100 Years Ago Today

[Sailor Steve]

May 16, 1916

Air War:
0700 English pilot Alan Machin Wilkinson, flying DH.2 5966, shoots down an AGO C.II for victory number 1.
0730 Wilkinson wins a fight with an eindecker for win number 2.

0800 German ace Max Immelmann, in a Fokker E.IV, shoots down Bristol Scout C5301 for victory number 15. 2nd Lt Morden Maxwell Mowat is killed in the fight.

0800 Scottish Pilot George Ranald MacFarlane Reid and English observer James Anderson Mann, in FE.2b 6330, shoot down an Aviatik two-seater for victory number 1.

0925 India-born RFC pilot Horace Balfour Davey and Cpl L. van Schaick, flying FE2b 5209 shoot down an eindecker for victory number 1.

1200 Four Fokker eindeckers attack FE.2b 7341. Cpt Douglas Grinnell-Milne and Cpl D. McMaster land safely and are taken prisoner. Three of the German pilots claim the "Fee", with Adam Barth finally being awarded the claim, his first.

English pilot Albert Ball, flying Bristol Scout 5312, shoots down an Albatros two-seater for victory number 1.

Italian pilot Francesco Baracca, flying a Nieuport 11 on the Southern Front, shoots down an Austrian Lohner B.VII two-seater for victory number 2.



North Sea:
Dutch passenger ship SS Batavier V, 1,569 tons, hits a mine laid by Matthias von Schmettow in UC-6, bringing his score to 37 ships and 49,118 tons. Batavier V was previously taken as a prize by Georg-Günther von Forstner in U-28, but was released by the prize court.



Gulf of Bothnia:
Swedish schooner Syster, 100 tons, carrying a load of cement from Aalborg, Denmark to Rauma, Finland, runs aground while approaching Rauma.



Russia:
Back on December 7, 1915, British freighter SS Sappho, 1694 tons, was trapped in the ice in the White Sea. The crew stayed aboard until December 24th, then attempted to walk eighteen miles across the ice to the Crossland Light Vessel. Only three of the thirty-three survived the journey. On May 14th, the ice having melted, the ship was taken under tow by a Norwegian sealer. The ship sank on May 16th while still under tow.



Mediterranean Sea:
Claus Rücker, in U-34, sinks Italian sailing ship Sant' Andrea, 224 tons, travelling from Marseilles to Sicily with an unlisted cargo. His score is now 30 ships and 102,012 tons.



Leading U-boat ace Max Valentiner, in U-38, uses his deck gun to sink British Fleet Messenger Clifford, 487 tons, en route from Alexandria to Malta. His score is now 80 ships and 173,902 tons.

[Jimbuna]

17th May 1916

Western Front

Battle of Verdun: German attack in Avocourt Wood.

Germans capture British mine crater on Vimy Ridge.

Southern Front

Austrians claim 6,300 prisoners.

Aviation

Franco-American Flying Corp, made up of American aviators, makes its first expedition over German lines.

Naval

German submarine SM U-74 is sunk off Dunbar, Scotland due to a mine handling accident. All 34 crewmen are killed.

Political, etc.

President Wilson assures the Pope that the United States will keep out of the European war at the cost of everything but national honour.

U.S. State Department again warns its citizens to get out of northern Mexico at once due to political instability in the region.

Five German soldiers on the Swiss border defect to Switzerland due to the lack of food. They are now interned at Berne.

Air Board formed; Lord Curzon president.

Daylight Saving Bill passed.

8 members of the national committee of the No Conscription Fellowship are fined £110 for distributing anti-draft pamphlets in London.

Ship Losses:

Boy Percy (United Kingdom) The fishing smack was scuttled in the North Sea off Southwold, Suffolk by SM UB-29 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of all hands.
Boy Sam (United Kingdom) The fishing smack was scuttled in the North Sea off Southwold by SM UB-29 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Research (United Kingdom) The fishing smack was scuttled in the North Sea 35 nautical miles (65 km) east by south of Cromer, Norfolk by SM UB-18 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of a crew member.
Stura (Italy) The cargo ship was sunk in the Adriatic Sea 17 nautical miles (31 km) east of Brindisi, Apulia, Italy (40°47′N 19°00′E) by SM U-15 ( Austro-Hungarian Navy). Her crew survived.
Trave (Germany) The coaster was torpedoed and sunk in the Kattegat off the Kullen Lighthouse, Sweden by a Royal Navy submarine. Her fourteen crew survived.
SM U-74 (Kaiserliche Marine) The Type UE I submarine sank in the North Sea 3.5 nautical miles (6.5 km) off Dunbar, Lothian, United Kingdom after the accidental explosion of a mine she was laying.
Wanderer (United Kingdom) The fishing smack was scuttled in the North Sea off Southwold by SM UB-29 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her five crew took to the lifeboat but were not recovered.

[Sailor Steve]

May 17, 1916

Great Britain:
Royal Naval Air Service begins experiments on parasite fighters. Porte Baby 9800 is fitted to carry Bristol Scout C3028.





Air War:
French pilot George d'Oisy, flying a Nieuport 11, shoots down a Fokker eindecker for victory number 3. German records are uncertain, but a Vizefeldwebel Friedrich Schlindwein was lost on that day, although in a different sector.



North Sea:
Otto Steinbrinck, commanding UB-18, stops and scuttles British fishing smack Research, 44 tons, bringing his total to 40 vessels and 36,545 tons.

Herbert Pustkuchen, in UB-29, stops and sinks British smacks, Boy Percy, 46 tons, Boy Sam, 46 tons, and Wanderer, 47 tons. His score is now 34 vessels and 44,745 tons.



U-74 (Erwin Weisbach) is lost in a mine-handling accident, along with all 34 of her crew.



Kattegat:
British submarine E-30 torpedoes German freighter SS Trave, 762 tons, near Halmstad, Norway.



Baltic Sea:
Russian submarine Volk sinks German freighter SS Hera, 2,847 tons, in Norrköping Bay, Sweden.



Adriatic Sea:
Friedrich Fändrich, in Austro-Hungarian U-15, sinks Italian freighter SS Stura, 2,237 tons, bringing his score to 3 ships and 2,342 tons.



United States:
American motor vessel Installer, 18 tons, carrying merchandise from Ketchikan to Forrester Island, Alaska, is stranded at Forrester Island. The three crew make it ashore, but the vessel is a total loss. A little over half the merchandise is salvaged.

[Jimbuna]

18th May 1916

Western Front

Battle of Verdun: German attacks repulsed at Hill 304 and in Avocourt Wood.

Southern Front

Italians evacuate Zugna Torta and retire from Monte Maggio-Seglio d'Aspio (Trentino).

Naval and Overseas Operations

British advance in Para and Usambara districts (German East Africa).

British bombard El Arish (northern Sinai).

Aviation

Kiffin Rockwell shoots down a German two-seater aircraft, the first aerial victory claimed by the "Lafayette Escadrille", an American-manned squadron of the French Air Service.


Political, etc.

Royal Commissions on Irish rebellion opens.

Mr. Balfour makes a statement on sea power.

Grace Annie Lockhart, the first woman to earn a bachelor’s degree in the British Empire, has passed away.


Ship Losses:

Adamantios Korais (Greece) The cargo ship was scuttled in the Mediterranean Sea 30 nautical miles (56 km) south south east of Toulon, Var, France (42°38′N 6°13′E) by SM U-34 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
HMT Carbineer (Royal Navy) The naval trawler hit the Crim Rocks in the Isles of Scilly and was run ashore on Great Crebawethan becoming a total loss.
HMML 40 (Royal Navy) The motor launch was lost on this date.
Osprey (United Kingdom) The fishing vessel was scuttled in the North Sea 13 nautical miles (24 km) east north east of the Spurn Lightship ( United Kingdom) by SM UB-19 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Ponto (Norway) The cargo ship collided with Fredsael ( Norway) off Barry, Glamorgan, United Kingdom and sank. Her crew were rescued.

[Sailor Steve]

May 18, 1916

Air War:
German ace Oswald Boelcke, in a Fokker E.IV, shoots down a Caudron G.4 for victory number 16. MdL Hubert Cagninacci and SLt Louis Vivien are both killed in the combat. Tomorrow will be Boelcke's 25th birthday.

American pilot Kiffin Yates Rockwell, flying Nieuport 11 N1454 for N.124, the 'Escadrille Americaine', shoots down a German two-seater for victory number 1.



North Sea:
Walther Becker, in UB-19, stops and scuttles British fishing vessel Osprey, 18 tons, bringing his score to 2 vessels and 2,214 tons.

Mediterranean Sea:
Claus Rücker, commanding U-34, captures and scuttles Greek freighter SS Adamantios Korais, 2,947 tons, bound from Barry for Savona with an unspecified cargo. His score is now 31 ships and 104,959 tons.

[Jimbuna]

19th May 1916

Western Front

Battle of Verdun: Germans take a work south of Hill 287.

Southern Front

Italians retreat from Monte Toraro-Monte Campolon-Spitz Tonezza line (Trentino).

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

Turks evacuate Es Sinn position on right bank (Tigris).

Aviation

German air raid on coast of Kent; 1 killed, 2 injured; one German seaplane destroyed off Belgian Coast.


Georges Boillot, French racer and pilot, dies of injuries he sustained when he was shot down by Germans.


French ace Jean Navarre shoots down a German Aviatik C over Chattancourt, France, becoming the first Allied ace credited with 10 victories.
http://donhollway.com/jeannavarre/

Political, etc.

British summer “daylight savings” bill is given royal assent, and will go into force this Sunday morning.

Evidence of Mr. Birrell before Irish Commission.

Even with the Allied blockade and the ongoing war, trade between Germany and U.S. amounts to $1 million each month.

German embassy instructs its German subjects in the U.S. to obey American laws in an effort to improve relations with the U.S.

Ship Losses:

Hermion (Norway) The cargo ship caught fire and sank at New York, United States.

"A Peculiar Theory" (Western Mail cartoon)

[Sailor Steve]

May 19, 1916

Air War:
1815 Scottish RFC pilot George Reid and observer James Mann, i FE.2b 6330, win a dogfight with an eindecker for victory number 2. The name and fate of the German pilot are unknown.

French ace Jean Navarre, in a Nieuport 11, shares a kill with a "Sgt Boillot", also in an N.11, over an Aviatik two-seater. Number 10 for Navarre, possibly Boillot's only victory.

French ace Charles Nungesser, flying a Nieuport 11, shoots down an Aviatik two-seater for victory number 8.

[Jimbuna]

20th May 1916

Western Front

Battle of Verdun: Great German attack on Mort Homme; they capture summit of Hill 295.

British regain mine crater on Vimy Ridge.

Southern Front

Austro-Hungarian expels Italian troops from the mountain Col Santo, a peak of over 2000 metres.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

South bank of Tigris to Shatt-el-Hai cleared of Turks.

3 officers, 110 men, Cossacks from Mahidasht join British on Tigris at Ali Gherbi.

Political, etc.

Britain refuses to allow food supplies to come through Luxembourg, which is under German occupation.

Lord Robert Cecil refuses to end the blockade of Germany even if it ceased its unrestricted submarine warfare.

Portugal hands over 38 seized German and Austro-Hungarian vessels to Italy.

Ship Losses:

Erminios (Italy) The barque was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 20 nautical miles (37 km) south of Palma, Majorca, Spain (41°05′N 3°50′E) by SM U-34 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Fabricotti F. (Italy) The brigantine was sunk in the Gulf of Lion 45 nautical miles (83 km) off Cape San Sebastian, Spain (41°37′N 3°59′E) by SM U-34 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Kin Ling (United Kingdom) The cargo ship caught fire and sank at Kiangyin, China.
Languedoc (France) The cargo ship was sunk in the Gulf of Lion off Cape San Sebastian (41°55′N 4°15′E) by SM U-34 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Manu (Spain) The cargo ship was driven ashore 3 nautical miles (5.6 km) west of St. Ives, Cornwall, United Kingdom and was abandoned by her crew.
Redentore (Italy) The barquentine was sunk in the Straits of Messina (37°19′N 13°17′E) by SM U-39 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Valsesia (Italy) The sailing vessel was sunk in the Straits of Messina (36°54′N 13°35′E) by SM U-39 ( Kaiserliche Marine).

[Sailor Steve]

May 20, 1916

Air War:
0415 Irish RFC pilot David Tidmarsh, flying DH.2 5965, and English pilot W.A. Summers, in DH.2 7284, share a two-seater kill. Number 3 for Tidmarsh, number 1 for Summers.

0700 Australian RNAS pilot Roderic Dallas, in Nieuport 11 3993, shoots down a German seaplane for victory number 2.

French pilot Andre Henri Martenot de Cordou and observer Claude de Martin, in a Caudron G.4, shoot down an LVG two-seater for victory number 1.

German pilot Kurt Wintgens shoots down a Nieuport 12 for victory number 4.



Bristol Channel:
Norwegian freighter SS Havet, 1,405 tons, carrying a load of coal from Cardiff to Rouen, sinks off Rhoose Point following a collision with SS Salient. Seven lives lost.



Balearic Sea:
Claus Rücker, commanding U-34, sinks Italian barque Erminia, 1,544 tons, bound from Savona for Philadelphia; brigantne Fabricaotti F., 150 tons; and French freighter SS Languedoc, 1,612 tons. His score is now 34 ships and 108,265 tons.



Mediterranean Sea:
Walter Forstmann, in U-39, sinks Italian barquentine Redentore, 288 tons; and sailing ship Valsesia, 248 tons, both carrying sulphur from Licata to Marseilles. His score is now 56 ships and 130,013 tons.



German East Africa:
0535 Balloon ship HMS Manica runs aground off Ras Sangamuku.
0540 Manica's No. 3 ballast tank is pumped dry.
0550 Cables are rigged and one of Manica's anchors is laid out for transport.
0555 One of the ship's motor boats is lowered to carry the anchor into position.
0735 Cruiser HMS Challenger arrives and her captain takes charge of the operation.
1020 Cruiser HMS Hyacinth arrives. Her captain boards Manica to direct onboard operations there.
1200 Anchor is laid in position to kedge Manica free. Winch is engaged and promptly breaks down.
1430 HMS Challenger sends tow line to Manica.
1535 Manica has been lightened enough for towing to begin.
1636 All is ready, and Challenger begins to tow Manica.
1650 Manica is free. Tow line reeled in by Challenger. Manica starts engines, only to find one of the buoy lines has fouled her propeller.
1723 Buoy line is freed. Crew examines propeller for damage, finds none.
1810 Manica is underway.

[Jimbuna]

21st May 1916


Western Front

Battle of Verdun: French capture quarries of Haudromont and take two trenches on Esne Haucourt road; German attack on western slopes of Mort Homme succeeds.

Southern Front

Austrians capture Armenterra Ridge (south of the Brenta, Trentino).

Italy asks for the Allies to launch attacks after Austria-Hungary’s offensives shatters Italian lines and take 13,000 Italians prisoner.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

Russians repulse Turks south of Trebizond.

Russians occupy Serdasht (Persia).

Port Said bombed.

Aviation

German aeroplanes raid Dunkirk twice over two days and more than 120 bombs are dropped. At least 40 people are killed and injuries.

Political, etc.

German food control board created; Herr Batocki, president.

Daylight savings time begins for the first time in the United Kingdom, as clocks go forward one hour.

Shackleton and 2 other reach Stromness whaling station after almost 7 months of leaving the Endurance. Station manager gives them shelter.
Shackleton to station manager-"Tell me, when was the war over?" Manager-"The war is not over. Millions are being killed...The world is mad."

Ship Losses:

Birmania (Italy) The passenger ship was scuttled in the Mediterranean Sea off Marettimo (38°20′N 11°32′E) by SM U-39 ( Kaiserliche Marine). All on board were rescued by Taormina ( Italy).
Myosotis (France) The sailing ship was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 32 nautical miles (59 km) off Port Soller, Majorca, Spain by SM U-34 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Rosalia Madre (Italy) The sailing ship was sunk in the Straits of Messina by SM U-39 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Tjømø (Norway) The cargo ship was scuttled in the Mediterranean Sea 50 nautical miles (93 km) north east of Formentor, Mallorca, Spain (40°21′N 2°51′E) by SM U-34 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.

[Sailor Steve]

May 21, 1916

First order for 50 Sopwith Pups is made.

Air War:
1400 Australian pilot Roderic Dallas, in Nieuport 11 3991, shoots down a German two-seater for victory number 3.

In the morning German ace Oswald Boelcke, flying a Fokker E.IV, shoots down a Nieuport fighter. Later in the afternoon he shoots down a Nieuport two-seater. Victories number 17 and 18.

French pilot Andre Chainat, flying a Nieuport 10 or 11, shoots down a German two-seater for victory number 3.

French ace Wilhelm Frankl, in a Fokker E.III, downs FE.2b 5206 for number 6. Cpt Charles Ernest Hilton James and 2nd Lt Henry Leslie Cautley Aked are both taken prisoner.

French ace Jean Navarre, in a Nieuport 11, shoots down a German two-seater for kill number 11.

German pilot Franz Walz and observer Martin Gerlich, flying a two-seater, bring down A Nieuport for victory number 2.

German pilot Kurt Wintgens, in a Fokker E.III, shoots down a French Caudron G.4 for kill number 5. Brigadier Vincent and SLt René Gauthier are both killed.



Baltic Sea:
Swedish freighter SS Rosalind, 850 tons, travelling in ballast from Copenhagen to Stugsund, hits a mine and sinks.



Bay of Biscay:
Spanish freighter SS Manuel-Camara, 1,574 tons, travelling in ballast from Bayonne, France to Castro Urdiales, Spain, runs aground near Cabo Machichaco.



Balearic Sea:
Claus Rücker, commanding U-34, sinks French sailing vessel Myosotis, 356 tons, and scuttles Norwegian freighter SS Tjømø, 1,453 tons, bound from Barry to Genoa with a load of coal. Both take place northeast of Majorca, and 36 ships and 110,074 tons.



Straight of Messina:
Walter Forstmann, in U-39, captures and scuttles Italian freighter SS Birmania, 2,215 tons, and sinks Italian sailing vessel Rosalia Madre, 251 tons, for a new total of 58 ships and 132,479 tons.

[Jimbuna]

22nd May 1916

Western Front

Battle of Verdun: Despite heavy German fire, some French infantry, spearheaded by the 34th Regiment, reach Fort Douaumont’s perimeter.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

British defeat Ali Dinar, Sultan of Darfur, at Beringia.

British and Russian cavalry link up in Kut-el-Amara in Iraq, although their main forces remain separated by the Ottomans.

Aviation

Two Ottoman aeroplanes raid Cairo and drop 16 bombs, resulting 2 deaths and 18 injuries.

French Nieuport 11s of Esc N65 destroy 6 kite-balloons using very short-range firework­-type rocket projectiles devised by French Navy Lieutenant Le Prieur.

Political, etc.

Newly-elected MP Noel Pemberton Billing claims the government is criminally negligent for being unable to defend against air attacks.

Reports surface of desertions among U.S. volunteers serving in Canada due to the cold and fears of deployment to Europe.

U.S. yearly exports to Italy jumps by $130 million since the war’s start due to “war orders.”

China once again officially becomes a republic after Yuan Shikai’s declaration of an empire was met with rebellion.

Ship Losses:

Genista (Italy) The full-rigged ship was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea off the Balearic Islands, Spain (40°37′N 1°47′E) by SM U-34 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Istros (Greece) The cargo ship was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 40 nautical miles (74 km) of Farragona, Alicante, Spain (40°36′N 1°43′E) by SM U-34 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Orealla (Italy) The full-rigged ship was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea south of Barcelona, Spain (40°24′N 1°53′E) by SM U-34 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Rhenass (United Kingdom) The coaster struck a mine laid by UC 10 (Alfred Nitzsche) and sank in the North Sea 9 nautical miles (17 km) east by north of Orfordness, Suffolk (52°08′30″N 1°48′00″E with the loss of six of her crew.
Roberto G. (Italy) The barque was scuttled in the Mediterranea Sea off the Balearic Islands (40°36′N 1°56′E) by SM U-34 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Australia (Italy) The full-rigged ship was scuttled in the Mediterranean Sea 65 nautical miles (120 km) south east of Barcelona (40°23′N 1°50′E) by SM U-34 ( Kaiserliche Marine).


Nieuport with Prieur rockets on the wings.

[Sailor Steve]

May 22, 1916

Air War:
1145 French pilot Noel de Rochefort and observer Jean Jacques Perrin, in Nieuport 12 842, shoot down an LVG two-seater. Number 3 for Rochefort, number 2 for Perrin.

French pilot Paul Adrien Gastin, in a Nieuport scout (11 or 16), brings down an Aviatik two-seater for victory number 1.

With incendiary bullets still in the future, French Navy Lieutenant Yves Le Prieur has invented an anti-balloon rocket, fired from the outer wing struts of an aircraft. In preparation for the French attempt to retake Fort Douaumont, Le Prieur organizes a mass attack on German observation balloons in the area, hoping to nullify the enemy's awareness of the attack. Among the pilots is ace Charles Nungesser.

When the attack is mounted, six of the eight balloons are destroyed. Credited with being the first is Joseph-Henri Guiguet, flying Nieuport 16 N978. Balloon observer Oblt Friedrich von Zanthier is killed. Guiguet has been working with Le Prieur, testing the rockets.

Nungesser, in Nieuport 16 N880, also gets his balloon, for victory number 9.

French pilot Henri Réservat also shoots down a balloon, but he and Nungesser run into a group of Germans. They both escape the enemy planes but Réservat is shot down by ground fire with four of his rockets still aboard, and the new secret weapon is captured the very first time it is used.

French pilot Pierre Theodore Weiss and Belgian observer Adoplhe Aloys Marie Hubert duBois d'Aisch, in a Farman, shoot down an Albatros two-seater for victory number 1.



North Sea:
British coaster SS Rhenass, 285 tons, carrying a load of pig iron from Jarrow to Calais, hits a mine laid by Alfred Nitzsche in UC-10, bringing his score to 14 ships and 25,398 tons.

German Trawler Nymphe, 124 tons, departs Geestemünde (Bremerhaven) for a fishing trip and is not heard from again.



France:
Greek freighter SS Anastassios Coroneos, 1,961 tons, travelling from Bilbao, is wrecked off Île de Sein.



Balearic Sea:
Claus Rücker, commanding U-34, sinks four Italian and one Greek ship, raising his total to 41 ships and 117,870 tons. Sunk are:
Italian sailing ship Australia, 1,586 tons, bound from Norfolk for Savona with a load of coal.
Italian sailing ship Genista, 1,856 tons, also from Norfolk to Savona with coal.
Italian sailing ship Orealla, 1,876 tons, Norfolk to Savona with an unnamed cargo.
Italian barque Roberto G, 587 tons, travelling from Aquin to Genoa with an nunnamed cargo.
Greek freighter SS Istros, 1,891 tons, travelling from Cardiff to Genoa with a load of coal.

[Jimbuna]

23rd May 1916

Western Front

Battle of Verdun: German assault on Thiaumont-Douaumont front and on Cumieres.

Diary entry of a French soldier at Verdun: “Humanity is mad!...Hell cannot be so terrible. Men are mad!”

German fire isolate elements of the French 34th Regiment at Fort Douaumont. French captain: "No one will come back alive.”

Eastern Front

Russian troops launch an offensive near Riga and force German lines to retreat along a 70-mile line.

Southern Front

Italians retreat between Astico and Brenta and in Sugana Valley (Trentino).

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

British occupy El Fasher, capital of Darfur.

Ali Dinar flees to Jebel Marra.

Political, etc.

Party leaders in the German Reichstag agree to ban open discussion on submarines and all bills concerning submarines will be tabled.

Germany and Austria-Hungary buy from Romania 100,000 carloads of corn and 40,000 carloads of other grains.

George S. Patton is promoted to first lieutenant for leading the 1st motorized attack in U.S. history & helping kill a Mexican bandit leader.

Ship Losses:

Cornigliano (Italy) The cargo ship was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 12 nautical miles (22 km) south of the Columbretes Islands, Spain by SM U-34 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Hercules (Italy) The cargo ship was sunk in the Tyrrhenian Sea 70 nautical miles (130 km) south south west of Genoa (43°18′N 8°30′E) by SM U-39 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Maria Porto di Salvezza (Italy) The sailing vessel was sunk in the Tyrrhenian Sea off Elba by SM U-39 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Regina (Russia) The barque was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea off the Balearic Islands, Spain by SM U-34 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Washington (Italy) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea off Piombino (42°51′N 9°27′E) by SM U-39 ( Kaiserliche Marine).



"True To The Empire" (Western Mail cartoon)

[Sailor Steve]

May 23, 1916

Balearic Sea:
Claus Rücker, commanding U-34, sinks Italian freighter SS Cornigliano, 2,862 tons, and Russian barque Regina, 593 tons, bound from Gulfport to Barcelona, bringing his score to 43 ships and 121,325 tons.



Ligurian Sea:
Walter Forstmann, in U-39, sinks Italian freighters Hercules, 2,704 tons, travelling from Clyde to Genoa, and Washington, 2,819 tons. He then bombards Porto Ferraijo, Elba, with his deck gun, damaging Italian freighter SS Teresa Accame, 4,742 tons, just arrived from Norfolk with a load of coal; and sinking sailing vessel Maria Porto Di Salvezza, 39 tons. His score is now 61 ships and 138,041 tons.