Black Sea Raid

Black Sea Raid
Part of World War I
Novorossiysk harbour under fire from the cruiser Midilli
Date October 29, 1914 Location Black Sea Result Ottoman operational success Russian Empire declares war on the Ottoman Empire Entrance of the Ottoman Empire into World War I
Belligerents
Ottoman Empire	Russian Empire
Commanders and leaders
Wilhelm Souchon	Unknown
Strength
1 battlecruiser 1 light cruiser 1 protected cruiser 1 torpedo cruiser 4 destroyers 1 gunboat	Shore defences Unknown naval strength
Casualties and losses
1 battlecruiser damaged	1 minelayer scuttled 1 gunboat sunk 1 destroyer damaged 6+ merchant vessels sunk 12+ merchant vessels damaged
The merchantmen casualties include 1 British ship sunk and 1 French ship damaged.

The Black Sea Raid was an Ottoman naval sortie against Russian ports in the Black Sea at on 29 October, 1914. Conceived by Ottoman War Minister Enver Pasha and the German foreign ministry, the attack was the incident that finally brought the Ottoman Empire into World War I.

Background

Ever since the ratification of the Ottoman–German alliance, Germany and certain Ottoman officials had been hoping to bring the Empire into the war. This came even closer to fruition as the German battlecruiser SMS Goeben and the light cruiser SMS Breslau took shelter in Constantinople, enraging the Russians. From here on out the Ottomans began planning a strategy to provoke the Entente.

On 22 October 1914 Ottoman War Minister Enver Pasha presented a series of plans to the German ambassador on how to bring the country into the war. The Germans approved of an attack on Russian naval forces. Enver Pasha passed down attack orders to Wilhelm Souchon, captain of the Goeben, who, along with his ship, had been transferred to the Ottoman Navy.

Raid

On 27 October, the Ottoman fleet put to sea. The battlecruiser, now known as Yavuz Sultan Selim, was to sail with two destroyers and a gunboat to attack Sevastopol. The light cruiser Breslau, now known as Midilli, protected cruiser Hamidieh, and the torpedo cruiser Berk-i Satvet were to attack Novorossiysk and Feodosia. Three destroyers were detailed for Odessa. On the way, one of these destroyers experienced engine trouble and was forced to turn back.

Odessa

Main article: Battle of Odessa (1914)

Shortly after 03:00 on 29 October, the destroyers Muavenet and Gairet entered the harbour of Odessa. From a distance of less than 70 yards, a torpedo was launched into the Russian gunboat Donetz. The two destroyers proceeded to damage shore installations and a sugar factory. Three Russian and one French steamer were also damaged.

The Russians managed to radio a warning to the forces in Sevastopol. By the time the Yavuz arrived, the coastal artillery would be manned.

Sevastopol

Just before 06:30, Yavuz sighted Sevastopol. She bombarded the port for 15 minutes. Three heavy caliber shells from Russian shore batteries damaged the Yavuz before she withdrew. The loaded Russian minelayer Prut happened upon the attack and scuttled herself to avoid being detonated. Three Russian destroyers attempted to pursue, but their attack dissolved after the lead ship was struck by the battlecruiser's secondary armament.

Feodosia

At around the same time Hamidieh arrived off of Feodosia. Seeing no signs of armed opposition, a German and a Turkish officer went ashore to warn the civilian population before proceeding to bombard the port.

Novorossiysk

Shortly before 10:50, Berk-i Satvet sent a shore party to warn Novorossiysk, before opening up with artillery. She was soon thereafter joined by the Midilli, which had been busy laying mines in the Kerch Strait. The subsequent bombardment caused extensive damage to oil installations and the merchant ships in the harbour.

Aftermath

The Russians declared war on the Ottoman Empire on 1 November, 1914.