ought ▁batt les hip ▁, ▁could ▁be ▁elimin ated . ▁The ▁Germ ans ▁would ▁then ▁lay ▁mine fields ▁of ▁their ▁own ▁to ▁prevent ▁Russian ▁ships ▁from ▁returning ▁to ▁the ▁G ulf . ▁Ost f ries land ▁and ▁the ▁majority ▁of ▁the ▁other ▁big ▁ships ▁of ▁the ▁High ▁Se as ▁Fle et ▁remained ▁outside ▁the ▁G ulf ▁for ▁the ▁entire ty ▁of ▁the ▁operation . ▁The ▁dread n ought s ▁ ▁and ▁ ▁were ▁det ached ▁on ▁ 1 6 ▁August ▁to ▁esc ort ▁the ▁mines we ep ers ▁and ▁to ▁destroy ▁S lava , ▁though ▁they ▁failed ▁to ▁sink ▁the ▁old ▁batt les hip . ▁After ▁three ▁days , ▁the ▁Russian ▁mine fields ▁had ▁been ▁cleared , ▁and ▁the ▁fl ot illa ▁entered ▁the ▁G ulf ▁on ▁ 1 9 ▁August , ▁but ▁reports ▁of ▁Al lied ▁sub mar ines ▁in ▁the ▁area ▁prompt ed ▁a ▁German ▁withdraw al ▁from ▁the ▁G ulf ▁the ▁following ▁day . ▁By ▁ 2 6 ▁August , ▁I   S quad ron ▁had ▁returned ▁to ▁Wilhelm sh aven . ▁ ▁On ▁ 2 3 – 2 4 ▁October , ▁the ▁High ▁Se as ▁Fle et ▁under to ok ▁its ▁last ▁major ▁off ensive ▁operation ▁under ▁the ▁command ▁of ▁Admir al ▁P ohl , ▁though ▁it ▁ended ▁without ▁contact ▁with ▁British ▁forces . ▁By ▁January ▁ 1 9 1 6 ▁he p atic ▁cancer ▁had ▁weak ened ▁P ohl ▁to ▁the ▁point ▁where ▁he ▁was ▁no ▁longer ▁able ▁to ▁carry ▁out ▁his ▁duties , ▁and ▁he ▁was ▁replaced