100 Years Ago Today

[Jimbuna]

24th February 1917

Western Front

Great German withdrawal in full swing. The villages of Serre, Miraumont, Petit Miraumont, Pys and Warlencourt evacuated.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

Kut evacuated by the Turks, and whole of enemy positions from Kut to Sanna-i-Yat taken with 1,730 prisoners. Turks retreat towards Baghdad.

Political, etc.

Lloyd George states restrictive measures are needed to ration food in Britain, such as cutting beer & liquor production by two-thirds.

Russian government opens a special committee to discuss the future status of Poland.

U.S. War Department proposes a bill that would increase the Army size to 3,296,023 men, which will cost $472,258,746.

Ship Losses:

Albina (Italy) The sailing vessel was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea east of Siniscola, Sardinia (40°39′N 9°58′E) by SM UC-38 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Beneficent (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was sunk in the North Sea 5 nautical miles (9.3 km) east north east of Hartlepool, County Durham (54°44′N 1°04′W) by SM UC-30 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of three of her crew.
Dorothy (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 25 nautical miles (46 km) south east by south of Pantelleria, Italy (42°39′N 4°08′E) by SM U-35 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of six crew.
Falcon United Kingdom) The cargo ship was sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 150 nautical miles (280 km) west north west of the Fastnet Rock (52°40′N 14°45′W) by SM U-50 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Miaoulis (Greece) The cargo ship was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 130 nautical miles (240 km) off Benghazi, Libya by SM UB-43 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Prikonisos (Greece) The cargo ship was shelled and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 30 nautical miles (56 km) south east of Pantelleria (36°30′N 12°50′E) by SM U-35 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of four crew.
Salamis (Greece) The coaster was scuttled in the Bay of Biscay 10 nautical miles (19 km) south west of the Glénan Islands, Finistère, France (47°33′N 3°54′W) by SM UC-17 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Venere (Italy) The schooner was shelled and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 2 nautical miles (3.7 km) south of San Pietro Island by SM U-65 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
HMY Verona (Royal Navy) The naval yacht struck a mine laid by UC 33 (Martin Schelle) and sank in the North Sea off Portmahomack, Ross-shire (57°52′N 3°39′W) with the loss of 23 of her crew.

Should have been posted yesterday.

[Sailor Steve]

February 24, 1917

North Atlantic, west of Ireland:
Gerhard Berger, commanding U-50, sinks British freighter SS Falcon, 2,244 tons, bound from Newport for Marseille with a load of coal. His score is now 12 ships and 29,202 tons.



North Sea:
Otto von Schrader, in UC-31, sinks British freighter SS Beneficent, 1,963 tons, en route from Tyne to Le Havre with a load of coal, just off Hartlepool. His score is now 16 ships and 12,453 tons.

His Majesty's Yacht Verona, 437 tons, hits a mine laid off Portimahomack, Scotland, by Martin Schelle in UC-33. His score is now 4 ships and 2,823 tons.



Bay of Biscay:
Ralph Wenninger, in UC-17, stops and scuttles Greek freighter SS Salamis, 995 tons, carrying a load of coal from Barry to Bordeaux; off Ile de Glenans. His score is now 52 ships and 44,903 tons.



Tyrhennian Sea:
Alfred Klatt, in UC-38, sinks Italian brigantine Albina, 187 tons, east of Siniscola, Sardinia. His score is now 12 ships and 10,391 tons.



Mediterranean Sea:
Lothar von Arnauld de la Perière, in U-35, sinkks two ships northwest of Malta:
British freighter SS Dorothy, 3,806 tons, carrying 270 French troops from Tunis to Salonika; torpedoed. All but sixteen are rescued.
Greek freighter SS Prikonisos, 3,537 tons, travelling in ballast from Salonika to Algiers, sunt with deck gun.
Von Arnauld takes the lead again as highest scorer with 153 ships and 308,802 tons.

Hermann von Fischel, in U-65, uses his deck gun to sink Italian schooner Venere, 290 tons, just off San Pietro Island, on the west side of Sardinia. His score is now 3 vessels abd 22,157 tons.

Hans von Mellenthin, in UB-43, sinks Greek freighter SS Miaoulis, 2,918 tons, en route from Alexandria to Hull; north of Benghazi. His score is now 14 ships and 66,131 tons.

[Jimbuna]

25th February 1917

Western Front

German organized retreat at the Ancre to the Hindenburg Line continues. British troops advance on a 11-mile front, to a depth of 3 miles.

British advance extends over a front of 11 miles from south of Gomemcourt to east of Gueudecourt, and reaches an extreme depth of three miles.

Successful raids at Monchy-au-Bois, Lens and in Champagne.

Naval air-raid on Brebach (near Metz).

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

Turkish retreat continues, closely pursued by British cavalry.

Turks destroy much war material.

Naval and Overseas Operations

Margate and Broadstairs bombarded for ten minutes by German destroyers. Slight damage. Three killed, one wounded.

"Laconia", S.S. (Cunarder) sunk by SM-U50. Four Americans drowned. The "overt act" for which President Wilson was waiting.


Political, etc.

U.S. Senators express anger at President Wilson, who remains silent on the issue of German submarine warfare.

Due to rationing, only stale whole meal bread can be sold in Parisian restaurants and night work in bakeries are banned.

Ship Losses:

Aries (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was shelled and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 190 nautical miles (350 km) north west by west of the Fastnet Rock by SM U-50 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived, but her captain was taken as a prisoner of war.
Huntsman (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 180 nautical miles (330 km) north west by west of the Fastnet Rock (52°04′N 12°02′W) by SM U-50 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of two crew.
Kleber (France) The sailing vessel was sunk in the Atlantic Ocean off Ouessant, Finistère by SM UC-17 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Laconia (United Kingdom) The troopship was torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 160 nautical miles (300 km) north west by west of the Fastnet Rock (52°00′N 13°40′W) by SM U-50 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of twelve lives.
Maria Adriana (Netherlands) The sailing vessel was scuttled in the English Channel off Cap Barfleur, Seine-Maritime, France by SM UB-40 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Saint Joseph (France) The fishing vessel was scuttled in the English Channel 6 nautical miles (11 km) west of Berck, Pas-de-Calais by SM UC-65 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Vigda (Norway) The cargo ship was sunk in the English Channel 5 nautical miles (9.3 km) south of the Owers Lightship ( United Kingdom) by SM UC-65 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.

[Sailor Steve]

February 25, 1917

Air War:
1045 French observer Charles Borzecki, riding in a Nieuport 12 with Brigadier Fournier as pilot, shoots down an "Enemby Aircraft" for victory number 5. This is Borzecki's last victory. He will serve out the war as an observer, be commended for his photographs, and live until 1959.

1135 Prussian-born German pilot Johannes Janzen, in an Albatros D.II, shoots down a Farman two-seater for victory number 1. Likely victims are Adj Jean Peuch S/Lt Saintot who landed their F.40 safely.

1445 German ace Erich König, in an Albatros D.II, shoots down a DH.2 for victory number 6. Details unknown.

1455 French pilot Armand Pinsard, in a SPAD VII, shoots down an "Enemy Aircraft" for victory number 4.

1455 German ace Werner Voss, in an Albatros D.II, shoots down DH.2 A2557 for victory number 7. Reginald James Spencer Lund is severely wounded, but crashes on his own side of the lines.

1500 Werner Voss shoots down DH.2 7849 for victory number 8. Harold James Payne lands on his own side of the lines with a badly damaged engine.

Canadian RNAS pilot John Edward Sharman, flying Sopwith 1½ Strutter N5088, shoots down a Fokker Eindecker for victory number 1. Sharman's observer is unknown, and he may have been flying solo on a bombing raid.



North Atlantic Ocean, west of Ireland:
Gerhard Berger, commanding U-50, sinks three British ships roughly 200 miles west of Fastnet:
Freighter SS Aries, 3,071 tons, bound from Melilla for Glasgow with a load of iron ore.
Freighter SS Huntsman, 7,460 tons, carrying a general cargo from Liverpool to Calcutta.
Passenger liner SS Laconia, 18,099 tons, travelling from New York to Liverpool with passengers and a general cargo.
Berger's score is now 15 ships and 58,012 tons.



Celtic Sea:
Ralph Wenninger, in UC-17, stops and scuttles French schooner Kleber, 95 tons, carrying a load of coal from Swansea to Saint Martin de Ré, off Ushant. His score is now 53 ships and 44,998 tons.



English Channel:
Hans Howaldt, in UB-40, scuttles Dutch sailboat Maria Adriana, 88 tons, travelling in ballast from Le Havre to Teignmouth, off Cape Barfleur. His score is now 11 ships and 5,368 tons.

Otto Steinbrinck, in UC-65, sinks two vessels west of Berck, France:
French fishing boat Saint Joseph, 42 tons.
Norwegian freighter SS Vigda, 1,851 tons, travelling from Hull to Chantenay with a load of coal.
Steinbrinck's score is now 115 ships and 106,891 tons.



Simonstown, South Africa:
Aboard HMFM Trent, new bollards are being fitted to replace the ones torn off when attempting to tow SS Tyndareus more that two weeks earlier.

[Jimbuna]

26th February 1917

Western Front

North and south of the Ancre British make further progress, capturing the village of Le Barque (south-west of Bapaume).

Due to the German withdrawal towards the Hindenburg line, British forces have gained 22 square miles of territory in France.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

Turkish rearguard covers the retreat 15 miles from Kut.

H.M.S. "Firefly" recaptured on the Tigris.

Political, etc.

British government announces that it raised £1 billion in new war loans, raised by the contribution of 5 million subscribers.

War Conference at Calais.

Wilson asks Congress to establish armed neutrality and arm merchant vessels.

British Government requisitions Dutch ships in British ports.

Ship Losses:

Afreida Woermann (Germany) The cargo ship foundered in the Kattegat north of Höganäs, Skåne County, Sweden.
Alberdina (Netherlands) The sailing vessel was scuttled in the English Channel 35 nautical miles (65 km) north east of Alderney, Channel Islands by SM UC-65 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Algiers (United Kingdom) The cargo ship struck a mine and sank in the English Channel 3 nautical miles (5.6 km) south of the Owers Lightship (50°35′N 0°40′W) by SM UC-65 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of eight of her crew.
British Yeoman (United Kingdom) The sailing vessel was sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 230 nautical miles (430 km) north north west of the St Paul Rocks, Brazil by SMS Seeadler ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Burnby (United Kingdom) The collier was torpedoed and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 20 nautical miles (37 km) north of Cape Falcon, Algeria (36°00′N 0°42′W) by SM U-39 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived, but her captain was taken as a prisoner of war.
Clan Farquhar (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 80 nautical miles (150 km) east of Benghazi, Libya (33°30′N 20°05′E) by SM UB-43 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of 49 of her crew. One survivor was taken as a prisoner of war.
Dido (United Kingdom) The cargo ship struck a mine and sank in the North Sea 4 nautical miles (7.4 km) north north east of the Spurn Lightship ( United Kingdom) (53°07′N 0°15′E) with the loss of 28 of her crew.
Hannah Crossdell (United Kingdom) The schooner struck a mine laid by UC 65 (Otto Steinbrinck) and sank in the Irish Sea 1 nautical mile (1.9 km) south of Skokholm, Pembrokeshire with the loss of four of her crew.
Lamentin (France) The barque was shelled and sunk in the English Channel 30 nautical miles (56 km) west south west of Guernsey, Channel Islands (49°40′N 3°25′W) by SM UC-17 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Sea Gull (United Kingdom) The coaster struck a mine laid by UC 16 (Egon von Werner) and sank in the English Channel 4 nautical miles (7.4 km) off Folkestone, Kent with the loss of two of her crew.
HMT St. Germain (Royal Navy) The naval trawler struck a mine laid by UC 16 (Egon von Werner) and was damaged in the English Channel off Folkestone (51°01′40″N 1°14′40″E). She was beached by was later refloated, repaired and returned to service.
Tammerfos (Russia) The coaster was torpedoed and sunk in the English Channel off Barfleur, Seine-Maritime, France by SM UB-40 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Victoria (Greece) The cargo ship was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea off Algiers, Algeria by SM UC-37 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.

[Sailor Steve]

February 26, 1917

Air War:
German ace Werner Voss shoots down BE.2c 2535 for victory number 9. Lt Harry Eric Bagot is wounded but manages to crash just behind his own trenches. 2nd Lt Robert Lawrence Munro Jack is wounded and dies the next day. Ground observers say the BE.2 was attacked by a Halberstadt, but the previous day's attacks were said to have been made by an Albatros, so Voss may have been flying either plane.



St. George's Channel:
British schooner Hanna Croasdell, 151 tons, hits a mine laid off Skokholm Island by Otto Steinbrinck in UC-65.



English Channel:
British freighter SS Algiers, 2,361 tons, travelling in ballast from Calais to Barry Roads, hits a mine laid by Steinbrinck and UC-65 off the Owers Lightvessel.
Meanwhile Steinbrinck himself stops and scuttles Dutch sailing vessel Alberdina, 134 tons, travelling in ballast from Le Havre to Teignouth.
Steinbrinck's score is now 118 ships and 109,537 tons.

Hans Howaldt, in UB-40, topedoes Russian freighter SS Tammerfors, 994 tons, raising his score to 12 ships and 6,362 tons.

British coaster SS Sea Gull, 144 tons, en route from London to Boulogne with a general cargo, hits a mine laid off Folkstone by Egon von Werner in UC-16. His score is now 47 ships and 51,932 tons.
His Majesty's Trawler St. Germain, 307 tons, also hits a mine laid by UC-16, but is beached and later repaired.

Ralph Wenninger, in UC-17, captures French barque Le Lamentin, 716 tons, sailing from Saint Marc, Haiti to Le Havre, and sinks her with his deck gun. His score is now 54 ships and 45,713 tons.

Dutch freighter SS Algiers, 2,361 tons, travelling in ballast from Calais to Barry roads, hits a mine laid by Otto Stienbrinck in UC-65 off the Owers Lightship.



Mediterranean Sea:
Walter Forstmann, in U-39, sinks British freighter SS Burnby, 3,665 tons, carrying a load of coal from Barry to Algiers, off Cap Falcon, Algeria. He retakes the lead in tonnage sunk with 149 ships and 311,273 tons.

Hans von Mellenthin, in UB-43, sinks British freighter SS Clan Farquhar, 5,858 tons, travelling from Calcutta to London with a general cargo east of Benghazi, with 49 casualties. The second engineer is taken prisoner. His score is now 15 ships and 71,989 tons.

Otto Launburg, in UC-37, sinks Greek freighter SS Victoria, 1,388 tons, en route from Bône to Almeria with an unspecified cargo. His score is now 12 ships and 22,811 tons.
Launburg also torpedoes Italian freighter SS Gerolamo Ulloa, 4,283 tons, but the crippled ship makes port safely.



Atlantic Ocean:
German raider SMS Seeadler captures and sinks Canadian barque British Yeoman, 1,953 tons.

[Jimbuna]

27th February 1917

Western Front

Ligny (east of Le Barque) and Gommecourt occupied by the British. Also the western and southern defences of Puisieux.

East of Armentieres British raiders seriously damage three lines of enemy trenches and take 17 prisoners.

Eastern Front

Near Jakobeny the Germans take several Russian positions on high ground and 1,300 prisoners.

Southern Front

At Salonika German airmen bombard Allied camps. One enemy machine shot down.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

Pursuit of Turks continued. 7,000 prisoners taken.

Naval

Royal Navy purchases the HMS Nairana from Australia to be converted into a seaplane carrier.


US Cruiser USS Des Moines is sent to the Ottoman Empire to carry supplies & rescue American refugees. Germany refuses to give safe conduct.

Political, etc.

The German Chancellor proclaims great success of submarine campaign, and justifies breaking of Germany's agreement with U.S.A., saying it was conditional on America insisting on Great Britain respecting international law concerning "Freedom of the Seas".

German Chancellor von Bethmann-Hollwegg declares the U.S. must suffer on the seas for arming the Allies.

Canadian government states it seeks a $150 million loan in order to fund the war effort.

Standard Oil Company seeks $150 million from the Allies for destroying Romanian oil fields during their retreat from the Central Powers.

British government seeks 2000 U.S.-made tractors to help support food production in Britain.

Train carrying invalided captured Russian soldiers, sent home by Germany through Sweden, suffers a crash, resulting in 50+ deaths.

Ship Losses:

Brodmore (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea (33°50′N 21°02′E) by SM UB-43 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived, but one of them was taken as a prisoner of war.
Brunette (France) The sailing vessel was sunk in the English Channel off The Needles, Isle of Wight, United Kingdom by SM UC-65 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Elena M. (Italy) The sailing vessel was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea north west of Palermo, Sicily by SM UC-38 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
HMT Evadne (Royal Navy) The naval trawler struck a mine laid by UC 65 (Otto Steinbrinck) and sank in the English Channel 8 nautical miles (15 km) south of the Owers Lightship ( United Kingdom) (50°33′N 0°39′W) with the loss of twelve of her crew.
Galgorm Castle (United Kingdom) The barque was shelled and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 90 nautical miles (170 km) west of the Fastnet Rock by SM U-49 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of eleven crew.
Luigino B. (Italy) The cargo ship was sunk in the Atlantic Ocean north west of Tearaght Island, County Kerry, United Kingdom by SM U-49 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Marie Madeleine (France) The sailing vessel was shelled by UC 43 (Erwin Sebelin) and sunk in the English Channel 10 nautical miles (19 km) north of Ver-sur-Mer, Calvados (49°30′N 0°40′W).
Mecklenburg (Netherlands) The passenger ship struck a mine and sank in the North Sea off the Galloper Lightship ( United Kingdom).
S. Ciro Palmerino (Italy) The sailing vessel was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea north west of Palermo by SM UC-38 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Tritonia (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean north west of Tearaght Island (52°13′N 11°26′W) by SM U-49 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of two crew.

[Sailor Steve]

February 27, 1917

Air War:
1045 German ace Werner Voss, flying an Albatros D.II, shoots down BE.2e 2530 for victory number 10. Edwin Albert Pope and Hubert Alfred Johnson are both killed.

1648 Werner Voss claims his second victory of the day, shooting down BE.2c 7197 for number 11. John McArthur and James Whiteford are both killed.



North Atlantic Ocean, west of Ireland:
Richard Hartmann, commanding U-49, sinks three Allied ships:
British barque Galgorm Castle, 1,596 tons, bound from Buenos Aires for Queenstown with an unspecified cargo; stopped and scuttled 90 miles west of Fastnet.
Italian freighter SS Luigino B., en route from Almeria to Tyne with an unnamed cargo, sunk northwest of Tearaght Island.
British freighter SS Tritonia, 4,445 tons, carrying horses and a general cargo from Halifax to Glasgow, sunk off Tearaght Island.
Hartmann's score is now 22 ships and 45,969 tons.



English Channel:
Erwin Sebelin, in UC-43, sinks French sailing vessel Marie Madeleine, 45 tons, off Ver Lighthouse with his deck gun. He now has 6 vessels and 4,538 tons.

Otto Steinbrinck, in UC-65, is responsible for the loss of two Allied ships:
French sailing vessel Brunette, 104 tons, stopped and scuttled off The Needles, Isle of Wight.
His Majesty's Trawler Evadne, 189 tons, hits a mine laid by UC-65 south of the Owers Lightship.
Steinbrinck's score is now 120 vessels and 109,830 tons.



North Sea:
Otto Wünsche, in U-70, attacks British tanker SS San Patricio, 9,712 tons, with his deck gun, off the Orkney Islands. The tanker manages to outrun the submarine and escapes.



Mediterranean Sea:
Hans von Mellenthin, in UB-43, sinks British freighter SS Brodmore, 4,071 tons, carrying a load of frozen meat from Majunga to the United Kingdom. The ship's master is taken prisoner. Von Mellenthin's score is now 16 ships and 76,060 tons.

Heino von Heimburg, in UC-22, attacks British freighter SS Bellorado, 4,649 tons, en route from Barry to Alexandria, with his deck gun. The damaged ship manages to escape.

Alfred Klatt, in UC-38, sinks two Italian sailing vessels northwest of Palermo, Sicily:
Elena M., 125 tons.
S. Ciro Palmerino, 113 tons.
Klatt's score is now 14 vessels and 10,629 tons.

[Jimbuna]

28th February 1917

Western Front

Thilloy, Gommecourt, Puisieux and Sailly-Saillisel taken by British.

Eastern Front

Romanian counter-attacks in Bukovina partially successful.

Southern Front

Austrian attacks on Asiago Plateau and north of Gorizia repulsed.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

Turkish losses in Mesopotamia in last three months estimated at over 20,000.

Naval and Overseas Operations

Germany offers to lend 7 merchant ships for the duration of the war to replace Dutch ships recently sunk by U-Boats.

French destroyer "Cassini" torpedoed in Mediterranean.


Political, etc.

Allied Minister present Memorandum to Chinese Government.

Particulars of German plot re: Mexico and Japan published in U.S.A. (v. 19.1).

Serbian government-in-exile claims Austria-Hungary has taken 60,000 Serbians as forced labourers to dig trenches and other tasks.

Ship Losses:

Cassini (French Navy) The converted minelayer struck a mine laid by UC 35 (Ernst von Voigt) and sank in the Strait of Bonifacio with the loss of 88 of her crew.
Elisabetta Concettina (Italy) The sailing vessel was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 35 nautical miles (65 km) north of Linosa by SM UC-35 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Emancipato (Italy) The sailing vessel was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea east of Corsica, France by SM U-65 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Giustina Madre (Italy) The sailing vessel was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 35 nautical miles (65 km) north of Linosa by SM UC-35 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Harriet Williams (United Kingdom) The schooner was scuttled in the English Channel 15 nautical miles (28 km) north north east of Cap d'Antifer, Manche, France by SM UB-18 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Immaculée Conception (France) The sailing vessel was sunk in the English Channel 15 nautical miles (28 km) south south west of Dungeness, Kent, United Kingdom by SM UB-40 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Marie Joseph (France) The schooner was scuttled in the English Channel 1 nautical mile (1.9 km) off Étretat, Seine-Maritime (49°44′N 0°11′E) by SM UC-65 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Shinsei Maru (Japan) The cargo ship was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 80 nautical miles (150 km) north of Benghazi, Libya by SM UB-43 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Sjøstad (Norway) The cargo ship was sunk in the English Channel 10 nautical miles (19 km) north west of Cap la Heve, Seine-Maritime by SM UC-65 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of nine of her crew.

Editorial Cartoon: 'Wonder if it ain't purty near time to begin to load her up?' ─ Chicago Tribune

[Sailor Steve]

February 28, 1917

Air War:
1015 Italian Pilot Fulco di Calabria, flying a Nieuport 17, claims an "Enemy Aircraft", but it is unconfirmed.

Italian pilot Cosimo Rizzotto, probably also in a Nieuport 17, shoots down an "Enemy Aircraft" for victory number 1.

French pilot S/Lt Vernin and observer Cpl Charpentier, in a Nieuport 12, shoot down an "Enemy Aircraft". Victory number 1 for both.



Bristol Channel:
British tug J.W. Thompson, 226 tons, departs Cardiff for Kola Bay, Murmansk, and is not heard from again. All 14 crew lost.



English Channel:
Claus Lafrenz, commanding UB-18, stops and scuttles British schooner Harriet Williams, bound from London for Le Havre with a load of bulk pitch; off Cap d'Antifer. His score is now 34 ships and 33,731 tons.

Hans Howaldt, in UB-40, sinks French sailing vessel Immaculée Conception, 36 tons, on a fishing trip off Dungeness. The crew row their single lifeboat to the Colbart Lighthouse. Later picked up there by Torpilleur 323 and taken to Boulogne. Howaldt's score is now 13 vessels and 6,398 tons.

Otto Steinbrinck, in UC-65, stops and scuttles two ships:
French schooner Marie Joseph, 192 tons, travelling in ballast from Fécamp to Cardiff; off Etretat.
Norwegian freighter SS Sjøstad, 1,155 tons, carrying a load of coal from Newport, Wales to Fécamp; off Cap Le Heve.
Steinbrinck's score is now 122 ships and 111,177 tons.



Mediterranean Sea:
Hans von Mellenthin, in UB-43, torpedoes Japanese freighter Shinsei Maru, 3,060 tons, travelling from Cardiff to Port Said with an unspecified cargo. His score is now 17 ships and 79,120 tons.



Tyrhennian Sea:
Hermann von Fischel, in U-65, sinks Italian sailing vessel Emancipato, 30 tons, east of Corsica, bringing his score to 4 vessels and 22,187 tons.

French minelayer Cassini, 970 tons, hits a mine laid by Ernst von Voigt in UC-35 in the Strait of Bonifacio, between Corsica and Sardinia.
Meanwhile, von Voigt himself is in the Mediterranean, sinking two Italian sailing vessels off the island of Linosa, east of Malta:
Elisabetta Concettina, 45 tons.
Giustina Madre, 35 tons.
Von Voigt's score is now 5 vessels and 20,566 tons.



Australia:
Australian coaster SS Cooloon, 239 tons, travelling from Sydney to the Manning river with a general cargo, is wrecked near the Richmond River, at Coopernook.



Canada:
Schooner Lillian O. is driven ashore and crushed by ice at Harbour Le Cou, Newfoundland.

[Jimbuna]

1st March 1917

Western Front

G.H.Q. reports capture of 2,133 German prisoners and 11 villages during past month.

German air losses during February twice those of Allies.

Aeroplane raid on Broadstairs: six injured.

Naval and Overseas Operations

First weekly statement of shipping sailings, arrivals and losses issued.

Germany announces end of safe period for sailing vessels in Atlantic.

Political, etc.

Speech by Herr Zimmermannn on torpedoing of neutrals.

President Wilson makes public the contents of the Zimmermann telegram, which proposes a German-Mexico alliance against the U.S.

The Zimmermann telegram produces widespread condemnations of Germany among U.S. politicians, press, and the public.

MERCHANT SHIPPING LOSSES for month of February 1917 (Should have been posted yesterday).
British, Allied and Neutral ships lost to enemy submarines, mines and cruisers etc. in the month - 366 ships of 596,000 tons gross. (Lloyd's War Losses).

Ship Losses:

Apollonia (Italy) The cargo ship struck a mine laid by UC 32 (Herbert Breyer) and sank in the North Sea 1 nautical mile (1.9 km) east of Flamborough Head, Yorkshire, United Kingdom (54°10′N 0°04′W). Her crew survived.
Bout de Zan (France) The fishing vessel was shelled and damaged in the English Channel 6 nautical miles (11 km) west of Berck, Pas-de-Calais by UC 65 (Otto Steinbrinck) . She was abandoned by her crew and came ashore at Dungeness, Kent, United Kingdom where she was declared a total loss.
Chatburn (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the English Channel 22 nautical miles (41 km) north east of Cape Barfleur, Manche, France (50°00′N 0°55′W) by SM UB-18 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Diamond Cross (Belgium) The fishing vessel was shelled and sunk in the English Channel west of Berck by SM UC-65 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Drina (United Kingdom) The passenger ship struck a mine laid by UC 65 (Otto Steinbrinck) and sank in the Irish Sea 2 nautical miles (3.7 km) west of Skokholm, Pembrokeshire (51°41′N 5°20′W) with the loss of fifteen lives.
Elise II (France) The fishing vessel was shelled and sunk in the English Channel 8 nautical miles (15 km) off Cayeux-sur-Mer, Somme by SM UC-65 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Elorn (France) The coaster was shelled and sunk in the English Channel 6 nautical miles (11 km) north north east of Le Tréport, Seine-Maritime (50°11′N 1°24′E) by SM UC-65 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of two of her crew.
General Radiguet (France) The fishing vessel was scuttled in the English Channel 2 nautical miles (3.7 km) north north west of Cayeux-sur-Mer by SM UC-65 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Germaine (France) The trawler was scuttled in the English Channel 6 nautical miles (11 km) west of Berck by SM UC-65 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
HMHS Glenart Castle (Royal Navy) The hospital ship struck a mine laid by UC 65 (Otto Steinbrinck) and was damaged in the English Channel 8 nautical miles (15 km) north west of the Owers Lightship ( United Kingdom). She was repaired and returned to service.

Gurre (Norway) The cargo ship was sunk in the North Sea (59°30′N 2°00′E) by SM U-66 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of twenty crew.
Herbert Ingram (United Kingdom) The trawler was scuttled in the North Sea 70 nautical miles (130 km) east of the Longstone Lighthouse, Northumberland (55°59′N 0°25′E) by SM UC-29 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Homocea (France) The trawler was shelled and sunk in the English Channel 7 nautical miles (13 km) north north west of Cayeux-sur-Mer by SM UC-65 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Josephine Adolphine (France) The fishing vessel was scuttled in the English Channel 2 nautical miles (3.7 km) north west of Cayeux-sur-Mer by SM UC-65 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Jumna (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was scuttled in the Indian Ocean 650 nautical miles (1,200 km) west of Minicoy, India by SMS Wolf ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Mabella (Norway) The full-rigged ship was sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 24 nautical miles (44 km) south south west of Old Head of Kinsale, County Cork, United Kingdom (51°13′N 9°04′W) by SM UC-43 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Munificent (United Kingdom) The collier was torpedoed and sunk in the English Channel 3.5 nautical miles (6.5 km) off Cap Gris Nez, Pas-de-Calais, France by a Kaiserliche Marine submarine.
N.D. de Lourdes (France) The fishing vessel was shelled and sunk in the English Channel 6 nautical miles (11 km) west of Berck by SM UC-65 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Nicolaos (Greece) The cargo ship was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea south of Sardinia, Italy by SM U-65 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Norma (Norway) The barque was shelled and sunk in the North Sea 4 nautical miles (7.4 km) east by north of the Shetland Islands by SM U-58 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of a crew member.
Orion (Norway) The cargo ship was sunk in the North Sea (55°58′N 0°51′E) by SM UC-41 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of nineteen of her crew.
HMS Pheasant (Royal Navy) The Admiralty M-class destroyer struck a mine laid by U 80 (Alfred von Glasenapp) and sank in the Atlantic Ocean west of the Orkney Islands with the loss of 88 crew.
Redcap (United Kingdom) The trawler was shelled and sunk in the North Sea 97 nautical miles (180 km) east of the Longstone Lighthouse (56°10′N 1°10′E) by SM UC-29 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of a crew member.
Reine des Anges (France) The trawler was sunk in the English Channel 6 nautical miles (11 km) west of Berck by SM UC-65 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Sainte Famille (France) The fishing vessel was shelled and sunk in the English Channe off Boulogne, Pas-de-Calais by SM UC-65 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Saint Joseph (France) The fishing vessel was sunk in the English Channel south of Boulogne by SM UC-65 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Seigneur (France) The fishing vessel was shelled and sunk in the English Channel west of Berck by SM UC-65 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Storenes (Norway) The barque was scuttled in the Atlantic Ocean south west of the Old Head of Kinsale by SM UC-43 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Teresina (Italy) The brigantine was scuttled in the Mediterranean Sea south of Sardinia by SM U-65 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Tillycorthie (United Kingdom) The coaster was shelled and sunk in the North Sea off the Longstone Lighthouse, Northumberland by SM UC-41 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.

[Sailor Steve]

March 1, 1917

Air War:
Idflieg's bi-monthly report on German fighters operating at the front at the end of February 1917:

Albatros:
D.I----28
D.II--150
D.III-137

Fokker:
D.I-----5
D.II---49
D.III---7
E.III---2

Halberstadt:
D.I----12
D.II----5
D.III--12
D.V----39

LFG Roland:
D.I----12
D.II---22

LVG:
D.I----61 (License-built Albatros D.II)

German ace Renatus Theiller, flying an Albatros D.II, destroys an observation balloon for victory number 9. British observer Lt G.K. Simpson suffers severe burns and dies six days later.

Canadian RNAS pilot Stearne Tighe Edwards, in Sopwith 1½ Strutter 9422, shoots down an "Enemy Aircraft" for victory number 1. Whether he had an observer or was flying the two-seater solo is unknown.
(Per The Aerodrome and other websites. Above The Trenches, by Shores, Franks & Guest does not have this claim listed)



Ireland:
Erwin Sebelin, commanding UC-43, sinks two Norwegian sailing ships off Old Head of Kinsale:
Full-rigged ship Mabella, 1,637 tons, bound from Galveston for Kolding with a load of oilcake.
Barque Storenes, 1,870 tons, carrying a load of maize from Buenos Aires to Queenstown.
Sebelin's score is now 8 ships and 8,045 tons.



English Channel:
British freighter SS Munificent, 3,270, en route from Tyne to Dunkerque with a load of coal, suffers and explosion and sinks with three casualties. No U-Boat claimed this ship and there is no record of a minefield in the specific location, so the cause in listed as "unknown".

Claus Lafrenz, in UB-18, sinks British freighter SS Chatburn, 1,942 tons, travelling from Sunderland to Rouen with a load of coal. His score is now 35 ships and 35,673 tons.

Otto Steinbrinck, in UC-65, has a field day. First he attacks a French fishing fleet off the coast of Berck:
Germaine, 24 tons, scuttled.
Bout de Zan, 13 tons, shelled. Did not sink, but drifted to Dungerness, where she was wrecked.
Elise, 50 tons, shelled.
General Radiguet, 24 tons, scuttled.
Homocea, 58 tons, shelled. British, on loan to France with French crew and French flag.
Joseph Adolphine, 21 tons, scuttled.
Notre Dame de Lourdes, 47 tons, shelled.
Reine des Anges, 47 tons, shelled.
Saint Joseph, 20 tons, scuttled.
Sainte Famille, 25 tons, shelled.
Seigneur, 53 tons, shelled.
With them is Belgian fishing vessel Diamond Cross, 29 tons, sunk.

Steinbrinck also shells and sinks French freighter SS Elorn, 603 tons, travelling from Saint Malo to Dunkerque with an unspecified cargo.

Meanwhile British passenger liner SS Drina, 11,483 tons, carrying passengers and a general cargo from Buenos Aires to Liverpool, hits a mine laid by UC-65 off Skokham Island, Wales.

British hospital ship Glenart Castle hits a mine laid by UC-65, and Stienbrinck attacks floating crane Sarus, but both ships survive the attacks.

Steinbrinck's score is now 136 ships and 123,674 tons.



North Sea:
Kurt Wippern, in U-58, sinks Norwegian barque Norma, 850 tons, carrying a load of oilcake from Savannah to Aarhus, Denmark, with his deck gun off Shetland Island. His score is now 4 ships and 2,426 tons.

Thorwald von Bothmer, in U-66, takes two Norwegian freighters:
SS Gurre, 1,733 tons, travelling from Narvik and Fredrikshald to hull with a load of Iron ore; sunk.
SS Livingstone, carrying a load of ammonium nitrate from Skien to Charente; taken as a prize.
Von Bothmer's score is now 21 ships and 53,268 tons.

British destroyer HMS Pheasant, 1,025 tons, hits a mine laid west of the Orkney Islands by Alfred von Glasenapp in U-80. His score is now 5 ships and 21,480 tons.

Ernst von Rosenow, in UC-29, stops and scuttles two British trawlers off Longstone:
Herbert Ingram, 142 tons.
Redcap, 199 tons.
Rosenow's score is now 8 vessels and 7,179 tons.

Italian freighter SS Apollonia, 2,861 tons, hits a mine laid off Flamborough Head by Herbert Breyer in UC-32. His score is now 6 ships and 8,547 tons. This is Breyer's last sinking as UC-32 was sunk on February 23 by one of her own mines.

Kurt Bernis, in UC-41, begins his U-Boat career with the sinking of two Allied ships off Longstone:
British coaster SS Tillycorthie, 382 tons, bound from Seaham for Peterhead with a load of coal.
Norwegian freighter SS Orion, 1,354 tons, carrying a load of iron ore from Narvik to Middlesbrough.
Bernis's opening score is 2 ships and 1,736 tons.



Mediterranean Sea:
Hermann von Fischel, in U-65, sinks two ships south of Sardinia:
Greek freighter SS Nicolaos, 1,215 tons.
Italian brigantine Teresina, 212 tons; scuttled.
Von Fischel's score is now 6 ships and 23,614 tons.

Wolfgang Steinbauer, in UB-47, torpedoes British freighter SS Euterpe, 3,540 tons, off Suda Bay, Crete. The damaged ship manages to make safe port.



Algoa Bay, South Africa:
HMFM Trent is employed towing two lighters from Algoa Bay to Durban. The tow starts off easily, but rain and rising seas toward evening make the going tougher.

[Jimbuna]

2nd March 1917

Western Front

British lines advanced north-west of Puisieux and north of Warlencourt (Ancre).

Unsuccessful enemy counter-attacks from near Bapaume.

German withdrawal to the Hindenburg Line slows, as they launch limited counterattacks against the British advance.

A large trench raid at Vimy, led by the 4th Canadian Division, fail, resulting in 637 Canadian casualties.

Eastern Front

Fighting continues in southern Bukovina.

Activity round Riga and on Narajowka river (Galicia), where Germans claim success.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

Turks fall back towards Baghdad, one column from Hamadan and one to Dauletabad.

Russians occupy Hamadan.

Political, etc.

British Major-General Frederick B. Maurice predicts that there will be another winter of war, as the German Army is still capable.

U.S. Congress passes resolution for arming merchant ships.

State Council, Warsaw, reported organising national army against Russia, using Polish legions as cadres.

French recruits of 1918 called up.

Ottoman Empire borrows $48 million from Austria-Hungary, on condition that it be used to buy Austro-Hungarian goods.

Ship Losses:

Edvard Greig (Norway) The coaster was sunk in the North Sea (57°10′N 4°05′E) by SM U-61 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of fifteen crew.
Gazelle (United Kingdom) The ketch was scuttled in the English Channel 20 nautical miles (37 km) south south west of Dungeness, Kent by SM U-53 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
San Vincenza F. (Italy) The sailing vessel was sunk in the Strait of Sicily by SM U-65 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Utopia (United Kingdom) The sailing vessel was shelled and sunk in the English Channel 20 nautical miles (37 km) south south west of Dungeness (50°31′N 0°39′E) by SM U-53 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.

[Sailor Steve]

March 2, 1917

Air War:
1525 German ace Friedrich Mannschott, flying an Albatros D.II, shoots down a Farman two-seater for victory number 8. Nothing specific is known, but French Escadrille F25 lost a plane this day, with pilot Adj Caulier wounded and dying later, and observer Adj Planche killed. At the time they are listed as "Missing".



English Channel:
Hans Rose, commanding U-53, stops and scuttles two British sailing vessels off Dungeness:
Ketch-barge Gazelle, 119 tons, bound from London for Le Havre with a load of pitch.
Brig Utopia, 184 tons, carrying a load of pitch from London to Rouen.
Rose's score is now 19 ships and 38,121 tons.



North Sea:
Victor Dieckmann, in U-61, sinks Norwegian freighter SS Edvard Grieg, 989 tons, en route from Newcastle to Skien with a load of soda. His score is now 10 ships and 9,421 tons.

German freighter SS Erlangen I, 5,285 tons, is sunk by a mine south of Helgoland, with the loss of 19 lives. Also known as Sperrbrecher-VI.



Mediterranean Sea:
Hermann von Fischel, in U-65, sinks Italian sailing vessel San Vincenza F., 52 tons, bringing his score to 7 ships and 23,666 tons.



South Africa:
HMFM Trent is still towing the two lighters from Algoa Bay to Durban. The seas are growing heavier and at 0340 one of the tow ropes breaks. Trent heaves to and waits for the sun to come up. At 0730 a work party goes aboard the lighter and re-ssecures the ropes. By 1000 weather is mild and the towing easy. After dark the weather begins to pick up again and the lighters begin to pull at the tow ropes again.

[Jimbuna]

3rd March 1917

Western Front

British progress north of Puisieux and east of Gommecourt.

German War Minister's announcement re: prisoners under fire.

Eastern Front

Russian gas attack north of Lake Naroch.

German attack south-west of Brzezany (Galicia) and near Voruchin (west of Lutsk).

Southern Front

Fierce fighting near Monastir; Italian troops in action.

Political, etc.

U.S. Ambassador Page and Premier Lloyd George confer to discuss the possible entrance of the U.S. into the war.

Zimmermann on submarine warfare: “We regret that neutrals [nations] have to suffer by it, but we cannot help it.”

British government reports 933,000 women are now occupying jobs once held by men called to the front or other war-related services.

Governments of Japan and Mexico deny having received proposals from Germany.

In U.S. Senate obstructionist minority prevents Vote on President's armed neutrality policy.

15,000 British women volunteer for National Service in three days.

Mr. Wilson takes the oath as President of the United States.

Scandinavian liners resume service to the United States, but will not carry passengers due to the threat of U-boats.

Ship Losses:

Anna E (Italy) The sailing vessel was sunk in the Strait of Sicily by SM U-39 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Connaught (United Kingdom) The troopship was torpedoed and sunk in the English Channel 29 nautical miles (54 km) south of the Owers Lightship ( United Kingdom) (50°08′N 0°45′W) by SM U-48 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of three crew.
Craigendoran (United Kingdom) The collier was torpedoed and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 6 nautical miles (11 km) east of Cape Sigli, Algeria by SM UC-37 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of three of her crew. Two of the survivors were taken as prisoners of war.
Hermes (Norway) The sailing vessel was sunk in the North Sea 10 nautical miles (19 km) off of Utsira, Rogaland by SM U-80 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of twelve crew.
Kincardine (United Kingdom) The collier was torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 20 nautical miles (37 km) north east of Tearaght Island, County Donegal (52°22′N 10°26′W) by SM U-70 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Meldon (United Kingdom) The collier struck a mine laid by U 78 (Otto Dröscher) and was damaged in the Firth of Lorn (56°20′N 5°56′W). She was taken in tow but sank at the mouth of Loch Buie. Her crew survived.
Newstead (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 150 nautical miles (280 km) west north west of the Fastnet Rock (52°02′N 13°24′W) by SM U-49 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of fifteen crew.
HMT Northumbria (Royal Navy) The naval trawler struck a mine laid by UC 29 (Ernst Rosenow) and sank in the Firth of Forth 1 nautical mile (1.9 km) north of the Isle of May, Fife (56°12′25″N 2°34′00″W) with the loss of five of her crew.
Ring (Norway) The coaster was sunk in the North Sea 4 nautical miles (7.4 km) east by south of Berwick-upon-Tweed, Northumberland, United Kingdom (59°49′42″N 1°54′50″W) by SM UC-41 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
River Forth (United Kingdom) The collier was torpedoed and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 60 nautical miles (110 km) south by east of Malta (34°54′N 15°00′E) by SM UC-35 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of two of her crew.
Rosborg (Norway) The cargo ship was sunk in the North Sea (58°40′N 0°15′W) by SM U-61 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of six crew.
Sagamore (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 150 nautical miles (280 km) west of the Fastnet Rock (51°50′N 14°00′W) by SM U-49 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of 52 crew.
Setubal Portugal The cargo ship was wrecked. Her crew survived.[48]
Theodoros Panaglos (Greece) The cargo ship was shelled and sunk in the English Channel 30 nautical miles (56 km) south south west of The Lizard, Cornwall, United Kingdom (49°40′N 5°30′W) by SM U-53 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.