# Circa 1900 Russian Cruiser Aurora



## kewl dude (Jun 1, 2008)

This link was posted on MARHST-L today

<http://englishrussia.com/2014/10/09/battleship-aurora-in-the-docks/>

A non maritime oriented photographer calls this circa 1900 Cruiser a Battleship. Subsequent MARHST-L posts suggests that this vessel really is more a replica since the vessel has been rebuilt so many times. The vessel has been a naval training ship then museum ship since 1956. Regardless the vessel is considered in service and always there has been an active duty navy officers and ratings crew aboard to maintain and show the vessel. These pictures posted October 9, 2014 were taken when the vessel made a move via two tugs from her usual berth to a shipyard drydock for an overhaul. The previous overhaul was 1984-1987.

<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_cruiser_Aurora> 

Attached: Cruiser_Aurora.jpg (102.3 KB)

Greg Hayden


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## ben27 (Dec 27, 2012)

good day kewl dude.yesterday,14:33.re:circa 1900 russian cruiser aurora,great post of a historical warship with much history,a well preserved ship.excellent photo's.regards ben27


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## Dickyboy (May 18, 2009)

Like most preserved vessels, little of the original will remain over time I suppose.
This one looks good though.
The Russians don't have a great naval tradition, never having won and only taken part in a couple of major sea battles.
The Baltic Fleet sunk a few British fishing boats in the North Sea once, thinking they were Japanese! (Honest!) When they sailed to do battle with the Japs in the early 20th century. The Japs thrashed them.
I think it was the Chino-Russia war.
My memory is a bit vague on the adventure now, but it made a good read for me some time in the distant past. A comedy of errors from start to finish on the part of the Russians.


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## kewl dude (Jun 1, 2008)

The main reason Aurora has been preserved is:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_cruiser_Aurora

Quote

During World War I Aurora operated in the Baltic Sea performing patrols and shore bombardment tasks. In 1915, her armament was changed to fourteen 152 mm (6 in) guns. At the end of 1916, she was moved to Petrograd (the renamed St Petersburg) for a major repair. The city was brimming with revolutionary ferment and part of her crew joined the 1917 February Revolution. A revolutionary committee was created on the ship, with Aleksandr Belyshev elected as captain. Most of the crew joined the Bolsheviks, who were preparing for a Communist revolution.

At 9.45 p.m on 25 October 1917 (O.S.) a blank shot from her forecastle gun signaled the start of the assault on the Winter Palace, which was to be the beginning of the October Revolution. In summer 1918, she was relocated to Kronstadt and placed into reserve.

Unquote

According to what I read on a few websites this ship was venerated in Russia for starting the revolution. All Russian children were taught about this vessel and pretty much everyone in Russia knows what the ship looks like. Some military uniform patches, postage stamps and especially wartime posters incorporated an image of this vessel.

Greg Hayden


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## Dickyboy (May 18, 2009)

I always thought "Potemkin" was the star of the October Revolution show.......


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## skilly57 (Mar 11, 2008)

The ship looks like it is kept in very good condition. She is moored to the embankment by multi-jointed beams to allow for rise and fall on the River Niva.
She seems to carry more than her fair share of anchors - maybe she broke down a lot.

Photos taken in August 2011 when I was floating around this area.
I would have got more, but had a party of 33 Cantonese Chinese to look after and so didn't have much time for myself.
Skilly


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