Soviet submarine L-21 explained

The World War II Soviet submarine L-21 belonged to the L-class or Leninets class of minelayer submarines. She was part of the last series (Group 4) of her class, having some improvements including more torpedo tubes. The commander during the war was Sergey S. Mogilevskiy.[1]

Service history

Before completion, L-21 was sunk by German aircraft in Leningrad on 24 May 1942. L-21 was later raised, completed and commissioned, making both torpedo attacks and mine-laying. Among her victims was the Hansa, a neutral Swedish passenger ship travering from Nynäshamn to Visby. 84 innocent people were killed in the attack, which is commemorated by a memorial plaque in Visby Cathedral on Gotland, where the ship's bell is also preserved.[2] L-21 also managed to sink a number of German warships, including two torpedo boats and a submarine.

Ships sunk by L-21[3]
DateShipFlagTonnageNotes
23 November 1944Eichberg1,923 GRTfreighter (mine)
24 November 1944Elie1,837 GRTfreighter (mine)
24 November 1944563 GRTpassenger ship (torpedo)
22 December 1944Eberhard749 GRTfreighter (mine) (possibly)
14 March 1945T3839 t displacementtorpedo boat (mine)
14 March 1945T5839 t displacementtorpedo boat (mine)
16 March 1945769 t displacement (surfaced)submarine (mine)
23 March 1945V 2022/E Colzmann581 GRTpatrol boat (torpedo)
24 March 1945Erni105 GRTtug (torpedo)
Total:8,205 GRT

One of her mines heavily damaged the German destroyer Z43.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: M. town.ural.ru. 3 August 2014. Russian. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20141018032848/http://www.town.ural.ru/ship/means/mens_m.php3#m010. 18 October 2014.
  2. Web site: Hansa. . Vrak - Museum of wrecks. 21 February 2024.
  3. Web site: Allied Warships L-21 Submarine of the L (Leninec) class. uboat.net/. 3 August 2014.