Battles of the First Balkan War
1912–1913 · 4 battles covered, in date order. Click a battle on the map for its summary.
Battle (size: ships engaged)
Greek movement
Ottoman movement
Bulgarian movement
Routes are approximate.
1912
21 November 1912 · Off Cape Kaliakra, 32 miles from Varna
Battle of KaliakraBulgarian success; Hamidiye damaged
Four Bulgarian torpedo boats attacked the Ottoman cruiser Hamidiye at night off Cape Kaliakra. Only Drazki's torpedo hit, tearing a hole in the starboard bow; Smeli was damaged by a shell. Hamidiye stayed afloat and limped back to the Bosporus at about five knots. It is the Bulgarian navy's best-known action.
1
vs
4
16 December 1912 · Off Cape Helles, mouth of the Dardanelles
Battle of ElliGreek victory
The Ottoman fleet under Ramiz Bey came out of the Dardanelles to break the Greek blockade. Kountouriotis took Averof ahead of his slower ironclads at full speed and crossed the front of the Ottoman line, and the Ottomans turned back into the straits. The Ottomans lost 18 killed, the Greeks 2.
8
vs
9
1913
15 January 1913 · Ermoupoli, Syros
Hamidiye at SyrosOttoman success
The day after slipping out of the Dardanelles, Hamidiye came into the harbour at Ermoupoli on Syros, sank the Greek armed liner Makedonia and shelled the town, then left before Greek warships could catch her.
1 (1 lost)
vs
1
18 January 1913 · Between Lemnos and the Dardanelles
Battle of LemnosGreek victory
The Ottoman fleet's last attempt to break out. Averof again led the Greek attack. Barbaros Hayreddin took more than 20 hits and lost much of her armament, Turgut Reis took 17, and a heavy shell wrecked one of Mesudiye's gun positions. The Ottoman ships withdrew into the Dardanelles and did not come out again for the rest of the war.
11
vs
9