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The Eestirand (Estonian Coast), built in 1910, was an Estonian steel-bodied steam ship freighter. During World War II it served as a Russian Navy transport vessel and was subsequently sunk in 1941 near Prangli Island during the Soviet evacuation of Tallinn in 1941.
History
The ship was built in 1910 by A. McMillan & Son Ltd. in Dumbarton, Scotland. It was originally named Starthardle and served the Burell & Son Steamship Line[1] in Glasgow for six years before it was sold to Scottish-American shipping magnate Robert Dollar in 1916, where it served the Dollar Steamship Lines as the Harold Dollar, ferrying trade goods between New York and the Asia.[2]
In 1932, it was sold to an Estonian fishing company in 1932 and was renamed Eestirand operating out of the port of Tallinn, Estonia and was refitted for the fishing trade. At the time, it was the largest ship in the Estonian merchant fleet.
Service in World War II
During World War II, the Eestirand was pressed into service the Soviet Navy and was recommissioned VT-532 in 1941. The ship's primary role was transporting troops and war materiel in the heavily mined Baltic Sea. As German troops advanced on Tallinn, the Soviets began preparations for evacuation. The Eastirand would be part of a convoy or ships responsible for the evacuation of Russian military personel and Estonian conscripts to Kronstadt help lift the German siege of Leningrad.[3]
On 22 August, 1941 the Estirand came under attack by German planes as it neared the Keri Lighthouse on Keri Island.
Memorial
References
- ^ "The The Ships List: Burrell & Son, Glasgow 1850-1939". Retrieved 9 December 2014.
- ^ Greater New York: Bulletin of the Merchants' Association of New York, Volume 9. New York: The Association. 1920. p. 12. Retrieved 9 December 2014.
- ^ Kriss, Tiina (2009). Estonian Life Stories. Central European University Press. p. 130. ISBN 9789639776395.