User:U133228905

Drazki Torpedo Boat

The Drazki Torpedo Boat

The Drazki Torpedo Boat was a part of the Bulgarian Navy during the Balkan Wars along with 5 other torpedo boats: Smeli, Hrabri, Shumni, Letyashti and Strogi. The boat was built in 1900 and was sent to the Varna Navy fleet as a main torpedo boat. The Bulgarian Navy's torpedo boats took part in the First Balkan War between 1912 and 1913, serving in the waters of the Black Sea. On 20 November 1912 Letyashti, Smeli, Strogi and Drazki were sent from Varna to intercept a group of Turkish transports. The overall commander was Captain 2nd Rank Dimitar Dobrev, who was embarked on the Letyashti. The Drazki was commanded by Warrant-Officer Georgi Kupov. Shortly after midnight on 21 November they encountered the Ottoman protected cruiser Hamidiye accompanied by two destroyers approximately 32 miles from Varna. Dobrev ordered the ships to close and attack, and at 0043 the Bulgarian ships fired their torpedoes. The first three ships missed, but Drazki was more fortunate. Since she was the last ship in the line, she fired her torpedo at a close range (about 100 m) and scored a hit in the front part of the Hamidiye, causing serious damage, although the ship was able to return to Istanbul for repairs.) Their torpedoes expended, the Bulgarian boats returned to Varna. This engagement was the greatest achievement up to that point in the history of the small Bulgarian Navy. Before the torpedo attack, the Ottoman naval commander had declared an ultimatum to the garrison of Varna to surrender as condition for the town to avoid shelling by the Ottoman Navy. The Bulgarian Navy's torpedo boats took part in the First Balkan War between 1912 and 1913, serving in the waters of the Black Sea. On 20 November 1912 Letyashti, Smeli, Strogi and Drazki were sent from Varna to intercept a group of Turkish transports. The overall commander was Captain 2nd Rank Dimitar Dobrev, who was embarked on the Letyashti. The Drazki was commanded by Warrant-Officer Georgi Kupov. Shortly after midnight on 21 November they encountered the Ottoman protected cruiser Hamidiye accompanied by two destroyers approximately 32 miles from Varna. Dobrev ordered the ships to close and attack, and at 0043 the Bulgarian ships fired their torpedoes. The first three ships missed, but Drazki was more fortunate. Since she was the last ship in the line, she fired her torpedo at a close range (about 100 m) and scored a hit in the front part of the Hamidiye, causing serious damage, although the ship was able to return to Istanbul for repairs.) Their torpedoes expended, the Bulgarian boats returned to Varna. This engagement was the greatest achievement up to that point in the history of the small Bulgarian Navy. Before the torpedo attack, the Ottoman naval commander had declared an ultimatum to the garrison of Varna to surrender as condition for the town to avoid shelling by the Ottoman Navy.

It saw use as a patrol boat in WW2 as well. When Bulgaria entered World War II on the Axis side, Drazki and her four remaining sisters were antiquated but still capable of carrying out patrols. In 1942 the two SK C/30 AA guns were removed and the 3-pounders were reinstalled. On 15 October 1942, Drazki sank in Varna harbour after a magazine explosion, but she was soon repaired. In 1944 however, she became a gunnery target ship and remained in service in that capacity until the 1950s.

As of today the boat still stands today as a museum piece in the Varna Naval Museum along with it's sisters, although only two of them remained those being Hrabri and Smeli. Right now there are talks of restoring the rest of the boats and to be used as floating museums just like some of the Bulgarian/Russian submarines like the S-34.