Shipbucket

What You see was intended as a small, "quick" project. But as it is usually the case with my projects, it took me bit more time than expected (for reasons You'll see soon).
As You all can see, most of these vessels are depicted without underwater hulls, as the sources are, unfortunately, quite scarce.

Despite regaining independence in 1918, Lithuanian borders were initially somewhat undefined, and in fact she was initially landlocked, which significantly impacted her inter-war maritime development. Lithuania gained access to the sea only after signing of a border treaty with Latvia that saw certain mutual border concessions, including transfer of Palanga and Šventoji from Latvian to Lithuanian control. Both of these towns had only small harbors, suitable for little more that fishery, and young republic needed a larger "window to the outside world" in the form of Klaipėda, then part of Germany (as Memel), which, together with surrounding area was inhabited mostly by Lithuanians and through which some 70-80% of country's foreign trade was passing. Although, due to Lithuanian insistence in Versailles, Memel was removed from Germany, the great powers were reluctant to pass the sovereignity over the area to Lithuania, preferring the establishment of the "Free City" (similar to Danzig/Gdańsk), and for the time being it was put under French control. Frustrated by allied attitude, Lithuanian authorities clandestinely organized Klaipėda Revolt - ostensibly an uprising of local population, in reality an operation of lithuanian military that took place between 10 and 15 February 1923 and, after some posturing by Western powers, ultimately led to incorporation of the region (with autonomous status) to the Republic of Lithuania.

Only after gaining meaningful access to the sea there was any rationale to create a maritime force, originally in the form of the Coast Guard (Pakrančių Apsauga). First vessel of that formation was Savanoris (Volunteer) - originally German F45 minesweeping boat (Flachgehendes Minenraumboot), built in 1918 at C. Waap shipyard, Kiel-Heikendorf. Struck from German navy list on 22 October 1920 and from 10 June 1921 used by Hafenbauamt Memel as Argus. Taken over by Lithuania and adapted to coast guard duties, she was officialy commissioned on 14 July 1923. In 1940 she was taken over by the Soviet Union and in 1941 captured by Germans who re-named her Argus again and used from Memel until 1943 when she was scrapped. Second vessel to join the Coast Guard was Lietuvaite - a minor (6,4 m long) motor boat taken over in incomplete state at Lindenau & Cie. shipyard in Memel and - after necessary works - commissioned on the same day as was Savanoris. In 1927 she sunk but was raised and remained in service until 1940 when she was taken over by NKVD, after which her fate is unknown. Some sources also mention that Šaulys (see below, paragraph about police) was used in these early days. In 1932 the force gained 3 patrol cutters built at Lindenau & Cie., named Aitvaras (Kite), Žaibas (Lightning) and Šaulys (II). They were 12,5 meters long, had displacement of 16-16,5 tons and were armed with 2 machine guns. Their fate after being taken over by USSR is unknown. Shortly later, in 1933, same shipyard built one more patrol cutter, the Partizanas (Partisan) - long for 21,5 meters and displacing 60 tons, she was armed with 57 mm gun, 20 mm Oerlikon and 2 machine guns (although not always all this armament was carried). Like most other vessels, her post-1940 career is unknown.

Lithuania, Savanoris


Lithuania, Žaibas


Lithuania, Partizanas


Largest vessel of inter-war Lithuanian naval forces was gunboat Prezidentas Smetona. Built at Seebeck-Werft at Geestemünde (yard no. 402) as one of the Minensuchboot 1916 class, she was launched on 31 October 1917 and commissioned on 30 November as M59. She was struck from Reichsmarine lists on 24 October 1921 and in the next year sold (disarmed) to a commercial enterprise in Wilhelmshaven. On 27 July 1927 she was bought by Lithuanian government for the Coast Guard, where it was to become (after necessary adaptations) a patrol gunboat and training ship. She was commissioned in her new role - and new name - on 4 November 1927. At the end of the decade she received additional duties as presidential yacht and for that purpose her stern superstructure was enlarged (besides some other changes). During that period she was usually armed with a single 57 mm cannon, 2-3 37 mm cannons and up to 3 machine guns (although it seems there was a period when she was armed only with MG's). In 1932, largely due to financial reasons, vessel was decommissioned, but it didn't meant a definitive end to her service. At that time Lithuanian authorities decided to create a "proper" navy, as part of the armed forces, and Prezidentas Smetona was to become her flagship. Lithuanian Navy - Lietuvos Karinio Laivyno was officialy created on 1 September 1935. Development plans called for purchase of 2 submarines (in the 400-650 ton range) and 2 minesweepers (in the 250 ton range), but eventually the Prezidentas Smetona was to be the only full-sized vessel of that navy, that in 1939 had 7 commissioned officers, 12 NCO's and some 60 ordinary sailors (though the "most preferred" option of Lithuanian naval planners called for 6 submarines and 6 motor torpedo boats, plus minesweepers and a chain of coastal artillery batteries, but that was very obviously far beyond Lithuania's financial capabilities). Navy's flagship underwent general refit between 1934 and 1935, after which new changes were made to superstructure and to armament (which was reduced to single 37 mm and 3 machine guns - 1 heavy and 2 light). After Soviet takeover in 1940 ship was renamed Pirmũnas (The First) and few months later Zadorny (Pugnacious), attached to border forces of NKVD. In August 1941 she was back at VMF as minesweeper Tralshchik 76, only to become an escort just month later, named Korall. Under that classification she spent next 2 years, when she become minesweeper again, from 1944 named T-33. She sank, most likely on mines, on 11 January 1945 during cruise between Helsinki and Tallin.

Lithuania, Prezidentas Smetona (late 1920s/1930/late 1930s)




Only other vessels of the Lithuanian Navy were 3 small motor boats obtained in 1939. 2 of these were ex-Polish riverine vessels used on Niemen (Neman, Nemunas) river and interned at Kaunas in September 1939: Banga (Tide) (ex-Narocz) was 8,2 m-long and was built by US shipyard Barker, Vejas (II) was originally a 5,5 m-long Chris-Craft-Utility-type boat. Both were taken over by Lithuanian Navy near the end of 1939, armed with 2 machine guns each and transferred to Šventoji. Last vessel was 12 m-long Elfa built in 1935 in Finland and intercepted in 1936 with contraband. For the next several years she was "under arrest" until in June 1940, just days before Soviet occupation, she was formally commissioned to the navy.

Although official history of pre-war Lithuanian Navy and Coast Guard ended when Lithuania was annexed into the Soviet Union on 3 August 1940, both these services entered a period of decline already more than a year earlier. On 20 March 1939 Nazi Germany issued an ultimatum to Lithuania, demanding cession of Klaipėda Region to the Reich by 23 March. That, in turned, forced evacuation of Lithuanian naval forces from that port, which was a serious issue, as remaining harbors at Palanga and Šventoji were in fact too small for Prezidentas Smetona, which was forced to spend next 4 months almost constantly at sea, only refuelling at Riga or Liepāja on Latvia, until entrance to Palanga could be dredged deep enough. For the last several months of existence, Lithuanian naval forces had their activities greatly hampered by lack of proper shore installations, and eventually all their assets were taken over by the Soviet naval forces.


Separately from the Coast Guard, the Police had their own coastal force that, in the course of it's existence, operated 4 small steam boats. First of these was Šaulys, acquired in 1924 and scrapped in 1930. Lydys (Pike), also introduced in early 1920s - 13 meter-long vessel originally purchased for riverine transport administration but soon transferred to the police for anti-contraband duties. Praschama was used in early 1930s, but no details are known. Finally, the 12-metre long Vejas (Breeze), built during the Great War, was apparently originally used as a mailboat, before being taken over by the police and used until scrapped in 1938-1939.

Lithuania, Lydys


Lithuania, Vejas


Finally, the paramilitary volunteer organization Šaulių Sąjunga (Riflemen Union) had a small fleet of sailboats: 9 minor and 1 larger, the Budys - 14,5-metre long yacht with 25 hp auxiliary motor, built in 1919 at Germaniawerft in Kiel and in 1925 intercepted by Lithuanian Coast Guard during smuggling operation. In 1926 she was sold for a token fee to Šaulių Sąjunga and renamed Budys. She was lost during a storm on 15 July 1933 while attempting to enter Klaipėda harbor.

Lithuania, Budys



Sources:
Gaiduk Aleksey A., Lapshin Roman V., Voyenno-morskiye sily pribaltiyskikh gosudarstv 1918-1940 gg., Galeya Print, Sankt-Peterburg 2009;
Gröner Erich, Die Deutschen Kriegsschiffe 1815-1945. Band 2, Bernard & Graefe Verlag, Koblenz 1983;
Adomavičius Romaldas, Prie Lietuvos laivyno ištakų. Žmonės ir laivai, Lietuvos Jūrų Muziejus, Klaipėda 2015.

Ehlers Hartmut, Litewskie siły morskie przed 1940 rokiem, "Okręty Wojenne" 2012, nr 5.
Rokiciński Krzysztof, Siły morskie Estonii, Litwy i Łotwy 1919-1940, "Okręty Wojenne" 1993, nr 3.

http://dreadnoughtproject.org/tfs/index ... Ship_Plans
http://german-navy.de/hochseeflotte/shi ... index.html
http://lietuvai.lt/wiki/Aitvaras_(laivas)
http://lietuvai.lt/wiki/Budys_(jachta)
http://lietuvai.lt/wiki/Partizanas_(laivas)
http://lietuvai.lt/wiki/Prezidentas_Smetona_(laivas)
http://lietuvai.lt/wiki/Savanoris_(laivas)
http://lietuvai.lt/wiki/%C5%BDaibas_(laivas)
http://lt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Budys_(jachta)
http://lt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prezidentas_Smetona
http://skipperltu.wordpress.com/2012/11/23/ensign/
http://skipperltu.wordpress.com/2015/03/13/kjp-2/amp/
http://voencomuezd.livejournal.com/1411651.html

http://www.atviraklaipeda.lt/2018/02/13 ... i-veliava/
http://www.graptolite.net/vessels/Lydys.html
http://www.graptolite.net/boom/Prezidentas_Smetona.html
http://www.limis.lt/paieska/perziura/-/ ... EKSPONATAS
http://www.limis.lt/paieska/perziura/-/ ... EKSPONATAS
http://www.limis.lt/en/greita-paieska/p ... 0011151074
http://www.lrytas.lt/kultura/istorija/2 ... --23540147
http://www.modeliuok.lt/wp/?attachment_ ... 4&paged=13

A very interesting series, most of these are new vessels to me, a very educational post.
The drawings are of your usual high quality too.

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