Second Battle of Heligoland Bight

Date: Date
17 November 1917
Location
Heligoland Bight, North Sea
Result
Indecisive
Date: 17 November 1917
Location: Heligoland Bight, North Sea
Result: Indecisive
Belligerents:
: British Empire
Commanders and leaders:
: Sir William Pakenham
Strength:
: 3 battlecruisers
2 large light cruisers
2 light cruisers
Casualties and losses:
: Light cruiser Calypso damaged

The Second Battle of Heligoland Bight was a naval engagement during the First World War. On 17 November 1917, German minesweepers clearing a path through the British minefield in the Heligoland Bight near the coast of Germany were intercepted by two British light cruisers, HMS Calypso and Caledon, performing counter-minesweeping duties. The German ships fled south toward the protection of the battleships SMS Kaiser and Kaiserin, commanded by Rear Admiral Ludwig von Reuter. The two cruisers engaged the German battleships, while their own screening force of the battlecruisers HMS Tiger, Renown, Repulse, Courageous, and Glorious were coming up to assist.

All personnel on the bridge of Calypso, including her captain, were killed by a 12 in (300 mm) shell. Repulse-under Captain William Boyle-briefly engaged the German battleships, but the Germans made it back to the safety of their own minefields with the loss of only one minesweeper.

It was during this battle that Able Seaman John Henry Carless of Caledon won a posthumous Victoria Cross for his bravery in manning a gun despite mortal wounds.

More aircraft.

Source: WikiPedia