Battle of Odessa (1914)

For the battle at Odessa in 1941, see Siege of Odessa (1941).

The Battle of Odessa was an Ottoman naval attack against the Russian-held port of Odessa, Ukraine in October 1914. At the time of battle the Ottoman Navy had just launched a major raid into the Black Sea to destroy the Russian Black Sea Fleet and to attack targets on land. In response to the raid Russia declared war on the Ottomans on November 1, 1914.

Battle

File:Firle-Ali Riza-Ahmed Saffed.jpg

Rudolph Firle (second commander of destroyer Muavenet-ı Milliye), Ali Riza (commander of torpedo boat Sultanhisar), and Ayasofyali Ahmet (commander of Muavenet-i Milliye)

The overall raid was led by former German Mediterranean Squadron commander Admiral Wilhelm Souchon, appointed to lead the Ottoman Navy in August 1914. With a force of one battlecruiser, two cruisers, four destroyers and two minelayers, he entered the Black Sea on October 27 to attack Russian naval bases before engaging the main Russian fleet if presented a favorable opportunity. He performed several attacks on various locations. Souchon sent the German-built destroyers Gayret-i Vataniye and Muavenet-i Milliye under the command of Ayasofyali Ahmet to attack Odessa. The two vessels entered the port area at around 3:00 am on October 29 where they encountered three Russian warships and four merchant ships. Russian forces included the two gunboats Kubanets, Donets and the minelayer Beshtau.

The Black Sea and major port cities.

The following engagement was the first action of the raid. Gayret-i Vataniye and Muavenet-i Milliye attacked the Donets first with their guns and when close enough the Gayret-i Vataniye let loose a couple of torpedoes. One struck the 1,200-ton Donets and she quickly sank (but was raised later in the war). Kubanets was engaged next and she fled after being struck several times by Ottoman gunfire along with the four Russian commercial steamers. The last Russian warship involved was the minesweeper, which was attacked by gunfire and sank after burning for a while. Following the naval skirmish the two destroyers began bombarding the city. For an hour the two Ottoman vessels fired, causing heavy damage without resistance. They then left Odessa before 5:00 am, and regrouped with one of the minelayers which laid mines off Ochakiv, sailing back to Istanbul.

Aftermath

Russian casualties are unknown but were heavy while the Ottomans suffered minimal if any damage. The Russians reported the attack to the garrison of Sevastopol who immediately prepared for an attack there. Coastal batteries were manned and a small squadron of one minelayer and a few gunboats was deployed. At about 5:00 am on October 29, Admiral Souchon reached Savastopol for a bombardment. The Russian shore batteries were capable of defending the city and repulsed the Ottoman attack, so Souchon chose to flee. When he reentered Ottoman waters he met and engaged the Russian squadron and forced them to retreat after heavily damaging the lead ship. The ports of Feodosiya and Novorossiysk were also attacked as part of the raid and mines were laid in the Kerch Strait.

Order of Battle

Ottoman Navy:

• Gayret-i Vataniye, destroyer, flagship
• Muavenet-i Milliye, destroyer

Russian Navy:

• Beshtau, minelayer, flagship
• Kubanets, gunboat
• Donets, gunboat

See also

• Mediterranean naval engagements during World War I
• Naval warfare of World War I

References

• .