The Battle of Antivari, also known as the Action off Antivari, marked a naval confrontation at the onset of World War I. It involved a formidable fleet of French and British warships facing off against two vessels from the Austro-Hungarian navy. The Austro-Hungarian ships, the aging protected cruiser SMS Zenta and the destroyer SMS Ulan, had been blockading the Montenegrin port of Antivari.
On August 16, 1914, they were taken by surprise and cut off by a substantial Anglo-French force that had ventured into the Adriatic. Zenta put up a brave fight but was ultimately destroyed, providing an opportunity for Ulan to escape, which it did. Surprisingly, the rest of the Austrian fleet stationed at Cattaro, unaware of the unfolding events, did not leave port to engage the Allied fleet.
When the French Navy decided to provoke the Austro-Hungarian Navy into a decisive confrontation, they initiated an expedition into the Adriatic, enticing the Austrians into combat. The Allied force consisted of two dreadnought battleships, 10 pre-dreadnought battleships, four armoured cruisers, one protected cruiser, and over 20 destroyers.
According to Austro-Hungarian naval records, the primary force of the Austro-Hungarian fleet remained oblivious to the presence of the Allied fleet until SMS Ulan transmitted a message as it escaped from the battle. The Allies successfully isolated Zenta from the main Austro-Hungarian naval base in Cattaro. Outnumbered and at a severe disadvantage due to Zenta's shorter-ranged 120mm guns in comparison to the heavier guns on the Allied ships, Captain Paul Pachner, the commander of Zenta, chose to engage in battle to allow Ulan to flee. Zenta suffered significant damage, and despite inflicting hits on Zenta, the French battleships emerged unscathed.
Zenta was eventually sunk, with 173 crew members killed and more than 50 wounded. This sacrifice allowed Ulan to escape. However, the part of the Austro-Hungarian fleet stationed at Cattaro, unaware of the situation outside Antivari until it had concluded, did not venture out for battle as the French had anticipated.
The French ships remained unharmed by Austro-Hungarian gunfire, although three main guns exploded during the action. The following day, Justice, Démocratie, and two destroyers sustained damage in a series of collisions. This battle effectively ended the Austro-Hungarian blockade of Montenegro, marking a success for the Entente powers. However, the French fleet couldn't maintain a prolonged presence in the Adriatic and had to return to Malta intermittently for resupply.