Latvia and Estonia are building modern submarines

In 1923, a decision was made to supplement the Latvian navy with new and then modern submarines. Both future submarines are being built in France and are a modification of the French submarines of that time. Above the water the submarine can reach a speed of 17.5 knots, underwater - up to 10 knots. Maximum immersion depth - 70 m, crew 32 men. Armed with 6 torpedoes, a 75mm gun and two 7.7mm machine guns. Both submarines were included in the Latvian fleet in 1927. In the following years, the submarines Ronis and Spidola take part in naval visits to Estonia, Lithuania, Finland and other Western European countries. They are also expected with great interest in Latvian ports. Here is how the newspaper Ventas Balss describes the Navy's visit to Ventspils on July 9, 1936:
On Tuesday evening, suddenly thick clouds of smoke appeared on the horizon, rapidly approaching Ventspils. It took only a short half hour and one after another our squadron warships entered the raid: "Virsaitis", "lmanta" and "Viesturs". Soon they were followed by the submarine base ship "Hero" and it became known that the submarines "Spidola " and "Ronis" are also waiting to arrive. The squadron commander of the naval captain was on "Virsaiša". T. Spāde, under whose leadership our full-fledged navy also arrived in Ventspils on the way from Liepāja. Sliding water one after the other, the ships entered the port and landed below Pilskalns, between Ūdeņa and Lielo streets.

The waiters on the shore observed with dignity that the breasts of many officers were adorned with the highest mark of heroism - the Order of Lāčplēsis. When it became known in the city that Ventspils was visited by dear guests - our navy, many Ventspils residents gathered at the berth. Shortly after his arrival, various signal flaps were hoisted on the masts of "Virsaiša", which informed the sailors of the permission of the squadron commander to go on vacation in the city. Dressed in white blouses, the sailors discharged from the service landed, some to visit relatives or acquaintances, others to walk around the city or listen to a symphony orchestra concert in the Recreation Garden, and still others to meet and sit in the Castle Mound with their lady.

When the chair had already descended, both submarines also entered the port. The wet deck showed that they had also sunk underwater during the voyage. Until late at midnight, spectators gathered in Ventmala, who watched the warships and the scenes of evening life on them with lively interest.
In the evening it was early the squadron picked up steam and after a beep. 7 went to sea again, leaving Ventspils residents with fond memories of the short visit.

When the Baltic States joined the USSR, the submarines Ronis and Spidola were included in the red-flagged Baltic Navy. However, when German forces rapidly approached Liepāja at the beginning of the Second World War, both submarines were prepared for repairs and were not capable of combat. It is decided to sink them right in the port together with other Soviet submarines, which are not possible to use at that time. In 1942, the Germans excavated the submarines, but for a time they could no longer be used for naval fighting and reconstruction, so it was decided to hand them over for remelting.

At the beginning of the war, both Estonian submarines Kalev and Lembit were located in Liepāja. They are being evacuated by Soviet forces, and both are later used to lay mines and sink German ships in the Baltic Sea.

Estonians included both of their submarines in their navy ten years later, in 1937. They are made in the UK, modifying existing ready-made British submarine developments. Interestingly, Germany is showing great interest in these submarines, which is even ready to buy one of the submarines. Apparently, the Germans find an interesting new submarine constructed by potential opponents on the other side of the English Channel.

Both submarines are named after Estonian heroes - Lembit and Kalev. Above water the submarine is able to perform a speed of 13.5 knots, under water - 8.5. The maximum diving depth reaches 90m, but in armament four torpedo machines and mines. Each also has a 40mm anti-aircraft gun and a 7.7mm machine gun.

Kalev participates in 2 combat operations, starting with laying mines in the area from Užava to Oviši, apparently to make navigation near the port of Ventspils dangerous. In his second trip in 1941. in the fall Kalev disappears without a trace. The place of death of the submarine is the coast of Finland near Hanko, also the island of Naisare or the island of Prangli on the Estonian coast. Versions of its death due to a mine collision or sinking for some unknown technical reason have been put forward. During the restoration of the free state, the Estonians repeatedly organized Kalev search expeditions and both a sunken aerostat and a Soviet warship were held as submarine remains.

During the war, Lembit made 7 trips to lay mines at Cape Arkona and on patrol to prevent the supply of iron ore from neutral Sweden to the German military-industrial complex. Swedish supplies supply about 40% of German steel production. After the war, the submarine was used as a training center until 1979. It was later moved to Tallinn and has now been restored to its full size in the exhibition at the Seaplane Hangars in the port exposition of the Maritime Museum.

Latvia had planned to buy two more submarines of higher tonnage before the war, but Estonians wanted to build 3 more submarines in Finland. This would have significantly strengthened the naval forces of both countries and the security of the sea borders, but fate had decided a different course of events in the 20th century. in the first half.

The only surviving submarine Lembit can be seen in the exposition of the Maritime Museum in Tallinn in the renovated seaplane hangars for Lennusadam.