Japanese Cruiser Soya now Russian Cruiser Varyag

Japanese Cruiser Soya now Russian Cruiser Varyag

Russia started forming the Arctic Ocean Flotilla which called for building a cruiser squadron. However, there was a shortage of ships. Japan was Russia’s ally at this time and following extended talks agreed to sell the captured First Pacific Squadron ships, including the Varyag cruiser.

On 22 March 1916 the cruiser got its legendary name back and on 27 March the Georgievsky pennant was hoisted on it at the Vladivostok Golden Horn Bay. After repairs, on 18 June 1916, Varyag accessed the open sea under the command of the rear-admiral A.I. Bestuzhev-Riumin in charge of the Task Ship Force and headed for Romanov-on-Murman (currently Murmansk). In November, the cruiser was enlisted in the Arctic Ocean Flotilla as a flagship.

However, the mechanical condition of the ship was causing concern and an agreement was reached at the beginning of 1917 to completely overhaul it at the British shipyards. On 25 February 1917 Varyag left Russia for good and started out for its last independent cruise.

On 29 March 1917 the ship arrived at the dock. Having thoroughly inspected the vessel, the British came back with the repair cost of £300,000 over a 12 month period. They also suggested doing the repairs after the war. The Russian Naval Minister ordered the Varyag commander to leave the ship under the British guard and sent the crew to the United States for acceptance of mine sweepers. The crew began to leave Britain between April and May. 300 men went to the USA and the rest, with the exception of 11 people left as guards, left for Russia.

Following the October revolution in Russia, the British seized the cruiser as payment for the debt left by the czar government. Due to its poor shape the ship was sold by the British as scrap metal in 1920.

During towing, the ship hit the rocks off the coast of Southern Scotland in the vicinity of Lendalfoot near Stranraer. Part of the metal structures was taken by the locals back then. In 1925 Varyag sank for good and found its final abode on the bottom of the Irish Sea.

Up until recently, it was thought that the Varyag remains had been lost forever. However, in 2003 an expedition led by A. Denisov and sponsored by the Russia TV channel managed to find the exact location of the ship and find its wreckage on the sea bottom.

The government of the Russian Federation decided to perpetuate the memory of the heroic cruiser and its crew which had forever glorified the firmness and tenacity of the Russian warrior spirit.

In this connection on 30 July 2006 saw the opening of a memorial board dedicated to the legendary ship. The grand opening took place in Lendalfoot, Scotland, not far from the resting place of the remains of the Varyag cruiser, the glory of the Russian fleet.

Many thanks to Jakki Ross at http://www.girvan-online.net/ for all her assistance with information on the Varyag.