Gdynia is a major civilian and military port on the Baltic Sea, and was an important industrial centre of the Second Polish Republic.

The forces defending Gdynia were grouped under the Land Coastal Defence (Lądowa Obrona Wybrzeża), commanded by Colonel Stanisław Dąbek and Naval Coastal Defence (Morska Obrona Wybrzeża) Captain Stanisław Frankowski.

It was thus prepared for individual operations and reassigned from Armia Pomorze to the Polish Navy, and Stanisław Dąbek received orders directly from counter-admiral Józef Unrug.

The Kriegsmarine (German navy) in the area consisted of 2 old battleships, 3 cruisers, 10 destroyers and several smaller units.

On 11 and 12 September the fights near Mechlinki transformed into an incessant two-day battle, after which Polish troops had to retreat again.

As for Operation Rurka, a German air attack on September 1 left the minelaying vessel damaged, unused mines were dumped into the sea, and the vessel docked in the port in Hel where no mines were readily available, which led to cancellation of the operation.