Battle of Heligoland Bight

Where: Heligoland Bight, a bay which forms the southern part of the German Bight, itself a bay of the North Sea, located at the mouth of the Elbe river and the German naval base at Wilhelmshaven.

When: 28 August 1914

Royal Navy Units Participating: Harwich Force, supported by the 1st Light Cruiser Squadron and 1st Battle Cruiser Squadron.

Opposing Forces: Light cruisers and destroyers of the German coastal patrol.

Memorable As: An early "punch in the nose" to Germany's navy, whose losses included three light cruisers, a destroyer, and a torpedo boat, that constrained German naval aggressiveness and strategic thinking.

The Story: The battle was fought in a confusion of fog and haze on 28 August 1914, when a British attack led by Commodore Reginald Tyrwhitt was mounted on German coastal patrols—using the force of destroyers and submarines based at Harwich. The raid was covered by heavier forces, including Vice Admiral David Beatty's powerful "Cruiser Force A," the 1st Battle Cruiser Squadron and the 1st Light Cruiser Squadron, but the operation was marred by poor staff work. Beatty was only sent out at the last minute, and the main attackers did not even know he was coming.

Battle Cruiser HMS Lion Opens Fire

When action was joined, Tyrwhitt suffered gun problems with his new flagship, the light cruiser Arethusa, which was hit by a shell from a German cruiser. More German cruisers appeared to drive off the British destroyers. The day was saved by Beatty, reinforced by two more battle cruisers to make five in all.

The battle was a clear British victory. Germany had lost the three light cruisers SMS Mainz, Cöln, and Ariadne and the destroyer V-187 sunk; light cruiser Frauenlob had been severely damaged. The light cruisers SMS Strassburg and Stettin had also been damaged. German casualties were 1,242 with 712 men killed, including Rear Admiral Maass, and 336 prisoners of war. The Royal Navy had lost no ships and 35 men killed, with 40 wounded. Arethusa and two damaged British destroyers had to be towed home, however. The British made much of their victory, but within the Admiralty there was frustration. A better-planned operation could have done so much better.

Kaiser Wilhelm was aghast at the German losses and placed restrictions on exposing the fleet to action that, in turn, infuriated Admiral Tirpitz and began their mutual alienation.

Source: www.bbc.co.uk.