Loading of a Soviet 76mm F-22 divisional gun onto the destroyer leader Tashkent before her final mission to Sevastopol.
The Last Voyage of the Blue Cruiser
Novorossiysk, June 1942.
On the docks, chaos. Smoke. Orders barked across the harbor. Men strained under heavy loads as ammunition, supplies, and artillery pieces were rushed aboard. This was no ceremonial departure—it was a desperate attempt to keep besieged Sevastopol alive.
This photograph captures Soviet troops loading a 76mm F-22 divisional field gun onto the Soviet destroyer leader Tashkent, one of the fastest warships in the Black Sea Fleet and among the few still capable of reaching the surrounded defenders of Sevastopol.
Nicknamed the "Blue Cruiser" because of her distinctive paint scheme, Tashkent had been built in Italy for the Soviet Navy and quickly earned a legendary reputation. Throughout the siege, she repeatedly delivered reinforcements, ammunition, and supplies while evacuating thousands of wounded civilians and soldiers under constant enemy attack.
On June 27, 1942, Tashkent departed Sevastopol carrying more than 2,100 evacuees. During the return voyage, she endured one of the most intense Luftwaffe attacks of the campaign. Approximately 90 German aircraft dropped hundreds of bombs in an attempt to sink the ship. Despite suffering severe damage, her crew managed to bring her safely back to Novorossiysk.
Her survival was short-lived. On July 2, 1942, while anchored in Novorossiysk, Tashkent was caught in a massive German air raid and struck by several direct bomb hits. The ship sank in shallow water after the attack, with 76 crew members killed and 77 wounded.
Raised in 1944, the destroyer was found to be beyond economical repair and was ultimately scrapped. Even so, Tashkent remains one of the most celebrated ships of the Soviet Navy, remembered for her extraordinary service during the defense of Sevastopol.
This photograph preserves one brief moment before that final ordeal—a reminder of the enormous effort required to keep the besieged city supplied during one of the most desperate campaigns of the war.
Technical Photo Data
📷 Technical photo data:
📸 Photographer: Alexei Mezhuyev
📅 Date: June 1942
📍 Location: Novorossiysk, USSR
Related Keywords
- Soviet destroyer leader Tashkent WWII
- Sevastopol supply missions 1942
- Soviet Black Sea Fleet WWII photos