On the evening of 12 April 1915, the German airship "L7" sighted a British light cruiser and five surfaced submarines in the Heligoland Bight. I Flotilla was ordered out to attack the submarines, but "G197", and collided in thick fog, disabling the three ships and causing the sortie to be aborted. In August 1915 the Germans detached a large portion of the High Seas Fleet for operations in the Gulf of Riga in support of the advance of German troops. It was planned to enter the Gulf via the Irben Strait, defeating any Russian naval forces and mining the entrance to Moon Sound. "G197" took part in these operations, opening fire at what was believed to be a periscope of an enemy submarine when escorting the battlecruiser on 10 August. The operation was not a success, with Germany losing the torpedo boats and and the minesweeper "T46", while failing to destroy any major Russian warships or lay the planned minefield.