250t-class torpedo boat

1914–1915

At the outbreak of World War I, 74 T – 77 T comprised the 1st Torpedo Group of the 3rd Torpedo Craft Division of the Austro-Hungarian 1st Torpedo Craft Flotilla.^[8] All 27 boats saw service, performing convoy, escort and minesweeping tasks, anti-submarine operations,^[1] and shore bombardment missions.^[9] They also conducted patrols and supported seaplane raids against the Italian coast. Due to inadequate funding, the 250t class were essentially coastal vessels, despite the original intention that they would be used for "high seas" operations.^[10] On 24 May 1915, several 250t-class boats were involved in the shelling of various Italian shore-based targets known as the Bombardment of Ancona. 74 T – 77 T were part of the operation against Ancona, and 78 T – 81 T were involved in the shelling of Porto Corsini near Ravenna.^[11] In the latter action, an Italian 120 mm (4.7 in) shore battery returned fire, hitting the light cruiser Novara and damaging 80 T.^[12] On 23 July, 74 T and 78 T participated in a shore bombardment and landing operation led by the scout cruiser Saida against San Benedetto del Tronto, Ortona and Termoli on the central Adriatic coast of Italy.^[13] In late November 1915, the Austro-Hungarian fleet deployed a force from its main fleet base at Pola to Cattaro in the southern Adriatic; this force included six of the T-group torpedo boats. This force was tasked to maintain a permanent patrol of the Albanian coastline and interdict any troop transports crossing from Italy.^[14]

1916

On 3 February 1916, 83 F, 87 F and 88 F were involved in another shore bombardment operation against Ortona and San Vito Chietino, this time led by the armoured cruiser Sankt Georg.^[13] Three days later, the scout cruiser Helgoland, 74 T, 78 T, 80 T, 83 F, 87 F and 88 F were intercepted by the British light cruiser HMS Weymouth and French destroyer Bouclier north of Durazzo in Albania, during which the only damage was caused by a collision between 74 T and 83 F. On 3 May, 76 T, 92 F, 93 F and 98 M – 100 M were accompanying four destroyers when they were involved in a surface action off Porto Corsini against an Italian force led by the flotilla leaders Cesare Rossarol and Guglielmo Pepe. On this occasion the Austro-Hungarian force retreated behind a minefield with no damage to the torpedo boats, and only splinter damage to the Huszár-class destroyer Csikós. On 24 May, an Austro-Hungarian force that included 75 T, 89 F, 92 F, 98 M – 100 M and four destroyers was involved in a brief surface action with two Italian torpedo boats off Chioggia in the northern Adriatic. During the action, 75 T was hit.^[15] On the night of 31 May – 1 June 1916, the Tátra-class destroyers Orjen and Balaton, accompanied by 77 T, 79 T and 81 T, raided the Otranto Barrage, the Allied naval blockade of the Strait of Otranto. Orjen sank one drifter, but once the alarm had been raised, the Austro-Hungarian force withdrew.^[16]

On 9 July, Novara led a force which included 87 F and two Kaiman-class torpedo boats in another night raid on the Otranto Barrage which resulted in the sinking of two drifters.^[15] On 2 August, the Huszár-class destroyers Warasdiner and Wildfang were returning from a shore bombardment of Molfetta on the southern Adriatic coast of Italy when they were engaged by an Allied force which included the Italian cruiser Nino Bixio and the British cruiser HMS Liverpool. The cruiser Aspern, 80 T and 85 F were sent to assist the two destroyers, but action was broken off before the opposing cruisers got within range. Nine days later, 91 F, 94 F and 98 M were chased and engaged by Italian torpedo boats off Pola, resulting in splinter damage to one of the Italian boats. On 4 November, three Italian destroyers and three torpedo boats were involved in a brief encounter in the northern Adriatic with two Austro-Hungarian destroyers accompanied by 83 F, 87 F and 88 F. The following day, the same three torpedo boats conducted a shore bombardment of Sant'Elpidio a Mare.^[9]

1917

Pola

Cattaro

Strait of Otranto

Cortellazzo

Senigallia

Cesenatico

Map of the Adriatic Sea showing the location of major ports and actions

During 1917, one of the 66 mm (2.6 in) guns on each boat was placed on an anti-aircraft mount.^[4] On 21 April, four Austro-Hungarian destroyers, accompanied by 84 F, 92 F, 94 F and 100 M, conducted a night raid on the Otranto Barrage, sinking one drifter.^[17] On 11 May, the British submarine H1 stalked 78 T off Pola, firing two torpedoes at her. The British captain had kept his submarine's periscope extended too far and for too long, and the tell-tale "feather" alerted the crew of 78 T, allowing her to avoid the incoming torpedoes.^[18] That night, the destroyer Csikós, accompanied by 78 T, 93 F and 96 F, were pursued in the northern Adriatic by an Italian force of five destroyers, but were able to retire to safety behind a minefield.^[17] On 14–15 May 1917, several 250t-class boats were part of the support forces for a major raid on the Otranto Barrage. When the raiding force departed, torpedo boats and aircraft secured the approaches to the Austro-Hungarian naval base at Cattaro. Once the raiding force had departed for the barrage, Sankt Georg, a destroyer, and 84 F, 88 F, 99 M and 100 M were to be prepared to sortie out to support the raiders on their return voyage. The old coastal defence ship Budapest and 86 F, 91 F and 95 F were also available at Cattaro if needed. Although the raid was a success, sinking 14 drifters, the raiding force was then engaged by Allied ships in the Battle of the Otranto Straits. Both support groups sailed to meet the returning Austro-Hungarian force, including the heavily damaged Novara, which was under tow. On marrying-up with the raiding force, the torpedo boats fanned out to screen the larger warships, protecting them as they returned to port.^[17][19][20]

On 3 June, the destroyers Wildfang and Csikós, along with 93 F and 96 F, briefly encountered three Italian MAS boats off the mouth of the Tagliamento river in the far north of the Adriatic. On 23 September, 77 T and 78 T were laying a minefield off Grado in the northern Adriatic when they had a brief encounter with an Italian MAS boat.^[17] The following night, 94 F and three other torpedo boats again had a short and inconclusive engagement with Italian torpedo boats in the northern Adriatic.^[17] On 29 September, 90 F, 94 F and 98 M were accompanying a squadron of four destroyers supporting an air attack on the Italian airfield at Ferrara by flying boats. After destroying an Italian airship, the squadron withdrew at high speed in the darkness, but was intercepted by an Italian squadron of eight destroyers that had been sent to support an Italian air raid on Pola. In the resultant 45 minute chase towards Parenzo, two Italian destroyers and three Austro-Hungarian destroyers were damaged, and 94 F was hit by splinters. As the squadron retreated through the minefields off Parenzo, 98 M was also hit by Italian fire, resulting in one casualty.^[17][21]

On 14 November, 84 F, 92 F, 94 M, 99 M and 100 M encountered four Italian destroyers off the mouth of the Piave, but the torpedo boats were again able to elude their pursuers by sailing behind a minefield. Two days later, the coastal defence ships Wien and Budapest sailed to engage a 152 mm (6.0 in) Italian shore battery at Cortellazzo near the mouth of the Piave, with an escort that included 84 F, 92 F, 94 F, 98 M – 100 M and some minesweepers. Both Wien and Budapest were hit, but none of the torpedo boats suffered any damage. After an Italian force of seven destroyers and three MAS boats appeared, the bombarding force withdrew.^[17] On 28 November, 250t-class boats were involved in two shore bombardment missions. In the first mission, 79 T, 86 F and 90 F supported the bombardment of Senigallia by three destroyers, before they were joined by 78 T, 82 F, 87 F, 89 F and 95 F and another three destroyers for the bombardment of Porto Corsini, Marotta and Cesenatico. On 19 December, a large Austro-Hungarian force engaged the Italian shore battery at Cortellazzo. The force consisted of the pre-dreadnought battleship Árpád, the light cruiser Admiral Spaun, Budapest, six destroyers, ten torpedo boats including 84 F, 92 F, 94 F and 98 M – 100 M, and ten minesweepers. None of the ships of the bombarding force suffered damage during the mission.^[22]

1918

Elements of the Austro-Hungarian fleet mutinied in Cattaro in February 1918,^[23] and in May, a plot was discovered to take over 80 T at Pola. The motive appeared to be nationalism. Two of the ringleaders, a Czech and a Dalmatian Croat, were tried, convicted and executed by firing squad.^[24][25][26] On 13 May, the destroyer Dukla, 84 F and 98 M were at Durazzo when two Italian MAS boats forced the harbour, sinking one Austro-Hungarian freighter.^[22] On 10 June, 76 T – 79 T, 81 T and 87 F were part of the escort force that failed to protect the Austro-Hungarian dreadnought Szent István from the Italian MAS boats that sank her. During that action, 76 T fired at the Italian boats, but did not score a hit.^[27][28] On 1 July, the destroyers Balaton and Csikós, along with 83 F and 88 F, were chased offshore from Caorle by seven Italian destroyers. All four Austro-Hungarian ships were hit, with 83 F hit three times, and 88 F struck once. One of the Italian destroyers was hit three times, and another was slightly damaged by splinters. On 6 September, 86 F and two other torpedo boats were engaged by three Italian destroyers in the Gulf of Drin. 86 F was hit, and the Austro-Hungarian force withdrew.^[29] On 2 October, 87 F was at Durazzo when the port was bombarded by a multinational Allied naval force. She escaped with minor damage, in what was the last major action involving the Austro-Hungarian Navy.^[29][30]