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Fort #2. The double coffer (counter scarp caponier) |
The ways of installation of different 57-mm rapid firing Nordefelt guns in coffers |
In 1906 - 1908 the new conception of improvement of the fortress was created with application of the Russo-Japanese War experience. But the construction of the new forts was began in 1910 only. In 1910 the new Chief of Engineers Major-General Kukharsky was assign to the fortress. His assistant was became an outstanding Russian military engineer Colonel A. P. Shoshin. A. P. Kukharsky had many problems with a health and in 1911 the Builder of Vladivostok Fortress and the Chief of Engineers was became A. P. Shoshin derived in the major-general. His assistants were Colonels Krieger-Wojnowsky, Fedorov and Golytsyn.
For composition of the projects and direction of the general course of the works in the Summer of 1910 there was formed the special Temporary Directional Board for Improvement of Vladivostok Fortress under chairmanship of the Commandant of Fortress Lieutenant-General V. A. Irman. For acceleration of the works, all projects were clinched directly in the fortress by the General Leader of the Works on Vladivostok Fortress Improvement the General Inspector of Engineers Engineer-General A. P. Vernander. The designers and builders of fortifications were Military Engineers Captains Kudrjawtsev, Unterbeger, Ionov, Protsenko, Zubritsky, Svinjin, Rybinsky, Buiko, Lieutenant-Colonel Toropov, Captains Ushakov, Shabanov, Grekov, Firsov, Ivanov, Shelavin, Kuksin et al.
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Fort #2. A rifle position over counter counter scarp caponier |
Fort #2. An entrance into the combat casemates of the counter scarp caponier |
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Fort #2. A postern from the coffer. A defense gates and anti-spalling U-beams at the ceiling |
At the plan of 1910 the Forts # # 1 - 7 and defense points letter A, B , W , G , D, E, Zh and Z on the south side of Sedanka valley from Ussuriisky to Amursky Gulf, the Forts ## 9 - 12 on the southern and eastern coast of the Russian Island, anti-landing coast caponiers, tunnel ammunition magazines, meat refrigerator on the First River, air base on the Second River, about 200 km of car roads and a lot of other infrastructure objects have been constructed. All the fortifications, in opposite to ones of 1899 design having a lot of shortcomings indicates at Port Arthur defense, have many bunkered and underground constructions, the width of concrete ceilings supported by steel U- and I-beams on asphalt layer was about 3.6 - 4.5 m, that protected against 420-mm bomb. The designers have used some constructed elements of a theoretical "Fort of Velichko" proposed in 1909 by Lieutenant-General K. I. Velichko. The forts have ditches as the main anti-storm obstacles flanking by guns from special casemates - coffers. The main combat constructions of the forts were concrete parapets where riflemen were located. There were shelters (galleries) for observators under parapets within joint concrete massive. There were suggested to construct in the rear of the forts special gorge caserne for the rest of garrison. All the parts of forts were connected with underground accessed paths (posterns). |
Design drawing of the Fort No 2. 1910. Cross-sectionsFrom collections of the Russian State Archive of the Navy | But they didn't copied the theoretical fort but created a configuration of the forts fitted to the very difficult mountain landscape and dispersed fired constructions at the wide territory that may prevented against precise firing of an enemy artillery. The Fort # 4 having trapeze form is more closed to "Fort of Velichko", the Forts ## 1 and 5 are lesser closed to it, the Forts ## 6 and 7 are very o riginal (Northern department of defense). But the Forts # 2 and # 3, and the new forts of Russian Island (## 9, 10, 11 and 12) have very original configurations as "dispersed forts). The construction of such forts was a significant event not only in Russian fortification science but in World once too. |
There were about 6000 laborers from European Russia. They wide used mechanical perforators at rock and tunnel exploded works, concrete plants and mixers, stone crushers worked on an electricity. In order to transmit many thouthands tons of sand, ballast and cement to the forts there were built a special rail way and a net of the cable car roads. Because of excellent organization up to 1912 there were carried out significant value of the concrete work and in 1914 the Forts were completed about 2/3 and were very stronghold fortification. In 1915 the temp of the work was decreased because of cement deficiency. In 1916 - 1917 there were carried out ground work and facing of the tunnels by stone and reinforced of completed fortifications. In 1917 the construction works were stopped. In October, 1914 the fortress infantry was assigned to the fronts of First World War, later the engineers and most of artillerists were assigned to there. During Civil War the fortress many times changed the holders but its Head quarter and Boards were operated up to 1923 when the fortress was liquidated by the agreement with Japan.
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Fort #2. A left lunette. The rifle parapet and sites for anti-storm guns |
[Forts of 1899] [Russo-Japanese War] [Forts of 1910] [Technology of construction] [Coast artillery batteries of 1932] [Railway guns] ["Maginot Line"] [Naval Guns in the land defense]
