Scooter's Randomness - The Glorious First of June (1954)

[scooter]

The Battle of Peter the Great Gulf
Night of May 31-June 1, 1954

At 2245 hours, local, on the night of 31 May, 1954, UNSAG 1 was on blockade duty along the entrance to the Peter the Great Gulf (Russian: Залив Петра Великого), in a patrol box heading east from mouth of the Tuman River, out to 131̊50'19" when surface search radar aboard HMAS Anzac (D59) detected multiple inbound vessels coming from the Russian waters.  Rear Admiral (of the Blue) Romol Calziudes ordered her ships to action stations.  Due to the presence of Soviet naval activity, UN Naval Command Rules of Engagement mandated radio warnings for ships coming out of Vladivostok.  The unidentified contacts ignored radio communications and at 19 thousand meters, the three largest contacts  opened fire, bracketing several UN ships.

Admiral Calizudes ordered her ships to return fire.  LCNS Boudicca (ex-USS Guam), HMS Belfast, and USS Rochester maneuvered into a line ahead formation, with Belfast leading the formation, as the UN ships crossed the North Korean "T"; DPRKN ensigns were visually confirmed amid hits and splashes.  LCNS Boudicca scored first blood when a mixed salvo of 9 12"/50 AP and HE struck the North Korean Sverdlov, rendering her superstructure a flaming wreck.  Belfast and Rochester each riddled the two surviving DPRKN Chapayevs.  During wild maneuvering, USS Kidd collided and became entangled with a North Korean Skory-class destroyer.  Captain of the Kidd, Commander Navarro, was reported to have ordered "Away Boarders!" and sent personnel aboard.  USS Doyle, DMS-34, reported gunfire and firefights aboard the North Korean ship.

As dawn rose on the 1st of June, oil slicks and debris covered the battlefield.  The Sverdlov and a Chapayev were lost with all hands, most of the North Korean destroyer force were flaming, sinking wrecks.  Sporadic fighting still occurred aboard the destroyer boarded by the Kidd.  Tobruk and Cossack were the most heavily damaged of the UN ships, damage control teams keeping ahead of the inflow of water, but most ships had received varying levels of splinter damage.

The last major naval gun battle of the 20th century came to a close and, in the finest traditions Londthyrian Confederacy Navy, is referred to the "Glorious First of June".

Order of Battle:
UN Surface Action Group 1
LCNS Boudicca, BC-2 (ex-USS Guam), Flag
USS Rochester, CA-124
HMS Belfast, C35
HMS Charity, R29
HMS Cossack, R57
HMAS Anzac, D59
HMAS Tobruk, D37
USS Kidd, DD-661
USS Doyle, DMS-34

DPRK Navy Surface Group
1 Sverdlov* Light Cruiser (ex-Kronstadt)
2 Chapayevs* (ex-Zhdanov, ex-Shchors)
8 Skory-class Destroyers*
- 1 captured by UN forces
8 Riga-class Frigates*

[NARSES2]

I like that mate 

Commander Navarro, was reported to have ordered "Away Boarders!" and sent personnel aboard.  USS Doyle, DMS-34, reported gunfire and firefights aboard the North Korean ship.

Dad once told me that whilst serving in the Mediterranean Fleet the ships had their weapons for boarding parties securely locked away, just in case the crew got the "hump"  , and that most of them would have been instantly recognised by crews from the age of sail 

[McColm]

Odd no air support, great idea 

[zenrat]

I knew a bloke who was an RN stoker during WW2 and after.  During the blockade of Palestine he was part of the boarding party which would be sent to take control of craft which had heaved to.  His job was to get to the engine room and stop the engines.  He told me he would be issued with a pickaxe handle with nails in it.

[NARSES2]

He told me he would be issued with a pickaxe handle with nails in it.

Ah, he got the sophisticated one    dad said he was once issued with what appeared to be an ex police truncheon for training, and never argued with a policeman again after that 

[Old Wombat]

This may be of some interest & is a bit on-topic: