fire before they were silenced or disabled. A British destroyer was also hit by a torpedo. The battle ended by 01:30 on 2–3 October; from the beginning of the action civilians started to flee the city, and by 11 October the once-busy port was silent. On 10 October, the last Austro-Hungarian units had left Durrës, which was eventually occupied by the Italians on 16 October. The Allied bombardment targeted the small port area and its wooden piers. Although civilians started to flee the city at the start of the bombardment, many casualties were inflicted on the innocent and neutral population. The Old City being adjacent to the harbour was largely destroyed, including the primary public buildings. The Royal Palace of Durrës, briefly the residence of Prince Wilhelm zu Wied, Albania's Prince, was completely destroyed. See also Battle of Durazzo (1915) Otranto Barrage References Bibliography Halpern, Paul G., Koburger Jr., Charles W., The Central Powers in the Adriatic, 1914–1918: War in a Narrow Sea Westport, CT (2001), Halpern, Paul G. (1995). A Naval History of World War I. Routledge, p. 176. Howarth, Steven, To Shining Sea: A History of the United States Navy 1776–1991, New York: Random House, (1991), Naval battles of World War I involving the United States Naval battles of World War I involving the United Kingdom Naval battles of World War I involving Italy Naval battles of World War I involving Australia Conflicts in 1918 Durazzo Mediterranean naval operations of World War I Naval battles of World War I involving Austria-Hungary October 1918 events