[Sailor Steve]

October 4, 1918


Western Front

British and French heavy fighting St. Quentin to Cambrai.

French and Americans increase gains in Champagne as far as the River Arnes.

Announcement re: prisoners, etc.

American attack west of the Meuse gains ground north-east of Argonne Forest.

German guns being removed from Flanders coast.


Southern Front

Greek troops occupy Seres and Demir Hissar.

French and Serbs drive back Austrians in Vranya region, and French and Italians drive back Austrians in Albania.

Sharp fighting in Monte Grappa (Upper Brenta) region.


Naval and Overseas Operations

Japanese steamer "Hirano Maru" torpedoed off Ireland, 292 lost.


Political, etc.

Prince Max of Baden appointed German Imperial Chancellor, and succeeds Admiral von Hintze as Foreign Minister.

German and Austro-Hungarian Governments send Notes to President Wilson proposing armistice talks based on his 14 Points. The German note will be received by President Wilson on October 6th and the Austrian on October 7th. They have bypassed the British and French in favor of the Americans who they feel will be more lenient. Wilson, however, responds with a list of demands, including the German withdrawal from all occupied lands and the immediate cessation of all U-Boat attacks.

Ferdinand of Bulgaria abdicates; succeeded by his son Boris III, who signs decree for demobilisation of Bulgar Army.


Air War:

0700 German ace Wilhelm Frickart, flying with Jasta 65 on the Eastern Front, shoots down a two-seat SPAD XI for victory number 12. Sgt Wolff and Lt Jourdain, Spa 265, are both listed as Missing.

0705 American RAF pilot Evander Shapard, in an SE.5a, shoots down a Hannover two-seater for victory number 3.

0720 French ace Leon Bourjade, with Spa 152, destroys a German observation balloon for victory number 24.

0730 German ace Franz Piechulek, with Jasta 56, shoots down an Hanriot HD.1 for victory number 14. Sgt Max Martin, 11e Escadrille Belgium, is killed.

0800 Four RAF SE.5a pilots share a victory over a Hannover two-seater:
Thomas Stanley Horry, England, victory number 1.
Capt W.S. Wilcox, D6005 nationality and victory number unknown.
James Robb, England, F5666, victory number 5.
Evander Shapard, United States, victory number 4.

0915 German ace Hermann Becker, flying with Jasta 12, shoots down SPAD XIII S7264 for victory number 20. 1st Lt H.G. Armstrong, 13th Aero Sqdn USAS, is killed.

0835 South African RAF ace Charles Ross, in SE.5a E6030, shoots down a Fokker D.VII for victory number 17.

0955 German ace Hans von Freden, with Jasta 50, shoots down a SPAD for victory number 15.

0955 German ace Josef Veltjens, in a Fokker D.VII, shoots down SPAD XIII S15132 for victory number 34. 1st Lt C.A. Kenney, 49th Aero Sqdn USAS, is killed.

1031 German ace Josef Jacobs, with Jasta 7, shoots down as SPAD for victory number 39.

1130 German ace Raven von Barnekow, flying a Fokker D.VII, shoots down a Sopwith Camel for victory number 10.

1130 German ace Kurt-Bertram von Döring, in a Fokker D.VII, shoots down a Sopwith Camel for victory number 11.

1150 German ace Paul Aue, in a Fokker D.VII, shoots down a SPAD for victory number 10.

1155 French ace Gustave Daladier, with Spa 93, destroys a French observation balloon for victory number 12.

1250 Scottish RAF pilot Thomas Gillies Rae, in Bristol F.2b E2822 with 2nd Lt C.R. Pickering as pilot, shoots down a Fokker D.VII for victory number 1.

1430 German ace Paul Bäumer, flying a Fokker D.VII, shoots down a Bristol F.2b for victory number 40.

1555 English RAF ace George Hodson, in sopwith Camel F3965, shoots down a Fokker D.VII for victoory number 9.

1750 English RAF pilot William Bland, in Sopwith Camel E1415, claims two Fokker D.VIIs for victories 2 and 3.

1755 Scottish RAF ace Arthur Randall, in SE.5a E5487, shoots down a DFW C.V for victory number 10.

Paul Bäumer scores his second kill of the day, shooting down an SE.5a for victory number 41.

German ace Carl Degelow, flying with Jasta 40, shoots down a Sopwith Camel for victory number 25/