Battle of the Otranto Straits Austro-Hungarian Navy

sms novara after battle of otranto straits.



monument heroes of otranto battle on prevlaka in today croatia

throughout 1917 adriatic remained key u-boat war on shipping in mediterranean. cattaro, 140 miles above narrow straits of otranto, main u-boat base entire threat mediterranean shipping came.

the otranto barrage, constructed allies 120 naval drifters, used deploy , patrol submarine nets, , 30 motor launches, equipped depth charges, designed stop passage of u-boats cattaro. however, failed so, , inception in 1916, barrage had caught 2 u-boats, austrian u-6 , german ub-44 out of hundreds of possible passages.

however, barrage meant austro-hungarian surface fleet not leave adriatic sea unless willing give battle blocking forces. this, , war drew on bringing supply difficulties coal, plus fear of mines, limited austro-hungarian navy shelling italian , serbian coastlines.

there had been 4 small-scale austro-hungarian attacks on barrage, on 11 march, 21 , 25 april , 5 may 1917, none of them amounted anything. greater preparations made, 2 u-boats despatched lay mines off brindisi third patrolling exits in case anglo-italian forces drawn out during attack. whole operation timed night of 14/15 may, led biggest battle of austro-hungarian navy in world war i, battle of otranto straits.

the first austro-hungarian warships strike 2 destroyers, sms csepel , sms balaton. italian convoy of 3 ships, escorted destroyer borea, approaching valona, when, out of darkness, austrians fell upon them. borea left sinking. of 3 merchant ships, 1 loaded ammunition hit , blown up, second set on fire, , third hit. 2 austrian destroyers steamed off northward.

meanwhile, 3 austro-hungarian cruisers under overall command of captain miklós horthy, sms novara, sms saida, , sms helgoland, had passed patrol of 4 french destroyers north of barrage, , thought friendly ships passed unchallenged. sailed through barrage before turning attack it. each austrian cruiser took one-third of line , began , systematically destroy barrage 10-centimetre (4 in) guns, urging allies on board abandon ships first.

during battle allies lost 2 destroyers, 14 drifters , 1 glider while austro-hungarian navy suffered minor damage (novara s steam supply pipes damaged shell) , few losses. austro-hungarian navy returned bases north in order repair , re-supply, , allies had rebuild blockade.