100 Years Ago Today

[August]

1 Sept 1917

One hundred years ago today the Germans second attempt to take the city of Riga commenced this morning with a surprise river assault across the Dvina at Üxküll by three divisions. The 2nd Guard, 19th Reserve and straight up the middle my great-grandfathers division the 14th Bavarian.




River crossing


Battlefield at Uxhull


Great Grandfather August Karl in 1914. I wonder if he is one of those pictures above.


Below is an excellent recap of the battle from History net.

The German divisions that were to lead the assault were moved to central Kurland, well behind the Riga front, where they spent two weeks rehearsing for the operation. Getting a large force across a heavily defended river required operational surprise to keep casualties at reasonable levels, and the Germans took every precaution to ensure that their attack on Riga would be a total surprise. It was the most complex operation they had yet undertaken on the Eastern Front, and success relied on sending the first wave as squad-size assault units across the 1,300-foot-wide river to establish a bridgehead. To get it right, German units rehearsed with their boats on Latvian lakes well away from the front. The heavy forests of Kurland were good for hiding troops and matériel from Russian aerial reconnaissance—which was generally ineffective. As a result, the Russians failed to spot the German buildup.
The attack called for the assault force to cross the Düna at Üxküll on September 1, then move forward and create a wide bridgehead on the flanks of the Russian defense line, which consisted of the 19th Reserve Division, the 14th Bavarian Rifle Division, and the 2nd Guards Rifle Division. At the same time, the Russian bridgehead would face a diversionary attack by one German division to focus enemy attention to the north. Once the Germans had established their own bridgehead on the far side of the river, a pontoon bridge was to be built in each division sector and the rest of the division, the support forces, and supporting artillery brought over. A second wave of three more divisions would follow on the same day.

There is a lot more on this fascinating battle at:
http://www.historynet.com/prepare-battle-riga.htm

[Jimbuna]

1st September 1917

Western Front

Enemy attack on Havrincourt (SW of Cambrai), at first successful, beaten back later.

N.E. of Craonne, German counter-attack broken up.

Eastern Front

German attack on E. of Riga; their troops enter the city.

Dvina river evacuated by Russians, and crossed by Germans at Uxkull.

Southern Front

Julian front: slight Italian advance, taking 340 prisoners.

Naval and Overseas Operations

Jutland coast: British destroyers drive four German mine-sweepers ashore, two on fire.

Political, etc.

In German-occupied Poland, Polish judges are for the first time allowed to administer justice in the courts.

The Petrograd Soviet passes a resolution protesting the reestablishment of the death penalty in the Russian army.

Ship Losses:

Akaroa (Norway) The barque was sunk in the English Channel 70 nautical miles (130 km) west of the Casquets, Channel Islands by SM U-19 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Amiral Olry (France) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 38 nautical miles (70 km) north west of Cape Sidero, Crete, Greece (35°40′N 25°47′E) by SM UC-74 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Dront (Russia) The cargo ship was sunk in the Barents Sea 110 nautical miles (200 km) north west by north of the North Cape, Norway by SM U-28 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Fingal (United Kingdom) The cargo ship foundered on this date.
Erato (United Kingdom) The cargo ship struck a mine laid by
UC 69 (Hugo Thielmann) and sank in the English Channel 4 nautical miles (7.4 km) south east of The Lizard, Cornwall. Her crew survived.
Peronne (France) The cargo ship was sunk in the English Channel 5 nautical miles (9.3 km) south east of Berry Head, Devon, United Kingdom by SM UC-65 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Tarapaca (France) The four-masted full-rigged ship was scuttled in the Bay of Biscay 65 nautical miles (120 km) west of the La Coubre Lighthouse, Charente-Maritime (45°55′N 3°12′W) by SM U-52 ( Kaiserliche Marine).

[Sailor Steve]

September 1, 1917

Air War:

British liner SS Lapland arrives at Liverpool, England carrying the US Army 1st Aero Squadron. The unit immedeately boards a train for Southampton.

0750 German ace Manfred von Richthofen, flying Fokker F.I 102/17, shoots down RE.8 B782 for victory number 60. Lt John Bristo Culley Madge is wounded and taken prisoner. 2nd Lt Walter Kember is killed.
(This is the first victory scored in the new Fokker Triplane. The first two, 102/17 and 103/17, are designated F.I. All subsequent Triplanes will be designated Dr.I. This aircraft is painted in standard Fokker cammoflage - olive streaked over bare linen with a brush above and turquoise belosw.)

Flying my Triplane for the first time, I attacked, together with four of my gentlemen, a very boldly flown artillery-reconnaissance aircraft. I approached and fired twenty shots from a distance of 50 metres, whereupon the adversary fell out of control and crashed this side, near Zonnebeke. Apparently the opponent had taken me for an English Triplane, because the observer in the machine stood upright without making a move for his machine gun.
- Manfed von Richthofen

0810 German pilot Karl Hammes, in Albatros D.V 2336/17, shoots down SPAD VII B3569 for victory number 2. 2nd E.M. Sant is taken prisoner.

0815 German ace Wilhelm Reinhard, in an Albatros D.V, shoots down an unidentified Sopwith Camel for victory number 6.

0920 Australian Flying Corps pilot Ross MacPherson Smith, in BE.12 A6311, shoots down an Albatros D.III for victory number 1.

1940 Italian ace Francesco Baracca, in a SPAD VII, shoots down a Hansa-Brandenburg C.I for victory number 18.

Bohemia-born Austro-Hungarian pilot Eugen Bönsch, flying Austro-Albatros D.III 53.57, shoots down an Italia Nieuport for victory number 1.

[Jimbuna]

2nd September 1917

Western Front

Enemy attack unsuccessfully British advance posts near Havrincourt.

At Hurtebise (Aisne), four German attempts to recover lost positions crushed.

Aeroplane raid on Dover, one killed, six injured.

Eastern Front

Some Russian troops fall back to west of Riga; fighting on Mitau road.

Germans cross Dvina river 18 miles above town.

Naval and Overseas Operations

Naval airmen bomb Bruges Docks.

East Africa: British and Belgian operations drive German detachments from River Ruaha to Mahenge.

Political, etc.

British forces have taken 10,687 German prisoners since July 31st on the Western Front.

At Trades Union Congress at Blackpool, Stockholm programme partly settled, but strongly opposed.

Russian Premier Kerensky orders the arrest several military and civilian leaders on charges of a counter-revolutionary plot.

Ship Losses:

Caracas (Norway) The auxiliary sailing vessel was scuttled in the Atlantic Ocean 130 nautical miles (240 km) north west of Cape Finisterre, Spain (46°00′N 11°04′W) by SM UB-49 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
HMS Dundee (Royal Navy) The armed boarding steamer was torpedoed and damaged in the Atlantic Ocean south west of the Isles of Scilly (48°50′N 9°20′W) by SM UC-49 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of nine lives. She sank the next day.
Ker Durand (France) The fishing vessel was scuttled in the Atlantic Ocean 70 nautical miles (130 km) west of Ar Men, Finistère by SM UC-69 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Olive Branch (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was shelled and sunk in the Barents Sea 85 nautical miles (157 km) north by east of the North Cape, Norway (72°34′N 27°56′E) by SM U-28 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of a crew member.
Rytonhall (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 105 nautical miles (194 km) west of Ouessant, Finistère (47°45′N 7°28′W) by SM UC-69 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
SM U-28 (Kaiserliche Marine) The Type U 27 submarine was sunk in the Barents Sea 85 nautical miles (157 km) north by east of the North Cape (72°34′N 27°56′E) by the explosion of the cargo of munitions aboard Olive Branch, ( United Kingdom) which it had attacked. All 39 crew were killed.
Wentworth (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Bay of Biscay 36 nautical miles (67 km) (47°00′N 3°23′W) by SM U-52 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of a crew member. Three survivors were taken as prisoners of war.

[Sailor Steve]

September 2, 1917

Air War:

US Army 1st Aero Squadron crosses the Channel from Southampton to Le Havre, France.

0850 German pilot Helmut Dilthey, flying an Albatros D.III, shoots down SPAD VII A312 for victory number 3. 2nd Lt W.A.L. Spencer is wounded and taken prisoner.

0915 English RFC pilot Hugh Elliott, in Bristol F.2b B1108 with 2nd Lt J.W. Ferguson as observer, shoots down an Albatros D.V for victory number 4.

[Jimbuna]

3rd September 1917

Western Front

British front slightly advanced near St. Julien (Ypres).

Champagne: French raid gas tanks on Souain-Somme Py road.

Eastern Front

Riga finally evacuated by Russians, forts and bridges blown up, etc.

Germans claim many thousands of prisoners about 150 guns.

Southern Front

Pola bombed.

Aviation

Six German aeroplanes bomb Sheerness, etc.; 132 killed, 96 injured, mostly naval ratings.

Five Italian aeroplanes drop pamphlets over Vienna informing the people about the recent Italian victory on the Carso plateau.

Naval and Overseas Operations

Bruges again bombed.

German warships break into Gulf of Riga and shell Livonian villages.

Political, etc.

German Fatherland Party is founded by far-right militarists (the party will later popularize the “stab-in-the back” myth).

Ship Losses:

Agios Andreas (Greece) The sailing vessel was sunk in the Aegean Sea by SM UC-74 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Alentejo (Portugal) The cargo ship caught fire, exploded and sank at Marseille, Bouches-du-Rhône, France.
HMS Begonia (Royal Navy) The Azalea-class sloop departed on patrol in the Atlantic Ocean. She was subsequently sunk by enemy action with the loss of 94 crew.
HMT Italy (Royal Navy) The naval trawler was lost on this date.
La Negra (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the English Channel 50 nautical miles (93 km) south south west of Start Point, Devon (49°29′N 3°53′W) by SM UC-50 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of four of her crew.
Majoren (Norway) The cargo ship was sunk in the Atlantic Ocean north west of Bloody Foreland, County Donegal, United Kingdom (55°14′N 8°56′W) by SM U-95 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Ragnhild (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the North Sea 14 nautical miles (26 km) south by east of Flamborough Head, East Riding of Yorkshire by SM UB-30 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of fifteen crew.
Treverbyn (United Kingdom) The cargo ship struck a mine laid by U 75 (Fritz Schmolling) and sank in the Atlantic Ocean 2 nautical miles (3.7 km) east south east of the Ushinish Lighthouse, South Uist, Outer Hebrides with the loss of 27 crew.
Van Allens-Broughton (United States) The five-masted schooner was abandoned in the Atlantic Ocean. She sank the next day.

[Sailor Steve]

September 3, 1917

Air War:

0725 Canadian RNAS ace Lloyd Breadner, flying Sopwith Camel B3782, shoots down an Albatros D.V for victory number 8.

0730 Lloyd Breadner scores his second kill of the day, shooting down another Albatros D.V for victory number 9.

0730 English RNAS pilot William Hargrove Chisam, in Sopwith Camel B3909, shoots down an Albatros D.V for victory number 1.

0730 German ace Eberhard Mohnicke, in an Albatros D.V, shoots down Sopwith Pup B1754 for victory number 6. Lt K.W. McDonald is wounded and taken prisoner.

0735 German ace Manfred von Richthofen, in Fokker F.I 102/17, shoots down Sopwith Pup B1795 for victory number 61. Lt Algernon Frederick Bird is taken prisoner.

Along with five planes of Staffel 11, while engaged in a fight with a Sopwith single-seater, I attacked, at a height of 3,500 metres, one of the enemy machines. After a fairly long dogfight, I forced him to land near Bousbecque. I was absolutely convinced I had a very skillful pilot in front of me, who even at an altitude of 50 metres did not give up, but fired again, and opened fire on a column of troops while flattening out, then deliberately ran his machine into a tree.
The Fokker Triplane F.I No. 102/17 was absolutely superior to the British Sopwith.
-Manfred von Richthofen

0815 Canadian RFC pilot Robert Dodds and English observer Thomas Tuffield, flying Bristol F.2b A7222, shoot down two Albatros D.IIIs. Victories number 3 and 4 for both. One of these is German 7-victory ace Otto Hartmann, who is killed.

0825 German ace Paul Billik, in an Albatros D.V, shoots down a Sopwith Camel for victory number 6.

0830 German ace Walter von Bülow-Bothkamp, in an Albatros D.III, shoots down a Sopwith Camel for victory number 18.

0830 German ace Kurt Wüsthoff, in an Albatros D.V, shoots down Sopwith Pup A7333 for victory number 8.

0900 German ace Hermann Göring, in Albatros D.V 4424/17, claims a two-seater shot down near Lampernisse. Göring and six others from Jasta 27 did engage two separate flights of SPADS, but none of these seem to have been two-seaters and none were shot down. A DH.4 was attacked that day, but it got home safely. As with so many other claims, what actually happened may never be known.

0940 Canadian RFC pilot Conrad Lally and English AFC observer Basil Blackett, flying DH.4 A7477, shoot down an Albatros D.V. Victory number 4 for Lally, number 2 for Blackett. Blackett, though born in England, is listed as Australian Flying Corps.

0952 German ace Werner Voss, in the other new Fokker Triplane, F.I 103/17, shoots down Sopwith Camel 3917 for victory number 39. Lt Aubrey Talley Heywood is killed.

0955 German pilot Karl Hammes, in Albatros D.V 2336/17, shoots down a Sopwith Triplane for victory number 3.

1005 German pilot Carl-August von Schönebeck, in an Albatros D.III, shoots down a Sopwith Triplane for victory number 3.

1030 German pilot Eberhard von Stapenhorst, in an Albatros D.V, shoots down a Sopwith Triplane for victory number 2.

1040 German pilot Hans Hoyer, flying an Albatros D.III, shoots down an RE.8 for victory number 2.

1100 German pilot Theodor Quandt, in an Albatros D.III, shoots down a "Rumpf DD" (Fighter) for victory number 4.

1130 German pilot Otto Fruhner, in an Albatros D.III, shoots down Sopwith Pup A7333 for victory number 1. Lt S. Williams is taken prisoner.

1210 German ace Kurt-Bertram von Döring, in an Albatros D.V, shoots down an RE.8 for victory number 6.

1310 English RFC pilot Edward Clarke, in Sopwith Camel B2327, shoots down an Albatros D.III for victory number 2.

1600 Otto Fruhner scores his second victory of the day, shooting down a Sopwith Camel for number 2 overall.

1710 Kurt Wüsthoff gets his second for the day, downing an RE.8 for number 9 overall.

1730 German ace Eduard von Schleich, in an Albatros D.III, shoots down a Dorand A.2 for victory number 9.

1730 German pilot Karl Thom, in an Albatros D.III, shoots down a Caudron for victory number 2.

1735 Eduard von Schleich scores his second victory of the day, bringing down a SPAD for number 10.

1830 Four RNAS Camel pilots share a victory over an Albatros D.V:
Joseph Fall, Canada, B3898, victory number 14.
Sub-Lt J.E. Scott, unknown, B3907, unknown.
Harold Stackard, England, B6204, number 4.
Arthur William Wood, England, B3884, number 1.

1930 Conrad Lally and Basil Blackett score their second victory of the day, shooting down an Albatros D.V. Number 5 for Lally and number 3 for Blackett. This is Conrad Lally's last aerial victory. He will survive the war, being wounded and spending 10 months recovering. In 1923 Lally became the town of Wainwright, Alberta, Canada's first postmaster. He will remain in that post until he dies in August 1941.

1950 German ace Hans von Adam, in an Albatros D.V, shoots down Nieuport 17 B1582 for victory number 14. 2nd Lt C. Pickstone is killed.

2000 German pilot Oskar von Boenigk, in an Albatros D.V, shoots down a Sopwith Camel for victory number 4.

[Aktungbby]

September 4, 1917: the American Expeditionary Forces in France suffered their first fatalities during World War I when a German plane attacked a British-run base hospital in Camiers. There was an unexpected windfall for the Allies when America joined the war—help with the enormous load of casualties in the 1917 campaign. The first American military installation in France during World War I was Base Hospital No.4 (Cleveland), which arrived on 25 May 1917 to cheering French crowds on, 19 days ahead of General Pershing and the nucleus of his American Expeditionary Force staff. Also known as the Lakeside Unit, the Cleveland unit served at Rouen throughout the war. American physicians, nurses, and enlisted men such as these would be the earliest AEF participants to face the possibility of death and destruction—actually months before the first American soldiers would see combat. Base Hospital No.4 treated 82,179; No. 10 treated 47,811; and No. 21 treated about 60,000. These numbers do not include the numbers of patients the Americans treated at the Casualty Clearing Stations or while working with British units. Overall, a daily average of approximately 800 officers, 600 nurses, and 1,100 soldiers was serving with the British. One of the hazards they faced was German night bomber raids, which attacked hospitals despite the Red Cross markings. Tragedy struck on 4 September 1917, when the Germans bombed Base Hospital No. 5 at Camiers, killing Lieutenant William T. Fitzsimmons and Privates Oscar C. Tugo, Rudolph Rubino, Jr., and Leslie G. Woods, who became the first A. E. F. casualties by enemy action. http://www.ourstory.info/library/2-ww1/hospitals/bh5a.html

To the uninitiated reader, it may be of interest to know how the approach of the enemy planes is detected. Every one has heard at some time the droning of a gasoline or electric motor and is aware that different motors have different vibrations. Allied and enemy planes were accordingly tuned differently. At several points in the rear of the lines there were tuning forks adjusted to detect the vibration of enemy motors. As soon as a plane came within range the tuning fork would pick up the vibration, and the warning would be relayed immediately to points farther in the rear.
On the evening of September 3 an attempt by the Germans to raid the English coast was made but it was successfully repulsed by the coast defense guns. The following day, about noon, a photographic scouting plane came over our area. The weather was clear and the air crisp, thus making ideal conditions for photographic work. The anti-aircraft guns, both mobile and stationary, did valuable work in keeping the plane at a very high altitude. Some criticism was heard concerning Colonel Patterson's desire to have the Stars and Stripes flying over the hospital area from such a tall flag-pole. It is believed by some to be possible that a photograph of this camp, showing the United States flag flying overhead, was secured and that, as a warning to other Americans who were to follow us into the battlefields of France, we should be made the objective of an aerial attack in spite of the fact that we were a hospital unit and therefore classified as non-combatants.
Be that as it may, we know not what was in the minds of the Germans when, in the evening of September 4, they dispatched their mission of death, having as their objective an American Base Hospital caring for two thousand sick and wounded patients.
There had been an attempted raid on the English coast earlier in the evening which had apparently failed. At ten-thirty we received a warning that enemy planes were approaching along the coast. The anti-aircraft guns at Sainte Cecile Plage and at Neufchatel were actively employed for a few minutes but were soon quiet and the all-clear was sounded. At ten fifty-five P.M., without any warning whatsoever, and while all lights in the vast twelve thousand bed hospital area were illuminating the camp, an enemy aeroplane suddenly swooped down over the brim of the circle of high hills from the direction of Etaples. A few minutes prior to this incident a loud report as of the crashing of a bomb had been heard from that direction, but by those who had heard it, it was mistaken for the report of an anti-aircraft battery. Lieutenant William Fitzsimmons, who had recently been appointed adjutant of Base Hospital No. 5, was among those who heard the first report, and fearing the possible approach of enemy planes had summoned the sentry, Private Hiram Brower, to ascertain the cause of the violent explosion. Having answered the question of the adjutant, the guard resumed the patrol of his post. Scarcely a minute had elapsed when another more violent explosion occurred, caused by the dropping of an aerial torpedo on General Hospital No. 18. Fortunately no damage was done as it dropped in the center of the athletic field tearing a deep hole several yards in diameter. Then swinging his plane in a semicircular course, a bomb of the smaller type was dropped into the reception tent of No. 4 General Hospital, followed almost immediately by two bombs that dropped within eighteen inches of each other in front of Lieutenant Fitzsimmons' tent, two others at each end of Ward C-6 and another in the reception tent of No. 11 General Hospital. Lieutenant William Fitzsimmons was instantly killed by the first two bombs to be dropped on Base Hospital No. 5, while the flying fragments wounded Lieutenants Rae Whidden, Thaddeus Smith, Clarence McGuire and Private Hiram Brower. Fragments from the two bombs which were dropped on Ward C-6 killed Private Oscar Tugo and several patients, while other patients were wounded and large portions of the ward were wrecked.

<first American graves in France. Some very cool photos: https://www.theatlantic.com/projects/world-war-i-in-photos/

[Jimbuna]

4th September 1917

Western Front

Verdun: Red Cross stations in rear of, bombed during night.

Aeroplane raid on London and south-east counties, 19 killed, 71 injured.

Eastern Front

Russians fall back 30 miles along Riga-Petrograd road.

Southern Front

Heavy fighting north-east of Gorizia and on southern Carso; Italians take positions round Monte S. Gabriele and 1,600 prisoners.

Italians fall back from, but recover, positions between Brestovica valley and sea.

Naval and Overseas Operations

Scarborough shelled by submarine; 30 rounds, 3 killed, 6 injured.

German warships in the Baltic pound Russian forces as they retreat 30 miles from Riga.

Political, etc.

Trades Union Congress declares against Stockholm Conference by overwhelming majority.

Mr Morel sent to prison.

U.S State Department clarifies they do not aim to unseat the Hohenzollern Dynasty, only to target “autocracy” in Germany.

Correspondence between Kaiser and Tsar (anti-British proposals) published.

Ship Losses:

Bishopton (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the English Channel 30 nautical miles (56 km) south by east of St. Catherine's Point, Isle of Wight (50°08′N 0°57′W) by SM UC-16 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of two of her crew.
Peerless (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean south west of the Bishop Rock, Isles of Scilly (49°11′N 7°16′W) by SM U-52 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of five crew. Three survivors were taken as prisoners of war.
Sadi Carnot (France) The three-masted schooner was sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 42 nautical miles (78 km) south south west of the Isles of Scilly by SM UC-69 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew were rescued by HMS Landrail ( Royal Navy) and Montana ( United States).
Theodora (Greece) The cargo ship was sunk in the Atlantic Ocean off Santa Uxía de Ribeira, A Coruña, Spain (42°32′N 9°25′W) by SM UB-49 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.

[Sailor Steve]

September 4, 1917

Air War:

0805 German ace Kurt Wüsthoff, flying an Albatros D.V, shoots down Nieuport 17 A6679 for victory number 10. 2nd Lt J.H. Binns is killed.

0825 German ace Rudolf Berthold, in an Albatros D.V, shoots down RE.8 A3778 for victory number 14. Lt B.K.B. Barber and Pvt A.W. Brimell are both killed.

0830 German ace Eberhard Mohnicke, in an Albatros D.V, shoots down Sopwith Pup B2197 for victory number 7. Cpt C.C. Sharp is wounded and taken prisoner.

0840 German pilot Eberhard Stapenhorst, in an Albatros D.V, shoots down a Sopwith Camel for victory number 3.

0915 French/American ace Raoul Lufbery, flying a Nieuport, shoots down an "Enemy Aircraft" for victory number 11.

0915 German ace Rudolf Matthaei, in an Albatros D.V, shoots down a Martinsyde G.100 for victory number 6.

0925 French ace Gustave Douchy and Cpt Victor Ménard, flying Nieuports, share a victory over a German two-seater. Number 8 for Douchy, number 4 for Ménard. This is Ménard's last victory, but his story is a fascinating one.
https://translate.google.com/transla...d/&prev=search

0930 Five RFC pilots, in Sopwith Pups, share a victory over an Albatros two-seater:
Lt E. Armitage, B1837, unknown.
Lt C. Courtneidge, B1802, unknown.
Eric Yorath Hughes, Wales, B6188, victory number 1.
Charles Walter Odell, England, B1842, number 1.
Maurice Scott, England, B1843, number 6.

0940 American pilot Edwin Charles Parsons, flying a Nieuport for the French Air Service, shoots down a Rumpler teo-seater for victory number 1.

1045 Kurt Wüsthoff scores his second kill of the day, shooting down a Sopwith Camel for victory number 11.

1120 German pilot Viktor Schobinger, in an Albatros D.III, shoots down an RE.8 for victory number 4.

1450 English RFC pilot Henry Michael Moody, In a Sopwith Camel, shoots down a German two-seater for victory number 1.

1540 French pilot Bernard Artigau, in a Nieuport, shoots down an "Enemy Aircraft" for victory number 1.

1630 German ace Julius Schmidt, flying an Albatros D.V, shoots down RE.8 A3778 for victory number 13.

1700 Rudolf Berthold scores his second kill of the day, shooting down an RE.8 for victory number 15.

1700 English RFC pilot Arthur Stanley Gould Lee, in Sopwith Pup B1777, shoots down an Albatros D.V for victory numbe 1.

1900 English RFC observer Valentine St. Barbe Collins, in Bristol F.2b with 2nd Lt W.D. Bostock as pilot, shoots down an Albatros D.V for victory number 1.

1935 French ace Georges Madon, in a Nieuport, shoots down an Albatros D.V for victory number 16. German 6-victory ace Erich Hahn is killed.

1945 German ace Hans Bethge, flying an Albatros D.V, shoots down a Bristol F.2b for victory number 15.

1950 Hans Bethge brings down a second Bristol F.2b for victory number 16.

2030 German ace Rudolf Wendelmuth, in an Albatros D.V, shoots down an SE.5 for victory number 6.

2140 Three RNAS pilots, in Sopwith Camels, share a victory over a DFW C.V:
Joseph Fall, Canada, B3898, victory number 15.
Sub-Lt J.E. Scott, B3907, unknown.
Harold Stackard, England, B6204, number 5.

French pilots Pierre Gustave Gaudermen and Sgt Baudry, both in Nieuports, share a victory over a German two-seater. Number 1 for both.

German ace Ludwig Hanstein, in an Albatros D.V, shoots down a SPAD for victory number 9.

French pilot Georges Lachmann, flying a SPAD VII, shoots down an "Enemy Aircraft" for victory number 4.

Russian pilot Ivan Loiko, in a Nieuport 17, shoots down a German two-seater for victory number 3.

German ace Eduard von Schleich, in an Albatros D.III, shoots down a Dorand AR.2 for victory number 11.

[Jimbuna]

5th September 1917

Eastern Front

Germans capture line of River Dvina to Friedrichstadt.

Southern Front

Struggle continues north-east of Gorizia.

Naval and Overseas Operations

East Africa: Germans lose 500 men altogether from 30 August to 2 September, and particularly severely in retreat to Mahenge.

Aviation

Air raids over British lines kill 37 and wound 43 German prisoners. They bomb 3 British hospitals and kill 19 and wound 26 patients in French hospital at Vadelaincourt, Meuse.

Political, etc.

"Bonnet Rouge" newspaper case being investigated: treasonable intrigue; French government accused of weakness in connection.

Crown Prince Wilhelm and Crown Princess Cecilie of Germany have a daughter Princess Cecilie of Prussia.

U.S. Justice Department makes raids on dozens of International Workers of the World meeting halls. 166 IWW leaders will be indicted.

The 3rd Zimmerwald Conference, an anti-war socialist conference, opens in Stockholm to discuss peace proposals.

Russian Premier Kerensky approves the use of force to suppress any pro-independence movement in Finland that threatens Russia.

Ship Losses:

SS Alesia (France) The passenger ship was torpedoed and damaged in the Atlantic Ocean 40 nautical miles (74 km) north west of Ouessant, Finistère by SM UC-69 ( Kaiserliche Marine). She was sunk the next day by SM UC-50 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Echunga (United Kingdom) The tanker was torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 40 nautical miles (74 km) north east of Ouessant by SM U-52 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of nine crew.
Emma (United Kingdom) The sailing vessel was shelled and sunk in the English Channel 8 nautical miles (15 km) north of Sept-Îles, Finistère, France by SM UC-50 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
HMT Eros (Royal Navy) The naval trawler struck a mine laid by UC 4 (Erich Hecht) and sank in the North Sea off Orfordness, Suffolk with the loss of two of her crew.
Florence Muspratt (United Kingdom) The schooner was shelled and sunk in the English Channel 10 nautical miles (19 km) north of Sept-Îles by SM UC-50 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Frances (United Kingdom) The ketch was scuttled in the English Channel 8 nautical miles (15 km) north by west of Sept-Îles by SM UC-50 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Glynn (United Kingdom) The schooner was shelled and sunk in the English Channel 32 nautical miles (59 km) north west of the Les Hanois Lighthouse, Guernsey, Channel Islands by SM UC-42 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Industry (United Kingdom) The schooner was shelled and sunk in the English Chaanel 20 nautical miles (37 km) north west of the Les Hanois Lighthouse by SM UC-42 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Jeannot (Belgium) The fishing vessel was scuttled in the North Sea off Lowestoft, Suffolk by SM UB-10 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Margaret (United Kingdom) The trawler struck a mine and sank in the North Sea off Wick, Caithness with the loss of five of her crew.
Proletaire (France) The sailing vessel was scuttled in the Mediterranean Sea 59 nautical miles (109 km) off Cape Bougarouni, Algeria (37°45′N 5°45′E) by SM U-63 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Theodor (United Kingdom) The sailing vessel was scuttled in the English Channel 13 nautical miles (24 km) north by west of Sept-Îles by SM UC-50 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
SM U-88 (Kaiserliche Marine) The Type U 87 submarine struck a mine and sank in the North Sea off Terschelling, Friesland, Netherlands with the loss of all 43 crew.
Unity (United Kingdom) The fishing smack was scuttled in the North Sea 8 nautical miles (15 km) east of the Cross Sand Lightship ( United Kingdom) by SM UB-10 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.

[Sailor Steve]

September 5, 1917

Air War:

German 12-victory ace Walter Höhndorf is killed test-flying the second AEG D.I prototype (4401/17). The first prototype (no serial number) had crashed previously, and with this second incident the project was cancelled.

0800 Five RNAS Sopwith Camel pilots share a victory over an Albatros two-seater:
Fred Banbury, Canada, B3832, victory number 4.
Roy Brown, Canada, B3818, number 2.
Stearne Edwards, Canada, number 2.
Oliver Redgate, England s/n unknown, number 2.
Arthur Wood, England, B3897, number 2.

0906 German pilot Karl Steudel, in an Albatros D.III, shoots down a Sopwith Camel for victory number 4.

0955 German pilot Johannes Klein, in an Albatros D.III, shoots down a Sopwith Camel for victory number 2.

1000 German ace Kurt Wüsthoff, in an Albatros D.V, shoots down a Sopwith Camel for victory number 12.

1200 New Zealander RFC ace Keith Park and observer H. Lindfield, in Bristol F.2b A7182, shoot down an Albatros D.V. Victory number 13 for Park, number 3 for Lindfield. Sixteen days later, on September 21, the body of Ltn Franz Pernet washed ashore at Zeeland, The Netherlands. Pernet was the stepson of General Erich Ludendorff.

1430 German ace Werner Voss, flying Fokker F.I 103/17, shoots down Sopwith Pup B1842 for victory number 40. 2nd Lt Charles Walter Odell manages to crash safely on his own side of the lines.

1528 German ace Rudolf Berthold, in an Albatros D.V, shoots down DH.4 A7530 for victory number 15. Lt J.W. Neill and 2nd Lt T.M. Webster are both listed as Missing.

1530 German pilot Joachim von Busse, in Albatros D.III 2052/16, shoots down Sopwith Camel B3777 for victory number 2. Lt J.C. Huggard is taken prisoner.

1550 German pilot Erich Löwenhardt, in an Albatros D.III, shoots down a Sopwith Pup for victory number 3.

1630 Werner Voss makes his second claime of the day, a Caudron G.6. MdL Jacques Thabaud-Deshoulières and Lt Marcel Mulard are both killed. It is also possible that this plane was brought down by Uffz Krause of Kest 3.

1820 English RNAS pilot Leonard Rochford, flying Sopwith Camel B3807, shoots down an Albatros D.III for victory number 4.

1840 New Zealander RNAS pilot Harold Beamish, in Sopwith Camel N6377, shoots down an Albatros D.V for victory number 3.

1845 New Zealander RFC pilot Clive Collett, in Sopwith Camel B6234, shoots down an Albatros D.V for victory number 9.

1900 German pilot Dieter Collin, in an Albatros D.III, shoots down a SPAD for victory number 4.

1900 Two RFC SE.5a pilots share a victory over an Albatros D.V:
John bonnicher Crompton, Canada, A8918, victory number 1.
Spencer Horn, England, A8936, number 6.

1845 German ace Reinhold Jörke, flying an Albatros D.III, shoots down a Sopwith Camel for victory number 6.

French pilot Michel Joseph Callixte Marie Coiffard, in a Nieuport, shoots down an Albatros two-seater for victory number 1.

German pilot Ludwig Hanstein, in an Albatros D.V, destroys a French observation balloon. Observer Lt Gadel is unharmed.

German pilot Theodor Rumpel shoots down a Morane-Saulnier 'P' for victory number 2. Sgt Maurice Leroux and Lt Pierre Goutier are both killed.

German ace Eduard von Schleich, in an Albatros D.III, shoots down a SPAD for victory number 12.

German ace Emil Thuy, flying an Albatros D.III, shoots down a SPAD for victory number 9.

[Jimbuna]

6th September 1917

Western Front

British detachments pressed back near Frezenberg (Ypres).

Eastern Front

12th Russian Army falls back clear of enemy.

Kaiser reviews troops in Riga.

Southern Front

Stubborn fighting north-east of Gorizia.

Naval and Overseas Operations

German force surrenders to British coloured troops at Kakera (N.N.E. of Kilossa).

Aviation

1917 French pilot Georges Guynemer shoots down 54th German aircraft.

Political, etc.

Petrograd and Moscow closed to strangers.

Ship Losses:

Agios Georgios (Greece) The barque was sunk in the Ionian Sea (36°15′N 21°44′E) by SM UC-74 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Elisabethville (Belgium) The passenger ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Bay of Biscay (47°05′N 3°04′W) by UC-71 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of fourteen of the 313 people on board.
HMS Fiona (Royal Navy) The armed boarding steamer ran aground on the Pentland Skerries. She was towed off but broke in two.
Hammar II (Sweden) The cargo ship was scuttled in the North Sea by SM UB-62 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her eleven crew took to the lifeboats but were not rescued.
HMT Helgian (Royal Navy) The naval trawler struck a mine laid by UC 23 (Volkhard von Bothmer) and sank in the Gulf of Ruphani with the loss of ten of her twelve crew.
Moina (France) The auxiliary sailing vessel was scuttled in the Atlantic Ocean west of Gibraltar (36°32′N 7°15′W) by SM UB-49 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Rosary (United Kingdom) The fishing smack was scuttled in the North Sea off the coast of Norfolk by SM UB-10 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Thisbe (France) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 6 nautical miles (11 km) west of The Lizard, Cornwall, United Kingdom (49°57′N 5°21′W) by SM UB-35 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Tuskar (United Kingdom) The cargo ship struck a mine laid by
U 80 (Gustav Amberger) and sank in the Atlantic Ocean 3 nautical miles (5.6 km) off Eagle Island, County Mayo with the loss of ten of her crew.
Ville de Strasbourg (France) The cargo ship was sunk in the Aegean Sea off Cape Spati, Cythera, Greece (36°24′N 22°54′E) by SM UC-74 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.

[Sailor Steve]

September 6, 1917

Air War:

0745 English RFC pilot Rothesay Nicholas Montagu Stuart Worley, flying a Bristol F.2b with 2nd Lt P.V. Burton as observer, shoots down a German two-seater and an Albatros D.V for victories number 1 and 2.

0800 Canandian RNAS pilot Wilfred Austin Curtis, in Sopwith Camel N6342, shoots down an Albatros D.V for victory number 1.

0910 German ace Walter Göttsch, in an Albatros D.V, shoots down an unidentified Sopwith for victory number 15.

1335 Five RNAS Camel pilots share a victory over an Albatros two-seater:
Joseph Fall, Canada, B3898 victory number 16.
Sub-Lt J.E. Scott, unknown nation, B3908, unknown victory.
Harold Stackard, England, unknown serial number, number 6.
Hazel LeRoy Wallace, Canada, B3892, number 1.
Arthur Wood, England, B3984, number 3.

1335 English RFC pilot Russell Winnicott, in DH.5 A9218, shoots down an Albatros two-seater for victory number 1.

1402 German ace Otto Kissenberth, flying an Albatros D.V, shoots down a SPAD VII for victory number 13.

1403 German pilot Otto Pelz, in an Albatros D.III, shoots down a SPAD VII for victory number 1.
(Two French SPADs were lost in this area - Sgt Henri Callinet, listed as Missing, and American Cpl Everett T. Buckley, fliying for N65, taken prisoner.

1535 German ace Werner Voss, in Fokker F.I 103/17, shoots down FE.2d B1895 for victory number 42. Lt John Oscar Pilkington and AM2 Herbert Frederick Williams are both killed.

1830 Two Italian pilots in SPAD VIIs share a victory over a Hansa-Brandenburg C.I:
Francesco Baracca, victory number 19.
Giovanni Sabelli, victory number 2.

German ace Paul Billik, in an Albatros D.V, shoots down a SPAD VII for victory number 7.

German pilot Dieter Collin, flying an Albatros D.III, shoots down a Nieuport for victory number 5. Collin is also wounded during this fight.

Russian pilot Ivan Loiko, in a Nieuport 17, shoots down a two-seater for victory number 5.

German ace Eduard von Schleich, in an Albatros D.III, shoots down a Nieuport 12 for victory number 13.

[Jimbuna]

7th September 1917

Western Front

A U.S. hospital on the French coast is bombed by a German aeroplane, causing 3 deaths—one of the first US Army deaths in France.

Southern Front

British activity on Struma front (eastern Macedonia).

Italians attack Monte S. Gabriele.

Austrians bomb Venice.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

Health of troops in Mesopotamia reported greatly improved.

Aviation

First flight of the Port Victoria P.V.8.


Political, etc.

U.S.A. contemplate seizing 400,000 tons of neutral shipping in American ports.

President Wilson bans the exportation of gold to Mexico, Spain, and Japan.

M. Ribot's ministry resigns.

Ship Losses:

Antonio Ferro (Russia) The tug foundered on this date with the loss of seven of her crew.
HMT By George (Royal Navy) The naval trawler struck a mine laid by UC 23 (Volkhard von Bothmer and sank in the Gulf of Ruphani (40°38′N 34°54′E) with the loss of two of her crew.
Casa Blanca (Portugal) The sailing vessel was sunk in the Atlantic Ocean by SM UB-49 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Clan Ferguson (United Kingdom) The collier was torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 15 nautical miles (28 km) off Cape Spartel, Morocco (35°50′N 6°10′W) by SM UB-49 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of ten crew.
Grelfryda (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed and damaged in the North Sea 4 nautical miles (7.4 km) south west by west of Flamborough Head, Yorkshire by SM UB-34 ( Kaiserliche Marine). She was beached, but was later refloated, repaired and returned to service.
Haakon VII (Norway) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 3 nautical miles (5.6 km) east south east of Land's End, Cornwall, United Kingdom by SM UB-35 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of three of her crew.
Hinemoa (United Kingdom) The four-masted barque was shelled and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 35 nautical miles (65 km) west south west of the Bishop Rock, Isles of Scilly (49°30′N 7°08′W) by SM UC-16 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Hunsbridge (United Kingdom) The collier was torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 60 nautical miles (110 km) west south west of Cape Spartel (35°10′N 6°50′W) by SM UB-49 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of three of her crew.
Minnehaha (United Kingdom) The ocean liner was torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 12 nautical miles (22 km) south east of the Fastnet Rock (51°17′N 9°22′W) by SM U-48 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of 43 lives.
Mont de Piete (France) The vessel was sunk in the Bay of Biscay off the mouth of the Loire by SM UC-71 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Myrmidon (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was damaged in the Mediterranean Sea (37°10′N 6°51′E by SM UC-54 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of two of her crew. She was beached at Philippeville, Algeria but was later refloated.
Versailles (France) The fishing vessel was shelled and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 107 nautical miles (198 km) south by west of Ouessant, Finistère (47°49′N 7°38′W) by SM UC-50 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Vestfjeld (Norway) The four-masted barque was sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 40 nautical miles (74 km) south west of the Bishop Rock by SM UC-16 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.