Tuesday05 November 2024
ps-ua.com

From steamboat to warship: researchers have found the sunken "Hetman Zholkevsky."

Archaeologists have discovered the location where the "Hetman Zholkevsky" sank — a ship that underwent a significant transformation from a passenger steamer to a part of the Pinsk flotilla. In 1939, its crew scuttled the vessel to prevent it from falling into the hands of German forces.
От парохода до военного корабля: исследователи нашли затонувший "Гетман Жолкевский".

Archaeologists have discovered a shipwreck site in the Polish town of Nowy Dwór Mazowiecki, near the Modlin Fortress, located at the confluence of the Narew and Vistula rivers. It is believed to be the remains of the "Hetman Żółkiewski" — a vessel with a rich history tied to the military past of Poland and Ukraine, writes Heritage Daily.

Originally built in 1887 in Warsaw as a passenger steamboat named Henryk, the ship changed hands several times before being acquired by the Polish Navy during the Kyiv offensive operation of 1920, a joint campaign of the UPR and Poland aimed at reclaiming Ukrainian territories from Soviet control.

After the Polish-Bolshevik War (1919-1921), the vessel became part of the River Flotilla of the Polish Navy, also known as the Pinsk Flotilla. In 1939, during the invasion of Poland by Nazi Germany, the Slovak Republic, and the Soviet Union, many ships of the flotilla, including the "Hetman Żółkiewski," were scuttled to avoid capture.

Documents indicate that the "Hetman Żółkiewski" was serving as a tugboat in a bridging battalion in Kazun at that time, but the circumstances of its sinking in the Narew River remain unclear.

Years of research by the Triglav Search and Research Group, which focuses on uncovering historical artifacts related to the Modlin Fortress, led to this discovery.

Researchers collected testimonies from soldiers stationed in Modlin in 1939, who mentioned that military equipment and vessels were intentionally sunk to prevent their capture by German forces.

Using sonar, six sunken ships were located, one of which stood out due to its armored portholes and power plant, matching descriptions of the "Hetman Żółkiewski." On October 5, 2024, diver Arthur Sobchak confirmed the identity of the sunken vessel by finding a nameplate.

The Museum of the Polish Navy has expressed interest in preserving artifacts from the sunken ship, as it currently lacks exhibits related to the river flotilla, presenting a unique opportunity to enhance its collection with historically significant items.

We also reported on archaeological research in Sicily, during which archaeologists discovered a Roman house with a mosaic. The scientists employed an unconventional approach to avoid unnecessary excavations.