The largest earthquake in Sicily. Monument to the Russians in Sicily American ship "Scorpion"

Messina is a wonderful jewel in the crown of Italian cities. It has an ancient history - the first mention of this settlement dates back to 730 BC. Located on the coastline of the Strait of Messina, the city became not only a trading center, but also the core of an entire agricultural region specializing in the cultivation of citrus crops.

In the history of the city there were many events that led to its decline, but Messina was restored and flourished again. One such tragic event for the city was the earthquake that occurred on December 28, 1908. By chance, Russian sailors became participants in the rescue operation.

After the end of the Russo-Japanese War, as a result of which the Russian navy was bled dry, the authorities were faced with the acute issue of training personnel to form the command staff of warships. For this purpose, in the spring of 1906, a special detachment of ships was formed, which included two battleships - Tsesarevich and Slava and the cruisers Bogatyr and Admiral Makarov. The command of the detachment was entrusted to Rear Admiral V.I. Litvinov. The ships housed trainees: 135 graduates of Peter the Great's naval corps, 23 mechanics, 6 graduates of an engineering institute and several students of quartermasters of the Baltic Fleet. Before the campaign, the detachment was visited by the Emperor, who called on the sailors to behave in an appropriate manner in overseas countries, since they are envoys of their Motherland.

In October 1908, the ships entered the Gulf of Finland and headed for the Mediterranean Sea, according to the exercise plan.
After completing the training missions of the campaign, on December 15, 1908, the detachment arrived in the Italian port of Augusta, located on the east coast of Sicily at a distance of about 70 miles from Messina.

On the morning of December 28, tremors occurred in Messina, which led to the displacement of sections of the bottom of the Strait of Messina. Huge waves suddenly hit the morning city. At the same time, three strong tremors occurred, which caused the collapse of buildings in almost twenty settlements located in the coastal strip of Sicily and Calabria.

The sailors of the Russian squadron were awakened by a powerful rumble, and then everyone heard blows on the ship’s hull. A huge wave burst into the port bay, turning the ships anchored in it 180 degrees. A few minutes later the situation returned to normal, only a slight disturbance was observed on the water surface.

In the evening of the same day, the captain of the port and the Russian consul A. Makeev approached the detachment commander with a request to provide assistance to the population of Messina, who found themselves practically at the epicenter of the earthquake. Having sent information about what happened to St. Petersburg, the detachment commander ordered the ships to prepare to sail to Messina.

During the transition, the sailors of the detachment prepared to provide emergency assistance to the victims: they formed rescue units, the groups were supplied with tools, food and water. Infirmaries were being prepared to receive victims. The doctors were supervised by an experienced doctor A. Bunge, who had good experience working in the extreme conditions of the Arctic.

When the ships arrived at the Messina roadstead, the sailors saw enormous destruction: all houses and port facilities were destroyed. The surviving residents, distraught with grief, pain, and loss of loved ones, asked for help. The cries of the wounded were heard from under the rubble, and numerous fires were observed in the city.

Russian sailors began clearing the rubble. The work was further complicated by the fact that the tremors continued, and collapses in the rubble threatened the lives of sailors dismantling the remains of buildings.

Here is what Harald Karlovich Graf writes: << крейсер,Адмирал Макаров, первым поднял пары и вышел в море. Мы снялись с якоря ещё не имея достаточно паров во всех котлах и по этому шли средним ходом, но потом подняли до полного. Все только и говорили об этой катастрофе, но не представляли грандиозности разрушений и гибели такого количества людей. Во время перехода командир приказал докторам собрать все наличные перевязочные средства и со всем медицинским персоналом приготовится к съеду на берег. Кроме того, было приказано двум ротам надеть рабочие платье и высокие сапоги и приготовить верёвки, ломы, кирки и лопаты. Скоро на горизонте показались высокие столбы дыма, и чем ближе мы подходили к Мессине, тем ярче вырисовывались пожары и разрушения. В нескольких местах вырывалось пламя. Фактически весь город был разрушен.Всюду виднелись полуразрушенные дома. В гавани затонуло несколько пароходов, и их стенки покосились и дали трещины. Кое где на набережной виднелись люди, которые махали руками и что-то кричали. Очевидно звали на помощь. Перед командиром встал вопрос отдать ли якорь на рейде или войти в гавань. Если встать на рейде,далеко от берега, то нельзя оказать быструю и интенсивную помощь, а войдёшь в гавань- подвергнешься большому риску, так как несомненно,что её дно деформировалось… и тогда там застрянем. Но командир не долго колебался и решил рисковать и войти в гавань…Увидя входящий крейсер, на набережной стала собираться толпа обезумевших от пережитых ужасов жителей. Все кричали и размахивали руками, разобрать,что они кричат, мы не могли. Во всяком случае, они с большой готовность помогали нам завести швартовы и притащили большую сходню…
Our help turned out to be especially valuable because we were the first to arrive at the scene of the disaster. We didn't have to be persuaded. Both companies, doctors, paramedics and orderlies immediately went ashore. The latter immediately opened a sanitary station. And the companies divided into small groups and began excavations, as directed by local residents. The task arose to search for the living. But the help of the sailors was not limited to this. The wounded were taken onto the cruiser, given first aid, and prepared for transport to Naples. The news about the Russian rescuers quickly spread throughout the city, from all areas to the port, to the cruiser Makarov, they began to deliver the seriously wounded, they were placed on the deck and in the cabins. But more and more thousands of victims arrived; there was not enough money... from the family of the Russian consul in Messina, only one wife survived, seriously wounded, she was sent on the battleship, Tsarevich, to Syracuse. Meanwhile, the sailors remaining on the shore, risking their lives every moment, under the threat of new collapses, continued to dig out the rubble. The groans heard from under the ruins forced us to hurry, forgetting fatigue and fear for our lives. The pleas of relatives, whose loved ones were trapped under the rubble of buildings, only intensified the colossal stress in which our sailors and officers carried out their rescue work. When the order came in the evening to return to the cruiser, many initially disobeyed the order, continuing dangerous and hard work, on which the lives of hundreds and hundreds of Messinians then depended. >>

Medical assistance was provided at dressing stations deployed as quickly as possible. As it turned out later, this benefit saved the lives of many residents. Subsequently, the crews of the arriving English squadron joined the Russian rescuers.

There were not enough doctors or orderlies to help the victims of Messina, both on the shore and on the ships, and the officers and sailors themselves had to care for the wounded. Thus, the junior navigator officer of the battleship “Tsesarevich” Ivan Kononov 2nd provided significant assistance to the medical personnel, being able to make dressings. The Russian sailors carried the victims out from under the ruins to the medical stations created under canopies. Many of the wounded got here on their own. Tables were set up right in the open air, on which the ship's doctors, with the help of orderlies, provided them with first surgical aid, applied bandages, revived those who had lost consciousness, and performed operations. Although they were not thorough, they were timely, and this saved the lives of many victims.

Rescue teams worked around the clock. Russian sailors rescued more than two thousand victims from the rubble.

The wounded, sick, children and old people were taken on Russian ships to the nearest cities in Italy that were not damaged by the elements: Naples, Palermo and Syracuse. Returning to Messina, the ships delivered purchased provisions, dressings and disinfectants.

According to available information, as a result of the Messina earthquake, about 44% of the residents of the settlements that took the heaviest blows of the disaster died. This most powerful European earthquake claimed 100 thousand lives.

Subsequently, Italian doctors wrote a letter of gratitude to the Russian Minister of Maritime, in which they noted the dedicated work of the sailors and fraternal care for the victims of Messina, assuring him that Italy will forever remember the help of Russian sailors.

The Italian government awarded orders to doctors and ship commanders.

For participation in saving people, the Italian government awarded the following in 1910:

Rear Admiral Vladimir Litvinov - Grand Cross of the Order of the Italian Crown,
flagship doctor of the Baltic detachment Alexander Bunge - Grand Officer's Cross of the Order of the Italian Crown,
The Commander's Cross of St. Mauritius and Lazarus were awarded to: flag captain captain 2nd rank Kazimir Pogrebensky, commander of the battleship "Tsarevich" captain 1st rank Pavel Lyubimov, senior physician of the battleship "Tsesarevich" Nikolai Novikov, commander of the battleship "Slava" captain 1st rank Eduard Ketler, senior physician of the battleship "Slava" E. Emelyanov, commander of the cruiser "Bogatyr" captain 1st rank Nikolai Petrov 2nd, senior physician of the cruiser "Bogatyr" F. Glasko, commander of the cruiser "Admiral Makarov" captain 1st rank Vladimir Ponomarev, senior doctor of the cruiser "Admiral Makarov" Yu. Karuzhas,
The officer's cross of St. Mauritius and Lazarus was awarded to junior doctors: the battleship "Tsesarevich" - Adam Shishlo, the battleship "Slava" - Evgeniy Kallina, the cruiser "Bogatyr" - Pyotr Bachinsky, the doctor of the gunboat "Koreets" Nikolai Vostrosablin,
The Commander's Cross of the Order of the Italian Crown was awarded to: junior doctor of the cruiser "Admiral Makarov" - Vladimir Lubo, commander of the gunboat "Gilyak", captain 2nd rank Peter Paton-Fanton de Verraion, commander of the gunboat "Koreets" captain 2nd rank Fyodor Rimsky - Korsakov, doctor of the gunboat “Gilyak” Vladimir Goss.

Order of the Italian Crown (didn't bother with degrees)

Mauritius and Lazarus

More than 6 thousand military personnel and 300 doctors took part in the rescue operation. Only on January 3, local authorities, thanking the Russian military, notified them that they were now able to cope on their own. The detachment of Russian ships continued their journey: first to Augusta, and then to Alexandria.

Messina did not forget its saviors. Two years later, with money raised by the residents of Messina, a gold medal was cast, which it was decided to award to the Russian Navy, as well as a sculptural composition depicting Russian sailors rescuing people from the rubble of buildings.
These tokens of gratitude were presented to the commander of the cruiser Aurora, who arrived in Messina harbor in March 1911.

To this day, city residents keep the memory of the feat of Russian sailors. Many streets of Messina are named after Russian rescuers of the Baltic squadron. On the memorial plaque mounted on the municipal building in 1978, it is written that it was installed in memory of the generous assistance of the crews of Russian ships during the December earthquake in 1908.

A hundred years later, the Messinians celebrated this tragic date. The most touching thing is that the descendants of the residents remember the Russian sailors who came to the aid of the city’s population. Grateful Messinians still call Russian sailors “blue angels” - because they appeared unexpectedly from the sea and their uniform was blue.

In 1910, the Italian government decided to reward the participants in the rescue operation. By Royal Decree of June 5, 1910, the following were awarded:
- detachment commander - an order and a gold medal;
- ship commanders - orders and large silver medals with the inscription “For providing assistance to victims of the disaster in Messina and Calabria”;
- Russian Navy - a large gold medal;
- ships - large silver medals;
- all participants, without exception, received small silver medals with the inscription “In memory of the disaster that befell Messina and Calabria.”
The same awards were intended for other crews of foreign ships who took part in the rescue of the inhabitants of Messina.
Since the required number of medals was not ready, their presentation was postponed to 1911.
The cruiser "Aurora", which sailed in 1910-1911. practical navigation, at that time he was in the Mediterranean Sea. The command assigned the commander of the cruiser, Captain 1st Rank II.N. Leskov to visit the port of Messina and accept awards and gifts.
On March 1, 1911, the cruiser Aurora arrived in Messina. The next day, a solemn ceremony took place on board the ship, at which the Italian delegation presented P.N. Leskov:
- a large gold medal and an artistically executed thank-you address to the Russian fleet;
- large gold and silver medals for V.I. Litvinov;
- large silver medals for ship commanders;
- large silver medals and diplomas for ships;
- silver medals for all participants in the rescue operation;
- numerous gifts.

According to the Main Naval Staff, the following number of sailors of the Russian fleet took part in the rescue operations in Messina:

– from the ships of the Baltic detachment: 113 officers, 164 ship midshipmen, 42 conductors and 2559 lower ranks;

- from the gunboats "Koreets" and "Gilyak", which joined the ships of the Baltic detachment: 20 officers, 4 conductors and 260 lower ranks.

Russian sailors were awarded silver six-line medals in memory of the Messina earthquake.

REPORT TO THE HIGHEST NAME
№ 629.
Requested
HIGHEST permission: To accept minted coins. By the Italian Government medals in memory of the disaster that befell Messina and Calabria at the end of 1908:

Gold:
TO THE IMPERIAL RUSSIAN Fleet
Former Chief of the Baltic Detachment, now Member of the Admiralty Council, Vice Admiral Litvinov

Silver:
Battleships:
"Glory" and its former commander, now retired Captain 1st Rank Ketler "Tsesarevich" and
to his former commander, Captain 1st Rank Lyubimov
To the cruiser "Bogatyr" and its commander Captain 1st Rank Petrov-Chernyshev
To the gunboats: "Korean" and its former commander, captain 1st rank
Rimsky-Korsakov 2nd
"Gilyak" and its former commander, Captain 1st Rank Patton-Fanton de Verraion,

so that those granted would wear the indicated medals, those granted to the Navy would be kept in the Marine Corps, and those granted to ships would be stored on ships until they were removed from the lists, and then transferred for further storage to the Marine Corps.
On the original, in the hand of the Minister of the Navy, it is written: “With your highest permission. In Tsarskoe Selo, May 16, 1911. Minister of the Navy, Vice Admiral Grigorovich.”

REPORT TO THE HIGHEST NAME
№ 650.
Requested
HIGHEST permission: to accept and wear silver medals.
The detachment commander, ship commanders, officers, officials, midshipmen and lower ranks - 3029 people.
Authorized: October 4, 1911

RELATIONSHIP OF THE SECOND DEPARTMENT OF THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS TO THE MAIN NAVAL HEADQUARTERS.
September 21, 1911, No. 11677.
Conveying here in two sealed boxes 3170 Italian silver medals awarded to persons who provided assistance to victims of the earthquake in Sicily and Calabria in 1908, the Second Department has the honor to humbly ask the Main Naval Staff not to refuse to transfer 3163 of them to the ranks of the Naval Department named in the lists attached to the relations of the Main Naval Staff dated April 1, 1909, No. 6594 and dated April 3 of the same year, No. 6818, deigning to notify the Department about the correct receipt of the medals, with the return of the remaining 7 medals for transfer by the Department as appropriate.
At the same time, the Department forwards 143 certificates to be issued to the persons named in them, adding that certificates will not be issued to midshipmen and lower ranks by the Italian Government and that the award of such medals to awarded persons must be certified by the subject superiors.
Medals which, for any reason, cannot be presented to the persons to whom they were awarded, the Department, at the request of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, humbly requests that they be returned,
Participated in the rescue of the inhabitants of Messina:

Officers:
Baltic detachment 113, gunboats “Gilyak” and “Koreets” 20, total 133
Ship's midshipmen:
Baltic detachment 164, gunboats “Gilyak” and “Koreets” 0, total 164
Conductors:
Baltic detachment 42, gunboats “Gilyak” and “Koreets” 4, total 46
Lower ranks:
Baltic detachment 2559, gunboats “Gilyak” and “Koreets” 260, total 2819
Total:
Baltic detachment 2878, gunboats “Gilyak” and “Koreets” 284, total 3162

Russian sailors wore Messinian medals on both pentagonal and triangular blocks - as they could and wanted.

Russian pentagonal block with six-line Messinian medal

A sailor from the "Bogatyr" with a medal for Messina on a triangular block

What is the difference between Messina medals?

There were several different awards, each of which had its own varieties:
- for metal
gold-silver-bronze for four-line and silver-bronze for commemorative six-line;
- to size
40mm for legal entities (ships, organizations) and 35mm (four lines) and 32mm (six lines) for individuals and people.

I. Four-line
Medaglia di benemerenza per il terremoto calabro-siculo

Medal of Merit during the earthquake in Calabria and Sicily on December 28, 1908
Established in Rome on May 6, 1909 in two forms:
Diameter
4 cm for institutions
3.5 cm for people
Degrees: gold, silver, bronze

Inscription on the reverse in four lines"Terremoto 28 December 1908 in Calabria and Sicilia"

In addition, there were differences in the medal ribbon. From May 6 to October 21, the ribbon was green with 6 mm red stripes along the edges. Royal Decree No. 719 of October 21, 1909 introduced a decree that the color of the edgings became white.

The commanders of Russian ships received small gold, the fleet and ships received large gold.

Plus, the ship commanders were awarded a commemorative six-line silver medal (see below).

II. Six-line memorial.
The later La medaglia commemorativa per il terremoto calabro-siculo
The "Earthquake Medal of Calabria and Sicily" was established by Royal Decree No. 79 of 20 February 1910 to recognize the work of the relief efforts in the areas devastated by the earthquake of 28 December 1908. The medal was issued free of charge, at the expense of the state, to foreigners [incl. officers and sailors of the Russian Imperial Navy from the ships "Tsesarevich", "Slava", "Admiral Makarov", "Bogatyr" and gunboats "Gilyak II" and "Koreets II"], for soldiers of the royal army and navy, law enforcement officers city and members of the Italian Red Cross Association participating in the relief efforts of the earthquake of December 28, 1908 in Calabria and Sicily.

The medal was made in a single size from silver and bronze with a diameter of 32 mm.
Only people were awarded the six-line commemorative card.

Inscription on the reverse in six lines: “Medaglia commemorativa - Terremoto calabro-siculo 28 December 1908”

With the ribbon on this medal, everything is also not entirely simple.
The medal was worn on the left chest on a blue silk ribbon 33 mm wide, with a vertical white stripe in the center 11 mm wide.

By Royal Decree No. 497 of July 7, 1910, the ribbon was changed. Now it has become green, 36 mm wide, with three vertical white stripes, six mm wide. This option is the most common.

Russian sailors received a small commemorative silver - a six-line Messinian medal.

The author of the silver six-line Messinian medals is Luigi Giorgi (Italian: Luigi Giorgi, 1848-1912) - goldsmith, chief engraver of the Royal Mint in Rome and the first director-professor of the School of Medal Art.
The six-line bronze shown above is in the S.J. neck trim. (S.Johnson company) - Stefan Johnson, Milan.

But the Italians could receive and wear two medals at once - directly for participation in the liquidation - a four-line and a commemorative six-line, and silver and bronze.
The Italian's first award was the Order of the Italian Crown.

The earthquake that shook southern Italy in 1908 was one of a long series of events of this kind, but it was particularly destructive.

Located in the area where the Eurasian and African lithospheric plates collide, Italy is prone to frequent earthquakes. Year after year, the African plate slowly moves north. There is information about serious earthquakes that occurred during the Roman Empire, and the south of the country usually suffered the most. The estimated number of victims of the 1693 earthquake in Sicily and Naples was 150,000. In 1783, some 50,000 inhabitants were mourned after an earthquake in Calabria, in the area that forms the southwestern toe of the Italian “boot.” Later, the same location was hit by an earthquake in 1905, destroying 25 villages and causing the death of about 5,000 people.
The severity of the damage caused by the 1908 earthquake is explained by the fact that its epicenter was located in the Strait of Messina, which separates the mainland and the island of Sicily, the width of which at its narrowest point is 3 km. The coastline on both sides of the strait was well developed and densely populated areas.

The northeastern part of Sicily is occupied by the city of Messina, which at the time of the earthquake had 150,000 inhabitants. On the mainland on the other side of the strait is the city of Reggio Calabria, where 45,000 people lived at that time. Besides these, there were many other ports, large and small, on both sides of the strait.

Taken by surprise while sleeping
This natural disaster, measuring 7.5 on the Richter scale, erupted at 5:20 a.m. on December 28. The sleeping people were taken by surprise, and many died under the rubble of their own houses. Two shocks were recorded: a preliminary, weak one, which lasted approximately 20 seconds, and a main oscillation, which lasted without a break for 30 seconds.

In Messina, the fish market went underground, the railway station was destroyed to the ground, and only ruins remained of the cathedral in a large area. Countless houses also collapsed in Reggio Calabria, and not a single house survived in a 40 km strip of the Calabrian coast. The shocks were followed by a tidal wave. In Messina it did not exceed 2.7 m, and in other places it reached 12 m. The destruction was complete, communication with the outside world ceased. But the earthquake and tidal wave spared several ships in the port of Messina. When the elements calmed down, the captain of the ship "Serpente" took his ship in search of a place where the telegraph lines were not damaged. He had to travel 70 km to the north, and only in the resort town of Marina di Nicotera on the coast of Calabria was he able to send a distress signal.

The ships sent to help arrived in the disaster area two days later. According to the stories of the sailors, they found it difficult to navigate, as the coastline had changed beyond recognition. In many places, vast areas of land disappeared under water. Meanwhile, surviving townspeople and employees of the local branch of the Red Cross began organizing first aid stations and began collecting the bodies of the dead. King Victor Emmanuel III arrived from Rome on one of the ships and, shocked by what he saw, sent an excited telegram: “Complete devastation: fires, blood and death everywhere; send ships, as many ships as possible!”

Over time, ships began to arrive not only from Italy, but also from other European countries and the USA. Ten thousand residents were evacuated, many of them never returned to these places. This, for example, happened to several thousand Sicilians who traveled aboard cargo ships to America. But some were not destined to get there: their ship Florida collided with another ship near New York. Panic gripped 850 refugees, and three of them drowned. Fortunately, help arrived in time for the others.

Eruptions in subsequent years
After the earthquake, Messina and Reggio were rebuilt. Since then, natural disasters have avoided them, but the turbulent state of the earth's crust continued to be felt. In 1968, Sicily experienced another earthquake, which killed 400 people and destroyed the town of Gibellina. In 2002, an earthquake struck the area around Palermo, causing some damage, but this time there were no casualties. The shock was felt throughout the island, and thousands of people ran out of their homes in panic, oblivious to the late night.

Earthquakes haunt not only Sicily and Calabria. In 1915, 30,000 people died and the city of Avezzano in central Italy was completely destroyed. In 1976, an underground disaster manifested itself in the Friuli region, where about 1,000 people died. In 1980, the city of Eboli, located south of Naples, was hit by an earthquake, where the number of victims exceeded 2,700 people. A series of earthquakes occurred in 1997 in the Umbria region, leaving 40,000 people homeless and killing 13. The world famous Basilica of St. Francis in the city of Assisi was severely damaged.

However, in recent decades, Italians have become more prepared for possible earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. Research into the causes of these phenomena is ongoing, early warning systems are being improved, and the construction of roads, residential buildings and office buildings takes into account the danger of underground vibrations. And yet, in recent years, there has been much controversy over plans to build a suspension bridge across the Strait of Messina. For such a structure, the length of which will be more than 3 km. it will require supports on both sides as tall as the Eiffel Tower. According to the plan, the bridge structures must withstand an earthquake of up to 7.1 on the Richter scale; the only question is whether such a safety margin is sufficient. After years of discussion, the Italian parliament approved the plan in 2005 and offered a tender for its implementation with a budget of 4 million euros to the International Construction Consortium.
The new administration, which came to power in 2006, has so far postponed the implementation of this project.

The feat of Russian sailors in Messina

In October 1908, the ships entered the Gulf of Finland and headed for the Mediterranean Sea, according to the exercise plan.

Not far from the coast of Spain, classes and exercises were conducted on ships, the main purpose of which was to train new recruits for officers who had no practical experience.

After completing the training missions of the campaign, on December 15, 1908, the detachment arrived in the Italian port of Augusta, located on the east coast of Sicily at a distance of about 70 miles from Messina.

The sailors of the Russian squadron were awakened by a powerful rumble, and then everyone heard blows on the ship’s hull. A huge wave burst into the port bay, turning the ships anchored in it 360 degrees. A few minutes later the situation returned to normal, only a slight disturbance was observed on the water surface.

Rescue teams worked around the clock. Russian sailors rescued more than two thousand victims from the rubble.

The Italian government awarded orders to doctors and ship commanders: Litvinov received the Grand Cross of the Italian Crown and a gold medal, the rest silver medals and Commander's Crosses. In memory of the commonwealth, all sailors were awarded silver medals.

Messina did not forget its saviors. Two years later, with money raised by the residents of Messina, a gold medal was cast, which it was decided to award to the Russian Navy, as well as a sculptural composition depicting Russian sailors rescuing people from the rubble of buildings. These tokens of gratitude were presented to the commander of the cruiser Aurora, who arrived in Messina harbor in March 1910.

Years pass, but as long as the memory of the descendants of the Messinians is alive, St. Andrew's flag will fly more than once near the shores of this glorious city.

Materials used:

Monument to Russian sailors in Messina

Messina earthquake or Russian peaceful landing in Italy

Earthquake in Messina

Messina is a very ancient city, which has experienced periods of prosperity and decline more than once in its history. One of the most terrible disasters in its history was the powerful one that happened on the morning of December 28, 1908. The sailors of the Russian fleet, whose ships, fortunately, were not far from the site of the terrible tragedy, took an active part in saving Messina and thousands of lives of its inhabitants.

Midshipman detachment

After the end of the Russo-Japanese War (1904-1905), the question of reviving the Russian Navy became acute. Along with the construction of ships, training was carried out for personnel and future fleet commanders. For this purpose, in May 1906, a Special detachment of ships was formed in the Baltic Sea, designed to sail with the ship's midshipmen, which included the battleships Tsesarevich and Slava, the cruisers Admiral Makarov and Bogatyr. The formation was commanded by Rear Admiral Vladimir Ivanovich Litvinov.

On December 15 (28), 1908, the detachment, after practicing joint navigation and performing artillery training exercises, anchored in the port of Augusta (east coast, 70 miles south of Messina). Suddenly, in the middle of the night, a powerful rumble was heard. The hulls of the ships began to tremble, as if they were being hammered with a hefty club. Burst into the bay huge wave turned the anchored ships 360 degrees.

After a few minutes the hum stopped, although the excitement continued for some time. They sounded a combat alert for the detachment, but after making sure that the ships were in order and were not in danger, they sounded the all clear.

In the evening, the captain of the port and the Russian vice-consul A. Makeev arrived from Catania to the commander of the detachment holding the flag on the Tsarevich. They reported that the day before there was a strong earthquake in the southwest with an epicenter in the Strait of Messina. The port commander handed Litvinov a telegram from the prefect of Syracuse, in which he asked “the friendly nation not to refuse assistance to the population.”

The detachment commander telegraphed what had happened to St. Petersburg and, without waiting for an answer, ordered the ships to prepare for the campaign.

Terrible disaster

During the transition, emergency preparations were made for rescue operations. To land on shore, the ship's crews were divided into shifts. Rescue teams were formed and supplied with entrenching tools, water and food. Reception centers for the wounded were set up in the ship's infirmaries, provided with dressings and medicines. This was led by the detachment's flagship doctor A. Bunge, formerly a famous polar explorer.

The next morning the ships arrived at the Messina roadstead. A terrible picture was revealed to the sailors' eyes. From the once prosperous and prosperous city with a population of over 160 thousand people, only smoking ruins remained. Fires were burning in many places. Small ships washed up by the waves lay on the shore, the embankment and port facilities were destroyed.

What the sailors saw on the shore exceeded all the gloomiest forecasts. From under the ruins came the groans and cries of the wounded, and thousands of half-dressed city residents, distraught with grief and pain, crowded at the water's edge. As one of the eyewitnesses of the tragedy recalled: “They stretched out their hands to us, mothers raised their children, praying for salvation...”.

Without wasting time, the sailors began clearing the rubble and rescuing people buried in the houses closest to the embankment. Dressing stations were immediately organized, to which the wounded began to be transferred. After some time, the Russian sailors were joined by crews from the ships of the English squadron, which, fortunately, also happened to be not far from the distressed city.

The feat of Russian sailors

The excavations were carried out with great danger for the rescuers themselves. From time to time, tremors were felt, threatening further collapse of buildings. The change of teams took place after six hours, but many refused to take a well-deserved rest. The Italians said about Russian sailors: “The sky itself sent them to us, not the sea!”.

Russian ships took 400-500 victims on board and took them to Syracuse and Palermo. The battleship "Slava" with 550 wounded, women and children on board left for Naples with the order, after the transfer of people, to immediately return to Messina, purchasing only disinfectants, dressings and fresh provisions.

Later, Italian doctors wrote to the Russian Minister of Naval Affairs:

“We are unable to describe to Your Excellency the more than brotherly cares with which we were surrounded... Russian sailors inscribed their names in gold letters for the eternal gratitude of all of Italy... Long live!!!”

Gradually, relative order was established in the affected city. More than 6 thousand troops, 40 warships were concentrated here, and up to 300 doctors gathered. To the request of the detachment commander whether the help of Russian sailors was still needed, the Minister of Naval Affairs of Italy responded, expressing deep gratitude to our compatriots, that now the Italian authorities will manage on their own. On January 3 (16), 1909, the battleships “Slava” and “Tsesarevich” left for Augusta, and two days later the detachment moved to Alexandria.

The Russian ships were enthusiastically received by the Italians living in. When the detachment arrived, a leaflet was issued here that said: “Glory to the Russian officers and sailors who did not spare themselves in Messina in the name of humanity!”.

According to official data, Russian sailors recovered from the ruins and saved more than 2 thousand people. The Italian government awarded the doctors and ship commanders with Italian orders. Rear Admiral Litvinov received a gold medal and the Grand Cross of the Italian Crown, ship commanders and doctors received large silver medals and Commander's Crosses. In addition, all sailors, without exception, were awarded small silver medals “In Memory of the Commonwealth.”

Grateful Sicily

Two years after the disaster, the Italian Committee for Relief of the Victims in Messina raised funds to cast a gold commemorative medal, and the sculptor Pietro Cuferele created a very expressive sculptural composition depicting Russian sailors rescuing the inhabitants of Messina from the ruins of the earthquake victims.

It was decided to award a gold medal, and large silver medals to the crews of Russian ships who distinguished themselves in rescuing the inhabitants of the stricken city.

On March 1 (14), 1910, the cruiser Aurora entered Messina harbor to the sounds of an orchestra. Russian and Italian flags were flying everywhere. The embankment was filled with jubilant people. Representatives of the city authorities arrived on board the ship. They presented the commander with a commemorative gold medal, a panel depicting Russian sailors saving the inhabitants of long-suffering Messina, and a thank-you address. There were lines in it.

Everyone knows perfectly well that Messina – great place to relax, which is famous not only throughout Italy as a wonderful resort, but throughout the world. An ancient history dating back to the eighth century BC and an excellent geographical location make this city a good destination for all lovers of a European holiday. Beautiful sea bays, shopping areas, huge citrus orchards - all this is about Messina. But today the story will be about one of the most terrible pages in the history of Messina and Sicily: the earthquake in Sicily in 1908.

The ancient Greeks believed that It is in this area that terrible monsters from myths live. But most of all they were frightened by earthquakes, which every now and then shook the entire “Italian boot”.

1908 Messina earthquake

However worst earthquake ever in Messina, and in throughout Europe, By the way, it happened not in ancient times, but relatively recently - December 28, 1908. This happened early in the morning, when almost all the residents of the city were sleeping peacefully in their beds. The first shock alone gave rise to the most enormous and terrifying earthquake in Europe. Shifts began on land and under water, quickly spreading to the sides. A few hours later, Messina and almost all the nearby fishing villages no longer looked like human habitations, but looked like continuous gloomy ruins.

But this was far from the end. After some time, the waters of the sea moved fifty meters from the shore, and after the entire coast from Catania to Messina experienced enormous six-meter wave, which broke deep into the island. Calabria suffered even more. Near Reggio The shocks were also greater than anywhere else in Sicily, but it was Messina that lost most of its residents and tourists who loved the city as a holiday destination. Communication with all other settlements in Italy was completely interrupted, which is why help was not sent for a long time, simply not knowing about the terrible incident on the island.

Russian rescue expedition to Messina: Preparations

Surprisingly, they are the first to respond to a call for help sailors from Russia responded. Within a day, sailors of the Russian Navy landed ashore with a whole staff of doctors capable of providing first aid to the victims. Six hundred sailors quickly restored order among the ruins remaining from cities and villages. A few hours later they moored to the shore and English sailors, who took control of cities and villages where Russian sailors did not have enough people and time to establish order.

Russian sailors were nearby for a reason. After being the Russo-Japanese War ended, in general, extremely unsuccessful for the Russian Empire, the navy was in one of its worst conditions in history. To train new command staff, in 1906 the command formed an entire squadron for a long trip abroad. Two battleships and two cruisers were under the command Litvinova V.I.. The main goal is to exchange experience with allies and train personnel according to a new model. The main rule is to represent your state abroad with honor and learn as much positive experience as possible from your colleagues from other countries.

In 1908, the entire squadron through Finnish The gulf, skirting Europe, headed into the waters of the Mediterranean Sea, as indicated in the original plan for the exercises. Just a few kilometers from the coast Spain Several training maneuvers were carried out, which were aimed at training the best new officers for the Russian Navy. After this, the ships' route lay in Italy– place of arrival Port of Augusta, which is located on eastern Sicily, just 150 kilometers from Messina. The ships arrived in Augusta as usual on December 15, 1908 and continued their exercises on site.

The morning of December 28 became a time of terrible tragedy. Messina shuddered from terrible tremors that displaced entire layers of earth and destroying 95% all buildings in the region. Three shocks were enough to turn everything on the coast of Sicily and Calabria into smoking ruins.

Early in the morning, the sailors of the Russian naval forces woke up from a very strong and loud hum, which was followed by several strikes on the hulls of ships moored in the port of Augusta. Behind it a high wave followed, which overwhelmed the bay. She was so strong that everything ships near the shore turned around its axis. Another ten minutes passed and the situation calmed down. The only reminder of the tremors was the ripples in the sea water.

TO evening Rumors began to reach the command of the Russian squadron about the scale of what had happened. Already in the evening I turned to Litvinov A. Makeev, who served as ambassador of the Russian Empire in Italy. He asked the sailors to help victims of the earthquake near Messina. Having sent a letter to St. Petersburg, Litvinov immediately organized a rescue expedition, which included all the personnel under his command.

While the ships were at sea on their way to the coast of Messina, instructions were given on board to provide quick first aid to people who had suffered from a powerful earthquake. Special rescue groups were formed, each consisting of several sailors, a doctor and other specialists. A competent distribution of tools and food that might be needed during the rescue of the victims was organized. Honey was also promptly prepared. parts of battleships and cruisers for receiving people on board. Took full leadership of the medical staff of the expedition Dr. Bunge– a well-known specialist who has worked for many years in Arctic.

Messina earthquake: Help for victims

Upon arrival in Messina, it opened before the Russian sailors. terrible picture. Almost everything buildings were in ruins, nothing remains of the city's large commercial port. Residents who managed to stay alive, unconscious from grief, asked them to help. Thousands of rubble were not silent - people were crying And shouted among the rubble of destroyed buildings. Fires of varying sizes were visible throughout the city.

The first thing was to organize clearing debris, under which there were people. The hardest thing was on the first day when the tremors were still going on occasionally. New collapses could have caused the death of those who provided assistance.

On the shore quickly deployed several large medical stations where you could get first aid. There bandaged sick and even did operations, practically in the field. As time will tell, these points have saved thousands of lives. Without the help of Russian sailors and doctors, many residents of Messina would have died. Also, great support provided English sailors, arriving at the epicenter of the Messina earthquake just a few hours later.

Job to rescue earthquake victims in Sicily lasted twenty-four hours a day. From under the rubble only in the first two days it was possible extract almost two thousand injured. Russian ships transported children, old people, women and seriously wounded patients in whole groups to the nearest surviving settlements, where they could receive qualified medical care, accommodation and food. On the way back, the ships were loaded with provisions, water and medicines, which were almost immediately distributed to those in need.

Aftermath of the Messina earthquake in Sicily

To this day, the exact number of deaths during the 1908 Messina earthquake is unknown. According to some sources said goodbye to life almost 45% of the region's total population. This is about one hundred thousand people who were simply not prepared for such a powerful strike of the elements and did not suspect anything the day before the incident.

When the rescue operation was over, Italian doctors sent command of the Russian Navy a letter of gratitude, for your work and care, for helping everyone who suffered from the terrible earthquake.

The Italian government awarded Russian doctors who worked in Messina with orders and personal gratitude. They also did not forget about the commanding staff of the Russian squadron, who managed to properly coordinate the actions of the ships’ personnel and provide timely assistance to the residents of the region. In memory of what we did sailors from Russia, they were all nominated for silver medals. Participated in the rescue operation six thousand sailors And three hundred doctors.

After finishing their mission, Russian sailors continued your expedition, having gone to the shores Alexandria.

City authorities of Messina Also have not forgotten the feat Russian sailors. Two years after the earthquake, residents raised money for large medal made of pure gold, which was awarded to the entire Russian fleet. Also in town there is a sculpture, depicting the rescuers of the residents of Messina, who in 1908 came to the rescue in difficult times. The awards were handed over personally commander of the Aurora— the ship specially arrived at the port of Messina in 1910.

Memory about helping sailors kept by the Messinians to this day. Many streets cities named V honor of Russian sailors and doctors, who especially distinguished themselves during the rescue operation. One of memorial plaques on the Messina City Council building is also installed in honor of the entire squadron, who came to the rescue during the 1908 earthquake.

Among local residents still It is customary to call Russian sailors “Blue Angels.” In the memory of the descendants of people who survived the terrible tragedy of the beginning of the century, the Russian fleet really remained exactly like that - they came from the sea, suddenly, in a bright blue uniform, and saved thousands of lives. Years go by, but the memory of this feat will remain for many centuries...

Earthquakes in Sicily today

Sicily is an earthquake-prone region. There are earthquakes here from time to time, but usually they are very weak. The last one occurred in February 2016 with an amplitude of 4 points on the Richter scale. There have been no casualties or destruction in Sicily since 1908.