning of November 7 he headed for the Caucasus. At 11:25 am, not far from Yalta, the transport, although it had the distinctive signs of a medical ship, was torpedoed by a fascist plane and sank four minutes later. Many residents, doctors and wounded were killed.”
At the end of the above passage there is a footnote to case No. 19, stored in the Central Naval Archive. Recently, historians learned that in 1949 (according to other sources - in 1947) it was classified and destroyed. Some information about the tragedy is contained in the third volume of the “Final Report on the Combat Activities of the Black Sea Fleet during the Great Patriotic War of 1941–1945,” published in 1956. The essay reported that on November 7, 1941, 7 thousand people died on the “Armenia”, 8 people were saved.
Finally, the book “Chronicle of the Great Patriotic War of the Soviet Union on the Black Sea,” published by the historical department of the People’s Commissariat of the USSR Navy back in 1946, but declassified as “top secret” only in 1989, provides information about the time and coordinates of the vessel’s location during the shelling . The only clue for future searches for the vessel appeared in 1991. It was an extract from a document stored in the materials of the Museum of the Medical Service of the Black Sea Fleet. It talked about 7 thousand people who died on the ship “Armenia”, who were attacked from the air near the village of Gurzuf in the area of Bear Mountain (Ayu-Daga).
A special investigation dedicated to the search for the site of the sinking of the ship “Armenia” was conducted in the Soviet years by captain 2nd rank, scientific secretary of the Military Scientific Society of Sevastopol Sergei Solovyov. He managed to get acquainted with partially preserved archival documents and with eyewitness testimony, among which was the testimony of the boat from the sea hunter “MO-04” M. M. Yakovlev, who accompanied the “Armenia”:
“On November 7, at about 10 o’clock in the morning, in the area of Cape Sarych, a German reconnaissance aircraft flew over us, and after a short time, over the water, at low level, almost touching the crests of the waves (the weather was stormy and we were thoroughly chattered), two enemy torpedo bomber. One of them began to make a turn for a torpedo attack, and the second went towards Yalta. We could not open fire, since the boat's roll reached 45 degrees. The torpedo bomber dropped two torpedoes, but missed, and they exploded in the coastal rocks of Cape Aya. We were amazed by the force of the explosion - we had never seen a more powerful one before, and almost everyone said at once that if the second torpedo bomber hits “Armenia”, then it will be in trouble.”
From this story it follows that the ship "Armenia" on that very morning, November 7, may have been on its way from Yalta not to Tuapse, but back to Sevastopol, because Capes Sarych and Aya are located west of Yalta, towards Sevastopol. Thus, written evidence made it possible to identify several possible places where the ship was lost, but one way or another they are all located in the area of the Yalta coast.
“Perhaps on one of the expeditions we passed by “Armenia”
In 2005, a group of Ukrainian archaeologists led by Sergei Voronov began underwater research in the Yalta area with the aim of locating the sunken ship "Armenia". In 2006, the famous American explorer Robert Ballard began searching, who discovered the Titanic in 1985, and the wreckage of the German battleship Bismarck in 1989. Despite expensive equipment and machinery, he was never able to detect “Armenia”.
According to media reports, the last attempt to search for the vessel was made at the end of July 2016 by specialists from the Main Directorate of Deep-Sea Research of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation. The search results are still unknown.
For details about the underwater search for the vessel, RT turned to Viktor Vakhoneev, head of the underwater archeology department of the Black Sea Center for Underwater Research. He himself was a participant in the very first search for the vessel, which was carried out since 2005 by Ukrainian, Russian and American specialists. In an interview with RT, Viktor Vakhoneev noted that the work was carried out at different depths:
“The main reason why the ship could not be found in 2005-2006 was the collapse of the depths. The Black Sea bottom has a very mountainous terrain. It is quite possible that on one of the expeditions we passed by “Armenia”, but it is extremely difficult to identify it among the underwater rocks. When scanning the bottom, shadow zones are formed where a ship could theoretically be located. But due to the existing stall, the scanning process becomes more complicated.”
Viktor Vakhoneev explained that the expeditions do not have accurate data on the location of the vessel. This is due to the fact that the case of the death of “Armenia” in 1947 was removed from the archives, and now it is classified as “top secret” in the archives of the FSB. Vakhoneev noted:
“We proceeded from the time when the Armenia left the port, adding three hours to it until the moment of its sinking. Then multiplied by the minimum, average and maximum speed. Based on the data obtained, a radius was drawn where the ship could go. It is most logical that “Armenia” went towards Gurzuf (east of Yalta), the Ayu-Dag mountain along the coast. But we also scanned the bottom not only in this area, but also in central region Yalta".
Regarding the version that the ship was heading from Yalta back to Sevastopol, Vakhoneev explained that confusion had crept into it. Katernik, testifying that he saw the "Armenia" in the area of Cape Sarych, confused it with another ship - the "Lenin". He was blown up by a mine in this area in July 1941. According to Viktor Vakhoneev, the waters of Sarych have been well studied, and no traces of “Armenia” were found there.
According to one version, the ship may be under a layer of silt. RT's interlocutor expressed doubts about this:
"This is impossible. The height of the ship's side was too high. Silt of such a height that would exceed the parameters of the vessel simply does not exist. The only difficulty preventing the search for the vessel is mountainous terrain bottom."
In conclusion, Viktor Vakhoneev noted that the history of the sinking of the ship “Armenia” is covered in riddles and secrets. Thus, he expressed doubt about the testimony of survivor Anastasia Popova, who managed to swim to the shore in cold water.
It is still not known whether the wreckage of the Armenia was found during the last search in the summer of 2016. We can only hope that one day this story will come to an end.
On September 12, 1941, the advanced units of the 11th German Army approached Perekop, the northern border of Crimea. From that moment on, it became possible to escape from the peninsula only by sea.
All land routes were quickly taken under control by German troops. About a million civilians were trapped. German trained troops were opposed by scattered troops of the Red Army, which did not give much chance of victory.
By the beginning of November 1941, residents fled Crimean peninsula has become widespread. With the approach of fascist troops, panic began in the cities. There was a real struggle to board any transport. The evacuation of the civilian population was carried out according to a single scheme from Sevastopol and Yalta to Tuapse in the Caucasus.
Motor ship « Armenia" moored at the beginning of November 1941 in the port of Sevastopol, it could not have been better suited for this purpose.
Motor ship « Armenia"was built at the Baltic Shipyard in Leningrad in November 1928 and belonged to the type passenger ships « Abkhazia " A total of four ships of the same type were built: “ Abkhazia», « Georgia», « Crimea" And " Armenia» for Black Sea maritime shipping company. Motor ship « Armenia"successfully made flights to the Caucasus, transporting more than 10,000 people a year.
motor ship "Armenia" photo
construction of the motor ship "Armenia"
motor ship "Abkhazia"
motor ship "Georgia"
8 August 1941 double deck cargo-passenger ship during the period of hostilities it was converted into. Passenger cabins became medical wards, and special symbols appeared on the sides - the Red Cross.
On the morning of November 6, 1941, landing began on motor ship « Armenia" At first vessel was not moored to the pier, in order to avoid a crush and a possible assault, passengers were brought on board in boats. Suddenly an order was received from the headquarters of the Sevastopol defensive region to evacuate all medical personnel of the Black Sea Fleet from the city. As a result, the best doctors in Crimea ended up on the same ship. To carry out the order, Captain Vladimir Yakovlevich Plaushevsky had to motor ship « Armenia» moored to the Korabelnaya Bay pier and huge crowds of city residents immediately poured in looking for salvation. Everyone wanted to get on the ship. In panic, passengers began to make their way into the technical rooms on the lowest decks. The ship with evacuated people was overfilled. People stood tightly pressed against each other, but this was the only chance for salvation.
Crowded with frightened people at 17:00 on November 6, 1941, the motor ship "Armenia" unmoored from the quay wall and soon disappeared over the horizon and disappeared not only from the sight of those seeing off, but also from Soviet history.
The mourners of Sevastopol began to feel despair for not using their chance. But this would become a reality if it took a course on the established Caucasian route.
From Sevastopol motor ship « Armenia"carried away medical personnel of the Black Sea Fleet, hundreds of seriously wounded soldiers and thousands of civilians. The war at sea had not yet begun, so every minute was precious. The Caucasus was free and nothing stood in the way of saving people. But Captain Plaushevsky received an order from the main command of the Black Sea Fleet to go to Yalta and pick up several more passengers.
At 02:00 November 7 motor ship « Armenia"arrived at the port of Yalta. During this passage, the medical ship was delayed for 3 hours, waiting at the Balaklava roadstead for a transport with some cargo to be delivered on board. Loading several tightly sealed black boxes into the ship " Armenia» weighed anchor and continued its voyage. The accompanying NKVD agents remained on board to ensure the protection of the cargo.
Yalta is overcrowded motor ship « Armenia“Hundreds more frightened people dived in. Only at 08:00 on November 7, 1941, the medical ship was able to leave and head for Tuapse, losing invaluable time. Meanwhile, the commander of the Black Sea Fleet, Admiral Oktyabrsky, gave the order not to leave the port until dark, i.e. 19:00, but Captain Plaushevsky violated it. Just 10 km from Yalta in Gurzuf, Hitler’s troops were already rampaging. The captain made the most important decision in his life, and he gave the order to save the doctors entrusted to him, but it was too late.
Having moved to a distance of about 25 miles from the Crimean Peninsula " Armenia"was attacked by two torpedoes from a German He-111H bomber, which ignored its markings. At 11:29, the ship, carrying 7,000 medical personnel and civilians, sank in the Black Sea at a depth of 472 meters. In a terrible tragedy, only 8 passengers on the boat managed to escape.
This huge number of deaths on one ship seems incredible, but even more surprising is the fact that in our time no one knows about one of the most terrible maritime disasters in the history of the Second World War. After all, on board motor ship « Armenia"More people died than on the legendary liners "" and "".
Information about this tragedy was kept in the strictest confidence. Recently, Ukrainian historians managed to discover these details. The cause of the death of the ship was two unplanned stops, which led to loss of time. The command of the Black Sea Fleet gave an order that made a number of mistakes, but the doctors of the lost ship could have saved thousands of lives of soldiers and officers who fought against Nazi Germany.
And only one person, Vladimir Yakovlevich Plaushevsky, took responsibility for the unacceptable mistakes of his leadership. Having violated the order, he took the last opportunity to save people, which was no longer possible to prevent.
On May 9, 2010, several veterans of the Great Patriotic War will lay wreaths in the area where the tragedy supposedly occurred.
Technical data of the passenger ship "Armenia":
Length - 112.1 m;
Width - 15.5 m;
Side height - 7.7 m;
Displacement - 5770 tons;
Power plant - two diesel engines with a capacity of 4000 hp. With.;
Speed - 14.5 knots;
Number of passengers - up to 980 people;
Crew - 96 people;
Today, in addition to two holiday dates associated with the October Revolution and the 1941 parade, there is another gloomy anniversary. 75 years ago, as a result of an attack by German torpedo bombers Heinkel-111, the motor ship "Armenia" was sunk, on board of which, according to various estimates, there were from 4 to 7 thousand people, mostly wounded evacuees from Crimea and doctors from Sevastopol hospitals. Only 8 people were saved. To this day, there is no complete clarity about how many people died there, why the captain of the ship, despite the order, went to sea, and where exactly the ship was sunk. But these are rather historical particulars that do not negate the fact of the large-scale tragedy with which 1941 was so rich.
THE BIGGEST MARINE TRAGEDY OF THE SECOND WORLD: JAVAD STAYED WITH THEM
When you look at old documents and photographs from the war period of 1941-1945. always want to know more about the people they are associated with. You start looking for relevant information - and the glorious and tragic pages of our history literally come to life before your eyes.
The young man in the photo is Muratkhanov Javad Feyzulla oglu.
He was born in 1914. in Salyan. The Muratkhanov family was famous in this city - Javad's grandfather was a local bailiff. Soon the family moved to Baku and Javad grew up in Icheri Sheher, on the famous Malaya Fortress street. He was fascinated by medicine and after school he graduated from the Faculty of Pharmacy of the Azerbaijan State Medical Institute. Then he worked in one of the Baku pharmacies on Bailovo. I just didn’t have time to start a family. The war came and Javad left to defend his homeland. The family knew that Javad, as a military feldsher-pharmacist, was in the ranks of the 8th separate medical battalion of the Black Sea Fleet. His letter home has also been preserved, where the young man asks not to worry about him and not to send him money.
A regular letter mentioning all the people close to his heart.
And in January 1942 Through the Voroshilovsky District Military Commissariat of Baku, Javad's father received a “funeral certificate” for his son, signed by the military commissar of the medical and sanitary department of the Black Sea Fleet - “In the fight against German fascism, he died at sea on November 7, 1941.”
And that’s all - nothing was known about any circumstances surrounding the death of military paramedic Muratkhanov. These documents were kindly provided to us by Javad Muratkhanov’s niece, Gulnara Khanum Radzhabova, the daughter of Javad’s sister Lumi Khanum Muratkhanova-Amrakhova. This is the same sister Lumi that Javad recalls in his letter. Thanks to information from the Memorial electronic database, we were able to find out where, how and under what circumstances Javad’s life ended that day.
He died in a sea disaster equal to the disaster of five (!) Titanics, when on November 7, 1941. The ambulance transport "Armenia", on board which was military paramedic Muratkhanov, was sunk as a result of a torpedo attack by German aircraft at the exit from Yalta.
Registration card of Javad Muratkhanov, stored in TsAMO USSR
Photo of transport "Armenia"
This was a little-known and perhaps the most tragic episode of that war at sea. Transport "Armenia" evacuated the wounded and refugees from Yalta when German troops were already approaching the city and was attacked by a fascist torpedo bomber abeam Gurzuf in the area of Mount Ayu-Dag. As a result of a direct hit by a torpedo, the ship broke and sank. Almost all 7,000 people on board were killed. The death of the transport "Armenia" on November 7, 1941 is one of the most tragic cases of the death of passenger ships. For comparison, we can mention the disaster of the Titanic - 1503 dead, the death of the torpedoed Lusitania - 1198 dead.
"Armenia" on the slipway of a shipyard.
Official information about the death of “Armenia” is very scarce. More interesting information gives a “Final report on the combat activities of the Black Sea Fleet in the Second World War of 1941 - 1945.” The third volume of this closed document of the operational department of the Black Sea Fleet headquarters reports that “on November 7, 1941, on the ambulance transport “Armenia” the following were completely lost: “Sevastopol Naval Hospital” with 700 beds, the Black Sea Fleet naval hospital and its property, the 5th medical sanitary detachment, base hospital, and so on... the number of dead was about 7,000 people, 8 people were saved. After the death of “Armenia”, the Black Sea Fleet was left without medical support, and it was necessary to create the main hospital of the Black Sea Fleet No. 40, basic hospitals, calling in doctors from the reserve. Loading the entire staff of several medical and sanitary institutions onto one medical transport was a grave mistake."
The commander of the ship was Lieutenant Commander V.Ya. Plaushevsky. The ship's standard evacuation capacity was 400 people; there was one operating room and 4 dressing rooms with 11 tables. The ship's medical staff: 9 doctors, 29 nurses and 75 orderlies.
Among the members of the medical staff, in addition to Javad Muratkhanov, there were several more of our fellow countrymen:
Akhundov D.A. 3rd rank military doctor - surgeon;
Mamedova A.Kh. - pharmacist
Akhundova Sharifa - dentist
In total, before its death, the Armenia managed to make 15 evacuation flights (mostly from Odessa and Sevastopol) and delivered more than 15,000 people to the Caucasus (an average of 1,000 people per flight).
The ship was not so large (with a displacement of 6,700 tons), and was designed to transport 980 people. But that day, people literally packed into “Armenia” like sardines in a barrel. Eyewitnesses recall that the passengers stood on the deck, huddled closely together.
At the end of October - November, panic reigned in Sevastopol. On the morning of November 6, boarding began on the motor ship "Armenia" in Sevastopol. It housed several hundred wounded soldiers, as well as evacuated citizens. Loading was in complete disarray; not only did no one register the last names of those boarding the ship, their number was not even known exactly. The ship then headed to Yalta, where it took on even more evacuees.
While staying in Yalta, an order was received from the fleet commander that, due to the lack of air cover, the departure of the "Armenia" from the port was prohibited until 19:00, that is, until darkness fell. The transport commander Plaushevsky received the order, but at 8.00 on November 7 he took the ship out of Yalta. At sea, the Armenia was accompanied by two patrol boats (a total of four 45-mm cannons), and two I-153 Chaika fighters patrolled in the air at an altitude of 500 m.
At 11:25 a.m., the ship was attacked by a single German torpedo bomber He-111, belonging to the 1st squadron of air group I/KG28. The plane came in from the shore and dropped two torpedoes from a distance of 600 m. One passed by, and the second hit the bow of the ship. The explosion tore apart the space in the middle of the ship. The ship was divided into compartments so the ship could remain afloat. But the hatches between the compartments seemed to have been opened - the ship was overcrowded with wounded, and good ventilation had to be provided for them. Only this can explain the fact that just four minutes after the explosion, the Armenia sank. 7 thousand people died. After dropping the torpedoes, the He-111 went into the clouds and disappeared. The covering fighters did not even have time to react to what was happening.
Only eight were saved - they were picked up by a small patrol boat accompanying the Armenia. There was not a single doctor among the survivors - they died along with their patients. On the "Armenia" there were only seriously wounded soldiers who could not move independently. The walking wounded were then evacuated through the narrow Kerch Strait. The death of the "Armenia" became the largest tragedy at sea during the Second World War on the part of the anti-Hitler coalition.
Perhaps military paramedic Javad Muratkhanov could have been saved, but as a medic, a soldier and just a man, he chose not to abandon the wounded. He probably also thought - what will I tell our guys from Malaya Krepostnaya?
The sinking of the motor ship "Armenia".
Technical data of the passenger ship "Armenia":
Length - 112.1 m;
Width - 15.5 m;
Side height - 7.7 m;
Displacement - 5770 tons;
Power plant - two diesel engines with a capacity of 4000 hp. With.;
Speed - 14.5 knots (about 27 km/h);
Number of passengers - up to 980 people;
Crew - 96 people;
The official information about the sinking of the motor ship "Armenia" is as follows:
"At 11:25 am (November 7, 1941) TR "Armenia", guarding two patrol boats from Yalta to Tuapse with the wounded and passengers, was attacked by an enemy torpedo plane. One of the two torpedoes dropped hit the bow ship and at 11:29 am it sank at w = 44 deg. 15 min. 5 sec., d = 34 deg. 17 min. Eight people were saved, about 5,000 people died."
There is also an approximate schematic map in accordance with the indicated coordinates:
In 2006, at the request of the Ukrainian side, the US Institute of Oceanography and Oceanology, led by Robert Ballard, joined the work. The Americans found many interesting objects in the supposed area of the ship's sinking, but the Armenia was never found. Robert Ballard is a well-known figure in world marine archeology, director of the Institute of Oceanography of the State of Massachusetts, USA. The man who found the Titanic, the battleship Bismarck, and the aircraft carrier Yorktown. Having received information about "Armenia", he suspended the search for Atlantis on the island of Santorini and went to the Black Sea on his research vessel "Endever", equipped with modern sonars and remote-controlled robots. The expedition cost the American side $2.5 million.
So, “Armenia” was not found. Were you looking there? What do we know?
"Only at 08:00 on November 7, 1941, the medical ship was able to leave and head for Tuapse,..."
“Only at 8 o’clock in the morning did the ship stop loading and the commander of the Armenia, Captain 3rd Rank V.Ya. Plaushevsky, ordered the mooring lines to be given up.”
That is, the “Armenia” went to sea at 08:00 on November 7, 1941 from Yalta. What's next? What do eyewitnesses say?
Let us turn to the testimony of the boat from the sea hunter MO-04 M.M. Yakovleva.
“On November 7, at about 10 o’clock in the morning, in the area of Cape Sarych, a German reconnaissance aircraft flew over us, and after a short time over the water, at low level, almost touching the crests of the waves (the weather was stormy, and we were thoroughly chattered), they entered our area two enemy torpedo bombers. One of them began to turn for a torpedo attack, and the second went towards Yalta. We could not open fire, since the boat’s roll reached 45 degrees, but missed, and they exploded in the coastal rocks of the cape. Aya. We were amazed by the power of the explosion - we had never seen a more powerful one before, and almost everyone said at once that if the second torpedo bomber hits “Armenia”, then it will be in trouble... And so it happened.”
On the “Tsushima” forum http://wap.tsushima4.borda.ru/?1-9-0-00000001-000-0-0 there is a slightly different quote from M.M. Yakovlev’s memoirs (or its retelling?):
“Further, the recollections of the boat from MO-04 M. M. Yakovlev: “On November 7 at 10 o’clock in the morning, on the way to Tuapse, the ship was attacked by two Heinkel-111s in the area of Cape Sarych. The MO could not fire, the sea was very fresh, the list reached 45 degrees. We approached the "Armenia" from two sides: one He-111 from the direction of Yalta, and the other from the sea. The first torpedo bomber missed. The second one hit. In about four minutes the ship sank under water. “Only 8 people survived.”
In both versions Cape Sarych appears. Cape Sarych is located about 40 kilometers from Yalta - if you measure the distance by land, and about 50-55 kilometers if you go by sea. In two hours at full speed (2 hours x 27 km/h = 54 km), “Armenia” could well have reached Cape Sarych. Only Cape Sarych is located WEST of Yalta! And “Armenia should have gone EAST - to Tuapse or Novorossiysk. Or should it not? Following Cape Sarych, M.M. Yakovlev mentions Cape Aya, which is located EVEN WEST of Yalta! It was on its rocks that the torpedoes of the first torpedo bomber exploded. On the torpedo bombers type "He-111" torpedoes of the "F 5w" type with a caliber of 450 mm were used. Their warhead included 170 kilograms of explosives. The range was 3000 meters. In order for such a torpedo to hit the rocks at Cape Aya, "Armenia" had to. be between the torpedo release point and Cape Aya. In this case, the torpedo release point should not be further than 3000 meters from the cape, otherwise the torpedo will sink before reaching it.
That is, “Armenia” should be approximately 2500-2000 meters from Cape Aya.
What's next? If you believe the quote from the Tsushima forum, then the second torpedo bomber attacked almost immediately after the first, or simultaneously with it. If so then
"Armenia" sank in the Laspi area. About 2-3 kilometers from the coast.
What if not?
Commander of the Black Sea Fleet Admiral F.S. Oktyabrsky:
“When I learned that the transport was going to leave Yalta during the day, I personally conveyed the order to the commander, under no circumstances should you leave Yalta before 19.00, that is, until dark. We did not have the means to provide good air and sea cover for the transport. The communication worked reliably, the commander received the order and, despite this, left Yalta at 08.00. At 11.00, he was attacked by torpedo bombers and sunk after being hit by a torpedo. "Armenia" was afloat for four minutes.
At 11-00, if we assume that after 10-00 "Armenia" was moving from Yalta at the same speed of 14 knots, it should have been in the area of Cape Fiolent, or somewhat to the north-west.
And finally, 11-25. At the same speed of 14 knots, we get the place of death of the “Armenia” approximately in the area of Cape Chersonesus (to the north, west or south).
Thus, we have three possible places for the death of “Armenia”. All of them are located WEST OF YALTA AND CAPE SARYCH. That is, absolutely not where Robert Ballard was looking.
Why did "Armenia" end up on its way to Sevastopol, and not to Tuapse? Most likely, its captain received an order from the series “smoke up, roll out dumplings” - to return the staff of Sevastopol hospitals back. Most likely in compliance with the following directive:
"DIRECTIVE OF THE Supreme High Command Headquarters N 004433 TO THE COMMANDER OF THE CRIMEA TROOPS, THE BLACK SEA FLEET ON MEASURES TO STRENGTHEN THE DEFENSE OF THE CRIMEA
Copy: to the People's Commissar of the Navy. November 7, 1941 02 h 00 min
In order to pin down enemy forces in Crimea and prevent them from entering the Caucasus through the Taman Peninsula, the Headquarters of the Supreme High Command orders:
1. The main task of the Black Sea Fleet is the active defense of Sevastopol and the Kerch Peninsula with all its forces.
2. Do not surrender Sevastopol under any circumstances and defend it with all your might.
3. Keep all three old cruisers and old destroyers in Sevastopol. From this composition, form a maneuverable detachment for operations in the Gulf of Feodosia to support the troops occupying the Ak-Monai positions.
4.A detachment of the Azov flotilla to support the troops of the Ak-Monai position from the north.
5.Battleships and new cruisers will be based in Novorossiysk, used for operations against the coast occupied by the enemy, and to strengthen a detachment of old ships. Deployment of destroyers at your discretion.
6. Part of the ZA from the abandoned areas will be used to strengthen the air defense of Novorossiysk.
7. Organize and ensure transportation to Sevastopol and Kerch of troops leaving for Yalta, Alushta and Sudak.
8. Leave fighters, attack aircraft and some ICBM aircraft in Sevastopol and Kerch, and use the rest of the aircraft from the airfields of the North Caucasus Military District for night strikes on enemy airfields, bases and troops in Crimea.
9.Evacuate from Sevastopol and Kerch to the Caucasus everything valuable, but not needed for defense.
10. Entrust the leadership of the defense of Sevastopol to the commander of the Black Sea Fleet, Comrade Oktyabrsky, subordinating to you. The deputy commander of the Black Sea Fleet will have a naval staff in Tuapse.
11.You are in Kerch.
12. To directly lead the defense of the Kerch Peninsula, appoint Lieutenant General Batov.
I. STALIN B. SHAPOSHNIKOV N. KUZNETSOV"
There are no other logical explanations for the return of “Armenia”. All sorts of versions about “gold in bullion”, “NKVD employees” - for the orphaned and wretched, who were undertreated with haloperidol, or were released from “House-2” for exemplary idiotic behavior.
Since “Armenia” did not reach Sevastopol, the order was “healed.” Or maybe it wasn’t in written form. Quite often, oral orders are given, and in the event of the death of the person receiving the oral order, the one who gave the order may not admit that such an order was given. Especially if there are people who persistently ask questions.
One way or another, Laspi, Fiolent, and Kazachka - three famous beaches of Crimea - can, in fact, be the outskirts of a mass grave for several thousand people. However, both Kazachka and Fiolent are already such - if we remember the last days of the defense of Sevastopol in July 1942. In this regard, much more ethical, although less safe in sanitary terms, are the city beaches located inside the Sevastopol Bay. But the topic of beaches is not the topic of this article; it just so happens that the place of death of the “Armenia” is most likely located not far from the coast.
How can we explain the small number of those saved? Wind from the coast towards the sea and minefields, cold water (November 7) and high seas ("...the roll of the boat reached 45 degrees..."). How to explain the rapid time of sinking of the ship - 4 minutes? Its design. A large number of passenger cabins along the entire side of the ship provides for the presence of long corridors along the entire ship. Taking into account the rough seas, as well as the fact that German torpedoes often did not maintain depth and jumped to the surface, the hole from the torpedo could be at or above the waterline, which contributed not only to the flooding of the bow holds, but to the rapid spread of water throughout the ship. The overload of passengers several times higher than normal certainly created difficulties for the crew when fighting for survivability.
Should we continue to search for "Armenia" or should the exact location of her death continue to remain unknown? This is more a matter of politics than ethics. If we still want to turn into ruminant rednecks, eating popcorn and contemplating the next “Superman” in tight blue tights, there is no point in looking for the lost ship. If our history is important to us and we value it, “Armenia” must be found.
