LATVIAN FLEET FIGHTING FOR THE ALLIES UNDER LATVIAN FLAG IN 1940-1945

By Andrew Andersen

According to official history, Latvia did not participate in World War 2. Placed, along with Lithuania and Estonia, in the Soviet sphere of influence by Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact on August 23, 1939, Latvia was annexed by the USSR in August of 1940 and thus ceased to exist as a sovereign nation until the summer of 1991. Between 1941 and 1945, thousands of Latvians participated in World War 2 but they did it under foreign flags (predominantly German or Soviet ones), wearing foreign uniforms and risking their lives and health for other countries’ goals.

Many of those who are interested in the events of World War 2, know that quite a few Latvians got involved in the darkest chapters of European history: collaboration with the Nazis and the Soviets (much less than with the Soviets than with the Nazis though) and participation in war crimes against various peoples of the area including their own.

However, and that is quite unfortunate, not too many people even in Latvia, are aware of the fact that a small Latvian fleet (8 ships altogether) participated in combat actions in the Atlantic Ocean side by side with the Allies. And all the above-mentioned ships were fighting under Latvian flag and were subordinate to the Latvian Embassy in Washington. It is also interesting to note that those brave Latvian seamen came from almost all the areas of Latvia and many of them belonged to ethnic minorities: Poles, Russians, Byelorussians, Jews and others.

All those Latvian sailors and officers were approached by the official representatives of the USSR and its secret service, and threatened that their families in annexed Latvia would end up in concentration camps if the seamen refused to put down Latvian flags and surrender to the nearest Soviet port together with their ships. However, not a single Latvian seaman in Atlantic bent his head under Soviet pressure. All of them decided to fight for freedom against the Nazis together with the US Navy. Many of the brave Latvians from the small fleet under the flag of the Soviet-swallowed country, died in action in the Atlantic ocean. Six of the eight ships were sunk by the Nazi German Reichsmarine and its allies. But  they knew that they were fighting for the Human Rights and Freedom.

Below please find the pictures of some of the Latvian vessels who fought their own «Latvian war» against the Nazis and the list of names of some of their crew members. Please note that the below list is far from being full. If by any chance you know any other names that should be added to the below list, please get in touch with us.

INCOMPLETE LIST OF THE SAILORS AND OFFICERS OF THE LATVIAN FLEET THAT FOUGHT TOGEHTER WITH THE US NAVY IN THE ATLANTIC OCEAN FROM 1941 TO 1945.

Some of the below heroes were citizens of other countries (Estonia, USA, Denmark, Paraguay, etc.) but for various reasons they all served on the eight ships of Latvian fleet

Mikelis (Michael) Perkons Nicholas Jakimowicz, Sergei Boll (Bolshakov) Jan Martinson Frederic Harper Arne K. Eriksson Valdemar Volkovics August Karjus Candido Escobar Helena Baranowski Cuno Svenssen Herbert McRoy Armas Janssen Mark Ingl Robert Bergmann John Syrmone Gustav Webermann Carl Larssen Pedersson (first name unknown) Gregory Kotov Vladimir Kotov Rudolf Peksens Rudolf Musts Girts Legzdins Hencis Zalitis Imant Reinwalds Harald Liepinsh Matis Mizens Friedrich Lusis Ludwig Sals Rudolf Arajs Eudokim Freigangs Freddie Hansen Andreas van den Broek Nikolay Cretou Paul Matsson Lembit Saar Leon Da Silva Egyl Vines Lundstroem (first name unknown) Karlis Schkerbergs Leon Lusis Jan Veinans Jan Lukmanns Adam Wohlberg Rolf Semelin Carl Gustafsson Konstantin Marinin	Captain Rudolf Peksens in 1941	Captain Rudolf Peksens today
	Captain Nickolas Jakimovicz (Jakims)
	Andreas van den Broek (Ciltvaira / 1941)

THE SHIPS OF FREE LATVIAN FLEET:

“Regent” /  Torpedoed in the Caribbean Sea on June14, 1942.
“Abgara” / Torpedoed by an Italian submarine	“Ciltvaira” / 3779 tons displacement / torpedoed on January 19, 1942 near North Carolina coast by the famous German submariner-ace Reinhard Hardegen
“Everagra” (previous name “Couronia”) / Survived the war and was out in the sea until 1957 under the flag of Panama	“Everelza” / 4520 tons displacement / torpedoed on August 13, 1942 in North Atlantic by a German submarine
“Everalda” / 3951 tons displacement / torpedoed on June 29, 1942, by a German submarine of U-158 type near the Bermudas	“Kegums” (till 1939 called “Everest”)/  survived the war and was out in the sea until 1948

AMERICANS REMEMBER THEIR LATVIAN ALLIES

This street in the town of Nags-Head/North Carolina, has been named after «Ciltvaira», Latvian ship that fought for freedom side by side with the US Navy and was sunk by the Nazi submarine on January 19, 1942,  several miles away from Nags-Head beach. The remnants of the Latvian ship are still there, on the bed of the ocean.

Foto © Karl van den Broek, Dmitrijs Dmitrijevs, Cibley Flemming, Rudolf Peksens

Link to more information (in Russian only): http://www.chas-daily.com/win/online.html?tagsa=12244&&r=130

RETURN TO THE BALTIC STATES