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 land campaign opened with German landings at the Tagalaht bay on the island of Saaremaa, on 12 October 1917, after extensive naval operations to clear mines and subdue coastal artillery batteries. The Germans secured the island by 16 October and the Russian army evacuated Muhu on 20 October.

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Quick Facts Date, Location ...

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 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

Close

After two failed attempts, the Germans landed on Hiiumaa on 12 October, capturing the island on 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.

At the beginning of World War I the islands were of little importance to the Russian Empire or Germany. After the revolutionary turmoil in Russia during the early part of 1917, the German high command believed capturing the islands would outflank Russian defences and lay Petrograd (St. Petersburg) vulnerable to attack.^[1][2]

• German occupation of Estonia during World War I
• British submarine flotilla in the Baltic