100 Years Ago Today

[Jimbuna]

25th July 1915

Eastern Front

Enemy reaches Posvol and Poneviezh district on the Dvina.

Russian Government evacuates factories at Riga and Warsaw.

Enemy troops cross Narev above Ostrolenka.

Southern Front

Italians progress on Lower Isonzo.

Barracks at Verona bombed.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

Nasriya shelled, attacked and occupied by British troops under General Gorringe.

Naval and Overseas Operations

North Sea
E.16, submarine, E-class, 667/807t, 1-12pdr/5-18in tt, Cdr C Talbot, sailed Yarmouth 24th for Ems, next morning kept under by air patrols. Apparently trapped in anti-submarine net near Borkum Riff LV, struggled to surface to find Zeppelin overhead, bombs dropped as she struggled clear, got free an hour after first entanglement.

German submarines sink 6 French and British ships in the last 24 hours, after a brief lull in shipping attacks in the past few days.

U.S.A. steamer "Leelanaw" torpedoed.


Q-ships to be commissioned as ‘naval tenders’ so as not to be pirates under Hague Convention.

French occupy Lomie in Cameroons; rising in Zemen district, Germans retreat.

Aviation

Lanoe Hawker shoots down 3 German planes in an engagement over Passchendaele (he will become the 1st British ace).


Political etc.

British Government guarantee to Greece eventual cession of Mitylene by Turkey.

American Red Cross announces it will cease work in Europe on October 1st due to the lack of funds.

Russian prisoners of war held by Germany and Austria-Hungary surpass 1.5 million men.

U.S. Asiatic fleet offers to help Chinese authorities for relief work in the Canton delta, which is suffering from unprecedented floods.

Ship Losses:

Celtic ( United Kingdom): The trawler was shelled and sunk in the North Sea 70 nautical miles (130 km) north by west of Hoy, Orkney Islands (59°53′N 1°18′W) by SM U-41 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Cydonia ( United Kingdom): The trawler was shelled and sunk in the North Sea 70 nautical miles (130 km) north by west of Hoy (59°53′N 1°18′W) by SM U-41 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Emblem ( United Kingdom): The trawler was shelled and sunk in the North Sea 60 nautical miles (110 km) north by west of Hoy by SM U-41 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Firth ( United Kingdom): The coaster was torpedoed and sunk in the North Sea 9 nautical miles (17 km) north of the Shipwash Lightship ( United Kingdom) by SM UB-6 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of four of her crew.
Gadwall ( United Kingdom): The trawler was shelled and sunk in the North Sea 70 nautical miles (130 km) north by west of Hoy (59°53′N 1°18′W) by SM U-41 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
G. P. Harbitz ( Norway): The barque was intercepted, set afire and scuttled in the North Sea (56°35′N 2°33′E) by SM U-6 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her twelve crew were rescued by Else ( Denmark).
Harboe ( Norway): The schooner was set afire and sunk in the North Sea by SM U-6 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her nine crew were rescued by the trawler Hercules ( Netherlands)
Honoria ( United Kingdom): The trawler was shelled and sunk in the North Sea 100 nautical miles (190 km) west north west of North Ronaldsay, Orkney Islands by SM U-41 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Leelenaw ( United States): The cargo ship was sunk in the North Sea 60 nautical miles (110 km) north west of the Orkney Islands (59°58′N 4°50′W) by SM U-41 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Sognedalen ( Norway): The sailing ship was sunk in the North Sea (56°26′N 2°26′E) by SM U-6 ( Kaiserliche Marine).

Political cartoon published in Life, depicting alleged German atrocities.

[Sailor Steve]

July 25:

United States: A munitions train is wrecked at Metuchen, New Jersey. Sabotage is suspected.



Britain: Having attended his conference, Lt. Harold Rosher is granted two days' leave to visit his family.



Air War: No. 11 Squadron deploys to France totally equipped with Vickers F.B.5s, making it the world's first fighter squadron.

Lanoe Hawker, now flying Bristol Scout C 1611, attacks a trio of Albatros two-seaters. One is damaged and forced to land, the second crashes in Allied territory with both crewmembers killed, and the third manages to escape. These constitute Hawker's second and third victories. For this action he will become the first pilot to be awarded the Victoria Cross.



North Sea: Reinhold Lepsius, commanding U-6, sinks Norwegian sailing ships SV G.P. Harbitz, 673 tons, bound from Dynekilen to West Hartlepool with a cargo of pit props; SV Harboe, 388 tons, sailing from Holmestrand to Sunderland, also carrying pit props; and SV Sognedalen, 644 tons, carrying a load of planed wood from Fredrikstad to Middlebrough. His score is now 10 ships and 8,579 tons.
Claus Hansen, in U-41, finds another fishing fleet and sinks British trawlers Celtic, 264 tons, Cydonia, 259 tons, Emblem, 157 tons, Gadwall, 192 tons, and Honoria, 179 tons. Moving west out of the North Sea he sinks the American freighter SS Leelenaw, 1,923 tons carrying a load of flax and hemp from Arkhangelsk to Belfast. Hansen's score now stands at 25 ships and 32,918 tons.

Erich Haecker, in UB-6, finishes his third war patrol by sinking the small British freighter SS Firth, 406 tons, heading from Treport to Methil in ballast. His score is now 7 ships and 4,200 tons.



British East Africa (Kenya): HMS Laconia has been at Kilindini Harbour, Mombasa, for the past three days, offloading aircraft and aviation stores. This morning the RNAS pilots and mechanics leave the ship for new assignments.

[Aktungbby]

Originally Posted by Sailor Steve

July 25:


Lanoe Hawker, now flying Bristol Scout C 1611, attacks a trio of Albatros two-seaters. One is damaged and forced to land, the second crashes in Allied territory with both crewmembers killed, and the third manages to escape. These constitute Hawker's second and third victories. For this action he will become the first pilot to be awarded the Victoria Cross.

It has since been argued that shooting down three aircraft in one mission was a feat repeated several times by later pilots, and whether Hawker deserved his Victoria Cross has been questioned. However, in the context of the air war of mid-1915 it was unusual to shoot down even one aircraft, and the VC was awarded on the basis that all the enemy planes were armed with machine guns.

On a further note; Hawker's aircraft and 30-degree offset machine gun (outside the propeller arc-Hawker's own idea) were not exactly conducive to such shooting as with a 'through the propeller' interrupter mounted firing gun. photo enlarges Note fixed angle of pilot's gun on his Bristol Scout C #1611...that's tough combat against three armed Albatross C I's with rear observer 7.5 Parabellum machine guns. The more so when the torque of a rotary Gnome 7 Lambda engine is thrown into the equation... While the German C.I was operated mainly in a reconaissance and observation role, it also had some success as an early fighter aircraft- Oswald Boelcke claimed his first victory while flying a C.I with Lt. von Wühlisch as the gunner. Bottom line: Hawker deserved his VC!

[Jimbuna]

26th July 1915

Western Front

Attacks by Crown Prince in Argonne checked.

French success on Lingekopf (Alsace).

Eastern Front

Enemy held on Narev line, fierce fighting east of Rojan; Zeppelin captured by Russians.

Germans repulsed at Shlok (Riga), warships co-operating.

Southern Front

Italians occupy crests on Julian front and capture Monte Sei Busi; and attack Plateau of Doberdo.

Great fire in Constantinople.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

Announced that Nejd (north-east Arabia) has proclaimed its independence and put Turkish garrisons to flight.

Naval and Overseas Operations

French operate against Lagosta (Adriatic) destroying Austrian submarine supply station, etc.

Italians land and capture Pelagosa Island (centre of Adriatic).

North Sea
German destroyer V.188 torpedoed and sunk by submarine E.16, 50 miles N of Terschelling.


French submarine Mariotte was sunk in the Dardanelles by the Ottoman Navy. She rounded Cape Helles on the surface, but dived to avoid being spotted by a searchlight about an hour later and attempted to pass underneath a minefield near Çanakkale. The boat became entangled in the cables and when she surfaced in an unsuccessful attempt to free herself, she was immediately engaged by a Turkish gun battery at close range. Mariotte could not submerge because her conning tower had been penetrated by shells so her commander, Lieutenant de vaisseau Auguste Farbre decided to scuttle the boat and surrender. The Turks ceased fire when he signaled his surrender and so his crew was able to destroy documents and equipment before opening the seacocks to sink the submarine. The wreck lies off Cape Nara near a Turkish naval base at a depth of 5 meters


Political, etc.

Great Britain's reply to American Note of 30 March received in Washington.

Canada's recruits up to date, 140,000.

German Army announces that “warm underclothing, gloves, & wristlets” have been provided for soldiers in the event of a winter campaign.

National Association of Liquor Dealers, Restauranteurs, and Hotelkeepers of France protest recent government stance against alcohol.

Ship Losses:

Cimba ( Norway): The clipper ran aground in the Gulf of St. Lawrence and was wrecked.
Elna ( Denmark): The three-masted schooner was sunk in the North Sea (56°53′N 2°46′E) by SM U-6 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Emma ( Sweden): The coaster was sunk in the North Sea 130 nautical miles (240 km) east north east of the Longstone Lighthouse by SM U-6 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Marie ( Denmark): The schooner was sunk in the North Sea (56°59′N 2°52′E) by SM U-6 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Mariotte ( French Navy): The submarine was sunk in the Dardanelles by the Ottoman Navy. Thirty-one crew were taken as prisoners of war.
Neptunus ( Denmark): The sailing ship was sunk in the North Sea (56°59′N 2°05′E) by SM U-6 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
SMS V188 ( Kaiserliche Marine): The V138-class destroyer was torpedoed and sunk in the North Sea by HMS E16 ( Royal Navy) with the loss of five of her crew.

Irish playwright and intellectual, George Bernard Shaw, celebrates his 59th birthday.

[Betonov]

Jim it's not the Isonzo, it's called Soča

[Sailor Steve]

Originally Posted by Aktungbby

On a further note; Hawker's aircraft and 30-degree offset machine gun (outside the propeller arc-Hawker's own idea) were not exactly conducive to such shooting as with a 'through the propeller' interrupter mounted firing gun. photo enlarges Note fixed angle of pilot's gun on his Bristol Scout C #1611...that's tough combat against three armed Albatross C I's with rear observer 7.5 Parabellum machine guns.

http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/show...&postcount=870

While the German C.I was operated mainly in a reconnaissance and observation role, it also had some success as an early fighter aircraft-Oswald Boelcke claimed his first victory while flying a C.I with Lt von Wühlisch as the gunner.

http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/show...&postcount=905

[Jimbuna]

Originally Posted by Betonov

Jim it's not the Isonzo, it's called Soča

Back in 1915?


The Isonzo is located today in present-day Slovenia. During the First World War however the sixty-mile long river ran north-south just inside Austria along its border with Italy at the head of the Adriatic Sea and then (as now) was flanked by mountains on either side.

http://www.firstworldwar.com/battles/isonzo.htm

http://www.historyofwar.org/articles...s_isonzo1.html

http://www.worldwar1.com/itafront/ison1915.htm

[Sailor Steve]

July 26:

North Sea: Reinhold Lepsius, commanding U-6, sinks Danish sailing ships Elna, 78 tons; Marie, 173 tons; and Neptunus, 143 tons; all bound from Christiania to Leith carrying planed boards. Lepsius also sinks Norwegian freighter SS Emma, 687 tons, headed from Göteborg to Tyne with a load of pit props. This brings his score to 14 ships and 9,660 tons.

[Jimbuna]

27th July 1915


Western Front

French capture position above Lingekopf.

Soissons and Reims bombarded.

Eastern Front

Enemy captures Goworowo (east of Rojan).

Warsaw attacked on three sides.

Austrians lose heavily in attack near Majdan-Ostrowski and on front Terriatin-Annopol (Cholm region).

Fighting for the Pruth south-east of Poltusk proceeding.

Romanian government seizes fifty carloads of German munitions in defiance of German demands to allow passage of arms.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

Russians forced back by Turks near Mush (Asia Minor).

Naval and Overseas Operations

Three Danish schooners torpedoed by German submarine.

Railway from Ancona to Pesaro bombarded from sea.

Political, etc.

Mr. Asquith announces total military casualties to 18 July, 830,995; naval 9,106.

Baron Michelham offers ten £1000 prizes to British airmen who shoot down a zeppelin.

French Chamber agrees to necessity of Parliamentary control for army.

Ship Losses:

Iceni ( United Kingdom): The fishing smack was scuttled in the North Sea 15 nautical miles (28 km) east of Lowestoft, Suffolk by SM UB-13 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Salacia ( United Kingdom): The fishing smack was scuttled in the North Sea 15 nautical miles (28 km) east of Lowestoft by SM UB-13 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Westward Ho! ( United Kingdom): The fishing smack was scuttled in the North Sea 25 nautical miles (46 km) south east of Lowestoft by SM UB-16 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.

[Betonov]

Originally Posted by Jimbuna

Back in 1915?

Back in 15, period

[Sailor Steve]

July 27:

United States: Two bombs are discovered aboard SS Arabic.



North Sea: Walther Becker, commanding UB-13, sinks British fishing smacks Iceni, 57 tons, and Salacia, 61 tons, bringing his total to 3 ships and 2,151 tons.

Hans Valentiner, in UB-16, stops and scuttles British smack Westward Ho. His score is now 6 ships and 7,492 tons.

[Jimbuna]

28th July 1915

Today marks the one year anniversary since the start of the Great War.

Western Front

Air-raid on St. Omer.

Eastern Front

Germans cross Vistula between Warsaw and Ivangorod.

Russians repulsed south-west of Gora Kalvariya (south of Warsaw).

Austrians repulsed beyond the Kamienka (Upper Vistula).

Southern Front

Austrians repulsed in Carnia.

Italian offensive in Cordevole Valley (Ventian Alps) progressing.

Italians evacuate positions just west of Gorizia.

Naval

Adriatic:
2 Austrian cruisers, 6 destroyers and torpedo boats sailed from Sebenico and shell Italian-held Pelagosa island and land 108 troops (12 casualties) who are repulsed for 2 weeks.

Political, etc.

Final debate on Compulsory Service; Mr. Asquith reviews situation.

Mr. Lloyd George speaks on munitions.

Germany announces it will publish secret Belgian documents that supposedly proves that Britain “enticed” France & Russia to oppose Germany.

Ship Losses:

Mangara ( United Kingdom): The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the North Sea off Aldeburgh, Suffolk by SM UB-16 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of eleven of her crew.
Trondhjemsfjord ( Norway): The steamer was torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean north west of the Shetland Islands, United Kingdom (61°08′N 3°27′W) by SM U-41 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her passengers and crew were rescued by the sailing ship Glance (flag unknown).
Young Percy ( United Kingdom): The fishing smack was scuttled in the North Sea 30 nautical miles (56 km) east by north of Lowestoft, Suffolk by SM UB-13 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.

[Sailor Steve]

July 28:

"In the last weeks heavy demands have been made on me. As of 16 July, I departed from Abeilung 62 and am now at the BAO in Ghistelles. I have already had three combats with your 100 hp machine. Unfortunately after a few shots, the gun jammed. Enough to drive one crazy. The Parabellum gun is going to bring me to my grave. The five aircraft that were delivered to Douai with the MG 08 have proven to be excellent. My students there have not experienced a jam up to now. Yesterday, I was in Lille in Freyburg's Abeilung, and there an offizierstellvertreter had a combat during which 540 rounds were fired without stoppage."
-Otto Parschau, instructor at Brieftauben Abteilung Ostend ("Carrier Pigeon Section" - a code name for Germany's first bombing unit), letter to Anthony Fokker, July 28, 1915. The "100 hp machine" is the prototype E.II, delivered to Parschau after Fokkers demonstration tour.

"Have had a ripping journey back. The country down to Folkestone was just too lovely for words, especially around Ashford. Saw Milverton on the way. Had a first-rate crossing, and was met by one of the Rolls at Boulogne, so your wire arrived all right. Had lunch at the "Folkestone" before starting back, and then a topping run here. Went out to see the lads at F____ in the evening. Sippe is back again and Baillie in great form. He sends his chin chins, and I gave him yours.
A Hun came over at midnight last night and bombed us. His eight bombs fell nearly a mile away, though."
-Harold Rosher, letter to his father sent upon rejoing his squadron in France



United States: Another mysterious explosion at the Du Pont plant in Wilmington, North Carolina.



Air War: Welsh pilot Lionel Wilmot Brabazon Rees and Scottish gunner James McKinley Hargreaves, in Vickers FB.5 1649, are attacked by an eindecker and shoot it down, giving the pair their first victory. Later in the year Rees will be awarded the Military Cross for this and two other victories. The citation for this fight reads "On 28 July he attacked and drove down a hostile monoplane despite the main spar of his machine having been shot through and the rear spar shattered."



Atlantic Ocean, between the Faroe and Orkney Islands: Claus Hansen, commanding U-41, sinks Norwegian freighter SS Trondhjemsfjord, 4,350 tons, bound from New York to Bergen with a general cargo. Hansen ends his third war patrol with 26 ships and 37,268 tons.



North Sea: Walther Becker, in UB-13, stops and sinks British fishing smack Young Percy, bringing his total to 4 ships and 2,196 tons.



Hans Valentiner, in UB-16, sinks British freighter SS Mangara, 1,821 tons, carrying iron or from Bilbao to West Hartlepool. His score is now 7 ships and 9,763 tons.



German East Africa: At 0300 hours the tugs Sarah Joliffe and Revenger set out to sea. At 0445 Admiral King-Hall's flagship HMS Challenger follows. At 0900 the three arrive at Guani Island, where they are joined by the gunboats Echo and Rattler. With the two gunboats acting as minesweepers, the group proceeds to Kibondo Island. At 1500 the group is met by the gunboats Fly and Salamander. At 1630 they anchor off Ras Kipakoni for the night.

[Jimbuna]

29th July 1915

Western Front

Artillery action Souchez and Soissons sectors, around Arras, etc.

Nancy bombed.

Eastern Front

Line of Lyublin-Kholm railway cut by enemy.

German troops break through Russian positions west of the Veprj.

Unsuccessful enemy attempt to advance between Narev and the Orz.

Russian military admits that Warsaw will be evacuated instead of risking encirclement by German troops.

Southern Front

Strong Italian offensive in Cordevole valley.

Naval and Overseas Operations

Austrians attempt to recapture Pelagosa.

American Note to Germany concerning the "Leelanaw" reported.

Political, etc.

Mr. Lloyd George speaks at conference of mining industry.

U.S. government protests Germany for using forged U.S. passports for spying in Allied countries.

Ship Losses:

Princesse Marie Jose ( Belgium): The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the English Channel 1.5 nmi (2.8 km) off the Shipwash Lightvessel ( United Kingdom) by SM UB-4 ( Kaiserliche Marine).

“Uninjured Figure in Wrecked Church” from Fromelles, France, taken today.

[Sailor Steve]

July 29:

Karl Karl Groß, commanding UB-4, sinks Belgian freighter SS Princess Marie Jose, 1,954 tons, bound from Dunston to Bordeaux with a load of coal. Karl Groß's score is now 3 ships and 10,883 tons.



German East Africa: At 0030 Admiral King-Hall's makeshift task force is joined by another gunboat, HMS Pioneer. At 0200 the group stops at Lindi bay. Armed parties are transfered to Echo and Rattler. Their purpose is to finish an old job: Back on October 19th of the previous year Captain Drury-Lowe of HMS Chatham had discovered the German transport SS Präsident at Lindi, disguised as a hospital ship. Commander Raymond Fitzmaurice had disabled the ship's engines. Now Admiral King-Hall has recieved word that the German freighter's engines have been repaired and the ship has been moved into Lukuledi Creek, where she is being stocked with wood for fuel. King-Hall intendes to destroy the freighter entirely. The attacking force is lead by Commander Richard Orlando Beaconsfield Bridgeman.

At 0500 the group of ships enters the bay with the two acting minesweepers ahead and Pioneer and the tugs behind. At 0630 the water becomes too shallow for Challenger to proceed further, and Commander Bridgeman leads the smaller vessels up the river. Bridgeman takes Echo and Fly up Lukeledi Creek, sending other ships back to Challenger. He finds Präsident in good working order and 16-pound guncotton charges around the ship. Präsident's engines are destroyed, and her wireless, and sufficient holes are blown in her sides to sink the ship. At 1535 Echo and Fly exit the Lindi River and at 1735 Challenger leads the smaller ships toward home.