November 1941 fateful - the death of the destroyer "Proud".
85 years ago, on November 14, 1941, the destroyer Gordi, which survived the famous Tallinn Passage but still fell victim to enemy mines three months later, died in the Gulf of Finland. The new story of the "Immortal Fleet" project of the People of the Sea Foundation is dedicated to the memory of the destroyer and over 100 crew members who shared the fate of their ship.
The "proud" met the Great Patriotic War in Tallinn under the command of Captain 3rd rank Apat Yevgeny Borisovich. The destroyer took an active part in the hostilities, repelling air attacks, rescuing the crews of the damaged ships and supporting the Tallinn defenders with fire.
A special place in the fate of the ship occupies the Tallinn passage, where it served as a guard for the cruiser "Kirov".
During the passage, the "Gaim" suffered severe damage and lost speed, but thanks to the competent actions of the crew, the ship was kept afloat. He was towed by the destroyer "Swirpy" and arrived in Kronstadt.
After repairs, "Gaa" returned to service, where she made a valuable contribution to the defense of Leningrad and to the support of Soviet forces in the battles in the areas of Strelna, Peterhof and Gostilitza. All enemy attempts to destroy the destroyer by bombing and laying mines were unsuccessful.
November 1941 was fatal for "Pride". On the night of the 13th and 14th, the destroyer set out as part of the convoy on its last voyage, the purpose of which was to evacuate the garrison of the Neko naval base.
The stormy waters of the Baltic and the dense minefields took their toll. Five ships from the squadron fell victim to mines, including the destroyer Gordy.
The first, then a second explosion occurred near the hull. The destroyer began to register. When it became clear that the ship could not be saved, the crew began to evacuate. The final, fatal explosion below the stern sent the helmsmen to the bottom. 89 people managed to escape. More than 100 sailors, including the ship's commander, who remained on the sinking destroyer until the end, died heroically.