{{Short description|1915 naval battle between Germany and Russia during WW1}} {{Use dmy dates|date=February 2017}} {{Infobox military conflict |conflict= Battle of Gotland |partof=World War I |date= {{OldStyleDate|2 July|1915|19 June}} | image= Albatross beached.jpg | image_size = 300 |caption= SMS ''Albatross'' after running aground during the battle. |place=off Gotland, Sweden |result= Anglo-Russian victory |combatant1= {{tree list}} * {{flag|German Empire}} ** {{flagdeco|German Empire|naval}} Imperial Navy {{tree list/end}} |combatant2= {{tree list}} *{{flagicon image|Flag_of_Russia_(1914-1917).svg}} Russian Empire **{{flagdeco|Russian Empire|naval}} Imperial Navy {{tree list/end}} {{flagcountry|United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland}} |commander1= {{flagicon|German Empire|naval}} Johannes von Karpf |commander2= {{flagicon|Russian Empire|naval}} Mikhail Bakhirev |strength1= 3 armored cruisers<br/>1 cruiser<br/>2 light cruisers<br/>7 torpedo boats |strength2= 3 armored cruisers<br/>2 light cruisers<br/>1 destroyer<br/>1 submarine |casualties1= 2 armored cruisers damaged<br/>1 cruiser grounded<br/> 27 dead and 49 wounded |casualties2= Minor damages }} {{Campaignbox Baltic Sea 1914-1918}}
The '''Battle of Gotland''', which occurred in July 1915, was a naval battle of World War I between the German Empire and the Russian Empire, assisted by a submarine of the British Baltic Flotilla. It took place in the Baltic Sea off the shores of Gotland, Sweden, a country neutral in World War I.
==The battle== [[File:Memorial SMS-Albatross.jpg|thumb|A memorial plaque at Östergarn Church dedicated to the fallen of ''Albatross'']]
On {{OldStyleDate|1 July|1915|18 June}},<ref group=Note>Russia was still using the Julian calendar in 1915</ref> a squadron consisting of the armoured cruisers {{ship|Russian cruiser|Admiral Makarov|1906|2}}, {{Ship|Russian cruiser|Bayan|1907|2}}, {{Ship|Russian cruiser|Oleg||2}}, {{Ship|Russian cruiser|Bogatyr||2}}, {{ship|Russian cruiser|Rurik|1906|2}} and {{ship|Russian destroyer|Novik|1911|2}}, under Rear Admiral Mikhail Bakhirev in ''Oleg'' left their harbours in order to bombard Klaipėda (Memel). While sailing through thick fog ''Rurik'' and ''Novik'' separated from the main group and later acted independently.<ref name=ALG0>{{cite web|url=http://1914ww.ru/sobyt/1900sob/1915gotland.php|title=Gotland Raid|access-date=25 August 2014|archive-date=26 August 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140826161532/http://1914ww.ru/sobyt/1900sob/1915gotland.php|url-status=live}}</ref>
On the same day the German mine-laying cruiser {{SMS|Albatross|1907|6}}, screened by the armoured cruiser {{SMS|Roon||6}}, the light cruisers {{SMS|Augsburg||6}} and {{SMS|Lübeck||2}}, and seven destroyers, under Kommodore Johannes von Karpf, were laying mines off the Åland Islands. After completing his mission, Karpf reported back through the radio. Karpf's message was intercepted and decoded. When Bakhirev became aware of the German squadron's whereabouts, the bombardment of Klaipėda was canceled. The squadron then focused on intercepting the German minelayers with the constant assistance of the naval staff.<ref name="ALG0"/>
In the early morning of {{OldStyleDate|2 July|1915|19 June}}, the Russian squadron spotted and immediately opened fire on ''Augsburg'', ''Albatross'' and three torpedo boats. Karpf commanded ''Roon'' and ''Lübeck'', which at the time were heading towards Liepāja (Libau), to return to Gotland. At the same time he ordered ''Albatross'' to find shelter in Swedish territorial waters. ''Bogatyr'' and ''Oleg'' managed to catch up with ''Albatross'' and opened fire. The flaming ''Albatross'' ran aground near Östergarn. ''Bayan'', ''Oleg'' and ''Rurik'' then attempted to return to their base. A couple of hours later they encountered ''Roon'' and ''Lübeck''. A short artillery duel followed. A shortage of shells forced the Russian cruisers to retreat. Fearing a possible arrival of enemy reinforcements the damaged German ships also retreated.<ref name="ALG0"/>
As the German armoured cruisers {{SMS|Prinz Adalbert|1901|6}} and {{SMS|Prinz Heinrich||2}} sailed to reinforce the German squadron, ''Prinz Adalbert'' was torpedoed by the British submarine {{HMS|E9||6}} and limped to shore.<ref name=AUK0>{{cite web|url=http://wwi.rhga.ru/sobi/1915/index.php?SECTION_ID=349|title=Russian Newspapers|access-date=25 August 2014|archive-date=13 August 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180813003222/http://www.wwi.rhga.ru/sobi/1915/index.php?SECTION_ID=349|url-status=live}}</ref>
==Legacy== The battle is regarded as the first instance of Russian signals intelligence.<ref name=APD0>{{cite web|url=http://xn----7sbbfcoy5atdmf5qh.xn--p1ai/article/item/70|title=War on Sea|access-date=25 August 2014|language=russian|archive-date=22 October 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181022203906/http://xn----7sbbfcoy5atdmf5qh.xn--p1ai/article/item/70|url-status=live}}</ref>
==Notes== {{reflist|group=Note}}
== References == {{Reflist}}
==External links== {{Commons category-inline|Battle of Gotland (1915)}} *[http://flot.com/history/hrn11-e.htm The History of the Russian Navy: The Great War]{{dead link|date=October 2016 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} *[http://rusnavy.com/history/ Russian Navy on the eve of and during World War I and the Civil War]
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Aland Islands, Battle of}} Action of 19 June 1915 Action of 19 June 1915 Category:Naval battles of World War I involving Russia Category:Naval battles of World War I involving Germany Category:Naval battles of World War I involving the United Kingdom Category:Gotland Category:July 1915 in Europe