100 Years Ago Today

[Jimbuna]

9th April 1916

Western Front

Battle of Verdun: Germans gain footing on Hill 295, but fail in attack on 12-mile front west of Meuse. General Pétain praises the French defenders, calling it “a glorious day for our forces…Courage, we shall have them yet!”

Recapture of mine crater at St. Eloi by British reported.



Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

British attack on main Turkish position at Sanna-i-Yat (Mesopotamia) fails.

Abiad (Darfur) occupied.

Political, etc.

Britain accuses German doctors of abandoning British prisoners when a typhus outbreak occurred in the Wittenberg POW Camp.

Around 1700 men return from Italy to the U.S. after they were exempted from conscription due to age, marital status, & other factors.

Russia cancels export permits to Romania to pressure the country to stop conducting trade with the Central Powers.

Greco-Bulgarian frontier closed to passenger traffic, mails for Bulgaria and Turkey continue.

Ship Losses:

Caledonia (Denmark) The cargo ship was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 23 nautical miles (43 km) south south east of the Le Titan Lighthouse, Île du Levant, Var, France (42°34′N 6°44′E) by SM U-39 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Eastern City (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was shelled and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 18 nautical miles (33 km) north by west of Ouessant, Finistère, France by SM U-66 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Glenalmond (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 27 nautical miles (50 km) north of Ouessant by SM U-66 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Gryoz (Russia) The sailing vessel was sunk in the Black Sea by SM UB-7 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Sjolyst (Norway) The coaster was sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 25 nautical miles (46 km) north of Ouessant by SM U-66 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Avon (United Kingdom) The cargo ship struck a mine laid by UC 7 (Georg Haag) and sank in the North Sea 2.5 nautical miles (4.6 km) south east by east of the Tongue Lightship ( United Kingdom) with the loss of two of her crew.

[Sailor Steve]

April 9, 1916:

Air War:
Bohemian pilot Otto Jindra, flying Albatros B.I 22.23 with an unnamed observer, claims an "Enemy Aircraft" for his 5th kill.

German pilot Franz Walz and observer Martin Gerlich, in an unnamed two-seater, shoot down a Caudron G.4 for victory number 1. The identities of the French crew are uncertain, but French records list a Caudron from Escadrille C.27 as missing, along with Sgt Gaston Henri Felix Guidecelli and Lt Gaston Emile Marie Marchand.



Irish Sea:
British coaster SS Corsewall, 237 tons, carrying a load of potatoes from Coleraine, Northern Ireland, to Liverpool, is wrecked at Banmouth, Wales.



Celtic Sea:
Thorwald von Bothmer, commanding U-66, sinks British freighters SS Eastern City, 4,341 tons, travelling in ballast from St. Nazaire to Barry; SS Glenalmond, 2,888 tons, carrying a load of iron ore from Bilbao to Glasgow; and Norwegian freighter SS Sjolyst, 997 tons, travelling in ballast from Nantes to Manchester. His score is now 7 ships and 16,010 tons.



North Sea:
British freighter SS Avon, 1,574 tons, bound from London to Leith with a general cargo, hits a mine laid by Georg Haag in UC-7. Haag's score is now 17 ships and 28,490 tons.



Black Sea:
Wilhelm Werner, in UB-7, sinks Russian sailing vessel Gryoza, 119 tons, bringing his score to 3 ships and 6,205 tons.



Mediterranean Sea:
Walter Forstmann, in U-39, sinks Danish freighter SS Caledonia, 1,815 tons, carrying a load of coal from Glasgow to Livorno, just south of Toulon. His score is now 52 ships and 127,552 tons.



Durban, South Africa:
Two men reported missing from HMS Challenger turn up aboard HMS Mersey.



United States:
American schooner SV Silver Spray, 164 tons, bound from New York to Lubec, Maine, founders 20 miles off Portland, Maine.

American Schooner W.E. & W.L. Tuck, 395 tons, carrying a load of coal from New York to Calais, Maine, is wrecked near Southwest Harbor, Maine.

[Jimbuna]

10th April 1916

Western Front

Battle of Verdun: Critical day; general German repulse on Meuse and Mort Homme, but slight German gain at Poivre Hill.

Germans gain ground at St. Eloi.

Southern Front

Sir C. Monro's Dardanelles despatch published. http://www.1914-1918.net/monros_gallipoli_despatch.html

Naval and Overseas Operations

Allies decide to form naval bases in Iionian Isles and the Aegean.

Political, etc.

Mr. Asquith defines Allied position in a speech to French deputies visiting London.

Lords Derby and Montagu resign from Air Committee.

Report on Wittenberg prisoners' camp published.

British Liquor Control Board announces it will promote non-alcoholic beer in pubs, starting in the House of Commons.

General von Hohenborn: “Never before has warfare been extended so criminally against women and children as is now being done by England.”

Spanish General Elections are held. The Liberal Party wins a majority with 233 seats, followed by the Conservatives with 88.

U.S. consuls in Europe report the cost of living has risen from 25 to 200% since the start of war in both neutral and belligerent countries.

Ship Losses:

Dorthea (Denmark) The cargo ship struck a mine and sank in the North Sea (55°45′N 3°30′E). Her crew were rescued by a Dutch trawler.[
Silksworth Hall (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the North Sea 1.25 nautical miles (2.32 km) off the Corton Lightship ( United Kingdom) by SM UB-12 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of three of her crew.
Margam Abbey (United Kingdom) The steamer was sunk by U 66 (Thorwald von Bothmer) whilst enroute from Bordeaux - Barry
in ballastSunk in position 55 miles SW1/4S of the Lizard. There were no casualties.
Unione (Italy) The steamer was torpedoed and sunk off Land's End in position 49° 33'N, 6° 09'W by U 66 (Thorwald von Bothmer) whilst enroute from Clyde - Genoa with a cargo of coal. There were no casualties.
Robert Adamson (United Kingdom) The steamer was sunk by UB 16 (Paul Hundius) in position 3 miles NxE of the Shipwash LV whilst enroute from Dundee - Havre carryin g a cargo of props. there were no casualties.


"Nearing The Brink" (Western Mail cartoon)

[Sailor Steve]

April 10, 1916:

Air War:
Lt. Col. Donald Swain Lewis, holder of the Distinguished Service Order, is flying a Morane 'L' Parasol with Cpt. A.W. Gale as observer when their aircraft takes a direct hit from a German anti-aircraft gun. Lewis is killed but Gale survives the crash.

On September 14, 1914 Lewis, then a Captain, along with Major Geoffrey Salmond, conducted the first experiments using a wireless transmitter for artillery spotting. He also created the "grid-square" system for combat cartography.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_Swain_Lewis



Celtic Sea:
Thorwald von Bothmer, commanding U-66, sinks British freighter SS Margam Abbey, 4,471 tons, travelling in ballast from Bordeaux to Barry, and Italian freighter SS Unione, 2,367 tons, carrying a load of coal from Clyde to Genoa. Von Bothmer ends his first war patrol with 9 ships and 22,848 tons.



North Sea:
Wilhelm Kiel, in UB-12, sinks British freighter SS Silksworth Hall, 4,777 tons, travelling in Ballast from Hull to Philadelphia. This brings his score to 4 ships and 4,894 tons.

Paul Hundius starts his career in UB-16 with the sinking of British freighter SS Robert Adamson, 2,978 tons, carrying a load of mine props from Dundee to Le Havre.

Danish freighter SS Dorthea, 842 tons, carrying a load of coal from Methil to Esbjerg, hits a mine laid by an unknown ship.



German East Africa:
Old 2nd-class cruiser HMS Hyacinth conducts a reconnaissance off the Lindi River in company with whaler/gunboats HMS Childers and Echo. At noon they stop off Mgau Mwania. At 1658 Hyacinth communicates with Childers and at 1811 with Echo, regarding plans to explore up the river then next day.



South Africa:
HMS Mersey discharges one of the misplaced stokers for passage to rejoin HMS Challenger.

[Jimbuna]

11th April 1916

Western Front

Battle of Verdun: German attack on Douaumont-Vaux sector fails.

Naval and Overseas Operations

U-boat activity increases. 20,000 tons of ships were sunk in January, compared with 100,000 tons in March & 81,000 tons so far in April.

Kionga (East Africa) captured by Portuguese troops.

Political, etc.

Britain executes Ludovico Zender for spying. He is the last person executed in the Tower of London during the Great War.

Prime Minister Asquith speaks to French Senators and Deputies: “We are not defeated, we are not going to be defeated.”

German losses since beginning of war 2,730,917.

Germany exports fifteen-centimetre howitzers to Switzerland. French arms companies were unable to fulfill the order.

Portuguese Cabinet resigns.

Albanian Relief Committee reports that 150,000 Albanians have died due to starvation and 500,000 more are starving due to the war.

Ship Losses:

Angus (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was shelled and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 76 nautical miles (141 km) east by north of Valencia, Spain (39°57′N 1°08′E) by SM U-34 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Inverlyon (United Kingdom) The barque was shelled and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 108 nautical miles (200 km) west north west of the Fastnet Rock by SM U-73 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Imperator (russia) The sailing vessel was damaged by U 34 (Claus Rücker) in position East of Valencia, Spain, 39° 47'N, 1° 15'E whilst enroute from Gulfport - Marseille carrying a cargo of timber.

[Sailor Steve]

April 11, 1916

Scotland:
Swedish freighter SS Murjek, 4,146 tons, is sunk by a mine off Cape Wrath, the northernmost point of Scotland.



Celtic Sea:
Gustav Seiß begins his career as captain of U-73 with the sinking of British barque SV Inverlyon, 1,827 tons, travelling from Portland, Oregon to Limerick, Ireland.



Balearic Sea:
Claus Rücker, commanding U-34, sinks British freighter SS Angus, 3,619 tons, bound from Calcutta to Bilbao with a load of Jute and Cotton. Rücker's score is now 26 ships and 93,542 tons. Rücker also attacks Russian barquentine SV Imperator, 394 tons, carrying a load of timber from Gulfport to Marseille, but the damaged vessel survives.



German East Africa:
Cruiser HMS Hyacinth, Whaler-gunboats HMS Childers, Echo, and a steam cutter armed with demolition charges anchor off Mgaw Mwania River.
0700 Childers, Echo and the cutter head up-river.
0720 The two gunboats exchange fire with a shore battery.
0727 Hyacinth opens fire on the village of Sudi.
0745 Hyacinth opens indirect fire on a stores ship moored at Samgogore village, with the whalers calling the fall of shot.
0920 Hyacinth recommences fire on Sudi village.
0920 Custom house is destroyed.
0950 The whalers run back down-river under heavy fire by shore batteries.
1020 Echo comes alongside Hyacinth. Dead and wounded are transferred to the cruiser and repairs are made to the whaler.
1150 Hyacinth heads out to sea at 8 knots.
1300 Hyacinth is joined by Childers and Echo.
1700 Funeral service for the dead.
1830 The two whalers leave Hyacinth.

Five members of Echo's crew were killed during the operation.



Tasmania:
Australian coaster SS Toroa, 388 tons, carrying a load of livestock from Launceston to Flinders island, runs aground on a reef on the western side of Rabbit island.

[Jimbuna]

12th April 1916

Western Front

Infantry attacks at Verdun once again ceases, as both sides reorganize their forces. Both sides continue heavy bombardment.

Eastern Front

Germans repulsed near Dvinsk.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

Turkish right at Sanna-i-Yat forced back 1.5 miles; floods on Tigris increasing.

Naval and Overseas Operations

British occupy Kothersheim (German East Africa).

German Note to U.S.A. on the "Sussex" case.

Political, etc.

Britain classifies gold, silver, paper money, and realizable securities as contraband in their blockade against Germany.

Clyde strikers tried for sedition.

French Senate discusses fixing the cost of life necessities in order to combat rising prices.

Plot in U.S.A. to blow up ships carrying munitions.

Cavalry troops of the U.S. Army and Mexican Army clash in Chihuahua, resulting in 2 U.S. deaths & several dozen Mexican casualties.

Ship Losses:

Orlock Head (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was shelled and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 65 nautical miles (120 km) south east of Barcelona, Spain (40°40′N 2°32′E) by SM U-34 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Prøven (Denmark) The schooner was sunk in the North Sea 22 nautical miles (41 km) north of the Smith's Knoll Lightship ( United Kingdom) by SM UB-13 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Vega (France) The cargo ship was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 80 nautical miles (150 km) east of Barcelona (40°42′N 2°09′E) by SM U-34 ( Kaiserliche Marine).[56] Her 33 crew were rescued by Jaime II ( Spain).
Colombia (Netherlands) The steamer hit a mine laid by UC 1 (Egon von Werner) and was damaged in position (51° 51'N, 1° 56'E) whilst enroute from Baltimore - Amsterdam carrying a cargo of maize.

[Sailor Steve]

April 12, 1916

Air War:
Seven Austro-Hungarian two-seaters are sent to bomb a military parade at the Ukrainian city of Chotin, attended by Tsar Nicholas II. Bohemian ace Otto Jindra, in Albatros B.I 22.23 with Godwin Brumowski as gunner, fend of an attack by Morane parasol two-seaters, shooting down two of them. These are victories number 6 & 7 for Jindra and 1 & 2 for Brumowski.



North Sea:
Arthur Metz, commanding UB-13, sinks Danish schooner SV Prøven, 276 tons, bound from Setubal for Göteborg, bringing his score to 3 ships and 15,276 tons.

Dutch freighter SS Colombia, 5,644 tons, carrying a load of maize from Baltimore to Amsterdam, hits a mine laid by Egon von Werner in UC-1. The damaged ship survives.



Balearic Sea:
Claus Rücker, in U-34, sinks British freighter SS Orlock Head, 1,945 tons, travelling from Genoa & Valencia to Glasgow with a general cargo; and French freighter SS Vega, 2,957 tons, carrying a load of coffee, cocoa and tobacco from Santos to Marseille. His score is now 28 ships and 98,454 tons.



South Africa:
At Durban British monitor HMS Mersey moves into a floating drydock and the crew begin cleaning her bottom.

HMS Challenger moves from Durban to Lindi.

[Jimbuna]

13th April 1916

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

Australian troops break up Turkish camp at Jifjaffa (Sinai Peninsula).

Russians repulse Turks after six days fighting west of Erzerum.

Political, etc.

Resignation of Portuguese Cabinet withdrawn.

New York City Police arrest four Germans who confessed to have made bombs that targeted ships heading to Allied nation’s ports.

General Carranza, head of the Executive Power of Mexico, prepares to move his capital from Queretaro to Mexico City.

Ship Losses:

Chic (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 45 nautical miles (83 km) south west of the Fastnet Rock by SM U-22 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of nine crew.
Lipari (Italy) The cargo ship was shelled and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 36 nautical miles (67 km) off Cape Spartivento, Calabria (36°00′N 16°49′E) by SM U-39 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.

[Sailor Steve]

April 13, 1916

English Channel:
Bruno Hoppe, commanding U-22, sinks British freighter SS Chic, 3,037 tons, bound from Halifax to Manchester with a load of wood pulp. Hoppe's score is now 9 ships and 21,009 tons.



Mediterranean Sea:
Walter Forstmann, in U-39, uses his deck gun to sink Italian freighter SS Lipari, 1,539 tons, route and cargo unknown. Forstmann's score is now



South Africa:
HMS Challenger continues her voyage to German East Africa,
joining flagship HMS Vengeance off Tirene, Mafia Island,
at 1230 hours.

[Jimbuna]

14th April 1916

Western Front

Captain Augustin Cochin at Verdun: “I arrived here with 175 men, I return with 34, half of them half crazy.”

Eastern Front

End of first battle of Lake Naroch.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

General Gorringe drives back Turks on right bank Tigris.

Naval and Overseas Operations

British occupy Salanga (German East Africa).

Italian Front

Italian troops captures Austro-Hungarian positions on the steep crest of Lobbia Alta, over 3000 meters over sea level.

Aviation

Three British aeroplanes fly 300 miles from Greece to raid Constantinople, targeting powder works and aeroplane hangars.

Political, etc.

Cabinet Council on the Military Service Act.

U.S. cabinet approves President Wilson's Note to Germany on submarine campaign.

Russian government orders 5 million pairs of army boots from Britain, the largest single order of its kind.

Princeton University adds a regular course in military training, starting next fall, which can count towards a degree.

42 recruiting leagues in the Dominion of Canada call on the government to adopt a military draft.

Ship Losses:

HMT Alberta (Royal Navy) The naval trawler struck a mine laid by UC 7 (Georg Haag) and sank in the North Sea off Grimsby, Lincolnshire.
HMT Orcades Royal Navy The naval trawler struck a mine laid by UC 7 (Georg Haag) .
Shenandoah (United Kingdom) The cargo ship struck a mine laid by UC 6 (Matthias Graf von Schmettow) and sank in the English Channel 1.5 nautical miles (2.8 km) west of Folkestone, Kent (51°01′40″N 1°12′30″E) with the loss of two of her crew.

[Sailor Steve]

April 14, 1916

Air War:
0630 Austrian pilot Kurt Gruber and observer Egon Hervay von Kirchberg, in Albatros B.I 22.30 with an unnamed observer, shoot down a Morane parasol. Victory number 1 for both.



English Channel:
British freighter SS Shenandoah, 3,886 tons, bound from Halifax to London with a general cargo, hits a mine laid by Matthias von Schmettow in UC-6. His score is now 34 ships and 47,066 tons.



North Sea:
His Majesty's Trawlers Alberta, 209 tons, and Orcades, 270 tons, both hit mines laid by Georg Haag in UC-7, bringing his score to 19 ships and 28,969 tons.

[Jimbuna]

15th April 1916

Western Front

Battle of Verdun: Successful French attack south of Douaumont.

French troops launch a counterattack against German troops on Le Mort Homme (Dead Man’s Hill), but are driven back after bayonet fighting.

Eastern Front

Russians take two lines of trenches near Lake Naroch.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

British advance on Tigris.

Russian success near Bitlis.

British occupy Kharga Oasis (120 miles south-south-west of Assiut).

Naval

Dredging fleets finish removing debris from Gaillard Cut of the Panama Canal, which had been closed for the last seven months.

Political, etc.

German Chancellor meets with the U.S. ambassador and the Austro-Hungarian Foreign Minister to avoid a diplomatic break with the U.S.

Catholic ecclesiastical authorities in Germany publish a report that over a million Armenians have died in the Ottoman Empire.

University of Michigan investigates two of its professors on allegations that they signed a statement declaring pro-Allied, anti-German sympathies.

Ship Losses:

Fairport (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 31 nautical miles (57 km) north by west of the Bishop Rock, Isles of Scilly (50°18′N 6°52′W) by SM U-69 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Schwanden (Russia) The barque was scuttled in the Atlantic Ocean by SM U-69 ( Kaiserliche Marine) at approximately the same position as Fairport ( United Kingdom).
Tusnastabb (Norway) The steamer hit a mine laid by UC 7 (Georg Haag) and sunk off Cape Gris-Nez in position 50° 54'N, 1° 34'E whilst enroute from Newcastle to Boulogne with a cargo of coal. There were no casualties.

[Sailor Steve]

April 15, 1916

Germany:
Idflieg holds a demonstration fair. Present are the finalized Fokker D.I and D.II prototypes, the Albatros C.V prototype and a D.I prototype. Ace Oswald Boelcke is invited to test-fly all the new aircraft.



Celtic Sea:
Ernst Wilhelms begins his career in U-69 with the sinking of British freighter SS Fairport, 3,838 tons, bound from Rosario for Manchester with a load of wheat; and Russian barque SV Schwanden, 844 tons, travelling in ballast from Bowling to Pensacola. Wilhelms' opening score is 2 ships and 4,682 tons.



English Channel:
Norwegian freighter SS Tusnastabb, 859 tons, carrying a load of coal from Newcastle to Boulogne, hits a mine laid by Georg Haag in UC-7, bringing his score to 20 ships and 29,828 tons.



Baltic Sea:
German freighter SS Hispania, 2,644 tons, travelling from Hamburg to Stockholm, hits a mine near Sandhamn, about 50 km from Stockholm.



German East Africa:
British cruiser HMS Challenger rejoins the squadron after several months away, linking up with flagship HMS Vengeance, an old Canopus-class battleship HMS Vengeance and fellow cruiser HMS Hyacinth.

HMS Vengeance reports taking aboard 3,000 pounds of oranges and 10 tons of fresh distilled water, but notes expending 17 tons of water, leaving 87 tons aboard.

[Jimbuna]

16th April 1916

Western Front

Battle of Verdun: German bombardment of Avocourt Wood and Hill 304.

Canadian troops fail to advance against German lines at Sint-Elooi, south of Ypres, and lose all their gains to German counterattacks.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

Russians, after nine days' fighting take a position of left bank of Kara Dere.

Political, etc.

Germany cuts potato rations for animals. Horses are allowed ten pounds per day, cows are allowed five pounds.

Romania calls on the Class of 1917 for conscription and authorizes a 150 million Franc loan, as the country prepares to join the war.

Germany states it will no longer issue passports for people traveling to foreign countries purely for pleasure.

DeLloyd Thompson drops fireworks from an aeroplane over the White House and U.S. Capitol in order to highlight the danger of air raids.

Ship Losses:

Cardonia (United Kingdom) The full-rigged ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 20 nautical miles (37 km) south of the Fastnet Rock (50°57′N 10°06′W) by SM U-67 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Demir Hissar (Ottoman Navy) The torpedo boat was sunk in the Strait of Chios by HMS Jed, HMS Kennet and HMS Wear (all Royal Navy).
Glendoon (Norway) The full-rigged ship was sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 60 nautical miles (110 km) west south west of the Bishop Rock, Isles of Scilly, United Kingdom (49°28′N 7°40′W) by SM U-69 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Harrovian (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was shelled and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 60 nautical miles (110 km) west of the Bishop Rock (49°23′N 7°40′W) by SM U-69 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Papelera (Norway) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean west of the Isles of Scilly by SM U-69 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
HMT Sunbeam I (Royal Navy) The naval trawler was lost on this date.

Pilots of the Lafayette Escadrille whose names few Americans recognize (from left): Chouteau Johnson, Lawrence Rumsey, James McConnell, William Thaw, Raoul Lufbery, Kiffin Rockwell, Didier Masson, Norman Prince, Bert Hall.