16 August 1914
HMAS PIONEER, (light cruiser), captured the German merchant ship NEUMUNSTER, off Rottnest Island, WA
Members of the AN&MEF re-embarked at Thursday Island on Troopship 'Kanowna' to take part in the capture of German New Guinea.
With the significant aid of the howitzers and the Big Bertha gun (a 420mm siege howitzer) the Liege forts were finally taken by Germany on 16 August, General Leman having to be carried unconscious out of the besieged forts.
B.E.F. first contingent completes its landing in France. This was an Army of 4 Infantry Divisions, with another 2 divisions kept in England in case of an invasion.
French attacks considered successful in northern Alsace
General advance of Russian armies into East Prussia.
Austrians capture Shabatz (north-west Serbia), but Serbians check Austrian advance between Loznitsa and Shabats. Serbians defeat Austrians at Battle of Jadar.
Franco-British squadron enters the Adriatic sinking the SMS Zenta. On 16 August 1914 the combined Anglo-French Fleet under Admiral Auguste Boué de Lapeyrère, made a sweep of the Adriatic Sea. Zenta was escorted by a destroyer blockading the coast of Montenegro. She was trapped by seventeen French and British naval units consisting of battleships and armoured cruisers, which prevented her escape North. After allowing the destroyer SMS Ulan to get away, she was sunk by gunfire during the Battle of Antivari off the coast of Bar, Montenegro, with the loss of 179 lives. Surviving commander Paul Pachner, officers and crew swam ashore and were interned until 1916 (the Anglo-French Fleet did not attempt to rescue any survivors). The imprisoned crew were Croats from Blato na Korčuli, Šolta, Tisno, Biograd na Moru, Bogomolje, Rab, Imotski, Hvar, Trogir, Split, Šibenik, Vela Luka, Sali and Zadar and two Montenegrins from Grbalj and Perast.
Zapata and Pancho Villa over run Mexico Cit taking it from the forces of Carranza's Constitutionalist Army of Mexico.
|