Raid on Kronstadt facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Raid on Kronstadt
Part of British campaign in the Baltic (1918–1919)
Aerial photograph of Kronstadt harbour taken on 26 July 1919. The positions of Soviet vessels did not change significantly before the raid. The depot ship Pamiat Azova is berthed at the end of the central pier (right of the middle 'x'), the battleships Petropavlovsk and Andrei Pervozvanny are moored at the end of the pier on the right. A guardship lies just outside the harbour.
Date 18 August 1919 Location Kronstadt, Russia Result British victory
Belligerents
United Kingdom	Russian SFSR
Commanders and leaders
Claude Congreve Dobson Grahame Donald	-
Strength
8 coastal motor boats 12 aircraft	-
Casualties and losses
3 coastal motor boats sunk 7-10 killed 9 captured	1 battleship damaged 1 submarine depot ship sunk

The Raid on Kronstadt was a daring attack by the Royal Navy (Britain's navy) and Royal Air Force (Britain's air force) on the Bolshevik Baltic Fleet. This happened on August 18, 1919, at their main base in Kronstadt, Russia. It was also called Operation RK or the Scooter Raid.

After World War I, the Allies (countries like Britain) got involved in the Russian Civil War. They sent naval ships to the Baltic Sea. Their goal was to help Estonia and Latvia stay independent. These new countries were being threatened by the Bolsheviks (the communist group that took over Russia).

A few months before, on June 17, 1919, a single British motor torpedo boat had already attacked outside the harbor. Lieutenant Augustus Agar in his boat, CMB-4, sank the Bolshevik cruiser Oleg. This success showed what small, fast boats could do.

The main raid on August 18, 1919, involved seven larger CMBs. They were led by Commander Claude Congreve Dobson. Lieutenant Agar helped guide them in his CMB-4. One boat broke down, but the other six got through the defenses. They hit the submarine depot ship Pamiat Azova, which sank. They also damaged the battleship Andrei Pervozvanny. At the same time, British aircraft attacked from the air. They damaged a destroyer.

However, the British also faced heavy fire. Three of their CMBs were sunk. This happened either from Bolshevik gunfire or from crashing into each other. About seven to ten British sailors were killed, and nine were captured. Despite the losses, the raid was seen as a big success for the British. The Bolshevik Baltic Fleet mostly stayed in their harbor for the rest of the campaign. Many of the 55 British sailors who took part received bravery medals.

Why the Raid Happened

Helping New Countries

Two CMBs, a two-torpedo version (foreground) and single-torpedo version (rear)

After World War I ended in November 1918, Britain sent ships to the Baltic Sea. This was part of the Allies helping in the Russian Civil War. The British wanted to show their strength against the Bolsheviks. They also wanted to support Estonia and Latvia. These countries had just become independent, but the Bolsheviks were threatening them.

British ships delivered supplies to the Estonians. They also fired at Bolshevik positions. They even helped evacuate the Latvian government when Bolshevik troops advanced. The British ships also fought the Bolshevik Baltic Fleet. They captured two destroyers before the fleet went into its winter base at Kronstadt.

Small Boats, Big Impact

In June 1919, the British received two special boats. These were 40-foot coastal motor boats (CMBs). They were very small, fast, and lightly armed. Each CMB could go 25 knots (about 29 miles per hour). They carried a machine gun and one torpedo. Lieutenant Augustus Agar was in charge of these boats. His first job was to carry messages and agents into Bolshevik territory.

The British commander, Rear Admiral Walter Cowan, soon realized how useful these CMBs could be. They were small enough to pass through Bolshevik minefields without setting them off.

Agar's Daring Attack

On June 13, 1919, the Bolshevik soldiers at Krasnaya Gorka fort rebelled. This fort guarded the sea approach to Kronstadt. The Bolshevik battleships Petropavlovsk and Andrei Pervozvanny started firing at the fort. Admiral Cowan saw a chance to attack these big ships.

On the night of June 16/17, Agar's CMB-4 attacked alone. Agar managed to get past the Bolshevik destroyers. His boat had a mechanical problem, but he fixed it while in full view of the enemy ships. The battleships had returned to Kronstadt. But Agar found the cruiser Oleg and hit it with a torpedo. The Oleg sank! Agar returned safely to base. He won the Victoria Cross, Britain's highest bravery medal. The Bolsheviks even put a £5,000 reward on his head!

More Boats and Planes Arrive

An aircraft returning to Vindictive, ditched in the sea

In July, Admiral Cowan got more help. The aircraft carrier Vindictive arrived with 12 aircraft. These planes were led by Major Grahame Donald of the Royal Air Force. They built an air base nearby, but the planes could also fly from the carrier. Donald tried two air raids on Kronstadt, but they didn't cause much damage.

Later that day, more ships arrived. They brought seven larger, 55-foot CMBs from Britain. These new boats were faster (35-40 knots) and could carry two torpedoes. Commander Claude Congreve Dobson was in charge of them. Admiral Cowan had asked for these boats after Agar's successful raid. The Bolshevik fleet mostly stayed in their harbor. So, Cowan decided to use his new forces to attack them there.

The Attack on Kronstadt

Getting Ready

Plans of a 55ft CMB

The plan for the raid, called Operation RK, was made on board the Vindictive. It was supposed to happen on August 15/16, but bad weather delayed it.

The raid began at 1:00 AM on August 18. Commander Dobson led seven CMBs from their base. Agar, in CMB-4, guided them through the minefields around Kotlin Island. As the boats approached, Major Donald's 12 aircraft launched an air raid on Kronstadt. This was meant to distract the Bolsheviks.

One boat, CMB-86, had engine trouble and couldn't continue. The attack was carried out by two groups of three boats. The first group included CMB-31 (Dobson's boat), CMB-79, and CMB-88. The second group had CMB-24, CMB-62, and CMB-72. Most of these boats carried two torpedoes. Each boat had a crew of three and a Finnish smuggler to guide them. The night was dark, and the sea was calm.

First Group Attacks

Just after 1:00 AM, Dobson led the first group into the harbor. They sped past the guardship, the destroyer Gavriil. The submarine depot ship Pamiat Azova was right opposite the entrance. CMB-79 hit her with a torpedo, and she sank. This alerted the Bolsheviks, who started firing heavily at CMB-31 and CMB-88.

The defenders had some problems. Many of their big guns from the forts had been moved to help the army. Also, many of the remaining guns couldn't aim low enough to hit the small CMBs. CMB-31 and CMB-88 moved towards the battleships. CMB-31 fired two torpedoes at the Andrei Pervozvanny. One hit her bow, causing a lot of flooding.

CMB-88 was caught in a Bolshevik searchlight. This made it an easy target. British aircraft attacked the searchlight, destroying it. But CMB-88 had already been hit, and its commander, Dayrell-Reed, was killed. His second-in-command, Lieutenant Gordon Charles Steele, bravely took control. Steele fired two torpedoes at the battleship Petropavlovsk, but they missed and hit the harbor wall instead.

Second Group's Fight

As the first group left, the second group arrived. CMB-72 was hit as it entered the harbor. Its torpedo system broke, so it turned around to leave. CMB-62 crashed into CMB-79, causing CMB-79 to sink. CMB-62 slowed down to rescue the survivors.

CMB-24 fired a torpedo but was then destroyed by enemy fire. Its torpedo missed its target, the Gavriil. Lieutenant Napier on CMB-62 saw this and fired his two torpedoes at Gavriil, but they also missed. CMB-62 was hit by fire from Gavriil and sank just outside the harbor. Its crew were rescued by the Bolsheviks and taken prisoner.

The first group's attack had caused enough confusion for CMB-31 and CMB-88 to escape to the open sea. Agar in CMB-4 covered them. He fired his torpedo into the harbor entrance to stop any pursuit. The whole action was over by 2:00 AM. On the way back to base, they found the broken-down CMB-86 and towed it safely back.

What Happened Next

Wreckage of the Pamiat Azova

The raid resulted in three British CMBs being sunk and two damaged. Only CMB-31 was unharmed. Between seven and ten British sailors were killed. Nine were captured. Many of the 55 British participants received medals for their bravery. This included two Victoria Crosses (to Steele and Dobson).

For the Bolsheviks, the Pamiat Azova was sunk and never used again. The Andrei Pervozvanny was badly damaged and couldn't fight for the rest of the campaign. A destroyer was also damaged by the British aircraft.

The raid became known as the "Scooter Raid" by the British. Even though the damage wasn't huge, it really affected the Bolshevik navy's morale. Their Baltic Fleet, except for its submarines, hardly left the harbor after that. This effectively ended any threat they posed to the Allied forces. Admiral Cowan said, "after this, nothing bigger than a destroyer moved again." The submarines also lost much of their spare parts and torpedoes when the Pamiat Azova sank.

However, the raid also made the Bolshevik sailors more determined. It united them against a foreign enemy.

End of the Campaign

After the raid, Admiral Cowan continued to block Kronstadt. He also laid mines near its approaches. Agar kept running agents into the area. On August 31, a British destroyer, Vittoria, was sunk by a Bolshevik submarine. This was the last major fight between Bolshevik and Allied ships in the Baltic. However, ships on both sides continued to be lost to mines.

By November, the Bolsheviks were tired of fighting, and peace talks began. These talks led to agreements where Russia recognized the independence of Estonia, Lithuania, and Latvia in 1920.