Battle for the Batic Islands (2009) by Staff Gary

Author:Staff, Gary [Staff, Gary]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: WWI/ Military/History/Russia
Published: 2009-03-15T00:00:00+00:00

One 30.5cm shell wrecked the magazine of Battery No 40. Leitenant Bartinev now quickly decided to destroy the remaining battery and magazines, but both attempts to detonate the explosives failed, probably because the German shells had cut the wires. Therefore he set fire to a warehouse, a construction store and some oil barrels. The lighthouse was also set ablaze. Leitenant Bartinev decided to regroup before taking further action. His group then made off for Mento and were twice attacked by German aeroplanes. As they approached the town, towards 1800hrs in the evening, they could see Graschdanin. It was already beginning to grow dark. Upon arrival he finally met with Captain 1st Rank Knüpfer and others, but Knüpfer was preoccupied with evacuating his family. Leitenant Bartinev settled down for the night for a long-awaited rest.

The Germans observed the detonations and fires and assumed that the Russians were abandoning Sworbe. About 1600hrs Vizeadmiral Souchon reported to Vizeadmiral Schmidt: ‘The enemy has abandoned Zerel and destroyed emplacements with explosives and fire’.

During the evening of 15 October the battleships König Albert and Kaiser were detached to coal in Putzig, whilst the flagship Friedrich der Grosse anchored for the night. The following day she would patrol the coast.

Meanwhile, in the Irben Straits, the minesweepers had scarcely begun work on the route to the east, when at 1340hrs the thunder of heavy cannon was heard to the northwest as the IV Battle Squadron opened fire on Zerel. Vizeadmiral Behncke now decided to await events, for if the Battery 43 was defeated then the less difficult northern route to Arensburg could be taken. The 3rd Minesweeper Half Flotilla and the II and IV Minesweeper Divisions were now recalled and valuable time was lost. Only one hour of good daylight remained, and then the cruisers would be forced to anchor on the intended breakthrough route. This was not advisable and therefore all thoughts of continuing the breakthrough were abandoned for the day. The remaining hour of daylight was utilized to broaden the already-swept channel, gap 4, to 400 metres. The 3rd Minesweeper Half Flotilla received orders to accelerate work on a mine-free channel along the coast in the small vessels channel. This was because the U-Boot UC78 had reported a battleship of the Slava class with two destroyers south of Abro Island, and Kontreadmiral Hopman feared these would attack his minesweepers which were pushing east. As the German minesweepers to the north began to retire they sighted the battleship to the east of Sworbe, firing her heavy artillery.

Earlier in the day, at 1100hrs (noon using Russian time), the battleship Graschdanin and her escorting torpedoboats raised anchor and went out into the Riga Gulf. They were following minesweepers and, as the sweepers turned to return to the Moon Sound, one of them exploded a mine just 400 metres ahead of Graschdanin. The commander of the battleship, Captain 1st Rank Rudenski, ordered a new sweep ahead, and this consumed a further hour, so that it was only at 1330hrs that Graschdanin could resume the advance.

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