100 Years Ago Today

[Jimbuna]

5th May 1917

Western Front

French, co-operating with British, on front of 20 miles north of the Aisne, take crest of Craonne ridge, including Chemin des Dames with 6,000 prisoners.

Southern Front

French and Greek troops take Bulgar trenches on the Lyumnitsa River (Gevgeli).

Gorizia bombed.

Italians repulse enemy on Carso.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

Russian detachments withdraw about Oghnut and Mush.

Political, etc.

French government apologizes to Switzerland for accidentally bombing the border town of Porrentruy a few days ago.

Zimmermann states the U.S. entering the war with the Allies would help Germany collect billions in indemnities after Germany wins the war.

The U.S. begins accepting subscriptions for its “Liberty Loan,” raising around $20 million on average per hour for the war effort.

Ship Losses:

Angela (United Kingdom) The schooner struck a mine laid by
UC 42 (Otto Heinrich Tornow) and sank in the North Sea 3 nautical miles (5.6 km) off the mouth of the River Tyne (54°59′N 1°19′W) with the loss of five of her crew.
Asra (Norway) The full-rigged ship was shelled and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 140 nautical miles (260 km) west north west of Tory Island, County Donegal, United Kingdom (55°40′N 12°10′W) by SM U-58 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Dina di Lozenzo (Italy) The sailing vessel was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea north of Bizerte, Algeria by SM UC-37 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Edith Cavell (United Kingdom) The trawler was scuttled in the North Sea off Robin Hood's Bay, Yorkshire by SM UB-21 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Feltria (United Kingdom) The passenger ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 8 nautical miles (15 km) south east of Mine Head, County Cork (51°56′N 7°24′W) by SM UC-48 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of 45 lives.
Greta (United Kingdom) The coaster was shelled and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 11 nautical miles (20 km) south east of Mine Head, County Cork by SM UC-48 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Harmattan (United Kingdom) The cargo ship struck a mine laid by UC 37 (Otto Launburg) and sank in the Mediterranean Sea 30 nautical miles (56 km) off Cape Bon, Algeria with the loss of 36 of her crew.
HMS Lavender (Royal Navy) The Acacia-class sloop was sunk in the English Channel south of Mine Head, Cornwall by SM UC-75 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of 22 of her 77 crew.
Lodes (United Kingdom) The coaster struck a mine laid by
UC 33 (Martin Schelle) and sank in the Irish Sea 4 nautical miles (7.4 km) south east of Ballycotton, County Cork with the loss of seven of her crew.
Nydal (Norway) The cargo ship was sunk in the Bay of Biscay 25 nautical miles (46 km) west south west of the La Coubre Lighthouse, Charente-Maritime, France by SM UC-72 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Odense (Denmark) The cargo ship was damaged in the North Sea 1.5 nautical miles (2.8 km) east north east of St Abb's Head, Berwickshire, United Kingdom (55°56′N 2°12′W) by SM UC-77 ( Kaiserliche Marine) and was abandoned with the loss of two of her crew. Odense came ashore north of St Abb's Head and was declared a total loss. She sank on 2 August.
Segovia (Norway) The cargo ship was sunk in the North Sea 26 nautical miles (48 km) south south east of Auskerry, Orkney Islands, United Kingdom (58°38′N 2°00′W) by SM UC-51 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Simon (Netherlands) The fishing vessel was shelled and sunk in the North Sea off the Terschelling Lightship ( Netherlands) (53°31′N 3°40′E) by SM UC-71 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of all eleven crew.
Snig (Norway) The barque was sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 200 nautical miles (370 km) west of Tory Island (54°08′N 13°36′W) by SM U-49 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.

[Sailor Steve]

May 5, 1917

Air War:
0545 French pilot Robert Joseph Delannoy, flying a SPAD VII, shoot down an "Enemy Aircraft" for victory number 1.

0730 French pilot René Fonck, in a SPAD VII, shoots down a Fokker D.II for victory number 3.

1140 German pilot Friedrich-Karl Burckhardt, in an Albatros D.III, destroys an observation balloon for victory number 3.

1145 English RFC pilot James Belgrave, in Sopwith 1½ Strutter A2382 with pilot 2nd Lt C.G. Stewart, shoots down an Albatros D.III for victory number 3.

1700 Ace RFC team of Frederick Thayre and Francis Cubbon, in FE.2d A6430, shoot down an Albatros D.III. Victory number 7 for Thayre, number 8 for Cubbon.

1710 English RFC pilot Reginald Conder and Irish observer John Cowell, flying FE.2d A6400, shoot down an Albatros D.III. Number 2 for Conder, number 1 for Cowell.

1720 Frederick Thayre and Francis Cubbon score their second kill of the day, shooting down another Albatros D.III for victory numbers 8 and 9 respectively.

1730 German ace Paul Bona, in an Albatros D.III, shoots down a Morane two-seater for victory number 6. Sgt Victorin and Lt de Mornac are listed as Missing.

1730 Frederick Thayre and Francis Cubbon gain their third victory of the day, another Albatros D.III. Numbers 9 and 10 respectively.

1730 English RFC ace Albert Ball, in SE.5 A8898, shoots down a pair of Albatros D.IIIs for victories number 42 abd 43.

Sometime between 1845 and 1930, Canadian RFC pilot Reginald Theodore Carlos Hodge, flying SE.5 A4862, shoots down an Albatros D.III for victory number 1.

On the same patrol English RFC Cecil Arthur Lewis, in SE.5 A4853, also brings down an Albnatros D.III for victory number 1.

1900 New Zealand RNAS pilot Thomas Culling, in Sopwith Triplane N5444, shoots down an Albatros D.III for victory number 4.

1900 Australian RNAS ace Roderic Dallas, in Sopwith Triplane N5436, shoots down an Albatros D.III for victory number 16.

1915 French pilot Joseph Guiguet, in a Nieuport, shoots down an "Enemy Aircraft" for victory number 4.

1930 German ace Ernst Udet, flying an Albatros D.III, shoots down a SPAD VII for victory number 6.

Italian pilot Fulco di Calabria, in a SPAD VII, shoots down a two-seater for victory number 5.

French pilot Raoul Echard, in a Nieuport, shoots down an "Enemy Aircraft" for victory number 4.

German ace Walter Göttsch, in an Albatros D.III, shoots down FE.2d A1942 for victory number 12. 2nd Lt L.G. Bacon is wounded and taken prisoner. AM2 G. Worthing is killed.

German pilot Arthur Rahn, in an Albatros D.II, shoots down a Caudron for victory number 3.



North Atlantic Ocean, far northwest of Ireland:
Richard Hartmann, commanding U-49, scuttles Norwegian barque Snig, 2,115 tons, sailing in ballast from Belfast to St. Thomas. His score is now 25 ships and 56,117 tons.

Kurt Wippern, in U-58, uses his deck gun to sink Norwegian sailing ship Asra, 1,975 tons, sailing in ballast from Belfast to New York. His score is now 14 ships and 23,289 tons. This is Wippern's last sinking. He will serve in other departments and live until 1965.



Ireland:
British coaster Lodes, 396 tons, carrying a load of coal from Newport to Cork, hits a mine laid off Ballycottin by Martin Schelle in UC-33. His score is now 9 ships and 7,334 tons.

Kurt Ramien, in UC-48, sinks two ships off Mine Head:
British passenger ship SS Feltria, 5,254 tons, heading from New York to Avonmouth with a general cargo.
British coaster SS Greta, 297 tons, travelling from Cork to Neath Abbey.
Ramien's score is now 30 ships and 47,592 tons.

Johannes Lohs, in UC-75, torpedoes British sloop HMS Lavender, 1,200 tons, bringing his score to 15 ships and 4,639 tons.



North Sea:
Franz Walther, in UB-21, sinks British fishing boat Edith Cavell, 20 tons, in Robin Hood's Bay, Yorkshire. His score is now 8 vessels and 6,921 tons.

British schooner Angela, 127 tons, en route from the Thames to the Tyne with a load of burnt ore, hits a mine laid off the Tyne Pier by Otto Tornow in UC-42. His score is now 5 ships and 2,205 tons.

Hans Galster, in UC-51, sinks Norwegian freighter SS Segovia, 1,394 tons, carrying a load of coal from Tyne to Gibraltar. His score is now 2 ships and 2,166 tons.

Hugo Thielmann, in UC-71, uses his deck gun to sink Dutch trawler Simon, 150 tons. His score is now 4 vessels and 8,783 tons.

Reinhard von Rabenau, in UC-77, sinks Danish freighter SS Odense, 1,756 tons, en route from Bathurst to Aarhus with a load of groundnuts. The ship doesn't sink but washes ashore near St. Abb's Head, a total loss. His score is now 12 ships and 8,245 tons.

UB-39 (Heinrich Küstner) hits a mine off Sandettie Bank in the North Sea. 24 lost, no survivors.



Bay of Biscay:
Georg Gerth, in UC-61, attacks French freighter SS Le Gard, 1,658 tons, with his deck gun. the damaged ship manages to escape.

Ernst Voigt, in UC-72, sinks Norwegian freighter SS Nydal, 1,809 tons, bound from New York for Bordeaux with a general cargo; off the Gironde River. His score is now 60 ships and 16,938 tons.



Ligurian Sea:
Otto Schulttze, in U-63, torpedoes British freighter SS Talawa, 3,834 tons, transporting a load of coal frm Cardiff to Livorno; in the Gulf of Genoa. The damaged ship makes safe port.



Mediterranean Sea:
Otto Launburg, in UC-27, sinks Italian sailing vessel Dina di Lorenzo, 127 tons.
British freighter Harmattan, 4,792 tons, hits a mine laid by UC-37 off Cape Rosa, Algeria.
Launburg's score is now 26 ships and 52,581 tons.

[Jimbuna]

6th May 1917

Western Front

French successfully resist all German counter-attacks on the Aisne: 29,000 prisoners taken by French since 10 April.

Third big German counter-attack near Souchez River (Lens) unsuccessful.

Southern Front

Violent artillery actions on Trentino and Julian front.

Aviation

T.E. Lawrence (2nd from right) and his party on a mission to recover a crashed aeroplane at Wadi Hamdh.


Political, etc.

Mass meeting at Salonika demands deposition of King Constantine.

Food riots occur in Stockholm, Sweden, which was triggered by the lack of potatoes.

Russian Provisional Government forbids public meetings and demonstrations for the next two days in response to recent disturbances.

Ship Losses:

Adansi (United Kingdom) The Elder Dempster 2,644 grt cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 80 nautical miles (150 km) west of the Fastnet Rock (50°40′N 11°05′W) by SM U-21 ( Kaiserliche Marine) while en route from Sierra Leone to Liverpool. Her crew survived.
Francesco (Italy) The cargo ship was sunk in the Bay of Biscay off the La Coubre Lighthouse, Charente-Maritime, France by SM UC-72 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Gurth (Norway) The cargo ship was scuttled in the Bay of Biscay 1.5 nautical miles (2.8 km) off Vaca de Luanco, Spain (43°39′N 5°48′W) by SM UC-69 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Harold (Sweden) The cargo ship was shelled and sunk in the North Sea[116] 76 nautical miles (141 km) north east by north of the mouth of the River Tyne by SM UB-21 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of five crew.
Hebble (United Kingdom) The coaster struck a mine laid by
UC 42 (Otto Heinrich Tornow) and sank in the North Sea 1.5 nautical miles (2.8 km) east of Roker, County Durham (54°55′N 1°18′E) with the loss of five of her crew.
Kaparika (Norway) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the North Sea 30 nautical miles (56 km) east of Aberdeen, United Kingdom by SM UC-77 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of a crew member.
Poseidon I (Netherlands) The fishing vessel was shelled and sunk in the North Sea 9 nautical miles (17 km) north of the Dogger Bank North Lightship ( United Kingdom) by SM UC-30 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
President (France) The barque was shelled and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 12 nautical miles (22 km) west of Trevose Head, Cornwall, United Kingdom (50°31′N 5°21′W) by SM UC-75 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Voss (Norway) The cargo ship was sunk in the Bay of Biscay 1.5 nautical miles (2.8 km) off Vaca de Luanco (43°39′N 5°47′W) by SM UC-69 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.

[Sailor Steve]

May 6, 1917

Air War:
RFC ace Herbert Ellis is injured in a crash which ends his combat career. He will lose his pilot status on September 19, transferring to Equipment Officer and then to the Technical Branch. Ellis will leave the RAF in 1919. Date of death unknown.

0945 Four Russian fighter pilots Flying Nieuport 17s share a victory over a Hansa-Brandenburg C.I. No crew names for the Austrians, but a note that the plane crashed on fire and the crew were captured.
Pavel Argeyev, victory number 3.
Aleksandr Kosakov, number 6.
Ernst Krislanovich Leman, number 1.
2nd Lt Zabrov, unknown.

1050 German ace Lothar von Richthofen, in an Albatros D.III, shoots down RE.8 A4596 for victory number 18. 2nd Lt Alfred Clifford Sanderson is wounded, but lands on his own side of the lies. Lt Harry Kovrigin Lytton is unharmed, but leaves the flying corps on May 19 and returns to the infantry.

1630 German ace Hans Klein, in an Albatros D.III, shoots down Armstrong-Whitworth FK.3 A9999 for victory number 9. 2nd Lts G. Wood and C.G. Copeland are both killed.

1745 English RFC pilot Frank Ford Babbage, in FE.2d A1935 with AM2 B. Aldred as observer, shoots down an Albatros two-seater for victory number 1.

1800 English RFC pilot Spencer Horn, flying Nieuport 17 B1539, shoots down an Albatros D.III for victory number 2.

1815 English RNAS ace Charles Booker, in Sopwith Triplane N5450, shoots down an Albatros D.III for victory number 7.

1840 German ace Edmund Nathanael, in an Albatros D.III, shoots down Nieuport 17 B1514 for victory number 15. 2nd Lt C.W. McKinnock is taken prisoner.

1845 German ace Kurt Schneider, in an Albatros D.III, shoots down Nieuport 17 B1597 for victory number 13. Lt G.D. Hunter is taken prisoner.

1905 Canadian RNAS pilot Frederick Armstrong, in Sopwith Pup N6178, and ace Harold Kerby, in N6465, share a victory ovr an Albatros D.III. Number 4 for Armstrong, number 6 for Kerby.

1930 English RFC ace Albert Ball, in SE.5 A8898, shoots down an Albatros D.III for victory number 44.

1945 Canadian RFC pilot Reginald Theodore Carlos Hoidge, flying SE.5 A4862, shoots down an Albatros D.III for victory number 1.

Irish RFC pilot Robert Gregory, in Nieuport 17 B1548, shoots down an Albatros two-seater for victory number 5.

French ace Armand Pinsard, in a SPAD VII, shoots down two "Enemby Aircraft" for victories 11 and 12.



Southwest of Ireland:
Otto Hersing, commanding U-21, sinks British freighter SS Adansi, 2,644 tons, bound from Sierra Leone for Liverpool with a load of foodstuffs. his score is now 38 ships and 115,077 tons.



Cornwall:
Johannes Lohs, in UC-75, uses his deck gun to sink French barque President, 354 tons, en route from Saint Malo to Swansea with 250 tons of ore. His score is now 16 vessels and 4,993 tons.



North Sea:
Franz Walther, in UB-21, uses his deck gun to sink Swedish freighter SS Harold, 1,563 tons, steaming from Tyne to Göteborg with a load of coal. His score is now 9 ships and 8,484 tons.

Otto von Schrader, in UC-31, uses his deck gun to sink Dutch sailing fisher Poseidon I, 98 tons, north of the Dogger Bank North lightship. His score is now 30 vessels and 19,912 tons.

British freighter SS Hebble, 904 tons, travelling in ballast from Scapa Flow to Sunderland, hits a mine laid by Otto Tornow in UC-42 off Roker Pier, Sundrland. His score is now 6 ships and 3,109 tons.

Reinhard von Rabenau, in UC-77, sinks British freighter SS Kaparika, 1,232 tons, carrying a load of coal from Blyth to Sarpsborg. His score is now 13 ships and 9,477 tons.



Bay of Biscay:
Erwin Waßner, in UC-69, scuttles two Norwegian freighters off Vaca de Luanco, northern Spain:
SS Gurth, 1,340 tons, bound from Liverpool for Gibraltar with a load of coal.
SS Voss, 2,390 tons, carrying a load of coal from Penarth to Messina.
Waßner's score is now 52 ships and 67,153 tons.

Ernst Voigt, in UC-72, sinks Italian freighter SS Francesco, 3,438 tons, off La Coubre lighthouse, south of La Rochelle. His score is now 61 ships and 20,376 tons.

[Jimbuna]

7th May 1917

Western Front

British position between Bullecourt and Queant improved by Australians.

Southern Front

Bulgar counter-attack on Franco-Venizelist forces near Gevgeli repulsed.

Aviation

Top British flying ace, VC Albert Ball falls in battle. Lothar Von Richthofen credited for kill.


Daylight aeroplane raid on north-east London, 1 killed, 2 wounded.

Naval

German submarine SM UB-39, which sunk 93 ships during its career, hits a mine and sinks with all 24 crew.

Political, etc.

Herbert C. Hoover warns that Germany might win the war before the U.S. is ready to send men to the front.

Theodore Roosevelt promises he can recruit 180,000 men and send them to France in six weeks.

With one in every six Frenchmen in uniform, France is importing thousands of Chinese labourers to make up for manpower shortages.

German Chancellor uses Social Democrats to influence Soviet delegates towards German terms of peace.

Russian Provisional Government takes control of grain stocks in order to control food supply and prices.

Ship Losses:

Crown of Leon (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed and damaged in the Gulf of Genoa (44°08′N 8°14′E) by SM U-63 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of a crew member. She was beached but was torpedoed again on 16 May by SM U-32 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
H. H. Petersen (Denmark) The barquentine was sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 20 to 25 nautical miles (37 to 46 km) west of St. Kilda, Inverness-shire, United Kingdom (57°30′N 9°00′W) by SM U-80 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Kinross (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 10 nautical miles (19 km) east of the Wolf Rock, Cornwall (49°49′N 5°33′W) by SM UC-48 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Leikanger (Norway) The cargo ship was sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 5 nautical miles (9.3 km) west nort west of the Machico Lighthouse, Madeira, Portugal by SM UC-69 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Lowmount (United Kingdom) The cargo ship struck a mine laid by UC 70 (Werner Fürbringer) and sank in the English Channel 4 nautical miles (7.4 km) off the Nab Lightship ( United Kingdom) with the loss of five of her crew.
Martha Maria (Netherlands) The trawler was sunk in the North Sea (52°50′N 4°08′E) by SM UB-20 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Maude (United Kingdom) The schooner was scuttled in the Irish Sea 8 nautical miles (15 km) south west of Bardsey Island, Pembrokeshire by SM UC-65 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Polamhall (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 80 nautical miles (150 km) west south west of the Bishop Rock, Isles of Scilly (49°02′N 8°04′W) by SM U-62 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Prins Hendrik de Nederlande (Netherlands) The trawler was sunk in the North Sea (52°50′N 4°10′E) by SM UB-20 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Repton (United Kingdom) The collier was torpedoed and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 45 nautical miles (83 km) south south east of Cape Matapan, Greece (35°42′N 22°57′E) by SM UB-43 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of three of her crew.
Sophie (Denmark) The schooner was sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 30 nautical miles (56 km) east south oeast of St. Kilda (57°40′N 9°05′W) by SM U-80 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Tiger (Norway) The cargo ship was sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 3 nautical miles (5.6 km) west north west of Cabo Machico, Madeira (43°27′N 2°50′W) by SM UC-69 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Tore Jarl (Norway) The cargo ship was sunk in the North Sea 95 nautical miles (176 km) south of Sumburgh Head, Shetland Islands, United Kingdom by SM UC-49 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of a crew member.
SM UB-39 (Kaiserliche Marine) The Type UB II submarine struck a mine and sank in the North Sea (51°20′N 2°09′E) with the loss of all 24 crew.
HMY Zarefah (Royal Navy) The naval yacht struck a mine and sank in the North Sea 1 nautical mile (1.9 km) north east of Mull Head, Mainland, Orkney Islands with the loss of sixteen of her crew.

[Sailor Steve]

May 7, 1917

Air War:
0930 English RFC pilot Cecil Lewis, flying SE.4 A4853, shoots down a German two-seater for victory number2.

0935 English RFC pilot Charles William Cudemore in Neiuport 17 A6744 and South African pilot Robert Hall, in Nieuport 17, each bring down an observation balloon alone and shared. Cudemore's listing showes on with Hall and one by himself. Hall's listing shows two with Cudemore and one by himself. The numbers don't match, but the official version has Cudemore with two balloons this day and Hall with three, for a total of 2 for Cudemore and 4 for Hall, including his kill on April 24.

0935 English RFC pilot Edward Corringham 'Mick' Mannock, in Nieuport 17 A6733, destroys a German observation balloon for victory number 1.

0935 South African RFC pilot Harold Bolton Redler, in Nieuport 17 B1640, destroys a German observation balloon for victory number 1.

0950 Canadian RFC ace Billy Bishop, in Nieuport 23 B1566, shoots down an Albatros D.III for victory number 18.

0950 French pilot Georges Pierre Blanc, flying either a Nieuport or a SPAD VII, shoots down a German two-seater for victory number 1. This is shared with a Cpl Chapelle and a Sgt Roland.

1100 English RFC pilot Frank Babbage, in FE.2d with AM2 B. Aldred as observer, shoots down an Albatros D.III for victory number 2.

1125 German pilot Heinrich Kroll, in an Albatros D.III, shoots down a SPAD VII for victory number 2.

1200 German ace Karl Allmenröder, in an Albatros D.III, shoots down BE.2c 4595 for victory number 10. 2nd Lt R. Owen and AM2 R. Hockling are both killed.

1200 German ace Walter von Bülow-Bothkamp, in an Albatros D.III, shoots down FE.2d A5149 for victory numbe 13. Lt A.W. Martin and Pvt W.G. Blakes are both taken prisoner.

1215 German ace Max von Müller, in an Albatros D.III, claims an FE.2d for victory number 9. Only two FEs were shot down on this day. One of them was two hours earlier in a different part of the front. The other is the one claimed by von Bülow-Bothkamp fifteen minutes earlier. Was von Müller in on the other claim? Did he attack a plane only to have it dive away, thinking he got it. The claim was awarded, but it's just another mystery from one hundred years ago.

1420 Heinrich Kroll scores his second kill of the day, shooting down a SPAD VII for number 3.

1500 Billy Bishop gains his second victory of the day, shooting down an Albatros D.III for number 19.

1540 German ace Otto Bernert, in an Albatros D.III, shoots down a BE.2e for victory number 27.

1830 English pilot Geoffrey Cock and observer John Murison, flying Sopwith1½ Strutter A8260, shoot down a Siemens-Schuckert D.I. Victory number 3 for both.

1830 Canadian RFC pilot Reginald Hoidge, in SE.5 A4862, shoots down an Albatros D.III for victory number 2.

1830 German ace Lothar von Richthofen, in an Albatros D.III, shoots down Nieuport 17 A6609 for victory number 19. 2nd Lt Cecil Stanley Gaskain is killed.

Sometime between 1830 and 1900 Reginald Hoidge gains his second victory of the day, teaming up with three other RFC pilots to bring down another Albatros D.III:
Reginald Hoidge, Canada, A4862, number 3.
Cecil Lewis, England, A4853, number 3.
Henry Meintjes, South Africa, A8900, number 7.
2nd Lt W.B. Melville, A4852, unknown.

1830-1945 Henry Meintjes scores his second kill of the day, shooting down another Albatros D.III for number 8. This is his last victory. He is wounded in the wrist during the fight. Meintjes will serve with the South African Air Force after the war, retiring with the rank of major.

1845 English RFC pilot James Belgrave, flying Sopwith 1½ Strutter A2382 with 2nd Lt C.G. Stewart as observer, shoots down an Albatros D.III for victory number 4.

1925 German ace Werner Voss, in an Albatros D.III, shoots down SE.5 A5867 for victory number 25. 2nd Lt Roger Michael Chaworth-Musters is listed as Missing.

2030 (1930 British time) Lothar von Richthofen makes a second claim, against a Sopwith Triplane. When it is discovered that English ace Albert Ball has crashed and died in the same area and was part of the same fight, German high command awards the kill to von Richthofen. What really happened may never be known, but it seems likely that Ball became disoriented while in the cloud and simply wound up upside down and diving, not realizing his danger until it was too late.
For more on the controversy see here.

German pilot Wilhelm Cymera, in an Albatros D.III, shoots down a SPAD VII for victory number 5.

Irish RFC pilot Robert Gregory, in a Nieuport, shoots down an Albatros fighter for victory number 6.



North Atlantic Ocean, far west of the Hebrides:
Alfred von Glasenapp, commanding U-80, scuttles two Danish schooners off St Kilda Island:
H.H. Petersen, 192 tons, bound from Glasgow for Randers with a load of coal.
Sophie, 237 tons, travelling in ballast from Queenstown to Wemyss.
Von Glasenapp's score is now 8 vessels and 23,054 tons.



Celtic Sea:
Ernst Hashagen, in U-62, sinks British freighter SS Polamhall, 4,010 tons, carrying a general cargo from Alexandria to Hull. His score is now 25 ships and 35,681 tons.

Kurt Ramien, in UC-48, torpedoes British freighter SS Kinross, 4,120 tons, headed from Fremantle to London with a load of wheat; right at the west end of The Channel. His score is now 31 ships and 52,072 tons.



Irish Sea:
Otto Steinbrinck, in UC-65, scuttles British schooner Maude, 93 tons, en route from Padstow to Manchester with a load of china clay; off Bardsey Island, Wales. His score is now 173 vessels and 162,375 tons.



English Channel:
British freighter SS Lowmount, 2,070 tons, bound from Bilbao for Stockton with a load of iron ore, hits a mine laid off the mouth of the Solent River by Werner Fürbringer in UC-70. His score is now 77 ships and 62.289 tons.



North Sea:
Hermann Glimpf, in UB-20, sinks two Dutch trawlers in the Hoofden:
Martha Maria, 176 tons.
Prins Hendrik de Nederlande, 182 tons.
Glimpf's score is now 3 vessels and 1,624 tons.

Alfred Arnold, in UC-49, sinks Norwegian freighter SS Tore Jarl, 1,256 tons, carrying coal, mail and passengers from Necastle to Trondheim; off Sumburgh Head, at the southern tip of the Shetland Islands. His score is now 2 ships ane 1,418 tons.



Bay of Biscay:
Erwin Waßner, in UC-69, sinks two Norwegian freighters off Cabo Machichoco, Spain:
SS Leikanger, 3,544 tons, headed from Baltimore to Nantes with a load of wheat.
SS Tiger, 3,273 tons, hauling a load of iron ore from Agua Amarga to Cardiff.
Waßner's score is now 54 ships and 73,970 tons.



Gulf of Genoa:
Otto Schultze, in U-63, torpedoes British freighter SS Crown of Leon, 3,391 tons, en route from Cardiff to Civitavecchia with a load of coal. The damaged ship is stranded but recovered.



Mediterranean Sea:
Horst Obermüller, in UB-43, sinks British freighter SS Repton, 2,881 tons, carrying a load of coal from Hull to Mudros; off Cape Matapan. His score is now 2 ships and 8,446 tons.

[Jimbuna]

8th May 1917

Western Front

Fresnoy attacked in great strength by Germans and recaptured.

French attack and capture German trenches beyond Chevreux (Craonne); German counter-attacks repelled.

Southern Front

British capture Bulgar position south-west of Lake Doiran.

Serbs seize useful points in Moglenitsa Valley.

Naval

German submarine SM UC-26 is rammed by the HMS Milne off Calais and sinks with all 26 crew members.

Political, etc.

Britain cancels its “meatless days” as it increased demand on other foodstuffs, particularly bread.

U.S. Labor Department publishes plans to make interned aliens of enemy nations work in farms in North Carolina.

Australian elections result in Nationalist majority in both Houses.

Liberia breaks off relations with Germany.

Lenin publishes the essay “Imperialism, the Highest Stage of Capitalism”

Ship Losses:

Iris (United Kingdom) The ketch was sunk in the English Channel off Cherbourg, Seine-Maritime, France, probably by SM UC-26 ( Kaiserliche Marine), with the loss of four of her crew.
Killarney (United Kingdom) The barque was shelled and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 200 nautical miles (370 km) west of the Fastnet Rock (50°55′N 14°44′W) by SM U-21 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Nelly (France) The cargo ship was sunk in the Bay of Biscay 44 nautical miles (81 km) south south west of Penmarc'h, Finistère (47°18′N 4°55′W by SM UC-61 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of a crew member.
Petunia (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 45 nautical miles (83 km) west of the Bishop Rock, Isles of Scilly by SM U-49 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of two crew. Three survivors were taken as prisoners of war.
SM UC-26 (Kaiserliche Marine) The Type UC II submarine was rammed and sunk in the English Channel off Calais, Pas-de-Calais, France (51°03′N 1°40′E) by HMS Milne ( Royal Navy) with the loss of all 26 crew.

Will it succeed? Published in New York Herald, May 8, 1917.

[Sailor Steve]

May 8, 1917

North Atlantic Ocean, far west of Ireland:
Otto Hersing, commanding U-21, scuttles British barque Killarney, 1,413 tons, bound from Brunswick, Georgia for Liverpool sith a load of timber. His score is now 39 ships and 116,490 tons.



Celtic Sea:
Richard Hartmann, in U-49, sinks British freighter SS Petunia, 1,749 tons, carrying a load of groundnuts from Gambia to Leith. His score is now 26 ships and 57,866 tons.

Otto Steinbrinck, in UC-65, torpedoes British tanker SS San Patricio, 9,712 tons, en route from Puerto Mexico to Sheerness with a load of fuel oil. The damaged ship makes safe port. San Patricio was previously attacked in February by Otto Wünsche in U-70, and escaped then as well.



English Channel:
Matthias von Schmettow, in UC-26, claims to have sunk a sailing vessel off Cherbourg on this date. There is no direct confirmation, but British ketch Iris, 75 tons, goes missing with all hands around this time. This seems a likely match, and von Schmettow is awarded the tonnage. His score is now 79 ships and 115,468 tons.



North Sea:
Franz Walther, in UB-21, takes Dutch trawler Batavier II, 157 tons, as a prize. It is later released by the Prize Court.

His Majesty's Yacht Zarefa, 279 tons, hits a mine laid off Mull Head, Deerness, Orkney Islands by Otto von Schrader in UC-31. His score is now 31 ships and 20,191 tons.



Bay of Biscay:
Georg Gerth, in UC-61, shells and scuttles French freighter SS Nelly, 1,868 tons, off Penmarch. His score is now 10 ships and 10,810 tons.



Mediterranean Sea:
Heinrich Metzger, in U-47, uses his deck gun to attack a small auxiliary motor sailing vessel. This turns out to be French Q-Ship Madeleine III 149 tons. After a brief exchange U-47 departs, leaving the enemy slightly damaged.

[Jimbuna]

9th May 1917

Western Front

Second Battle of the Aisne ends with 187,000 French casualties and 169,000 German losses. Discontent and mutiny spreads in French ranks.

Germans attack on the Chemin des Dames, as well as Craonne and Corbeny, fail.

At the Arras Battle, British and Canadian forces beat back German attacks and reverse some of the territorial losses suffered yesterday.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

T.E. Lawrence and Auda Abu Tayi leave Wedj to recruit a mobile camel force for attacks against the Ottomans.

Political, etc.

British socialists announce they will not attend a socialist conference in Stockholm due to suspicions that it is organized by the Germans.

French Marshal Joffre receives a ticker-tape parade as he visits New York City.

Major General John J. Pershing is summoned to Washington D.C. to discuss him leading the American expeditionary force to Europe.

Ship Losses:

Dio ti Guardi (Italy) The fishing vessel was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea off Cape Rosello, Sicily by SM UC-35 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Hans Broge (Denmark) The cargo ship was sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 30 nautical miles (56 km) west of Teelin Head, County Donegal, United Kingdom (54°38′N 9°30′W) by SM U-80 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Harpagus (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 62 nautical miles (115 km) south west of the Île du Planier, Bouches-du-Rhône, France (42°32′N 4°39′E) by SM U-34 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of three crew. Two crew were taken as prisoners of war.
Kitty (United Kingdom) The fishing vessel was scuttled in the North Sea 30 nautical miles (56 km) east south east of St Abb's Head, Berwickshire (56°11′N 1°45′W) by SM UC-42 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived, but two of them were taken as prisoners of war.
L'Oriente (Italy) The fishing vessel was scuttled in the Mediterranean Sea off Cape Rosello by SM UC-35 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Marchiena (Netherlands) The schooner was shelled and sunk in the English Channel off Beachy Head, East Sussex, United Kingdom by SM UC-17 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew took to the lifeboats but were not rescued.
Peppino Aiello (Italy) The sailing vessel was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea off Cape Rosello by SM UC-35 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
San Pietro (Italy) The fishing vessel was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea off Cape Rosello by SM UC-35 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Windward Ho! (United Kingdom) The trawler struck a mine laid by UC 49 (Alfred Arnold) and sank in the North Sea 3 nautical miles (5.6 km) south of Peterhead, Aberdeenshire (57°28′N 1°42′W) with the loss of eight of her crew.

[Sailor Steve]

May 9, 1917

Air War:
0730 English RNAS pilot Albert James Enstone, flying Supwith Pup N6187, shoots down a German twop-seater for victory number 1

0800 Canadian RNAS pilot Langley Smith, in Sopwith Pup N6168, destroys an observation balloon for victory number 2.

0820 Two Bristol F.2b teams share the downing of an LVG two-seater:
A7108 Fred Holliday, Australia, number 6; Anthony Wall, England, number 6.
A7110 William Price, England, number 6; Ernest Moore, England, number 7.

0850 German pilot Karl Menckhoff, in an Albatros D.III, shoots down Sopwith Triplane N5458 for victory number 5. S/Lt Lea Ewart Barns Wimbush is wounded but crashes on his own side of the lines. Jasta War Chronology's listing says he died of his wounds, but also lists him as two names, Lee & EB Wimbush. Website Lives of the First World War says he survived and was killed in an accident the following year, and provides documentation.

1010 Australian RNAS ace Bob Little, in Sopwith Triplane N5493, shoots down an LVG two-seater for victory mumber 14.

1015 Bob Little scores his second kill of the day, shooting down an Albatros D.III for number 15.

1230 Canadian RNAS pilot Arthur Whealy, in Sopwith Pup N5493, shoots down a Halberstadt D.II for victory number 4.

1400 Scottish RFC pilot Finlay McQuistan, in DH4 A7420 with AM2 F.G. Ellis as observer, shoots down an Albatros D.III for victory number 1

1400 German ace Werner Voss, in an Albatros D.III, shoots down BE.2e 7209 for victory number 25. Lt Rowland Humphrey Coles and 2nd Lt John Charles Sigismund Day are both killed.

1545 Canadian team of Carleton Clement and Medley Parlee, in FE.2b A5461, shoot down a pair of Albatros D.IIIs. Victories number 5 and 6 for both.
This is Parlee's last victory. Not much more is mentioned except that he survives the war and lives until 1966.

1645 Werner Voss scores his second kill of the day, shooting down Sopwith Pup A6174, number 27 overall. Lt George Copland Temple Hadrill is wounded and taken prisoner.

1650 English RFC pilot Geoffrey Cock and observer John Murison, flying Sopwith 1½ Strutter A8260, shoot down an Albatros D.III for victory number 4 for each.

1650 Werner Voss gains his third victory for the day when he shoots down FE.2b 4991, number 28. 2nd Lts Charles Arthur Mackenzie Furlonger and Charles William Lane are both taken prisoner.

1700 Geoffrey Cock and John Murison score their second kill of the day when they share a second Albatros. Victory 5 for both. This kill is shared by English pilot William Alan Wright and observer Edward Caulfield in Sopwith 1½ Strutter A8225; victory 1 for both of them.

1715 Canadian RNAS pilots Alexander Shook, in Sopwith Pup N6200, and Langley Smith, in N6168, share a victory over an Albatros D.III. Number 2 for Shook, number 3 for Langley.

1725 Fred Holliday and Anthony Wall score their second kill of the day, shooting down an Albatros D.III. Number 7 for both.

1730 William Pryce scores his second victory of the day, number 7 overall, this time with Lt C.G. Claye as observer.

1730 Fred Holliday and Anthony Wall are credited with two more Albatros D.IIIs, for victories 8 and 9 each.

1755 Scottish RFC observer Thomas Montagu Harries, riding in Sopwith 1½ Strutter A963 with 2nd Lt J. Johnstone as pilot, shoots down an Albatros D.III for victory number 1.

1830 German ace Lothar von Richthofen, in an Albatros D.III, shoots down Bristol F.2b A7110 for victory number 21. 2nd Lts William Thomas Price and Charles Geoffrey Claye are both wounded; Price manages to crash the plane on their own side of the lines.

1900 German ace Karl Schäfer, in an Albatros D.III, shoots down Sopwith 1½ Strutter 7803 for victory number 26. Lt W.L. Mills is killed; AM2 J.W. Laughlin is wounded.

1955 Canadian RNAS ace Raymond Collishaw, in Sopwith Triplane N5490, shoots down an Albatros D.III for victory number 7.

French ace Lucien Jailler, flying a Nieuport, shoots down an "Enemy Aircraft" for victory number 9.

German pilot Reinhard Treptow, in a Halberstadt D.II or Albatros D.III, destroys an observation balloon for victory number 1.



Ireland:
Alfred von Glasenapp, commanding U-80, scuttles Danish freighter SS Hans Broge, 1,432 tons, bound from Rufisque for Greenock with a load of groundnuts; off Teelin Head. His score is now 9 ships and 24,486 tons.



English Channel:
Ralph Wenninger, in UC-17, uses his deck gun to sink Dutch schooner Marchiena, 170 tons, off Beachy Head, raising his tally to 69 vessels and 86,149 tons.



North Sea:
Otto Tornow, in UC-42, sinks British trawler Kitty, 181 tons, off St. Abb's Head, Scotland. His total is now 7 vessels and 3,109 tons.

British trawler Windward Ho, 226 tons, hits a mine laid off Peterhead by Alfred Arnold in UC-49, bringing his score to 3 vessels and 1,644 tons.

UB-36 (Harald von Keyserlingk) hits a mine off Zeebrugge. 23 lost, no survivors.



Golf du Lion:
Johannes Klasing, in U-34, torpedoes British freighter SS Harpagus, 5,866 tons, en route from New Orleans to Marseille with a general cargo, bringing his score to 13 ships and 12,786 tons.



Sicily:
Ernst von Voigt, in UC-35, attacks a small Italian fishing fleet off Cape Rosello:
Dio ti Guardi, 11 tons.
L'Oriente, 11 tons.
Peppino Aiello, 113 tons.
San Peitro, 11 tons.
Von Voigt's score is now 11 vessels and 34,324 tons.

[Jimbuna]

10th May 1917

Western Front

Small British gains south-west of Lens and on south bank of River Scarpe.

French success near Chevreux (Craonne).

Eastern Front

General Russki relieved of command on northern front by Provisional Government.

Southern Front

French and Venizelists take enemy position near the Lyumnitsa.

Two attacks on Krastali driven off by British.

Naval and Overseas Operations

British scouting force from Harwich chases 11 German destroyers into Zeebrugge.

Political, etc.

British Ministerial Conference with Engineer, etc. representatives.

Secret Session of House of Commons on submarine warfare.

Plot to assassinate M. Venizelos discovered at Salonika.

President of Duma (M. Rodzianko) affirms Russian loyalty to Allies.

Germany moves high-ranking French POWs near industrial areas targeted by Allied aeroplanes as reprisals for similar moves by France.

Italian war mission led by Enrico Arlotta arrives in New York City to begin talks with U.S. officials.

Earl Curzon reveals British shipping losses during the war total 900,000 tons, but reassures that they can be replaced in sufficient numbers.

Ship Losses:

Berangère (France) The full-rigged ship was shelled and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean south west of Ireland (50°06′N 11°30′W) by SM U-62 ( Kaiserliche Marine). All 22 crew survived.
Broomhill (United Kingdom) The collier was scuttled in the English Channel 9 nautical miles (17 km) south west of Portland Bill, Dorset (50°25′N 2°32′W) by SM UC-61 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of two of her crew.
Carmen (Spain) The three-masted schooner was scuttled in the Mediterranean Sea 12 nautical miles (22 km) south of Barcelona by SM U-34 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Gazelle (Norway) The sailing ship was scuttled in the Atlantic Ocean 80 nautical miles (150 km) south west of the Fastnet Rock (49°45′N 10°50′W) by SM U-62 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Gruno (Netherlands) The auxiliary sailing vessel was sunk in the North Sea 8 nautical miles (15 km) south south west of the Noord Hinder Lightship ( Netherlands) by SM UC-63 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Leone XIII (Italy) The sailing vessel was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea off Marettimo by SM UC-35 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
HMT Lord Ridley (Royal Navy) The naval trawler struck a mine laid by UC 40 (Gustav Deuerlich) and sank in the North Sea off Whitby, Yorkshire (54°31′N 0°37′W) with the loss of ten of her crew.
Minerva (Norway) The coaster was sunk in the English Channel 15 nautical miles (28 km) west of Portland Bill by SM UC-61 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Sebastian (United Kingdom) The tanker caught fire in the Atlantic Ocean. She was taken in tow by a United States Navy gunboat but subsequently sank.
Veni (Norway) The coaster was sunk in the English Channel 15 nautical miles (28 km) west of Portland Bill (50°32′N 2°47′W) by SM UC-17 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.

"The Problem: Very Difficult, But Not Insoluable" (Western Mail cartoon).

[Sailor Steve]

May 10, 1917

Air War:
0655 English RFC pilot Thomas Middleton, flying Bristol F.2a A3350 with 2nd Lt C.A. Malcolmsen as observer, shoots down an Albatros D.III for victory number 3.

0730 English RNAS ace Charles Booker, in Sopwith Triplane N5482, shoots down a German two-seater for victory number 8.

0730 English RNAS ace Robert Compston, in Sopwith Triplane N5471 shares a victory over an Albatros D.III with S/L E.A. Bennets in N5442. Number 6 for Compston.

0740 German ace Karl Allmenröder, in an Albatros D.III, shoots down Sopwith Pup A6178 for victory number 11. Lt T.H. Wickett is wounded and taken prisoner.

0750 German ace Lothar von Richthofen, in an Albatros D.III, shoots down Sopwith Pup A7303 for victory number 22. 2nd Lt Daniel Josheph Sheehan is killed.

1005 French ace René Dorme, flying SPAD VII S392, shoots down an Albatros two-seater for victory number 23.

1030 French ace Jean Casale, in a Nieuport, shoots down an LVG two-seater for victory number 8. Sharing the kill is a Sgt Legendre.

1100 Italian ace Fulco di Calabria, in a SPAD VII, shoots down a "Scout" for victory number 6.

1230 German ace Heinrich Gontermann, in an Albatros D.III, shoots down a SPAD VII for victory number 19. Adj Célestin Sanglier is listed as Missing.

1450 English RFC pilot Kelvin Crawford, flying DH.5 A2581, shoots down an Albatros D.III for victory number 5. This seems to be the first kill obtained in the new aircraft with the reverse-stagger wing.

1500 German pilot Fritz Krebs, in an Albatros D.III, shoots down a DH.4 for victory number 1.

1505 German ace Hermann Göring, in Albatros D.III 2049/16, shoots down a DH.4 for victory number 7.

1510 German pilot Walter Blume, in an Albatros D.III, shoots down a DH.4 for victory number 1.
These three planes were all from No. 55 Squadron:
A7413, Cpt N. Senior killed, Cpl P.H. Holland wounded.
A7416, Lts B.W. Pitt and J.S. Holroyde, both killed.
A7419, 2nd Lt T. Webb and AM` W. Bond, also said to have been hit by AA fire.
It is impossible to know for sure which British plane was brought down by which German pilot.

1640 English RFC pilot William Arthur Bond, flying Nieuport 17 B1545, shoots down a German two-seater for victory number 1.

1640 Irish RFC pilot Robert Gregory, in Nieuport 17 B1548, shoots down an unidentified Albatros for victory number 7.

1820 Heinrich Gontermann gains his second victory of the day, shooting down a Letord three-seater for number 20. French 5-victory ace Cpt Didier Le Cour Grandmaison is killed, along with gunner Cpl Joseph Crozet. Gunner Sgt Alfred Boyé, though wounded in the head, manages to land the aircraft on his own side of the lines.

Italian ace Francesco Baracca, in a Nieuport, shoots down a Hansa-Brandenburg C.I for victory number 10.

Galicia-born Austro-Hungarian ace Godwin Brumowski, in Hansa-Brandenburg D.I 28.10, shoots down a Voisin for victory number 6.

French ace Gustave Douchy, flying a Nieuport, shoots down an "Enemy Aircraft" for victory number 7.

Three Russian pilots, all in Nieuport 17s, share a victory over an unidentified Fokker:
Aleksandr Kazakov, number 7.
Ernst Leman, number 2.
Cpt Polyakov, unknown.



Australian RNAS ace Robert Little, in Sopwith Triplane N5493, shoots down an Albatros D.III for victory number 16.

North Atlantic Ocean:
Ernst Hashagen, commanding U-62, sinks two ships southwest of Ireland:
French sailing ship Berangere, 2,851 tons, bound from Buenos Aires for Le Havre with a load of lumber; deck gun.
Norwegian sailing vessel Gazelle, 288 tons, en route from Saint Marc, Haiti to Le Havre with a load of logwood.
Hashagen's score is now 27 ships and 38,820 tons.



English Channel:
Ralph Wenninger, in UC-17, sinks Norwegiean freighter SS Veni, 654 tons, carrying a load of coal from Newport, Wales to Saint Malo. His score is now 70 ships and 86,802 tons.

Georg Gerth, in UC-61, sinks two ships off Portland Bill:
British freighter SS Broomhill, 1,392 tons, en route from Penarth to Sheerness with a load of coal.
Norwegian freighter SS Minerva, 518 tons, travelling in ballast from Caen to Swansea.
Gerths score is now 12 ships and 12,720 tons.



North Sea:
His Majesty's Trawler Lord Ridley, 215 tons, hits a mine laid off Whitby by Gustav Deuerlich in UC-40. His score is now 5 vessels and 3,994 tons.

Karsten von Heydebreck, in UC-63, scuttles Dutch auxiliary motor sailing vessel Gruno, 171 tons, en route from Rotterdam to London with a general cargo. His score is now 8 vessels and 2,487 tons.



Balearic Sea:
Johannes Klasing, in U-34, scuttles Spanish schooner Carmen,319 tons, carrying a load of wine and dried figs from Valencia to Cette; south of Barcelona. His score is now 14 vessels and 13,105 tons.



Tyrhennian Sea:
Ernst von Voigt, in UC-35, sinks Italian sailing vessel Leone XIII, off Marettimo Island. His score is now 12 vessels and 34,402 tons.

[Jimbuna]

11th May 1917

Western Front

Repulse of various German attacks on ground gained by Allies (Arleux, Souchez river, Cerny, Craonne, etc.).

Southern Front

French carry Srka di Legen (west of Lyumnitsa).

Serb raids on Moglena hills (Dobropolye), and north of Pozar.

Political, etc.

Britain announces all horses not needed for military or agricultural work will be put on rations after May 21.

Britain states it will raise the voluntary recruiting age to 50 to boost recruitment numbers.

Sir Edward Carson refuses to alter form of weekly shipping losses.

Japan promises to send its merchant ships and fast cruiser fleet to aid the Allies against German submarines.

Haitian Congress votes down a declaration of war against Germany, but adopts a resolution condemning Haitian deaths due to U-boats.

Russian socialists call for a world peace congress and demand the resignation of Foreign Minister Milyukov, who promised continuation of war.

Ship Losses:

Anna Alwina (Russia) The brigantine was sunk in the Atlantic Ocean south west of Ireland by SM U-80 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Barrister (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 7 nautical miles (13 km) south of Mine Head, County Waterford by SM U-49 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
HMT Bracklyn (Royal Navy) The naval trawler struck a mine and sank in the North Sea off Great Yarmouth, Norfolk (52°42′N 2°10′E) with the loss of ten of her crew.
Calchas (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 3 nautical miles (5.6 km) west by south of Tearaght Island, County Donegal (52°00′N 10°40′W) by SM U-80 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Hermes (Russia) The cargo ship was shelled and sunk in the Barents Sea off Vardø, Finnmark, Norway (71°16′N 33°45′E) by SM U-45 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of all 34 crew.
Hindoo (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed and damaged in the Mediterranean Sea between Algiers and Ténès, Algeria (36°37′N 1°55′E) by SM U-47 ( Kaiserliche Marine) and was beached. She was later refloated.
Italia (Italy) The cargo ship ran aground and sank on the Wingletang Rock, Isles of Scilly, United Kingdom.
Lady Charlotte (United Kingdom) The collier ran aground and sank at Porth Hellick Point, Isles of Scilly. Her crew survived.
Lefkosia (Greece) The cargo ship was scuttled in the Mediterranean Sea off Cape Tortosa, Spain (40°49′N 1°00′E) by SM U-34 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Limassol (United Kingdom) The sailing vessel was scuttled in the Tyrrhenian Sea off Montecristo, Italy by SM UC-35 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Luisa Madre (Italy) The sailing vessel was sunk in the Tyrrhenian Sea off Cape Figari, Sardinia by SM UC-35 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Maddelena Madre (Italy) The sailing vessel was sunk in the Tyrrhenian Sea off Cape Figari by SM UC-35 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Medjerda (France) The troopship was torpedoed and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 6 nautical miles (11 km) off Cape Tortosa (40°45′N 1°12′E) by SM U-34 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of 344 lives.
Rosalia Madre (Italy) The sailing vessel was sunk in the Tyrrhenian Sea off Cape Figari by SM UC-35 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
San Antonio (Italy) The sailing vessel was sunk in the Tyrrhenian Sea off Cape Figari by SM UC-35 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Tarpeia (United Kingdom) The coaster was scuttled in the English Channel 9 nautical miles (17 km) north of Port-en-Bessin, Manche, France (49°30′N 0°49′W) by SM UB-18 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.

[Sailor Steve]

May 11, 1917

Air War:
An a patro lasting from 0600 to 0810, two RFC SE.5s team up to shoot down an Albatros D.III:
Cecil Lewis, England, A4853, victory number 4.
Gerald Maxwell, Scotland, A8902, victory number 3.

0935 German pilot Fritz Krebs, in an Albatros D.III, shoots down Sopwith Pup A7308 for victory number 2. Lt H.C. Duxbury is killed.

1015 Australian RFC pilot Alfred Seymour Shepperd, in Nieuport 23 A6787, shoots down an Albatros D.III for victory number 1.

1030 German ace Heinrich Gontermann, in an Albatros D.III, shoots down a SPAD VII for victory number 21.

1040 English RFC pilot Charles Chapman, in Nieuport 17 B1517, shoots down an Albatros D.III for victory number 4.

1040 English RFC pilot Walter Bertram Wood, flying Nieuport 23 A6721, shoots down an Albatros D.III for victory number 1.

1125 Three French Nieuport pilots share a victory over a German two-seater:
Alfred Auger, number 5
Joseph de Sevin, number 3.
Paul Yvan Robert Waddington, number 1.

1200 English RNAS ace Edmund Pierce, in Sowith Pup 9928, shoots down a German two-seater for victory number 6.

1225 German pilot Otto Maashoff, in an Albatros D.III, shoots down a BE.2 for victory number 2.

1330 German pilot Otto Rosenfeld, in an Albatros D.III, shoots down an FE.2b for victory number 1.

1400 English RFC pilot William Edwin Jenkins, flying Nieuport 17 B1566, shoots down an Albatros D.III for victory number 1.

1430 French ace Albert Deullin, in a SPAD VII, shoots down an Albatros D.III for victory number 15.

1430 German ace Adolf von Tutschek, in an Albatros D.III, shoots down Sopwith Pup N6162 for victory number 7. Sub-Lt Hubert Stanford Broad is severely wounded in the mouth but manages to crash on his own side of the lines.

1605 RFC ace team of Australian pilot Fred Holliday and English observer Anthony wall, in Bristol F.2b A7108, are credited with two Albatross D.IIIs, numbers 10 and 11 for both.

1710 German ace Lothar von Richthofen, in an Albatros D.III, shoots down Bristol F.2b A7111 for victory number 23. 2nd Lts William Otto Brash Winkler and Ernest Stanley Moore are both taken prisoner.

1840 Six RFC Pups attack a German two-seater, and all are awarded the shared kill:
Maurice Scott, India, A6165, number 4.
William Strugnell, England, A6168, number 5.
Oliver Sutton, England, A6183, number 2.
Lt M.B. Cole, Lt E.J.Y. Grevelink, Maj C.E. Sutcliffe all unknown.,

1850 French pilot René Fonck, in a SPAD VII, shoots down a Rumpler two-seater for victory number 4,

1905 Scottish RFC ace William Kennedy-Cochran-Patrick, in Sopwith Pup A6183, shoots down an Albatros D.III for victory number 9. German 15-victory ace Edmund Nathanael is killed.

1940 English ace William Strugnell, in Sopwith Pup A6183, shoots down an Albatros D.III for victory number 6. This is Strugnell's last victory, though he will survive the war. In 1919 he will become a permanent member of the Royal Air Force, serving until his retirement in 1959. He will live until 1977.

1940 Australian RNAS pilot Richard Minifie, in Sopwith Triplane N5446, shares a victory over an Albatros D.III with Sub-Lt O.B. Ellis in N5488. Number 3 for Minfie, unknown for Ellis.

1950 Australian RNAS pilot George Simpson, flying Sopwith Triplane N5460, is credited with two Albatros D.IIIs for victories number 4 and 5.

2045 German pilot Kurt Küppers, in an Albatros D.III, shoots down Nieuport 17 N3189 for victory number 2. 2nd Lt O.J. Gagnier is injured in a forced landing on his own side of the lines.

Austrian pilot Ernst Heinz and Galician observer Alexander Tahy, in Hansa-Brandenburg C.I 27.77, shoot down a Nieuport. Victory number 2 for Tahy, unsure for Heinz.



Ireland:
Richard Hartmann, commanding U-49, sinks British freighter SS Barrister, 3,679 tons, bound from Pernambuco for Liverpool with a general cargo plus sugar and maize. His score is now 27 ships and 61,545 tons.

Alfred von Glasenapp, in U-80, sinks two ships:
Russian brigantine Anna Alwina, 364 tons, sailing from Pensacola to Liverpool; scuttled.
British freighter SS Calchas, 6,748 tons, en route from New York to Liverpool with a load of munitions plus general cargo.
Von Glasenapp's score is now 11 ships and 31,598 tons.



English Channel:
Claus Lafrenz, in UB-18, sinks British freighter SS Tarpeia, 538 tons, carrying stores from Alderney to Tréport. His score is now 45 ships and 48,521 tons.



North Sea:
His Majesty's Trawler Bracklyn, 303 tons, hits a mine laid of Yarmouth by Walter Warzecha in UC-1. This is Warzecha's first sinking.



Barents Sea:
Erich Sittenfeld, in U-45, uses his deck gun to sink Russian freighter SS Hermaes, 3,579 tons. headed from Newport, Wales to Archangelsk with a load of coal. The lifeboats are not recovered, and the entire crew of 34 are lost. Sittenfeld's score is now 19 ships and 31,237 tons.



Balearic Sea:
Johannes Klasing, in U-34, sinks two ships off Cape Tortosa, Spain:
Greek freighter SS Lefkosia, 1,087 tons, carrying a load of sulphuric acid from Valencia to Saint Louis, France; scuttled.
French troopship Medjerda, 1,918 tons, en route from Oran to Port Vendres with passengers and general cargo.
Klasing's score is now 16 ships and 15,210 tons.



Tyrhennian Sea:
Ernst von Voigt, in UC-35, scuttles a small Italian fishing fleet and a British sailing vessel off the east coast of Sardinia:
Limassol, 100 tons.
Luisa Madre, 87 tons.
Maddalena Madre, 87 tons.
Rosalia Madre, 95 tons.
San Antonio, 40 tons.
Von Voigt's score is now 17 vessels and 34,811 tons.



Mediterranean Sea:
Heinrich Metzger, in U-47, torpedoes British freighter SS Hindoo, 4,915 tons, travelling from Karachi to Hull with a general cargo. The damaged ship is beached and later refloated.

[Jimbuna]

12th May 1917

Western Front

British storm most of Bullecourt, and Roeux trenches. Enemy's counter-attack fails.

Southern Front

Artillery activity on Julian front from Tolmino to the sea.

Italians bomb Prosecco (north of Trieste).

Naval and Overseas Operations

North Sea: 3 Dover Patrol monitors (total 6 x 15-inch guns), and with air cover among 41 ships, shell Zeebrugge for 73 minutes from 28.000 yards, for 1 hour but vital locks not hit although 19 of 250 shells land within 15 yards.

Political, etc.

U.S. House of Representatives votes 215 to 178 to allow former President Roosevelt to raise and lead a division to France.

U.S. Senate votes 38 to 32 to ban the use of grain, sugar, and syrup for the production of liquor, but votes down full prohibition.

At the Canadian Parliament, French war mission led by Viviani and Joffre praises Canadian soldiers.

AH Emperor Charles pleads Austrians to “hold on, & in this we shall doubtless be successful, through encountering great hardships.”

A Committee of the French Chamber of Deputies submits a report recommending Germany be forced to pay a large indemnity after the war.

Official figures show British food prices has risen by around 94% since the start of the war.

Two new groups for attestation announced: 41 to 45, and 45 to 50.

Bombs and seditious leaflets seized in Calcutta.

Ship Losses:

Egyptian Prince (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was scuttled in the Mediterranean Sea 240 nautical miles (440 km) south south east of Malta (34°20′N 18°52′E) by SM U-38 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Galicia (United Kingdom) The cargo ship struck a mine laid by UC 17 (Ralph Wenninger) and sank in the English Channel 3 nautical miles (5.6 km) east of Teignmouth, Devon (50°32′N 3°24′W). Her crew survived.
G.L.C. (United Kingdom) The fishing smack was scuttled in the Atlantic Ocean south east of the Eddystone Lighthouse by SM UC-17 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Locksley Hall (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 30 nautical miles (56 km) south east by south of Malta 35°23′N 14°56′E) by SM U-32 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of six crew.
Refugio (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was shelled and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 115 nautical miles (213 km) north west of Tory Island, County Donegal (55°10′N 11°35′W) by SM U-57 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of a crew member.
San Onofre (United Kingdom) The tanker was torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 64 nautical miles (119 km) north west of the Skelligs (52°25′N 11°42′W) by SM U-48 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of a crew member.
Waterville (United Kingdom) The cargo ship struck a mine laid by UC 6 (Werner von Zerboni di Sposetti) and was damaged in the North Sea. She was beached but was later refloated. Her crew survived.
Wirral (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Norwegian Sea 23 nautical miles (43 km) north west of Utvær, Sogn og Fjordane, Norway by SM U-19 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of a crew member.
Zanoni (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 12 nautical miles (22 km) north east by east of Cape Oropesa, Spain (40°10′N 0°25′E) by SM U-34 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of a crew member.