100 Years Ago Today

[Sailor Steve]

July 31, 1916

Britain:
Zeppelin raid on east and southeast England. Sixty or so bombs are dropped, causing no damage.



Eastern Front:
Russian forces advance on the Stokhod towards Kovel. Heavy fighting.

North of Dniester Russian forces cross the Korpyets River.



Southern Front:
In the Astico Valley, Austrian attack on positions of Monte Cimone are repulsed.

South-west of Castelletto another Austrian attack is repulsed by Italian defenders.

In the Travagnolo Valley, Italians occupy Paneveggo.



Asiatic and Egyptian Theaters:
The pursuit of the Turks from Erzingan continues in the face of a stubborn defense.



Political, etc.
Prime Minister in House of Commons denounces murder of Captain Fryatt; immediate action contemplated by the Government.

Henry Edward Duke, 1st Baron Merrivale, becomes Chief Secretary for Ireland.


Air War:
1015 English pilot Robert Henry Magnus Spencer Saundby, flying DH.2 5967, shoots down a Fokker eindecker for victory number 1.

1135 Scottish RFC pilot George Reid and English observer Laurence Scott, in FE.2d A22, shoot down an LVG two-seater. Victory number 5 for Reid, number 2 for Scott.

French/American pilot Raoul Lufbery, in a Nieuport 11 or possibly 17, shoots down a German two-seater for victory mumber 2.



North Sea:
Dutch freighter SS Koningin Wilhelmina, 1,964 tons, acting as a ferry carrying 49 passengers and 52 crew from Vissingen to Gravesend, hits a mine. Fast action by the crew limits the loss to 3 persons. Several sources attribute the mine to UC-1, but there is no claim by that U-boat on this day, nor any claim against a ship of this name by any U-boat, ever. One possible candidate is destroyer B.111.



Mediterranean Sea:
Lothar von Arnauld de la Perière, commanding U-35, sinks five more vessels:
1200 Italian freighter SS Citta Di Messina, 2464 tons, carrying an unspecified cargo from Barry to Messina.
1430 Italian brigantine Emilio G., 166 tons.
1500 Italian brigantine Generale Ameglio, 222 tons.
1615 Norwegian trawler Einar, 135 tons.
1615 Norwegian trawler Erli,122 tons.
Von Arnauld's score is now 58 ships and 123,749 tons.



German East Africa:
British occupy Saranda and Kilimatinde, on the East African Central Railway.

Flag battleship HMS Vengeance prepares for an assault on Saadani. At 0600 a group of Royal Marines board the ship from cruiser HMS Hyacinth. At 0710 the ship takes aboard special equipment: 250 ground sheets, 8 picks, 500 shovels, 100 kerosene lamps, 24 bearer poles, 1 12-pounder carriage and limber. At 0500 Vengeance recieves a 12-pounder gun from whaler Prattler, then sets course for Saadani.

Monitors HMS Mersey and Severn and light cruiser Talbot also sail from Zanzibar to Kokotone and then Saadani, arriving at 2140.

[Sailor Steve]

August 1, 1916

Western Front:
North of Bazentin-le-Petit, a German attack is repulsed.

At the Battle of the Somme, a German counter-attack west of High Wood fails.

French capture a string work between Hem Wood and Monacu Farm.

At Verdun, German attacks west and south of the Thiaumont work southwest of Douaumont are repulsed.



Air War:
1600 English pilot D.H. Dabbs and observer David Arthur Stewart, in FE.2b A13, claim a Fokker Eindecker for victory number 1.

French ace André Chainat, in a Nieuport, shoots down an "Avion" for number 8.

French pilot Pierre Pendaries, in an unnamed Nieuport, claims an unknown aircraft for victory number 1.

German pilot Kurt Student, flying a Fokker E.III, shoots down a Caudron for win number 2.

French pilot Paul Tarascon, in a Nieuport 17, brings down an Aviatik two-seater for victory number 2.



North Sea:
Walther Schwieger, commanding U-20, sinks British freighter SS Aaro, 2,603 tons, bound from Hull for Christiana. Three crewm members are killed, the rest taken prisoner. Schwieger's score is now 32 ships and 136,003 tons.

Werner Fürbinger, in UB-39 attacks another fishing fleet, scuttling trawlers Braconash, 192 tons; Helvetia, 167 tons; King James, 163 tons; Rhodesia, 110 tons; and Tatiana, 285 tons. He also sinks Dutch freighter SS Zeeland, 1,292 tons, tavelling from Methil to Rouen with a load of coal. His score is now 27 ships and 4,675 tons.



Gulf of Bothnia:
Kurt Albrecht, in UB-36, stops and scuttles Swedish coaster SS Hudiksvall, travelling from Stockholm to Mäntyluoto; and Finnish coaster SS Pehr Brahe, 499 tons, carrying a load of bobbins from Raumo to Stockholm. Both sinkings are just off Raumo, Finland. Albrecht's score is now 4 ships and 1,796 tons.



Mediterranean Sea:
Lothar von Arnauld de la Perière, in U-35, sinks British freighter SS Heighington, 2,800 tons, travelling in ballast from Naples to Oran. His score is now 59 ships and 126,549 tons.



German East Africa:
Battleship Vengeance leads the attack on Saadani.
0310 Vengeance drops anchor and joins monitors Mersey and Severn, along with light cruiser Talbot and tender Manica.
0355 HMS Talbot sends a detachment of marines ashore.
0400 Commander Watson and Major Hall lead landing party of 80 marines and 170 sailors from Vengeance ashore.
0430 Landing parties stop at HMS Severn.
0446 Landing parties depart Severn.
0545 Mersey opens fire on Saadani to cover landing. Range 6,000 yards.
0550 Vengeance opens fire to cover landing party.
0552 Severn opens fire.
0600 Severn ceases fire.
0605 Seaplane is sent aloft.
0613 Mersey ceases fire.
0630 Landing party occupies Saadani. Seaplane lands alongside Severn.
0635 Seaplane up again.
0700 Landing party hoists flag.
0835 Manica and Talbot depart Saadani Bay.
1100 Talbot opens fire on town of Bagamoyo.
1110 Captured German officer is brought aboard Severn.
1155 Mersey investigates abandoned dhow near Ras Untondue.
1205 Talbot ceases fire on Bagamoyo.
1215 Talbot departs Saadani for Zanzibar.
1230 Severn sends gear ashore for Dickson's Scouts.
1345 Captured German sergeant is brought aboard Severn for transfer to Vengeance.
1620 Mersey departs Saadani Bay.
Throughout that night HMS Severn shines her searchlights on different areas of the shore.

[Jimbuna]

2nd August 1916

Western Front

German attack on Delville Wood (Somme) repulsed.

German counter-attack on French at Estrees (southern Somme) repulsed.

German trenches carried south of Fleury (Verdun), 800 prisoners taken.

British naval air raid near Ghent.

Eastern Front

German gas attack in region of Smorgon (east Vilna) repulsed.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

Turkish counter-attack takes Mush and Bitlis (Armenia).

Aviation

Italian aeroplanes drop four tons of bombs on an Austro-Hungarian torpedo and submarine works west of Fiume (Rijeka).



Naval and Overseas Operations

Loss of Italian dreadnought "Lionardo da Vinci", at Taranto, by fire and explosion (248 killed).


Political, etc.

Government attitude to Resolutions adopted by Allies at Economic Conference in Paris explained by Mr. Asquith.

Two important State Papers on barbarity of Germans published.

Ship Losses:

Bror Oskar (Sweden) The coaster was sunk in the Baltic Sea 15 nautical miles (28 km) off Rauma, Finland by SM UB-20 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Commerce (Sweden) The coaster was sunk in the Baltic Sea off Hudiksvall, Gävleborg County (61°50′N 18°02′E) by SM UB-20 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Eugenia (Italy) The barque was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 35 nautical miles (65 km) off the Isola de Vecca (38°40′N 7°45′E) by SM U-35 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
G. C. Gradwell (United Kingdom) The schooner was shelled and sunk in the English Channel 20 nautical miles (37 km) west north west of Cap d'Antifer, Seine-Maritime, France by SM UB-18 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Kohina Maru (Japan) The cargo ship was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea off Alexandria, Egypt by SM UB-46 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Leonardo da Vinci (Regia Marina) The Conte di Cavour-class battleship capsized at Taranto with the loss of 249 of her 1,000 crew. She was refloated on 17 September 1919 but was not repaired and was scrapped in 1923.
Margaret Sutton (United Kingdom) The brigantine was scuttled in the English Channel 35 nautical miles (65 km) south south east of St. Catherine's Point, Isle of Wight by SM UB-18 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Neptune (Italy) The brigantine was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 25 nautical miles (46 km) off Cap Sandolo, Algeria (39°00′N 7°30′E) by SM U-35 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Olympia (United Kingdom ) The trawler was shelled and sunk in the North Sea 3 nautical miles (5.6 km) east of Coquet Island, Northumberland by SM UB-39 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
S.D. (United Kingdom) The Thames barge was shelled and sunk in the English Channel 18 nautical miles (33 km) north west of Cap d'Antifer by SM UB-18 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Smiling Morn (United Kingdom) The fishing vessel was scuttled in the North Sea east of Coquet Island by SM UB-39 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Twiddler (United Kingdom) The drifter was scuttled in the North Sea east of Coquet Island by SM UB-39 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Vera (Sweden) The brigantine was sunk in the Baltic Sea off the Finngrundet Lightship ( Sweden) by SM UB-20 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Vermland (Sweden) The coaster was sunk in the Baltic Sea off the Finngrundet Lightship ( Sweden) by SM UB-20 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Zeeland (Netherlands) The cargo ship was shelled and sunk in the North Sea 7 nautical miles (13 km) east of Sunderland, County Durham (55°00′N 1°17′W) by SM UB-39 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.

[Sailor Steve]

August 2, 1916

0700 Austrian pilot Karl Urban and West Bohemian observer Otto Jäger, in Hansa-Brandenburg C.I 64.15, shoot down a Farman two-seater. Victory number 4 for Urban, number 5 for Jäger.

1035 French ace André Chainat and pilot Alfred Hertaux, flying Nieuport 17s, share a victory over an "Enemy Aircraft". Number 9 for Chainat, number 3 for Hertaux.

2000 English pilot Kenneth Lloyd Gopsill and observer 2nd Lt R.S. Osmaston, in FE.2b 6864, and Cpt A.T. Watson and 2nd Lt C.L. Blake, in FE.2b 6790, share a victory over a Fokker Eindecker. Number 1 for Gopsill, unknown for the other three.

On the Russian front reconnaissance crew of pilot Erwin Bohme and observer Lt Lademacher (first name unknown), in Albatros C.III 766/16, the famous "Dragodile", shoot down a Nieuport 11 for victory number 1. Russian ace Eduard Pulpe is fatally wounded.

The "Dragodile"





German ace Wilhelm Frankl, flying a Fokker E.III shoots down Morane 'BB' 5181 for victory number 7. 2nd Lt Lyonel Latimer Clark, 18, and Sgt Alexander Walker, 22, are both killed.

In the same action German ace Kurt Wintgens, in a Fokker E.IV, shoots down Morane 'BB' 5177 for kill number 13. Observer 2nd Lt Henry Joseph Newton, 19, is killed, while Canadian pilot Lt John Anthony Ninian Ormsby, 22 is badly wounded, dying three days later.

French ace André Chainat, flying a Nieuport 17, shoots down an "Enemy Aircraft" for victory number 10.

German bomber crew Karl Meyer and Erich Bönisch, in Friedrichshaven F.33 599, shoot down an attacking Caudron G.4. Number 2 mor Meyer, number 4 for Bönisch.

Also on this day a ground crew achieve "Ace" status when Hauptmann Janke and the crew of KFlak 44 shoot down their fifth aeroplane, a BE.2c from No.5 Squadron.



English Channel:
Otto Steinbrinck, in UB-18, stops and scuttles British schooner G.C. Gradwell, 156 tons; brigantine Margaret Sutton, 197 tons, travelling in ballast from Treport to Fowey; and ketch-rigged barge S.D., 131 ons. His score is now 51 ships and 37,718 tons.



North Sea:
Paul Hundius, commanding UB-16, sinks Norwegian freighter SS John Wilson, 798 tons, bound from Rotterdam for London with a load of foodstuffs. His score is now 4 ships and 6,867 tons.

Werner Fürbringer, in UB-39, finds another British fishing fleet off Coquet Island, Northumberland and scuttles trawlers Olympia, 221 tons; Smiling Morn, 126 tons; and Twiddler, 99 tons. This brings his score to 30 ships and 5,121 tons.



Gulf of Bothnia:
Max Viebeg begins his career in U-20 with the sinking of Swedish coaster SS Bror Oskar, 368 tons carrying a general cargo from Stockholm to Raumo; SS Commerce, 638 tons, en route from Sundsvall to Leith with a load of timber; brigantine Vera, 312 tons, carrying a load of staves from Sandvik to Newcastle; and SS Vermland, 213 tons, bound from Norrköping for Mäntyluoto with a general cargo. A fifth vessel, SS Themis, 1,047 tons, is taken as a prize and sent to Libau, but ends up in the Swedish port of Slite due to lack of coal. Viebeg's opening score is 4 ships and 1,531 tons.



Mediterranean Sea:
Lothar von Arnauld de la Perière, in U-35, sinks Italian barque Eugenia, 550 tons; and French brigantine Neptune, 151 tons, route and cargo unknown. His score is now 61 ships and 127,250 tons.

Cäsar Bauer, now commanding UB-46, sinks Japanese freighter Kohina Maru, 3,164 tons, bound from Bizerta to Port Said, bringing his score to 6 sips and 10,480 tons.

[Jimbuna]

3rd August 1916

Western Front

British gain ground west of Pozieres.

French retake Fleury (Verdun) and make progress towards Thiaumont, 1,750 prisoners taken.

Eastern Front

Russians penetrate into Rudka-Mirynska (east Kovel).

Desperate fighting near Lyubashevo and Guledichi (east Kovel).

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

Russians capture Turk trenches at Ognut (Armenia).

Turks advance to attack on Major-General Hon. H. Lawrence's force at Romani (northern Sinai).

Aviation

Zeppelin raid over east counties. No damage.



Naval and Overseas Operations

The German blockade-runner submarine Deutschland leaves Baltimore and heads back to Germany.

British occupy Ujiji (Lake Tanganyika).

Political, etc.

Roger Casement hanged.

Statement by Mr. Balfour re: Naval Situation on the second anniversary of war.

Prime Minister receives deputation from Miners, Railway Men, and Transport Workers.

Ship Losses:

Badger (United Kingdom) The coaster was shelled and sunk in the English Channel 30 nautical miles (56 km) south west of St. Catherine's Point, Isle of Wight by SM UB-18 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
HMS Clacton (Royal Navy) The auxiliary minesweeper was torpedoed and sunk in the Aegean Sea (40°46′N 23°53′E) by SM U-73 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of five crew.
Fortuna (United Kingdom) The schooner was scuttled in the English Channel 15 nautical miles (28 km) south south west of Portland Bill, Dorset by SM UB-18 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Jacqueline (France) The schooner was sunk in the English Channel 14 nautical miles (26 km) north of Cap de la Hague, Manche (49°57′N 2°00′W) by SM UB-18 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Lucania (United Kingdom) The drifter was scuttled in the North Sea 4 nautical miles (7.4 km) east by south of Dunstanburgh, Northumberland by SM UB-39 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Merchant Prince (United Kingdom) The trawler was scuttled in the North Sea 9 nautical miles (17 km) east by south of Dunstanburgh by SM UB-39 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Nancy (United Kingdom) The schooner was run into and sunk by Avance ( Sweden) in the North Sea off Great Yarmouth, Norfolk.
HMT Rooke (Royal Navy) The naval trawler was lost on this date.
Sphene (United Kingdom) The coaster was scuttled in the English Channel 26 nautical miles (48 km) south west of St. Catherine's Point (50°04′N 1°48′W) by SM UB-18 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Trawler Prince (United Kingdom) The trawler was scuttled in the North Sea 12 nautical miles (22 km) south east of the Longstone Lighthouse, Northumberland by SM UB-39 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Tricoupis (Greece) The cargo ship was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea off the Île du Planier, Bouches-du-Rhône, France (42°08′N 5°21′E) by SM U-35 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.

[Sailor Steve]

August 3, 1916

Air War:
0730 German ace Max von Mulzer, in a Fokker E.IV, shoots down FE.2b 4272 for victory number 10. 2nd Lt Ken Mathewson and Pvt Eric Merril Des Brisay are both killed.

1010 English pilot Reginald Maxwell and observer David Stewart, in FE.2b A13, shoot down a Roland C.II. Victory number 3 for Maxwell, number 2 for Stewart.

1425 French pilot René Dorme, in an unnamed Nieuport, shoots down an "Enemy Aircraft" for victory number 3.

1530 Irish RFC pilot Sidney Cowan, in DH.2 5904, shoots down an LVG two-seater for victory number 4.

French pilot Joseph de Bonnefoy, in an unnamed Nieuport, shoots down an "Enemy Aircraft" for victory number 3.

French ace Georges Guynemer and pilot Alfred Hertaux, both in Nieuports, share a victory over an "Enemy Aircraft"; number 12 for Guynemer, number 3 for Hertaux.

German pilot Hans Karl Müller, flying a Fokker E.III, shoots down a Nieuport for victory number 3. This is either N1442, MdL Debrod or N833, Sgt Jean Maffert, both shot down this day.



English Channel:
Otto Steinbrinck, commanding UB-18, stops and scuttles British coaster SS Badger, 89 tons; schooner Fortuna, 131 tons, carrying steel turnings from Le Havre to Swansea; French schooner Jacques Cartier, 259 tons; and British freighter SS Sphene, 740 tons, travelling in ballast from Honfleur to Newport. Also attacked is British spritsail barge Ivo, 56 tons, but the vessel survives the explosion and is towed into Alderney. Steinbrinck's score is now 55 ships and 38,937 tons.



North Sea:
Werner Fürbinger, in UB-39, scuttles British trawlers Trawler Prince, 126 tons; Merchant Prince, 130 tons, drifter Lucania, 92 tons; and attacks British freighter SS Destro, 859 tons, with his deck gun. The steamer is only damaged, and Captain Edward Borrowdal Johnson will be awarded the DSC for his escape from the u-boat. His score is now 33 ships and 5,469 tons.



Mediterranean Sea:
Lothar von Arnauld de la Perière, in U-35, sinks Greek freighter SS Tricoupis, 2,387 tons, carrying a load of coal from Cardif to Genoa. His score is now 62 ships and 128,637 tons.



Aegean Sea:
Gustav Sieß, in U-73, torpedoes British auxiliary minesweeper HMS Clacton, 820 tons, in Kavalla Bay.



German East Africa:
Monitor HMS Severn fires on a windmill at Saadani. Reasons not given in log.



Canada:
Canadian sail/steam ship SS Samuel Blandford, 919 tons, travelling from New York to St. Johns with a load of coal, runs aground at St. Mary Cays, Newfoundland.



Carribean Sea:
Mexican freighter SS Libertad, 986 tons, carrying a load of lumber from New Orleans to Santiago de Cuba, founders off Cape San Antonio, Cuba.

[Jimbuna]

4th August 1916

Western Front

British gain German second line system on a front of 2,000 yards north of Pozieres, several hundred prisoners.

Germans retake Fleury (Verdun) but lose it again to French.

Furious German counter-attacks at Thiaumont work repulsed.

Eastern Front

Fierce fighting in progress on the Graberko and Sereth.

Russians take 1,300 prisoners.

Germans by an enveloping movement regain Rudka-Mirynska.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

Turk attack near Romani (northern Sinai) beaten off.

Political, etc.

German newspapers comment on the execution of Roger Casement, stating he was an “idealist” and “martyr.”

Ship Losses:

Demaris (United Kingdom) The schooner was scuttled in the English Channel 20 nautical miles (37 km) north of Alderney, Channel Islands by SM UB-18 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Ermenilda (United Kingdom) The schooner was scuttled in the English Channel 24 nautical miles (44 km) south south west of Portland Bill, Dorset by SM UB-18 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Favonian (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was shelled and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea off the Île du Planier, Bouches-du-Rhône, France (42°57'N 5°07'E) by SM U-35 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Jägersborg (Denmark) The cargo ship was scuttled in the North Sea 12 nautical miles (22 km) north east of the Longstone Lighthouse, Northumberland, United Kingdom by SM UB-39 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Siena (Italy) The passenger ship was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea off the Île du Planier (42°55'N 5°10'E) by SM U-35 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Stamfordham (United Kingdom) The coaster was shelled and sunk in the North Sea 8 nautical miles (15 km) south of the Longstone Lighthouse by SM UB-39 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Teti (Italy) The cargo ship was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea off the Île du Planier (43°10'N 4°25'E) by SM U-35 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Tottenham (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was shelled and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 22 nautical miles (41 km) south west of the Île du Planier (42°55'N 5°15'E) by SM U-35 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.

[Sailor Steve]

August 4, 1916

Air War:
French ace Maxime Lenoir, in a Nieuport, downs an "Enemy Aircraft" for victory number 7.



English Channel:
Otto Steinbrinck, commanding UB-18, sinks British schooner Demaris, 98 tons, bound from Guernsey for London with a load of stone; and schooner Ermenilda, 94 tons, from Guernsey to Poole, also with a load of stone. His score is now 57 ships and 39,129 tons.



North Sea:
Werner Fürbinger, in UB-39, stops and scuttles Danish freighter SS Jägersborg, 1,797 tons, carrying a load of magnetic iron ore from Narvik to Middlesbrough; and British freighter SS Stamforham, 921 tons, travelling in ballast from Kirkwall to Seaham. His score is now 35 ships and 8,187 tons.



Mediterranean Sea:
Now operating south of Marseilles, France, Lothar von Arnauld de la Perière, in U-35, sinks four more Allied ships.
1030 British freighter SS Favonian, 3,049 tons, travelling from Marseilles to London with a general cargo.
1130 Italian freighter SS Siena, 4,372 tons, bound from Colon for Genoa. Captured and sunk by gunfire.
1300 British freighter SS Tottenham, 3,106 tons, travelling in ballast from Oneglia to Gibraltar. Captured and scuttled.
1730 Italian freighter SS Teti, 2,868 tons, en route from Genoa to Aguilas.
Von Arnauld's score is now 66 ships and 142,032 tons.



Aegean Sea:
UB-44, commanded by Franz Wäger, dissapears after this date, not to be heard from again. 24 lost, 0 survivors.



German East Africa:
Fighting around Saadani continues.
0735 Battleship HMS Vengeance and tender Manica arrive and anchor off Bagamoyo.
0640 With both a seaplane and balloon spotting the fall of shot, Vengeance opens fire on a series of trenches behind the town.
0900 Vengeance ceases fire.
0915 Vengeance moves northward up the coast. Manica departs.
1300 Monitor HMS Mersey arrives.
1330 Mersey sends troops and supplies ashore.
2130 Captured German officer is taken aboard Mersey.

Meanwhile, with cruiser HMS Challenger providing escort, a seaplane from tender Malaya reconnoiters Mgau Mwania.

[Jimbuna]

5th August 1916

Western Front

In the past two days at the Somme, British and Australian troops manage to capture 3000 yards of trenches north and west of Pozieres.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

British counter-attack Turks with success near Romani (northern Sinai).

British pursuit continues for 18 miles.

Turk attacks held in the region of Mush-Bitlis (Asia Minor).

Successful Russian offensive continued 30 miles north of Erzingan.

Naval and Overseas Operations

British forces in East Africa begin simultaneous forward movement, through Nguru Mountains, etc., towards Morogoro.

Political, etc.

Brussels refuses to pay a fine of 5 million marks to the German occupation, which was imposed on the city due to anti-German demonstrations.

General Joffre, head of the French military, says that there will soon be a “crash” of the Germans’ ability to fight.

Romanian government warns Bulgaria on border clashes, stating it is “not in accordance with the good relations between the two countries.”

Ship Losses:

Achilleus (Greece) The coaster was shelled and sunk in the Gulf of Lion (42°02′N 3°25′E) by SM U-35 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Aranda (Norway) The cargo ship struck a mine laid by U 78 (Otto Dröscher) and was damaged in the North Channel (56°19′N 7°07′W) with the loss of two of her crew. She was towed into Lough Foyle where she sank.
Egyptian Prince (United Kingdom) The trawler was scuttled in the North Sea 12 nautical miles (22 km) south south east of the Longstone Lighthouse, Northumberland by SM UB-39 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Mount Coniston (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was scuttled in the Mediterranean Sea 7 nautical miles (13 km) east by south of the Medes Islands, Spain by SM U-35 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Spiral (United Kingdom) cargo ship was scuttled in the English Channel 40 nautical miles (74 km) west south west of St. Catherine's Point, Isle of Wight by SM UB-18 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
St. Olive (United Kingdom) The trawler was scuttled in the North Sea 11 nautical miles (20 km) east of Coquet Island, Northumberland by SM UB-39 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.

[Sailor Steve]

August 5, 1916

Air War:
German pilot Karl Meyer and observer Erich Bönisch, now flying Hansa-Brandenburg LW floatplane 571, shoot down a French flying boat. Victory number 3 for Meyer, number 5 for Bönisch.

According to some sources the only LW built was number 577. Experts on both sides give good evidence, so the truth remains unknown.



Scotland:
Norwegian freighter SS Aranda, 1,838 tons, bound from Bonaventure to Glasgow with a load of lumber, hits a mine laid by Otto Dröscher in U-78. The stricken ship is towed to Lough Foyle, settling to the bottom there. Divers use explosives to blow off the deck, allowing the lumber to float to the surface and be recovered. This is Dröscher's first sinking, his previous prize having been released.



English Channel:
Otto Steinbrinck, commanding UB-18, sinks British freighter SS Spiral, 1,342 tons, bound from Tyne for Bordeaux with a load of coal. His score is now 58 ships and 40,471 tons.



North Sea:
Werner Fürbinger, in UB-39, sinks British trawlers Egyptian Prince, 129 tons, and St. Olive, 202 tons, bringing his score to 37 vessels and 8,518 tons.



Mediterranean Sea:
Lothar von Arnauld de la Perière, in U-35, sinks two more ships near Barcelona, Spain:
Greek freighter SS Achilleus, 843 tons, travelling from Marseille to Nemors, Algeria, with 21,000 sacks of lime, is stopped an sunk with the deck gun. Achilleus is under charter to the French government at the time.
1200 British freighter SS Mount Coniston, 3,018 tons, carrying coal and machinery from Port Talbot to Marseille, is stopped and scuttled.
Von Arnauld's score is now 68 ships and 134,893 tons.



German East Africa:
A couple of interesting notes from ships' logs:
The log of monitor HMS Severn says "Discharged ratings to RN barracks". This would indicate that either because of living conditions aboard the monitors their sailors slept ashore, or that a certain number of seamen were transferred to shore duty. What is interesting is that this is not a daily occurence, but is only mentioned this once.

Light cruiser HMS Talbot notes that a German boat came out under a white flag and delivered letters to the cruiser, then proceeded northward. No indication of what the letters were for.

[Jimbuna]

6th August 1916

Western Front

Slight British progress east of Pozieres towards Martinpuich.

German attacks at Thiaumont work and in Vaux-Chapitre Wood repulsed (Verdun).

Eastern Front

Russians gain heights and villages on right bank of Sereth and Graberko (south Brody) and repel German counter-attacks.

Southern Front

Battle of Gorizia. Italian attack on Isonzo; several lines of trenches taken in Monfalcone sector, and nearly the whole of Hill 85; 3,600 prisoners and many machine guns taken.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

Determined Turk attacks repulsed by Russians north of the Upper Euphrates (Armenia) and in region of Mush-Bitlis.

Russians driven back by the Turks east of Kermanshah (Persia) British occupy Katiya (northern Sinai).

Aviation

French aviator René Fonck makes his first confirmed aerial victory against a German craft (he will end the war with 75 confirmed victories).

Political, etc.

Franz Eckert, German composer who composed the national anthem of Japan and the Korean Empire, has passed away.


Ship Losses:

Libestad (Mexico) The cargo ship was wrecked at Cape San Antonio, Cuba.
Loch Lomond (United Kingdom) The fishing smack was shelled and sunk in the North Sea 18 nautical miles (33 km) east of Lowestoft, Suffolk by SM UB-29 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.

[Sailor Steve]

August 6, 1916

Air War:
0900 French pilot Marcel Viallet, in a Nieuport scout, shoots down an Aviatik two-seater for victory number 2. Ten minutes later he bags a second Aviatik for number 3.

1030 French pilot René Paul Fonck and observer Paul Thiberge, in a Caudron G.4, shoot down Rumpler C.I 4593/15 for victory number 1. Fonck had a previous claim which was unconfirmed, and he will have another, but his next confirmed kill won't come for another seven months.

1410 French pilot René Dorme, also in a Nieuport, shoots down an LVG two-seater for win number 4.
(Some sources list this victory as "Unconfirmed")

1845 English pilot William Sanday, in a Sopwith 1½ Strutter with observer Lt Busk, shoots down two Albatros two-seaters for victories 2 and 3. Also involved are two more Strutters with aircrews Lts Blain and Griffiths and Lt Mase with an unknown observer.

1945 English pilot Selden Herbert Long, flying DH.2 7915, shoots down a Fokker Eindecker for victory number 1.

English pilot Henry Evans, in DH.2 7876, shoots down an LVG two-seater for kill number 3.

German pilot Hermann Pfeiffer scores his first victory, shooting down Caudron G.4 1467. Lt Escolle and Slt Verdie of Escadrille C56 are both killed.

French ace Noël de Rochefort, in a Nieuport, destroys a German observation balloon for victory number 6.



North Sea:
Berndt Buß, commanding U-48, captures British freighter SS Pendennis, 2,123 tons, off Stavanger, Norway, and takes her as a prize. First action for captain and boat.

Herbert Pustkuchen, in UB-29, scuttles fishing smack Loch Lomond, 42 tons, bringing his score to 35 vessels and 44,787 tons.



German East Africa:
Light cruisers HMS Challenger and Talbot lead an attack on Dar-Es-Salaam.
0650 Armed merchant cruiser HMS Himalaya launches seaplane.
0710 Talbot opens fire.
0736 Talbot ceases fire.
0738 Challenger opens fire.
0803 Challenger ceases fire.
0810 Himalaya opens fire. All ships open fire on railway station.
0838 Himalaya ceases fire.
0853 German position fires three rounds at Himalaya.
0855 All ships return fire.
0911 Challenger fires at East Ferry Point, while Talbot fires at West Ferry Point.
0915 Cruisers cease fire.
0950 Cruisers join Himalaya.
1110 Challenger departs, accompanied by whaler Childers.
1130 Himalaya departs.
1230 Talbot departs.

[Jimbuna]

7th August 1916

Western Front

British attack outskirts of Guillemont.

German attacks north and north-east of Pozieres, repulsed.

French advance north of Hardecourt (northern Somme).

French progress at Fleury and the Thiaumont work (Verdun).

Eastern Front

Russian advance in Graberko-Sereth region.

Heavy fighting, 2,000 prisoners taken.

Russians capture Tlumacz (12 miles from Stanislau), 2,000 prisoners taken.

Southern Front

Italian offensive continues.

Monte Sabatino, Monte San Michele and bridgehead of Gorizia captured. 8,000 prisoners, 11 guns and 100 machine guns taken.

Austrian attacks beaten off by Italians on Asiago Plateau and in the Upper Cordevole Valley (Dolomites).

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

Stiff fighting at Romani; British threaten Turkish flanks.

Political, etc.

Admiralty deny allegation in German press that British Hospital Ships are being used as transports.

London workers demonstrate in Trafalgar Square, demanding the hanging of Kaiser Wilhelm for the execution of Charles Fryatt.

National Council of French Socialists votes 1,824 to 1,075 to sever relations with the German Socialists.

British Premier Asquith with Major Edward Gerald Thompson at the RFC headquarters at Fienvillers.


Ship Losses:

Falcon (United Kingdom) The cargo ship caught fire and sank in the River Thames at Deptford, London. She was refloated the next day.
HMT John High (Royal Navy) The naval trawler struck a mine laid by U 75 (Curt Beitzen) and sank in the White Sea (67°34′N 41°19′E) with the loss of fourteen crew.
Newburn (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 34 nautical miles (63 km) north north east of Dragonera, Spain by SM U-35 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew were rescued by Daisy ( Denmark).
Tibor (France) The cargo ship caught fire and sank at Estaque, Bouches-du-Rhône.
Trident (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 34 nautical miles (63 km) north north east of Dragonera by SM U-35 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew were rescued by Daisy ( Denmark).

[Sailor Steve]

August 7, 1916

Air War:
Austrian pilot Raoul Stojsavljevic and observer Josef Friedrich, in Hansa-Brandenburg C.I 64.13, shoot down a Farman for victory number 3.



North Sea:
Norwegian freighter SS Ragnarok, 1,107 tons, carrying a general cargo from Göteborg to Rouen, hits a mine laid by an unknown ship.



Atlantic Ocean:
Norwegian barque Gerd, 776 tons, sets sail from Liverpool for Halifax in ballast, and is not heard from again. all 12 crew members lost.



Mediterranean Sea:
At 1100 hours local time, Lothar von Arnauld de la Perière, commanding U-35, sinks British freighters SS Newburn, 3,554 tons, bound from Cardiff for Marseille with a load of coal; and SS Trident, 3,129 tons, carrying a load of coal from Penarth to Livorno. His score is now 70 ships and 152,576 tons.



Russia:
British naval trawler HMT John High hits a mine laid by Curt Beitzen in U-75, off Barents sea near Mezen bay, at the entrance to the White sea. Beitzen's score is now 3 ships and 11,160 tons.

[Jimbuna]

8th August 1916

Western Front

British move against Guillemont continues, line advanced 400 yards.

French progress north of Hem Wood (southern Somme).

Germans, by violent counter-attack, regain trenches.

Fierce fighting in Verdun region: Germans gain and lose Thiaumont work.

Two German attacks beaten back east of Monacu Farm (northern Somme).

Eastern Front

Russians take Tysmienica (Stanislau, Galicia), 7,400 prisoners.

Southern Front

Italians storm Mount Podgora (covering Gorizia).

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

Turks occupy Mush and Bitlis (Armenia).

Turks abandon Oghratina and fall back to cover Bir el Abd (Sinai).

Aviation





Political, etc.

King George V and Prince Edward arrive in Calais to inspect British and ANZAC operations.

Portugal decides to extend her military co-operation to Europe.

Ship Losses:

Imperial (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was shelled and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 38 nautical miles (70 km) south west by west of the Île du Planier (42°43′N 4°30′E) by SM U-35 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Speme (Italy) The barquentine was sunk in the Gulf of Lion by SM U-35 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
SM UB-44 (Kaiserliche Marine) The Type UB II submarine departed Cattaro, Austria-Hungary for Hersingstand, Turkey. No further trace, lost with all 24 crew.