Russian destroyers sank two Ottoman gunboats sent to recover a grounded German submarine, demonstrating Russian naval effectiveness in the Black Sea.
Key Facts
- Date
- 10 December 1915
- Russian destroyers engaged
- 3 (Derzky, Gnevny, Bespokoiny)
- Ottoman gunboats sunk
- 2 (Taşköprü and Yozgat)
- Trigger event
- SM UC-13 ran aground off Sakarya River mouth
- German U-boat grounding date
- 29 November 1915
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
On 29 November 1915, the German submarine SM UC-13 ran aground near the mouth of the Sakarya River while shadowing Russian merchant ships in poor weather. Admiral Wilhelm Souchon, commanding the Ottoman Navy on behalf of Germany, dispatched the gunboats Taşköprü and Yozgat to recover or assist the stranded vessel.
On 10 December 1915, three Russian Derzky-class destroyers — Derzky, Gnevny, and Bespokoiny — intercepted the two Ottoman gunboats near Kefken Island. Russian gunners fired with accuracy and speed, sinking both Taşköprü and Yozgat in the engagement.
Both Ottoman gunboats were lost, and the recovery mission for SM UC-13 failed. The action reinforced Russian naval superiority in the Black Sea theatre during this phase of World War I, denying the Ottoman-German fleet a successful salvage operation.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
Side B
1 belligerent
Wilhelm Souchon.