| Summary: | The article reveals the history of the discovery, recovery and restoration of the BK-31 armoured boat of the Volga Military Flotilla, which perished in October 1942 in the height of the Battle of Stalingrad. The role of the Volgograd Oblast Regional Brunch of the Russian Military Historical Society (RMHS) in preserving the memory of sailors of the Volga Military Flotilla is shown. The military operations with the participation of armoured boats of the Flotilla, including BK-31 in particular, are described. The main indicators of its combat missions are given and the circumstances of the loss of the boat and of the attempts to save it are established. Based on a variety of sources, including the memoirs of the participants in the events and archival materials, which are introduced into scientific circulation for the first time, the author conclude that the boats of the Volga Military Flotilla, and the BK-31 armoured boat in particular, significantly contributed to the defeat of the Nazi invaders in the Battle of Stalingrad.
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