ORP General Haller

ORP General Haller (model)
History
Russian Empire
Name:	Vodorez
Builder:	Ab Crichton Turku, Finland
Launched:	1916
Fate:	Sold to Poland, 1921
Poland
Name:	ORP General Haller
Acquired:	1921
Fate:	Sunk, 6 September 1939
General characteristics
Class and type:	Filin-class guard ship
Displacement:	342 tons
Length:	55 m (180 ft 5 in)
Beam:	7 m (23 ft 0 in)
Draft:	2.9 m (9 ft 6 in)
Speed:	14.5 knots (26.9 km/h; 16.7 mph)
Complement:	60
Armament:	2 × 75 mm (3.0 in) guns 2 × 7.92 mm Maxim wz.08 machine guns 30 × mines

ORP General Haller was a Filin-class guard ship^[1] originally built for the Imperial Russian Navy. She was later acquired by the Polish Navy and served until sunk during the Invasion of Poland on 6 September 1939.

History

General Haller was built at Ab Crichton in Turku, Finland, for the Imperial Russian Navy. She was bought by the Polish Navy in 1921 and subsequently served as a school ship and minelayer. In Poland she was classified as kanonierka (gunboat).

On 1 September 1939, under the command of Stanisław Mieszkowski, General Haller was patrolling the port of Gdynia, where she was damaged in air attacks. On 2 September, the gunboat was sent to the naval port at Hel. There she was turned into a floating battery, until on 3 September, after major bomb damage, all the guns were stripped and added to the defences on land. She was left floating until she was sunk on 6 September.

References

1. Gardiner, Robert, ed. (1985). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906–1921. London, England: Conway Maritime Press Ltd. p. 319. ISBN 0-85177-245-5.