ALEXSANDR SIBIRIAKOV 1909

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john sefton
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ALEXSANDR SIBIRIAKOV 1909

Post by john sefton » Fri Nov 24, 2017 11:05 am

Icebreaker ALEXSANDR SIBIRIAKOV

Built in 1909 as Bellaventure a Sealing vessel by D W Henderson at Glasgow for Harvey & Co, St Johns, Newfoundland. 1384Brt. L 73.4m. B 10.9m D 5.2m. Steam Engine of 2000hp, giving a speed of 13 knots.

During 1909 she rescued the crew of the steamer Virginia Lake. In 1912 she was used for the supply of building materials for the Hudson Bay Railway, and in 1914 brought back the dead and survivors of the crew of the steamer Newfoundland who’s crew were lost on the ice in the 1914 seal hunt.

Following the failure of the Gallipoli campaign of 1915 it was decided to resupply Russia via convoys from England to Archangel and to assist the convoys through ice bound waters, Russia purchased 7 Icebreakers from Newfoundland in 1916. One of these was the Bellaventure, renamed as Alexandr Sibiriakov (other sources state Alexsadre Sibiriakov or Alexander Sibijakov)

She was the first vessel in 1932 to make the North-East passage in one navigational season. On 28th July 1932 she lost her propeller in ice in the Bering Strait, and on 1st October 1932 she was taken in tow by the Russian fishing vessel Ussurijets.

Upon her return to Archangel she was the first vessel to circumnavigate Asia. In 1934 she participated in the first expedition to open the Lena River in Siberia. She was caught in heavy ice in 1937 during her trip to supply remote towns and weather stations, not being freed until the following year.

She left Dikson in August 1942 with workers and supplies to build a weather station at Cape Arktichesky at the northern tip of the Severnaya Zemiya. Being wartime she carried three 3” anti-aircraft guns.

On 24th August 1942 she was intercepted by the German battleship Admiral Scheer off Beluga Island and ordered to stop and take on a boarding party (the Admiral Scheer wanted ice charts and convoy reports) but the Alexsandri Sibiriakiv did not oblige, she increased speed heading inshore away from a convoy she knew was in the area.

She opened fire on the Admiral Scheer with her 3” guns and by radio reports given by Dikson of her position. Eventually she went down ablaze from stem to stern. Only 28 survivors out of the 100 or more that were on board were rescued and taken aboard the Admiral Scheer.

Sources:- Encyclopadie der Maritimen Philatelie. Shipping Today and Yesterday.

Originally written up in Log Book be Capt Auke Palmhof.

Russia Sg4654
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4654.jpg

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