100 Years Ago Today

[Sailor Steve]

September 25, 1916

Air War:
French ace Georges Guynemer recieves SPAD VII S132.

1000 French ace Alfred Heurtaux, flying a SPAD VII, shoots down a Fokker E.IV for victory number 8. Nineteen-victory ace Kurt Wintgens is killed. According to Walter Höhndorf, who was flying with Wintgens, they were defending a German two-seater from several French scouts. Höhndorf and the two-seater, flown by future ace Josef Veltjens, both escape.
According to Wikipedia, those who recovered Wintgens' body from no-man's land said there were no bullet wounds, and the cause of the crash seems to have been a severed elevator spar.
Conversely, Norman Franks asserts that Wintgens' fuel tank exploded.
It will be remembered that Kurt Wintgens made the very first claim for a kill in an eindecker, on July 1st, 1915, and two weeks later, on July 15th, had the first confirmed kill in the type.

1830 English ace Albert Ball, in Nieuport 17 A213, shoots down an Albatros two-seater for victory number 25.

Canadian RNAS pilot Edward Rochfort Grange, flying Sopwith Pup N5182, shoots down an opponent identified only as a "Seaplane", for victory number 1.

French pilot Lucien Jailler, in a Nieuport, downs an "Enemy Aircraft" for victory number 5.

German pilot Rudolf Klimke, flying an Albatros D.II, shoots down a Morane parasol for his first victory.

French ace Maxime Lenoir, in a Nieuport, shoots down an "Enemy Aircraft" for victory number 11.

French pilot Marcel Viallet, also in a newport, shoots down an "EA" for kill number 4.



English Channel:
Hans Valentiner, commanding UB-37, sinks French freighter SS Afrique, 1,743 tons, bound from Bayonne for Barry with a load of pit props. His score is now 30 ships and 17,861 tons.



North Sea:
Carl von Georg, in U-57, finds another British fishing fleet and scuttles ten trawlers:
Cynthia, 133 tons.
Fisher Prince, 125 tons.
Gamecock, 151 tons.
Harrier, 162 tons.
Loch Ness, 176 tons.
Nil Desperandum, 148 tons.
Quebec, 133 tons.
Seal, 135 tons.
St Hilda, 94 tons.
Trinidad, 147 tons.
Von Georg's score is now 20 ships and 3,598 tons.

Robert Moraht, in U-64, scuttles British trawler Bella, 11 tons, off the Tod Head lighthouse in Scotland, and takes all four crewmwmbers prisoner.

British trawler Ant, 158 tons, is sunk in a collision with trawler Osprey.



Balearic Sea:
1330 Lothar von Arnauld de la Perière, in U-35, sinks Italian freighter SS Benpark, 3,842 tons, en route from Philadelphia to Genoa. His score is now 120 ships and 220,367 tons.



United States:
Canadian coaster SS Roberval, 344 tons, carrying a load of lumber down the Oswego River from Three Rivers, New York to Oswego, NY, is wrecked just off Oswego.

[Jimbuna]

26th September 1916

Western Front

Capture of Combles and Thiepval by Allies.

British storm Gueudecourt, and cavalry pursue Germans.

Quantity of stores and many prisoners taken.

French advance east of Combles and Rancourt, and enter wood of St. Pierre Vaast.

Eastern Front

Vulkan Pass regained by Romanians.

Naval and Overseas Operations

Athens: Greek ships have joined the Allied fleet under Admiral du Fournet, the French Commander-in-Chief.

General Sir C. Crewe occupies Igalulu, east of Tabora (East Africa).

Ship Losses:

American (France) The cargo ship caught fire and sank at Hong Kong.
Benguela (Sweden) The barque was scuttled in the North Sea 40 nautical miles (74 km) east of the Longstone Lighthouse, Northumberland, United Kingdom[166] by SM U-49 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
HMY Conqueror II (Royal Navy) The naval yacht was torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean north west of Fair Isle by SM U-52 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of seventeen crew.
Dania (Norway) The coaster was sunk in the Barents Sea 7 nautical miles (13 km) north east of Cape Nordkinn, Finnmark by SM U-43 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Enrico Millo (Italy) The cargo ship collided with Savoie ( France) in the Mediterranean Sea and sank with some loss of life.
Knut Hilde (Norway) The cargo ship was sunk in the Barents Sea 5 nautical miles (9.3 km) off the Stetnes Lighthouse, Finnmark by SM U-43 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
HMT Loch Shiel (Royal Navy) The naval trawler struck a mine laid by U 78 (Otto Dröscher) and sank in the Irish Sea 7 nautical miles (13 km) west of the Helwick Lighthouse (51°29′N 4°45′W) with the loss of three of her crew.
Newby (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was shelled and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 53 nautical miles (98 km) east of Barcelona, Spain (41°30′N 3°20′E) by SM U-35 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Roddam (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 76 nautical miles (141 km) east south east of Barcelona (40°53′N 3°18′E) by SM U-35 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
HMT Sarah Alice (Royal Navy) The naval trawler was torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean north west of Fair Isle (59°45′N 1°40′W) by SM U-52 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of all sixteen crew.
Stathe (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was shelled and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 50 nautical miles (93 km) east by south of Barcelona (41°25′N 3°20′E) by SM U-35 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
St. Gothard (United Kingdom) The collier was sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 12 nautical miles (22 km) north by west of Fair Isle (59°41′N 1°45′W) by SM U-52 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
HMS Stirling Castle (Royal Navy) The auxiliary minesweeper was lost in the Mediterranean Sea on this date.
Thelma (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the North Sea 24 nautical miles (44 km) east of Fair Isle by SM U-20 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.

[Sailor Steve]

September 26, 1916

Air War:
Ten-victory Bavarian ace Max von Mulzer is killed testing Albatros D.I 426/16 during a visit to AFP 6 at Valenciennes. Just before takeoff von Mulzer reportedly said "Immelmann is dead. Parschau is dead. Wintgens is dead. Now I am next in line."
-Greg VanWygarden, Early German Aces

0745-1045 French ace Charles Nungesser performs a hat-trick in his Nieuport, shooting down two enemy aircraft and an observation balloon. He now has 17 victories.

1200 Scottish RFC pilot John Gilmour, flying Martinsyde G.100 7284, shoots down a Fokker eindecker for victory number 3.

1225 German two-seater team of Albert Dossenbach and Hans Schilling, in an Albatros C.III, shoot down an "Enemy Aircraft". Victory number 7 for Dossenbach, number 5 for Schilling.

Bohemian Austro-Hungarian pilot Otto Jindra, flying Hansa-Brandenburg C.I 6423 with Eduard Struckel as observer, shoots down a Nieuport for victory number 8.

French observer Ernest Joseph Jules Maunoury riding as observer with an unknown pilot in an unknown two-seater, shoots down a "Fokker" (unknown, but probably an eindecker) for victory number 1.

German pilot Hermann Pfeiffer, in a Fokker E.III, shoots down a Caudron for victory number 4.

Bristol Channel:
His Majesty's Trawler Loch Shiel, 216 tons, hits a mine laid off Milford Haven by Otto Dröscher in U-78. His score is now 3 ships and 7,093 tons.

Celtic Sea:
A sailing ship called Elisabeth Jane, 102 tons, is reported lost off southern Ireland. There are no other details.



North Sea:
Walther Schwieger, commanding U-20, sinks British freighter SS Thelma, 1,002 tons, bound from Clyde for Göteborg with a load of coal plus general goods. Schwieger's score is now 33 ships and 137,005 tons.

Hans Walther, in U-52, sinks three British vessels off Fair Isle:
His Majesty's Trawler Sarah Alice, 299 tons, hit by a torpedo aimed at yacht Conqueror II.
HM Yacht Conqueror II, 526 tons, torpedoed while trying aid Sarah Alice.
SS St Gothard, 2,788 tons, carrying a load of coal from The Shetlands to Forth. Captured and then sunk by torpedo.
Walther's score is now 16 ships and 24,594 tons.

Robert Moraht, in U-64, takes British trawler Loch Ryan, 186 tons, as a prize.



Barents Sea:
Helmuth Jürst, in U-43, sinks two Norwegian freighters off Nordkyn, at the northern tip of Norway:
SS Dania, 862 tons, carrying a load of lumber from Onega to Leith.
SS Knut Hilde, 1,632 tons, bound from Petschora for West Hartlepool with a load of timber.
Jürst's score is now 4 ships and 8,801 tons.



Balearic Sea:
Lothar von Arnauld de la Perière, in U-35, sinks three more British freighters:
1200 SS Stathe, 2,623 tons, carrying a load of coal from Cardiff to Livorno.
1220 SS Newby, 2,168 tons, bound from San Rafael for Larne with a load of minerals.
1710 SS Roddam, 3,218 tons, travelling in ballast from Savona to Barry Roads.
Von Arnauld's score is now 123 ships and 228,378 tons.



Mediterranean Sea:
British patrol boat Royal Fleet Auxiliary Stirling Castle, 271 tons, his a mine laid by an unknown vessel west of Malta.

Italian freighter SS Enrico Millo, 3,542 tons, carrying a load of grain from New York to Genoa, sinks following a collision.

[Jimbuna]

27th September 1916

Western Front

British storm Stuff Redoubt and advance north of Flers to the east of Eaucourt l'Abbaye.

At Verdun German strong attack at nightfall against Thiaumont-Fleury front repulsed with great loss.

Eastern Front

In the Jiu Valley (Vulkan Pass) Romanian troops attack and repulse enemy who is retreating towards the north and north-west.

Romanian Army occupies one-third of Transylvania as the result of one month's war.

Naval and Overseas Operations

German submarine SM UB-7 leaves the port of Varna, Bulgaria, but is never heard from again, likely hitting a mine or sunk by the Russians.

British naval aeroplanes attack sheds near Brussels.

Political, etc.

Pres. Poincare says Belgium must be avenged or else “nothing would be left for us but to veil in eternal mourning the statues of justice.”

Athens: Greek generals reported in favour of war.

Interview with Mr. Lloyd George on the war is published in American papers.

Due to excellent harvests, the German government announces an extra 500 grams of increased bread rations a week for those aged 12 to 17.

Ship Losses:

Avis (United Kingdom) The schooner was abandoned in the Atlantic Ocean 30 nautical miles (56 km) west of Miquelon.
Exchange (United Kingdom) The cargo ship struck the pier at the mouth of the River Bann. She consequently sank at her moorings in Coleraine, County Antrim.
Kachidate Maru (Japan) The cargo ship foundered in the South China Sea off Quelpart, Korea.
Rallus (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was shelled and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 45 nautical miles (83 km) north east by north of Dragonera, Spain by SM U-35 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Secondo (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 40 nautical miles (74 km) north north east of Dragonera by SM U-35 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Thurso (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was sunk in the North Sea 60 nautical miles (110 km) north east by east of Rattray Head, Aberdeenshire by SM U-44 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived, but two were taken as prisoners of war.
SM UB-7 (Kaiserliche Marine) The Type UB I submarine departed Varna, Bulgaria on patrol. Subsequently lost in the Black Sea with the loss of all fifteen crew.
Vindeggen (Norway) The cargo ship was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 30 nautical miles (56 km) off Cape Frontera, Spain (40°18′N 3°10′E) by SM U-35 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.

[Sailor Steve]

September 27, 1916

Air War:
1000 German ace Oswald Boelcke, flying Albatros D.II 386/16, shoots down Martinsyde G.100 A1568 for victory number 29.

1800 English pilot Geoffrey Bowman, in DH.2 5984, shoots down a Roland C.II for victory number 2.

English pilot Roy Williamson Chappell, in a Martinsyde G.100, brings down a German biplane fighter for victory number 1.

German two-seater team of aces Albert Dossenbach and Hans Schilling, in an Albatross C.III, tangle with English ace observer Leslie Court, riding in FE.2b 4839 with 2nd Lt Victor William Harrison as pilot. The two planes manage to shoot each other down, but both land safely and no-one is hurt. Victory number 8 for Dossenbach, number 6 for Schilling and Court, unknown for Harrison.



North Sea:
Paul Wagenführ, commanding U-44, sinks British freighter SS Thurso, 1,244 tons, bound from Ackhangelsk for Hull with a load of timber. The ship's master and chief engineer are taken prisoner. Wagenführ's score is now 8 ships and 29,682 tons.



Black Sea:
German submarine UB-7, commanded by Hans Lütjohann, goes missing, along with her 15 crew.
The wreck of UB-7 was discovered in 2008 in the vicinity of a former Bulgarian (friendly) minefiled, but it is partially buried and the cause of the sinking has not been confirmed.
http://www.uboat.net/wwi/boats/index.html?boat=UB+7
http://www.wrecksite.eu/wreck.aspx?148627



Balearic Sea:
Lothar von Arnauld de la Perière, in U-35, sinks three more Allied merchants:
1100 British freighter SS Rallus, 1,752 tons, carrying coal and general goods from Glasgow to Palermo.
1400 British freighter SS Secondo, 3,912 tons, travelling from Clyde to Genoa with a load of coal.
1700 Norwegian freighter SS Vindeggen, 2,610 tons, bound from Newcastle for La Spezia with a load of coal.
Von Arnauld's score is now 126 ships and 236,652 tons.



East China Sea:
Japanese freighter Kachidate Maru, 3,432 tons, carrying a load of pig iron from Hangkow to Osaka, founders off Quelpart (modern Jeju) Island.

[Jimbuna]

28th September 1916

Western Front

British attack Schwaben Redoubt on crest of Thiepval Plateau; most of it taken. They advance north and north-east of Courcelette, and between Martinpuich and Gueudecourt.

French make progress between Fregicourt and Morval.

Political, etc.

Former Greek Premier Venizelos establish a provisional government in Greek, stating he will revolt unless Greece enters the war.

Ship Losses:

Emanuel (Norway) The sailing vessel was sunk south of the Firth of Forth (55°28′N 0°10′E) by SM U-49 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Emma (Russia) The three-masted schooner was sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 75 nautical miles (139 km) west north west of Slyme Head, Shetland Islands, United Kingdom by SM UC-22 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Fuchsia (United Kingdom) The trawler was shelled and sunk in the North Sea (56°07′N 0°30′E) by SM U-45 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her nine crew were taken as prisoners of war.
Marjorie (United Kingdom) The fishing smack was scuttled in the North Sea off Norfolk by SM UB-12 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
HMT Orsino (Royal Navy) The naval trawler was shelled and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean north of Strathie Point, Sutherland (58°40′N 4°05′W) by SM U-55 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of six crew.
Rolf Jarl (Norway) The cargo ship was sunk in the Barents Sea 10 nautical miles (19 km) off Alexandrosk, Russia by SM U-43 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.

[Sailor Steve]

September 28, 1916

Air War:
German fighter units Jastas 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, and 15 are formed on paper. They will become operational at various times between this date and the end of November.

Jasta 10 is formed from KEK III at Douai and is immediately operational, equipped with two Fokker D.IIs, an old Fokker E.I, four Fokker E.IIIs, a Halberstadt D.II and two new Albatros D.IIs, and commanded by Ludwig Linck.

Jasta 12 continues with only a name change from Fokkerstaffel West at Bassoles-Aulers. Commanded by Oblt Erich Honemanns with a variety of fighters including some Fokker D.IIIs.

Jasta 14, formerly Fokkerstaffel Falkenhausen, is also operational. Temporarily commanded by a Hptm Krieg, it will soon be taken over by Rudolf Berthold and starts with two Fokker E.IIIs, seven Fokker D.IIIs and one Halberstadt D.II.

Jasta 15, formerly KEK Habsheim, commanded by Hptm Hermann Kropp, operating Fokker E.IIIs and D.IIs, also is immediately in service having recieved only a change of name.

1100 Canadian RNAS pilot Daniel Galbraith, flying Nieuport Scout 3992 (exact type unknown), shoots down a seaplane for victory number 2.

1605 English RFC pilot William Curphey, in DH.2 A2536, shoots down an LVG two-seater for victory number 2.

1745 English ace Albert Ball, in Nieuport 17 A213, shoots down an Albatros 2-seater for victory number 26.

1810 English pilot Earnest Foot has moved from FE.2s to SPAD VII A253. On this day he shoots down an Albatros two-seater for victory number 4.

1915-1930 Albert Ball shoots down two more 2-seaters, bringing his total to 28.

French pilot Georges Madon, in an unnamed Nieuport, shoots down a Fokker eindecker for victory number 1.



North Sea:
Erich Sittenfeld, commanding U-45, stops British trawler Fuchsia, 145 tons, and sinks her with his deck gun. His score is now 6 ships and 8,317 tons.

Richard Hartmann, in U-49, scuttles two ships off the Longstone lighthouse:
Swedish barque Benguela, 688 tons, carrying a load of pit props from Fredrikshald to West Hartlepool.
Norwegian sailing ship Emanuel, 246 tons, travelling from Tønsberg to West Hartlepool with a load of pit props.
Hartmann's opening score is 2 ships and 934 tons.

Wilhelm Werner, in U-55, sinks His Majasty's Trawler Orsino, 172 tons, with his deck gun. His score is now 4 ships and 6,377 tons.

Georg Gerth, in UB-12, scuttles British fishing smack Marjorie, 55 tons, off Smith's Knoll, in Norfolk. His score is now 3 small vessels and 1,022 tons.

Heino von Heimburg, in UC-22, sinks Russian schooner Emma, 279 tons, carrying a load of deals and battens, off Slyme Head in the Shetland Islands. His score is now 7 ships and 24,822 tons.

British freighter SS Cydonia, 3,085 tons, bound from Methil for Brest with a load of coal, runs aground on Castle Rock, at Holy Island.



Barents Sea:
Helmuth Jürst, in U-43, sinks Norwegian freighter SS Rolf Jarl, 11,265 tons, travelling from Lerwick to Arkhangelsk via Ålesund with a load of salted herring, off the Kola Peninsula. His score is now 5 ships and 10,066 tons.



Hong Kong:
Chinese-owned freighter SS American, 795 tons, is destroyed by fire while moored in Hong Kong harbour.

[Jimbuna]

29th September 1916

Western Front

South-west of Le Sars (on road to Bapaume), British take farm.

Naval and Overseas Operations

Portuguese occupy Bay of Menasi (German East Africa).

Aviation

Funeral of Max von Mulzer, the first Bavarian fighter ace.


Political, etc.

Lloyd George: “There is neither clock nor calendar in the British army today…Only the result counts, not the time consumed in achieving it.”

German Chancellor von Bethmann-Hollwegg declares a German statesman who does not employ all weapons to shorten the war “should be hanged.”

Herr von Kuhlmann, German Minister at the Hague, appointed Ambassador to Turkey.

Greek Provisional Government announced by M. Venizelos and Admiral Condouriotis.

Ship Losses:

Knut Jarl (Norway) The cargo ship was sunk in the Barents Sea off Vardø, Finnmark (69°38′N 33°16′E) by SM U-43 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Nesjar (Norway) The cargo ship was sunk in the Barents Sea 5 nautical miles (9.3 km) north west of Zyp-Navolok, Russia (69°38′N 33°16′E) by SM U-43 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Nornen (Norway) The sailing vessel was sunk in the North Sea (56°15′N 3°34′E) by SM U-49 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Ravn (Norway) The cargo ship was sunk in the Barents Sea 7 nautical miles (13 km) off Kildin Island, Russia by SM U-46 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of ten crew.
Sinsen (Norway) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Barents Sea 8 nautical miles (15 km) off the Lineberka Lightship (flag unknown) (69°05′N 34°50′E) by SM U-46 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Venus (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 20 nautical miles (37 km) off Cape San Antonio, Spain by SM U-35 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Viola (Sweden) The cargo ship was run in to by another vessel and sank in the English Channel off St Helen's, Isle of Wight, United Kingdom.

Editorial Cartoon: They're biting now instead of nibbling ─ Chicago Tribune.

[Sailor Steve]

September 29, 1916

Air War:
French pilot Julien Anatole Guertiau, flying a Caudron G.4 with an unnamed observer, shoots down an "Enemy Aircraft" for victory number 1.



North Sea:
Richard Hartmann, commanding U-49, waylays two Norwegian ships:
SS Haarfagre, 566 tons, bound from Fredrikstad for Hartlepool with a load of pit props, is taken as a prize.
Sailing ship Nornen, 215 tons, carrying a load of pit props from Drerikshald to West Hartlepool, is sunk.
Hartmann's score is now 4 ships and 1,714 tons.

British trawler Terrier, 149 tons, homeward bound for Hull at the end of a fishing trip, runs aground at Wrecher Head, Scotland.



Barents Sea:
Helmuth Jürst, in U-43, sinks two Norwegian freighters off the Kola Peninsula:
SS Knut Jarl, 1,070 tons, travelling from Aalesund tp Arkhangelsk with a load of herring.
SS Nesjar, 1,609 tons, carrying a load of ammonium nitrate from Skien to Archangelsk.
His score is now 7 ships and 12,745 tons.

Leo Hillebrand, in U-46, sinks two ships in the same area:
Norwegian freighter SS Ravn, 1,260 tons, travelling from Skien to Archangelsk with a load of ammonium nitrate.
Norwegian freighter SS Sinsen, 1,925 tons, carrying a load of wheat from Archangelsk to Bayonne.
Hillebrand now has 11 ships and 10,629 tons.
Note: Thirteen months earlier, on August 24th, 1915, SS Sinsen was taken as a prize by Rudolf Schneider in U-24, but was released by the Prize Court.



Baltic Sea:
German freighter SS Sinainn, 971 tons, hits a mine off Kurāmō, Latvia.



Balearic Sea:
1000 Lothar von Arnauld de la Perière, in U-35, sinks Italian freighter SS Venus, 3,076 tons, carrying a load of tar from Glasgow to Genoa. His score is now 127 ships and 240,628 tons.



Canada:
Canadian schooner Charley Troop, 30 tons, founders off Walton, Ontario, on Lake Huron.



United States:
American schooner C.B. Clark, 162 tons, carrying a load of coal from New York to an unnamed destination, is wrecked off Long Island, NY.

[Jimbuna]

30th September 1916

Western Front

Thiepval ridge (except part of Schwaben Redoubt) all occupied.

Advance south of Eaucourt l'Abbaye.

Eastern Front

Falkenhayn in Transylvania attacks the Roter Turm pass.

Romanian 1st Army retreats over Fogaras Mts.

Great battle in Galicia (near Zlota Lipa and Brzezany) commences.

Russians advance in Brody region.

Southern Front

British cross Struma river at Orliak and capture villages left bank.

Towards Florina, Serbs capture Mt. Kaymakchlan (25 miles east south-east of Monastir).

Political, etc.

Former President Roosevelt criticizes Wilson’s foreign policies as “cowardly” and “following the lines of least resistance.”

Due to good harvests, Germany increases rations for those employed in hard manual labour.

M. Venizelos, Admiral Condouriotis, and General Danglis form Provisional Government in Crete.

Ship Losses:

Fancy (Norway) The cargo ship was sunk in the Barents Sea 6 nautical miles (11 km) south east of Shipnavalok, Russia by SM U-43 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Hafnia (Norway) The coaster was scuttled in the Barents Sea 5 nautical miles (9.3 km) north of the Rybatchi Peninsula, Russia by SM U-46 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Hekla (Norway) The coaster was sunk in the Barents Sea 30 nautical miles (56 km) off Kilberg, by SM U-46 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Irma (France) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean off Wolf Rock, Cornwall, United Kingdom (49°29′N 5°42′W) by SM UB-38 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Maywood (United Kingdom) The cargo ship struck a mine laid by UC 26 (Matthias Graf von Schmettow) and sank in the English Channel off Le Havre, Seine-Maritime, France. Her crew survived.
Pearl (United Kingdom) The schooner was scuttled in the English Channel 6 nautical miles (11 km) south south east of The Lizard, Cornwall (49°53′N 5°06′W) by SM UB-38 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
William George (United Kingdom) The schooner was shelled and sunk in the English Channel 10 nautical miles (19 km) north north east of Cap de la Hague, Manche, France by SM UC-26 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.

MERCHANT SHIPPING
British, Allied and Neutral ships lost to enemy submarines, mines and cruisers etc in the month - 180 ships of 232,000 tons gross. (Lloyd's War Losses).

[Sailor Steve]

September 30, 1916

Air War:
0934 English RFC pilot Stanley Cockerell, flying DH.2 A2556, shoots down an Albatros D.I for victory number 2.

1040 Canadian RFC pilot Alan Bell-Irving, in Nieuport 17 A203, shoots down a pair of Roland C.IIs for victories 4 and 5.

1055 English ace Albert Ball, in Nieuport 17 A213, shoots down an Albatros 2-seater for victory number 29.

1150 German pilot Manfred von Richthofen, flying Albatros D.II 491/16, shoots down FE.2b 6973 for victory number 3. Lt Ernest Conway and Sgt Albert Clarkson are both killed.

1435 English pilots William Curphey, in DH.2 A2536, and Leslie Aizlewood, also in a DH.2, shoot down a German two-seater. Number 3 for Curphey, number 2 for Aizlewood.

1830 Albert Ball shoots down a pair of Roland C.IIs for victories 30 and 31.

French pilot Marcel Bloch, in a Nieuport, destroys a German observation balloon for kill number 4.

Australian RNAS ace Roderick Dallas, in Sopwith Triplane N500, shoots down a German fighter for victory number 6.

English pilot Harold Thomas Mellings, in a Bristol Scout, shoots down an LVG two-seater for victory number 1.



Irish Sea:
British steam fishing vessel Ernest, 37 tons, founders off Lambay Island.



English Channel:
Erwin Waßner, commanding UB-38, sinks two ships just inside the west end of the Channel:
French freighter SS Irma, 844 tons, bound from Newport for Montagne with a load of coal - stopped and sunk with the deck gun.
British schooner Pearl, 144 tons, carrying a load of coal from Preston to Truro.
His score is now 17 ships and 20,315 tons.



British freighter SS Maywood, 1,188 tons, carrying a load of coal and coke from Newport to Le Havre, hits a mine laid by Matthias von Schmettow in UC-26 in Le Havre Rosds.
Meanwhile, 100 miles away off Cap la Hague, von Schmettow stops British schooner William George, 151 tons, travelling from Wansea to St-Valery-en-Caux with a load of coal, and sinks her with his deck gun.
His score is now 40 ships and 50,529 tons.



North Sea:
Wilhelm Werner, in U-55, takes two Swedish freighters as prizes:
SS Atle, 1,725 tons, travelling from Göteborg to London with a general cargo.
SS Talavera, 1,741 tons. Talavera is later released by the Prize Court, leaving Werner with a score of 5 ships and 8,102 tons.



Barents Sea:
Helmuth Jürst, in U-43, sinks Norwegian freighter SS Fancy, 1,612 tons, carrying a load of herring from Lerwick to Arkhangelsk. His score is now 8 ships and 14,357 tons.



Leo Hillebrand, in U-46, sinks two Norwegian ships off the Rybachy Peninsula:
SS Hafnia, 962 tons, en route from Lerwick to Arkhangelsk with a load of salt herring.
SS Hekla, 950 tons, also with a load of herring from Lerwick to Arkhangelsk.
Hillebrand's score is now 13 ships and 12,541 tons.

[Jimbuna]

1st October 1916

Western Front

British attack on line Eaucourt-Le Sars (on Albert-Bapaume road); all objectives taken on front of 3,000 yards, Eaucourt occupied. Prisoners, etc., to date.

Eastern Front

In region of Brody, Russians advance after severe fighting.

Southern Front

Italians take trenches in Transvenanzis Valley (Trentino).

Serbs progress north-east of Kaymakchlan, and occupy important Bulgar positions.

British capture 3 villages on Struma front.

Bulgaria declares war on Romania.

Aviation

Zeppelin raid on east coast, L31 down at Potter's Bar, 1 killed, 1 injured.



Political, etc.

Major General F.B. Maurice: “We are perfectly satisfied…The tide has turned strongly against the Germans.”

British government report reveals Britain is spending around £10.6 million and 3,800 lives a day on the war.

Great Britain move back their clocks, as its daylight savings time also ends for the first time. The time in Ireland is also adjusted to match the rest of Britain. Before, it was 25 minutes 21 seconds behind Greenwich Mean Time.

Germany moves back their clocks one hour as the very first daylight savings time ends for the country.

Ship Losses:

Cap Mazagan (France) The coaster was scuttled in the Atlantic Ocean 31 nautical miles (57 km) south West of the Longships Lighthouse (49°30′N 5°32′W) by SM UB-38 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Le Blavet (France) The cargo ship was sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 38 nautical miles (70 km) south of the Longships Lighthouse (49°32′N 5°38′W) by SM UB-38 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Le Pelerin (France) The fishing vessel was shelled and sunk in the Atlantic OCean 31 nautical miles (57 km) south south east of the Longships Lighthouse (49°35′N 5°49′W) by SM UB-38 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Mallin (Norway) The coaster was sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 30 nautical miles (56 km) south of the Wolf Rock, Cornwall, United Kingdom by SM UB-38 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Musette (United Kingdom) The schooner was scuttled in the Atlantic Ocean off Ouessant, Finistère (49°12′N 5°20′W) by SM UB-38 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Vanellus (United Kingdom) The cargo ship struck a mine laid by UC 26 (Matthias Graf von Schmettow) and sank in the English Channel off Le Havre, Seine-Maritime, France with the loss of three of her crew.
Villebois Mareuil (France) The sailing vessel was sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 20 nautical miles (37 km) south south east of the Wolf Rock (49°37′N 5°36′W) by SM UC-26 ( Kaiserliche Marine).




Editorial cartoon: The leaning tower ─ Cleveland Leader

[Sailor Steve]

October 1, 1916

Air War:
2130 Welsh RFC pilot Hubert Jones, flying DH.2 A2533, shoots down a German 2-seater for victory number 3.

French pilot Marcel Bloch, in a Nieuport, destroys a German balloon for victory number 5.

German ace Oswald Boelcke, in Albatros D.II 386/16, shoots down an unnamed fighter for victory number 30.

German bomber pilot Karl Meyer, flying Friedrichshafen FF.33 599 with Karl Elsasser as gunner, shoots down a short seaplane. Victory number 4 for Meyer, number 1 for Elsasser.

German pilot Alfred Ulmer, in an Albatros D.II, destroys a Belgian observation balloon for victory number 1.



English Channel:
Erwin Waßner, commanding UB-28, stops and sinks five vessels:
French fishing vessel Le Pelerin, 31 tons. Deck gun.
French Freighter SS Cap Mazagan, 760 tons, carrying a load of coal from Port Talbot to Tonnay Charente. Scuttled.
French freighter SS Le Blavet, 1,010 tons, out of Cardiff for Lorient.
Norwegian coaster SS Mallin, 468 tons, with a load of steel plate.
French schooner Musette, 245 tons, carrying a load of salt from Lisbon to St Malo, scuttled.
Waßner's score is now 22 ships and 22,829 tons.

British freighter SS Vanellus, 1,797 tons, travelling from Portihead to Roue with a load of oil, hits a mine laid by Batthias von Schmettow in UC-26 just outside Le Havre.
Meanwhile von Scmettow himself stops and sinks French fishing vessel Villebois Mareuil, 32 tons, raising his score to 42 ships and 52,358 tons.



United States:
American schooner Alex Anderson, 725 tons, bound from Chatham, New Brunswick to Portland, Maine, founders off Seal Island, Maine.

American schooner SS Arneac, 496 tons, also founders off Seal Island. Possibly conflicting reports, or possible the two schooners were traveling in company and both were sunk in a storm.

[Jimbuna]

2nd October 1916

Western Front

Germans regain footing in Eaucourt.

Eastern Front

Romanians rally south of Roter Turm Pass (southern Transylvania). On southern front cross Danube at Rjahovo (near Ruschuk) threatening Mackensen's rear. In Dobruja they attack and repulse Mackensen.

Zlota Lipa furious fighting continues.

Russians take 1,000 prisoners, but front remains unchanged.

Brody-Zloczow road enemy claim recapture all positions lost on 30th.

Southern Front

In Kaymakchlan region Bulgars retire north in direction Monastir.

Bulgars evacuate Mt. Starkov Grob.

Bulgar counter-attack on Struma front repulsed by British.

Political, etc.

Field Marshal von Hindenburg celebrates his 69th birthday at his headquarters on the Eastern Front.

Further migration of Greek officers to Venizelos Provisional Government in Crete.

Ship Losses:

HMT Filey (Royal Navy) The naval trawler was lost on this date.
HMT Girl Eva (Royal Navy) The naval trawler struck a mine laid by UC 6 (Paul Günther) and sank in the North Sea with the loss of seven of her crew.
Huntsfall (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Aegean Sea 12 nautical miles (22 km) south south east of Skyros, Greece by SM UB-46 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Lotusmere (United Kingdom) The collier was torpedoed and sunk in the Barents Sea 48 nautical miles (89 km) north north east of the Teriberski Lighthouse (69°58′N 35°30′E) by SM U-48 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Rigel (French Navy) The Arabis-class sloop was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 150 nautical miles (280 km) east of Cape Palos, Spain (37°45′N 2°15′E) by SM U-35 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.

"A Friend In Need" (Western Mail cartoon).

[Sailor Steve]

October 2, 1916

Air War:
German pilot Rudolf Windisch lands behind Russian lines and drops off Oblt Maximilian von Cossel, who destroys a railway bridge. Windisch picks up von Cossel the following day. The two are personally awarded by the Kaiser on October 18th. Windisch is the only pilot ever to recieve the Prussian Order of the Crown, 4th Class with Swords.

French pilot Paul Sauvage, flying a Nieuprt, shoots down an "Enemy Aircraft" for victory number 5.



Irish Sea:
Italian freighter SS Varazze, 1,824 tons, bound from Cartegena for Marysport with a load of ore, is wrecked on the Eastern Ledges, Smalls.



North Sea:
His Majesty's Drifter Girl Eva, 76 tons, hits a mine laid by Paul Günther in UC-6. This is Günther's first sinking.



Barents Sea:
Berndt Buß, in U-48, sinks British freighter SS Lotusmere, 3,911 tons, carrying a load of coal from Barry to Arkhangelsk. His score is now 2 ships an 6,034 tons.



Mediterranean Sea:
Lothar von Arnauld de la Perière, in U-35, torpedoes French Navy sloop Rigel, 1,250 tons, bringing his score to 128 ships and 241,878 tons.



Aegean Sea:
Cäsar Bauer, in UB-46, torpedoes British freighter SS Huntsfall, 4,331 tons, carrying a load of hay from St Louis du Rhône to Salonica. His score is now 8 ships and 15,299 tons.