James A Pratt III Posted 10 June , 2018 Share Posted 10 June , 2018 100 years ago 10 June 1918 the Austro-Hungarian Dreadnought battleship SMS Szent Istvan was sunk by torpedos from the Italian motor torpedo boat MAS 15. There is some really great film footage of the ship capsizing and sinking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KizmeRD Posted 22 February , 2023 Share Posted 22 February , 2023 (edited) Long time after the initial posting, I know, but I just came across the footage mentioned by James, and it really is remarkable - see link below… https://youtu.be/5pSiCjfhUUw For those unaware of this action, the Austro-Hungarian KuK SZENT ISTVÁN (a modern Tegetthoff class battleship) was sunk one night off the Adriatic island of Premuda by the small Italian fast torpedo boat MAS 15 (commanded by Luigi Rizzi). The SZENT ISTVÁN was part of a powerful task group comprising four dreadnoughts and escorts lead by Miklós Horthy, intending to launch a surprise attack on the Otranto Barrage (which thankfully got aborted following the sinking). MB Edited 24 February , 2023 by KizmeRD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Falloden Posted 22 February , 2023 Share Posted 22 February , 2023 Although I have seen it several times before it is still an incredible film to watch. I now realise that the crew were not frozen with fear but had been ordered to act as a counterweight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KizmeRD Posted 22 February , 2023 Share Posted 22 February , 2023 Good luck with ‘acting as a counterweight’ - it works a bit on yachts and dinghies, but you ain’t going to make any difference with a battleship! Nevertheless, I have read one account by a survivor who states that this is indeed what they were trying to a achieve. Just a pity that the order wasn’t given to launch the ships boats, so that they could have helped when the inevitable happened. Apparently it took many hours to finally sink. Just as well that (unlike other navies) all Austro-Hungarian sailors had to pass a swimming test. Surprisingly the number of deaths from the capsizing and sinking of SZENT ISTVÁN was very small. MB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James A Pratt III Posted 24 February , 2023 Author Share Posted 24 February , 2023 I have copies of the Warship International magazine articles in issues No 2 1991 on the ship and No 41997 on diving on the wreck. It would be nice if all the film of the ships sinking could be found. There were two movie cameras going one by the official cameraman and another from an officer. The ships had poor underwater protection and had stability problems fronm the WI 2/1991 article. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KizmeRD Posted 24 February , 2023 Share Posted 24 February , 2023 KuK SZENT ISTVÁN was struck at 3:31 a.m. by two torpedoes fired from MAS 15 and capsized at 6:12 a.m., taking 89 of her crew with her. MB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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