Operation Albion

Operation Albion
Operation Albion
Part of World War I
Operation Albion Map.jpg
Operation Albion amphibious operations 10–20 October
Date September–October 1917
Location Baltic Sea
Result German victory
Belligerents
Flag of the German Empire.svg German Empire Flag of Russia.svg Russian Republic
Commanders and leaders
German Empire Ludwig von Estorff
German Empire Ehrhard Schmidt
Russia Mikhail Bakhirev
Strength
23,000 men,
5,000 horses,
1,400 vehicles,
150 machine guns,
54 guns,
12 mortars and munitions
Casualties and losses
Battleship Slava lost

Operation Albion was the German land and naval operation in September-October 1917 to invade and occupy the Estonian islands of Saaremaa (Ösel), Hiiumaa (Dagö) and Muhu (Moon), then part of the Russian Republic. The land campaign opened with landings at Tagalaht Bay, Saaremaa, on 11 October 1917, after extensive naval activity to clear mines and subdue coastal artillery batteries, and the island was secured by 16 October. The Russian Army evacuated Muhu on 18 October.

After two failed attempts, the Germans managed to land on Hiiumaa on the 19th and captured the island on the following day. The Russian Baltic Fleet had to withdraw from Muhu Sound after major losses (see Battle of Moon Sound). The Germans claimed 20,000 prisoners and 100 guns captured during Operation Albion from 12 October.

Contents

Strategic significance

At the beginning of World War I the islands were of little importance to either Imperial Russia or Germany. However after the revolutionary turmoil in Russia during 1917, the German high command believed capturing the islands would outflank Russian defences and lay St Petersburg vulnerable to attack.[1]

Order of battle

German units

  • 42nd Division
  • 2nd Infanterie Cyclist Brigade
  • Special Unit
    • Flagship: Moltke
    • Squadron III
    • Squadron IV. Vizeadmiral Wilhelm Souchon
    • II Aufklarungsgruppe
    • VI Aufklarungsgruppe
    • Flagship: Emden
    • II Flottille (10 boats)
    • VIII Flottille (11 boats)
    • VI Flottille (11 boats)
    • X Flottille (11 boats)
    • 7th Half-Flottille (7 boats)
    • U-Flottille Kurland (6 boats)
    • Sperrbrechergruppe.
    • II Minesweeper Flottille.
    • 3rd Half-Flottille
    • 4th Half-Flottille
    • 8th Half-Flottille
    • 3rd S-Half-Flottille
    • S-Flottille of the Baltic.
    • Netbarrier Unit of the Baltic.
  • Battleship Kaiser

Russian units[2]

References

Notes

Bibliography

External links


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