100 Years Ago Today

[Jimbuna]

14th September 1916

Western Front

Somme. South-east Thiepval, on a front of 1,000 yards, British storm trenches, including the "Wunderwerk".

French carry Le Priez farm; fruitless counter-attacks of a German division from Verdun front.

Southern Front

British gain ground towards Machukova (south of Gevgeli, Macedonia).

West of Vardar River (Serbia), Serbian troops storm Bulgar entrenchments.

Kavalla (Greek Macedonia) occupied by Bulgarians.

Political, etc.

Popular indignation in Greece at Kavalla news.

Legendary author Roald Dahl is born in Llandaff, Cardiff, Wales.

Ship Losses:

Congress (United States) The passenger ship was severely damaged by fire in Coos Bay.
Counsellor (United Kingdom) The cargo ship struck a mine laid by U 79 (Heinrich Jeß) and sank in the Atlantic Ocean 5 nautical miles (9.3 km) west of Galley Head, County Donegal (51°38′N 9°03′W). Her crew survived.
Ethel (Norway) The cargo ship was sunk in the English Channel off the Casquets, Channel Islands by SM UB-18 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Inverbervie (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Mediterranea Sea 17 nautical miles (31 km) south by west of Capo Rizzuto, Calabria, Italy (37°55′N 16°15′E) by SM U-4 ( Austro-Hungarian Navy) with the loss of six of her crew.
Italiana (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 112 nautical miles (207 km) east of Malta (36°00′N 16°50′E) by SM UB-43 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
HMT Loch Garry (Royal Navy) The naval trawler foundered on this date.
HMML 230 (Royal Navy) The motor launch was shelled and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 37°55′N 16°15′E by SM U-4 ( Austro-Hungarian Navy).
HMML 253 (Royal Navy) The motor launch was shelled and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea (37°55′N 16°15′E) by SM U-4 ( Austro-Hungarian Navy).
HMML 255 (Royal Navy) The motor launch was shelled and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea (37°55′N 16°15′E) by SM U-4 ( Austro-Hungarian Navy).
Johan Tillberg (Sweden) The cargo ship, bound for Copenhagen, struck a mine in southern Øresund and sank. Nine casualties, three survivors.

[Sailor Steve]

September 14, 1916

Air War:
0704 French ace Charles Nungesser, flying an unnamed Nieuport, shoots down an Albatros two-seater for victory number 14.

0915 German ace Oswald Boelcke, in Fokker D.III 352/16, shoots down Sopwith 1½ Strutter A987 for victory number 23. 2nd Lt J.H. Gale and Sapper J.M. Strathy are both killed when the plane's top wing comes off.

0930 English pilot Stephen Price and American observer Frederick Libby, in FE.2b 6994, shoot down an unnamed two-seater for victory numbers 5 and 6 respectively.

1010 Oswald Boelcke scores his second kill of the day, shooting down DH.2 7873 for victory 24.

1100 German ace Kurt Wintgens, flying a Fokker E.IV, shoots down a Nieuport for victory number 14.

1155 French ace Noël de Rochefort, in a Nieuport 17, brings down an LVG two-seater for kill number 7.

1810 Kurt Wintgens scores his second kill of the day when he shoots down an unidentified "Pusher" for number 15.

1845 Canadian RFC pilot Alan Bell-Irving, in Nieuport 17 A203, destroys a German balloon for victory number 2.

2045 English pilot Stanley Cockerell, in DH.2 7873 and Canadian pilot Arthur Knight, in DH.2 5931, team up to shoot down a Fokker D.II. Victory 1 for Cockerell, 4 for Knight.

French ace Maxime Lenoir, in an unnamed Nieuport, shoots down an "Enemy Aircraft" for victory number 9.

Scottish pilot William Patrick and English observer E.W. Burke bring down an "Enemy Aircraft". Number 2 for Patrick, unknown for Burke.

Italian pilot Ferruccio Ranza, in a Nieuport 11, shoots down a "Seaplane" for victory number 2.



Celtic Sea:
Heinrich Jeß, commanding U-79, sinks British freighter SS Counsellor, 4,958 tons, bound from San Francisco to Liverpool with a load of barley and timber. This is his first sinking.



English Channel:
Otto Steinbrinck, in UB-18, sinks Norwegian freighter SS Ethel, 1,122 tons, carrying a load of coal from Barry to Honfleur. His score is now 83 ships and 79,810 tons.



Denmark:
Danish schooner Emanuel, 124 tons, carrying a load of kaloin (China clay) from Ronne to Christiansand, sinks following a collision off Lappegrund.



Ionian Sea:
Hans von Mellenthin, in UB-43, torpedoes British freighter SS Italiana, 2,663 tons, travelling from Roas Bay to Salonika with a load of hay. This is Mellenthin's first sinking

Rudolf Singule, in Austrian submarine U-4, torpedoes British freighter SS Inverbervie, 4,309 tons, travelling from Cardiff to Taranto with a load of coal. The ship is carrying four motor launches as deck cargo. As Inverbervie sinks the launches float free. Singule opens fire on them with his deck gun. ML 230, 253 and 255 are sunk with the deck gun. ML 246 is damaged.
Also this day Singule stops Italian freighter SS Italia, 3,498 tons, carrying a load of coal from an unnamed port to Taranto. Scuttling charges are laid and, when the ship doesn't sink, U-4 opens fire with her deck gun. Italia still doesn't sink, and Singule departs the area leaving the damaged freighter to make her way to a safe harbor. Singule's score is now 13 ships and 12,r61 tons.



German East Africa:
British monitor HMS Severn moves from Dar-Es-Salaam to Kwale Island, where she fires on a suspected German camp.

[August]

100 years ago tonight British crews are preparing to introduce the tank to the battlefield for the very first time. By nightfall many of them will be dead or prisoner but the a new form of warfare would be here to stay.

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-37302722

[Oberon]

The 'Boilerplate war' begins!

https://somme1916.wordpress.com/2016...-of-the-tanks/

[Jimbuna]

15th September 1916

Western Front

Great British advance (third phase) on the Somme, a six-mile front to depth of 2 or 3,000 yards.

Flers, Martinpuich, Courcelette and whole of High Wood taken.

New heavy armoured cars (Tanks) used for first time, north of Pozieres to east of Guillemont.

French capture trenches south of Rancourt, and system of trenches north of Le Priez Farm, south of Somme, east of Deniecourt, etc.

Southern Front

Lower Isonzo: Italians take San Grado, strong entrenchments towards Loquizza, and over 1,800 prisoners.

Naval and Overseas Operations

French submarine Foucault is scuttled while on patrol off Cattaro after being damaged by two Austro-Hungarian aeroplanes.

General Smuts' columns reach south of Uluguru Hills, and join near, and occupy, Kissaki; Van Deventer approaching the Great Ruaha river towards Mahenge (East Africa).

Sudi Bay occupied by British naval forces.




Political, etc.

Raymond Asquith, barrister and son of Prime Minister Asquith, is killed in action at the Somme.

At the Hungarian Parliament, members of the Oppositions criticize Premier Tisza for the performance of the Austro-Hungarian Army.

Ship Losses:

Barden (Sweden) The wooden schooner departed Mobile, Alabama destined for Cardiff, and has not been heard from since. No information is available on the cause of the disappearance. Nine casualties.
Foucault (French Navy) The Brumaire-class submarine was bombed and sunk in the Adriatic Sea 10 nautical miles (19 km) off Cattaro, Austria-Hungary by two Austro-Hungarian Navy seaplanes. Survivors were rescued by an Austro-Hungarian Navy torpedo boat.
Ida (Norway) The cargo ship collided with Anine ( Denmark) at Oporto, Portugal and was beached.

The first tank attack: http://roadstothegreatwar-ww1.blogsp...nk-attack.html

The British Mark 1 tank is a huge shock to the German defenders. The first official tank photograph.


Four Mark I tanks being refueled at Chimpanzee Valley.

[Sailor Steve]

Air War:
Two Austro-Hungarian Lohner flying boats sink French submarine Foucault in the Adriatic Sea near Kotor, Montenegro. Though a British submarine had been sunk while at dock on August 9th, this is the first recorded instance of aircraft sinking a submarine at sea.
http://www.maritimequest.com/daily_e...5_foucault.htm

0715 Scottish RFC pilot William Patrick, in Sopwith 1½ Strutter A1912 with Cpt F.G. Glenday as observer, shoots down an unidentified German "Scout" for victory number 3.

0800 German ace Oswald Boelcke, in Fokker D.III 352/16, shoots down Sopwith 1½ Strutters A895 and A1903 for victories number 25 and 26.

0915 Scottish RFC pilot Joh Ingles Gilmour, in a Martinsyde G.100, shoots down an Albatros D.I for victory number 1.

0915 English pilot John Quested, in FE.2b 6965 with Cpl G. Monk as observer, shoots down an unidentified German fighter for victory number 4.

0930 English pilot Ernest Foot, flying FE.2b 7016 with observer 2nd Lt G.K. Chesterford, wins a fight with an unnamed German biplane fighter for victory number 3.

0945 English pilot Edwin Stuart Travis Cole flying Nieuport A174*, shoots down a Roland C.II for victory number 1.
(*Per The Aerodrome. UK Serials website says A174 was a Morane-Saulnier 'N')

0955 English ace Albert Ball, in Nieuport 17 A200, downs a Fokker D.II for victory 18.

1125 French ace Georges Guynemer, in SPAD VII S115, shoots down a Rumpler C.I for victory number 16.

1150 English pilot Maximillian John Jules Gabriel Mare-Montembault, flying DH.2 7930, shoots down a Roland C.II for kill number 1.

1230 German ace Kurt Wintgens, in a Fokker E.IV, brings down BE.12 6583 for victory number 16. 2nd Lt Colin Elphinston is taken prisoner.

1440 Canadian RFC pilot Arthur Knight, in DH.2 7930, shoots down a German biplane fighter for win number 5.

1515 French ace Alfred Heurtaux, in a SPAD VII, shoots down an "Enemy Aircraft" for victory number 6.

1720 English pilot Noel Webb, flying FE.2b 4841 with observer Lt C.S. Workman, shoots down a Fokker eindecker for victory number 5.

1900 English ace Albert Ball, in Nieuport 17 A212, downs a Roland C.II for kill number 19.

German ace Wilhelm Frankl, in a Halberstadt, shoots down Nieuport A136 for victory number 11.

Seven-kill French ace Noel Hughes de Rochefort is shot down while flying Nieuport 17 bis 1581. De Rochefort is wounded, and will die the next day.



North Sea:
British sailing barge Harcourt, 71 tons, travelling from London to Ipswich, founders at Maplin Sands, at the mouth of the Thames Estuary.



France:
British freighter SS Musketeer, 1,283 tons, bound from Gartlepool for Rouen with a load of coal, capsizes in the River Seine just below Tancarville.

[Jimbuna]

16th September 1916

Western Front

Somme near Courcelette the British front advanced 1,000 yards; "Danube" trench taken, and Mouquet farm (Thiepval) captured.

Eastern Front

Halicz front, Russians capture a position right bank of Zlota Lipa and many prisoners.

Along the Narajowka many Germans taken as well as Turks.

In the Dobruja, General Averesco (new Commander-in-Chief Romanian Army) arrives at front.

Romanians occupy Baraoltu dominating railway from Brasso to Foldvar (30 miles from Romanian frontier).

Naval and Overseas Operations

Lindi (port in southern German East Africa) occupied by British.

Political, etc.

Lloyd George, British Secretary of War, claims there is a German plot to drive a wedge between U.S.-British relations.

Annie E. Howe, the sister of President Wilson, has passed away. Wilson cancels all political engagements for the first part of next week.

Athens: New Cabinet formed, under M. Kalogeropoulos, expected to observe benevolent neutrality towards Entente.

[Sailor Steve]

September 16, 1916

Air War:
Jasta 2 begins to build up its forces with the arrival of six new Albatros fighters - five D.Is and D.II 386/16.

0930 Italian pilots Franchesco Baracca, Fulco de Calbria and Luigi Olivari, all in Nieuport 11s, gang up to bring down a Lloyd C.III. Victory number 4 for Baracca, number 2 for de Calabria and Olivari.

1015 Irish RFC ace Sidney Cowan, in DH.2 6954, shoots down a Fokker D.II for victory number 6.

1800 German pilot Otto Walter Höhne, in one of Jasta 2's brand new Albatros D.Is, shoots down FE.2b 6999 for victory number 1. This is the first confirmed kill in the new Albatros fighter.

German pilot Wilhelm Viereck, in a Fokker E.III, shoots down BE.2c 4495 for victory number 1. 2nd Lt D. Cushing, on a bombing mission with no observer, is taken prisoner.



German East Africa:
Monitor HMS Severn makes a scouting trip up the Rufiji River, site of the battle with SMS Königsberg almost two years earlier. Her ship's log notes that the defenses at the river mouth are deserted. She then passes the wreck of SS Newbridge, sunk as a blockship to keep Königsberg from escaping. After observing that the village of Salale seems to be empty Severn turns around and heads back downriver.

Meanwhile, 220 miles south of Dar-Es-Salaam light cruiser HMS Talbot opens fire on the beaches at Lindi, then lands a party of troops. After they have returned Talbot heads back to her anchorage at Sudi.

[Jimbuna]

17th September 1916

Western Front

Southern Somme: French attack, taking Vermandovillers and Berny, Deniecourt surrounded, German reserves much cut up, many prisoners.

Eastern Front

Romanians between Petrozseny and Hatszeg (Western Transylvania).

Southern Front

Italian success on the Carso.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

British attack and occupy Mazar (northern Sinai).

Turks withdraw to El Arish.

Aviation

Captain Tom Rees becomes the first official confirmed kill of Manfred von Richthofen (the future Red Baron).


Ship Losses:

Dewa (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 45 nautical miles (83 km) east by north of Malta by SM UB-43 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of three of her crew.
Lord Tredegar (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 51 nautical miles (94 km) south east by east of Malta (35°31′N 15°26′E) by SM UB-43 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of four of her crew.

[Sailor Steve]

September 17, 1916

Air War:
The first Armstrong-Whitworth FK.8s arrive in France.

0745 German pilot Erwin Böhme, flying a Halberstadt D.II, shoots down Sopwith 1½ Strutter A1913 for victory number 2. 2nd Lt Ronald Wood is wounded and take prisoner. The other, unnamed crewman is killed.

0900 German pilot Martin Zander shoots down FE.2b 4852 for victory number 4. What aircraft Zander was flying is uncertain, as Jasta 1 had a mix of aircraft at the time.

0945 French ace Alfred Heurtaux, in a SPAD VII, shoots down a Roland C.II for victory number 7.

1045 English pilot Reginald Maxwell, flying FE.2b A29 with AM2 A. Stanley as observer, brings down an unnamed D-type (German biplane fighter) for victory number 4.

1100 German pilot Manfred von Richthofen, flying Albatros D.II 491/16*, shoots down FE.2b 7018 for victory number 1. Lt. Lionel Morris and Cpt Tom Rees are both killed in the crash.
*According to Wikipedia. Norman Franks says that the new arrivals only included one Albatros D.II, Boelcke's 386/16, and five D.Is. There serial number checks out as a D.II, so either source may be correct.

1135 German ace Oswald Boelcke, in Albatros D.II 386/16, shoots down FE.2b 7019 for victory number 27.

1200 German ace Kurt Wintgens, still flying his venerable Fokker E.IV, brings down a Martinsyde G.100 'Elephant' for kill number 17.

1300 German ace Walter Höhnforf, in a Fokker or Albatros fighter, shoots down a Caudron G.4 for win number 12.

German pilot Walter von Bülow-Bothkamp, in a two-seater, shoots down Sopwith baby 8135 for victory number 4.

Slovakia-born Austro-Hungarian pilot Jozef Kiss, flying a Hansa-Brandenburg C.I with Karl Keizar as observer, downs a Caproni bomber. Victory 3 for Kiss, 1 for Keizar.



Mediterranean Sea:
Hans von Mellenthin, commanding UB-43, sinks two ships near Malta:
British freighter SS Dewa, 3,802 tons, travelling in ballast from Toulon to Port Said.
British freighter SS Lord Tredegar, 3,856 tons, bound from New York for Bombay with a general cargo.
Von Mellenthin's score is now 3 ships and 10,321 tons.



German East Africa:
Monitor HMS Severn moves to Mohoro Bay, balloon ship HMS Manica in company.
0845 Severn anchors in Mohoro bay and 6" gun crews prepare to fire on a German camp near Marendego Village.
0855 Manica sends up an observation balloon.
0925 After half an hour of observation the balloon observer has been unable to see the enemy position. Severn secures her guns.
0950 Severn and Manica depart the area for Selo Shoal.



Lake Erie:
Canadian schooner Rob Roy, 470 tons, travelling from Cleveland, Ohio, United States to Port Colborne, Ontario, Canada, is caught in a gale. Tugboat Home Rule attempts to help the ship come about and return to Cleveland, but Rob Roy founders during the attempt. Home Rule rescues the crew and makes it safely back to port.



Iceland:
Danish schooner Elin, 114 tons, carrying a load of salt from Cadiz, Spain to Blonduos, Iceland, is wrecked on the coast at Blonduos.

[Jimbuna]

18th September 1916

Western Front

South of the Ancre, British advance, taking "Quadrilateral" between Bouleaux Wood and Ginchy, on a front of a mile, to a depth of 1,000 yards.

General Haig: “Our armored cars [tanks] gallantly led the action, causing indescribable demoralization in the enemy’s ranks.”

French take Deniecourt.

Eastern Front

Heavy fighting at Merisor (Transylvania), Romanians moving towards Hatszeg.

In Dobruja, Russo-Romanians fall back to Rasova-Tuzla line.

Southern Front

Franco-Russian troops enter Florina (Macedonia), enemy retreating on Monastir.

Serbs occupy parts of Mt. Kaymakchlan.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

British aeroplanes bomb enemy aerodrome in the Shumran bend (above Kut-el-Amara).

British raid Birel Tawal (30 miles south of El Kubri, Suez).

Political, etc.

New South Wales: Political Labour League carries resolution expelling Prime Minister, Mr. Hughes, from the Labour movement.

Colonel Robert M. Thompson, President of the U.S. Navy League, predicts Germany can hold out until 1921.

Prince Albert, 2nd son of King George V, has been invalided home due to an abdominal abscess.

Ship Losses:

J. Holmes Hirdsall (United States) The schooner was driven ashore at San Juan, Puerto Rico and was a total loss.

[Sailor Steve]

September 18, 1916

Air War:
1930 New Zealander RFC pilot Keith Logan Caldwell and observer Cpt P.E. Welchman, in BE.2d 5735, shoot down a Roland C.II for victory number 1.

Bohemia-born Austro-Hungarian pilot Julius Arigi, flying Hansa-Brandenburg C.I 61.64 with observer Kdt Viktor Renvez, shoots down another Italian Caproni bomber for victory number 3. Unknown number for Renvez.



Black Sea:
Konrad Gansser, commanding U-33, sinks two small Russian fishing vessels off the coast of Romania. There are no records of the vessels' names or displacements, so Gansser's official score goes up to 49 ships but his tonnage remains at 122,260 tons.



German East Africa:
At Kilwa Kivinje battleship HMS Vengeance and monitors Mersey and Severn recover guns and crews from shore.



Puerto Rico:
American schooner J. Holmes Birdsall, 1,369 tons, bound from Norfolk, Virginia for San Juan, Puerto Rico with a load of coal, runs ground at the entrance to San Juan Harbor.

[Jimbuna]

19th September 1916

Western Front

Bad weather hinders both British and French operations.

Eastern Front

Desperate fighting on Narajowka river, Halicz region. Germans claim success here and on Stokhod (Pripet); many prisoners.

Heavy fighting in defile of Merisor (Transylvania) west of Petrozseny. Battle lasts two days. Romanians successful.

Romanians in Dobruja, holding the Rasova-Tuzla position, defending the railway Bucharest-Constanza, heavily engaged.

In Galicia, heavy fighting for three days past.

Southern Front

The Serbo-Russian-French Army advances, making great turning movement in their march on Monastir.

Naval and Overseas Operations

Belgians (under General Tombeaur) occupy Tabora.

Allied blockade of the Greek Macedonian Coast, from River Struma to River Mesto.

Political, etc.

M. Briand speaks against the dissident socialist faction of the Chamber. “If peace were made now it would be a peace of war and a menace to future generations.”

Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands, during the opening of Parliament, expresses thankfulness for the neutrality of her country in the war.

Ship Losses:

Doride (Italy) The barque was shelled and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 70 nautical miles (130 km) west of Isola Marittimo (38°24′N 10°45′E) by SM U-35 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Janie (United Kingdom) The schooner was driven ashore on Salt Island, Anglesey and was wrecked.
Teresa C. (Italy) The schooner was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea off Cape Carbonara (38°35′N 9°50′E) by SM U-35 ( Kaiserliche Marine).

French cruiser Jurien de la Graviere coming into Toulon’s dock for inspection and repair.


"His Majesty's Land Ships" (Western Mail cartoon).

[Sailor Steve]

September 19, 1916

Air War:
German ace Oswald Boelcke, flying Albatros D.II 386/16, shoots down Morane-Saulnier 'V' A204 for victory number 28.



Tyrrhenian Sea:
Lothar von Arnauld de la Perière, commanding U-35, is back in action, sinking two ships between Sardinia and Sicily:
0715 Italian barque Doride, 1,250 tons, travelling in ballast from Milazzo to Pensacola. Sunk with deck gun.
1800 Italian schooner Teresa C., 270 tons, no other details available.
Von Arnauld's score is now 104 ships and 197,461 tons.

[Jimbuna]

20th September 1916

Western Front

Somme: German counter-offensive against French fails. From Combles to the river, an attack with six divisions suffered heavy losses.

South of the Ancre, Germans during night attacked New Zealand troops without success.

Eastern Front

North of Vulkan Pass, Transylvania, Romanians fall back south of Petrozseny.

Mackensen halts in Dobruja: Germans, Bulgars and Turks in retreat, after severe repulse.

the Stokhod severe fighting, near the Kovel-Rovno railway; enemy everywhere repulsed.

Southern Front

Italians advance east of Gorizia, near Santa Caterina, and on the Carso, east of the Vallone.

Naval and Overseas Operations

Portuguese troops cross the Rovuma river, separating German from Portuguese East Africa; enemy after feeble resistance abandon their trenches.

British occupy Kisiwere Port.

Political, etc.

Premier Knudsen of Norway reveals Norway signed a treaty with Sweden in 1914 to never make war on each other.

Greek Government demands from Germany the return of the 4th Army Corps surrendered at Kavalla and sent to Germany.

Albanian Government (Essad Pasha) set up in Salonika.

Ship Losses:

Etton (United Kingdom) The collier struck a mine laid by U 75 (Curt Beitzen) and sank in the White Sea off Sviatoi Nos, Russia (67°36′N 41°20′E) with the loss of a crew member.