31st May 1918
Western Front
Germans reach Marne river from Chateau Thierry to Dormans and advance on Compiegne. French retire from River Ailette, drive Germans east of Sempigny, and recover Thillois (west of Reims).
British bomb Karlsruhe.
Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres
British bomb Turkish camps near Amman (Hejaz railway).
Naval and Overseas Operations
British destroyer HMS Fairy sunk in collision.
"President Lincoln", U.S.A. transport, torpedoed.
Fighting near Imagu Hills (160 miles north-east of Blantyre).
Political, etc.
Great fire at Constantinople for 27 hours.
Dutch Government refuses to tolerate British examination of convoyed ships.
Ship Losses:
Alert (United Kingdom) The sailing vessel was scuttled in the North Sea 6 nautical miles (11 km) north east of Boulmer, Northumberland by SM UB-40 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Attila (United Kingdom) The brig caught fire at Itaporã, Brazil. She was beached but was a total loss.
HMS Fairy (Royal Navy) The Gipsy-class destroyer foundered in the North Sea off Flamborough Head, Yorkshire after ramming and sinking SM UC-75 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
USS President Lincoln (United States Navy) The troopship was torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 600 nautical miles (1,100 km) off Brest, Finistère, France by SM U-90 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of 26 of the 715 people on board. Survivors were rescued by USS Smith and USS Warrington (both United States Navy).
Pretty Polly (United Kingdom) The fishing smack was shelled and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of County Galway, Ireland by SM U-101 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of seven crew.
SM UC-75 (Kaiserliche Marine) The Type UC II submarine was rammed and sunk in the North Sea off Flamborough Head by Blaydonian ( United Kingdom) and HMS Fairy ( Royal Navy).
MERCHANT SHIPPING
British, Allied and Neutral ships lost to enemy submarines, mines and cruisers etc in the month - 147 ships of 306,000 tons gross. (Lloyd's War Losses)
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