Russian battleship Oslyabya

Oslyabya: The Russian Battleship That Faced Tsushima

Imagine a battleship, a giant of the sea, built with speed and agility in mind—Oslyabya was such a vessel. She was part of the Peresvet-class pre-dreadnoughts, designed to be swift and far-reaching, yet her story is one of both triumph and tragedy. Let’s dive into the details that make Oslyabya a fascinating piece of naval history.

The Design and Construction

Oslyabya was laid down in 1895, launched in 1898, and completed in 1903—quite a journey for a battleship! Her design was inspired by the British Centurion-class, focusing on speed and range over heavy armament and armor. At 434 feet 5 inches long, she displaced an impressive 14,408 tons and carried four 10-inch guns as her main battery.

Performance and Armament

With high-speed steam engines rated at 14,500 horsepower, Oslyabya could reach a top speed of 18 knots during sea trials. She was equipped with five 15-inch torpedo tubes and 45 mines for anchorage defense. Her waterline armor belt consisted of Harvey armor, ranging from four to nine inches thick, but she faced significant challenges due to being overweight, only showing three inches above the waterline at full load.

The Russo-Japanese War

In October 1904, Oslyabya set sail for Port Arthur as part of Vice Admiral Zinovy Rozhestvensky’s Second Pacific Squadron. The journey was fraught with challenges; she suffered damage from a collision with a destroyer and had to make repairs before joining the main force off Madagascar. On May 27, 1905, the Russian squadron was spotted by Japanese ships entering the Korea Strait, leading to the Battle of Tsushima.

The Battle of Tsushima

In this pivotal battle, Oslyabya led the Second Division. The ship suffered multiple hits; a mainmast was shot away, and three port six-inch guns were knocked out. Splinters entered her conning tower, causing significant casualties. As the battle raged on, Oslyabya fell out of line to starboard and faced Japanese armored cruisers at short range. Several large-caliber shells struck along the ship’s waterline, leading to major flooding. The list increased to 12 degrees, flooding lower turrets and touching her funnels around 15:10.

The Sinking of Oslyabya

With no hope for rescue, Ber ordered ‘abandon ship.’ The ship sank a few minutes later with her starboard propeller still turning. Sadly, this brave vessel and its crew took the brunt of the battle, with 470 men losing their lives.

Conclusion

Oslyabya’s story is a testament to the complexities of naval warfare in the early 20th century. From her design inspired by British ships to her tragic end at Tsushima, she remains an intriguing chapter in maritime history.