100 Years Ago Today

[Sailor Steve]

April 5, 1918

Air War:

0815 German pilot Gerhard Fieseler, flying an Albatros D.III on the Macedonian Front, shoots down Nieuport 24 4047 for victroy number 3.

German pilot Wilhelm Zorn, with Jasta 60, shoots down a Caudron R.4 for victory number 3. Zorn will score number 4 sometime between today and April 20, but the exact date is unknown.

[Jimbuna]

6th April 1918

Western Front

Severe fighting in Aveluy Wood (Albert), near Hebuterne, in Luce Valley, north and south of Montdidier, and in Oise region.

Strong German attacks near Beaumont (Meuse).

Reims heavily bombarded.

German General Ludendorff ends the first phase of the Spring Offensive due to strengthening Allied resistance. Germany captured 3,100 km2, but fail to achieve their strategic objectives.

Eastern Front

Ukraine: Ekaterinoslav (north-east of Odessa) occupied by Germans.

Siberia: Disorders in Vladivostok are confirmed.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

Turks occupy Ardahan (Transcaucasia).

Political, etc.

The King sends greetings to U.S.A. on anniversary of entrance into the war.

President Wilson speaks at Baltimore on war aims and resolves.

Ship Losses:

Madeleine III (French Navy) The Q-ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of Algeria (37°27′N 9°53′E) by SM UB-50 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of seventeen of her twenty crew. The survivors were taken as prisoners of war.
Madona Belle Grazie (Italy) The sailing vessel was sunk in the Ionian Sea by SM UC-52 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Ministre de Smet de Naeyer (Belgium) The cargo ship struck a mine and sank in the North Sea 45 nautical miles (83 km) north of the Dogger Bank Lightship ( United Kingdom) with the loss of twelve of her 29 crew.
HMML 421 (Royal Navy) The motor launch was lost on this date.
Sterne (Netherlands) The sailing vessel was stopped in the North Sea 60 nautical miles (110 km) off Jæren, Rogaland, Norway by SM U-19 ( Kaiserliche Marine). U-19 intended to sink her but lost sight of her. Sterne came ashore at Utsire, Rogaland and was a total loss.

[Sailor Steve]

April 6, 1918

Air War:

1000 German ace Hans Böhning, flying a Pfalz D.III, shoots down an RE.8 for victory number 9.

1110 South African RAF ace, in Sopwith Camel D3335, shoots down an Albatros D.V for victory number 19.

1120 Four RAF SE.5a pilots share a victory over an Albatros D.V:
Jens Larson, United States, C1077, victory number 9.
Hector Omdurman MacDonald, South Africa, C6465, victory number 1.
Hugh Saunders, South Africa, C1794, victory number 4.
Charles Stubbs, C9519, victory number 4. Stubbs' listing is for April 12, but all listings show the same shared kill.

1130 Three RAF Sopwith Camel pilots share a victory over a Fokker Dr.I:
Gerald Cooper, England, B7189, victory number 2.
Thomas Gerard, Malaysia, B7196, victory number 10.
Wilfred Sneath, England, B7187, victory number 6.

1200 English RAF Pilot Geoffrey Pidcock, in Sopwith Camel D1812, shoots down a Fokker Dr.I for victory number 2.

1415 German ace Ernst Udet, flying a Fokker Dr.I, shoots down Sopwith Camel C8247 for victory number 23. Lt H.S. Lewis is killed.

1420 German pilot Ltn Stickforth (no first name given), with Jasta 24, shoots down a Dorand AR.2 for victory number 1.

1500 Four Australian AFC SE.5a pilots share a victory over a German two-seater:
Gregory Blaxland, s/n unknown, victory number 2.
Alexander Clark, D3429, victory number 4.
2nd Lt A.L. Paxton, s/n and victory number unknown.
Lt L.J. Primrose, s/n and victory number unknown.

1500 German pilot Hasn Joachim Wolff, in a Fokker Dr.I, shoots down Bristol F.2b C4864 for victory number 5. 2nd Lts B.G.A. Bell and G.G. Bartlett are both killed.

1525 German pilot Hans Kirschtein, with Jasta 6, shoots down Sopwith Camel C1577 for victory number 5. 2nd Lt D.G. Gold is taken prisoner.

1540 Canadian RAF pilot John Drummond, flying Bristol F.2b B1299 with 2nd Lt H.F. Lamb as observer, shoots down a Fokker Dr.I for victory number 2.

1545 English RAF pilot Sydney Tyndall Liversedge, in Sopwith Camel C8220, shoots down an Albatros two-seater for victory number 1.

1545 German ace Manfred von Richthofen, in Fokker Dr.I 127/17, shoots down Sopwith Camel D6491 for victory number 76. Capt Sydney Philip Smith is listed as Missing.

1555 Hans Joachim Wolff scores his second kill of the day, shooting down Sopwith Camel C8252 for number 6. 2nd Lt D.V. Gillespie is killed.

1600 German ace Hans Weiss, in a Fokker Dr.I, shoots down Sopwith Camel B2431 for victory number 13. 2nd Lt F.D. Hudson is wounded and taken prisoner, later dying from his wounds.

1605 German ace Edgar Scholz, flying a Fokker Dr.I, shoots down Sopwith Camel C8281 for victory number 6. 2nd Lt E. Mather is listed as Missing.

1610 German pilot Erich Just, in a Fokker Dr.I, shoots down Sopwith Camel D6452 for victory number 2. 2nd Lt M.F. Peiler is taken prisoner.

1715 German ace Franz Hemer, in a Fokker Dr.I, shoots down Sopwith Dolphin C3939 for victory number 7. American RAF pilot 2nd Lt H.G. Dugan is taken prisoner.

1750 Hans Weiss scores his second kill of the day, shooting down Sopwith Camel C8248 for victory number 14.2nd Lt T.R.V. Hill is wounded and taken prisoner.

1800 Bavarian-born German pilot August Delling, in an Albatros D.V, shoots down Sopwith Camel B5319 for victory number 1. Sub-Lt M.H. Findlay lands safely.

1855 American pilot Paul Baer, flying a SPAD, shoots down a German "Scout" for victory number 3. This is possible Uffz Georg Erdmann, who is killed at about this time.

German pilot Karl Hertz, with Jasta 59, shoots down a Sopwith Camel for victory number 2.

German ace Karl Menckhoff, in an Albatros D.V, shoots down a Letord L.2 for victory number 22. Lt Louis Goux lands on his own side of the lines. Lt de la Croix de Laval is wounded. Sgt Léon Schmidt is killed.

German ace Fritz Pütter, with Jasta 68, shoots down a SPAD XIII for victory number 17. Adj P.A. Petit lands safely on his own side of the lines.

German pilot Otto Sporbert, with Jasta 62, shoots down a SPAD VII for victory number 1. American cpl Herman Whitmore is taken prisoner.

[Jimbuna]

7th April 1918

Western Front

Heavy artillery work on the Oise and between the Somme and Armentieres; two attacks on Bucquoy repulsed.

Eastern Front

Russian protests to Germany about landing in Finland and to foreign Consuls in Moscow about Vladivostok.

Bolsheviks evacuating Helsingfors.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

Kerak (south of Dead Sea) occupied by Hejaz troops.

Transcaucasia; Turkish troops reported to be marching on Batum.

Political, etc.

Paris: M. Clemenceau receives Mr. Baker, U.S. Secretary of War.

U.S. announces it has shipped 1.1 million tons of food to the Allied countries in March. Shipments include 200 million pounds of pork, 80 million pounds of beef, and 15.5 million bushels of wheat.

Ship Losses:

Boscastle (United Kingdom) The collier was torpedoed and sunk in St. George's Channel 14 nautical miles (26 km) north north west of Strumble Head, Pembrokeshire by SM U-111 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of eighteen crew.
Catriena (Netherlands) The sailing vessel was sunk in the North Sea 58 nautical miles (107 km) south west of Egersund, Rogaland, Norway (58°04′N 4°14′E) by SM UB-73 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Highland Brigade (United Kingdom) The cargo liner was sunk in the English Channel 6 nautical miles (11 km) south by east of St. Catherine's Point (50°35′N 1°14′W) by SM UC-71 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Port Campbell (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 115 nautical miles (213 km) west south west of the Bishop Rock, Isles of Scilly by SM U-53 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Rye (United Kingdom) The coaster was torpedoed and sunk in the English Channel 19 nautical miles (35 km) north west by west of Cap d'Antifer, Seine-Maritime, France (49°57′N 0°07′W) by SM UB-74 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of four of her crew.
Sterope (Regia Marina) The tanker was shelled and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean off the Azores, Portugal (38°44′N 18°09′W) by SM U-155 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Vera Cruz (United States) The sailing ship was wrecked at Tampico, Tamaulipas, Mexico.

[Sailor Steve]

April 7, 1918

Air War:

1110 German ace Paul Billik, flying an Albatros D.V, shoots down Sopwith Camel B6417 for victory number 13. Sub-Lt D.C. Hopewell is taken prisoner.

1115 Irish RAF ace Walter Tyrrell, in SE.5a B8374, shoots down a Fokker Dr.I for victory number 6.

1120 Walter Tyrell scores his second kill of the day, shooting down an Albatros D.V for victory number 7.

1130 German ace Manfred von Richthofen, in Fokker Dr.I 477/17, shoots down Sopwith Camel D6550 for victory number 77. 2nd Lt Albert Vernon Gallie lands on his own side of the lines. In an apparent case of misrecognition von Richthofen claims this as an SE.5a.

"With four machines of Jasta 11, I attacked several SE5s near Hangard. I shot at an enemy plane some 200 metres away. After I had fired 100 shots, the enemy plane brokke apart. The remnants came down near Hangard."
-Manfred von Richthofen

1130 Walter Tyrell scores his third victory of the day, another Albatros D.V, for number 8.

1145 German ace Hans Kirschstein, flying with Jasta 6, shoots down Sopwith Camel D6554 for victory number 6. Lt R.G.H. Adams is taken prisoner.

1200 English RAF pilot Owen Morgan Baldwin, in Sopwith Camel D1932, shoots down a Fokker Dr.I for victory number 1.

1205 English RAF pilot Hugh Allport Hay, in Bristol F.2b C4861 with Sgt P.A. Sherlock as observer, shoots down an Albatros two-seater for victory number 1.

1205 Manfred von Richthofen scores his second kill of the day, a Sopwith Camel, for victory number 78, It is unclear which Camel this is, and it seems probably that this was the same aircraft claimed by Kirschstein. Von Richthofen claims it as a SPAD.

"I was observing, and noted that a Kette of German planes pursuing an English plane was being attacked from the rear. I dashed to their aid and attacked an English plane. After putting myself behind him several times, the adversary fell. The plane crashed into the ground and I saw that it smashed to pieces. Thes happened 500 metres east of Hill 504."
-Manfred von Richthofen

1250 German pilot Franz Brandt, with Jasta 27, shoots down a Sopwith Camel for victory number 4.

1250 German ace Hermann Göring, flying Fokker Dr.I 206/17, shoots down RE.8 B876 for victory number 18. 2nd Lt Harry Waldo Collier and Lt Eric Campbell Musson return home safely.

1500 American RAF pilot William Carpenter Lambert, in SE.5a B79, shoots down an Albatros D.V for victory number 1.

1540 German ace Fritz Pütter, with Jasta 68, shoots down a Caudron G.6 for victory number 18. S/Lt Louis Mouy and S/Lt Laroche are listed as Missing.

1545 Fritz Pütter scores his second kill of the day, shooting down SE.5a B63 for victory number 19. 2nd Lt P.J. Nolan is killed.

German ace Karl Menckhoff, in an Albatros D.V, shoots down a SPAD for victory number 23.

German pilot Wilhelm Müller, with Jasta 60, shoots down a Bristol F.2b for victory number 1.

[Jimbuna]

8th April 1918

Western Front

Oise river French are forced back in Forest of Coucy, and Coucy le Chateau and Landricourt are lost.

German attempts in districts of Reims, Verdun and Vosges.

Heavy German bombardment on whole British front, up to Armentieres.

Eastern Front

Germany answering Russian protests demands disarmament of Russian Fleet.

Bessarabian Council of Land vote for autonomous union with Romania.

Aviation

German zeppelin L 59, while on a bombing mission against Malta, catches fire by accident and is destroyed, killing all 21 crew.


Political, etc.

Rome: Conference of Nationalities oppressed by Austria opens.

Paris: M. Clemenceau discloses contents of Emperor of Austria's letter.

Canada: Sir Sam Hughes speaks on conditions in Quebec.

Ship Losses:

Bengali (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 14 nautical miles (26 km) off Alexandria, Egypt (31°21′N 29°47′E) by SM UC-34 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
HMS E19 (Royal Navy) The E-class submarine was scuttled in the Gulf of Finland off the Harmaja Lighthouse.
Flanders (Belgium) The cargo ship struck a mine and sank in the North Sea off the coast of the Netherlands. Her crew were rescued.
Nyassaland (Norway) The coaster was sunk in the English Channel 18 nautical miles (33 km) east of Start Point, Devon, United Kingdom by SM UB-33 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Superb (Norway) The sailing vessel was sunk in the North Sea 40 nautical miles (74 km) south of Lindesnes, Vest-Agder by SM U-90 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Tainui (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed damaged in the Atlantic Ocean 60 nautical miles (110 km) south west of the Isles of Scilly by SM U-82 ( Kaiserliche Marine) and was abandoned by her crew. She was beached at Falmouth, Cornwall but was later salvaged, repaired and returned to service.


[April 7th, 1918] "Hurrying Over" (News Of The World cartoon)

[Sailor Steve]

April 8, 1918

Air War:

0645 English RAF ace Cyril Ridley, flying Sopwith Caml B7248, destroys a German observation balloon for victory number 7.

1550 English RAF ace Ian McDonald, in SE.5a C9613, shoots down an Albatros D.V for victory number 6.

[Rhodes]

9th of April, 1918
Western Front

Battle of La Lys - The Sixth German Army attacked with eight divisions. The German assault struck the Portuguese second division of our CEP (Portuguese Expansionary Corp) which was completely overrun, withdrew towards Estaires after hours of heavy fighting; 7000 casualties and 6.600 prisoners.
And on this battle, the Portuguese soldier Aníbal Milhais ("Aníbal Thousands") earn the nicknamed "Soldier Millions" after repulsing two German assaults single-handedly with a Lewis gun, while covering the retreat of Portuguese and Scottish troops.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/An%C3%ADbal_Milhais

[Catfish]

Originally Posted by Jimbuna

[...]

Aviation
German zeppelin L 59, while on a bombing mission against Malta, catches fire by accident and is destroyed, killing all 21 crew.

It is not quite clear what happened, but a technical failure seems to have led to the explosion. L59 was the special ship that made it to Karthoum and back, a member of my wife's family was aboard that trip with the rank of an 'Obermaschinenmaat', and died in the aforementioned accident, over the gulf of Taranto.

This ship was longer than the later »Hindenburg«, and especially constructed to fly to Mahenge plateau in German-East Africa to help Lettow-Vorbeck's defense. The outer Hull was made of partially undoped tent fabric, gangways made of leather for later use as shoe soles, the aluminium was to be used for barracks and tents, there was a lot of medical stuff, blankets, and certainly weapons and ammunition.
At its first trip it was shot at by turkish allies, who thought it to be of allied origin. It returned to base in Bulgaria, was repaired, and tried again later.

On its way to the german colony it turned around at the altitude of Khartoum, the reason is not quite clear. Allies said they spread the (wrong) message that Lettow-Vorbeck had been defeated already, however the german opinion is that the meeting point at Mahenge had been compromised. So the airship, having no means of active communications due to a demolished gearbox of the front main engine and a failing generator, could only receive messages and followed orders to turn around (not after some heated discussion aboard). The distance covered would have well brought her across the Atlantic, and probably back.
England later built a copy of another Zeppelin that had crashed at Maubeuge, and indeed crossed the Atlantic with "R(igid) 34" after the war.

After the trip to Africa the L 59 was rebuilt as a bomber, with bombing flaps, bracing fitted to carry bombs etc., the hull doped, its underside painted black. The upper side was painted in a yellowish colour, to reflect sunlight and reduce expansion of the gas cells. No silvery dope at that time.
It made several bombing raids, some to Italy, one to the harbour of Alexandria bombing the english fleet.

sry always get carried away when it comes to L59

[April 7th, 1918] "Hurrying Over" (News Of The World cartoon)

This cartoon says it all lol, the waving US politician who declared war in the background and staying behind, and the young man being sent "over there". Propaganda fail

[Jimbuna]

9th April 1918

Western Front

Battle of the Lys begins.

Heavy bombardment from La Bassee Canal to Armentieres, followed by strong attacks, force British and Portuguese back to Lys river at Estaires.

Neuve Chapelle lost.

Fine stand by Guards Division.

Hangard lost and retaken by French; between it and Noyon all enemy attempts repulsed.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

Transcaucasia: Turks reported before Batum and marching on Kars.

Palestine: British advance 1.5 miles on 5-mile front east of Tul-Keram-Ramleh railway.

Arabs claim 800 miles of Red Sea coast, and to have put 40,000 Turks out of action since declaration of independence.

Naval and Overseas Operations

German torpedo-boats bombard Belgian coast.

Political, etc.

Mr. Lloyd George introduces Man-Power Bill, demands conscription be extended to Ireland in return for Home Rule in order to cover manpower shortages.

Moldavian Democratic Republic votes to unify with the Kingdom of Romania.

Ship Losses:

HMT Annie Smith (Royal Navy) The naval trawler was lost on this date.
Aveiro (Portugal) The cargo ship was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea (36°24′N 18°06′E) by SM UB-53 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
HMT Lord Hardinge (Royal Navy) The naval trawler collided with another vessel and sank in the Irish Sea off the Daunt Lightship ( United Kingdom).
President Leroy-Iallier (France) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 15 nautical miles (28 km) north west of Ouessant, Finistère (48°50′N 5°13′W) by SM UB-109 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of 26 of her crew.
President Howard (Liberia) The auxiliary sailing vessel was sunk in the Atlantic Ocean off Monrovia by SM U-154 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Vasconia (Norway) The cargo ship struck a mine and sank in the Mediterranean Sea north of Alexandria, Egypt with the loss of seven of her crew.

[Sailor Steve]

April 9, 1918

Air War:

No aerial combat this day.

[Jimbuna]

10th April 1918

Western Front

Battle extends northwards.

Germans reach left bank of Lys river.

From Estaires south to Givenchy position is maintained.

North of Armentieres, line forced back to Wytschaete, Messines Ridge and Ploegsteert; Armentieres evacuated with practically no loss.

Eastern Front

Siberia: Bolsheviks at Vladivostok reported to have fired on Japanese troops.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

Palestine: Turco-German troops attack British position in coastal sector and after preliminary success are driven back, and British line is slightly advanced.

Naval and Overseas Operations

Monrovia (Liberia) bombarded by German submarine and wireless destroyed.

Ship Losses:

Asia (United Kingdom) The coaster foundered. Her crew were rescued by a Norwegian merchant vessel.
Benedetto Cairoli (Regia Marina) The La Masa-class destroyer collided with Giacinto Carini and sank in the Ionian Sea.
Henley (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 25 nautical miles (46 km) south west of The Lizard, Cornwall (49°35′N 5°31′W) by SM UB-109 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of six of her crew.
Westfield (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 45 nautical miles (83 km) south west by south of the Bishop Rock, Isles of Scilly (49°10′N 6°46′W) by SM U-82 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.

[Sailor Steve]

April 10, 1918

Air War:

0800 German pilot Siegfried Büttner, flying an Albatros D.III, destroys a British observation balloon for victory number 4.

0930 Scottish RAF ace John Gilmour, in sopwith Camel C8278, shoots down an Albatros D.V for victory number 13.

0930 German ace Josef Veltjens, in an Albatros D.V, shoots down Armstrong-Whitworth FK.8 C8528 for victory number 11. 2nd Lts J.E. Phillips and H.W. White land safely on their own side of the lines.

German ace Walter Göttsch, in Fokker Dr.I 419/17, shoots down RE.8 B6441 for victory number 20. 2nd Lts H.L. Taylor and W.I.E. Lane are both wounded but manage to crash on their own side of the lines. Göttsch is killed by return fire from Lane.

[Mr Quatro]

I can't wait for November 11th this year ...


World War I
Start date: Jul 28, 1914
End date: Nov 11, 1918

is that where armistice day came from?

[Sailor Steve]

Yes, it is.