THE CHINA MAIL, SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 1960.
INTO ACTION... AGAINST THE LOYAL FLEET
Pago 7
A smoking man's taste
REDORE OF AN HISTORIC `DAY ...from the Westminster Gavette,
(Continued from Pago 6),
Three of their fellow sailors hot down, stain by the orders of the military. The amnesty Broken. withou Agreement warning. The solemn funerai:
their of
martyr proofesion broken up,
shoot!" he called out. This meant, thevitably, that DOTC
banding Ther
had bees struck, and pertays innocent women and children blown to ploces.
Petty
To the men on the bridge, it was an unbearable thought I had not occurred to any of The terrible story of the am- them that they would miss this point-blank among especially at busti trevelled ewiftly
assembled bluejackets, range, Kathering colour and indigna- len as it spread. The attac may have been no more than a belif skhmith compared with the bloody masaneres of the previous night, but where the death of thousands of civilians had failed to uroure the crew of the Potemkin, the loss of three of their comrades gal
Info them vani ed nction.
For
Swept away
onco,
insinnt
no meeting, no
resolutions, na show-of-hands
Nor were any were needed
All reservam orders necessary. tions about the bombardment
had been swept away,
The men went about their duties as it BD enemy had 120 been sighted, clearing
down the decks. battening hatches, turning on the hoses against fire risk, and going to their posts.
Ammunition was hoisted up the from the magazines, muzzle, covers removed the guns.
from
The Potemkin's engines slowly gathered momentum, and began to drive the great vessel forward into the harbour.
to
the
Up on the bridge, Matushenko Havel
orders Kven "captain" bring the ship
to
Officer Bedermeyer made adjustments to his rang- Ander "Get it right this time," Matushenko told him sternly. awe must hit the theatre and nothing else, du
you under- stand?"
The new range and bearing to the six- were transmitted inch battery, and the order to tire was given. Again, only one of the six-inch guns opened up, Its single round a faint echo of the thunderous broadside from all weapons that the battleshly's crew, and those on the land, too, must have been expecting. The men on the bridge awaited the spotter's report anxiously.
"Overshoot!" he called out again after a few seconds.
How was it possible? The men on the bridge were db- palled at this second miss.
"Whatever's Live matter?" WOR Peity Officer Bedermeyer
worst Is the asked "Tals shooting we've ever seen.“
In fact it was no more Inac- curate than some of the naval
to
have
shooting in the Far East the Japanese, And against Bedermayer claimed good cause for the two misses. "It's no good asking me to and the target and alm properly without a good large-scale map," he told the anxious com- mitice members rivering be-
to within quarter-mile of hind him.
a
the quay to ensure securney.
IL was clear to all those nshore who had seen the vessel
harbour the move into
had which Odessa, suffered such
wero
The Odesso riots: some of these demonstrators were among those killed in the harbour area
But his crews, like that of the Polemikin, were of poor quality. He knew their dublows morale had been further weakened by
General Protopopov arose and made his way across the room towards a door. "Very well. 1 winter sution to the
Tesla cou commander-in-chief."
subversive celis.
no one pre- And there was rent competent to dispute his to ask how guns ас- and fired
General Kukhanov had recziv- sighted curately in battle, at a distant ed substantial reinforcements in news
He had not enemy and perhaps in a rough the last few hours.
been impressed by the Polom- kin's gunnery. The message he sent was brief,
that claim, and already fearful damage from the military, from strikers demonstrators, looters and in- cendiarists, was to suffer again from the broadsides of a great Ironclad,, this time perhaps to be mortally wounded.
In the Potemkin the excite- ment had become intense. They were committed now. It only remained to decide which of their batteries would be the first to open fire.
The big 12-inch turret guns, the six-inch guns, the three- inch weapons or even the quick-. frers? All were landed ready, for the order to open fre.
the bridge, Matus- Up on henko, Dymichenko, Feldmann, and the captain stood beside the gun controller, Petty Officer
who had the, Bedormeyer, rangefinder trained on the city.
Not easy
Their target might be no more than a mile distant, but it was not easy to pick it out from the confusion of buildings. The ship's new position, with the quay and the steep, garden- the studded nillside beneath Nikolaevsky Boulevard tower- ing above it, did not make the gunners' task any casier
The Potemkin's guns would,
cea.
Stood down
nwsl
What those on the bridge did agree on at once was that the cease, bombardment although they also resolved 13 attempt to procure such a map for future bombardments.
Meanwhile the People's Com-
ما
to
be summoned inittee must discuss the situation, and select a deputalion to cary to
ม Kokhanov General ultimatum.
now
dors
enter
into
And he knew, too, that the of the Potemkin mutiny wus now spreading through every vessel in the seat with
calculable' results,
The distance between Vish- they had lain in the where
and the nevetsky's equadron warm night air.
Polemikin was down to less than This could not be another four miles when the three loyal this time it was battleships began to manoeuvre, the real thing.
apparently switching from line ahead to line abreast formation. Already Matushenko had comi
swit
[lth "Now they're forming up for { mandeered the
Smely, anchored battle," a voice on the bridge with authority. steamer, the near the battleship, and ordered announced
have seen Our her out of harbour to recon- "They must noitre under the direction of a signal, They'll be opening fire
-in a minute," concealed naval crow.
Aboard his flagship he listen "The commander-in-chiej
ed to his cuplains' reports about not wish to
The state of loyally in his feet. negotiations with mutineers,"
These ranged from excellent General Protopopo announced on his retur, "If you feel you in the flagship to poor in the must fire more shells at the George the Conqueror, and to homes of peaceful citizens, then bad in the Cathering II, whose God and the Car will be your captain reported that only that Judge. Now you will leave no morning his crew had refused, one will interfere with you." to sing "God Save the Car Golenko,
after the "Our Father" and the "Hail Mary."
Indecision
Krieger decided that it would be safer to leave the Catherine behind in any offensive II operation.
Uncertain
In the Potemkin's engine rooms the stokers were urgently
the ship's босода building up steam pressure. Dr surgeon, who had stayed, with the mutineers, was organising first ald. and stretcher parties about the ship, the decks were being cleared for action, the gunners running to their posts.
At a late-night sitting of the The whistle calling together People's Committee, the deputa
But even now, with the crials the fundamental It was two hours before the so imminent the members sounded all over Lon's report was received with the Potemkin, gunners slipped indignation but indecision, unused shells from breccies, thr
The mutineers were becoming commanders dispersed to their uncertainty remained that the elther those of the Holy enemy might greet them men were stood down, hatches
Increasingly conscious of being vessels, and life T- were re-opened,
alone in their dangerous enter Trinity, George the Conqueror as heroes and comrades, or with turned to normal.
pelor, Odessa bad not been won and The Twelve Apostles with broadsides of shellfire, Committee for the revolution. No great orders to raise steam at oncer People's
for Odessa with the remained in session for little uprising of the kind envisaged and sall
and the other light cruiser. Kazarsky and an longer than an hour, drawing by Feldmann
The
up the new ultimatum. The extremists had swept Southern escort of four torpedo, boats.
Russia,
What it all finally petered
This unhappy state of anales,
so distracting for fighting men steeling themselves for their Arst combat, continued for two rest of the crew had to agree
Rear Admiral Vishnevetsky, hours, and it was not until the themselves that the among
nine o'clock that all bombardment had been rather out? How could they sustain a in command of this squadron, Smely returned to the herbour
long-term resistance, oven with was to reconnoltre, recapture, entrance their mighty guns. And at the the Potemkin if circumstances their doubts were dispelled. She were favourable, and render- had sighted three battleships 610 end, what would be their tale?
The biggest question mark yous with the rest of the fleet in supported by light forces, of all was the attitude of the Tendra Bay in two days' time, reported, clearly beading for Odessa. All the vessels were rest of the Black Sea Ficct.
At-11 o'clock that night, when flying the flag of St. Andrew. There. lay the mutineers'
the warships, slipped out of their
their
least, was Matushenko, at harbour, hopes and
Sevastopol greatest greatest fears,
searchlights sweeping a path neither surprised nor dismayed shead, the Black Bea Flees at this news. He had full.com- ndence in the power of the Fotemkin and in the strength of the subversive elements in the was committed to battle.
opposing vessels.
a tumo affair. There was surprise ashore, tou, bombardment's brevity. at the Where anxkus in fact, be shooting uphill,
citizens and At 7.90, the first shot rang out, fired from a single six enthusiastic agitators had made A massive butugc inch
It was Eun
a great ready for moment "Behind the smoke of that would bring the city's cen- the shot, Just floating out," tres of administration to tab-
If the fleet was with them, Feldmann wrote, "I seemed a log ruins, three blanics had been the red battalions of the followed by a couple of shells, army of the revolution marching the first of which had taken part triumph would yet be theirs. It roof off a hottec in the Fleet was against them, victoriously, ever further and of the
the nothing could save them: further into the heart of Nydalenskaya-street,
record had caused even more "Behind the crash of the first "superficial damage to the facade shell I seemed to hear the of a lodging house, No one had triumph and rejoicing of the been hurt. conquering peopic."
Sce
Russia.
But it was only a blank,
closely followed by two more,
Deputation
evening
and
Tantalising
There were grounds for hope.
If it came to a battle he At dawn on June 30 the thought it unlikely that the wark for yours in every ship in Patemicin's radio room maddenly enemy would fight determinedly.
evolutionary cells had been at the dost, preparing the ground began to pick
up ́ mysterious for A mutiny throughout the
This was the real moment of decision, whole fleet. This was timed to measures, the first they had
perhaps the turning The the revolution. point in explode at about that time, The beard since the mutiny. Poterido matincers would have "Distinctly visible...
we are in touch with you future of Russia could depend Generta joined in that master-play had
on the events of the next hour. to the original arrangements
warning shola. It Kokhanov's second-in-command not events aboard her been
rop the tantalisingly did not seem to occur to any General Protopopov, agreed to hastened by the impremeditated by radio at a range of five Already smoke had been sighted brief broken signals, The alert on the horizon, and the look-out radio, telegraphist at cooo in was reporting three battleships formed Matushenko of these hull down to the east. calls. "They carried the call
It had beeA decided to stick
of firing
That
one that these would provide receive
a deputation of the flare-up ever bad mcal,
an equally effective warning mutineers at milliary HQ
But what was happening in to the senter officers at their
"What have you come, here the rest of the feet at Sevasto Conference,
for?" the general demanded of pol? The Potemkin mutineers Both General Kokhanov and the deputatlon when the while could only wonder and wait, the citizens of Odessa worn flag had been laid on the groundh given 15 minutes in which to in front of his chair. Take shelter before the first ilye
"Overshoot
"We have fred on the city
Massive
"Give the order to ratan, sign of the Rolisiny," he addød. - szobor,” Matushenko told his
esptali. "Wali -all at Wo don't want to get trapped in the bey."
ompe.
- steaming out
A few minutes later the great battleship was.
the harbour slowly between
Matushenko had the rest of the committee awakened, and within a few minutes they were. all crowding into the radio shell was fired, again from a today to show that we mean The cable onrrying the room, speculating on what could single six-inch gun.
business," the leading salier news of the mutiny of have been ""distinctly visible" announced. "and to demonstrate the Potumicia had reached to the flagship of the Black Sea moles, the red battle flag which of had been reserved for film occa- that we can take decisive action Sevastopol early on June 28, the Fleet, and what unit ngainst you whenever it suits us. morning after her arrival at measurement had been lost in sion flying from her forward There was a muten blinding
"We do not wish to amuse Odessa. Vice-Admiral Krieger at the ether. muzzle flash, the crash and winecessary bloodshed, and we once ordered a conference of all almoet instantaneous echo from therefore invite the commander chip commandors on board the the buildings, and a hundred in-chief to come to the Potemkin fingahip Rotiidav. woight of high explosivo whined of once to hear our terms, over the rooftopa, to explode out of night of those on the bridge.
But the spotter above had so the fall of shot. "Over-)).
And what happens if we pre- force under His command,
kn
that at least two from her yardarm carrying, the All that could be known for A cluster of fags uttered 4 certain was
ships of the squadron, were on simple ultimatum agrend on by On piper he had, a massive their way, and that immediate the People's Committee; "Bur- mensures must be taken to render or we will fre” VOLMAA receives thum.
The electrically operated 12- Once mire the stirring inch turrets swung slowly on words of Kiara The squad their mounts, and the barrels of ron! The squadron's woningt":"the" six-incli guns turned until ran through the Potemkin, they were trained forward in the and the weary crew, tumbled dircciton of the approaching themiolven, from the decks/metros.
for to dimepeed your demand? In addition to the Rotislav hem asked the sponzorol.
hod in battleships all of 10,000 Tchesme, "Then we shall tool free boom or **TORTO. lake any aution that we wish. Catherine 11, Sinop, George the This noring has been adapted. Finally, if we are not, back on Conqueror, The Twelve Apostles from the book. The Potemin board ourselves by 10 o'clock the and Holy Trinity. All were
Mutiny, to be published by bombardment will re-com arred with FS-ion and alter out of hammocks of raised squadron. The range was 9,000
· Haralsh · MamaLFIUM.
NEXT WEEK: The chase
is on
{London Ezyram Service),
CALCUTTA
proud -
queen
of
bengal
ICEROY!
VICEROY
Filter Tip
CIOARETTES
hare by the hallowed river, hoogly she sits...regally reflecting the historied centuries-Calcutta.
Calcutta with her splendour, her colour, hat heart...tumultuous, throbbing. buży, bustling...labyrinthian,
A commercial city that invites business, yet a city of culture.. crowded with singers, musicians, dancers, actors, parts and painters. Here are to be found luxurious hotels, world-renowned gourmets, plush night clubs.. everything! Here by the boogly, the royal city... Awaiting you.
Fly to Calcutta by luxurious Super-G. Choice of Tourist and First Clate... with every First Class saxt a Slumberette, Every Tuesday. Thursday. Sunday.
Aloft on to London or New York by our big Boeing 7071.
AIR-INDIA
Fhone, H.K. 22274 Kis. 600277