SUWO

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This vessel was built as the Russian Pobieta, one of a class of three battleship that were that nation's first to mount quick-firing guns. They featured a high forecastle and secondary guns mounted on two decks, and Pobieta had armor that stretched the entire length of the hull. They were designed with heavy main armament and high speed, but they were unsatisfactory in service.

Completed in 1903, Pobieta joined the Pacific Squadron, and quickly became involved in the Russo-Japanese War. She was damaged first by gunfire off Port Arthor, then by a mine. She took 11 hits at the Battle of the Yellow Sea, and while back at Port Arthor for repairs she was repeatedly hit by Japanese shore batteries. On December 7, 1904, siege guns finally sank the vessel.

Pobieta, along with many other Russian vessels, was captured by the Japanese. Salvaged in October 1905, she was refloated, repaired, and taken into service as the Suwo.

After reconstruction at Yokosuka with Japanese boilers and guns, the vessel was commissioned as a 'first class coast defense vessel' in October, 1908. She served in this role for many years, and received a refit in 1912. When Japan entered WWI, she was assigned to training for cadets and engineers. She became a gunnery training ship in 1917.

In 1922, the vessel was disarmed at Kure. During this process, on July 13, the old vessel capsized. The hull was righted and the turrets, machinery, and main armor removed, but oddly work stopped there. The hulk was towed to Mitsugo Jima, and it remained their throughout WWII. She was used only as a storage hulk, and was not considered to be in service. In 1946 the hulk was towed back to Kure and broken up for scrap.

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