225 tonnes (221 long tons) of fuel oil was carried, giving a range of 1,080 nautical miles (2,000 km; 1,240 mi) at 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph).

[8] V26, V25 and V186 together with Augsburg and Magdeburg took part in another sortie into the Baltic from 15 to 20 August, escorting the minelayer Deutschland on a mission to lay a minefield at the entrance to the Gulf of Finland.

The operation was disrupted when they encountered the Russian cruisers Admiral Makarov and Gromoboi, forcing the minefield to be laid out of its planned position.

[8][9] On 26 August, V26 was escorting Magdeburg on a sortie against Russian patrols in the Gulf of Finland when the cruiser ran aground off Osmussaar, Estonia.

V26 was hit by one 6 inch shell in a stern, which destroyed officers' quarters, inflicting casaulties among survivors, and damaged one turbine's steam pipe.

[13] As a response to an unsuccessful attack on 18 October by the British submarine E1 on the German cruiser Victoria Louise at the entrance to the Baltic, the newly formed 17th Half-Flotilla, including V26, was diverted from its work-up activities to carry out anti-submarine patrols in the Fehmarn Belt.

[17][18] On 14 January 1915, the cruisers Strassburg and Stralsund, escorted by the 9th Torpedo boat Flotilla, including V26, set out to lay a minefield off the Humber.

The weather was extremely poor, with the torpedo-boats struggling in the heavy seas, and after V26 collided with V25 causing minor damage, the torpedo boats turned back, leaving the two cruisers to carry on unescorted.

[23] The battleships of the High Seas Fleet were deployed in support, with the hope of destroying isolated elements of the British Forces if they tried to intercept.

[27] From about 20:15 CET (19:15 GMT), V26 took part in a large-scale torpedo attack on the British fleet in order to cover the outnumber German battleship's turn to west.

[29] V26 was part of the 9th Torpedo Boat Flotilla during the inconclusive Action of 19 August 1916, when the German High Seas Fleet sailed to cover a sortie of the battlecruisers of the 1st Scouting Group.

[38][39] The 18th Half Flotilla did not encounter any of the hoped for merchant ships, but on its return journey clashed with three British destroyers[h] which attempted to pursue, but lost contact after German fire caused Mohawk's rudder to jam.

[44][45] On the night of 26/27 November, the 9th Flotilla sortied again, stopping the Dutch merchant ship Beijerland and taking her pilot prisoner, and sinking the naval trawler Narval.

[52] By the terms of the Armistice, a large proportion of the Imperial German Navy, including 50 modern torpedo boats, was interned at Scapa Flow in the Orkneys.

[54] The Allies decided to transfer 10 destroyers from the ships surrendered from the German and Austro-Hungarian to each of the French and Italian navies to replace wartime losses.