Transport VT No. 546 “Ausma”

Historical Background

A Latvian steamship of British construction, built in 1889.

Ausma was one of the few vessels of the Tallinn Breakthrough that was unable to take on evacuated personnel.

The ship took aboard only 60 tons of military equipment on August 23 in the port of Paldiski, and after moving to the Tallinn roadstead on August 27, was unable to load any other cargo. The vessel traveled as part of Convoy No. 3 and safely passed through the Juminda minefield. On the morning of August 29, Ausma witnessed the sinking of the transport Balkhash on the eastern edge of Juminda; Ausma stopped and took aboard some of the survivors from that ship.

After passing Juminda, Ausma came under German air attack. She managed to evade the first strike, but during the second raid at 1:15 PM — already within direct sight of Gogland Island — three bombs hit the ship. Ausma began sinking rapidly, but the small number of people aboard, who had already been battle-tested, helped: nearly all personnel successfully evacuated and were partly picked up by patrol boats and minesweepers, while some reached Gogland independently by lifeboat.

Condition on the Seabed

Ausma rests at a depth of 61 meters. Divers discovered extensive damage to the superstructure from bomb explosions. The bow broke off, likely from the impact with the seabed during the rapid sinking. No human remains or small arms were found aboard. The holds are tightly sealed. On the bow, a ship’s bell was found with partially legible inscriptions — the date 1889 is visible, the inscription “Belfast,” and the ship’s name is illegible.

Photos — Historical and from the Seabed