100 Years Ago Today

[Jimbuna]

7th September 1916

Eastern Front

Halicz (on the Dniester) on fire, and taken by Russians.

Orsova (Austrian bank of Danube) occupied by Romanians.

Southern Front

Tutrakan (on Danube, south-east of Bucharest) captured by Bulgars; the enemy claim 20,000 prisoners and 100 guns.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

Baghdad railway, over Taurus Mountains being constructed by Turkish peasants, large bodies of Turkish troops moving to Aleppo, for Mesopotamia.

Aviation

Footage of the funeral for the crew of the SL 11, a German zeppelin shot down over Britain.
http://film.iwmcollections.org.uk/record/index/45623

Naval and Overseas Operations

Kilwa (Kivinje), 135 miles south of Dar-es-Salaam, and Kilwa Kissiwani, still further south, surrender to British naval forces.

Political, etc.

Baron von Schenck and other Germans and Austrians expelled from Athens.

Ship Losses:

Achaia (United Kingdom) The cargo ship struck a mine laid by U 72 (Ernst Krafft) and sank in the Mediterranean Sea 300 yards (270 m) off Oran, Algeria (36°00′N 0°50′E). Her crew survived.[38] The motor boats Allegro, Doreen and Griffin (all Royal Navy) were being carried as cargo and were also lost.
Alcyon (France) The schooner was set afire and sunk in the English Channel 30 nautical miles (56 km) north west of the Créac'h Lighthouse (48°50′N 5°20′W) by SM UB-39 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived; they were rescued by Hafursfjord ( Norway).
Alice (France) The schooner was scuttled in the English Channel 30 nautical miles (56 km) north of Ouessant, Finistère by SM UB-29 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived; they were rescued by HMS Martin ( Royal Navy).
Emma (France) The fishing vessel was scuttled in the English Channel 8 nautical miles (15 km) north of Sept Îles, Côtes-du-Nord by SM UB-23 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Farfadet (France) The fishing vessel was sunk in the English Channel off the Triagoz Lighthouse, Finistère by SM UB-23 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Heathdene (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was scuttled in the English Channel 38 nautical miles (70 km) south south west of The Lizard, Cornwall by SM UB-39 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Hiso (Norway) The cargo ship struck a mine laid by U 72 (Ernst Krafft) and sank in the Mediterranean Sea off Oran. Her crew survived.
Jeanne D'Arc (France) The fishing vessel was sunk in the English Channel off the Triagoz Lighthouse by SM UB-23 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Leonine (France) The fishing vessel was scuttled in the English Channel off the Triagoz Lighthouse by SM UB-23 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Luigia (United Kingdom) The barque was scuttled in the Gulf of Genoa (42°42′N 7°55′E) by SM U-34 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Marguerite (France) The sailing vessel was sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 50 nautical miles (93 km) north west of Ouessant (49°07′N 5°55′W) by SM UB-39 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived; they were rescued by Øifjeld ( Norway).
Messicano (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 50 nautical miles (93 km) south east of the Wolf Rock, Cornwall (48°57′N 5°48′W) by SM UB-39 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.

[Sailor Steve]

September 7, 1916

Air War:
The first three Sopwith Pups go to France with the Royal Naval Air Service at Dunkerque.

1015 Canadian RFC pilot Harry Wood, flying DH.2 7901, shoots down a German two-seater for victory number 3.

1750 Three FE.2bs shoot down a Fokker eindecker.
FE.2b 6997: Cpt C.H. Dixon and AM2 J.H. Booth.
FE.2b 6993: Alwayn Travers Lloyd (victory #1) and 2nd Lt C.S. Workman.
FE-2b 5245: Noel Webb (victory #3) and Cpl H. Brown.

French ace André Chainat, in a Nieuport 17, shoots down an "Enemy Aircraft" for victory number 11. Chainat is also seriously wounded in this fight, ending his combat flying career. He will serve in a desk position for the remainder of the war, again as a squadron commander in World War II, and live until November 1961.

German ace Wilhelm Frankl, flying a Halberstadt D.V with Jasta 4, shoots down an unidentified Nieuport for victory number 10.

German pilot Hans von Keudell, in a Fokker E.III, shoots down a Nieuport 11 for victory number 2.

German pilot Karl Meyer and observer Erich Bönisch, in Friedrichshafen FF.33 599, claim a Caudron, but it is unconfirmed.

Russian pilot Konstantin Konstantoinovich Vakulovsky, in Nieuport 11 1295, shoots down an "Enemy Aircraft" for victory number 1.



English Channel:
Ernst Voight, commanding UB-23, stops and scuttles a small French fishing fleet off the Sept Iles.
Emma, 19 tons, Master Louis Caous.
Farfadet, 17 tons, Master Guillaume Morvan.
Jeanne D'Arc, 17 tons, Master jean Louis Corfdir.
Leonine, 20 tons, Master Francois Le Guen.
Voigt's score is now 28 ships and 3,975 tons.



Celtic Sea:
Herbert Pustkuchen, in UB-29, stops and scuttles French schooner Alice, 119 tons, carrying a load of coal from Swansea to La Rochelle. His score is now 41 ships and 53,034 tons.

Werner Fürbinger, in UB-39, sinks four ships:
French sailing vessel Marguerite, 102 tons, Master Louis Portier. Crew rescued by SS Oilfield.
French sailing vessel Alcyon, 163 tons, Master François Ollivier. Crew rescued by Norwegian freighter SS Hafursfjord and taken to Lisbon.
British freighter SS Heathdene, 3,541 tons, carrying iron ore from Benisaf to South Shields.
Italian freighter SS Messicano, 4,065 tons, bound from Barry for Naples with a load of coal.
Fürbinger's score is now 43 ships and 21,754 tons.



North Sea:
Georg Gerth, commanding UB-12, captures Dutch freighter SS Niobe, 654 tons, bound from Amsterdam for Bordeaux, and sends her to Germany as a prize. His score is now 2 ships and 967 tons.



Ligurian Sea:
Claus Rücker, in U-34, scuttles Italian barque Luigia, 917 tons, carrying a load of coal from Philadelphia to Genoa. His score is now 60 ships and 139,578 tons.



Bay of Aiguades:
British freighter SS Achaia, 2,733 tons, travelling from Karachi to Cardiff with a load of wheat, hits a mine laid by Ernst Krafft in U-72 just off Oran. Also sunk are 3 motorboats being carried at the time: Allegro, 7 tons, Doreen, 9 tons, and Griffin, 10 tons. A fourth boat, Puffin is damaged, but the crew use her to escape to shore. Norwegian freighter SS Hiso, 1,562 tons, carrying a load of wheat from Oran to Marseille, also hits a mine laid by U-72. Krafft's opening score is 2 ships and 3 boats totalling 4,321 tons.
According to Wrecksite.eu, Achaia had been renamed Alexandria before her sinking.



German East Africa:
Battleship HMS Vengeance fires on Kilwa Kivinje with her 12" guns. After ten minutes the town surrenders.

Whaler HMS Charon sends a shore party to searche Sinda Island.

Cruiser HMS Challenger carries a work party to lay buoys in Dar-Es-Salaam Harbor.

[August]

7 September 1916. My Great Grandfathers unit, the 8th Bavarian Infantry Regiment, having just been withdrawn from the 33rd Reserve Division, was along with the 29th Bavarian Infantry Regiment were attached to the newly formed 14th Bavarian Division. On September 3rd the division launched a violent attack to the southwest of Fort Vaux and continued to hold that sector until October 10th.

[Jimbuna]

8th September 1916

Western Front

Somme, enemy attack French, Berny to south of Chaulnes, no success.

From Vermandovillers to Chaulnes, Germans make four massed attacks; the French take 200 prisoners.

Naval and Overseas Operations

South African troops attack German troops led by General von Lettow-Vorbeck at Kisaki, German East Africa.

British naval aeroplanes bomb aerodrome at St. Denis Westrem (5 miles west of Ghent).

Aviation

Dutch soldiers shoot at a German aeroplane that wandered over Dutch territory, forcing the pilot to land in the Netherlands.

Political, etc.

Britain limits immigration of any foreigner who works in any other capacity other than in munitions factories.

Marschall von Hindenburg reported visiting Western Front for first time.

Ship Losses:

Butetown (United Kingdom) The collier was torpedoed and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 55 nautical miles (102 km) west south west of Cape Matapan, Greece (36°00′N 21°15′E) by SM UB-47 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Elizabeth IV (Norway) The cargo ship was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea west of Sardinia, Italy by SM U-34 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Gamen (Sweden) The cargo ship, en route from Barry to Algiers, was sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 35 nautical miles (65 km) south west of the Bishop Rock, Isles of Scilly, United Kingdom by SM UB-18 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Jeune Union (France) The schooner was sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 28 nautical miles (52 km) west by north of Ouessant, Finistère by SM UB-39 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Llangorse (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 48 nautical miles (89 km) west south west of Cape Matapan (36°00′N 21°55′E) by SM UB-47 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Lyderhorn (Norway) The cargo ship was sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 25 nautical miles (46 km) south east of Ouessant by SM UB-39 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Marie Louise (France) The sailing vessel was set afire and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 23 nautical miles (43 km) north by west of Ouessant (48°50′N 5°18′W) by SM UB-23 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Mayo (Spain) The cargo ship was sunk in the Atlantic Ocean off Ouessant (48°53′N 5°28′W) by SM UB-23 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Olazarri (Spain) The cargo ship was scuttled in the Atlantic Ocean 20 nautical miles (37 km) south west of Ouessant by SM UB-39 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Prince Georgios (Greece) The coaster caught fire at Malta. She was towed out of port but sank 4 nautical miles (7.4 km) offshire.
Spetzai (Greece) The cargo ship was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 60 nautical miles (110 km) west of Cape Matapan (36°00′N 21°12′E) by SM UB-47 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.

[Sailor Steve]

September 8, 1916

Air War:
1825 German ace Oswald Boelcke, in Fokker D.III 352/16, shoots down FE.2b 4291 for victory number 21.

Canadian RFC pilot William Henry Hubbard and observer Lt H.B. Richards, in a BE.2c, shoot down an attacking Fokker eindecker for victory number 1.

Two French Caudron R.4 "battle planes" share the downing of an "Enemy Aircraft."
Jean Loste, pilot: Victory number 2.
Lt P. Barbou, observer: Victory number 2
Louis Martin, gunner: Victory number 2.
Sgt Combret, pilot: Victory number 1
Achille Justin Ernest Rousseaux, observer, victory number 1.
G. Cadot, gunner, victory number 1.



Celtic Sea:
Otto Steinbrinck, commanding UB-18, sinks Swedish freighter SS Gamen, 2,619 tons, bound from Barry for Algiers with a load of coal. His score is now 68 ships and 49,055 tons.

Ernst Voigt, in UB-23, sinks two ships off Ushant:
French schooner Marie Louise, 157 tons, out of Bordeaux for Port Talbot with a load of pit props. Sen on fire and sunk.
Spanish freighter SS Mayo, 1,880 tons, carrying a load of coal from Newport, Monmouthshire, Wales to Bordeaux.
Voigt's score is now 30 ships and 5,855 tons.

Werner Fürbinger, in UB-39, sinks three more Allied ships.
French schooner Jeune Union, 267 tons, en route from La Rochelle to Swansea with a load of pit props.
Norwegian freighter SS Lyderhorn, 939 tons, bound from Seville for Arklow with a load of copper pyrite.
Spanish freighter SS Olazarri, 2,585 tons, carrying a load of iron ore from Bilbao to Glasgow.
Fürbinger's score is now 46 ships and 25,545 tons.



North Sea:
Dutch schooner Helena, 115 tons, departs Bergen, Norway and is not heard from again.

Norwegian schooner Sør, 186 tons, travelling from Bergen to Siglufjordur with a load of salt and empty barrels, is wrecked off Gjögur, Öfjorden.



Mediterranean Sea:
Claus Rücker, in U-34, sinks Norwegian freighter Elizabeth IV, 7,395 tons, carrying a load of sugar from Paseroean, Java to Marseille. His score is now 61 ships and 146,973 tons.

Wolfgang Steinbauer, in UB-47, sinks three Allied ships off Cape Matapan, Greece:
British freighter SS Butetown, 3,789 tons, carrying a load of coal from Malta to Mudro.
British freighter SS Llangorse, 3,841 tons, bound from Montreal for Salonika with a load of oats.
Greek freighter SS Spetzai, travelling from Cyprus to Liverpool with an unnamed cargo.
Steinbauer's score is now 4 ships and 18,534 tons.

Greek coaster SS Prinkips Georgios, 448 tons, is lost to a fire four miles outside Malta Harbour.



United States:
British freighter SS Elswick Park, 3,403 tons, departs Philadelphia for Santos with a load of coal, and is not heard from again.

[Jimbuna]

9th September 1916

Western Front

Northern Somme: British capture Ginchy and make advance of 300 yards east of High Wood; north-east of Pozieres, take 600 yards of enemy trenches.

End of second phase.

Before Douaumont, east of Fleury, French carry whole system of German trenches.

Eastern Front

Fall of Silistria (Danube).

Aviation

French airmen drop bombs on Rottweil (Wurttemberg).

First flight of the Bristol F.2A.


Naval and Overseas Operations

Naval air raid on Ghistelles, Handzaeme and Lichtervelde (Ostend).

Political, etc.

Official casualty lists from Britain reveals 250,000 men killed, wounded, missing, and captured during the last three months.

French troops claim the capture of 7700 Germans, including 100 officers, during the last 7 days at the Somme.

Paris, during last week, French and British Ministers for War and Munitions held conferences.

Cardiff: South Wales railwaymen resolve to strike, demanding increase of 10 shillings weekly on wages.

Ship Losses:

Consolation (United Kingdom) The fishing smack was scuttled in the English Channel 15 nautical miles (28 km) south south east of Start Point, Devon by SM UB-29 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Dorado (United Kingdom) The fishing smack was scuttled in the English Channel 20 nautical miles (37 km) south south east of Start Point by SM UB-29 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Europe (France) The three-masted schooner was scuttled in the English Channel 30 nautical miles (56 km) off the Île de Sein, Finistère (48°05′N 5°44′W) by SM UB-39 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Favourite (United Kingdom) The fishing vessel was shelled and sunk in the English Channel 20 nautical miles (37 km) south east of Start Point by SM UB-29 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Gemma (Italy) The cargo ship was sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 43 nautical miles (80 km) south west of the Wolf Rock, Cornwall, United Kingdom (49°16′N 6°10′W) by SM UB-23 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Georges André (France) The schooner was sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 30 nautical miles (56 km) south west of the Bishop Rock, Isles of Scilly, United Kingdom (50°00′N 6°20′W) by SM UB-18 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Lodsen (Norway) The cargo ship was sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 42 nautical miles (78 km) off the Longships Lighthouse (49°29′N 6°20′W) by SM UB-18 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Muriel Franklin (United Kingdom) The fishing vessel was shelled and sunk in the English Channel 20 nautical miles (37 km) south east of Start Point by SM UB-29 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Myosotis (France) The sailing vessel was sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 50°00′N 6°20′W) by SM UB-18 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Pronto (Norway) The cargo ship was sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 13 nautical miles (24 km) north west of Ouessant by SM UB-39 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Remora (France) The sailing vessel was sunk in the Atlantic Ocean south of the Wolf Rock by SM UB-23 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived, but were taken as prisoners of war.

[Sailor Steve]

September 9, 1916

Air War:
1600 English pilot Noel Webb and observer Leslie Court, in FE.2b 6993, shoot down a German two-seater for victories 4 and 5 respectively.

1630 English pilot Ernest Leslie Foot and observer G.K. Wellsford, in FE.2b 7016, shoot down an "Enemy Aircraft" and an LVG two-seater for victories 1 and 2.

1840 German ace Oswald Boelcke, in Fokker D.III 352/16, shoots down DH.2 7842 for victory number 22.



Celtic Sea:
Otto Steinbrinck, commanding UB-18, attacks four vessles off Castle Rock.
French schooner Georges Andre, 229 tons, bound from Bordeaux for Port Talbot with 220 tons of pit props, scuttled.
French dandy Myosotis, 64 tons, carrying 70 tons of pit props from Vannes to Cardiff, scuttled.
Norwegian freighter SS Lodsen, 1,247 tons, carrying a load of coal from Cardiff to Lisbon, scuttled.
British Q-Ship HMS Carrigan Head. Steinbrinck engages the disguised warship with his deck gun and wins the fight. Carrigan Head survives the encounter and makes port safely.
Steinbrinck's score is now 71 ships and 50,595 tons.

Ernst Voigt, in UB-23, sinks two vessels off Wolf Rock.
Italian freighter SS Gemma, 3,111 tons, travelling in ballast from Civitacchia to Barry.
French sailing dandy Remora, 92 tons, carrying a load of pit props from Pauillac to Newport, Walses.
Voight's score is now 32 vessels and 9,058 tons.

Werner Fürbinger, in UB-39, sinks two vessels.
French schooner Europe, 356 tons, travelling in ballast from Saint Nazaire to Cardiff, scuttled.
Norwegian freighter SS Pronto, 1,411 tons, carrying a load of salt fish from Pasajes to Bristol.
Fürbinger's score is now 48 ships and 37,312 tons.



English Channel:
Herbert Pustkuchen, in UB-29, attacks a small British fishing fleet off Start Point, Devonshire, scuttling four smacks.
Consolation, 47 tons.
Dorado, 36 tons.
Favourite, 38 tons.
Muriel Franklin, 29 tons.
His score is now 45 vessels and 54,184 tons.

[Jimbuna]

10th September 1916

Western Front

British line advanced a mile east of Guillemont, also 1,000 yards east of Ginchy.

Five enemy attacks on French line, Berny to region south of Chaulnes, defeated.

Eastern Front

Russian and Romanian forces in contact.

Austrian front withdrawn west of the Valley of Gyergyo and Czik (Carp.).

Southern Front

British cross the Struma at Neoliori and places above the Tahinos Lake (Macedonia).

Corfu, Serbian Parliament assembles here, all ministers present.

Political, etc.

Mr. Lloyd George at Verdun, with General Dubois and M. Albert Thomas; Lloyd George's speech praising Verdun.

Official casualty lists from Germany total 3,375,000 men killed, wounded, captured, and missing since the war’s start.

Ship Losses:

Elli (Greece) The barque was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea south of Sardinia, Italy (38°18′N 9°14′E) by SM U-34 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Furu (Norway) The cargo ship was sunk in the Atlantic Ocean off the Bishop Rock, Isles of Scilly, United Kingdom by SM UB-18 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Lexie (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 42 nautical miles (78 km) south west of Ouessant, Finistère, France (47°51′N 5°50′W) by SM UB-39 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Lindborg (Norway) The coaster was scuttled in the North Sea 9 nautical miles (17 km) north west of the Maas Lightship ( Netherlands) by SM UB-6 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Marechal de Villars (France) The barque was sunk in the Atlantic Ocean off the Isles of Scilly (49°06′N 6°15′W) by SM UB-18 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
HMML 149 (Royal Navy) The motor launch was lost in the Mediterranean Sea on this date.
Polynesia (Norway) The cargo ship was sunk in the Atlantic Ocean north west of Ouessant by SM UB-18 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Spiridon (Greece) The barque was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea south of Sardinia (39°29′N 8°43′E) by SM U-34 ( Kaiserliche Marine).

[Sailor Steve]

September 10, 1916

Air War:
German KEK AOK 4 and FFA 10 are combined to form Jasta 8, commanded by Gustav Senzel and based at Rumbeke.



Celtic Sea:
Otto Steinbrinck, commandein UB-18, sinks three ships near Bishop Rock.
Norwegian freighter SS Furu, 2,029 tons, bound from Cardiff for Philippeville with a load of patent fuel.
French barque Marechal de Villars, 1,908 tons, carrying a load of grain from Seattle to Ipswitch.
Norwegian freighter SS Polynesia, 4,064 tons, travelling from New York to London with a load of drummed parafin and gasoil.
Steinbrinck's score is now 74 ships and 58,596 tons.

Werner Fürbinger, in UB-39, sinks British freighter SS Lexie, 3,778 tons, carrying a load of wheat from Karachi to Barry. His score is now 49 ships and 41,090 tons.



North Sea:
Karsten von Heydebrick, in UB-6, scuttles Norwegian coaster SS Lindborg, 400 tons, carrying a general cargo from Rotterdam to London. This is his first sinking.

Hans Valentiner, in UB-37, captures Dutch motor ship MV Zeemeeuv, 400 tons, bringing his score to 27 ships and 14,638 tons.

French coaster SS Ville D'Oran, 199 tons, travelling from North Shields to Dunkirk with a load of coal, hits a mine laid by an unknown ship.



Mediterranean Sea:
Claus Rücker, in U-34, sinks two sailing ships south of Sardinia.
Greek barque Elli, 631 tons, carrying a load of locust beans from Cyprus to Marseilles.
Greek barque Spiridon, 562 tons, en route from Cyprus to Marseille with a load of carob.
His score is now 63 ships and 148,166 tons.

[Jimbuna]

11th September 1916

Western Front

Somme: British heavy artillery caused large fires in enemy ammunition depot, Grandcourt, north of Pozieres.

Eastern Front

Bucharest: General Averesco appointed to command of Third Army.

Russians capture Mount Capel Kapul in Carpathians; many prisoners.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

British defeat Turkish columns at Az Sahilan (Nazariya, Euphrates R.).

Political, etc.

Athens: M. Zaimis tenders resignation.

Ship Losses:

Assimacos (Greece) The cargo ship was scuttled in the Atlantic Ocean 45 nautical miles (83 km) south of the Seven Stones Reef (45°15′N 6°08′W) by SM UB-18 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Fredavore (Norway) The cargo ship was sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 28 nautical miles (52 km) north west of Ouessant, Finistère, France by SM UB-39 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Kong Ring (Norway) The cargo liner was sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 30 nautical miles (56 km) south of the Isles of Scilly, United Kingdom (49°32′N 6°41′W) by SM UB-18 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Lindborg (Norway) The cargo ship foundered in te North Sea. Her crew were rescued.
Luis Vives (Spain) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean off the Isles of Scilly by SM UB-18 ( Kaiserliche Marine).

[Sailor Steve]

September 11, 1916

Air War:
Oswald Boelcke's Jasta 2 adds another aeroplane to its roster, as Erwin Bohme writes "I have pushed to be allowed to temporarily use a cast-off Halberstadt, as Boelcke still has his old Fokker."

German pilot Otto Bernert of Jasta 4, flying a Halberstadt D.III, shoots down a Nieuport for victory number 3.



Celtic Sea:
Otto Steinbrinck, commanding UB-18, sinks three Allied ships:
Greek freighter SS Assimacos, 2,898 tons, bound from Glasgow for Genoa with a load of coal, scuttled 45 miles south of the Seven Stones.
Norwegian freighter SS Kong Ring, 1,611 tons, carrying a load of fruit from Almeria to Glasgow, sunk 30 milse southwest of the Scilly Isles.
Spanish freighter SS Luis Vives, 2,160 tons, travelling from Valencia to Liverpool with a load of fruits and vegetables, captured and sunk by torpedo off the Scilly Isles.
Steinbrink's score is now 77 ships and 65,265 tons.

Werner Fürbinger, in UB-39, sinks Norwegian freighter SS Fredavore, 1,577 tons, en route from Port Talbot to Nantes with a load of coal, 28 miles north of Ushant. He ends this patrol with 50 ships and 42,667 tons.

[Jimbuna]

12th September 1916

Western Front

Somme: French take south of Combles to the river, Hill 145, Marrieres Wood, all enemy trench system up to Bapaume-Peronne road, and many prisoners.

Bouchavesnes, and Hill 76, north of Peronne, taken, and part of German 3rd line.

Eastern Front

Dobruja: Field Marshall von Mackensen in supreme command of German-Bulgarian forces.

Romanians advance on Kronstadt (Brasso), their right flank joining Russians near Dorna Vatra.

Southern Front

4th Greek Corps of 25,000 men at Kavalla deserts (under Colonel Hatzopoulos) to the Germans. Sent to Germany as "guests".

Aviation

Farrukh Gayibov, the first Azerbaijani pilot and Lieutenant in the Russian Air Service, is killed in action.


Ship Losses:

Antwerpen (Netherlands) The tanker was sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 30 nautical miles (56 km) south west of the Isles of Scilly, United Kingdom (49°30′N 6°47′W) by SM UB-18 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Elizabeth (Imperial Russian Navy) The transport ship was sunk in the Baltic Sea off Grassgrund (59°20′N 23°46′E) by SM U-19 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Ije (Imperial Russian Navy) The transport ship was sunk in the Baltic Sea off Grassgrund by SM U-19 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Panaghia Akathistou (Greece) The barque was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea south east of Sicily, Italy (36°19′N 16°16′E) by SM U-34 ( Kaiserliche Marine).

[Sailor Steve]

September 12, 1916

Celtic Sea:
Otto Steinbrinck, commanding UB-18, sinks Dutch tanker SS Antwerpen, 7,955 tons, bound from New York for London with a load of petroleum. His score is now 78 ships and 73,220 tons.



Baltic Sea:
Johannes Spieß, in U-19 and operating off Grasgrund in the Gulf of Finland, sinks his first two ships since the previous November.
Russian freighter SS Elizabeth, 4,444 tons.
Imperial Russian Naval transport Ije (N-18), 1,261 tons.
His score is now 16 ships and 15,420 tons.



Mediterranean Sea:
Claus Rücker, in U-34, scuttles Greek barque Panaghia Akathistou, 421 tons. His score is now 64 ships and 148,587 tons.



Japan:
Japanese coaster Kiyo Maru No.2, 253 tons, is wrecked at Ukishima, in the Goto Islands.



Atlantic Ocean:
British barquentine Colombia, 234 tons, travelling in ballast from Oporto, Portugal to Laguna, Mexico, goes missing in mid-voyage and is not heard from again.

[Jimbuna]

13th September 1916

Western Front

French carry by assault L'Abbe Wood farm, and trench system south of Le Priez farm, south-east of Combles, big success.

Southern Front

Serbians advance left of Allied line in Macedonia in direction Florina and Monastir; Sorovich occupied by Allies. (South-west end of Lake Ostrovo).

Aviation

22 Italian Caproni aeroplanes drop 172 bombs on the city of Trieste, targeting an arsenal and a seaplane hangar.

Naval and Overseas Operations

British occupy Mikindani (southernmost post in German East Africa).

Political, etc.

Melbourne: Mr. Hughes' bill, referendum for conscription in Australia, read first time.

Verdun visited by President Poincare; various honours, including M.C., presented to town.

200 wounded soldiers are saved from a burning hospital near Ampthill, Bedfordshire.

Antonio Maura, former Spanish Premier and leader of the Conservatives, declares Spain must take sides in the war.

Ship Losses:

Ariel (France) The sloop was scuttled in the English Channel 35 nautical miles (65 km) north west of Sept Îles, Côtes-du-Nord by SM UB-18 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Hans Jensen (Denmark) The cargo ship was sunk in the English Channel 52 nautical miles (96 km) north east of the Île de Batz, Finistère, France (49°38′N 3°43′W) by SM UB-18 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
J. N. Madvig (Denmark) The cargo ship was sunk in the English Channel 54 nautical miles (100 km) north north west of Paimpol, Finistère (49°20′N 3°51′W) by SM UB-18 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Tolosa (Norway) The cargo ship was sunk in the English Channel 30 nautical miles (56 km) north north east of the Île de Batz by SM UB-18 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.

[Sailor Steve]

September 13, 1916

English Channel:
Otto Steinbrinck, commanding UB-18, has moved from the Celtic Sea into the eastern end of the Channel, where he sinks four vessels:
French ketch Ariel, 49 tons, scuttled off Sept Iles, Brittany.
Danish freighter SS J.N. Madvig, 1,762 tons, carrying a load of coal (Wrecksite.eu says gas oil) from Tyne to Civitavecchia. At 1455 Steinbrinck stops the ship and gives the crew ten minutes to abandon ship. At 1520 UB-18 sinks J.N. Madvig with a torpedo. The crew are picked up by SS Tolosa.
Danish freighter SS Hans Jensen, 1,824 tons, bound from Blyth for Genoa with 2600 tons of coal. At 1620 Steinbrink stops Hans Jensen and the crew abandon ship. Scuttling charges are detonated at 1645, and the ship sinks at 1720.
Norwegian freighter SS Tolosa, 1,833 tons, out of Bilbao for Middlesbrough with a load of iron ore. They watch the scuttling of Hans Jensen, after which UB-18 stops Tolosa and the crew abandon ship, along with the crew of J.N. Madvig. The boats from all three ships reach the French coast safely.
Steinbrinck's score is now 82 ships and 78,688 tons.



North Sea:
His Majesty's Trawler Loch Garry, 176 tons, founders in the Bay of Kirkwall, Orkney Islands.



Norwegian freighter SS Rutil, 706 tons, sets out from Tyne headed for Treport with a load of coke and is not heard from again. Presumed to have hit a mine due to extensive bow damage when the wreck was found in 1993, but records show that there was also a force 12 storm blowing at the time.



German East Africa:
At Dar-Es-Salaam light cruiser HMS Challenger guards the bay while troopships add to the forces there and naval personel construct a new pier.

Meanwhile HMS Hyacinth and Talbot lead a group of whalers to secure the town and harbor at Mikindani, 240 miles to the south. The town is taken without resistance.