|
||
JANUARY 1917 Scattered fighting continues over the next three months around Riga, in northern Galicia, and at Bukovina to the north of Rumania. Baltic Sea British submarines reinforcements - Four more smaller 'C' class submarines - 'C-26', 'C-27', 'C-32' and 'C-35' - reach the Baltic to join the four surviving 'E' boats under Cdr Cromie, senior officer since early 1916 when Cdrs Horton and Laurence returned home to Britain. Arriving by sea at Archangel in the north of Russia, the 'C' boats travelled overland to the Gulf of Finland by canal and river. FEBRUARY 1917 Little action on the Russian Front is reported. MARCH 1917 Russia - The 'March Revolution' follows demonstrations, food riots and strikes which paralyse the Russian capital of Petrograd (previously St Petersburg, then Leningrad, and now St Petersburg again). The Duma or parliament refuses to obey the Czar's order of dissolution on the 11th, next day a provisional government is formed, and the revolt spreads to Moscow. On the 15th at his Army headquarters in Pskov, the Czar abdicates and his brother, the Grand Duke Michael refuses the crown. A few days later, the House of Romanov ends with the arrest of the Czar and his family. The revolution then becomes a struggle between the moderate liberals of the Duma and the Workers' and Soldiers' Councils or 'Soviets' set up by the Socialists or Bolshevists. Over the next few months, Alexander Kerensky emerges as the leader of a moderate socialist and provisional government until its downfall eight months later in November 1917. APRIL 1917 Russia - After years in exile, Lenin, the future ruler of Soviet Russia is allowed by the Germans to return home from Switzerland, travelling through Germany in a sealed train. In Petrograd he is joined by Joseph Stalin and from the United States by Leon Trotsky. The Bolsheviks prepare to continue the Russian Revolution. MAY 1917 Russia - While the Bolshevik 'Soviets' press for peace with Germany and Austria, the provisional Russian government remains committed to pursuing the war on the side of the Allies. Alexander Kerensky, now appointed Minister of War, prepares for an offensive in July under the command of Gen Brusilov. Baltic Sea 28th May - Russian submarine 'BARS' (1916, 650t, 4-45cm tt and 4 drop collars, 1-6.3cm). Sailing from the Gulf of Finland in mid-May with other Russian submarines for operations off the Swedish coast, 'Bars' is lost, probably near Norrkopping to the south of Stockholm. The cause may have been mines or German depth charge attack on the 28th. Russian sources suggest she may have been rammed and sunk in error on an earlier date (the 21st) by a Russian destroyer off the Russian island of Dago. JUNE 1917 Baltic Sea c 11th/14th June - Russian submarine 'LVITSA' (or 'Lvica', 1916, 650t, 4-45.7cm tt and 4 drop collars, 1-6.3cm). As British submarines concentrate on reconnaissance patrols off the Baltic coast and in the Gulf of Riga to forestall German moves towards Petrograd, the Russian boats continue the trade war against the now well-protected Swedish ore convoys. 'Lvitsa', sister to 'Bars' lost in late May, goes missing at this time. She may have gone down to German surface craft attack on the 11th, or mines around the 14th to the south of Gotland. JULY 1917 On the 1st, Russian Gen Brusilov launches the Kerensky Offensive into Galicia, but with little chance of success. Workers' and Soldiers' Soviets control many army units and discipline breaks down. However the attack goes ahead with the least affected troops including Poles, Finns and Siberians. The Russian Eleventh, Seventh and Eighth Armies with some 40 understrength divisions push for Lemberg against exhausted Austrian and some German and Turkish forces. Little progress is made against the Germans, but Russian Eighth Army (Gen Kornilov) facing Austrians in the south advances 20 miles. On the 19th, the Central Powers with some German divisions rushed from the Western Front, launch a counter-offensive. Within a matter of days and with thousands of Russians deserting, the Front crumbles. With little serious fighting, the Russian retreat turns into a rout and the Germans and Austrians advance at will. Russia - The offensive is failing by mid-month, and Lenin leads a Bolshevik rising in Petrograd which is soon crushed. On the 22nd, Kerensky is appointed Prime Minister of the Provisional Government. Finland announces its independence from Russia. Baltic Sea 6th July - Russian submarine 'AG-14' (1916, 355/430t, 4-45.7cm tt, 1-4.7cm). For the third month running a Russian submarine goes missing in uncertain circumstances operating against German shipping. The brand new 'AG-14' is presumed lost off the German-occupied port of Libau around this date, probably on mines. AUGUST 1917 As pressure to end the war grows in Russia, the Central Powers attack the Russians as well as the Rumanians in Moldavia at the southern end of the front. Towards the end of the month, the Germans start the Riga Offensive in the north. Baltic Sea 12th August - Russian torpedo boat 'LEITENANT BURAKOV' (or destroyer, 1907, 350t, 2-11pdr, 2-45.7cm tt), in use as a despatch vessel is lost on a mine laid by German 'UC-78' of the Aaland Islands in the northern Baltic. 21st August - Russian destroyer 'STROINI' (also 1907, 350t, 2-11pdr, 2-45.7cm tt). 'Stroini', screening a minelaying operation in the Irben Straits, runs aground in the Gulf of Riga off the southern Osel port of Zerel. Badly damaged in a German seaplane bombing attack, salvage attempts are abandoned. SEPTEMBER 1917 Continuing the Riga Offensive, and partly to force the Russians to the negotiating table, German Eighth Army (Gen Oskar von Hutier) crosses the Dvina River and captures the important seaport of Riga on the 3rd against little resistance. The badly beaten Russians withdraw as the Germans prepare to send in amphibious forces to capture the islands at the entrance to the Gulf of Finland, and thus threaten Petrograd.
Russia - Following an attempted coup by Gen Kornilov, dismissed from his position as Russian C-in-C, Prime Minister Kerensky declares a Russian Republic under his leadership. Baltic Sea 26th September - Russian destroyer 'OKHOTNIK' (1906, 615t, 2-11pdr, 2-45.7cm tt) is sunk off Zerel in the Irben Strait in possibly the first such success of its kind. She blows up on a mine laid by a German aircraft. OCTOBER 1917 Baltic Sea 12th-20th October 1917 - Naval Battle for the Gulf of Riga
Amphibious landings are made by German forces on the Russian-held islands blocking the entrances to the Gulf of Riga, partly to trap units of the Russian Navy. In this they are only partially successful and ships on both sides are lost or damaged. The islands, from north to south are present day Estonian Vormi (Worms), Hiiumaa (Dago), Muhu (Moon) and Saarema (Osel). Osel with heavy shore batteries at the southern point of Zerel prevents the Germans from breaking through in to the Gulf, while Moon Island to the north guards the only other possible exit for the Russians. German naval forces, the greatest concentration of the war in the Baltic included ten dreadnoughts, plus cruisers, destroyers and minesweepers with air support. The Russians include two pre-dreadnoughts, cruisers and three small British 'C'-class submarines, including 'C-27' and 'C-32'. Arriving off Osel Island on the 12th, the German dreadnoughts bombarded the coastal batteries before putting troops ashore for an advance on the town of Arensburg in the east. The only damage at this time is to dreadnoughts 'Grosser Kurfurst' and 'Bayern' from mines. To the north, light forces clash as the Germans attempt to approach Moon Island through the passage separating Dago; and Osel Islands. By the 14th, German land forces have crossed Osel, cutting off Zerel in the south. Both sides now concentrate on the struggle for the more northerly Moon Island area and the Germans bring up heavy warships to support the light naval forces. During the day dreadnought 'Kaiser' hits Russian destroyer 'GROM' (1915, 1,260t, 4-10.2cm, 9-45.7cm tt), which is further damaged in action with German destroyers before sinking. However the Russians still control one of the northern exits from the Gulf of Riga. Meanwhile, German minesweepers start to clear the Irben Straits in the south to allow heavy units to break through to the Gulf, but operations are held up by the Russian's Zerel batteries still holding out at the south end of Osel. These are captured next day on the 15th, leaving only mines as the remaining obstacles. With Osel Island in German hands and the Irben Straits minefields cleared, heavy German ships enter the Gulf of Riga on the 16th. As they head north for Moon Island, British submarine 'C-27' torpedoes and badly damages a support ship. On the 17th, the Germans approach the southern end of Moon Island and the entrance to Moon Sound. Dreadnoughts 'Konig' and 'Kronprinz' open fire on Russian pre-dreadnoughts 'Slava' and 'Grazdanin' (ex-'Tsesarevitch') respectively. Both are hit, 'Slava' heavily. The old Russian armoured cruiser 'Bayan' is also badly damaged by a 30.5cm (12in) shell from 'Konig'. Flooded and with her draught too great to escape, 'SLAVA' (1905, 13,500t, 4-30.5cm) is scuttled in shallow water and finished off by torpedoes from Russian destroyer 'Turkmenets Stavropolski'. Retreating north, the Russians continue to lay defensive minefields in the vicinity of Moon Island and just after midnight on the 17th/18th, German destroyer 'S-64' (1917, 920t, 3-10.5cm, 6tt, 24 mines), approaching Moon Sound from the north hits one and sinks at position 58-43N, 23-24E.
24th October - British submarine 'C-32' (1909, 290t, 2-18in tt) stranded on a mudbank near Pernau on the north-eastern side of the Gulf of Riga. She is abandoned and blown up by her crew. According to Greger, she unsuccessfully attacked a German auxiliary on the 20th and was damaged by the resulting depth-charges before being run aground. 29th October - Russian submarine 'GEPARD' (1916, 650t, 4-45cm tt and 4 drop collars, 1-6.3cm) is lost around this time. On patrol with other Russian and British submarines off the Gulf of Riga and the outlying islands, she is reported on this date to the northwest of Windau. She may have been mined at this time or later off Osel on the way home. 29th October - German 'U-52' sinks in dock in Kiel after a stern torpedo explodes. She is raised in October and returned to service. NOVEMBER 1917 Russia - On November 7th/8th, the Russian Revolution ('October Revolution' in the old Gregorian calendar) starts with Lenin's Bolsheviks seizing the Winter Palace, the place of government in Petrograd. Prime Minister Kerensky escapes and a Bolshevik government formed with Lenin as Premier and Trotsky as Foreign Minister. The Revolution spreads quickly and Russia is soon in chaos as Civil War erupts between the 'Reds' and 'Whites'. The Bolsheviks immediately take steps to get Russia out of the war. Baltic Sea 19th November - German coastal minelayer 'UC-57' (1917, 420/490t, 18 mines, 3-50cm tt, 1-8.8cm). As the naval war between Germany and Russia comes to an end, warships are still lost to the many mines laid by both sides. Sometime around the 19th, 'UC-57' is presumed mined off the Estonian coast at c 59N, 23E. 27th November - Russian torpedo boat 'BDITELNI' (or destroyer, 1906, 380t, 2-11pdr. 3-45.7cm tt). Further north of 'UC-57’s' last reported position, 'Bditelni' is lost on a mine laid by German 'UC-78' or 'UC-58' (accounts vary) off the Aaland Islands guarding the entrance to the Gulf of Bothnia. DECEMBER 1917 A preliminary suspension of hostilities between the Central Powers and Russia is announced on the 5th December, which Rumania soon follows. An armistice follows on the 15th, and Germany starts to release troops for transfer to the Western Front. On the 22nd at Brest-Litovsk, to the east of Warsaw, the Russians meet with delegates from Germany, Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria and Turkey to arrange peace terms. These include Russian recognition of the rights of Poland and agreement to the independence of the Baltic provinces of Lithuania, Courland, Livonia and Estonia. With the Germans occupying most of these territories, the Russians have little option but to accept, although negotiations drag on into the new year. As the Russian Civil War develops, Ukraine refuses to join with the Bolsheviks, and Finland declares its independence from Russia. Baltic Sea 7th December - German medium submarine 'UB-84' sinks off the German coast following a collision. She is raised and returned to service as a training boat. Trapped British submarines - With Russia and Germany negotiating and with no hope of leaving the Baltic, the surviving British submarines sail for Helsingfors (Helsinki) in Finland. The crews are ordered home and the boats left with a small care and maintenance party. |
||
