100 Years Ago Today

[Jimbuna]

18th February 1915

Western Front

Sharp fighting near Arras, in Champagne, near Verdun, and in Alsace.

French recover the Xon signal station and Norroy.

Eastern Front

Germans take Tauroggen (north-east of Tilsit).

Austrians offensive on the Dunajec near Tarnow.

Naval and Overseas Operations

First German unrestricted submarine campaign came into effect. All waters around British Isles including the English Channel declared a War Zone where all merchant ships could be destroyed without ensuring the safety of passengers and crew; neutral ships would be at risk from attack. Britain extended the defensive arming of merchant ships to protect themselves against surfaced U-boats leading to later German claims that armed vessels should be treated as warships. US protests led to U-boats being ordered not to attack ships flying neutral flags, hospital ships (unless obviously engaged in trooping) and Belgian Relief ships. The sinking shortly of the liner Lusitania started to swing American opinion strongly against Germany, leading up to entry into the war two years later. In 1915, only some 20 percent of ships were sunk without warning (some sources list start date as the 28th)


Orkneys
GOLDFINCH, destroyer, H-class, 970t, 1910, 2-4in/2-12pdr/2-21in tt, 27kts, 72 crew, Pennant No.H.44, 2nd DF Grand Fleet, Lt-Cdr Reginald Stone. Night of 18th/19th - Ran aground in dense fog on Start Point, Sanday Is (wi - in 59.17N, 02.25W), abandoned as a wreck; no lives lost. Sold for BU 4/19, possibly to Metal Industries.
Sparrowhawk, destroyer, K-class, c1,300t, 4th DF Grand Fleet. Probably sometime in February after Goldfinch was lost - Went ashore, got off, but "considerably damaged."

German attack on Jasin (East Africa) begins.

Political etc.

Britain defends its right to blockade Germany of food, as “the distinction between the civil population & the armed forces” has disappeared.

China shares the 21 Demands imposed on them by Japan to the U.S., Britain, France, and Russia.

Ship Losses:

HMS Goldfinch ( Royal Navy): The Acorn-class destroyer ran aground at Start Point, Sanday, Orkney Islands and was a total loss.
John D. Colwell ( United States): The schooner ran aground off Santa Isabel, Puerto Rico and was a total loss.
Mary Ada Short ( United Kingdom): The cargo ship was scuttled in the Atlantic Ocean 400 nautical miles (740 km) east by north of Pernambuco, Brazil by SMS Prinz Friedrich Eitel ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Membland ( United Kingdom): The cargo ship struck a mine and sank in the North Sea with the loss of twenty of her crew.

[Sailor Steve]

February 18:

The incipient U-Boat campaign is formally announced. A set of rules is issued to all U-Boat forces:

1. The U-boat campaign against commerce is to be prosecuted with all possible vigor.

2. Hostile merchant ships are to be destroyed.

3. Neutral ships are to be spared. A neutral flag or funnel marks of neutral steamship lines are not to be regarded, however, as sufficient guarantee in themselves of neutral nationality. Nor does the possession of further distinguishing neutral marks furnish absolute certainty. The commander must take into account all accompanying circumstances that may enable him to recognize the nationality of the ship; e.g. structure, place of registration, course, and general behavior.

4. Merchant ships with a neutral flag travelling in convoy are thereby proved neutral.

5. Hospital ships are to be spared. They may only be attacked when they are obviously being used for the transport of troops from England to France.

6. Ships belonging to the Belgian Relief Commission are likewise to be spared.

7. If in spite of the exercise of great care mistakes should be made the commander will not be held responsible.



Bay of Biscay: U-16, commanded by Claus Hansen, torpedoes French freighter Dinora, 4,208 tons, travelling from Havre to Dunkerque. The damaged ship continues on its way, arriving safely at its destination.



Atlantic Ocean: SMS Prinz Eitel Friedrich stops the British steamer Mary Ada Short, 3,605 tons, carrying a cargo of wheat from Rosario, Argentina, to St. Vincent and thence the UK. The crew, all the food onboard, and two pigs, are taken off and scuttling charges placed. Mary Ada Short refuses to sink and the Germans are forced to fire several shells into her before she finally goes down.



Yemen: Hellmuth von Mücke is not clear on the dates involved at this point, but sometime around the 18th he is informed that travelling northward is far too dangerous. He then decides to return to Al Hudaydah. Even this journey will have to be delayed due to the sickness of his men.

[Jimbuna]

19th February 1915

Western Front

French make a little progress at Les Eparges (east of Verdun).

Heavy fighting in the Vosges; Germans take the Reichsackerkopf and occupy Metzeral and Sondernach.

Eastern Front

Russian counter-offensive on East Prussian frontier.

Sorties at Przemsyl repulsed.

Austrian offensive on Dunajec checked after slight advance.

Russian retreat near Nadworna.

Southern Front

Bombardment of forts at entrance to Dardanelles by five British and three French battleships and battle-cruisers.

Naval and Overseas Operations

Norwegian S.S. "Belridge" torpedoed in Channel, but not sunk ( the first victim of German blockade).

Naval operations of the Dardanelles Campaign begins, as two British battleships and two destroyers bombard the Dardanelles forts.
British and French battleships launch a massive attack on Turkish positions at Cape Helles and Kum Kaleh at the entrance to the Dardanelles, the narrow strait separating Europe from Asia in northwestern Turkey and the only waterway linking the Mediterranean Sea to the Black Sea.
The bombardments made little initial impact, however, as the Turks were not caught unawares: they had long known an attack on the Dardanelles was a strong possibility and had been well fortified by their German allies.




Vengeance, battleship, Canopus-class, 14,300t, 4-12in/12-6in/12-12pdr/4-18in tt, 8th BS Channel Fleet 8/14, later to Mediterranean. The bombardment of the defences around Cape Helles on the European side and Kum Kale/Orkanie on the Asiatic was initially carried out by battlecruiser Inflexible (flag, Adm Carden, C-in-C), battleships Albion, Cornwallis, Triumph, the French Suffren (French flag) and Bouvet, supported by French Suffren and light cruiser Amethyst. Vengeance (division flag, Adm de Robeck) observed for her division, and the force was later joined by dreadnought Queen Elizabeth and battleship Agamemnon. Vengeance fired at and was fired on by Orkanie batteries on Asiatic side, not hit but spars and rigging damaged by four near misses, Cornwallis was slightly less damaged.

Political, etc.

British Foreign Office issues statement that permits British ships to use foreign flags to prevent them from being targeted by submarines.

British government announces that any food heading to Germany will now be considered as contraband.

Memoranda published by British Government in reply to U.S.A. Notes about the neutral flag and S.S. "Wilhelmina".

France activates its remaining reserves, and will consider them to be part of the active army.

Ship Losses:

HMT Blakedown ( Royal Navy): The naval trawler was lost on this date.
SMS S14 ( Kaiserliche Marine}): The S13-class destroyer suffered an internal explosion and sank in the Jade Bight.


HMS Cornwallis (1901) firing at Dardanelles 19 February 1915.

[Sailor Steve]

February 19:

English Channel: U-16, under the command of Claus Hansen, torpedoes Norwegian tanker Belridge, 7,020 tons, carrying a load of petroleum from New Orleans to Amsterdam. The tanker is only damaged, and puts safely into Thames Haven.



Pacific Ocean: Fritz Lüdecke orders SS Sierra Cordoba to Valparaiso in an attempt to purchase some coal. SMS Dresden continues to steam slowly toward the Juan Fernandez Islands.

HMS Newcastle arrives at Guymas, Mexico.



Cape Horn: HMS Bristol arrives at Isthmus Bay.

While anchored at Puerto Condell, HMS Glasgow dispatches a steam launch to investigate the theft of a whaleboat by local natives.



Atlantic Ocean: SMS Prinz Eitel Friedrich captures French liner SS Floride, 6,620 tons. The crew are taken off and the ship scuttled.

[Jimbuna]

20th February 1915

Western Front

Germans gain a little ground near Ypres.

French take wood north of Perthes, and progress near Les Eparges.

German advance south-east of Sulzern (Alsace).

Eastern Front

German attacks at Kosziowa repulsed.

Naval and Overses Operations

Bombardment of Dardanelles forts continued. Second planned bombardment to complete the destruction of the outer forts cancelled because of gale-force conditions, accurate gunlaying not possible and spotting aircraft could not fly. The bad weather continued until the 25th.


North Sea
CORCYRA, Admiralty trawler, 225/1914, Grimsby-reg GY63, hired 8/14 as minesweeper, Admiralty No.278, Skipper Leonard Shenton RNR. Stranded (H - wrecked) near Bacton, Norfolk; no lives lost. Later salved, but not taken back into Naval service, in Fishery Reserve, listed until 1919, served again in WW2.

Orders issued for employment at the Dardanelles of the Australian and New Zealand troops in Egypt.

The last of the Singapore mutineers are killed or captured; 47 British soldiers and civilians were killed during the mutiny.

Ship Losses:

Bjaerke ( Norway): The cargo ship struc two mines in Nakskov Fjord and sank. Her crew survived.
Cambank ( United Kingdom): The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk by SM U-30 in the Irish Sea 10 nautical miles (19 km) off Point Lynas, Anglesey (53°25′N 4°00′W) by SM U-30 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of four of her 25 crew.
HMT Corcyra ( Royal Navy): The naval trawler was lost on this date.
Downshire ( United Kingdom): The coaster was scuttled in the Irish Sea off Point Lynas (54°03′N 5°15′W) by SM U-30 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Maggie Barratt ( United Kingdom): The schooner departed Greenock, Renfrewshire for the River Duddon. She subsequently foundered in the Irish Sea with the loss of all hands. Wreckage from the ship washed up at Maughold Head, Isle of Man.
Willerby ( United Kingdom): The cargo ship was scuttled in the Atlantic Ocean 490 nautical miles (910 km) north east by north of Pernambuco, Brazil by SMS Prinz Friedrich Eitel ( Kaiserliche Marine).

[Sailor Steve]

February 20:

London: The Australian and New Zealand troops who made up the First ANZAC convoy back in November - the same convoy that was escorted by HMAS Sydney, which had been dispatched to sink SMS Emden - are designated to be a major part of the planned Dardanelles invasion. They have been training in Egypt since their arrival there on December 3rd.



Irish Sea: U-30, commanded by Erich von Rosenberg-Grusczyski, torpedoes SS Cambank, 3,112 tons, master T.R. Prescott, travelling from Huelvas to Garston with a load of copper ore. Later in the day U-30 captures and scuttles the tiny 337-ton steamer Downshire, proceeding from Dundrum to Manchester with a load of empty cement bags.



Pacific Ocean: HMS Kent arrives at Santa Maria, Coronel, and takes on coal from SS Braunton.

HMS Newcastle departs Guymas for San Bartolome.



Cape Horn: HMS Bristol and Glasgow are once again working together, patrolling the area around Puerto Condell, deep in the fjords north of the Strait of Magellan.



Atlantic Ocean: SMS Prinz Eitel Friedrich encounters British freighter SS Willerby, 3,630 tons, travelling in ballast from Marseilles to Buenos Aires. Korvettenkapitän Max Therichens orders the freighter to stop, but Captain J.R. Wedgewood decides to make a run for it. Forty-five minutes later he is overhauled and then tries to ram the big armed merchant cruiser. Therichens avoids this move and under the threat of the German guns Wedgewood finally surrenders. The crew are taken off and the ship scuttled. This is Prinz Eitel Friedrich's last victim.

HMS Carnarvon meets the old battleship HMS King Edward VII.



German East Africa: SS Kinfauns Castle arrives at Niororo, a tiny island north of Mafia Island, with her cargo of new seaplanes for the Königsberg mission.

[Jimbuna]

21st February 1915

Western Front

German aeroplane drops bombs at Colchester and other places in Essex; no damage.

French progress north of Perthes.

Germans take Hochrod and Stossweiler (Alsace).

Eastern Front

Successful Russian counter-attacks near Lomja and Pltsk.

Russians carry heights near Lupkow and Wyzskow Passes, and make successful attack on Austrians south-east of Stanislau.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

Turks driven across River Ichkalen (Armenia).

Political etc.

Edwin Emerson, war correspondent & grandson of the poet, reports he was blacklisted by UK censors for refusal to distort war stories.

International Peace Committee at Amsterdam petitions Queen Wilhelmina to mediate in the war.

Representatives from Sweden, Norway, and Denmark meet in Copenhagen to discuss creating a convoy to protect shipping from German attacks.

Ship Losses:

Evelyn ( United States): The cargo ship struck a mine and sank in the North Sea off Borkum, Lower Saxony, Germany. Her crew were rescued by a German vessel.

[Sailor Steve]

February 21:

Pacific Ocean: HMS Kent spends the day patrolling off Coronel.



Cape Horn: HMS Bristol patrols the Strait of Magellan from Casa to Focus Island. HMS Glasgow patrols a different area to arrive at the same destination.



Atlantic Ocean: HMS Carnarvon arrives at Abrolhos Rocks, recoals from SS Buresh.



German East Africa: The first of the Sopwith seaplanes is assembled and ready for testing. With pilot and observer, four bombs, and fuel for one hour in the air, the plane refuses to lift off.

[Jimbuna]

22nd February 1915

Western Front

Zeppelin bombards Calais, causing the deaths of 5 civilians but relatively little material damage.

Heavy bombardment of Reims; cathedral vault broken.

French capture trenches and two woods on the line Souain-Beausejour.

British military observer in the French Army admits that gains in the Western Front has been slight and is practically a deadlock.

Eastern Front

Germans report that "the pursuit of the Russians is now finished", and claim over 100,000 prisoners in East Prussian offensive.

Heavy fighting at many points in northern Poland, especially near Przasnysz, where strong German attacks are repulsed.

Big battle begins south of the line Dolina-Stanislau.

The Winter Battle in Masuria ends.

Naval and Overseas Operations

Net barrage across North Channel (between Ireland and Scotland) established.

Carnarvon, armoured cruiser, Devonshire-class, 10,850t, flag, Rear-Adm Stoddart, searching South American waters for light cruiser Karlsruhe and raider Kronprinz Wilhelm. Left Abrolhos Rock anchorage, shortly after weighing she hit uncharted shoal and ripped 95ft of bottom plating, beached and out of action, patched and sent into Rio de Janeiro where repairs were allowed because she had "suffered peril of the sea". Flag transferred to cruiser Vindictive.

Occupation of Garub (German south-west Africa) by Union forces.

Political etc.

Brigadier General John Gough, recipient of the Victoria Cross, dies due to wounds sustained at the front.


American Citizen’s Association protests President Wilson at the New York Hippodrome for being “subservient to British influence.”

Ship Losses:

CARIB American steamer sunk by mine in the North Sea; 3 killed. (ex: Kimon, ex: President Garfield; Clyde S.S. Co., New York; build 1882.01 by W. Hamilton & Co., Port Glasgow; 2.087 grt, 1.280 nrt; 288.4 x 36.2 x 22.4 ft; C.2-cyl. 241 nhp build by Dunsmuir & Jackson, Glasgow).

[Sailor Steve]

February 22:

Air War: Hauptmann Adolf Heyrowsky, commanding officer of Flik 9, flying a Lohner (or possibly Albatros) biplane with Oskar Safar as observer, attacks a Serbian observation balloon. Safar shoots down the balloon. This is the first recorded victory by an Austro-Hungarian crew and the first recorded "balloon bust".



Pacific Ocean: HMS Kent moves from Santa Maria Island to the port of Coronel, Chile.



Cape Horn: HMS Bristol and Glasgow continue their patrol in the vicinity of Focus Island, Last Hope Inlet and Puerto Natales. At 1335 Bristol runs aground, heavily damaging her rudder. She is now only able to steer using her propellers.



Atlantic Ocean: While patrolling the Abrolhos Rocks area HMS Carnarvon runs aground. "Ship struck an obstruction on Starb side. Hard a port." Flooding is reported in A, B and C boiler rooms. The ship is anchored in shallow water and HMS Vindictive comes alongside and puts a diving party into the water to investigate Carnarvon's hull.



German East Africa: The two newly-arrived Sopwiths are rapidly proving useless. Neither one can become airborne unless it carries neither observer nor bombs, and even in that condition the maximum altitude they can reach is only 1500 feet, leaving them easy prey for the Germans' machine guns.

[Jimbuna]

23rd February 1915

Eastern Front

Russians advance across the Bobr, south-east of Augustovo.

Germans report capture of 300 guns in recent offensive.

Naval and Overseas Operations

Entrance to the North Channel, except south of Rathlin Island, closed by British Government.

Dardanelles Campaign - Royal Marines occupied Greek island of Lemnos, off the Dardanelles; the harbour of Mudros became a major advanced Allied base.

Occupation of Nonidas and Goanikas (German south-west Africa).

Political etc.

Court of inquiry is held by the British to investigate the captured members of the Singapore Mutiny.

According to a suit filed in the US Supreme Court, Britain is receiving 3.5 million cartridges of ammunition a week from the U.S.

Kaiser Wilhelm praises the “poets and thinkers” of the country for uniting the country and strengthening the determination of the people.

Germany is currently imposing a levy of $8 million ($187 million today) a month on Belgium.

German government puts a stop to the practice of printing hostile phrases, like “God Punish England,” on mail leaving the country.

Bread rationing begins in Berlin, with every citizen, including royalty, only entitled to what they receive through tickets.

Ship Losses:

Branksome Chine ( United Kingdom): The collier was torpedoed and sunk in the English Channel 6 nautical miles (11 km) south of Beachy Head, East Sussex by SM U-8 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her twenty crew survived.
Oakby ( United Kingdom): The collier was torpedoed and damaged in the English Channel 4 nautical miles (7.4 km) east by north of the Royal Sovereign Lightship ( United Kingdom) by SM U-8 ( Kaiserliche Marine). She was taken in tow but sank the next day off Folkestone, Kent. Her twenty crew survived.
Regin ( Norway): The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the English Channel off the Goodwin Sands, Kent. Her 23 crew were rescued by a Royal Navy torpedo boat destroyer.
HMT Tern ( Royal Navy): The naval trawler was lost on this date.

[Sailor Steve]

February 23:

English Channel: U-8, commanded by Alfred Stoß, torpedoes SS Branksome Chine, 2,026 tons, en route from Grimsby to Portsmouth with a cargo of coal. Later in the day U-8 torpedoes SS Oakby, 1,976 tons, travelling in ballast from London to Cardiff.



Pacific Ocean: HMS Newcastle arrives at San Bartolome.

HMS Kent starts moving southward toward Cape Horn.



Cape Horn: HMS Bristol and Glasgow move from Puerto Natales back to Focus Island.



Atlantic Ocean: At 0047 hours HMS Carnarvon uses her anchors to turn the ship seaward. At 0108 Ahead Slow is ordered. Four minutes later the ship runs aground again. At 0115 Half Speed is called up and the ship slips free. At 0119 Carnarvon is anchored in deep enough water for an thorough examination. At 0230 another anchor is let go and the ship is securely in place.

With the rising sun divers are put into the water for a careful examination of the damage. At 0945 the ship starts bumping the anchors with the rising tide. The divers are taken back aboard and at 1004 Carnarvon is moved to slightly deeper water. The divers begin the work of caulking the hole in the ship's bottom, and the three affected boiler rooms begin pumping out water. At 2000 there is still a 1/2 degree list to starboard. By 2200 the list is corrected.

[Jimbuna]

24th February 1915

Western Front

Small British advance near La Bassee.

Further French progress near Mesnil.

Heavy bombing of German rear in Champagne.

The first British Territorial division (the North Midland) leaves England for France.

Eastern Front

Continued heavy fighting near Przasnysz; Russians take 2,600 prisoners.

Russians retake Stanislau.

Germans bombard Osovyets.

Southern Front

Bombardment resumed at Dardanelles; outer forts reduced.

Naval and Overseas Operations

Seven British merchantmen sunk by submarines in first week of "blockade".

Arrivals and sailings, 1,381.

Political etc.

Military activity increases on the eastern border of the Netherlands with Germany, as a protest is sent to Berlin for its u-boat campaign.

Ship Losses:

Dague ( French Navy): The Bouclier-class destroyer struck a mine and sank at Bar, Montenegro with the loss of 38 of her crew.
Harpalion ( United Kingdom): The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the English Channel 6.5 nautical miles (12.0 km) west of the Royal Sovereign Lightship ( United Kingdom) by SM U-8 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of three crew.
Rio Parana ( United Kingdom): The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the English Channel 4 nautical miles (7.4 km) south east of Beachy Head, East Sussex by SM U-8 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Western Coast ( United Kingdom): The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the English Channel 8 nautical miles (15 km) south of Beachy Head, East Sussex by SM U-8 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her nineteen crew survived.

First-aid worker attempting to rest during a German barrage, by Georges Barrière.

[Sailor Steve]

February 24:

English Channel: Alfred Stoß continues his attacks on merchant shipping. U-8's first victim is SS Harpalion, 5,867 tons, travelling from London to Cape Henry, Virginia in ballast. Next is SS Rio Parana, 4,015 tons, bound from Tyne to Porto Ferraio, Portugal, with a cargo of coal. Last is SS Western Coast, 1,165 tons, carrying a mixed cargo from London to Liverpool. Stoß' total is now 15,049 tons.



Cape Horn: HMS Bristol and Glasgow depart Focus Island for Puerto Condell. They stop there for half an hour then proceed again. At 1530 Glasgow parts company and sails for Cooper Key. Bristol arrives at Puerto Tamar at 1845.



Atlantic Ocean: Off the Abrolhos Rocks, divers work from dawn to dusk trying to repair the hole in HMS Carnarvon's bottom plates. The three boiler rooms are still taking water and the list starts to increase again, first to 1/2 degree then finally to 1-1/2 degrees.



German East Africa: One of the two Sopwith seaplanes, S921, crashes on landing after a test flight. The plane is damaged beyond repair.

[Jimbuna]

25th February 1915

Much of yesterdays content should heve been posted today

Allied naval attack on the Dardanelles forts continues.
Second Bombardment of Outer Dardanelles Forts.

Second bombardment resumed after delays due to bad weather. Runs were made by battleships Vengeance and Cornwallis, French Suffren and Charlemagne, supported by anchored dreadnought Queen Elizabeth, battleships Agamemnon, Irresistible and French Gaulois. Fire was opened around around 1015, but within a short time, Agamemnon was hit:

Agamemnon, battleship, Lord Nelson-class, 17,680t, 4-12in/10-9.2in/24-12pdr/5-18in tt, 5th BS Channel Fleet 8/14, later to Mediterranean, anchored about 2½m WSW of Cape Yeni Shehr on Asiatic side. Cape Helles batteries opened fire at 1017 at 10,000yds and straddled her after 15min, ordered to weigh but within 10min hit by seven armour piercing shells, most of which broke up, but holed above waterline, hydraulic engine and main derrick damaged; 3 ratings killed, one DOW and four seriously injured. Cleared up wreckage, continued in action and repaired damage off Tenedos next day.

By 1500 the outer batteries had been practically silenced by the Anglo-French ships. Minesweeping trawlers escorted by destroyers and covered by battleships Vengeance, Albion and Triumph then started sweeping the entrance. At 1600 the rest of the fleet retired to Tenedos. By 2000 the sweepers had penetrated four miles without finding any mines.

Swiss soldiers fire at a German aircraft that flew over Swiss territory near Bonfol; the aircraft returned safely.

Prince von Bülow, German ambassador to Italy, states he will resign if Austria-Hungary does not cede territory to Italy to keep it neutral.

German government buys the Berlin electrical works, which supplies most of the power to the city’s industry, in order to control prices.

Ship Losses:

Orozco ( Spain): The cargo ship foundered in the Bay of Biscay 50 nautical miles (93 km) off La Rochelle, Charente-Maritime, France. Her crew were rescued by a tug.

Allied warships at sea, a seaplane flyby, 1915.