Battle of Cape Sarych

Map of the battle

Date	November 18, 1914
Location	off Cape Sarych, Crimea, Black Sea
Result	Inconclusive

Belligerents

Russian Empire

Ottoman Empire

Commanders and leaders

Andrei Eberhardt

Wilhelm Souchon

Strength

5 pre-dreadnought battleships

1 battlecruiser

Casualties and losses

34 killed
24 wounded
1 battleship damaged

13 killed
1 battlecruiser damaged

The Battle of Cape Sarych was a naval engagement fought off the coast of Cape Sarych in the Black Sea during the First World War. In November 1914, two modern Ottoman warships, a light cruiser and a battlecruiser engaged a Russian fleet including five obsolescent pre-dreadnought battleships in a short action.

On the morning of 17 November 1914, a Russian force consisting of the pre-dreadnought battleships Evstafi (the flagship), Ioann Zlatoust, Panteleimon, Tri Sviatitelya, Rostislav, three cruisers, and 13 destroyers under Vice Admiral Andrei Eberhardt struck the Ottoman port of Trebizond.German Admiral Wilhelm Souchon decided to intercept it as it returned to port. At 13:00 the Ottoman battlecruiser Yavuz Sultan Selim and the light cruiser Midilli sortied from the Bosporus for Sebastopol at high speed. Eberhardt was aware of the Ottomans' departure from port and thus alert for an attack.

The following morning the two Ottoman ships patrolled the Crimean coast in spite of foggy conditions. At 12:05 Midilli sighted a Russian cruiser to starboard. Yavuz turned to face the cruiser at full speed. Other Russian ships were then sighted to the starboard, and soon five pre-dreadnoughts could be identified. Souchon ordered Midili to keep out of range.

...
Wikipedia