Pre-dreadnought ‘John Chrysostom’

Shipyard: Sevastopol. Laid Down: 31st October 1904. Launched: 30th April 1906. Commissioned: 19th March 1911.

Both ‘John Chrysostom’ and ‘Eustace’ were the last two of the most powerful ships prior to the introduction of Battleships in the Black Sea Fleet. The ‘John Chrysostom’ was in active service from 1914-17. In the Spring of 1917 a Ukrainian Group was formed. In December 1917 the ship’s officers and crew raised a resolution choosing to support the Central Rada in Kyiv and not the People’s Commissars. On the 29th April 1918 the ship raised the Ukrainian flag in Sevastopol.

Pre-dreadnought ‘John Chrysostom’, Spring of 1918

Displacement: 12,855 tonnes. Length: 117.9 metres. Beam: 22.6 metres. Hull: 8.2 metres.

Propulsion: 2 steam engines with triple expansion of 10,680 horsepower.

Max Speed: 16.6 knots. Complement: 28 officers and 900 seamen.

Armour: belt 244–152 mm, deck 76–38 mm, gun turrets 254 mm, casemate battery 152–127 mm, conning tower 229 mm.

Armaments. 4 guns – 305/40 mm, 4 guns – 203/50 mm, 12 guns – 152 mm, 14 guns – 75 mm, 4 machine guns and 4 torpedo tubes 457 mm.