Battle of the Gulf of Riga facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Battle of the Gulf of Riga
Part of World War I
Russian battleship Slava, circa 1915
Date 8–20 August 1915 Location Gulf of Riga, Baltic Sea Result Entente victory
Belligerents
Russia  United Kingdom	Germany
Commanders and leaders
Vasily Kanin	Ehrhard Schmidt
Strength
1 battleship 1 armoured cruiser 16 destroyers 4 gunboats 1 minelayer 6 submarines	4 battleships 3 battlecruisers 1 armoured cruiser 5 light cruisers 56 torpedo boats 14 minesweepers
Casualties and losses
150 killed, wounded and captured 2 gunboats sunk 1 battleship damaged 1 destroyer damaged	65 killed and wounded 1 torpedo boat sunk 2 minesweepers sunk 1 battlecruiser damaged

The Battle of the Gulf of Riga was an important naval battle during World War I. It took place in August 1915 in the Gulf of Riga, which is part of the Baltic Sea. The German navy, called the High Seas Fleet, tried to defeat the Russian navy, known as the Russian Baltic Fleet.

Germany's goal was to clear the Gulf of Riga. This would help their army capture the city of Riga. However, the German fleet did not succeed. Riga stayed under Russian control until 1917.

Why Did the Battle Happen?

In August 1915, Germany sent many powerful warships to the Baltic Sea. They wanted to attack the Riga Gulf. Their main goal was to destroy the Russian ships there. This included the large battleship Slava.

The Germans also planned to use a ship called Deutschland. This ship would lay mines to block the entrance to Moon Sound. Mines are underwater explosives that can sink ships. Vice Admiral Franz von Hipper led the German forces. His fleet included several big battleships and battlecruisers.

What Happened During the Battle?

A map of the battle area in the Gulf of Riga in August 1915.

The first attempt to enter the gulf happened on August 8. German battleships SMS Braunschweig and Elsass kept the Russian battleship Slava busy. Meanwhile, German minesweepers tried to clear a path through Russian minefields. Other German ships stayed in the Baltic Sea to protect the operation.

However, night came too soon. The Germans could not lay their mines in time. So, they stopped the attack for the day.

During this time, some German cruisers attacked Russian positions. They shelled the Sõrve Peninsula. Russian destroyers were anchored there, and one was slightly damaged. Other German ships also shelled the island of Utö.

On August 16, the Germans tried again to enter the gulf. Two large battleships, SMS Nassau and Posen, led the way. They were joined by light cruisers and many torpedo boats. They managed to get past the defenses. But on the first day, a German minesweeper and a destroyer were sunk.

On August 17, Nassau and Posen fought a gun battle with the Russian battleship Slava. Slava was hit three times and had to retreat. After three days, the German ships had cleared the minefields. They entered the gulf on August 19. However, reports of enemy submarines made the Germans leave the gulf the next day.

The Russian destroyer Novik fighting German destroyers V-99 and V-100 in the Gulf of Riga.

Throughout the battle, German battlecruisers stayed in the Baltic Sea. They protected the ships attacking the Gulf of Riga. On August 19, the battlecruiser Moltke was hit by a torpedo. It came from a British submarine, HMS E1. The torpedo hit the front of the ship. Eight sailors were killed, and the ship took on a lot of water. Moltke had to go to Hamburg for repairs.

On August 20, German troops tried to land at Pernau using barges. But small Russian warships stopped them. The Russian gunboat Sivuch was destroyed in a fight. It was attacked by the German light cruiser Augsburg and eight destroyers.

Who Fought in the Battle?

Here are some of the main ships that took part in the Battle of the Gulf of Riga:

Russia

• Battleship: Slava
• Cruiser: Rurik
• Gunboats: Grozyashchiy, Khrabry, Sivuch, Korietz
• Minelayer: Amur
• A group of 16 destroyers

Germany

• Battleships: SMS Nassau, SMS Posen, SMS Braunschweig, SMS Elsass
• Battlecruisers: SMS Moltke, SMS Seydlitz, SMS Von der Tann
• Cruisers: SMS Augsburg, SMS Bremen, SMS Graudenz, SMS Pillau, SMS Roon, SMS Prinz Heinrich
• Minelayer: SMS Albatross
• A group of 56 destroyers