23rd May 1916
Western Front
Battle of Verdun: German assault on Thiaumont-Douaumont front and on Cumieres.
Diary entry of a French soldier at Verdun: “Humanity is mad!...Hell cannot be so terrible. Men are mad!”
German fire isolate elements of the French 34th Regiment at Fort Douaumont. French captain: "No one will come back alive.”
Eastern Front
Russian troops launch an offensive near Riga and force German lines to retreat along a 70-mile line.
Southern Front
Italians retreat between Astico and Brenta and in Sugana Valley (Trentino).
Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres
British occupy El Fasher, capital of Darfur.
Ali Dinar flees to Jebel Marra.
Political, etc.
Party leaders in the German Reichstag agree to ban open discussion on submarines and all bills concerning submarines will be tabled.
Germany and Austria-Hungary buy from Romania 100,000 carloads of corn and 40,000 carloads of other grains.
George S. Patton is promoted to first lieutenant for leading the 1st motorized attack in U.S. history & helping kill a Mexican bandit leader.
Ship Losses:
Cornigliano (Italy) The cargo ship was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 12 nautical miles (22 km) south of the Columbretes Islands, Spain by
SM U-34 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Hercules (Italy) The cargo ship was sunk in the Tyrrhenian Sea 70 nautical miles (130 km) south south west of Genoa (43°18′N 8°30′E) by
SM U-39 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Maria Porto di Salvezza (Italy) The sailing vessel was sunk in the Tyrrhenian Sea off Elba by
SM U-39 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Regina (Russia) The barque was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea off the Balearic Islands, Spain by
SM U-34 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Washington (Italy) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea off Piombino (42°51′N 9°27′E) by
SM U-39 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
"True To The Empire" (Western Mail cartoon)
