Operation Albion

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Operation Albion
Part of World War I
Operation Albion amphibious operations 12–20 October
Date 12–20 October 1917 Location West Estonian archipelago, Baltic Sea 58°30′N 23°0′E / 58.500°N 23.000°E / 58.500; 23.000 Result German victory
Belligerents
Germany	Russian Republic United Kingdom
Commanders and leaders
Oskar von Hutier Hugo von Kathen Ludwig von Estorff Ehrhard Schmidt	Mikhail Bakhirev Vasily Altvater
Strength
1 battlecruiser 10 dreadnought battleships 9 light cruisers 1 mine cruiser 50 torpedo boats 6 U-boats 19 transports 6 airships 102 combat aircraft 24,500 soldiers 8,500 horses 2,400 vehicles 150 machine guns 54 guns 12 mortars	2 pre-dreadnought battleships 2 cruisers 1 protected cruiser 21 destroyers 3 gunboats 3 submarines 24,000 soldiers
Casualties and losses
1 torpedo boat sunk (S 64) 7 minesweepers destroyed 9 trawlers & auxiliary vessels destroyed 5 aircraft shot down 156 killed 60 wounded (Navy) 54 killed 141 wounded (Army)	1 battleship sunk (Slava) 1 destroyer sunk (Grom) 1 submarine destroyed (HMS C32) Unknown dead and wounded 20,130 captured 141 guns lost (47 heavy guns) 130 machine guns lost 40 aircraft lost

Operation Albion was a World War I German air, land and naval operation against the Russian forces in October 1917 to occupy the West Estonian Archipelago. The campaign aimed to occupy the Baltic islands of Saaremaa (Ösel), Hiiumaa (Dagö) and Muhu (Moon). The three islands were part of the Russian Empire and strategically dominated the central and northern Baltic Sea. The land campaign opened with German landings at the Tagalaht (Tagga) bay on the island of Saaremaa (Ösel), on 12 October, after extensive naval operations to clear mines and subdue coastal artillery batteries. German forces secured the island by 16 October and the Russian army evacuated Muhu (Moon) on 20 October.

After two failed attempts, the German army landed on Hiiumaa (Dagö) on 12 October, capturing the island the following day. The Russian Baltic Fleet had to withdraw from the Suur Strait after its losses at the Battle of Moon Sound. The Germans claimed 20,000 prisoners and 100 guns captured during Operation Albion from 12 to 20 October 1917.