Lot 20164 – 1904 Serviceman’s cover from VLADIVOSTOK 15 12 04,

1904 Serviceman’s cover from VLADIVOSTOK 15 12 04, received St Petersburg 5 1 05. Red free-frank cachet on reverse reading below Imperial Eagle: CRUISER FIRST CLASS/”GROMOBOI”/VLADIVOSTOK. The cruiser “Gromoboi”, depicted in a separate postcard , operated from Vladivostok as a marauder, intercepting and sinking enemy transports in the Sea of Japan. She survived the Battle of Ulsan (August 1904) with heavy losses and two months later was put in dock again by running on a rock. Finally she struck a mine while attempting to run the Japanese blockade of Vladivostok (February 1905).