100 Years Ago Today

[Sailor Steve]

September 18, 1915:

Air War:
No. 3 Squadron receives the first Morane 'N's delivered to the RFC.



Western Front:
Lively actions along French front.
Belgian coast bombarded by French artillery and British fleet.



Eastern Front:
Fall of Vilna; Russians retreat towards Minsk; Germans retire in Rovno region.



Southern Front:
Slight Italian successes along their whole front.



Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres:
Swedish gendarmerie in Persia disbanded.



Due to U.S protests over American deaths, Germany announces an end to the North Atlantic U-Boat campaign. Boats operating in the area around Britain will be reassigned to the Mediterranean.



North Sea: British navy trawler HMT Lydian, 244 tons, hits a mine laid by UC-6, under Matthias Graf von Schmettow. His score is now 7 ships and 4,389 tons.

Briish tanker San Zeferino, 6,430 tons, bound from Puerto Mexico to Sheerness with a load of fuel oil, also hits a mine in this same field, but safely makes port.
(U-boat.net. At least one other site claims that San Zeferino was torpedoed and sunk, and later raised and returned to service, but no details are given as to where or what U-boat was responsible.)

[Sailor Steve]

September 19, 1915:

German Foreign Minister Gottlieb von Jagow issues a statement that German U-boats will not attack passenger liners without prior warning.


Air War:
At 0600 English pilot Frederick James Powell and observer "AM1 Shaw", in a Vickers FB.5 "Gun Bus", claim an LVG two-seater. The claim is later denied, but ten minutes later they attack an AGO reconnaisance plane, which is credited as Powell's 1st kill.

At 0700 Charles Gordon Bell, in a Bristol Scout, claims an LVG for his 1st victory.

Also German pilot Hans-Joachim Buddecke, in a Fokker E.I, brings down a BE.2c for his 1st kill.



Eastern Front:
Germans reach Smorgon and Molodechna (between Vilna and Minsk).
Fine Russian stand on Upper Vilna.



Southern Front:
Artillery engagement near Orsova and Tekia (Danube).



Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres:
Turks fortifying Mesina, deporting Armenians and recruiting at Adana (S. Asia Minor) in view of coming Egyptian campaign.



North Sea, 3 miles southwest of Folkestone: Swedish freighter SS Tord, 1,313 tons, bound from Kudisvall to Le Havre with a load of wood, hits a mine laid by UC-5 under Herbert Pustkuchen. Tord is only damaged, not sunk.



Mediterranean Sea, 55 miles southwest of Carigotto Island (between Greece and Crete: Waldemar Kophamel, commanding U-35, sinks British freighter SS Ramazan, 3,477 tons, carrying military stores, with his deck gun. Kophamel's score is now 21 ships and 35,702 tons.
(Some more confusion: One source (http://www.naval-history.net/WW1Navy...BVLSMN1507.htm) says Ramazan was carrying Indian troops, 312 of whom were lost. Others (http://www.wrecksite.eu/wreck.aspx?140437 and http://www.uboat.net/wwi/ships_hit/5008.html) don't mention any troops and say only one person was lost.

[Sailor Steve]

September 20, 1915:

Western Front:
Allied artillery barrages begin in anticipation of attack on Loos.



Eastern Front
Heavy fighting in Northern sector and near Riga.



Southern Front
Sir Ian Hamilton's despatch of 28 August covering operations in Gallipoli 5 May to 30 June, published.
Artillery engagements on Drina and Danube fronts.
Heavy fighting, Plezzo and Carso fronts.
Serbian positions re-attacked at Orsovo and Tekia.



Political, etc.
Compulsory Service League formed in N.S. Wales.
Bulgaro-Turkish Convention for "maintenance of armed neutrality" by former.
Stimulating open letter from Mr. Lloyd George concerning the possibility of conscription.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-...r-20-1915.html



North Sea:
Leo Hillebrand begins his second war patrol in U-16 with the sinking of Danish Freighter SS Thorvaldsen, 1,220 tons, bound from Malmö to West Hartlepool with a load of pit props. His score is now 5 ships and 5,597 tons.

British freighter SS Horden, 1,434 tons, travelling in ballast from London to Hartlepool, strikes a mine laid by UC-6 (Matthias von Schmettow). Von Schmettow's score is now 8 ships and 5,823 tons.



Mediterranean Sea:
Waldemar Kophamel, in U-35, sinks British freighter SS Linkmoor, 4,308 tons, carrying a load of coal from Lemnos to Malta. His score is now 22 ships and 40,008 tons.

[Sailor Steve]

September 21, 1915:

Air War:
1000 German pilot Max Immelmann, flying a Fokker E.I, shoots down a BE.2c for kill #3.

1100 Welsh pilot Lionel Rees and Scottish observer James Hargreaves, in a Vickers FB.5, bring down an AGO two-seater for kill #3.



Western Front:
French success on Aisne-Marne Canal and at Hartmannsweilerkopf (Vosges).



Eastern Front:
Tough fighting in northern sector round Dvinsk, etc.; Russians re-occupying Smorgon.

Austrians driven back in Rovno region.



Southern Front:
Bulgarian Government order partial mobilisation.
Greek Premier Eleftherios Venizelos asks for guarantee of 150,000 British and French troops as condition for Greek intervention.



Political, etc.
Budget introduced by Mr. McKenna.
Opening of Dutch Chambers; determination to preserve neutrality.
Viscount Ishii succeeds Marquis Okuma as Japanese Minister for Foreign Affairs.

[Jimbuna]

22nd September 1915

Western Front

Fierce fighting Neuville sector (Arras) and Forest of Apremont (Vosges).

Eastern Front

Successful Russian operations along whole line except in centre.

Southern Front

Australian casualties at Dardanelles to date, 19,183, including 4,604 killed.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

Extensive preparations in Syria for renewed Turkish attack on Egypt reported.

Aviation

Stuttgart bombed. French aeroplanes conduct a large raid dropping 100 bombs on the royal palace, the railway station, and other targets.

Naval and Overseas Operations

Dutch liner "Koningin Emma" mined; towed up Thames. 250 passengers saved.

Germany announces that a new mine field will be established in the Sound, the strait between the Danish island of Zealand and Sweden.

Political etc.

Von Papen, German military attaché at the US embassy, is ordered to leave due to his espionage activities.


Germany concludes the subscription period for its new war loan. 12 billion marks ($3 billion) is raised.

Bulgaria orders all of its subjects of military age currently in foreign countries to return immediately.

The Greek King summons the Prime Minister and the general staff for an emergency meeting after Bulgaria ordered general mobilization.

Ship Losses:

Koningin Emma ( Netherlands): The passenger ship struck a mine and sank in the North Sea 1 nautical mile (1.9 km) west of the Shipwash Lightship ( United Kingdom).

[Sailor Steve]

September 22, 1915:

Air War:
1730 Lionel Rees and James Hargreaves, in their Vickers FB.5, shoot down an Albatros two seater for kill #4.




North Sea:
Dutch passenger ship SS Koningin Emma, 9,181 tons, bound from Batavia to Amsterdam with passengers and a general cargo, is sunk by a mine laid by UC-7 under Franz Wäger. His score is now 5 ships and 13,329 tons.

[Jimbuna]

23rd September 1915

Western Front

Numerous artillery engagements along whole line; successful French air-raids.

Eastern Front

Russians recapture Vileika (Minsk).

Germans driven back across Oginski Canal (Pinsk).

Russians take Lutsk and capture nearly 12,000 prisoners.

Russian troops hold their line against German attacks on the Dvinsk line. Russian defenders of Vilna successfully escape encirclement.

Southern Front

General mobilisation of Hellenic forces as "measure of elementary prudence" in view of Bulgaria's attitude.

Bulgaria issues decree of mobilisation; Premier repeats declaration of "armed neutrality".

Italian troops capture Monte Costone from Austro-Hungarian forces after months of fighting.

Naval

North Sea

Christopher, destroyer, K-class, 1,300t, 4th DF Grand Fleet. In collision with armed boarding vessel King Orry 1,877grt in fog, Christopher damaged.

Political etc.

Conciliatory German Note to U.S.A. in the "William P. Frye" case.

Russia ends its embargo on the United States after securing guarantees that goods will not be re-exported to the Central Powers.

U.S. refuse safe conduct to Dr. Dumba unless officially recalled.

Meeting of South African Party at Johannesburg, organised attack on General Smuts.

Ship Losses:

Anglo-Colombian ( United Kingdom): The cargo ship was shelled and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 79 nautical miles (146 km) south east of the Fastnet Rock by SM U-41 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Chancellor ( United Kingdom): The cargo ship was shelled and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 86 nautical miles (159 km) south by east of the Fastnet Rock (50°08′N 8°17′W) by SM U-41 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Groningen ( United Kingdom): The coaster struck a mine and sank in the Thames Estuary with the loss of a crew member.
Hesione ( United Kingdom): The cargo ship was shelled and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 86 nautical miles (159 km) south by east of the Fastnet Rock (50°15′N 8°30′W) by SM U-41 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Saint Pierre I ( French Navy): The naval trawler was sunk in the North Sea off the Dyck Lightship (51°02′N 2°06′E) by SM UB-17 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of seventeen of her eighteen crew.

[Sailor Steve]

September 23, 1915:

Celtic Sea: Claus Hansen begins his fourth war patrol in U-41 with the sinking of three British freighters. SS Anglo-Colombian, 4,792 tons, carrying horses from Quebec to Avonmouth, is captured and sunk with the deck gun. Next is SS Chancellor, 4,586 tons, bound from Liverpool to New Orleans with a general cargo; and SS Hesione, 3,363 tons, carrying a general cargo from Clyde and Liverpool to Buenos Aires. Hansen's score is now 29 ships and 50,009 tons.



North Sea: Ralph Wenninger, in UB-17, torpedoes French armed trawler Saint Pierre I, 303 tons, bringing his score to 6 ships and 465 tons.

British freighter SS Groningen, 988 tons, bound from Harlingen to London with a general cargo, hits a mine laid by UC-6, under Matthias von Schmettow. His score is now 9 ships and 6,811 tons.

Dutch freighter SS Eemdyk, 6,180 tons, sinks after hitting two mines.



Canada: Swedish freighter SS Norbotten, 8,011 tons, sends a message reporting her position as 100 miles west of Cape Race, Newfoundland. The ship and her 42 crew are never heard from again.

[Jimbuna]

24th September 1915

Eastern Front

Varying encounters all along Russian front.

Russian troops go on the attack in Galicia and Volhynia, recapturing the city of Lutsk.

Southern Front

Austrian aeroplanes bomb Pozharevats; enemy attempts to cross the Drina frustrated.

Bulgarian Premier states mobilisation not directed against Serbia.

Naval

Henry Ford, as part of the President’s Advisory board of naval defense, inspects the US submarines K-5 and E-2 to design a new submarine.

U.41 sunk by Q-ship steamer Baralong in Atlantic, 90 miles W of Ushant, Baralong was not damaged in the action, her second success in five weeks.

Belgian Coast
GREAT HEART (may be spelt Greatheart or Great Hart), Admiralty drifter, 78/1911, Inverness-reg INS233, hired 6/15 as net drifter, Admiralty No.1395, Dover Patrol, Skipper William Davidson RNR. Sailed with other drifters to screen monitors that were due to carry out a bombardment of Ostend and Zeebrugge - apparently streaming her buoyed nets as protection against submarine attack. Just off Dover, sunk by explosion (He - about 2 miles off harbour entrance; wi - in 51N, 01.20E), cause unknown at the time, and probably considered due to one of her own net mines. Now confirmed mined, laid by UC.6 (Matthias Graf von Schmettow), two days earlier; Skipper and 7 ratings lost. Admiralty yacht Sanda was lost next day as part of the bombardment force.

Political etc.

French and British Governments inform Greek Government that they are prepared to send troops requested.

French Chamber of Deputies debates raising the soldiers’ pay from 1 cent a day to 5 cents.

Liquor Control Regulations applied to the area of "Greater London".

MM. Take Jonescu and Filipescu demand mobilisation of Romanian Army.

Carl Rehorst, architectural adviser to the Germany government in Belgium, advocates restoring Belgian monuments that were damaged in battle.

National Registration Bill passed in New Zealand.

Ship Losses:

HMT Great Heart ( Royal Navy): The naval trawler struck a mine and sank in the English Channel off the South Goodwin Lightship ( United Kingdom) with the loss of eight of her crew.
Urbino ( United Kingdom): The cargo ship was shelled and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 67 nautical miles (124 km) south west by west of the Bishop Rock, Isles of Scilly by SM U-41 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
SM U-41 ( Kaiserliche Marine): The Type U 31 submarine was shelled and sunk in the Western Approaches (49°10′N 7°23′W) by HMS Wyandra ( Royal Navy) with the loss of 35 of her 37 crew.

[Sailor Steve]

September 24, 1915:

Celtic Sea: Claus Hansen, commanding U-41, stops British freighter SS Urbino, 6,651 tons, bound from New York to Hull with a general cargo. Urbino is boarded by crewmwmbers from U-41. The boarding party discover war supplies on board, and Urbino's crew are allowed to abandon ship. U-41 pulls away and Urbino is sunk with the u-boat's deck gun. While this is going on U-41 is approached by a merchant flying the American flag. When close enough Q-ship HMS Baralong, still flying the American flag, opens fire on the u-boat. Thirty-five of U-41's crew died in the attack, including her captain. One of the two survivors, Oberleutnant zur See Iwan Crompton, later claimed that Baralong ran down his lifeboat, a claim denied by the crew of Baralong. Hansen's final score is 30 ships and 56,660 tons.

This became known as the "Second Baralong Incident", as the Q-ship had sunk U-27 in similar circumstances just one month earlier. in October 1915, Baralong was renamed HMS Wyandra.



North Sea: His Majesty's Drifter Great Heart hits a mine laid by Matthias von Schmettow and UC-6. Von Schmettow's score is now 10 ships and 6,889 tons.

[Jimbuna]

25th September 1915

Western Front

Great Allied offensive begins (Battle of Loos and in Champagne). The British fleet co-operating on Belgian coast. British attack south of La Bassee Canal, five miles of enemy trenches captured, including Hohenzollern Redoubt stormed with partial success.

French attack north of Arras gains footing.

In Champagne French assault between Suippe and Aisne, driving enemy from front positions. Other positions won include ground at Souchez.

Eastern Front

Germans attacking Dvinsk from the south are driven back with severe losses.

Varying fortunes on rest of front.

Naval and Overseas Operations

Russian Fleet bombards enemy positions on Gulf of Riga; enemy batteries silenced.

Belgian Coast
SANDA, ex-St Serf, Admiralty yacht, 300/1906, hired 26/1/15 as auxiliary patrol vessel, 2-6pdr, Pennant No.073, Dover Patrol, Lt-Cdr Henry Gartside-Tipping RN Rtd, aged over 70 in August 1914, volunteered for war service, “the oldest naval officer serving at sea”. Sailed in company with monitor bombardment force including Prince Eugene and General Crauford evening of 24th for Zeebrugge shoot, to start on 25th at 0700 in support of attack by British Army. Sanda was screening net drifters, shore batteries started replying at 0900. Hit near the deckhouse and sunk, probably by 8in shell from German batteries at Blankenberghe around 0915; 4 officers including the captain, 5 ratings and 4 MN lost (Rn - 12 officers and men lost; ap - 4 officers, 11 men killed or missing), survivors rescued by drifter Fearless.

Political etc.

General Sir J. Wolfe Murray, Chief of the Imperial General Staff, Great Britain, resigns

Turco-Bulgarian Agreement signed.

Sir Edward Grey meets with diplomats from Greece, Romania, and Serbia to discuss the deteriorating Balkan situation.

US Vice President Marshall advocates teaching every schoolboy how to shoot in order to strengthen national defense.

US Treasury Department rules that foreign citizens living in the U.S. must also pay income tax.

Ship Losses:

HMY Sanda ( Royal Navy): The naval yacht was shelled and sunk in the North Sea off the coast of Belgium.

[Sailor Steve]

September 25, 1915:

Air War:
German Pilot Oswald Boelke, flying a Fokker E.I, shoots down a French two seater, either Farman or Voisin, for kill #4.



Amherst Island, Canada: 3-massted schooner City of Sheboygan, 258 tons, is lost in a storm on Lake Ontario, along with five of her crew.

[Jimbuna]

26th September 1915

Western Front

Stubborn British defence against counter-attacks round Loos; French progress in Champagne, taking 16,000 prisoners. British bag 2,600 prisoners, nine guns, etc.

Eastern Front

Fighting round Dvinsk continues; Germans driven back south of Pinsk.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

Reported expulsion of all Greeks from Smyrna.

Political etc.

Lieut.-General Sir A. J. Murray appointed Chief of the Imperial General Staff, Great Britain.

Austria-Hungary orders the 18-year-old Landsturm (militia) class to join the army on October 15.

Bulgaria assures the Entente that its mobilization is not directed towards Greece or Romania, but omits to mention Serbia.

Romania desires understanding with Bulgaria.

Ship Losses:

Ellen Benzon ( Denmark): The schooner was sunk in the North Sea (56°51′N 3°53′E) by SM U-16 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Vigilant ( United Kingdom): The pilot boat struck a mine and sank in the North Sea with the loss of fourteen of her crew.

Keir Hardie, Scottish politician known as one of the founders of the Labour Party, has passed away.

[Sailor Steve]

September 26, 1915:

North Sea:
Leo Hillebrand, commanding U-16, sinks Danish schooner Ellen Benzon, 143 tons, bound from Helsingborg to Sunderland with a load of sleepers. His score is now 6 ships and 6,140 tons.

British pilot boat Vigilant, 69 tons, hits a mine laid by Franz Wäger and UC-7. Wäger's score is now 6 vessels and 13,308 tons.



Canada:
SS Essington foundered and was lost while en route from North Sydney, Nova Scotia to Saint John, New Brunswick.

Danish schooner Söstrene, travelling in ballast from Rimouski, Quebec to Lisbon, ran aground in the St. Lawrence River and was lost.

[Jimbuna]

27th September 1915

Western Front

Brilliant attack by Guards on Hill 70 (Loos); severe fighting continue there and in Champagne; German offensive in Argonne (Fille Morte, etc.) driven back.

John Kipling, only son of British author Rudyard Kipling, is killed in action at Loos.


Major General Sir Thompson Capper, veteran of the 2nd Boer War, is killed after being shot by a sniper.


Eastern Front

German attacks at Eckau (Riga), Dvinsk and on Vilia and Niemen repulsed.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

Reports received describing exterminating massacre of Armenians at instigation of Talaat Bey, abetted by Germans (e.g. Baron Oppenheim).

Naval

The US battleships Wisconsin, Ohio, and the Missouri will be placed in the reserve fleet as there are not enough trained men.

Italian battleship "Benedetto Brin" (below - Photo Ships) destroyed by internal explosion in harbour at Brindisi.


off N Scotland
CARIBBEAN, Admiralty accommodation ship, ex-passenger ship, 5,820/1890, Royal Mail Steam Packet Co, London-reg, hired 19/11/14 as armed merchant cruiser, accommodation ship 6/15, now fitted out as receiving ship for dockyard workmen, Cdr Henry Bethune in command, sailed from Liverpool on passage for Scapa Flow in “extremely heavy weather”. Shipped a lot of water and got into difficulties off Cape Wrath, sent out SOS in the afternoon of the 26th, light cruiser Birkenhead and tugs came out from Scapa and tried to tow her to safety, foundered around 0730 on the 27th (He - in 58.14N 05.42W); most of crew taken off early hours of 27th, but 15 lives lost - 6 ratings, 7 MN and 2 canteen staff.

Political etc.

Austro-Hungary agrees to recall ambassador Dumba, due to U.S. claims that he was instigating strikes in armament factories.

After a 2 week discussion, the Anglo-French financial mission and American bankers come to an agreement for a loan to the Allies.

Greek Premier (M. Venizelos) obtains secret consent of King Constantine to proposed Entente expedition to Salonika.

Ship Losses:

Benedetto Brin ( Regia Marina): The Regina Margherita-class battleship was sunk at Brindisi, Apulia due to sabotage by Austro-Hungarian forces with the loss of 387 of her 841 crew.
HMS Caribbean ( Royal Navy): The accommodation ship foundered in the Atlantic Ocean 35 nautical miles (65 km) off Cape Wrath, Sutherland with the loss of fifteen of her crew. Survivors were rescued by HMS Birkenhead ( Royal Navy) and a number of trawlers.
Lochranza ( United Kingdom): The schooner was driven ashore and wrecked at Nairn.
Nigretia ( United Kingdom): The cargo ship struck a mine and was damaged in the English Channel off the South Goodwin Lightship ( United Kingdom). She was beached but was later refloated.