On January 3rd, 1943, a ship by the name of Ballot carrying Lend Lease cargo ran aground and was abandoned. Measures to recover the cargo from the ship were taken immediately, but due to the difficulty involved the process dragged on for several months.
"Third appendix to act #409
We the undersigned, representative of the Engineering Directorate of the NKVT Engineer-Major Maslyukov from one side and Engineer-Lieutenant-Colonel Davydov, Senior Assistant of the Chief of Military Acceptance of the GABTU from the other side, compose the current act to indicate that the former delivered and the latter accepted the following equipment.
Item # 1
#LL-112
American tanks M3 M-3 medium ##3034, 4079, 4018, 4055
Listed in documents: 25
Delivered in practice: 4
Mass: 104 tons
Note: the tanks were taken from the disabled steamship "Ballot", on which they remained for a very long time, subject to salt water and storms. Tanks ##4018, 4034, 4055, and 4079 have no turrets, clocks, one Browning is missing (documents say that each tank should have 4 Brownings, but each one only has 3).
All parts that are not painted are covered in corrosion. Instruments on the driver's panel, the main generator relay, and the secondary generator relay are corroded and cannot be used. The batteries, electrical wiring, electric motors, starter, and fuel pumps are severely corroded and ruined. There are no sights on any of the tanks. The suitability of other components of the tanks will be judged after they are disassembled.
Delivered: representative of the Engineering Directorate of the NKVT Engineer-Major Maslyukov
Accepted: Senior Assistant of the Chief of Military Acceptance of the GABTU Engineer-Lieutenant-Colonel Davydov"
Despite all the damage, the tanks were eventually repaired and even used in battle. There is even a photograph of one of them. Seems like a spare turret was found after all.
