Battle of the Strait of Otranto (1917)

Battle of the Strait of Otranto
Part of the Mediterranean Theater of World War I
SMS Novara in action
Date 15 May 1917 Location Strait of Otranto, Adriatic Sea Result Indecisive
Belligerents
Austria–Hungary  Germany	Italy  United Kingdom  France
Commanders and leaders
Miklós Horthy (WIA)	Alfredo Acton
Strength
1 armored cruiser 3 light cruisers 4 destroyers 3 submarines	2 light cruisers 10 destroyers 1 seaplane carrier 47 drifters
Casualties and losses
2 light cruisers damaged	1 light cruiser damaged 2 destroyers sunk 1 destroyer damaged 14 drifters sunk 4 drifters damaged 1 cargo ship sunk 1 cargo ship damaged

The Battle of the Strait of Otranto of 1917 was the result of an Austro-Hungarian raid during the Adriatic Campaign of World War I on the Otranto Barrage, an Allied naval blockade of the Strait of Otranto. The battle took place on 15 May 1917, and was the largest surface action in the Adriatic Sea during World War I.^[1] The Otranto Barrage was a fixed barrier, composed of lightly armed naval drifters (modified fishing boats) with anti-submarine nets coupled with minefields and supported by Allied naval patrols.

The Austro-Hungarian Navy planned to raid the Otranto Barrage with a force of three light cruisers and two destroyers under the command of Commander (later Admiral) Miklós Horthy in an attempt to break the barrier to allow Ausro-Hungarian and Imperial German Navy U-boats freer access to the Mediterranean Sea and Allied shipping. An Allied force composed of ships from three navies responded to the raid, and in the ensuing battle heavily damaged the Austro-Hungarian light cruiser Novara. However, the rapid approach of the Austro-Hungarian relief force persuaded the Italian Rear Admiral Alfredo Acton, the Allied commander, to retreat.