On 16 August 1915, a second attempt was made to enter the gulf: "Nassau" and "Posen", four light cruisers, and 31 torpedo boats managed to breach the Russian defenses. On the first day of the assault, the German minesweeper "T 46" was sunk, as was the destroyer "V 99". The following day, "Nassau" and "Posen" engaged in an artillery duel with "Slava", resulting in three hits on the Russian ship that forced her to retreat. By 19 August, the Russian minefields had been cleared, and the flotilla entered the gulf. Reports of Allied submarines in the area prompted the Germans to call off of the operation the following day. "Nassau" and "Posen" remained in the Gulf until 21 August, and while there assisted in the destruction of the gunboats and . Admiral Hipper later remarked that,