Battle of Tsushima - Time Line

Time Line

27 May 1905 (JST)

• 04:45 The Shinano Maru (Japan) locates the Russian Baltic Fleet and sends a wireless signal.
• 05:05 The Japanese Combined Fleet leaves port and sends a wireless signal to Imperial Headquarters: "Today's weather is fine but waves are high. (Japanese: 本日天気晴朗なれども波高し)".
• 13:39 The Japanese Combined Fleet gains visual contact with the Russian Baltic Fleet, and sends up the battle flag.
• 13:55 Distance (Range): 12,000 meters. The Mikasa sends up Z flag. (Z flag's meaning: The Empire's fate depends on the result of this battle, let every man do his utmost duty.).
• 14:05 Distance (Range): 8,000 meters. The Japanese Combined Fleet turns to helm aport (i.e. start U-turn).
• 14:07 Distance (Range): 7,000 meters. The Mikasa completes its turn. The Russian Baltic Fleet opens fire with their main batteries.
• 14:10 Distance (Range): 6,400 meters. All Japanese warships complete their turns.
• 14:12 Distance (Range): 5,500 meters. The Mikasa receives her first hit from the Russian guns.
• 14:16 Distance (Range): 4,600 meters. The Japanese Combined Fleet begins concentrating their return fire on the Russian flagship, the Knyaz Suvorov
• 14:43 The Oslyabya and Knyaz Suvorov are set ablaze and fall away from the battle line.
• 14:50 The Emperor Alexander III starts turning to the north and attempts to leave the battle line.
• 15:10 The Oslyabya sinks, and the Knyaz Suvorov attempts to withdraw.
• 18:00 The two fleets counterattack each other (distance (range): 6,300 m), and begin exchanging main battery fire again.
• 19:03 The Emperor Alexander III sinks.
• 19:20 The Knyaz Suvorov, Borodino, and Sisoy Veliki are sunk.

28 May 1905 (JST)

• 09:30 The Japanese Combined Fleet locates the Russian Baltic Fleet again.
• 10:34 The Russian commander signals "XGE", which is "I surrender" in the International Code of Signals used at the time.
• 10:53 Admiral Tōgō accepts the surrender.