ron ▁was ▁back ▁in ▁Wilhelm sh aven . ▁ ▁World ▁War ▁I ▁ ▁The ▁first ▁major ▁naval ▁action ▁in ▁the ▁North ▁Sea , ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁Hel g ol and ▁B ight , ▁took ▁place ▁on ▁ 2 8 ▁August ▁ 1 9 1 4 . ▁At ▁ 0 4 : 3 0 , ▁Hel g ol and , ▁which ▁was ▁station ed ▁off ▁the ▁heavily ▁fort ified ▁island ▁of ▁Wang ero oge , ▁received ▁the ▁order ▁to ▁join ▁Ost f ries land ▁and ▁sail ▁out ▁of ▁the ▁har bor . ▁At ▁ 0 5 : 0 0 , ▁the ▁two ▁batt les hips ▁met ▁the ▁batter ed ▁cru is ers ▁ ▁and ▁. ▁By ▁ 0 7 : 3 0 , ▁the ▁ships ▁had ▁returned ▁to ▁port ▁for ▁the ▁night . ▁On ▁the ▁afternoon ▁of ▁ 7 ▁September , ▁Ost f ries land ▁and ▁the ▁rest ▁of ▁the ▁High ▁Se as ▁Fle et ▁conducted ▁a ▁training ▁cru ise ▁to ▁the ▁island ▁of ▁Hel ig ol and . ▁In ▁October , ▁Ost f ries land ▁was ▁equ ipped ▁with ▁a ▁pair ▁of ▁ 8 . 8   cm ▁fla k ▁guns ▁for ▁anti - air ▁defense . ▁ ▁Ost f ries land ▁was ▁present ▁during ▁the ▁first ▁sortie ▁by ▁the ▁German ▁fleet ▁into ▁the ▁North ▁Sea , ▁which ▁took ▁place ▁on ▁ 2 – 3 ▁November ▁ 1 9 1 4 . ▁No ▁British ▁forces ▁were ▁encountered ▁during ▁the ▁operation . ▁A ▁second ▁operation ▁followed ▁on ▁ 1 5 – 1 6 ▁December