The "Tbilisi" (Master V.K.Subbotin) departed Kola Bay at 14.58 30 December 1944. The ship, which was in convoy KP-24, carried a cargo for 14th Soviet Army, consisting of hay, food, fuel oil and benzine (in barrels). There were also 124 officers and soldiers of 14th Army on board of the "Tbilisi". The convoy KP-24 was bound for Liinakhamari. Escort - 4 minesweepers and 4 "BO"-type large submarine hunters.

At 19.25 the "Tbilisi" was torpedoed by U-956 in the area of Skorobeevskaja Guba (Rybachij peninsula) at position 69�56'3 N 32�28'8 E. and broke in two. The bow sank (2 men died). There began a fire on the stern. The hay and fuel oil burned, barrels with benzine began exploding. Because of bad guidance panic began, passengers and some of the crew jumped overboard into the waves and perished. At 19.30 the commander of the convoy ordered the submarine hunter BO-217 to go to the aid of the ship and take off men. But due to heavy storm and wind BO-217 couldn't implement the order. At 20.01 submarine hunter BO-150 was ordered to pick up survivors from water near the "Tbilisi" . BO-150 rescued 60 men.

At approximately 22.00 BO-crafts were ordered to proceed to base because of the storm. The minesweepers T-113 and T-115 stayed near the damaged "Tbilisi". At 03.00 31 December the minesweeper T-115 came to the "Tbilisi" and took off the rest of the men. During evacuation the master V.K.Subbotin, who left the ship last, slipped overboard, fell between the ships and was crushed.

At 04.00 the destroyers "Zhestkij" and "Zhivuchij" departed from base and went to area of the tragedy. They tried to tow the damaged vessel, but due to heavy storms all attempts failed. Destroyers stayed near the "Tbilisi" as an escort. At 17.30 tugs M-2 and M-12, under the escort of the minesweeper and 1 BO-craft, departed from base. At 14.00 1 Jan 1945 the tugs began towing "Tbilisi" to Teriberka. The ships arrived in Teriberka at 00.40 2nd Jan 1945. On 5th January "Tbilisi" was towed from Teriberka to Murmansk. Total from 186 crewmen and passengers 139 survived and 47 died.

In 1959 "Tbilisi" was repaired in Arkhangelsk at the "Krasnaia Kuznitza" shipyard. The bow of the American "Liberty"-type ship "Horace Gray" was used in the repair.

Sources:

1) A. Golubev "Poteri korabel'nogo sostava Severnogo Flota i grazhdanskikh vedomstv na Severnom morskom teatre v period Velikoj Otechestvennoj voiny". St. Petersburg, 1999 = "Losses of Northern Fleet ships and ships of civil companies in Arctic in years of the Great Patriotic war".

2) "Suda ministerstva morskogo flota, pogibshie v period Velikoj Otechestvennoj vojny 1941 - 1945". Moskow, 1989 = "Ships of the Ministry of Sea Fleet lost in Great Patriotic war 1941 - 1945"

Many thanks to Kirill Klementuev for the extensive information on this page.

Unless otherwise stated, all dates and times are from the German perspective and are given in CET.
NEW There is a page to assist with grid squares here.