100 Years Ago Today

[Jimbuna]

10th October 1916

Western Front

South of Somme, French advance on three-mile front and take all objectives, Bois de Chaulnes and Ablaincourt, and 1,400 prisoners.

Eastern Front

Austro-German advance continues in Transylvania.

General Averescu takes command of 2nd Army.

Romanians make stand in Predeal Pass (south of Kronstadt).

Southern Front

Struma front, Seres railway cut by British, enemy falling back to hills.

Serbs gain footing in Brod (Cherna front).

In Trentino enemy thrust back from northern slopes Mt. Pasubio.

Italians clear whole plateau on Mt. Cormagnon.

Battle of the Carso commences; whole of enemy's first line, Hill 208 and Nova Villa taken by Italians. 5,034 prisoners.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

Sheikh Ahmed es Senussi leaves Baharia Oasis for Siwa.

Political, etc.

Peremptory Allied Note to Greece; Greek Government complies.

Ship Losses:

Götha Lejon (Sweden) The wooden schooner was last heard from departing the Stockholm archipelago bound for Finland. No information is available as to the cause of the disappearance. Four casualties.
Elax (United Kingdom) The tanker was torpedoed and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 70 nautical miles (130 km) west south west of Cape Matapan, Greece (35°54′N 21°19′E) by SM UB-43 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Gardepee (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was scuttled in the Barents Sea 70 nautical miles (130 km) north north east of the North Cape, Finnmark, Norway by SM U-43 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.

[Sailor Steve]

October 10, 1916

Air War:
Jasta 11 becomes operational at La Brayelle, Commanded by Rudolf Lang and equipped with Halberstadt D.IIs and Albatros D.Is.

0950 German pilot Erwin Böhme Flying an Albatros D.II shoots down FE.2b 4856 for victory number 3. Lt Charles Gerschell Shaumer and observer lt Hardinge are both unharmed.

1100 German pilot Max Ritter von Müller, in an Albatros D.II, shoots down DH.2 A2540 for victory number 1. Von Müller should not be confused with ace Max von Mulzer, who died on September 26th.

1730 German pilot Martin Zander, in an Albatros D.II, shoots down DH.2 A2556 for victory number 5. English pilot Stanley Cockerell is wounded and forced to land.

German pilot Hans Imelmann, probably flying an Albatros, shoots down Sopwith 1½ Strutter A382 for his first aerial victory. Imelmann is no relation to the late ace Max Immelmann.

German ace Oswald Boelcke, in Albatros D.II 386/16, shoots down an FE.2b for victory number 32.

American pilot John Huffer and French observer Charles Borzecki, in a French Nieuport 12, ahoot down an "Enemy Aircraft". Victory number 1 for Huffman, number 2 for Borzecki.



Barents Sea:
Hellmuth Jürst, commanding U-43, sinks British freighter SS Gardepee, 1,633 tons, carrying a load of zink and herring from Kristiansand to Arkhangelsk. His score is now 11 ships and 22,464 tons.



Mediterranean Sea:
Hans von Mellenthin, in UB-43, sinks British tanker SS Elax, 3,980 tons, bound from Rangoon for Malta with a load of fuel oil. His score is now 4 ships and 14,301 tons.

[Jimbuna]

11th October 1916

Western Front

French, after sharp fighting, repulse counter-attacks at Bois de Chaulnes (south of Somme) and take 1,702 prisoners.

Eastern Front

Stubborn fighting in southern Transylvania Passes, 4th Army (Northern) retiring.

Southern Front

French carry enemy's first lines west of Gevgeli.

Carso front, Austrian second line attacked.

Italian front carried forward 2,000 yards in direction of Mt. Pecenka, attack on Veliki Hriak.

Decisive fighting in Mt. Pasubio region.

Italian line advanced to foot of Mt. Roite (farther border of Cormagnon).

Political, etc.

PM Asquith-“This war cannot be allowed to end in some patched-up, precarious & dishonoring compromise masquerading under the name of peace.”

German official casualties now number 3,555,018 men killed, wounded, captured, and missing, not including navy and colonial troops.

In Calgary, Canadian Expeditionary Force troops riot and clash with police, taking over the town.

Greek government yields to the Allied ultimatum, handing over control of its navy and railroads to the Allies.

Ship Losses:

Bistritza (Romania) The cargo ship was sunk in the Barents Sea 70 nautical miles (130 km) north of the coast of Finnmark, Norway by SM U-43 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Crosshill (United Kingdom) the cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 60 nautical miles (110 km) west of Malta (36°11′N 12°53′E) by SM UB-47 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of four of her crew.
Iolo (United Kingdom) The collier was torpedoed and sunk in the Barents Sea 153 nautical miles (283 km) north of Vardø, Finnmark (72°50′N 32°00′E) by SM U-46 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.

"One Good Turn Deserves Another" (Western Mail cartoon).


All our eggs are in one basket ─ Chicago Tribune.

[Sailor Steve]

October 11, 1916

Air War:
Italian pilots Luigi Olivi and Marrio Stoppani, both flying Nieuport 11s, team up to bring down an "Enemy Aircraft". Victory number 2 for Olivi, number 4 for Stoppani.



Barents Sea:
Hellmuth Jürst, commanding U-43, sinks Romanian freighter SS Bistritza, 3,688 tons, bound from Brest for Arkhangelsk with a load of aircraft, guns and ammunition. Bistritza was one of four Romanian ships operating outside the Black Sea when the war began. U-boat.net says that according to some manifests Bistritza as carrying 10,000 rifles, 100 machine guns, 20 mortars, 93 cars and trucks, 24 planes, 5 observation balloons, 2.2 billion rifle cartridges, 380,000 hand grenades, 6,000 helmets, 135 tons of explosives, 944 tons of industrial metals and 62 tons of machine tools, with a total value of $115 billion (in today's money). All 32 crew members were taken aboard U-43, and released to a Russian sailboat a few days later.
Jürst's score is now 12 ships and 26,152 tons.

Leo Hillebrand, in U-46, sinks British freighter SS Iolo, 3,903 tons, travelling from Cardiff to Arkhangelsk with a load of coal. His score is now 17 ships and 25,753 tons.



Mediterranean Sea:
Wolfgang Steinbauer, in UB-47, torpedoes British freighter SS Crosshill, 5,002 tons, carrying military stores from Toulon to Salonika. His score is now 6 ships and 42,046 tons.



German East Africa:
Light cruiser HMS Challenger is still involved in cleanng up the harbour at Dar-Es-Salaam. The ship's log has the following note for 1800 hours: "Diving party returned with German torpedo."

Shortly after midnight monitor HMS Severn and tender Manica approach Kiswasi Reef. At 0530 Severn clears for action and at 0600 Manica sends up a seaplane. At 0615 the seaplane lands again and is tied to Severn's stern. Manica then sends up a balloon while Severn tows the seaplane to Kilwa Kivinje. At 0750 the seaplane is hoisted aboard Manica. By 0945 the ships are anchored at Kilwa Kivinje. The ship's logs don't say, but apparently they were prepared to meet the enemy and they weren't there.

[Jimbuna]

12th October 1916

Western Front

British attack on four-mile front between Eaucourt and Bapume-Peronne road, line advanced 500 to 1,000 yards.

Eastern Front

Enemy makes progress in Torzburg Pass, Fourth Army retreat continues.

Southern Front

Fierce fighting round Brod (Cherna front).

Carso front enemy counter-attacks completely repulsed.

Fierce fighting on Hill 208 and in Nova Villa; bag on Isonzo front from 6 August to date, 30,881 prisoners.

Political, etc.

At the German Reichstag, Socialist leader Philipp Scheidemann declares, “We declare openly and clearly that the nation wants peace.”

Admiral du Fournet presents a supplementary Note to Greek Government, who comply with all demands.

Ship Losses:

Sebek (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was damaged in the Mediterranean Sea off Gozo, Malta by SM UB-47 ( Kaiserliche Marine). She was beached but was later refloated, repaired and returned to service.

[Sailor Steve]

October 12, 1916

Air War:
The French mount a large raid against the Mauser gun factory at Oberndorf, involving 34 French and 22 British aircraft, including Farman F.42 and Bréguet V bombers and Sopwith 1½ Strutters, escorted by more RNAS Strutters and Nieuports from N124, the "Escadrille Americaine". KEK Ensisheim and Jasta 15 are scrambled to intercept, mostly in Fokker D.IIs with a couple of older eindeckers as well. The raid has been in the planning since September 3rd, but this is the first time the weather has been clear enough.

1515 Prussia-born German pilot Ludwig Hanstein, flying a Fokker D.II, shoots down Sopwith 1½ Strutter 9660 for victory number 1. Canadian pilot Lt Charles Butterworth has his engine shot out but manages to land at a German airfield and is taken prisoner.

Canadian RNAS pilot Raymond Collishaw, in a 1½ Strutter with an unnamed observer, dives in to help Butterworth but suffers engine problems and is forced to abandon the fight. He claims to have shot down the eindecker, but there is no confiermation and the Germans record no losses in the fight.

German pilot Otto Kissenberth, in a Fokker D.II, scores his first 3 victories in one day:
1520 Bréguet V.
1521 Farman.
1659 Bréguet V V9181.

1530 German pilot Ernst Udet, in a Fokker D.II, shoots down a Bréguet V for victory number 2.

Silesia-boarn German pilot Kurt Haber, in a Fokker E.III, shoots down a Strutter for victory number 5.

German pilot Hans Hartl, in a Fokker E.III, shoots down one of the raiders for victory number 1.

German pilot Lt O. Pfälzer, in a Fokker E.III, is also credited with victory number 1. There seem to be no other records concerning him, so this was probably his only kill.

French pilot Jean Pierre de la Valden, in a Farman, shoots down one of the attackers ("Enemy Aircraft") for victory number 3. This may have been separate from the bombing raid.



Barents Sea:
British freighter SS Buxton, 3,142 tons, en route from Arkhangelsk to Rouen with a load of timber, runs aground at Bjørnøya.



Mediterranean Sea:
Wolfgang Steinbauer, commanding UB-47, attacks British freighter SS Sebek, 4,601 tons, bound from Liverpool for Alexandria with a general cargo. The damaged ship is beached and later put back into service.



Canada:
Barbados schooner Coral Leaf, 374 tons, runs aground off Parrsboro Roads, Nova Scotia.



Canadian schooner Lillie E. Melancon, 90 tons, travelling from Parrsboro to Digby, Nova Scotia, runs aground at Parkers Cove.



United States:
American schooner Peter C. Schultz, 323 tons, bound from New York for Halifax with a load of coal, founders near Georges Bank.

[Jimbuna]

13th October 1916

Western Front

Returns of prisoners.

Eastern Front

Enemy check in Predeal and Buzeu Passes (southern Transylvania).

Southern Front

British forces pushing forward on Struma front.

Successful British raids on Doiran front.

Fighting in Carso continues.

Aviation

40 British & French aeroplanes bomb the Mauser rifle works in Oberndorf, Germany, but are engaged by German aeroplanes.

Political, etc.

Norway prohibits belligerent submarines from using her territorial waters.

General Nivelle, French commander at Verdun, claims the French are firing 100 artillery shells to every one fired by the Germans.

Ship Losses:

Henriette (United Kingdom) The schooner was driven ashore at Porthleven, Cornwall. She broke up two days later and was a total loss.
Margaretha (Italy) The cargo ship was sunk in the Gulf of Taranto (40°01′N 17°44′E) by SM U-4 ( Austro-Hungarian Navy).
Mercator (Finland) The cargo ship struck a mine laid by UC 26 (Matthias Graf von Schmettow) and sank in the English Channel off Boulogne, Pas-de-Calais (50°45′N 0°46′W). Her crew survived.
Welsh Prince (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 33 nautical miles (61 km) south west of Cape Matapan, Greece (36°00′N 22°50′E) by SM UB-43 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of two of her crew.

The discovery of America ─ Chicago Tribune.

[Sailor Steve]

October 13, 1916

English Channel:
Finnish freighter SS Mercator, 2,827 tons, bound from Dunkerue for the Bristol Channel, hits a mine laid by Matthias von Schmettow in UC-26. Von Schmettow's score is now 46 ships and 60,651 tons.



Gulf of Bothnia:
Swedish freighter SS Kong Alf, 801 tons, travelling from Oskarshamn to Neder-Kalix, hits a mine laid by an unknown vessel off Hovudskär Losplads.



Mediterranean Sea:
Hans von Mellenthin, in UB-43, sinks British freighter SS Welsh Prince, 4,934 tons, carrying a general cargo from Calcutta to Dundee. He ends his second war patrol with 5 ships and 19,235 tons.



Gulf of Taranto:
Rudolf Singule, in Austrian submarine U-4, sinks Italian freighter SS Margaretha, 2,092 tons, raising his score to 14 ships and 14,553 tons.



Canada:
Canadian schooner Annie Pearl, 40 tons, runs aground at Minas Basin, Nova Scotia.

[Jimbuna]

14th October 1916

Western Front

West of Belloy-en-Santerre (south of Somme) brilliant French attack on line of 1.25 miles, capture German first line, also Genermont, north-east of Ablaincourt.

French bombardment of Sailly-Saillisel (Bapume-Peronne road) commences.

Eastern Front

Enemy advance through Torzburg Pass and reach Rucar (six miles within Romania).

Frontier ridge at Predeal won by enemy and town burnt.

Romanians have now withdrawn from Transylvania, except in north-east corner.

Southern Front

General indecisive attack by Allies on main Bulgar line (Macedonian front).

End of offensive in Carso, Italians consolidate all positions, line advanced two miles; Italians claim 8,000 prisoners.

Naval and Overseas Operations

Russian submarine captures "Rodosto" Turk armed transport in Black Sea.

Political, etc.

Norway bans submarines of belligerent powers from traversing Norwegian waters except in cases of emergency.

Kaiser Wilhelm’s two slogans to his troops on the Eastern Front: “He [the enemy] shall not get through” and “He must be beaten.”

Germany admits its potato harvest this year has been disappointing and halts all trade in potato seeds until the situation is assessed.

King Constantine of Greece on the country’s neutrality: “I prefer to lose my throne rather than endanger Greece.”

King Ferdinand of Romania appeals to the Allies to not let his country suffer the same fate as Serbia.

Ship Losses:

Annunziata (Italy) The sailing vessel was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea off Syracuse, Sicily by SM UB-47 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Elena (Italy) The sailing vessel was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea off Syracuse by SM UB-47 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Il Nuovo Concettina (Italy) The sailing vessel was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea off Syracuse by SM UB-47 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Il Nuovo S. Luigi (Italy) The sailing vessel was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea off Syracuse by SM UB-47 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Il Redentore (Italy) The sailing vessel was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea off Syracuse by SM UB-47 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Robur (Sweden) The cargo ship foundered in the Baltic Sea off Gotland. Her crew survived.

[Sailor Steve]

October 14, 1916

Air War:
French pilot René Fonck and observer Maurice Bosc, in a Caudron G.4, claim a German two-seater, but it is unconfirmed.



Barents Sea:
Russian trawler/minesweeper Opyt, 146 tons, is wrecked at Observation Bay, Svyatoy Nos.



Ionian Sea:
Wolfgang Steinbauer, commanding UB-47, attacks a small Italian fishing fleet near Siracusa, Sicily and sinks five vessels:
Annunziata, 61 tons.
Elena, 52 tons.
Il Nuovo S. Luigi, 39 tons.
Il Redentore, 80 tons.
La Nuova Concettina. 32 tons.
Steinbauer's score is now 11 vessels totalling 42,310 tons.



Atlantic Ocean:
American schooner Fanny C. Bowen, 892 tons, bound from Pensacola for Genoa, is abandoned mid-ocean.

[Jimbuna]

15th October 1916

Western Front

British make progress in Schwaben Redoubt and Thiepval neighbourhood.

Eastern Front

Intense fighting at Rucar.

Artillery activity on Danube.

Southern Front

Seres shelled by British.

Stubborn fighting on Cherna front.

Mt. Pasubio, Italians continue to advance.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

British raid Magharah (southern Sinai).

Political, etc.

Anti-Entente demonstrations in Athens.

Canadian wheat crop drops by more than half compared to last year due to wartime demand and crop failures.

French General de Castelnau: “We now have the Germans by the ears & will continue to shake their heads until their brains are addled…”

Ship Losses:

Avis (Greece) The cargo ship was shelled and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 12 nautical miles (22 km) south of Punta Stilo (37°49′N 16°44′E) by SM UB-47 ( Kaiserliche Marine).

[Sailor Steve]

October 15, 1916

Air War:
1200 Canadian RFC ace Alan Bell-Irving, flying Nieuport 17 A203, shoots down two German two-seaters for victories 6 and 7.



Celtic Sea:
French schooner Henriette, 146 tons, carrying a load of pit props from Lorient to Swansea, runs aground and is lost.



Baltic Sea:
Swedish brigantine Amor, 139 tons, carrying a load of sand from Malmö to an unnamed destination, is wrecked at Bornholm.



Black Sea:
Turkish paddle ferry Nusret, 230 tons, is torpedoed and sunk by Russian submarine Nerpa. There is some confusion with different sources claiming the incident took place on January 12th, 1917.



Ionian Sea:
Wolfgang Steinbauer, commanding UB-47, stops Greek freighter SS Avis, 1,000 tons, carrying a cargo of wine from an unnamed port to France. After allowing the crew to abandon ship Steinbauer sinks the merchant with his deck gun. He ends this war patrol with 12 ships and 43,310 ships.



Caribbean Sea:
Danish schooner Albatros, 878 tons, travelling from Livorno, Italy to Mobile, Alabama, USA, is wrecked in the Yucatán Channel, between Cuba and Mexico.

[Jimbuna]

16th October 1916

Western Front

French gain footing in Sailly (two miles east of Morval).

Eastern Front

Fighting continues at Rucar.

Romanians give ground in Buzeu Pass.

Enemy's offensive at Dorna Vatra (point of junction Romanian and Russian armies in Moldavia) and Jablonitsa repulsed.

Naval

Russian submarine Tyulen captures an Ottoman transport near the Bosporus after an hour engagement.

Political, etc.

In Athens Allies land reinforcements to maintain order, and take possession of three Greek warships not previously taken over.

Greek Prime Minister Spyridon Lambros submits a proposal to the Allies for Greece’s entry into the war.

Ship Losses:

Anna (Sweden) The wooden schooner was last heard from departing Travemünde bound for Sweden. No information is available on the cause of the disappearance. Six casualties.
Busy Bee (United Kingdom) The schooner was driven ashore at Bude, Cornwall and was wrecked.
J. E. Bodwell (United States) The schooner foundered in the Atlantic Ocean off Sandy Hook, New Jersey.

"Asking A Favour" (News of the World cartoon).

[Sailor Steve]

October 16, 1916

Air War:
0500 German pilot Manfred von Richthofen, flying Albatros D.II 491/16, shoots down BE.12 6580 for victory number 5. 2nd Lt John Thompson is killed.

1120 Canadian RFC pilot Albert Earl Godfrey, in an FE.2b with J.L.N. Bennet-Boggs as gunner, brings down a Roland D.II for victory number 1.

1420 German ace Oswald Boelcke, in Albatros D.II 386/16, shoots down BE.2d 6745 for victory number 33. 2nd Lt Edward Mervyn Carre and Sgt F. Barton are both killed.

1440 Canadian RFC pilot Chester Duffus and English gunner Frank Johnson, in FE.2b 4855, shoot down an Albatros D.I. Victory number 3 for Duffus, number 2 for Johnson.

1745 Oswald Boelcke brings down his second of the day, DH.2 A2542, for victory number 34. Lt Patrick Anthony Langen-Byrne is killed.

1745 German pilot Alfred Ulmer, in an Albatros D.II, shoots down Morane-Saulnier 'BB' A137 for victory number 2. 2nd Lt C. Moore-Kelly is wounded and captured. 2nd Lt T.G.G. Sturrock is killed.

1750 German ace Hans Karl Müller, in an Albatros D.II, shoots down a Caudron two-seater for victory number 6.

French pilot Jean Marie Emile Derode, in a Nieuport, claims an "Enemy Aircraft", but it is unconfirmed.



Irish Sea:
British trawler Sunbeam, 133 tons, is lost in a collision.



North Sea:
Dutch schooner Pacific, 134 tons, bound from West Hartlepool for Christiania with a load of coal, is abandoned.



Skagerrak:
Swedish Brigantine Nordbon, 198 tons, travelling from Uddervalla tp West Hartlepool with a load of pit props, runs aground at Sote Huvud.


Adriatic Sea:
Orest von Zopa, commanding Austrian submarine U-16, torpedoes Italian destroyer Nembo, 330 tons. Accounts are confused as to what happens next. One says that Nembo rammed U-16 before she sank. Conway's states the u-boat was rammed by a freighter called Borminda. No such freighter was registered, but one called Bormida was in the right place at the right time. Wrecksite.eu says that Nembo's depth charges went off as the destroyer sank, and this wrecked U-16. What is known is that Nembo sank with the loss of 32 lives, and U-16 sank with the loss of 11, including her captain, with 2 survivors (according to Wrecksite.eu 2 lost and 14 survivors).



United States:
American schooner J.R. Bodwell, 174 tons, carrying a load of granite blocks from Sullivan, Maine to Philadelphia, founders off Sandy Hook, New Jersey.



Atlantic Ocean:
American sailing ship Helen Hasbrouck, 260 tons, trvelling in ballast from New York to La Havre, is abandoned in the North Atlantic.

[Georgemeister]

This is actually the daily telegraph from October 17,1916. Some news about the war and whatnot

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-...r-17-1916.html