Libau, now known as Liepaja, is situated on the Baltic coast of Latvia and was, in 1914, under Russian rule. Following Germany's declaration of war with Russia on 1st August (1914), Libau was bombarded by ships of the Imperial Navy the next day and again on 18sth November. On 1st May 1915, after a further bombardment on 31st March, German forces advanced across Courland and, by 7th May, Libau had been occupied and a new German governor appointed. The town then remained in German hands for the duration of the War until a British squadron arrived on 3rd December 1918 to restore the status quo before returning to Copenhagen on the 7th.