100 Years Ago Today

[Jimbuna]

14th June 1916

Western Front

Battle of Verdun: Germans take 700 prisoners near Thiaumont Farm.

Andrew Bonar Law states that the British military is ready to aid French forces in the Battle of Verdun.

The Battle of Mont Sorrel ends inconclusively, as gains made by German troops are reversed by Canadian soldiers.

Eastern Front

Fighting at Lokachi and Kolki (Lutsk area); 31,000 prisoners reported.

Southern Front

Italians take trenches at Monfalcone (Northern Adriatic).

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

Russians regain lost ground near Chorok (south-west of Trebizond).

Naval and Overseas Operations

Russians attack German convoy in Baltic, sinking an auxiliary cruiser, two torpedo boats and some steamers.

Political, etc.

Lloyd George, Minister of Munitions, is offered the post as Secretary of State for War after the death of Lord Kitchener.

Allied Economic Conference opens at Paris, M. Clementel presiding.

President Wilson denounces foreign-born citizens of the United States who have loyalties to other nations before the U.S.

Ship Losses:

Antonia V (Italy) The schooner was sunk in the Tyrrhenian Sea (42°05′N 13°00′E) by SM U-35 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Giosue (Italy) The sailing vessel was sunk in the Tyrrhenian Sea (41°00′N 11°35′E) by SM U-35 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
San Francesco (Italy) The sailing vessel was sunk in the Tyrrhenian Sea (41°15′N 12°00′E) by SM U-35 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Tavolara (Italy) The coaster was sunk in the Tyrrhenian Sea 20 nautical miles (37 km) off Civitavecchia, Lazio (41°50′N 14°25′E) by SM U-35 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.

[Sailor Steve]

June 14, 1916

North Sea:
German coaster SS Cupido, 591 tons, carrying a load of cement from Hamburg to Bergen, runs aground on Barsoe Reef, Sweden.



Tyrrhenian Sea:
Lothar von Arnauld de la Perière, commanding U-35, sinks four small Italian vessels, bringing his score to 15 ships and 51,937 tons.
Schooner Antonia V, 132 tons.
Sailboat Giosue, 20 tons.
Sailboat San Francesco, 28 tons.
Freighter Tavolara, 701 tons.



German East Africa:
While the crew of monitor HMS Mersey are busy preparing their ship for sea, putting things back together, setting up guns and fittings etc, the crew of her sister ship Severn are again given orders to start rigging armour plate again.



United States:
American steam packet SS Bear, 4,057 tons, runs aground near Cape Mendocino, California. Five passengers are lost when a lifeboat capsizes in the surf.

[Jimbuna]

15th June 1916

Western Front

Battle of Verdun: French take a trench on Mort Homme and repulse heavy counter-attacks at Caillette Wood.

Eastern Front

Russians advance north-west of Czernowitz; heavy fighting in the centre.

Southern Front

Artillery activity at Salonika.

Austrians repulsed on Asiago plateau; successful Italian counter-attack.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

British cavalry raid an Arab tribe (Mesopotamia).

Heavy fighting at Saripul (Persia).

Naval and Overseas Operations

British secure bridge at Korogwe (west of Tanga, German East Africa), and occupy an island in Lake Victoria.

Sea War

Royal Navy first operates shore­-controlled minefields (hydrophone and magnetophone) mainly in Flanders and Shetlands (sink 2 U-boats; 2 possible, 2 damaged). Paravanes begun to be fitted to merchant ships (code name Otto), 274 by end of hostilities.

Air War

Arabia: 3 seaplanes from HMS Ben-My-Chree bomb Turks at Jeddah.

The first Boeing-built airplane made its maiden flight.


Political, etc.

British and French officials hint that an Allied offensive is imminent on the Western Front.

British Chamber of Commerce passes a resolution requesting all members of German or Austrian birth, even if naturalized, to resign.

Daylight Saving Act comes into operation.

Ship Losses:

Adelina (Italy) The sailing vessel was sunk in the Pionbino Channel (43°00′N 10°05′E) by SM U-35 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Annetta (Italy) The sailing vessel was sunk in the Ligurian Sea (43°10′N 10°05′E) by SM U-35 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Audace (Italy) The sailing vessel was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 30 nautical miles (56 km) off Cape Corse, Corsica, France (43°30′N 9°15′E) by SM U-35 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Sardinia (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was shelled and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 38 nautical miles (70 km) west of Gorgona, Italy (43°30′N 8°50′E) by SM U-35 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
S. Maria (Italy) The barque was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 10 nautical miles (19 km) north of Cape Corse by SM U-35 ( Kaiserliche Marine).

[Sailor Steve]

June 15, 1916

North Sea:
Norwegian wooden steam coaster SS Emma, 70 tons, carrying a load of petroleum from Bergen to Måløy, is lost to a fire near Stafjorden, Norway.



Ligurian Sea:
Lothar von Arnauld de la Perière, in U-35, has moved north of Corsica, where he sinks five ships.
Italian brigantine Adelia, 170 tons, bound in ballast from Alicante for Civitavecchia. Also listed as Adelina. According to Uboat.net Adelia is the correct name.
Italian sailing ship Anette, 112 tons.
Italian brigantine Audace, 144 tons.
Italian barque S. Maria, 515 tons.
British freighter Sardinia, 1,119 tons, carrying a general cargo from Genoa to London.
Von Arnauld's score is now 20 ships and 53,997 tons.



German East Africa:
Old light cruiser HMS Hyacinth shells the German customs house at Mgau Mwania, burning it to the ground.

[Jimbuna]

16th June 1916

Eastern Front

Russians cross Styr and Stokhod north-west of Lutsk; Austrians retreat across Strypa.

German counter offensive in Ukraine.

Southern Front

Austrians repulsed in Lagarina valley on Monte Lemerle; Italian counter offensive on Asiago plateau.

Aviation

First flight: Port Victoria P.V.2.


Naval and Overseas Operations

Germans in force at Hendeni, near Tanga (German East Africa).

Political, etc.

French Chamber of Deputies holds its first closed meeting since the start of the war to discuss current and upcoming military operations.

Ship Losses:

Dolmetta M (Italy) The sailing vessel was sunk in the Ligurian Sea 10 nautical miles (19 km) south of Porto Maurizio, Liguria by SM U-35 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Era (Italy) The barque was sunk in the Ligurian Sea 10 nautical miles (19 km) south of Porto Maurizio by SM U-35 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Eufrasia (Italy) The sailing vessel was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 30 nautical miles (56 km) north of Caboi, Corsica (43°00′N 8°45′E) by SM U-35 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Gafsa (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was shelled and sunk in the Ligurian Sea 40 nautical miles (74 km) south of Porto Maurizio (43°15′N 8°15′E) by SM U-35 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Rondine (Italy) The sailing vessel was sunk in the Ligurian Sea 20 nautical miles (37 km) south east of Porto Maurizio by SM U-35 ( Kaiserliche Marine).

[Sailor Steve]

June 16, 1916

Air War:
Bohemia-born Austro-Hungarian observer Georg Kenzian, riding over the Russian front in Hansa-Brandenburg C.I 61.18 with an unnamed pilot, shoots down a Farman two-seater for victory number 1.



Black Sea:
Russian passenger/cargo ship SS Tsesarevitch Aleksei Nikolaevitch, 5,472 tpms. hit a mine near Cape Tarkhankut, Crimea. The captain tries to beach the ship but flooding takes her under before they reach the shore. Number of lives lost is unknown, but most of the passengers and crew made it safely ashore.



Ligurian Sea:
Lothar von Arnauld de la Perière, commanding U-35, sinks another five ships, bringing his score to 25 ships and 59,228 tons:
Italian sailboat Dolmetta M, 48 tons.
Italian iron-hulled barque Era, 1,078 tons, bound from Genoa for Baltimore.
Italian sailboat Eufrasia, 71 tons.
British freighter SS Gafsa, 3,922 tons, carrying a load of patent fuel and coal from Swansea to Genoa.
Italian sailboat Rondine, 112 tons.

[Jimbuna]

17th June 1916

Western Front

Battle of Verdun: Heavy German attacks repulsed on Mort Homme; French take some trenches on Hill 321; Germans checked at Thiaumont.

Eastern Front

Russians occupy Czernowitz; gain ground west of Kolki (Lutsk) and repel attacks near Buczacz.

Germans retake Svidniki.

Southern Front

Italians repulse counter-attacks at Monfalcone (Isonzo).

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

British within 200 yards of Sanna-i-Yat and five miles east of Kut (Mesopotamia).

Aviation

Italian troops press on against the Austro-Hungarian lines in Trentino. Italian bombers drop 160 bombs and 60,000 steel darts.

First flight: Royal Aircraft Factory R.E.8.


The first French ace, Jean Navarre, is shot down and wounded, ending his combat career with 12 confirmed kills.
Jean Navarre inspecting a captured German plane.


Naval and Overseas Operations

Sir P. Crewe appointed to Lake Command (East Africa).

Political, etc.

Greek demobilisation begun.

Death of General von Moltke, late Chief of General Staff.

German military governor of Roulers, Belgium orders civilians to stay indoors in the afternoons as punishment for feeding Russian prisoners.

U.S. Naval Board reports that factories making farm tools can be easily converted to make artillery shells.

Ship Losses:

Poviga (Italy) The cargo ship was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 72 nautical miles (133 km) off the Porquerolles (41°45′N 6°30′E) by SM U-35 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.

[Sailor Steve]

June 17, 1916

Air War:
1130 Three FE.2bs share a victory over an Eindecker. Horace Davey and J.B. Hinchlciffe in 5209, Lancelot Lytton Richardson and M.V. Lewes in 6337, and J.R.B. Savage and AM2 Robinson in 5201. For future aces Davey and Richardson these are kills number 2 and 1 respectively.

1825 Alan Wilkinson, flying D.H.2 5966, shoots down an Eindecker for vicory number 3.
1900 Wilkinson brings down an Albatros two-seater for number 4.

Sometime during this day a confused battle takes place over the trenches:
French ace Jean Navarre, in Nieuport 16 1130, and pilot Georges d'Oisy, in a Nieuport 11, claim an Eindecker. Victory number 12 for Navarre and number 4 for d'Oisy.

German pilot Walter Höhndorf claims a Nieuport for victory number 5. This may have been Navarre, who suffered a career-ending wound on this date, or it may have been American pilot Victor Chapman, flying a Nieuport 11 with N124 (The "Escadrille Americaine"). In a letter to Chapman's brother Paul, Kiffin Rockwell writes:

He has been a little too courageous and got me into one of the mess-ups because I couldn't stand back and see him get it alone. He was attacking all the time, without paying much attention. He did the same thing this morning and wouldn't come home when the rest of us did. The result was that he attacked one German, when a Fokker which we think was Boelcke, got full on Chapman's back, shot his machine to pieces and wounded Chapman in the head.

Boelcke was nowhere near this action, and Höhndorf was the only German pilot claiming a Nieuport. If it was Chapman, who shot Navarre? If it was Navarre, who shot Chapman? In both cases the pilot was able to make a safe return home, so in modern scoring methods wouldn't count as a "kill" anyway.

German ace Kurt Wintgens, in a Fokker E.IV, shoots down a Farman two-seater from MF70 in flames for victory number 6. Lt. Brunel and SLt Pierre Hemand are killed.

Wintgens wrote a colorful description of the combat:

I was a wonderful fight. It exploded marvelously. He was already behind the French lines when the pilot, who hung dead over the right side, apparently touched the rudder in some way. The machine turned and fell burning into the German lines, greeted by a thunderous hurrah from the whole of the front.

A couple of hundred meters next to me, Höhndorf fought a Nieuport. The French thereupon wrote in their announcement: "In Lorraine, four of oour machines gave battle to four Fokkers. Two of the latter fell down, one of them afire. One of our machines had to land."

The one who fell in flames was supposed to be me. I had rather slid down somewhat, but as an old hand at stunt flying, had flattened out elegantly over the French lines. The flames mentioned where those of my opponent, whose landing took place at a negative angle.

Wintgens also records that his 160-hp engine took a bullet and was going to the factory for repairs.



English Channel:
British ketch Charlotte Sophia, 66 tons, is reported lost this date near the Isle of Wight.



Mediterranean Sea:
Lothar von Arnauld de la Perière, commanding U-35, has moved westward from Corsica, where he sinks Italian freighter SS Poviga, 3,360 tons, bound from Norfolk for Genoa with a load of coal. His score is now 26 ships and 62,588 tons.

Italian vessel Francesco Padre is reported sunk by a German submarine. There are no details from German sources as to who this mystery u-boat may have been, and none from Italian sources concerning the size, type of ship, route, or cargo.


Quotes are from Sharks Among Minnows, by Norman Franks.

[Jimbuna]

18th June 1916

Western Front

Battle of Verdun: Germans repulsed north of Hill 321; French repulsed at Fermin Wood.

German attack repulsed at Lihons (St. Quentin).

Southern Front

Italian advance on Asiago plateau and take Monte Isodoro.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

Aerodromes at El Arish (Sinai Peninsula) bombed by British.

Aviation

Max Immelmann, the 1st German flying ace & with 15 confirmed aerial victories, is killed over Lens, France.

In January 1916, Kaiser Wilhelm pinned Prussia's highest military honor, the Pour le Mérite, "The Blue Max," on two aviators, Oswald Boelcke and Max Immelmann. Immelmann's legend was confused and contradictory even then. A fierce fighter pilot, dubbed "The Eagle of Lille" by his opponents, he was a mamma's boy whose mother regularly sent him chocolates. The famous half-loop, half-roll maneuver that bears his name, the "Immelmann Turn," most likely was not his invention. Even his death remains clouded in conflicting and self-serving claims.

Death

On June 18, Immelmann engaged some FE-2b's of RFC Squadron 25. According to British accounts, gunfire from an FE-2 piloted by Lt. G.R. McCubbin and gunned by Cpl. J. H. Waller hit Immelmann's Fokker and it dived into the ground. Perhaps the notion that a lowly two-seater FE-2 had brought down their leading ace, the Germans announced that he had been downed by anti-aircraft fire. This explanation also suited Tony Fokker, who filed a report noting that "the fuselage had been shot in two by shrapnel fire."

Other sources, including Max's brother Franz, blamed the interrupter gear, and claimed that amongst the wreckage, his propeller had been found, shot away right in line with his own guns. Most authorities concur with this explanation, but like so many events of World War One's aerial combat, the death of Max Immelmann remains obscured by conflicting reports and uncertainty.
http://acepilots.com/wwi/ger_immelmann.html

Political etc.

Following food riots, the Netherlands prohibits the export of food until the supply reaches normal levels.

Ship Losses:

Aquila (Norway) The cargo ship was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 100 nautical miles (190 km) off Marseille, Bouches-du-Rhône, France (41°15′N 5°30′E) by SM U-35 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Beachy (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 98 nautical miles (181 km) north east by east of Port Mahon, Minorca, Spain (40°50′N 5°40′E) by SM U-35 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
HMS Eden (Royal Navy) The River-class destroyer collided with France ( France) in the English Channel off Fécamp, Seine-Maritime, France and sank.
Mendibil-Mendi (Spain) The cargo ship struck a mine laid by UC 1 (Kurt Ramien) and sank in the North Sea off the Shipwash Lightship ( United Kingdom) (52°09′N 1°46′E). Her crew survived.
Olga (France) The cargo ship was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 110 nautical miles (200 km) west by south of Cape Felene (41°00′N 5°55′E) by SM U-35 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Rona (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was shelled and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 212 nautical miles (393 km) east by south of the Capo de Melle (40°55′N 5°45′E) by SM U-35 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.

[Sailor Steve]

June 18, 1916

Air War:
1700 Four eindeckers attack eight FE.2bs. Someone, possibly German ace Max Immelmann, shoots down FE.2b 6940. Pilot Lt Clarence Elias Rogers wounded, died later in hospital; Sgt H. Taylor wounded, taken prisoner.

2145 Immelmann's group, having refueled and taken off again, this time with five planes. They are attacking FE.2b 4909 and it goes down, killing 17-year-old pilot Lt John Raymond Boscowen Savage and wounding observer AM2 T.N.U. Robinson. Another FE.2b, flown by George Reynolds McCubbin and gunner James Henry Waller, attacks Immelmann. The Fokker is seen to fall, shedding its tail and then wings on the way down. The fuselage falls 2,000 meters, killing one of Germany's two great aces. There is some controversy regarding what actually happened, and also concerning Immelmann's last two victories.
" 4909 is awarded to Max Mulzer, for victory number 4.

Also this day French aircrew of Andre Delome and Charles Jobelin, in a Caudron G.4, shoot down an Aviatik two-seater. Victory number 2 for Delorme, unknown for Jobelin (possibly his only kill).



North Sea:
Spanish freighter SS Mendibil-Mendi, 4,501 tons, bound from Newcastle for Bilbao, runs onto a mine laid by Kurt Ramien in UC-1, bringing his score to 3 ships and 14,660 tons.

American freighter SS Seaconnet, 2,294 tons, carrying a load of timber from Arkhangelsk to London, hits a mine laid by Georg Haag in UC-7. Haag's score is now 23 ships and 33,396 tons.



Mediterranean Sea:
Lothar von Arnauld de la Perière, in U-35, adds four more ships to his score:
Norwegian freighter SS Aquila, 2,191 tons, carrying a load of coal from Barry to Livorno.
British freighter SS Beachy, 4,718 tons, travelling from Calcutta and Marseille to Hull with a load of manganese ore plus general cargo.
French freighter SS Olga, 2,964 tons, route and cargo unlisted.
British freighter SS Rona, 1,312 tons, Bound from Genoa for Lisbon with a general cargo.
Von Arnauld's total is now 30 ships and 73,773 tons.

[Catfish]

A bit late, full account of the Battle of Jutland narrated by Admiral Jellicoe’s grandson as part of the Jutland Centenary Commemorations (24 minute animation):

https://vimeo.com/162655850

[Sailor Steve]

Not only late, but already posted:
http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/show...&postcount=148

[Catfish]

^ Oops

[Jimbuna]

Originally Posted by Catfish

^ Oops

If you're not fast...you're last

[Jimbuna]

19th June 1916

Western Front

Battle of Verdun: German night attack repulsed north-west of Hill 321.

Eastern Front

Russians cross Pruth west of Czernowitz; heavy fighting near Lutsk, Germans reinforcing Austrians.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

Turks repulsed by Russians at Saripul (Persia).

Naval and Overseas Operations

British occupy Handem and Germans retreat on central railway system (German East Africa).

Political, etc.

William Thorne, Labour MP, proposes that the government seize all meat supplies in the country to stabilize supply.

New Italian Ministry formed.

80,000 American Militia called up to police Mexican border.

Ship Losses:

Corton Lightship (United Kingdom) The lightship struck a mine laid by UC 6 (Otto Ehrentraut) and sank in the North Sea 4 nautical miles (7.4 km) north east by east of Lowestoft, Suffolk (52°31′N 1°50′E) with the loss of five of her crew.
Ems (Germany) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Kattegat by a Royal Navy submarine. Her crew survived.
France et Russie (France) The three-masted schooner was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 50 nautical miles (93 km) north of Sóller, Mallorca, Spain (40°45′N 2°40′E) by SM U-35 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Mario C. (Italy) The barquentine was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 30 nautical miles (56 km) off Cap Calabria, Spain (40°32′N 3°45′E) by SM U-35 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Saint Jacques (France) The trawler struck a mine laid by UC 6 (Matthias Graf von Schmettow) and sank in the English Channel off Le Havre, Seine-Maritime.

Max Immelmann's Fokker E.III wreckage.