SMS Goeben - Wikipedia - Recent changes [en]

[[File:Bundesarchiv Bild 134-B0024, Stenia, Bosporus, Kreuzer Goeben.jpg|thumb|{{lang|tr|Yavuz}} at [[Istinye|Istinye Bay]] on the European shoreline of the [[Bosphorus]] in [[Istanbul]].|alt=A large warship is tied to the dock in a narrow channel of water.]]

[[File:Bundesarchiv Bild 134-B0024, Stenia, Bosporus, Kreuzer Goeben.jpg|thumb|{{lang|tr|Yavuz}} at [[Istinye|Istinye Bay]] on the European shoreline of the [[Bosphorus]] in [[Istanbul]].|alt=A large warship is tied to the dock in a narrow channel of water.]]

On 29 October {{lang|tr|Yavuz}} bombarded [[Sevastopol]] in her first operation against [[Imperial Russia]], though the Ottoman Empire was not yet at war with the Entente; [[Battle of Odessa (1914)|Souchon conducted the operation]] to force Turkey into the war on the side of Germany. A {{convert|25.4|cm|in|abbr=on|0}} shell struck the ship in the [[aft]]er funnel, but it failed to detonate and did negligible damage.{{sfn|Staff 2006|p=19}} Two other hits inflicted minor damage. The ship and her escorts passed through an inactive Russian minefield during the bombardment.{{sfn|McLaughlin|p=122}} As she returned to Turkish waters, {{lang|tr|Yavuz}} came across the Russian minelayer {{ship|Russian minelayer|Prut||2}} which scuttled herself with 700 mines on board.{{sfn|Langensiepen & Güleryüz|p=44}} During the engagement the escorting Russian destroyer {{ship|Russian destroyer|Lieutenant Pushkin||2}} was damaged by two of {{lang|tr|Yavuz}}{{'}}s secondary battery {{convert|15|cm|in|abbr=on}} shells. In response to the bombardment, Russia declared war on 1 November, thus forcing the Ottomans into the wider world war. France and Great Britain bombarded the Turkish fortresses guarding the Dardanelles on 3 November and formally declared war two days later.{{sfn|Staff 2006|p=19}} From this engagement, the Russians drew the conclusion that the entire [[Black Sea Fleet]] would have to remain consolidated so it could not be [[defeat in detail|defeated in detail]] (one ship at a time) by {{lang|tr|Yavuz}}.{{sfn|Halpern|p=227}}

[[Enver Pasha]], the Ottoman [[Ministry of War (Ottoman Empire)|Minister of War]], ordered offensive operations to begin on 22 October, though the two countries were not at war.{{sfn|Hildebrand, Röhr, & Steinmetz|p=228}} On 29 October {{lang|tr|Yavuz}} bombarded [[Sevastopol]] in her first operation against [[Imperial Russia]], though the Ottoman Empire was not yet at war with the Entente; [[Battle of Odessa (1914)|Souchon conducted the operation]] under Enver's direction. A {{convert|25.4|cm|in|abbr=on|0}} shell struck the ship in the [[aft]]er funnel, but it failed to detonate and did negligible damage.{{sfn|Staff 2006|p=19}} Two other hits inflicted minor damage. The ship and her escorts passed through an inactive Russian minefield during the bombardment.{{sfn|McLaughlin|p=122}} As she returned to Turkish waters, {{lang|tr|Yavuz}} came across the Russian minelayer {{ship|Russian minelayer|Prut||2}} which scuttled herself with 700 mines on board.{{sfn|Langensiepen & Güleryüz|p=44}} During the engagement the escorting Russian destroyer {{ship|Russian destroyer|Lieutenant Pushkin||2}} was damaged by two of {{lang|tr|Yavuz}}{{'}}s secondary battery {{convert|15|cm|in|abbr=on}} shells. In response to the bombardment, Russia declared war on 1 November, thus forcing the Ottomans into the wider world war. France and Great Britain bombarded the Turkish fortresses guarding the Dardanelles on 3 November and formally declared war two days later.{{sfn|Staff 2006|p=19}} From this engagement, the Russians drew the conclusion that the entire [[Black Sea Fleet]] would have to remain consolidated so it could not be [[defeat in detail|defeated in detail]] (one ship at a time) by {{lang|tr|Yavuz}}.{{sfn|Halpern|p=227}}

{{lang|tr|Yavuz}}, escorted by {{lang|tr|Midilli}}, [[Battle of Cape Sarych|intercepted the Russian Black Sea Fleet]] {{convert|17|nmi}} off the [[Crimea]]n coastline on 18 November as it returned from a bombardment of [[Trabzon|Trebizond]]. Despite the noon hour the conditions were foggy and none of the capital ships were spotted initially. The Black Sea Fleet had experimented with concentrating fire from several ships under the control of one "master" ship before the war, and {{ship|Russian battleship|Evstafi||2}} held her fire until {{ship|Russian battleship|Ioann Zlatoust||2}}, the master ship, could see {{lang|tr|Yavuz}}. When the gunnery commands were finally received they showed a range over {{convert|4000|yd}} in excess of {{lang|ru|Evstafi}}{{'}}s own estimate of {{convert|7700|yd}}, so {{lang|ru|Evstafi}} opened fire using her own data before {{lang|tr|Yavuz}} turned to fire her broadside.{{sfn|McLaughlin|pp=127–128}} She scored a hit with her first salvo as a 12-inch shell partially penetrated the armor casemate protecting one of {{lang|tr|Yavuz}}{{'}}s {{convert|15|cm|adj=on|1|sp=us}} secondary guns. It detonated some of the ready-use ammunition, starting a fire that filled the casemate and killed the entire gun crew.{{sfn|McLaughlin|p=131}} A total of thirteen men were killed and three were wounded.{{sfn|Staff 2006|p=19}}

{{lang|tr|Yavuz}}, escorted by {{lang|tr|Midilli}}, [[Battle of Cape Sarych|intercepted the Russian Black Sea Fleet]] {{convert|17|nmi}} off the [[Crimea]]n coastline on 18 November as it returned from a bombardment of [[Trabzon|Trebizond]]. Despite the noon hour the conditions were foggy and none of the capital ships were spotted initially. The Black Sea Fleet had experimented with concentrating fire from several ships under the control of one "master" ship before the war, and {{ship|Russian battleship|Evstafi||2}} held her fire until {{ship|Russian battleship|Ioann Zlatoust||2}}, the master ship, could see {{lang|tr|Yavuz}}. When the gunnery commands were finally received they showed a range over {{convert|4000|yd}} in excess of {{lang|ru|Evstafi}}{{'}}s own estimate of {{convert|7700|yd}}, so {{lang|ru|Evstafi}} opened fire using her own data before {{lang|tr|Yavuz}} turned to fire her broadside.{{sfn|McLaughlin|pp=127–128}} She scored a hit with her first salvo as a 12-inch shell partially penetrated the armor casemate protecting one of {{lang|tr|Yavuz}}{{'}}s {{convert|15|cm|adj=on|1|sp=us}} secondary guns. It detonated some of the ready-use ammunition, starting a fire that filled the casemate and killed the entire gun crew.{{sfn|McLaughlin|p=131}} A total of thirteen men were killed and three were wounded.{{sfn|Staff 2006|p=19}}