100 Years Ago Today

[Sailor Steve]

April 10:

English Channel: Just south of The Lizard, at the west end of the Channel. Rudolf Schneider, commanding U-24, stops and scuttles the small British steamer SS The President, 647 tons bound from Clyde to St. Malo with a cargo of pitch.



North Sea: Karl Groß, in the brand-new coastal attack boat UB-4, torpedoes and sinks SS Harpalyce, 5940 tons, travelling in ballast from Rotterdam to Norfolk, Virginia. Harpalyce had the words "Commission For Belgian Relief" painted on her sides and carried a white flag with the same words.



Cape Town, South Africa: HMS Laconia recieves orders to proceed to Durban an pick up a special cargo. At 2351 Laconia weighs anchorand gets underway.



German East Africa: After a day in harbor together, Admiral King-Hall's squadron disperses to continue their patrols. In Mombasa, Lieutenant Cull is notified that he will have three new seaplanes arriving shortly.

[Jimbuna]

11th April 1915

Western Front

Germans repulsed at Les Eparges.

Severe fighting near Albert.

Eastern Front

Germans bombard Osovyets.

Russians capture Wysocko Nizhne, near the Uzsok Pass.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

Turks attack British at Kurna (Mesopotamia) and Ahwaz (Persian Gulf).

Naval and Overseas Operations

Harrison liner "Wayfarer" torpedoed. Wayfarer sailed from Avonmouth on 10 April 1915 carrying 200 soldiers of the Warwickshire Yeomanry, their mounts and equipment. After the attack by U 32 (Edgar von Spiegel von und zu Peckelsheim) in which five horses were also killed the ship was taken in tow by Framfield (2510/94) and towed to Queenstown for temporary repairs arriving there on 13 April. Permanent repairs were carried out at Liverpool between 19 May and 16 July.

French steamer Frederic Franck was attacked by U 24 (Rudolf Schneider) enroute from La Pallice - London was damaged about about 25 miles S of Start Point - did not sink after scuttling attempt.

"Kronprinz Wilhelm" arrives at Newport News.


The German submarine UB-15 is commissioned.


English Channel
Sarnia, Admiralty armed boarding steamer, 1,498/1910, hired 14/11/14, 2-12pdr, Cdr H Muir RNR. At 0700 Brixham smack Addax reported seeing a U-boat chasing a steamer half an hour earlier, at 0730 Sarnia sighted the French SS Frederic Franck 3½m off with crew in boats and U.24 (Rudolf Schneider) alongside. Sarnia approached, the U-boat submerged, and Sarnia circled the steamer firing at the periscope. Around 0820 a first torpedo was evaded, then a second. Having called for destroyer help, she continued circling, firing at and attempting to ram the periscope until 1020 when the U-boat made off; the French steamer was only damaged

Political, etc.

Count Bernstorff publishes the German Note to U.S.A.

German reprisals announced re: British treatment of captured submarine crews: 39 British officer prisoners under arrest.

Bulgaria agrees to mixed Serbian and Bulgarian commission on frontier incidents in Macedonia.

[Sailor Steve]

April 11:

German East Africa: Back in August when the Russians destroyed the grounded German cruiser Magdeburg, they had captured that ship's code books intact. Thanks to that, the British have known of SS Rubens' mission to resupply SMS Königsberg. Admiral King-Hall is aboard his flagship HMS Hyacinth patrolling the area around Niororo Island with his other ships combing the area looking for signs of the German supply ship.

[Jimbuna]

12th April 1915

Western Front

Failure of French attack south-east of Hartmannsweilerkopf.

French consolidate their positions at Les Eparges.

German airship bombs Nancy.

Eastern Front

Russians checked east of the Uzsok Pass. Russian forces continue a slow advance in the Carpathians into the Hungarian plain, but Austro-Hungarian forces hold the strategic Hill 992.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

Indecisive fighting at Kurna and Ahwaz.

Turks attack Basra from west and south.

Naval and Overseas Operations

French cruiser "St. Louis" bombards Gaza.

The steamer Minnesota, the largest American cargo ship, runs aground off the shore of Iwajima, Japan, and is stranded.

Political, etc.

Papal Note to President Wilson declaring the readiness of the Pope to co-operate for the restoration of peace.

Pyotr Bark, Russian Finance Minister, states the war is a blessing to the peasants, who are “more prosperous than at any time in history…”

Kaiser Wilhelm refuses to return a $10,000 trophy for the upcoming Brooklyn singing festival, stating he does not want it fall to the Allies.

[Sailor Steve]

April 12:

Saudi Arabia: Hellmuth von Mücke and his men arrive at Rabigh; roughly one quarter of their journey on the Red Sea is done. There they hire a larger, stronger zambuk, as the one they now have is showing signs of strain.

Von Mücke notes that they have seen no British ships at all, and wonders if his planted rumors of their travelling by land have worked. Given the events taking place at the same time, it seems more likely that the British are moving all their naval assets northward in anticipated support of the invasion of Gallipoli.

[Jimbuna]

13th April 1915

Western Front

French progress near Berry-au-Bac.

Failure of French attacks near Maizeray.

Eastern Front

Russians capture heights near Uzsok Pass.

Approximately 280,000 German reinforcements are being sent to Austria-Hungary to repel the Russian advance.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

Turks beaten north of Basra and retreat from Shaiba (south-west of Basra).

Naval and Overseas Operations

Publication of Rear-Admiral Hon. H. Hood's despatch on patrol action on Belgian coast, 17 October-9 November 1914.

Aviation

Germany now has 36 dirigibles, while 9 has been lost since the war.

Political, etc.

M. Radoslavov, Bulgarian premier, orders disarmament of Turco-Bulgarians on Serbian frontier.

Italy presses Austria for an answer to the Note of 8 April.

Munitions Committee meets under the chairmanship of Mr. Lloyd George.

[Sailor Steve]

April 13:

Air War: Jean Navarre, flying a Morane-Saulnier 'L' parasol with a "Soldat Girard" as observer, is credited with his second kill when the pair bring down an Aviatik two-seater.

[Catfish]

OT today, re the german outrage regarding the sinking of the "Falaba" march 28th, 1915, just found what i wrote some years ago in another forum:

The Falaba was not a typical passenger liner like the "Imperator", or the "Lusitania", but I will post what is found in the papers regarding the sinking of the steamship S.S. "Falaba". This is not only from the book "Die U-Boote des Kaisers".
Referring to to the patrol of Kapitaenleutnant von Forstner, commanding the U-28 :
The U-boat left port at march 16th, heading for its patrol target area, the Irish sea. Forstner used the prize procedure, as all german U-boat commanders did at that time, and which b.t.w. caused more sinkings than the "unrestricted U-boat war" later.
Armed with a 8.8 cm quick-loading deck gun Forstner tried to stop all ships he encountered, neutrals, hostile or those that did not show any flag, with a signal, or using warning shots. Neutral ships were controlled via the ship's papers. Two steamers of The Netherlands were manned with a prize crew, and sent to Zeebrugge, Belgium. One steamer of The Netherlands carried banned goods (or contraband?) and was sunk at sea, a spanish steamer was allowed to continue after checking its freight. [...]

Eight ships had been destroyed with the deck gun, when at march 28th, a 5000 tons steamer without a national flag, was stopped via signalling by Forstner, south of the St. George's canal. It was quickly identified as the british merchant freighter "Falaba", and Forstner ordered to immediately leave the ship. The Falaba's captain was told via megaphone that he had ten minutes to clear the ship. What happened next is a direct translation from U-28's war diary (from me, so it may be not exact, or perfect):

"In the moment of setting the signal a big turmoil began on the ship. [...] at port side a lifeboat was thrown into the sea. There had already been people in the boat [...] Much of the boat's inventory and other things fell overboard. Other boats were quickly put to water, and soon swamped, but remained afloat.
It made the general impression, as if parts of the crew immediately manned some favoured boats, which were put to water quickly, and well. Then again the passengers were running helplessly along the deck, to find a lifeboat. Without doubt there had not been any advice to the distribution of boats for the passengers before."

Because of the observed panic and with regard to the many civilian persons Forstner extended the period of time for another ten minutes before preparing a torpedo, which again took some time. When there were still people left on the ship he again extended the wait for a further 3 minutes (log book again). As it could be observed by U-28's radio operator, the "Falaba" radioed distress signals for the whole time, firing one signal rocket after the other. When some plumes of smoke became visible after some more time, and an attack of hostile warships was imminent, Forstner gave the order to fire the torpedo.

The "Falaba" is said to have sunk within eight minutes, taking dozens of passengers with it, among them an US citizen. It is controversial whether some tons of explosives were responsible for the quick sinking, but it is verifiable those explosives were aboard. Kaiser William was informed about this incident, and he did not officially criticize Forstner. Instead the Kaiser accepted Forstner's sober procedure.

[Jimbuna]

14th April 1915

Western Front

Germans accuse the French of using poison gas near Verdun.

Zeppelin raid on Tyneside.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p01wv7dr


Eastern Front

Germans repulsed before Osovyets.

Indecisive fighting at the Uzsok Pass.

Russians make progress east of Czernowitz.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

British offensive south of Shaiba routs Turks.

Naval

German East Africa Campaign - German supply ship Kronburg, ex-British SS Rubens detained at Hamburg 8/14, now carrying supplies for light cruiser Königsberg still lying in the Rufuji River delta, sunk by old light cruiser Hyacinth in the Indian Ocean.

Political, etc.

Mr. Fisher states in Australian Parliament that the Government will send every available man to the war.

Mr. Harcourt states that the Dominions will be consulted as to peace terms.

General von Bissing suppresses the Belgian Red Cross.

Japanese Government inform British Government of German overtures for separate peace.

Ship Losses:

Folke ( Sweden): The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the North Sea (57°55′N 0°30′E) by SM U-6 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Katwijk ( Netherlands): The cargo ship was sunk in the North Sea 6 nautical miles (11 km) west of the Noord Hinder Lightship ( Netherlands) by SM UB-10 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Vestland ( Denmark): The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the North Sea off the north east of Scotland by SM U-6 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of all 27 crew.

[Sailor Steve]

April 14:

North Sea: Reinhold Lepsius, commanding U-6, scores his first victories. First is the Swedish steamer Folke, 1,352 tons, en route from Levanger to London with a load of timber. Next is the British fishing boat Glencarse, 188 tons, taken as a prize off Scotland. Last is the Danish cargo ship Vestland, 3,392 tons, torpedoed and sunk with all hands while underway from Narvik to Middlesbrough with a cargo of iron ore.

Otto Steinbrinck, in UB-10, sinks the Dutch steamer SS Katwijk, 2,040 tons, travelling from Baltimore to Rotterdam, cargo unlisted. Steinbrink had previously commanded U-6, without success.



German East Africa: HMS Hyacinth is patrolling from Niororo Island to Mansa Bay. At 0410 hours she stops off the Kilulu Channel to wait for the sun to come up. At 0445 she moves inside the reef, then stops at 0450 when her starboard engine breaks down. At 0505 her lookouts see smoke. On closer inspection this turns out to be the German supply ship Rubens. At 0530 Hyacinth opens fire over land, but Rubens is out of range. At 0620 Hyacinth is close enough and opens fire again. Rubens takes several hits and starts to burn. At 0640 Hyacinth turns into Mansa Bay. At 0755 Hyacinth sends a fire-fighting party to Rubens. While they are fighting the fires the Germans are busy offloading supplies into boats and taking them to shore. At 0910 Hyacinth opens fire on the shore to stop the Germans' offloading activities. At 0920 Admiral King-Hall has his firefighting party recalled and at 0940 opens fire with 6" Lyddite shells, which are designed specifically to start fires and burn men. At 0950 he orders the Germans ashore attacked with shrapnel. At 1015 this is supplemented with 12pdr fire to destroy the Germans' boats. By 1030 Rubens has settled to the bottom and is burning from stem to stern. At 1045 Hyacinth departs Mansa Bay.

Captain Looff's last hope of resupply is gone.



At 0811 HMS Laconia arrives at Durban. At 1145 she begins recoaling from lighters.

[Jimbuna]

15th April 1915

Western Front

Ostend bombed by 15 Allied aeroplanes.

French airship bombs Freiburg.

Severe fighting off Ostend.

Eastern Front

German troops under the command of General Litzinger launches a counterattack against the Russian left wing in the Carpathians.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

Russian Black Sea fleet bombards Ergeti and other places on the coast of Anatolia.

Political etc.

Sir John French's despatch on operations from 2 February to 20 March published.

French War Office looks into adopting khaki uniforms due to the disadvantage of the current blue uniforms.

Ship Losses:

Ptarmigan ( United Kingdom): The coaster was torpedoed and sunk in the North Sea 6 nautical miles (11 km) west by north of the Noord Hinder Lightship ( Netherlands) by SM UB-5 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of five crew.

[Sailor Steve]

April 15:

Air War: German Zeppelins L-5, L-6 and L-7 continue the bombings over Britain. This time German Naval Airship Division Commander Peter Strasser is along for the ride.

Roland Garros of France scores his second victory in his single-seat Morane 'L', shooting down an unidentified German aircraft.

"My new bus is a Morane parasol, 80 h.p. Le Rhone. They are supposed to climb like fire and do over 80 miles per hour, but are very touchy on the elevator and rather tiring to fly. I have not yet been up in her. Garros brought another machine down today, and a Frenchman managed to fly back to our own lines after having one foot smashed by shrapnel over Ostend."
-Lt. Harold Rosher, letter to his father, April 15, 1915



North Sea: Wilhelm Smiths, commanding U-5, sinks the small British steamer Ptarmigan, 784 tons, bound from Rotterdam to London with a general cargo.



Durban, South Africa: HMS Laconia continues coaling in Durban harbor, takes aboard various aviation equipment.

[Jimbuna]

16th April 1915

Western Front

Germans repulsed at Notre Dame de Lorette.

French airships bomb Strasbourg and other German towns.

Zeppelin raid on East Anglia: aeroplane bombs Faversham and Sittingbourne.
http://kentww1.com/the-faversham-and...th-april-1915/

Eastern Front

Russians capture two heights south-west of Rosztoki Pass (Carpathians).

Southern Front

Allied fleets bombard Enos.

Albanian rebels bombard Durazzo.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

Turks reach Urumia (north-west Persia).

Aviation

The United States Navy conducts the first catapult launch of an aircraft from a floating platform, launching an airplane from Navy Coal Barge No. 214 at Naval Air Station Pensacola at Pensacola, Florida.
http://www.navalaviationmuseum.org/h...arge-catapult/


Naval and Overseas Operations

French cruiser bombards El Arish.

British transport "Manitou" was attacked by the Turkish torpedo boat Demir Hissar. The attack does not seem to have been very well carried out, for both of the torpedoes fired missed and the torpedo boat was subsequently beached by her crew while being pursued by the cruiser HMS Doris.


On 16th April 1915 whilst attempting to run beneath the minefields guarding the Dardanelle Straits, HMS E15 was swept ashore by the strong currents. The submarine ran aground directly under the guns of Fort Dardanus. E15 came under heavy fire from the fort: - one shell killing the Captain, another hitting the vessels battery compartment forcing the crew to surrender. Many attempts were made to prevent the submarine falling into enemy hands and finally a torpedo launched from a picket boat put pay to Turkish attempts to re-float the submarine.

Political, etc.

British apology to Chile for sinking of the "Dresden" in Chilean waters published.

British Board of Trade reduces insurance rates for shipping by 50%, stating it is confident the threat of German submarines have subsided.

Austria declares that the Italian proposals are in the main unacceptable.

Sinking of "Katwyk" by German submarine causes excitement in Holland.

Pro-German Americans donate and deliver three ambulances to the German military.

Ship Losses:

Eglantine ( United Kingdom): The cargo ship ran aground at Filey, Yorkshire and was a total loss. Her crew were rescued.

HMS E15 ( Royal Navy): The E-class submarine ran aground at Kepez, Çanakkale, Turkey. She was scuttled on 18 April.

[Sailor Steve]

April 16:

Durban, South Africa: After more than a day HMS Laconia is finally finished coaling.



Bombay, India: HMS Chatham has an interesting entry in her log: "0800. Temperature 82. Picked up one corpse (male) and handed over to police." No other information is supplied.

[Jimbuna]

17th April 1915

Western Front

British troops detonate mines under German positions at Hill 60 in Flanders, Belgium, leading to its capture. (St. Eloi).

Eastern Front

Austrian offensive towards Styrj (eastern Galicia).

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

Anglo-Indian cavalry occupy Nakaila.

Naval and Overseas Operations

SW Scotland
Virginian, Admiralty armed merchant cruiser, 10,760/1905, hired 13/11/14, 10th CS. Ran ashore in Clyde opposite Govan Ferry, blocked river and delayed armed merchant cruiser Oropesa leaving for her patrol.

French cruiser bombards Turkish camp south of Gaza.

Turkish t.b. "Demir Hissar" forced by H.M.S. "Minerva" to run ashore at Chios.

Aviation

In the 3rd straight day in a row, a German zeppelin raids England, reaching 30 miles of London. However, it causes little damage.

Political, etc.

Herr Dernburg conducts a peace campaign in U.S.A.

Austria-Hungary announces that all men between ages 18 to 50 are now eligible for military service.

Ship Losses:

Domir Kapu ( Ottoman Navy): The torpedo boat was run ashore on Chios, Greece following a battle with Allied cruisers with the loss of one of her 34 crew. The survivors were interned on Chios.
Ellispontos ( Greece): The cargo ship was sunk in the North Sea off the Noord Hinder Lightship ( Netherlands) (51°52′N 3°00′E) by SM UB-4 ( Kaiserliche Marine).