Hugo Legzdziņš, captain of Latvia's first submarine "Ronis"

In Riga, Pārdaugava, near the building at Bezdelīgu Street 1, there is a memorial plaque to the captain of Latvia's first submarine, Hugo Legzdiņš. The plaque reads: "In this house from 1946 to 2004 lived the Sea Instructor, Commander of the Latvian Navy, Submarine "Ronis", Commander HUGO LEGZDIŅŠ 1903 - 2004."

The following is a quote from the story published in the Latvian Gazette.

"The Latvian Navy during its existence and I on the "Ronis" were in all the ports of the Baltic States. That is very important and interesting. When in June 1940 the Russian troops entered all of Latvia, I was with the "Ronis" in the Liepāja commercial port, where a Russian tank with machine guns and bayoneted men arrested the "Ronis" with the entire crew. That was a tragic moment in the life of the "Ronis". In July 1940 the entire Latvian army and navy were forcibly transferred to the Russians. Sergeant Zavaļnijs and Corporal Šalka remained with the Russians from the submarine "Ronis" (27 sailors in the crew). All the others were dismissed as unnecessary. I was among them. After the war I was "promoted" to a sailor and issued a corresponding certificate of military service. So from a commanding officer - to a sailor. Certificate series V No. 291518. Then I worked as a technician at the factory “Stars”, and during the mass evacuation on June 14, 1941, I was on vacation with my wife in the Gulbene district. On the way back, the Germans bombed the Pļaviņa station, where my wife’s leg was torn off, and I was wounded. On July 8, when rail traffic with Riga began, we arrived in Riga. My wife was being treated in her own hospital, but I started working on the railway. First, I took courses, then I was a station attendant. After a few months, I came to the Stradins Hospital as a payroll accountant. Working in the hospital saved me from being drafted into the army.

When the Russians came in 1944-1945, I started working at the Soviet Latvian Shipping Training Institute. In 1951, I switched to working as a teacher in Vecmīlgrāvis in the training courses for helmsmen and other ship personnel. On June 6, 1969, when I was 66 years old, I retired because I wanted to serve out my full pension. All the time I had served in Latvia was not included in my pension, and therefore I worked 6 years beyond retirement age. Since 1969, I have been a pensioner and receive 38.19 lats. During my time in Latvia, as a submarine commander, I received a salary of around 700 lats, including all bonuses.