Varyag Memorial – Lendalfoot, Scotland - Atlas Obscura
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Varyag Memorial

Lendalfoot, Scotland

A monument to a Russian cruiser near its final resting place off the Ayrshire Coast. 

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Varyag Memorial Cross Humphrey Bolton / CC BY-SA 2.0
Varyag Memorial Cross Humphrey Bolton / CC BY-SA 2.0
The Varyag Memorial katielou106 (Atlas Obscura User)
The back of the Varyag Memorial katielou106 (Atlas Obscura User)
The English language plaque katielou106 (Atlas Obscura User)
The Russian language plaque katielou106 (Atlas Obscura User)
Another Russian plaque katielou106 (Atlas Obscura User)
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On January 27, 1904, the Russian cruiser Varyag and another boat became blockaded by a Japanese squadron of 15 vessels at the Korean port of Chemulpo.  The boats were given the opportunity to surrender to the Japanese, but instead the Russian seamen decided to reject the offer and engage in an uneven battle. 

Both the boats suffered extensive damage, with no possibility of continuing their resistance the Russians scuttled the boats and returned to Russia on foreign vessels.

The Japanese raised the Varyag in 1905 and introduced the ship into their navy under the new name Soya. In 1910, the ship was repurchased by the Russians and was given back its previous name. The Varyag was sent to Britain to be repaired in 1917 but because of the Revolution and Civil War in Russia, the ship was set adrift.

Then in 1920 the ship was sold by Briain for scrap, while being towed on route for dismantling the ship ran aground near Lendalfoot and sank.

Know Before You Go

The memorial to the Varyag and her crew is found in a layby off the A77 near the village of Lendalfoot.

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