100 Years Ago Today

[Sailor Steve]

May 1, 1916

Air War:
German ace Oswald Boelcke, flying a Fokker E.IV, shoots down an unidentified French biplane. Despite lack of confirmation Boelcke is awarded victory number 15.



Celtic Sea:
Walther Schwieger, commanding U-20, sinks French schooner Bernadette, 486 tons, bound from Fécamp for Newfoundland with a load of salt. Schwieger's score is now 27 ships and 113,724 tons.



English Channel:
British freighter SS Caterham, 3,411 tons, sinks eight miles off Eastbourne. Further details unknown.



North Sea:
Vicktor Dieckmann, in UB-27, torpedoes Brazilian freighter SS Rio Branco, 2,258 tons, en route from Chrisiania to Hull with a general cargo. His score is now 4 ships and 3,707 tons.

German destroyer S123 hits a mine near the island of Sylt, off the coast of Denmark.

British freighter SS Hendonhall, 3,994 tons, carrying a load of wheat from Portland, Maine to Rotterdam, hits a mine laid by Alfred Nitzsche in UC-10, bringing his score to 12 ships and 23,874 tons.



Indian Ocean:
Norwegian schooner SV Vardvik, 393 tons, travelling from Quelimane, Mozambique to Beria (modern Veria), Greece, is wrecked shortly after departing Quelimane.

[Jimbuna]

2nd May 1916

Western Front

At Verdun, a French counterattack captures a mile of trenches, with a depth of between 300-600 meters.

Southern Front

French occupy Florina (23 miles south of Monastir).

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

King's Message to Mesopotamian Force.

Aviation

Zeppelin raid on east coast and Scotland, 9 killed, 30 injured.
http://i.imgur.com/0gNDucd.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/4PfB3es.jpg

Political, etc.

Germany agrees to British proposal for transfer of prisoners of war to Switzerland.

Premier Asquith states that since the war’s start, the number of divisions has increased from 26 to 83 and 5 million men have been recruited.

U.S. War Department orders the halt of all shipment of war munitions to Mexico. A shipment of 500,000 rifle rounds is held up.

Ship Losses:

Fridland (Sweden) The cargo ship struck a mine laid by UC 1 (Kurt Ramien) and was damaged in the North Sea off the Longsand Lightship ( United Kingdom) (51°51′N 1°56′E) and was beached at Blyth, Northumberland without loss of life. She was later refloated, repaired and returned to service.
Le Pilier (France) The barque was torpedoed and sunk in the Bay of Biscay (47°50′N 5°50′W) by SM U-45 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Maud (United Kingdom) The schooner was shelled and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 50 nautical miles (93 km) south west of Ouessant, Finistère, France (47°50′N 7°30′W) by SM U-45 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Mars (Norway) The barge was scuttled in the North Sea by SM UB-27 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Memento (Norway) The sailing vessel was sunk in the North Sea (56°15′N 2°46′E) by SM UB-27 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Rochester City (United Kingdom) The cargo ship struck a mine laid by UC 10 (Alfred Nitzsche) and sank in the North Sea 3 nautical miles (5.6 km) off Southwold, Suffolk (52°10′N 1°47′E) with the loss of a crew member.
Ruabon (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was captured, torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 160 nautical miles (300 km) west by south of Ouessant by SM U-20 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived. Her crew were rescued by Misurata ( Italy).
Superb (Norway) The lighter, a converted barque, was scuttled in the North Sea (56°16′N 3°55′E) by SM UB-27 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.

"The Auxiliary Force" (Western Mail cartoon).
http://i.imgur.com/59sIi7R.jpg

[Sailor Steve]

May 2, 1916

Air War:
Austro-Hungaria pilot Kurt Gruber and observer Godwin Brumowski, in Albatros B.I 22.30, shoot down a Morane parasol. Victory number 2 for Gruber, number 3 for Brumowski.



Celtic Sea:
Walther Schwieger, commanding U-20, captures and torpedoes british freighter SS Ruabon, 2,004 tons, bound from Seville to Troon with a load of iron ore. His score is now 28 ships and 115,728 tons.

Erich Sittenfeld, in U-45, captures and torpedoes French barque SV Le Pillier, 2,427 tons, travelling in ballast from London to Buenos Aires. The crew are rescued by Danish freighter SS Lineskov and taken to Liverpool. Sittenfeld then captures and sinks British schooner SV Maud, 120 tons, travelling in ballast from Jersey to Cadiz. His score is now 4 ships and 8,032 tons.



North Sea:
Victor Dieckmann, in UB-27, comes across Norwegian barges Mars, 581 tons, and Superb, 770 tons, being towed by steamer SS Veslefjell. Dieckmann scuttles Mars and Superb. Veslefjell manages to escape. Dieckmann also sinks Norwegian barque SV Memento, 654 tons, bringing his score to 7 ships and 5,712 tons.



Swedish freighter SS Fridland, 4,960 tons, carrying a load of grain from Portland, Maine to Rotterdam, hits a mine laid by Kurt Ramien in UC-1. The damaged ship survives.

British freighter SS Rochester City, 1,239 tons, bound from Seaham for Rochester with a load of coal, hits a mine laid by Alfred Nitzsche in UC-10, bringing his score to 13 ships and 25,113 tons.



German East Africa:
Monitor HMS Severn sees a little action, shelling Government House at Kilwa.

[Jimbuna]

3rd May 1916

Western Front

Battle of Verdun: French success at Mort Homme; Germans bombard Hill 304.

Aviation

Aeroplane raid on Deal, 4 injured.

Zeppelin L20 6 reconnaissance missions; 2 attacks on England dropping a total 2,864 kilograms (6,314 lb) bombs; ran out of fuel after raiding Scotland on 3 May 1916, drifted and stranded near Stavanger (Norway). The crew destroyed the airship. 16 were captured, 3 died. Kapitänleutnant Stabbert escaped six months later.
http://i.imgur.com/bs46bww.jpg
The German crew survives the crash landing and is interned by Norwegian authorities.
http://i.imgur.com/WZMKM8C.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/QH89zxH.jpg

Naval and Overseas Operations

Belgians occupy Shanzugu on Lake Kivu (German East Africa).

Political, etc.

Three Irish leaders shot; Mr. Birrell resigns Irish Secretaryship. The executions by the British will continue for the next few days, which turns public opinion in Ireland decidedly against British rule.

Military Service Bill, extending compulsion to married men, introduced. First reading of a military bill for immediate general conscription passes the House of Commons on its first reading, accompanied by cheers.

Judge Peter A. O’Boyle of Pennsylvania announces that members of the IWW (Industrial Workers of the World) cannot get U.S. citizenship.

Ship Losses:

Marie Molinos (France) The barque was intercepted, shelled and sunk in the Bay of Biscay (46°35′N 5°05′W) by SM U-20 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew abandoned ship before she was scuttled and were rescued the next day by Wenceslao ( Spain).

[Sailor Steve]

May 3, 1916

Air War:
German ace Ernst von Althaus, flying a Fokker E.IV, shoots down a French two-seater for victory number 6.



Bay of Biscay:
Walther Schwieger, commanding U-20, stops French barque Marie Molinos, 1,945 tons, tavelling in ballast from Nantes to New York, and sinks her with his deck gun. His score is now 29 ships and 117,674 tons.
According to the French captain the u-boat fired 15 shells to sink his ship. The Germans then sailed away. The crew were rescued the following morning by Spanish freighter SS Wenceslao and taken to Villagarcia, Spain.

[Jimbuna]

4th May 1916

Western Front

Battle of Verdun: Struggle for Hill 304.

Naval and Overseas Operations

Zeppelin L.7 destroyed by British warships off Schleswig coast by anti-aircraft fire from HMS Phaeton and HMS Galatea and its wreck was destroyed by the Royal Navy submarine E31

Political, etc.

Germany issues the Sussex Pledge to the United States, promising that it will not target passenger ships and unarmed merchant ships.

Tighter call-up net snares married men.
http://i.imgur.com/oe38nqt.jpg

Ship Losses:

HMT Crownsin (Royal Navy) The naval trawler struck a mine laid by U 73 (Gustav Sieß) and sank in the Mediterranean Sea off Malta with the loss of eleven crew.

[Sailor Steve]

May 4, 1916

Air War:
0900 Irish RFC pilot Sidney Edward Cowan, flying DH.2 5966, shoots down a German two-seater for victory number 1.

1200 Austrian pilot Adolf Herowsky and observer Benno Fiala, in Hansa-Brandenburg C.I 61.55, shoot down Italian airship M-4. Victory number 3 for Heyrowsky and number 2 for Fiala.

French pilot Louis fernand Coudouret, in a Nieuport 11, brings down an LVG two-seater for victory number 1.

German pilot Wilhelm Frankl, in a Fokker E.III, shoots down BE.2c 4109 for victory number 5. Canadian 2nd Lts Edward Gurney Rycksman and John Romeyn Dennistoun both jump to their deaths to escape their burning plane.



Mediterranean Sea:
His Majesty's Trawler Crownsin, 173 tons, hits a mine laid by Gustav Seiß in U-73, bringing his score to 6 ships and 22,035 tons. HMT Crownsin was originally German trawler Varel, captured by HMS Arethusa on October 7, 1915 and pressed into British service.

British freighter SS St. Catherine, 4,278 tons, carrying a load of grain from Baltimore to Naples, is wrecked off Asinara, Sardinia.



German East Africa:
British monitor HMS Severn boards a landing party of 60 men in anticipation of a raid the following day.


Indian Ocean:
British paddle steamer Kelat, 245 tons, on a voyage from Rangoon, Burma to Colombo, Ceylon (modern Sri Lanka), founders in a cyclone.

[Jimbuna]

5th May 1916

Western Front

Battle of Verdun: Germans gain a footing on Hill 304.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

Russians defeat Turks at Sermil (Persia).

Naval and Overseas Operations

North Sea: The Grand Fleet waits at the entrance to the Skagerrak, hoping to lure out the High Seas Fleet with a seaplane raid on the Zeppelin base at Tondern. But Admiral Scheer does not respond to the provocation.

Aviation

Austro-Hungarian aeroplanes raid Ravenna, targeting barracks and a sulphur factory. A nearby naval clash is inconclusive.

Political, etc.

House of Commons passes the 2nd reading of the general military compulsion bill by a vote of 328 to 36.

Rioting occurs in Charlottenburg in Berlin due to revelations that butchers were withholding meat and selling them on the black market.

Three Swedish socialist editors are sentenced to jail for urging soldiers to strike if Sweden became involved in the war.

Major John MacBride, one of the leaders of the Easter Rising, is executed by the British.
http://i.imgur.com/D9ZpKPY.jpg

Easter Rising leaders Joseph Plunkett, William Pearse, Edward Daly and Michael O’Hanrahan are executed by the British.

Constance Markievicz on trial: “…It does not matter what happens to me. I did what I though & right and I stand by it.”

Constance Markievicz is sentenced to death for her part in the Easter Rising, but the sentence is reduced to imprisonment due to her sex.

Ship Losses:

Harald (Sweden) The schooner was sunk in the North Sea by SM UB-21 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.

[Sailor Steve]

May 5, 1916

Air War:
0900 Austran pilot Karl Urban and Bohemia-born observer Otto Jäger, flying Albatros B.I 22.10, shoot down a three-seat bomber. Victory number 1 for both.

German pilot Kurt Reinert and observer Erich Bönisch, in an unidentified two-seater, shoot down a Nieuport 12 for victory number 1.



Irish Sea:
British schooner James W. Fisher, 153 tons, carrying a load of coal from Ellesmere Port to Granville, is wrecked at West Bull Bay, Amlwch, Wales.



North Sea:
Ernst Hashagen begins his career in UB-21 with the sinking of Swedish schooner Harald, 275 tons, bound from Goteborg to Tyne with a load of pit props.



German East Africa:
British battleship HMS Vengeance stands by while monitor HMS Severn and armed whales Styx and Charon cover the advance of troops in motorboats into the mouth of the Simba Uranga River. The troops capture two skiffs and seven native troops, but find no other opposition. Back at Tirene Major Brooks and his sixty troops return to their shore posts.

[Jimbuna]

6th May 1916

Western Front

Battle of Verdun: Continued struggle for Hill 304.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

Russians occupy Serin el Kerind (Persia).

Naval and Overseas Operations

Belgians occupy Kigali (German East Africa).

Aviation

Four Italian aeroplanes bombard the Albanian seaport of Durazzo (Dürres), while Austro-Hungary bombs Avlona and Brindisi.

Political, etc.

Pope Benedict XV urges the United States to maintain neutrality and do the utmost to mediate peace in Europe.

Djemal Pasha, Ottoman Minister of the Navy, executes 21 Arab nationalists in Damascus & Beirut as “traitors” to the Ottoman Empire.

Mexican bandits raid Boquillas and Glenn Springs, Texas and clash with U.S. cavalry. Four Americans are killed and 2 are taken as hostages.

Ship Losses:

Galgate (United Kingdom) The four-masted full-rigged ship was shelled and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 190 nautical miles (350 km) south west by west of The Lizard, Cornwall by SM U-20 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
James W. Fischer (United Kingdom) The schooner was driven ashore at Bull Bay, Anglesey and was wrecked with the loss of all but one of her crew.
Rosa (Sweden) The barquentine was driven ashore at North Sunderland, County Durham, United Kingdom and was wrecked. Her eight crew were rescued by the Seahouses Lifeboat.
St. Catherine (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was driven ashore at Genoa, Italy. Her crew were rescued.

[Sailor Steve]

May 6, 1916

Air War:
1745 Kurt Jentsch, in a German two-seater, brings down a Voisin for victory number 2. I previously had Jentsch listed as an observer, but he may have been the pilot.



Celtic Sea:
Walther Schwieger, commanding U-20, stops and sinks British sailing ship Galgate, 2,356 tons, bound from Portland, Oregon, for Falmouth with a load of barley. His score is now 30 ships and 120,030 tons.



Bristol Channel:
Norwegian freighter SS Speed, 707 tons, travelling from Swansea to Rouen with a load of coal, collides with SS Knutsford and is lost, along with five crew members who tried to run the ship aground to prevent her sinking.



North Sea:
Swedish barque Rosa, 242 tons, carrying a load of pit props from Arendal to West Hartlepool, runs aground at North Sunderland Point.



South Africa:
British coaster SS St. Ebba, 205 tons, en route from the Seychelles Islands to Durban with a load of whale oil, is wrecked at Cape Seal.

[Jimbuna]

7th May 1916

Western Front

Battle of Verdun: Germans make progress on Hill 304 and between Haudromont Wood and Douaumont Fort.

Political, etc.

Number of volunteers in Canada dropped to the lowest in April, leading to calls for a military draft.

The Government of Canada authorizes the creation of an all black battalion that became No. 2 Construction Battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Force.

Outrage grows at the May 5th Mexican raid in Texas. Journalist Robert Dunn: “All Northern Mexico is in a state of anarchy.”

General Robert Nivelle succeeds General Philippe Pétain as commander of the 2nd Army at Verdun.
http://i.imgur.com/mep6Acn.jpg

Ship Losses:

Speed (Norway) The cargo ship collided with another vessel and sank in the Bristol Channel off Barry, Glamorgan, United Kingdom with the loss of five of her thirteen crew.

Today is the 1st year anniversary of RMS Lusitania’s sinking. Satirical medal of the event printed in Germany.
http://i.imgur.com/vB1527y.jpg

[Sailor Steve]

May 7, 1916

Greenland Sea:
Norwegian ketch Rivalen, 71 tons, catches fire while fishing near Spitsbergen.



South Africa:
South African coaster SS Natal, 158 tons, bound from Cape Town to Pringle Bay with a load of coal, is wrecked at Cape Hangklip.



South Atlantic Ocean:
Argentinian sailing ship Argos, 537 tons, departs Buenos Aires for South Georgia Island with a load of coal and empty barrels, and is not heard from again. Evidence is later found that at least some of her crew survived for awhile at King Haakon Bay, South Georgia.

[Jimbuna]

8th May 1916

Western Front

Battle of Verdun: Germans repulsed at Hill 304, severe fighting at Thiaumont Farm.

Inside Fort Douaumont, a cooking fire accidentally sets off grenades, flamethrower fuel, & ammunition, causing 800 to 900 German deaths.

Anzacs in line in France.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

Turks claim victory over Russians at Pirnakapan (Armenia).

Air raid on Port Said.

Naval and Overseas Operations

Ocean liner SS Cymric is torpedoed three times by the German U-20 (which sunk the Lusitania), killing 4 crew.
http://i.imgur.com/aI2eT8K.jpg

German attack repulsed at Nhika (Portuguese East Africa).

Political, etc.

Due to the war, the British Royal family substitutes pheasants’ eggs instead of plovers’ eggs during meals.

Thomas James Macnamara, financial secretary of the Admiralty, discloses to the House of Commons that Britain is building a zeppelin fleet.

U.S.A. Note to Germany on submarine warfare.

Four more Irish rebels shot.

Ship Losses:

Cymric (United Kingdom) The ocean liner was torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 140 nautical miles (260 km) west north west of the Fastnet Rock by U-20 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of five lives.

[Sailor Steve]

May 8, 1916

Air War:
0552 German pilot (or observer) Kurt Jentsch, in a two seater, is credited with a Farman for victory number 3. Jentsch claims a second Farman but it is unconfirmed.



Celtic Sea:
Walther Schwieger, commanding U-20, sinks British passenger liner SS Cymric, 13,370 tons, bound from New York for Liverpool with a general cargo. His score is now 31 ships and 133,400 tons. The ship also carried 106 crew but only 6 passengers.



Carribean Sea:
American schooner Mary E.H.G. Dow, 1208 tons, travelling from Ilha do Faial, part of the Azores, to Norfolk, Virginia, is wrecked off Punta del Fraile, Cuba.

[Jimbuna]

9th May 1916

Western Front

Battle of Verdun: French success north-west of Thiaumont Farm.

Southern Front

General Milne succeeds General Mahon at Salonika.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

Turks defeat Russians near Bashkeui (Armenia).

General Mahon to command western force, Egypt.

Political, etc.

Winston Churchill returns to London and politics after his battalion at the front was absorbed by another unit.

All married British men living abroad, but who ordinarily are residents of Britain, must return and report for military duty.

Appeal of Irish Nationalists to Ireland to support the constitutional movement.

Duma members received by King George.

Berlin’s supply of meat is nearly gone, causing butcher shops to close. A pound of meat is $1.60 a pound (about $35 today).

President Wilson orders 9000 more troops to strengthen the U.S.-Mexican border, mobilizing militias in Arizona, Texas, and New Mexico.

Ship Losses:

Roanoke (United States) The cargo ship owned by the North Pacific Steamship Company had left San Francisco bound for Valparaíso, Chile with a cargo of explosives, wheat, oil and gasoline. It foundered in heavy seas in the Pacific Ocean off Point Buchon, California at about 3 p.m. 47 people died and three crew members were rescued from a lifeboat that beached near San Luis Obispo, California.

[Sailor Steve]

May 9, 1916

Adriatic Sea:
French submarine Archimede torpedoes Italian coaster SS Dubrovnik, 481 tons.

[Jimbuna]

10th May 1916

Western Front

Battle of Verdun: French success at Mort Homme and Hill 287.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

Russians occupy Kasr-i-Shirin on road to Baghdad.

Sir J. Nixon's despatch of 17 January 1916 (October 1915 to 13 January 1916), published.

Naval and Overseas Operations

German attack repulsed near Kondoa Irangi (German East Africa).

Germany admits it sunk the Channel steamer Sussex and offers to pay the U.S. an indemnity.

Russian Som-class submarine accidentally collides with the Swedish ship Angermanland and sinks. 18 crewmen are killed.

Political, etc.

Commission appointed to enquire into causes of the Irish rebellion.

Lord Wimborne resigns Lord-Lieutenancy of Ireland due to the Easter Rising (he is later reappointed).
http://i.imgur.com/rpvyESJ.jpg

Mr. Hughes speaks in London.

Herbert Samuel, Sec. for Home Affairs, reveals that authorities found a German saloon in the heart of London & interned the men involved.

German casualties since the beginning of the war are now 2,822,079 men killed, wounded, captured, or missing.

Ship Losses:

Dolcoath (United Kingdom) The cargo ship struck a mine laid by UC 7 (Georg Haag) and sank in the North Sea 3.25 nautical miles (6.02 km) north north east of North Foreland, Kent with the loss of a crew member.
Panther (United Kingdom) The ketch was driven ashore at Hunstanton, Norfolk and was wrecked. Her crew were rescued.
Pursuit (United Kingdom) The schooner sprang a leak in The Wash and was beached at Hunstanton. Her crew were rescued by the Hunstanton Lifeboat.
Som (Imperial Russian Navy) The Som-class submarine accidentally collided with Ångermanland ( Sweden) and sank in the Sea of Åland, in the area between the island of Arholma and Svartklubben lighthouse. 18 crew were killed in the incident. The discovery of a submarine wreck off the coast of Sweden in 2015, was confirmed by the Swedish Armed Forces in July of that year to in all likelihood be that of Som.

[Sailor Steve]

May 10, 1916

North Sea:
British freighter SS Dolcoath, 1,706 tons, bound from Tyne for Cette, on the south coast of France, hits a mine laid by George Haag in UC-7. Haag's score is now 22 ships and 30,808 tons.

[Jimbuna]

11th May 1916

Western Front

Battle of Verdun: German attack west of Vaux Pond repulsed.

Germans take British trenches north-east of Vermelles (La Bassee).

Political, etc.

Debate in Parliament on Irish administration.

Ireland: Easter Rising casualties: 794 civilians, 521 police and troops killed and wounded.

German Reichstag votes 229 to 111, refusing to free Liebknecht, a Socialist leader, who participated in an antiwar demonstration.

German physicist and astronomer Karl Schwarzschild dies due to pemphigus he developed on the Eastern Front.
http://i.imgur.com/LAwOtBB.jpg

Ship Losses:

Tategami Maru (Japan) The cargo ship collided with Omi Maru ( Japan) in the Inland Sea of Japan and was consequently beached.

http://i.imgur.com/d5eusYn.jpg

"To Wait And See" (Western Mail cartoon)
http://i.imgur.com/01cjUQg.jpg

[Sailor Steve]

May 11, 1916

Durban, South Africa:
After 29 days in drydock, HMS Severn is floated out to a pier, where refitting work continues.



United States:
American barge Ivie, 1,168 tons, carrying a load of coal from Newport News, Virginia to Beverly, Massachussetts, sinks following a collision in Hampton roads.

[Jimbuna]

12th May 1916

Western Front

Battle of Verdun: French extend position south-east of Haucourt and repulse attacks on centre.

3rd Bavarian Division attack “The Kink” salient near Loos, held by the 15th Scottish Division, and successfully captures it.

Political, etc.

Premier Asquith leaves for Dublin, as sympathy in Ireland for the participants of the Easter Rising grows.

Two more Easter Rising leaders are executed. They are Seán Mac Diarmada and James Connolly.

British government gives permission for U.S. aid to pass through the blockade to feed civilians in German-occupied Poland.

German Reichstag votes down a proposed tax on tobacco, which would have funded the war effort.

Secretary MacNamara states 37 British unarmed ships and 22 neutral ship were sunk by the Germans without warning since last year.

[Sailor Steve]

May 12, 1916

Air War:
0745 German pilot Julius Schmidt is credited with his first kill, only listed as an "Enemy Aircraft". It is unknown what type of plane Schmidt was flying, or whether he was pilot or observer.

French pilot Georges d'Oisy, flying a Nieuport 11, claims a Fokker eindecker for victory number 2. The claim is awarded despite the fact that the Germans record no losses that day. It has been more than a year since d'Oisy's first victory.

[Jimbuna]

13th May 1915

Western Front

Battle of Verdun: German attack north-east of Mort Homme repulsed.

Germans attack on British at Ploegsteert (north of Armentieres) repulsed.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

Russians defeated at Ashkale (Armenia).

Aviation

Vosges: The "Escadrille Americaine", equipped with Nieuport fighter planes- worthy rivals of the Fokker planes flown by the Germans- makes its first patrol flight over the Western Front.

Naval

U.S. Navy threatens Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic with naval bombardment unless Desiderio Arias relinquishes power.

U.S. places six battleships—the Connecticut, Louisiana, New Jersey, Virginia, Rhode Island, and Nebraska—on reserve due to a lack of men.

Political, etc.

Clemens von Delbrük, German Minister of the Interior and Vice-Chancellor, resigns, as he was blamed for food riots.

Inventor Thomas Edison endorses former President Theodore Roosevelt for a third term as President.

U.S. War Department announces it is withdrawing U.S. troops in Mexico to Colonial Dublan, Mexico, located 100 miles from the border.

Ship Losses:

Eretria (United Kingdom) The cargo ship struck a mine and sank in the Bay of Biscay 15 nautical miles (28 km) south south west of the Île d'Yeu, Vendée, France.
http://i.imgur.com/nBdwPjv.jpg

[Sailor Steve]

May 13, 1916

Austro-Hungarian submarine U-6, 273 tons, becomes fouled in nets set by Italian drifter Calistoga. Her captain, Hugo von Falkhausan, surfaces in an attempt to cut the u-boat free, but one of his propellers becomes entangled, rendering the boat unable to submerge again. Calistoga is soon joined by two other drifters, Dulcie Doris and Evening Star II. Von Falkhausen orders the code books thrown overboard and scuttles his boat. He and his crew all survive, and spend the rest of the war as prisoners of the Italians.

[Jimbuna]

14th May 1916

Western Front

Fighting on Loos salient round Hohenzollern Redoubt and Hulluch.

Southern Front

Austrian offensive on Trentino front begins: "Battle of the Treintino".

Naval and Overseas Operations

Germany announces that German and Austro-Hungarian submarines sunk 96 Allied ships in April.

"M.30", British monitor, sunk by Turks in Mediterranean.

Political, etc.

Speech by M. Poincare at Nancy “…so long as our enemies will not recognize themselves as vanquished, we will not cease to fight.”

M. Take Jonescu begins propaganda for Romanian intervention.

137,000 people march in New York City to demand a stronger military for the United States.
http://i.imgur.com/Jz8u2pa.png

Ship Losses:

HMS M30 (Royal Navy) The M29-class monitor was shelled and sunk in the Gulf of Smyrna by Ottoman shore-based artillery.

[Sailor Steve]

May 14, 1916

Mid-Atlantic:
Argentinian whaler Fortuna, 164 tons, is wrecked off Hope Point, South Georgia Island.

[Jimbuna]

15th May 1916

Western Front

Fighting on Vimy Ridge.

Southern Front

Austrians force Italians to retreat south of Rovereto (Trentino).

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

Russians take Rowanduz (east of Mosul).

Entente blockade Hejaz coast, and assist Sherif of Mecca.

Naval

Russian Red Cross breaks with their German counterparts due to the sinking of the Russian hospital ship Portugal by a German U-boat.

Political, etc.

Statement on war aims by Sir Edward Grey.

Premier Asquith visits Belfast, but is unable to convince representatives of Ulster to accept Irish Home Rule.

Roger Casement, Irish nationalist, is charged with high treason. He was transported to Ireland by the Germans, but was captured.

Sig. Boselli, Italian Premier; Baron Sonnino, Foreign Minister.

100,000 mourners attend the funeral of Yiddish author and playwright Sholem Aleichem in New York City.
http://i.imgur.com/JGQcYEa.jpg

Ship Losses:

Mira (France) The cargo ship was shelled and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea east of Sicily, Italy (36°15′N 15°54′E) by SM U-34 ( Kaiserliche Marine).

[Sailor Steve]

May 15, 1916

The Armstrong-Whitworth FK.7 makes its first flight around this time. The best source I could find only says "mid-May". This prototype will go on to become the more famous FK.8.



Alboran Sea:
French freighter SS Harmonie, 624 tons, carrying a load of wine from Oran to Cette, sinks off Cabo de la Gata, Spain, following a collision.



Mediterranean Sea:
Claus Rücker, commanding U-34, Sinks French freighter SS Mira, 3,050 tons, bound from Cardiff for Corfu with a load of coal. Rücker's score is now 29 ships and 101,778 tons.



Durban, South Africa:
While post-dry dock work continues on HMS Mersey, Fleet Auxiliary Trent arrives in preparation to tow the monitor back to Mafia Island.



Japan:
Japanese freighter Yamaguchi Maru, 3,321 tons, is wrecked on the coast of Chima, Japan.

[Jimbuna]

16th May 1916

Western Front

The Lancashire Fusiliers storm 250 yards of German trenches at Vimy Ridge. Limited attacks are ongoing in Verdun.

Last week, Canadian sappers reached a British aeroplane that fell in No Man’s Land by digging a 45 feet tunnel.

Southern Front

Austrian advance checked at Zugna Torta.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

Russian advance on Mosul.

Anzacs storm Turkish camp at Bayud (Sinai).

Naval and Overseas Operations

Dutch steamship SS Batavier V is sunk after hitting a German mine while sailing from London. 4 are killed.
http://i.imgur.com/WtTo90B.jpg

British destroyers and monitors engage German destroyers on Belgian coast.

Russian submarine torpedoes three German ships off Sweden.

Political, etc.

Military Service Bill (extending compulsion to married men) passes the House of Commons.

Germany warns that neutral ships must obey orders of U-boats, or they will face consequences.

Professor Eltzbacher, President of Berlin Commercial University, states the food crisis in Germany is now past due to good crop prospects.

Ship Losses:

Batavier V (Netherlands) The passenger ship struck a mine laid by UC 6 (Matthias Graf von Schmettow) and sank in the North Sea (51°58′00″N 1°57′45″E) with the loss of four lives.
HMS Clifford (Royal Navy) The fleet messenger was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea (34°02′N 27°32′E) by SM U-38 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Sant' Andrea (Italy) The brigantine was sunk in the Mediterranea Sea20 nautical miles (37 km) off Port Torres, Majorca, Spain (40°51′N 6°48′E) by SM U-34 ( Kaiserliche Marine).

http://i.imgur.com/2ONeruR.jpg

[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.

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a325/SailorSteve/Bristol_Scout_on_Felixstowe_Porte_Baby_first_compo site_aircraft_1916_zpslsyvzshe.jpg (http://s14.photobucket.com/user/SailorSteve/media/Bristol_Scout_on_Felixstowe_Porte_Baby_first_compo site_aircraft_1916_zpslsyvzshe.jpg.html)



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.
http://i.imgur.com/sEVv3PY.jpg

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.
http://i.imgur.com/G9cn5VD.jpg

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.
http://i.imgur.com/o2xM49w.jpg

Georges Boillot, French racer and pilot, dies of injuries he sustained when he was shot down by Germans.
http://i.imgur.com/mBiUQ5x.jpg

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)
http://i.imgur.com/P5xckar.jpg

[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).
http://i.imgur.com/cFW6q8Y.jpg

Nieuport with Prieur rockets on the wings.
http://i.imgur.com/ZMpeXNb.jpg

[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).

http://i.imgur.com/UxWhHkF.jpg

"True To The Empire" (Western Mail cartoon)
http://i.imgur.com/MGrqmJo.jpg

[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.

[Jimbuna]

24th May 1916

Western Front

Battle of Verdun: Germans capture Cumieres and regain Fort Douaumont. Around 1000 surrounded French troops at Fort Douaumont are forced to surrender. French losses reach 5,400 in the past 3 days at Verdun.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

Russians capture Mamakhatun (Armenia).

Naval

Passengers onboard the Italian liner Stampalia go into panic after they mistake a whale for a U-boat.

Political, etc.

Sir Edward Grey speaks in House of Commons on peace terms.

Members of the Wilson administration believe that certain interests are trying to bring about a war between the U.S. and Mexico.

War orders helps expand U.S. manufacturing output, which is now double that of any other country.

Meeting of the Russian Duma breaks up in turmoil after a Conservative Party member claims, “Hebrews are betraying us in the war.”

Ship Losses:

Aurrera (Spain) The cargo ship was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea off Corsica, Italy (43°16′N 8°25′E) by SM U-39 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Zanrak (Denmark) The barque ran aground at Sumboe, Faroe Islands. Her crew were rescued.

http://i.imgur.com/y0vST3y.jpg

[Sailor Steve]

May 24, 1916

Air War:
'A' Flight, No.70 Squadron take the first Sopwith 1-1/2 Strutters to France. These are the first Allied planes with a synchronizer and first British two-seater with the observer in the rear cockpit and the Lewis gun mounted on a ring.



Ligurian Sea:
Walter Forstmann, commanding U-39, sinks Spanish freighter SS Aurrera, 2,845 tons, bound from Glasgow for Livorno with a load of coal.



South Africa:
British monitor HMS Mersey leaves Durban harbour under own power for hull trials and test firing of fore and aft 6" guns.



Norwegian whaler Natal, 90 tons, out of Saldanha Bay for Capetown on a whaling expidition, runs aground at Robben Island.



German East Africa:
British troops capture and destroy the Ulenge lighthouse; observed by HMS Severn.



Australia:
Australian ketch Premier, 135 tons, tavelling from Newcastle, New South Wales, to Nambucca River, is wrecked off Wellington Rock.

[Jimbuna]

25th May 1916

Western Front

Battle of Verdun: German attack between Haudromont Wood and Thiaumont Farm.

Southern Front

Infantry battle for Buole Pass (Trentino) begins and lasts six days.

Austrians take Bettale.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

Two Italian battalions land at Moraisa (west of Sollum).

Naval and Overseas Operations

German retreat in German East Africa; British occupy Same, Rufu lager, Lembeni, and Ngulu.

Political, etc.

2nd Military Service Act of 1916, which extends conscription to married men, is given royal assent. Congratulatory message from the King.

Mr. Lloyd George undertakes settlement of the Irish question.

Jane Dieulafoy, a French archaeologist, explorer, & author known for her works on Persia, has passed away. During the Franco-Prussian War, she dressed up as a man to fight along with her husband.
http://i.imgur.com/WXc4bho.jpg

Ship Losses:

Fratelli Bandiera (Italy) The cargo ship was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 40 nautical miles (74 km) south east of Hyères, Var, France (42°23′N 5°28′E) by SM U-39 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Rita (Italy) The sailing vessel was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea south of Marseille, Bouches-du-Rhône, France by SM U-39 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.

[Sailor Steve]

May 25, 1916

Mediterranean Sea:
Walter Forstmann, commanding U-39, sinks Italian freighter SS Fratelli Bandiera, 3,506 tons, bound from New York for Genoa with a load of flour, and Italian brigantine Rita, 200 tons, route and cargo unknown. His score is now 64 ships and 144,592 tons.

Italian barque Anna M, 817 tons, travelling in ballast, departs Genoa for Baltimore and is not seen again.



German East Africa:
Portion of battleship HMS Vengeance daily log:
1120 Altered course as required to investigate floating object.
1145 Stopped. Took in tow portion of pontoon bridge.
1600 Stopped. HMS Thistle took pontoon in tow.

[Jimbuna]

26th May 1916

Western Front

Battle of Verdun: French regain part of Cumieres trench between Haudromont Wood and Thaumont Farm: repulse Germans between Avocourt Wood and Mort Homme.

Southern Front

Austrians capture Monte Civaron (Trentino).

Bulgaro-Germans occupy Fort Repel (Greek Macedonia), Greek Government acquiescing.

Political, etc.

Prime Minister Asquith appoints Lloyd George to negotiate for Home Rule in Ireland.

U.S. government protests to the French and British governments over the seizures of mail on the high seas.

New York City Police seize 7 German notes written in code and bearing the stamp of the German Embassy.

Germany establishes a new office to censor phonograph records that are being sent out of the country.

Ship Losses:

Denewood (United Kingdom) The cargo ship struck a mine laid by UC 3 (Günther Kreysern) and sank in the North Sea off Aldeburgh, Suffolk (52°13′25″N 1°47′00″E). Her crew survived.
El Argentino (United Kingdom) The cargo ship struck a mine laid by UC 1 (Kurt Ramien) and sank in the North Sea 7 nautical miles (13 km) south east by south of Southwold, Suffolk (52°12′45″N 1°49′10″E). Her crew survived.
Volharding (Belgium) The barge was scuttled in the North Sea north of the Noord Hinder Lightship ( Netherlands) by SM UC-6 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Evaristus (Belgium) The barge (GRT 130 tons) was sunk by a German submarine 18 miles off Nordhinder LV lighter. There are no further details.

[Sailor Steve]

May 26, 1916

North Sea:
British freighter SS El Argentino, 6,809 tons, travelling in ballast from Hull to London, hits a mine laid by Kurt Ramien in UC-1. Ramien's score is now 2 ships and 10,159 tons.

British freighter SS Denewood, 1,221 tons, bound from Tyne for London with a load of coal, hits a mine laid by Günther Kreysern in UC-3. This is Kreysern's first sinking.

Otto Ehrentraut, in UC-6, comes across Belgian tug Lauwersoog, towing Volharding, 1000 tons, a lighter converted to a barge, from Rotterdam to London. Ehrentraut stops the tug with machine gun fire. After he has scuttled the barge he lets the tug go. This is Ehrentraut's first sinking.



Durban, South Africa:
The crew of HMS Mersey begin dismantling equipment in preparation for towing back to Mafia Island.

[Jimbuna]

27th May 1916

Western Front

Battle of Verdun: French take trenches south-west of Mort Homme.

Southern Front

Austrians take Monte Moschicce (north of Asiago) by storm.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

Russian troops repel an Ottoman attack from Mosul, Iraq with the use of bayonets and a cavalry charge.

Naval

German submarine SM UC-3 hits a mine and sinks off the coast of Belgium with all hands. It was responsible for sinking 22 ships.

Political, etc.

Declaration of M. Sazonov on the alliance and Russian aims.

Speech by President Wilson on the War. Wilson administration gives up plans to make the U.S. Navy second in the world behind Britain, as it would cost too much.

Death of General Gallieni.
http://i.imgur.com/26E0y28.jpg

Ship Losses:

Lincairn (United Kingdom) The collier struck a mine laid by UC 10 (Alfred Nitzsche) and sank in the North Sea 8 nautical miles (15 km) north by east of the Shipwash Lightship ( United Kingdom) (52°08′N 1°53′E). Her crew survived.
Mar Terso (Italy) The cargo ship was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea off the Balearic Islands, Spain (39°08′N 5°02′E) by SM U-39 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Moravia (Italy) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea.
Trunkby (United Kingdom) The collier was shelled and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 50 nautical miles (93 km) south by east of Port Mahon, Spain by SM U-39 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
SM UC-3 (Kaiserliche Marine) The Type UC I submarine struck a mine and sank in the North Sea off Zeebrugge, West Flanders, Belgium with the loss of all eighteen crew.

[Sailor Steve]

May 27, 1916

North Sea:
British freighter SS Lincairn, 3,638 tons, bound from Tyne for Gibraltar with a load of coal, runs on a mine laid by Alfred Nitzsche in UC-10. His score is now 15 ships and 29,036 tons.

UC-3 (Günther Kreysern) hits a mine off Zeebrugge. All 18 crew are lost.



Gulf of Riga (Baltic Sea):
Russian minesweeper N-5, 509 tons, hits a mine and sinks in the Irbenskij Strait.



Mediterranean Sea:
Walter Forstmann, commanding U-39, sinks Italian freighter SS Mar Terso, 3,778 tons, carrying a load of coal from Newport to Savona; and British freighter SS Trunkby, 2,635 tons, heading from Newport to Cette, also with a cargo of coal. His score is now 66 ships and 151,005 tons.

[Jimbuna]

28th May 1916

Western Front

Germans bombard British line between La Bassee Canal and Arras.

Southern Front

Austro-Hungarian troops ready 2000 artillery guns to push out Italian troops from the Adige and Asiago.

Aviation

First flight: Sopwith Triplane flown by Harry Hawker.
http://i.imgur.com/Wm9Frwt.jpg

Political, etc.

London newspaper “The Times” criticize U.S. efforts to negotiate peace: “Compromise between right & wrong is impossible.”

Greece protests the Bulgarian invasion at Fort Roupel. 100,000 Allied troops in Greece prepare to meet the new threat.

German occupation in Belgium convicts 10 Belgians of espionage and executes three. The other 7 are given life sentences.

Ship Losses:

Lady Ninian (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was shelled and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 106 nautical miles (196 km) north east of Algiers, Algeria by SM U-39 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of a crew member.
St. Louis (France) The schooner foundered in the English Channel. Her crew were rescued by São Miguel ( Portugal).

[Sailor Steve]

May 28, 1916

The Sopwith Scout prototype goes to A Squadron, No 5 Wing, RNAS for testing. Called the Scout by the RFC and Type 9901 by the RNAS, the plane will receive its popular nickname after Brigadier General W. Sefton Rancker sees it for the first time: "Good God! Your 1-1/2 Strutter has had a pup!"

Sopwith test pilot Harry Hawker takes the prototype Triplane on its first flight.



Air War:
French pilot Andre Jean Delorme and observer Edmond Barthe, in a Caudron G.4, shoot down an Eindecker for victory number 1



North Atlantic Ocean:
French schooner St. Louis, 336 tons, carrying a load of salt from Cadiz, Spain to St. Pierre Et Miquelon, Newfoundland, Canada, founders off Graziosa, in the Azores Islands.



Mediterranean Sea:
Walter Forstmann, commanding U-39, uses his deck gun to sink British freighter SS Lady Ninian, 4,297 tons, bound from Newport News to Livorno with a load of steel rails and oats. His score is now 67 ships and 155,302 tons.

[Jimbuna]

29th May 1916

Western Front

Battle of Verdun: Germans gain a footing in trench north-west of Cumeires, but are repulsed on Hill 304.

Southern Front

Italians evacuate Asiago; Austrians cross Posina, west of Arsiero.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

White Paper containing General Townshend's views on the advance from Kut published.

Naval and Overseas Operations

War Office announces new invasion of German East Africa from Rhodesia and Nyassaland.

Political, etc.

At the House of Commons, it is revealed that 2,166 Britons have been killed or wounded due to German sea and air raids.

British Foreign Office denies German statements as to the Bosnian crisis.

President Wilson works with Democratic Party leaders to push for a “league of nations” for permanent peace.

National Stock Yards at St. Louis announces it has sold 205,492 horses to the Allied powers since the war started.

President Wilson signs an executive order adopting a new flag of the President of the United States:
http://i.imgur.com/f58R9iL.jpg

Charles Edison, son of inventor Thomas A. Edison, is fined $25 for speeding. He was going 33 miles per hour.

Kaiser Wilhelm and his wife board a streetcar and pay the fare of ten pfennings during his visit at Elbing, Prussia.

Ship Losses:

Baron Vernon (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was shelled and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 56 nautical miles (104 km) north east of Algiers (37°37′N 3°58′E) by SM U-39 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her 24 crew survived.
Elmgrove (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was shelled and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 96 nautical miles (178 km) north east of Algiers (38°10′N 4°22′E) by SM U-39 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Southgarth (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was scuttled in the Mediterranean Sea 60 nautical miles (110 km) north north east of Algiers (38°12′N 4°09′E) by SM U-39 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.

[Sailor Steve]

May 29, 1916

Air War:
0800 English pilot Albert Ball, flying Nieuport 16 5173, shoots down an LVG two-seater for victory number 2.
0830 Ball downs a second LVG for number 3.



Mediterranean Sea:
Walter Forstmann, commanding U-39, sinks three British freighters:
SS Baron Vernon, 1,779 tons, travelling in ballast from Savona to Seville;
SS Elmgrove, 3,018 tons, travelling in ballast from Toulon to Huelva;
SS Southgarth, 2,414 tons, travelling in ballast from Marseille to Benisaf.
Forstmann's score is now 70 ships and 162,513 tons.

[Jimbuna]

30th May 1916

Western Front

Battle of Verdun: French retreat from Bethincourt-Cumieres road towards Chattancourt; deliver a counter-attack.

Southern Front

Bulgars occupy Rupel Pass.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

Major-General Barnardiston's despatch on Tsing-tauoperations, September-November 1914 published.

Naval and Overseas Operations

British intelligence picks up on increased German fleet activity. Admiral Jellicoe prepares to meet the Germans.

North Sea: Royal Navy’s Room 40 gives early warning of German Fleet sortie and that 16 U-boats are at sea. Main body of Grand Fleet (Jellicoe) leaves Scapa and Invergordon at 2200 hours. Bat­tlecruiser Force (Beatty) leaves Rosyth.

The British Grand Fleet head out into the North Sea.
http://i.imgur.com/5wHOaml.jpg

British occupy Neu Langenburg (Lower Nyassa), and force Germans to retreat from Mikotsheni (German East Africa).

U.S. Embassy in Russia reports that 17,000 Austro-Hungarian POWs in Russia have died due to poor treatment.

Germany justifies its invasion of Greece, stating that aside from a Greek fort, the country’s neutrality was “otherwise” respected.

Ship Losses:

Baron Tweedmouth (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was shelled and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 25 nautical miles (46 km) east by north of Cape Carbon, Algeria (37°10′N 5°15′E) by SM U-39 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Dalegarth (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 12 nautical miles (22 km) north east of Cape Corbelin, Algeria (37°18′N 4°44′E) by SM U-39 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Hermesberg (Italy) The cargo ship was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea off Bougie, Algeria (37°07′N 5°27′E) by SM U-39 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Julia Park (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 10 nautical miles (19 km) north of Cape Carbon (37°03′N 5°14′E) by SM U-34 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Rauma (Norway) The cargo ship was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea north of Cape Carbon (37°08′N 4°57′E) by SM U-39 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.

[Sailor Steve]

May 30, 1916

Air War:
German airman Kurt Jentsch, in a two-seater, claims a Farman and a Caudron, both unconfirmed.



Mediterranean Sea:
Claus Rücker, commanding U-34, sinks British freighter Julia Park, 2,900 tons, travelling from Liverpool to Alexandria with a load of coal. His score is now 44 ships and 124,225 tons.

Walter Forstmann, in U-39, sinks four ships:
British freighter Baron Tweedmouth, 5,007 tons, bound from Clyde to Alexandria with a load of coal, captured and sunk by gunfire.
British freighter Dalegarth, 2,265 tons, carrying a load of magnesite from Limni to Glasgow.
Italian freighter Hermesberg, 2,884 tons, route and cargo unspecified.
Norwegian freighter Rauma, 3,047 tons, travelling from Newport, Monmouthshire, Wales, to Palermo with a load of coal.
Forstmann takes over as the leading U-boat ace with 74 ships and 175,716 tons.



Canada:
Canadian schooner L.T. Whitmore, 240 tons, is just starting a voyage from Port Greville, Nova Scotia to Tralee, Kerry, Ireland, when she is consumed by fire off Spencer's Island, Nova Scotia.

[Jimbuna]

31st May 1916

Western Front

Battle of Verdun: Fierce fighting between Mort Homme and Cumieres; French take a work south-west of Mort Homme.

Much artillery activity on Vimy Ridge.

Southern Front

Austro-Hungarian troops capture the towns of Asiago & Arsiero from the Italians. 30,388 Italians were captured in the last 2 weeks.

French occupy Poro (Salonika front).

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

New Zealand troops raid Bir Salmana (20 miles east of Katiya), Mamakhatun retaken by Turks.

Naval and Overseas Operations

Battle of Jutland. See: http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?p=2408382#post2408382

Germans retreat from Mombo on Tanga railway towards Hendeni (German East Africa); British occupy Bwiko and Belgians Usumbara.

Political, etc.

Premier Asquith in the House of Commons states he thinks a German invasion is unlikely, but still has to be prepared.

Allies protest to Greece against Bulgarian occupation of Fort Rupel.

Sir C. Dobell's and Brigadier-General Cunliffe's despatches of 1 March 1916 (27 September 1914 to 29 February 1916), and 16 March 1916 (14 August to 16 February) published.

Ship Losses:

HMS Black Prince (Royal Navy) Battle of Jutland: The Duke of Edinburgh-class cruiser was shelled and sunk in the North Sea off Jutland, Denmark by SMS Friedrich der Grosse, SMS Nassau, SMS Ostfriesland and SMS Thüringen (all Kaiserliche Marine) and sank with the loss of all 857 crew.
HMS Defence (Royal Navy) Battle of Jutland: The Minotaur-class cruiser was shelled and sunk by SMS Derfflinger and four destroyers (all Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss off all 893 crew.
SMS Elbing (Kaiserliche Marine) The Pillau-class cruiser collided with SMS Posen ( Kaiserliche Marine) and was damaged. She was subsequently scuttled the next day. SMS S53 ( Kaiserliche Marine) rescued 477 crew, the remaining survivors were rescued by a Dutch trawler.
HMS Indefatigable (Royal Navy) Battle of Jutland: The Indefatigable-class battlecruiser was shelled and sunk by SMS Westfalen Kaiserliche Marine) and other battleships with the loss of 1017 of her 1019 crew.
HMS Invincible (Royal Navy) Battle of Jutland: The Invincible-class battlecruiser was shelled and sunk by SMS Derfflinger and SMS Lützow (both Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of 1,026 of her 1,032 crew.
HMS Nestor (Royal Navy) Battle of Jutland: the Admiralty M-class destroyer was torpedoed and sunk.
HMS Nomad (Royal Navy) Battle of Jutland: The Admiralty M-class destroyer was shelled and sunk with the loss of eight of her 80 crew. Survivors were rescued by the Germans and became prisoners of war.
HMS Queen Mary (Royal Navy) Battle of Jutland: The Queen Mary-class battlecruiser was shelled and sunk by SMS Derfflinger ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of 1,266 of her 1,284 crew. Survivors were rescued by HMS Laurel, HMS Petard and HMS Tipperary (all Royal Navy).
SMS S35 (Kaiserliche Marine) Battle of Jutland: The S31-class destroyer was sunk.
HMS Shark (Royal Navy) Battle of Jutland: The Acasta-class destroyer was shelled, torpedoed and sunk by SMS S54 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Six survivors were rescued by a Danish ship.
HMS Tipperary (Royal Navy) Battle of Jutland: The Faulknor-class destroyer leader was shelled and sunk by SMS Westfalen ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of 185 of her 197 crew.
SMS V27 (Kaiserliche Marine) Battle of Jutland: The V25-class destroyer was sunk.
SMS V29 (Kaiserliche Marine) Battle of Jutland: The V25-class destroyer was sunk.
SMS V48 (Kaiserliche Marine) Battle of Jutland: The Grosses Torpedoboot 1913-class torpedo boat was shelled and sunk by HMS Shark, HMS Valiant and another ship (all Royal Navy) with the loss of 90 of her 91 crew.
HMS Warrior (Royal Navy) Battle of Jutland: The Duke of Edinburgh-class cruiser was shelled and damaged by SMS Derfflinger and four destroyers (all Kaiserliche Marine). She foundered the next day due to damage sustained. HMS Engadine ( Royal Navy) rescued 743 survivors.

MERCHANT SHIPPING
British, Allied and Neutral ships lost to enemy submarines, mines and cruisers etc in the month - 68 ships of 109,000 tons gross. (Lloyd's War Losses) (see Diagram below).
http://i.imgur.com/qHAjqwx.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/slcJX4D.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/X9wwOVh.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/eEWz8Mi.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/SoOQ1nP.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/VZvfPw8.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/KMoLeh8.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/R0JEWEW.png

[Sailor Steve]

May 31, 1916

Sometime in May the first production order for 80 Fokker D.I fighters. A letter of intent was issued in April, so the first 20 are already under construction.



Air War:
0920 Four FE.2b teams share a kill over an "Enemy Aircraft" - E.F. Allen and L.C. Powell in 5235, Dirk Cloete and C.E. Pither in 6354, A.T. Watson and C.L. Blake in 5249, H. Wyllie and Arthur Norbury Solly in 5215. Also involved is AM1 D.R. Chapman in Martinsyde G.100 7280. Arthur Solly is the only one who will go on to become an ace and this is his first victory. Details are lacking for the others.

1120 German ace Max Immelmann and pilots Max von Mulzer and an Unteroffizier Heinemann engage a flight of seven FE.2bs. Immelmann hits one FE.2b which breaks off and runs for home. Immelmann turns to engage another Fee which is attacking Heinemann. Mulzer follows the one that is running away, shooting at it until it lands near the railway station at Inchy. 2nd Lt A. Cairne-Duff and Cpl G.E. Maxwell are taken prisoner, and von Mulzer is awarded victory number 3. Meanwhile Immelmann is firing at the second FE.2 whan his synchonizer gear fails and his own bullets shatter his propeller. Immelmann's quick reaction saves his life as he shuts the engine down and glides to a safe landing. Either Immelmann or Heinemann had scored hits on their Fee, killing observer Lt Lindsey Carlton Powell. Pilot 2nd Lt E.F. Allen gets the plane home safely.



Atlantic Ocean:
French barque Saint Louis, 320 tons, carrying a load of salt to Newfoundland, sinks off Graciosa Island in the Azores.


For further information on the Battle of Jutland, see here (http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showpost.php?p=2408434&postcount=148).

[Jimbuna]

1st June 1916

Western Front

Battle of Verdun: Fresh German attack on Fort Vaix; French first line penetrated between Douaumont and Vaux Pond.

Eastern Front

Russians repel attack east of Krevo (Vilna).

Southern Front

Heavy Austrian attack on Italian left centre from Monte Pasubio to south of Arsiero (Trentino); little progress.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

Turkish offensive in Armenia.

Naval and Overseas Operations

Battle of Jutland ends.

The British lost 3 battlecruisers, 2 armored cruisers, 8 destroyers, and 6094 killed.

The Germans lost 1 battlecruiser, 1 pre-dreadnought, 4 light cruisers, 6 torpedo boats, & 2551 killed. Britain maintains its control of the seas.

Political, etc.

Britain expands its importation ban to include carpet sweepers, cash registers, lawn mowers, matches, and beer.

Ship Losses:

HMS Ardent (Royal Navy) Battle of Jutland: The Acasta-class destroyer was shelled and sunk by SMS Westfalen ( Kaiserliche Marine).
HMT Beneficent (Royal Navy) The naval trawler was shelled and sunk in the Strait of Otranto by SMS Orjen ( Austro-Hungarian Navy) with the loss of nine of her crew.
Dewsland (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was shelled and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 28 nautical miles (52 km) north east of Cape Carbon, Algeria (37°07′N 5°30′E) by SM U-39 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
HMS E9 (Royal Navy) The E-class submarine was last seen in the Baltic Sea on this date. Subsequently lost with all 31 crew.
SMS Elbing (Kaiserliche Marine) Battle of Jutland: The Pillau-class cruiser was rammed, holed and disabled by SMS Posen ( Kaiserliche Marine). She was subsequently scuttled by her crew.
Excellenz Mehnert (Norway) The coaster struck a mine laid by UC 6 (Otto Ehrentraut) and sank in the North Sea 5 nautical miles (9.3 km) south west of Winterton, Norfolk, United Kingdom (52°42′N 2°02′E). Her crew survived.
HMS Fortune (Royal Navy) Battle of Jutland: The Acasta-class destroyer was shelled and sunk by SMS Westfalen and other warships (all Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of 67 of her 75 crew.
SMS Frauenlob (Kaiserliche Marine) Battle of Jutland: The Gazelle-class cruiser was torpedoed, shelled and sunk by HMS Southampton (Royal Navy) with the loss of 324 of her 329 crew.
SMS Lützow (Kaiserliche Marine) Battle of Jutland: The Derfflinger-class battlecruiser was scuttled by SMS G38 ( Kaiserliche Marine) following battle damage inflicted by HMS Invincible ( Royal Navy).
Parkgate (United Kingdom) The cargo ship struck a mine laid by UC 10 (Alfred Nitzsche) and was damaged in the North Sea 1.5 nautical miles (2.8 km) east south east of the Sunk Lightship ( United Kingdom) (51°52′N 1°39′E). She was beached but was later refloated, repaired and returned to service.
SMS Pommern (Kaiserliche Marine) Battle of Jutland: The Deutschland-class battleship was torpedoed and sunk by HMS Faulknor ( Royal Navy) with the loss of all 839 crew.
SMS Rostock (Kaiserliche Marine) Battle of Jutland: The Karlsruhe-class cruiser was torpedoed, shelled and damaged by HMS Achates and HMS Broke (both Royal Navy). She was subsequently scuttled. Her crew were rescued by SMS S54 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Salmonpool (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 30 nautical miles (56 km) north east by east of Cape Carbon (37°10′N 5°30′E) by SM U-39 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
HMS Sparrowhawk (Royal Navy) Battle of Jutland: The Acasta-class destroyer collided with HMS Broke ( Royal Navy) and sank with the loss of six of her 75 crew.
HMS Turbulent (Royal Navy) Battle of Jutland: The Talisman-class destroyer was shelled and sunk with the loss of 90 of her 102 crew.
SMS V4 (Kaiserliche Marine) Battle of Jutland: The V1-class destroyer was sunk.
SMS W84 (Kaiserliche Marine) Battle of Jutland: The torpedo boat was shelled and sunk with the loss of 99 of her 102 crew. Survivors were rescued by Para ( Sweden).
SMS Wiesbaden (Kaiserliche Marine) Battle of Jutland: The Wiesbaden-class cruiser was torpedoed, shelled and sunk by HMS Invincible and HMS Onslow (both Royal Navy) with the loss of 589 of her 590 crew. The survivor was rescued by a Norwegian merchant ship.

[Sailor Steve]

June 1, 1916

Air War:
1010 English pilot Albert Ball, in Nieuport 16 5173, shoots down an eindecker for victory number 4. There seems to be no German record of one of their pilots falling this day, but missing records are commonplace for this period.



North Sea:
Norwegian freighter SS Excellenz Mehnert, 646 tons, carrying a load of wood from Drammen to Gravesend, hits a mine laid by Otto Ehrentraut in UC-6, bringing his score to 2 ships and 1,646 tons.



Mediterranean Sea:
Walter Forstmann, commanding U-39, sinks British freighters Dewsland, 1993 tons, bound from Philppeville for Cardiff with a load of lead and shumac; and Salmonpool, 4,905 tons, travelling in ballast from Naples to Baltimore. His score is now 76 ships and 182,614 tons.



Durban, South Africa:
Final preparations are made for towing HMS Mersey back to German East Africa.

[Jimbuna]

2nd June 1916

Western Front

Battle of Verdun: French recover ground south of Caurettes Wood; Germans progress east of Caillette Wood, on outskirts of Vaux Pond, at Damloup and Vaux Fort.

Third Battle of Ypres; two German attacks, second penetrates British trenches to depth of 300 yards on 3,000 yard front towards Zillebeke.

Southern Front

Austrian attacks from Posina to Astico (Trentino) repulsed.

Bulgarians fire on Greeks at Demirhissar.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

Russians repulse Turks between Erzerum and Erzingan. Turks retire 25 miles.

Turks retire after three days' fighting west of Rowanduz (east of Mosul).

British drive Turks out of Katiya (northern Sinai).

Naval

News of the Battle of Jutland is published & spread. Germans celebrate victory, while many British are shocked to learn about their losses.

Battle of Jutland: Jack Cornwell, a 16-year-old gunner on the HMS Chester, passes away from his wounds suffered at the Battle of Jutland. Cornwell was the only survivor at his gun. He will be the youngest recipient of the Victoria Cross in the war.
http://i.imgur.com/Ag5mZpG.jpg

Political, etc.

Belgians up to the age of 40 called to the colours.

A $269 million appropriation bill to expand the U.S. Navy is passed by the House of Representatives, with only 4 dissenting votes.

Kaiser Wilhelm goes on tour to visit the various German Army Groups on the eastern front.

http://i.imgur.com/W56u7Qt.jpg

[Sailor Steve]

June 2, 1916

Air War:
German pilot Walter Höhndorf, flying a Fokker E.III, shoots down a Caudron two-seater for victory number 4.



North Sea:
Norwegian freighter SS Oddvin, 659 tons, bound from Goole to Skien with a load of coal, is lost in the North Sea.



Atlantic Ocean:
Portuguese freighter SS SS Guiné, 1,211 tons, carrying a general cargo from Tarrafal to Fogo in the Cape Verde Islands, is wrecked at Ruy Pereira Point.



Durban, South Africa:
Fleet Messenger Trent takes monitor HMS Mersey in tow for the return trip to Mafia Island.

[Jimbuna]

3rd June 1916

Western Front

Battle of Verdun: Powerful German attacks on Vaux Fort repulsed.

Battle of Ypres: Canadian counter-attack regains much of the lost ground.

Arras: Two months of tunneling under and blowing up each other's lines- with the advantage going to the British, who have taken over this sector to aid the French effort at Verdun- come to a temporary end with the British setting off four charges under the German trenches.
http://i.imgur.com/uv72NCA.jpg

Eastern Front

Russian bombardment in Riga area, Galicia and Volhynia.

Southern Front

Allies occupy all official buildings in Salonika, and proclaim martial law.

Austrians advance on Arsiero-Posina line, but are repulsed on Arsiero-Lagarina line.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

Russians defeat Turks at Khanikin (Persia).

Turkish attack repulsed by Russians at Diarbekr (Asia Minor).

Naval and Overseas Operations

British occupy Namena (German East Africa) after three days fighting.

Political, etc.

Despite losses at Jutland, British officials, including Winston Churchill, state Britain still controls the seas.

King George praises the “splendid gallantry” of the Grand Fleet and states his “regret” the German fleet was able to flee.

British weekly The Nation: “Against America we cannot win the war. W/out America we can hardly win. With America we cannot help winning it.”

National Defense Act of 1916 is enacted, which expands the Army and National Guard and creates the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps.

Ship Losses:

Golconda (United Kingdom) The passenger ship struck a mine laid by UC 3 (Günther Kreysern) and sank in the North Sea 5 nautical miles (9.3 km) south east by east of Aldeburgh, Suffolk (52°08′30″N 1°44′45″E) with the loss of nineteen lives.
http://i.imgur.com/vLSCCtD.jpg

[Sailor Steve]

June 3, 1916

Air War:
0700 Austrian pilot Fritz Rottmann and Bohemian observer Otto Jäger, in Austrian Albatros B.I 22.31, shoot down a Farman two-seater. Victory number 1 for Rottmann, number 2 for Jäger.



North Sea:
British freighter SS Golconda, 5,874 tons, bound from Tees for London with a general cargo, runs on a mine laid by Günther Kreysern in UC-3. Kreysern's final score is 2 ships and 7,095 tons. UC-3 had herself been lost to a mine one week earlier, on May 27th.

His Majesty's Trawler Klondyke, 155 tons, sinks following a collision with SS Hindu.
(Wrecksite.eu. some sources have this taking place on June 4th.)



Africa:
Fleet Messenger Trent develops engine troubles and is forced to head toward Delagoa Bay (modern Maputo Bay, in southern Mozambique) to make repairs.



Australia:
Australian ketch Wai-Weer, 29 tons, ia wrecked off Double Island, Queensland.

[Jimbuna]

4th June 1916

Western Front

Battle of Verdun: French forces charge toward Fort Vaux but are fought off by the Germans. Inside the fort, Germans use flamethrowers in an attempt to dislodge the French within. It fails. At night, 300 French soldiers make it out of the fort, but most of them will be killed or captured.

Eastern Front

Great Russian offensive from Pripet (Poland) to Romanian frontier, under General Brusilov; 13,000 prisoners reported.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

Sheriff of Mecca starts revolt against Turks.

Southern Front

British and French troops occupying Salonica [Thessalonica], Greece take over government offices and impose martial law.

Political, etc.

London: Lord Kitchener leaves by train for Thurso, Scotland, where he will board ship for his top-secret journey to Archangel, Russia.
http://i.imgur.com/8dnjY39.jpg

National War Savings Committee urges wealthy Britons to be thriftier, particularly on things like motor cars and petrol.

Ship Losses:

HMT Klondyke (Royal Navy) The naval trawler was lost on this date.

[Sailor Steve]

June 4, 1916

French pilot Jacques Ortoli, flying a Nieuport 11, shoots down an LVG two-seater for victory number 2.



Adriatic Sea:
Italian submarine Atropo torpedoes Austro-Hungarian freighter SS Albanien, 1,120 tons, off Quarnerolo (Kvarneric), Croatia.



East Africa:
1200 FM Trent, with HMS Mersey in tow, enters Delagoa Bay, in modern Mozambique.
1445 Tow cables between Trent and Mersey are secured, and Mersey taken in tow by a tug.
1640 Trent anchors in Lorenco Marques Harbour, with Mersey tied up alongside. Upon examination Trent's condenser intakes are discovered to be choked with barnacles.



Yellow Sea:
Japanese freighter Oyo Maru, 1,854 tons, carrying a load of coal from Chinnampo to Tokuyama, is wrecked off Moppo, (South) Korea.

[Jimbuna]

5th June 1916

Western Front

Battle of Verdun: German attacks between Vaux Fort and Damloup repulsed.

Eastern Front

Russian offensive continues; 12,000 prisoners reported.

German attacks repulsed near Krevo (Vilna).

Southern Front

Austrians repulsed on Asiago plateau; Italians gain ground at Monte Cengio (Trentino).

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

Russians evacuate Khanikin.

Naval and Overseas Operations

Lord Kitchener boards the HMS Iron Duke to have lunch with Admiral Lord Jellicoe before leaving for Russia.
http://i.imgur.com/jYWGnED.jpg

H.M.S. "Hampshire" mined off Scottish coast: Lord Kitchener and his staff drowned.
http://i.imgur.com/Pd0FWLS.jpg

Political, etc.

Dr. Bethmann-Hollweg makes a tour of the southern German States to induce acceptance of central control of food supplies.

Mildred J. Hill, American songwriter who composed the melody for “Happy Birthday to You,” has passed away.

Ship Losses:

Eagre (United Kingdom) The coaster sprang a leak in the North Sea off Covehithe, Suffolk and was abandoned by her three crew.
HMS Hampshire (Royal Navy) The Devonshire-class cruiser struck a mine laid by U 75 (Curt Beitzen) and sank in the Atlantic Ocean north west of the Orkney Islands. There were only twelve survivors of over 600 people on board.
Lars Jorgensen (Denmark) The brigantine was driven ashore on Sanday, Orkney Islands, United Kingdom and was wrecked. Her crew were rescued. She was refloated on 17 July.

http://i.imgur.com/D2q3YtU.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/OBgemro.jpg

[Sailor Steve]

June 5, 1916

Air War:
German pilot Herbert Wilhelm Franz Knappe, flying an unnamed aircraft on the Russian Front, shoots down an "Enemy aircraft" for victory number 1.
The Controversy (http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showpost.php?p=2409629&postcount=152)



North Sea:
British armoured cruiser HMS Hampshire, 10,850 tons, runs on a mine laid by Curt Beitzen in U-75, near the west coast of the Orkney Islands. Due to the strike taking place in a gale, rescue operations are limited and 737 crew members die (643 according to Wrecksite.eu). Among the dead is Lord Kitchener, on his way to a diplomatic mission in Russia. This is Beitzen's first sinking.



Ionian Sea:
French destroyer Fantassin, 450 tons, is crippled in a collision with destroyer Mameluk. The crew are taken off and Fantassin is sunk by the guns of destroyer Fauconneau, off Fano Island (modern Othonoi), Greece.

[Jimbuna]

6th June 1916

Western Front

Battle of Ypres: Germans again attack, gaining some ground at Hooge. German troops detonate four mines underneath British lines north of Hooge and follow it up with infantry assaults.

Eastern Front

Russians take Lutsk (Volhynia); cross the Ikva and Styr in Lutsk area and make progress south of Dniester: 15,000 prisoners reported.

Southern Front

"Pacific blockade" of Greece by Entente Powers begins.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

Russians checked at Diarbekr.

Naval and Overseas Operations

Rhodesian troops drive Germans towards Iringa, north-east of Lake Nyassa; Belgians advance north-west of Lake Tanganyika.

Political, etc.

Army Order issued re: Lord Kitchener.

Pacific blockade of Greece by the Allies as a result of Greeks allowing Bulgarians to cross frontier.

Dr. Taylor's report on Ruhleben Camp published.

Yuan-shi-kai, President of China, dies; succeeded by Li Huan Yung.

Ship Losses:

Flyn (United Kingdom) The coaster foundered in the English Channel off Alderney, Channel Islands.
Oddvin (Norway) The coaster foundered in the North Sea. Her crew were rescued by the fishing smack Aderane Jacoba ( Netherlands).
Prosper III (Norway) The cargo ship struck two mines and sank in the Bay of Biscay with the loss of all (29) but one of her crew. The survivor was rescued by Lutece ( France).

[Sailor Steve]

June 6, 1916

Air War:
Austrian pilot Vizefeldwebel Kurt Gruber, flying two-seat Albatros B.I 22.30 with no observer, forces a Russian Morane parasol two-seater to land, resulting in victory number 3 and the Gold Bravery Medal, the highest award for an Austro-Hungarian non-commissioned officer.



Barents Sea:
American freighter SS Carolyn, 2,241 tons, runs aground near the Finish-Russian border.



Mozambique:
Repairs completed, FM Trent again takes HMS Mersey in tow and departs Lornco Marques harbour.

[Aktungbby]

5th June 1916




H.M.S. "Hampshire" mined off Scottish coast: Lord Kitchener and his staff drowned.
http://i.imgur.com/Pd0FWLS.jpg




Of course nothing ever is as it seems :hmmm:::Dhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fritz_Joubert_Duquesne (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fritz_Joubert_Duquesne)
Duquesne posed as the Russian Duke Boris Zakrevsky and joined Lord Kitchener on the HMS Hampshire in Scotland. Once on board, Duquesne signaled the German submarine that sank the cruiser, thus killing Lord Kitchener. Duquesne made his own escape using a life raft before the ship was torpedoed and he was rescued by the submarine. Duquesne was awarded the Iron Cross (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iron_Cross) for this act, and he appears in several pictures in German uniform wearing an Iron Cross in addition to other medals. Captain Louis Botha, son of the former Prime Minister of South Africa General Louis Botha (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_Botha), further writes that "Duquesne was a great friend of the Botha family" and that Duquesne "rose from the status of a Private in the German Army to the rank of Colonel, and received the Iron Cross during the great war." The authenticity of several of these claims has been challenged by modern biographers, and the German records that would confirm or deny at least parts of these accounts are now missing and presumed destroyed during the war. His chief opponent in the Boer War had no doubts about him. During World War I (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_I), Burnham was living in California and was active in counterespionage (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Counterespionage) for Britain. Much of it involved a famous Boer spy, Captain Fritz Joubert Duquesne, who became a German spy in both World Wars and claimed to have killed Field Marshal Kitchener (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herbert_Kitchener,_1st_Earl_Kitchener) while en route to meet with the Russians. During the Second Boer War, Burnham and Duquesne were each under orders to assassinate the other, but it was not until 1910 that the two men first met while both were in Washington, D.C., separately lobbying Congress to pass a bill in favor of the importation of African game animals into the United States. He was one of the craftiest men I ever met. He had something of a genius of the Apache for avoiding a combat except in his own terms; yet he would be the last man I should choose to meet in a dark room for a finish fight armed only with knives. Next to Theron (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dannie_Theron) I believe Duquesne the greatest scout the Boers produced. Frederick Russell Burnham British Chief of Scouts https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4a/Major_Frederick_Russell_Burnham_DSO_1901.jpg/230px-Major_Frederick_Russell_Burnham_DSO_1901.jpg (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Major_Frederick_Russell_Burnham_DSO_1901.jpg) <and a Minnesota boy to boot!:rock:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederick_Russell_Burnham (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederick_Russell_Burnham) To my friendly enemy, Major Frederick Russell Burnham, the greatest scout of the world, whose eyes were that of an Empire. I once craved the honour of killing him, but failing that, I extend my heartiest admiration. Fritz Joubert Duquesne (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fritz_Joubert_Duquesne)

[Jimbuna]

7th June 1916

Western Front

Battle of Verdun: Fort Vaux surrenders after 6 days of heavy fighting. Exhausted French defenders of the fort:
http://i.imgur.com/CqBd314.jpg

Eastern Front

Russian offensive continues; 11,000 prisoners reported.

Southern Front

Very heavy Austrian attacks south and south-west of Asiago repulsed.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

Sherif of Mecca throws off allegiance to Turkey and is supported by the tribes of Western and Central Arabia.

Politics, etc.

Premier Asquith takes temporary charge of the War Office after the death of Lord Kitchener.

German Reichstag passes a budget which adopts a new war loan worth $3 billion.

Ship Losses:

Aamot (Norway) The cargo ship was driven ashore off Loshavn, Vest-Agder. Her crew were rescued.

[Sailor Steve]

June 7, 1916

Britain:
First order for 50 Sopwith Triplanes issued.




Air War:
0730 Austrian pilot Karl Urban and Bohemian observer Otto Jäger, In Austrian Albatros B.I 22.10, shoot down a Farman two-seater. Five minutes later they bring down a second Farman. Victories 2 and 3 for and 3 for Urban, 3 and 4 for Jäger.

0930 Czech-born pilot Heinrich Kostrba and Hungarian observer Johann Frint, in Hansa-Brandenburg C.I 26.09, also shoot down a Farman. Victory number 4 for Kstorba, 2 for Frint.



Adriatic Sea:
Italian torpedo boats MAS 5 and MAS 7 enter the Albanian port of Durres and sink freighter SS Lokrum, 924 tons.

[Jimbuna]

8th June 1916

Western Front

Battle of Verdun: Violent German attack east and west of Thiaumont Farm.

Eastern Front

Russian offensive continues; 13,000 prisoners reported.

Austrians reinforced from Italian front.

Russians repulse attacks in Vilna district.

Southern Front

Austrians make slight advance near Asiago.

Naval and Overseas Operations

British occupy Bismarckburg and Belgians occupy Usumbara (German East Africa).

British patrols chase Germans into Zeebrugge.

Political, etc.

Compulsion replaces voluntary enlistment in Great Britain.

Major General Sir Sam Hughes reports that 6000 Canadians have been killed or wounded last week at Sanctuary Hill in Belgium.

United Fruit Company gives its employees a month’s leave of absence with pay if they enroll in the U.S. Navy training cruise for civilians.

Ship Losses:

Cementcrug (Imperial Russian Navy) The transport ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Black Sea 4 nautical miles (7.4 km) south east of Tuapse by SM U-38 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Ekaterina (Russia) The sailing vessel was sunk in the Psezuape Estuary, Black Sea by SM U-38 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
HMT Kaphreda (Royal Navy) The naval trawler struck a mine laid by UC 6 (Otto Ehrentraut) and sank in the North Sea off the Corton Lightship ( United Kingdom) (52°31′45″N 1°50′00″E) with the loss of six of her crew.
Malorossija (Imperial Russian Navy) The ship was shelled and damaged in the Black Sea by SM U-38 ( Kaiserliche Marine). She was beached in the Mokopse Estuary.
Principe Umberto (Regia Marina) The troopship was torpedoed and sunk in the Adriatic Sea (40°19′N 19°10′E) by SM U-5 ( Austro-Hungarian Navy) with the loss of 1,750 lives.
Vera (Imperial Russian Navy) The transport ship was shelled and damaged in the Black Sea by SM U-38 ( Kaiserliche Marine). She was beached in the Mokopse Estuary.

http://i.imgur.com/9qBurpW.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/3M24vXV.jpg

[Sailor Steve]

June 8, 1916

Air War:
German observer Erich Bönisch, now riding in an unidentified two-seater with pilot August Ponater, shoots down a British flying boat for victory number 2.

Russian pilot Ivan Alexandrovich Orlov, flying Moska-Bystritsky MBis No 7, shoots down an Austro-Hungarian Lloyd C.II for victory number 1.



North Sea:
His Majesty's Trawler Kaphreda, 245 tons, hits a mine laid by Otto Ehrentraut in UC-6. His score is noe 3 ships and 1,891 tons.



Black Sea:
Max Valentiner, in U-38, sinks two Russian ships and damages two more:
SS Malorossija, 893 tons, damaged by deck gun and beached.
SS Vera, 1,231 tons, damaged by deck gun and beached in Mokopse estuary.
SS Cementcrug, 1,086 tons, torpedoed off the port of Tuapse.
SV Ekaterina, 70 tons, sunk off the Psezuape estuary.
Valentiner's score is now 82 ships and 175,058 tons.



Adriatic Sea:
Friedrich Schlosser, commanding Austo-Hungarian U-5, torpedoes Italian troopship Principe Umberto, 7,929 tons. Casualty estimates vary between 1,926 and 1,990.



German East Afica:
Fleet Messenger Trent, towing monitor HMS Mersey, has slow going as her condenser tubes start to choke again.

Monitor HMS Severn reports firing 18 3pdr rounds at a suspected lookout tree at Ras Pembamnasi.

Whalers Childers and Echo, directed by cruiser HMS Hyacinth, fire on a suspected shore position.



Canada:
American fishing vessel Ellen & Mary, 97 tons, on a fishing trip out of Bool Bay, Maine, runs aground off Canso Harbour, Nova Scotia.

[Jimbuna]

9th June 1916

Western Front

Battle of Verdun: German attacks on Hill 304 repulsed.

Eastern Front

Russians capture bridgehead at Rojishche (north of Lutsk) and cross the Strypa; 500 prisoners reported.

Southern Front

Italian counter-offensive in Trentino begins; some progress made.

Aviation

American naval aviation pioneer Richard C. Saufley is killed on Santa Rosa Island on a flight out of the Naval Aeronautic Station, Pensacola, Florida when his Curtiss Model E hydroplane AH-8 goes down at the 8-hour-51-minute mark of his flight.
http://i.imgur.com/pt5DDVb.jpg

Naval and Overseas Operations

British capture Ukerewe Island (Vict. Nyanza); fighting at Kondoa Irangi (German East Africa).

Political, etc.

Allied War Council meets in London. French political and military leaders, including Premier Briand, General Joffre and General Roques, arrive in London for the conference.

King of Greece signs an order demobilizing half of its army, numbering 150,000 men, due to economic and political pressures.

Ship Losses:

Orkedal (Norway) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the North Sea by a German submarine. Her 33 crew were rescued by the trawler Bruinvisch ( Netherlands).

[Sailor Steve]

June 9, 1916

Richard Caswell Saufley, American pioneer of naval aviation technology and holder of altitude and endurance records in a seaplane, is killed in a crash at Santa Rosa Island while trying to set a new endurance record at Pensacola, Florida. He had been aloft for eight hours and fifty-one minutes when the crash occurred.



North Sea:
Norwegian freighter SS Bure, 1,151 tons, bound from England for Norway, hits a mine laid by an unknown ship, and sinks with the loss of one crew member.



United States:
Canadian schooner Virginian, 100 tons, carrying a load of wood from Clementsport, Nova Scotia to Lynn, Massachusetts, is wrecked at Salesbury Beach, New Hampshire.



Australia:
Australian ferries Daphne, 65 tons, and Leichhardt, 68 tons, are lost in a fire at Balmain, Waterview Bay, just outside Sydney Harbour. No passengers are onboard either ship at the time.

[Aktungbby]

Southern Front

American naval aviation pioneer Richard C. Saufley is killed on Santa Rosa Island on a flight out of the Naval Aeronautic Station, Pensacola, Florida when his Curtiss Model E hydroplane AH-8 goes down at the 8-hour-51-minute mark of his flight.
http://i.imgur.com/pt5DDVb.jpg

America's first naval aviator to see combat:http://cdn01.usni.org/sites/default/files/imagecache/story-small/stories/Evans-F2-SO-09.jpg (http://cdn01.usni.org/sites/default/files/imagecache/story-large/stories/Evans-F2-SO-09.jpg) http://www.usni.org/magazines/navalhistory/2009-10/performed-all-their-duties-well (http://www.usni.org/magazines/navalhistory/2009-10/performed-all-their-duties-well) Naval aviation was barely three years old in 1914 when it had its baptism of fire over Mexico. Lieutenants (junior grade) Patrick N. L. Bellinger and Richard C. Saufley(photo) raced over to hydroaeroplane AH-3 and rose aloft in barely five minutes. The members of the naval aviation section assigned to the battleship USS Mississippi deployed to Vera Cruz, Mexico, answered their first call to action after receiving an urgent message at 0908 on 6 May 1914:
It is reported by natives that at a point known as Punta Gorda, consisting of one large stone building near the beach, about one mile north of Vera Cruz, a company of Mexican soldiers, about 100 men, is encamped. A report is requested. By order of Col. Waller McGill.
As the aviators headed northward along the coast toward Boca del Rio Antigua at an average altitude of 3,200 feet, they flew low over a group of Mexican Army stragglers, who opened fire with their rifles and hit the fragile plane. Bellinger immediately pulled up, and he and Saufley miraculously escaped unhurt. On returning to base, the men stepped out of AH-3 and grimly inspected the bullet holes in the wings-the first damage sustained by a U.S. aircraft from enemy fire. As Bellinger> http://www.navsource.org/archives/01/tn/012327a.gif (http://navsource.org/archives/01/017/012327a.jpg) later recounted in an article for National Geographic, the U.S. aircraft carried no weapons and on one of his last flights in Mexico, he decided to exact some measure of revenge on the Mexican forces and grabbed the nearest thing he could find in camp. Thus, he made a bar of soap the first air to ground ordnance dropped from a Navy aircraft. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patrick_N._L._Bellinger (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patrick_N._L._Bellinger) USS Mississippi's two Curtiss floatplanes enroute to Vera Cruz http://www.navsource.org/archives/01/tn/012311.gif (http://www.navsource.org/archives/01/012311.jpg)< the Curtiss AH-3 is on the turret (photos enlarge) Considering the remarkable career of Vice Admiral Bellinger, the loss of equally able LTJG Sauffley was tragic indeed.

[Aktungbby]

8th June 1916


http://i.imgur.com/9qBurpW.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/3M24vXV.jpg A slight footnote to history just in today's perusing's: http://www.newser.com/story/223037/lone-bullet-backs-up-lawrence-of-arabias-story.html?utm_source=part&utm_medium=foxnews&utm_campaign=rss_science_syn (http://www.newser.com/story/223037/lone-bullet-backs-up-lawrence-of-arabias-story.html?utm_source=part&utm_medium=foxnews&utm_campaign=rss_science_syn)

[Jimbuna]

10th June 1916

Western Front

At Verdun, German troops continue to make gains east of the Meuse and capture 1500 French soldiers in the last 2 days.

German artillery very active near Ypres.

Eastern Front

Russians take Dubno (Volhynia); enemy retire from Strypa; heavy fighting on whole front; 3,500 prisoners reported.

Southern Front

Further Italian progress in Trentino. French occupy Thasos.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

Turks sink three British munition barges on Tigris.

Hussein bin Ali, the Sharif of Mecca, orders his men to attack the Ottoman garrison in Mecca by firing a shot from a window in his palace. Garrison of Mecca surrenders to Sharif.

Naval and Overseas Operations

British occupy Mkalamo, on Pangani River (German East Africa).

Political, etc.

Compulsory service bill passed in New Zealand.

Italian Cabinet loses a vote of confidence in the Chamber of Deputies due to losses against Austria-Hungary. Italian ministry resigns.

7000 German-Americans, waving American flags, march in Newark to demonstrate their loyalty to the U.S.

Ship Losses:

Orion (Russia) The cargo ship was sunk in the Black Sea off Gagri by SM U-38 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Para (Sweden) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the North Sea off the Alamagrund Lightship ( Sweden). Her fifteen crew survived.

[Sailor Steve]

June 10, 1916

Air War:
Australian RFC pilot Alexander Augustus Norman Dudley "Jerry" Pentland and observer W.H. Waller, in BE.2c 4077, are attacked by a Fokker eindecker and shoot it down, bringing about victory number 1. The German pilot's name and fate are not known.



North Sea:
Norwegian freighter SS Orkedal, 2,599 tons, bound from Rosario, Argentina for Ålborg, Denmark with a load of corn, hits a mine laid by an unknown ship.
This is per Wrecksite.eu. Some sources have this happening on the 9th.



Baltic Sea:
Swedish freighter SS Para, 1,818 tons, his a mine and sinks southeast of Stockholm.



Black Sea:
Max Valentiner, commanding U-38, sinks Russian freighter SS Orion, 429 tons, bringing his score to 83 ships and 175,487 tons.



Indian Ocean, off Mozambique:
Fleet Messenger Trent, towing HMS Mersey, receives orders to take the monitor to Tirene Bay, Mafia Island. By this time Trent's condensers are so bad they are described as "fouled". The two ships continue on their slow passage northward.

[Jimbuna]

11th June 1916

Western Front

Battle of Verdun: Three German attacks on Hill 304 are repulsed by French forces after hand-to-hand combat.

Germans bombard Ypres heavily.

Eastern Front

Russians reach suburbs of Czernowitz; repel attacks near Dvinsk and Vilna; are checked at Lutsk and lose ground on Strypa; 7,000 prisoners reported.

Russian forces recapture the fortress of Dubno on the Ivka River. Russia claims to have captured 107,000 prisoners in the Brusilov offensive.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

Skirmishes at Katiya; Turks bomb El Kantara (Egypt).

Russians repulse Turks at Platina (west of Trebizond).

Political, etc.

Britain orders farmers to report on their stocks of wheat, corn, & barley, the extent of their growing crops & amount of livestock.

The Progressive Party nominates former President Theodore Roosevelt for President, but he declines to run.

[Sailor Steve]

June 11, 1916

Baltic Sea:
Swedish coaster SS Emmy, 496 tons, bound from Soraker for Raa with a load of iron pyrite, hits a mine near Falsterborev.

[Jimbuna]

12th June 1916

Western Front

Battle of Verdun: Germans bombard heavily; German attacks north of Thiaumont first repulsed and then penetrate French line east of Hill 321.

Eastern Front

Austrians retreat south of Lutsk.

Zaleszczycki (Bukovina) taken by Russians.

Southern Front

Italian advance on Asiago plateau and in Lagarina valley (Trentino).

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

British column (Sir P. Sykes) enters Kerman (southern Persia).

Russians take Turkish camp near Diarbekr and repulse attack at Rowanduz.

Aviation

Britain: Royal Flying Corps has taken 2,568 aircraft into service and struck off 1,427 in past year or 47.7% wastage. 8,403 aircraft on order (2,970 delivered); 15 training stations with 193 all ranks under instruction.

Naval and Overseas Operations

British take Wilhelmstal.

Belgians take Kitega (German East Africa).

Italian destroyers raid Parenzo (Istria).

Political, etc.

Riots in Greece.

Admiral Jellicoe praises the Royal Navy for its actions at Jutland, stating the “glorious traditions” of navy were "worthily upheld."

President Wilson transfers 11 artillery companies to the U.S.-Mexican border in order to prevent further Mexican raids.

[Sailor Steve]

June 12, 1916

Air War:
1930 Transylvania-born Austro-Hungarian observer Rudolf Weber, in Hansa-Brandenburg C.I 26.21 with an unidentified pilot, shoots down a Russian Voisin two-seater for victory number 1.



United States:
American motor vessel Ellvira, 12 tons, is stranded on Montague Island, Alaska. All four people aboard survive. Ellvira is listed as American, but she was registered at Cordova, Ontario.

[Jimbuna]

13th June 1916

Western Front

Canadians retake positions lost at Ypres on 2 June.

Eastern Front

Russians repulsed at Baranovichi (75 miles north of Pinsk); take Torchin and reach the Stokhod (near Lutsk); gain ground near Czernowitz; 6,000 prisoners reported.

Naval and Overseas Operations

Allied fleets bombard Bulgarian positions on the Aegean Sea from Porto Lagos to Dedeagach (Alexandroupoli).

British take Alt Langenburg (Lake Nyassa): Tanga reported to be evacuated by Germans.

Political, etc.

3000 people, including members of the Cabinet and Royal Family, attend the memorial service of Earl Kitchener at St. Paul’s.

Ship Losses:

SMS Herman (Kaiserliche Marine) The auxiliary cruiser was sunk in the Baltic Sea by four Imperial Russian Navy destroyers with the loss of about 60 of her 90 crew.
Maria C. ( Italy) The sailing vessel was sunk in the Tyrrhenian Sea east of Ustica by SM U-35 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Motia (Italy) The coaster was sunk in the Tyrrhenian Sea 10 nautical miles (19 km) north of Ustica by SM U-35 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
San Francesco di Paola (Italy) The sailing vessel was sunk in the Tyrrhenian Sea (39°50′N 13°45′E) by SM U-35 ( Kaiserliche Marine).

[Sailor Steve]

June 13, 1916

Tyrrhenian Sea:
Lothar von Arnauld de la Perière, commanding U-35, begins his third war patrol in the area around Ustica, a small island north of Sicily.
Italian sailing vessel Maria C, 77 tons.
Italian coaster Motia, 500 tons.
Italian sailing vessel San Francesco Di Paola, 43 tons.
Von Arnauld's score is now 11 ships and 51,056 tons.



German East Africa (modern Tanzania):
British pre-dreadnought battleship HMS Vengeance leads an attack on the railway station at Tanga Bay.
0140 HMS Challenger joins Vengeance at sea.
0505 Balloon and seaplane tender HMS Manica joins group.
0615 Commander-in-Chief gives instructions to squadron via signal flags.
0735 Squadron anchors in Tanga Bay.
0800 Seaplane sent from Zanzibar lands beside HMS Manica.
0805 Vengeance opens fire with her 12" guns.
0840 Vengeance ceases fire.
0920 Manica hoists out own seaplane.
0958 Both seaplanes reconnoiter Tanga.
1000 Commander-in-Chief moves to HMS Pioneer to direct gunfire.
1026 Manica's seaplane returns and is hoisted aboard.
1100 Zanzibar seaplane departs for home.
1330 HMS Challenger, Pioneer and supporting armed whalers Echo and Childers pull up close to the town.
1405 Pioneer opens fire on Tanga.
1410 Challenger opens fire on enemy positions at Ras Kasone and Tanga.
1440 Vengeance opens fire again, destroying the railway station.
1445 Challenger and Pioneer cease fire.
1452 Vengeance ceases fire.
1455 Challenger shells enemy positions at Ras Chongoliani with shrapnel.
1500 Challenger ceases fire.
1505 Childers reports fouled propeller. Echo tows Childers out of Tanga Bay.
1630 C-in-C returns to HMS Vengeance.
1720 Vengeance departs for home.
1732 Challenger sends diving party to Childers to clear fouled propeller.
1920 Diving party returns to Challenger.



After 12 days at sea - three days longer than the trip to Durban - Fleet Messenger Trent arrives at Tirene Bay, Mafia Island, with HMS Mersey in tow.

[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.

http://i.imgur.com/bTDQSUX.jpg

[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.
http://i.imgur.com/ayMlh1m.jpg

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.
http://i.imgur.com/IuzzrMS.jpg

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.
http://i.imgur.com/y7fAEX4.jpg

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.
http://i.imgur.com/v0SWHEj.jpg

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.
http://i.imgur.com/mohda4y.jpg
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 (http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showpost.php?p=2412538&postcount=153) 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/showpost.php?p=2408434&postcount=148

[Catfish]

^ Oops :oops:

[Jimbuna]

^ Oops :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.
http://i.imgur.com/HaqaefF.jpg

[Sailor Steve]

June 19, 1916

Air War:
French pilot Jean Chaput, flying an unnamed Nieuport, shoots down an "Enemy Aircraft" for victory number 5. While he doesn't name the type of plane he fought, KG1 commander Ernst Freiherr von Gersdorf was shot down and killed this day.



North Sea:
The Corton Light Vessel snags the mooring line of a mine laid by Otto Ehrentraut in UC-6. When the line is taken up the mine explodes, sinking the ship.

French trawler St. Jacques, 72 tons, runs on a mine laid several months earler by Matthaias von Schmettow, also in UC-6. Von Schmettow's score is now 38 ships and 49,190 tons.



Kattegat:
British submarine G-4 sinks German freighter SS Ems, travelling from Oslo to Lübeck. Details unknown.



Gulf of Bothnia:
Swedish freighter SS Oxelösund, 3,262 tons, carrying a load of wood pulp from Holmsund, Sweden to Northfleet, England, capsizes and sinks off Gävle, Sweden.



Balearic Sea:
Lothar von Arnauld de la Perière, commanding U-35, having moved further westward, sinks two more ships:
French schooner France et Russie, 329 tons, traveling from St. Louis, France, to Arzers and Fécamp.
Italian barquentine Mario C, 398 tons, route and cargo unknown.
Von Arnauld's score is now 32 ships and 74,500 tons.

[Jimbuna]

20th June 1916

Eastern Front

Germans penetrate Russian lines at Smorgon (Vilna), but are driven out; Russians cross Sereth (south of Czernowitz).

Southern Front

Slight Italian advance on Asiago plateau.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

Capture of Mecca, Jeddah and most of Taif, and siege of Medina, by Sherif of Mecca, reported.

Naval and Overseas Operations

General Smuts' despatch on operations in German East Africa published.

Political, etc.

France, Britain, and Russia publish their intentions to restrict German and Austro-Hungarian trade after the war.

Kaiser Wilhelm leaves Berlin to visit the frontlines at Verdun.

Bread riots occur across Greece as the Entente continues its blockade of the country.

Former King Manuel of Portugal sprains his ankle while playing a mixed doubles tennis match at the Queen’s Club in London.

Ship Losses:

Merkuriy (Russia) The ship struck a mine laid by UC 15 (Albrecht von Dewitz) and sank in the Black Sea 13 nautical miles (24 km) off Odessa with the loss of 272 lives.
Oxelösund (Sweden) The cargo ship capsized and sank in Gefle Bay with the loss of a crew member.

[Sailor Steve]

June 20, 1916

Air War:
Austrian pilot Jószef Kiss de Elemér de Ittebe and Bohemian observer Georg Kenzian, flying Hansa-Brandenburg C.I 51.23, shoot down a Farman two-seater. Victory number 1 for Kiss, number 2 for Kenzian.

German pilot Eugen Weiss and observer Albert Dietlen, flying a two-seater, shoot down a Nieuport for victory number 1.

German observer Otto Christian Schmidt, riding in a two-seater with an unnamed pilot, shoots down an "Enemy Aircraft", also number 1.



Arctic Ocean:
Norwegian fishing vessel Jasai, 62 tons, is lost in the ice while on a fishing expedition.



Black Sea:
Russian freighter SS Merkury, 762 tons, bound from Otchakov to Odessa, runs on a mine laid by Albrecht von Dewitz in UC-15. His score is now 3 ships and 1,224 tons.



Adriatic Sea:
Austro-Hungarian fre ighter SS Adelsberg, 1,120 tons, travelling from Aplato (Split), Croatia to Fiume (modern Rijeka, Croatia), hits a mine laid by an unknown ship in the Zirona Channel. Three crewmwmbers lost.



German East Africa:
Old light cruiser HMS Challenger leads an attack on German-held Maziwi Island.
0850 After discussing plans with the captains of Manica and Childers, Manica launches a seaplane and the three ships weigh anchor and proceed inside the reefs surrounding the island.
0917 German troops open fire on Challenger with field guns.
0919 Challenger returns fire.
0920 Manica's seaplane returns.
0930 Challenger records being 2.6 miles from Maziwi Island.
0945 Challenger reports enemy gunss silenced.
0950 Manica puts up recconnaissance balloon.
1025 Challenger records being 1.6 miles from Maziwi Island.
1030 After continuing to fire for another forty-five minutes, Challenger ceases fire.
1100 Manica's balloon is taken back in due to rain and mist.
1230 Manica hoists out seaplane for another flight.
1345 Manica reports seaplane damaged due to heavy swells.
1430 Ships report all gear stowed and heading back to sea.



Canada:
Canadian schooner Annie Coggins, 22 tons, founders off Avonport, Nova Scotia.

British freighter Arachne, 2,491 tons, carrying a load of 6,091 tons of grain from Montreal to Cork, Ireland, runs aground off Pointe Plate, St. Pierre and Miuelon Island.

Canadian Great Lakes vessel SS Stormount, 1,955 tons. travelling from Philadelphia to Sydney, Nova Scotia, runs aground at Gull Ledge, off Marie Joseph Island, Nova Scotia.

[Jimbuna]

21st June 1916

Western Front

Battle of Verdun: Germans repulsed at Mort Homme and west and south of Vaux Fort; German gains in Firmin Wood and Chenois Wood.

Eastern Front

Russians occupy Radautz (south of Czernowitz); Germans repulsed in areas of Dvinsk, Vilna and Lutsk; Russians take trenches on Strypa.

Southern Front

Further Italian advance on Asiago plateau.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

Sir J. Maxwell's despatches on operations in Egypt (16 June 1915 to 9 April 1916) published.

Naval and Overseas Operations

U.S.A. troops fight Mexicans at Carrizal.

Political, etc.

Skouloud - his Greek Cabinet resigns.

Ship Losses:

Françoise d'Amboise (France) The barque was sunk in the North Sea 68 nautical miles (126 km) north west of Fair Isle, United Kingdom (60°00′N 3°45′W) by SM U-22 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived, they were rescued by a Swedish ship.
http://i.imgur.com/dVzoA40.jpg
Otis Tarda (Netherlands) The coaster struck a mine laid by UC 6 (Otto Ehrentraut) and sank in the North Sea 11 nautical miles (20 km) south west of the Newarp Lightship ( United Kingdom) (52°39′N 2°10′E). Her crew survived.
http://i.imgur.com/7rxXSLU.jpg

[Sailor Steve]

June 21, 1916

Air War:
French ace Jean Chaput, flying a Nieuport (probably 11, but it doesn't say), shoots down an "Enemy Aircraft" and a Rumpler two-seater for victories number 6 and 7.



North Sea:
2350 Bruno Hoppe, commanding U-22, stops French barque Françoise d’Amboise, 1,973 tons, bound from Leith for Valparaiso with a load of coke. Hoppe orders Cpt Tranchant to abandon his ship and row to a Swedish fishing boat several miles away. U-22 then asks the French captain for his ship's papers, which are examined and returned. Hoppe then sinks the barque with a torpedo. The Swedish vessel rescues the French crew. Hoppe's score is now 10 ships and 22,992 tons.

Dutch freighter SS Otis Tarda, 759 tons, carrying a general cargo from Rotterdam to Goole, hits a mine laid by Otto Ehrentraut in UC-6. His score is now 5 ships and 2,650 tons.



German East Africa:
HMS Challenger once again leads an attack, this time on Ulenge Island.
0300 Challenger anchors off Mansa Bay. Lt Lunt leads an armed crew in a cutter towed by steam cutter to cut communication wires between Ulenge Island and the mainland.
0400 Challenger enters Mansa Bay.
0455 Challenger drops anchor.
0500 Lt Lunt and his party return to HMS Challenger.
0650 Light cruiser HMS Talbot, gunboats Echo and Childers and SS Barjora, carrying troops, all anchor in Mansa Bay.
0655 Challenger, Talbot and the gunboats weigh anchor and begin patrolling the area to cover troop landings as needed.
0900 Troop landings completed.
1750 HMS Talbot opens fire on Changoliani Village.

Note: The ships' logs contain no details on the ground action at Ulenge Island, if there was any. One source indicates that around 240 British troops landed at Ulenge and waded to the mainland. Whether and why they would wade to the mainland from the island when perfectly good boats were available is not said. Perhaps it was meant that they waded ashore at the island.

[Jimbuna]

22nd June 1916

Western Front

Battle of Verdun: Heavy German attacks repulsed on both sides of the Meuse; French regain ground at Firmin Wood.

Germans repulsed at Givenchy.

Germans introduce new phosgene (Green Cross) gas near Fleury.

Eastern Front

Russians repulse attacks west of Minsk; Russians advance in Bukovina.

Aviation

New French bomber "escadrilles" created for attacks on German industrial centers raid Karlsruhe, killing 120 civilians and wounding 150 more.

Political, etc.

During a secret session of the French Chamber of Deputies, the government survives a vote of confidence by 440 to 97.

Demands of Allies accepted. M. Zaimis Premier. Embargo on Greek shipping relaxed.

Ship Losses:

HMT Laurel Crown (Royal Navy) The naval trawler struck a mine laid by U 75 (Curt Beitzen) and sank in the Atlantic Ocean west of the Orkney Islands (59°08′N 3°22′W) with the loss of nine of her crew.

[Sailor Steve]

June 22, 1916

Air War:
1915 English Pilot Charles Meridith Bouverie Chapman, flying DH.2 6016, shoots down an LVG two-seater for victory number 1.

In this same action Canadian RFC pilot Arthur Gerald Knight, in DH.2 6011, also brings down an LVG for kill number 1. There is a chance they both scored the same aircraft, but they may have attacked a bombing formation. The records aren't clear.

German pilot Willy Glinkerman, in a Fokker E.III, claims his first kill, a Caudron two-seater. In a French air raid on Karlsruhe, four Caudrons were shot down. Three were claimed by various eindecker pilots, with one going unclaimed.

French ace Georges Guynemer and pilot André Chainat, both in Nieuport 11s, work together to bring down an LVG two-seater. Victory number 9 for Guynemer, number 4 for Chainat.

German pilot Kurt Haber, having moved from two-seaters to a Fokker E.III, shoots down a Farman two-seater for victory number 3. The record is uncertain, but Escadrille MF29 lost an airplane, number1897, pilot Sgt Marc Robert Auzanneau and Soldat Schmidt.

German pilot Ernst Hess, in a Fokker E.III, claims an Nieuport 12 for victory number 2.

German ace Walter Höhndorf, flying a Fokker E.III, claims a Farman two-seater for victory number 6. Four Farmans were brought down this day, so Höhndorf's victim is uncertain.

German pilot Max von Mulzer, in a Fokker E.III, shoots down FE.2b 5209 for victory number 5. 2nd Lt John L.P. Armstrong is mortally wounded, but manages to land his aeroplane before dying. Sgt. G. Topliffe taken prisoner.

French ace Charles Nungesser, in a Nieuport 16, shoots down a German two-seater for victory number 10.

A German Lt. Schülcke is also credited with a victory this day, probably his only one. He claims a Nieuport shot down while scouting the German 34th infantry. There was a Nieuport 12 brought down, number 1221, flown by Lt Edmond Enos and Cpl Leon-Jean-Marie Petit, but the correlation is speculative. Since there was apparently only one, it may have been Hess or Schülcke.



North Sea:
His Majesty's Drifter Laurel Crown, 81 tons, hits a mine laid by Curt Beitzen in U-75, bringing his score to 2 ships and 10,932 tons.



German East Africa:
Cruiser HMS Challenger covers HMS Manica as a seaplane is sent over Kokotoni Bay and Ushungu, on the mainland opposite Mazimi Island.

British monitor HMS Mersey, anchored at Songa Songa Island, sends a dhow to the mainland with two spies.

[Jimbuna]

23rd June 1916

Western Front

At Verdun, German troops capture Hills 320 and 321 and Fort Thiaumont, but face strong French resistance.

Around 30,000 German troops at Verdun launch an attack against Fort Souville, with fighting centered around the village of Fleury.

Eastern Front

Austro-Germans checked on the Zurawno-Demeszknowiec line (Dniester front).

Naval

French destroyer Fourche is sunk by a submarine while it was rescuing survivors of the Citta di Messina.
http://i.imgur.com/0yLV2dt.jpg

Political, etc.

Munitions Bill introduced by Mr. Lloyd George.

Irish Nationalist convention in Ulster votes 475 to 265, accepting exclusion from Irish Home Rule until at least to the end of the war.

Ship Losses:

Burma (United Kingdom) The coaster struck a mine laid by UC 6 (Otto Ehrentraut) and sank in the North Sea 15 nautical miles (28 km) east of Harwich, Essex (52°08′30″N 1°45′30″E) with the loss of seven of her crew.
Citta di Messina (Regia Marina) The auxiliary cruiser was sunk in the Adriatic Sea 20 nautical miles (37 km) east of Otranto, Apulia by SM U-15 ( Austro-Hungarian Navy). All on board survived.
Fourche (French Navy) The Bouclier-class destroyer was torpedoed and sunk in the Adriatic Sea 20 nautical miles (37 km) east of Otranto (40°09′N 18°48′E) by SM U-15 ( Austro-Hungarian Navy).
Giuseppina (Italy) The full-rigged ship was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea east of Vinaròs, Castellón, Spain (40°35′N 1°25′E) by SM U-35 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Hérault (France) The cargo ship was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 45 nautical miles (83 km) north west of Cabo San Antonio, Spain (39°25′N 0°45′E) by SM U-35 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
http://i.imgur.com/UAsrjHy.jpg

[Sailor Steve]

June 23, 1916

Air War:
Sopwith Triplane prototype N500 is sent to France for evaluation. According to legend it was refueled and sent into action 15 minutes after its arrival.

Austro-Hungarian pilot Julius Busa and observer Hermann Klecker, flying Lloyd C.II 42.45, are credited with victories number 1 and 2. Their victims are listed only as "Biplane".

Italian-born pilot Jacques Ortoli, flying a Nieuport 11 for the French air service, shoots down an "Enemy Aircraft", for victory number 3.

German ace Kurt Wintgens, flying a Fokker E.III, shoots down Nieuport 16 1334, from Escadrille N124, for victory number. Victor Chapman becomes the first American pilot killed in action.

There is some confusion concerning the date, with some sources citing the 24th rather than the 23rd. It may be in part due to this newspaper article.

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a325/SailorSteve/VictorChapman-Killed_01_zpsx6gt5gt3.jpg (http://s14.photobucket.com/user/SailorSteve/media/VictorChapman-Killed_01_zpsx6gt5gt3.jpg.html)http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a325/SailorSteve/VictorChapman-Killed_02_zpszs4mxx0v.jpg (http://s14.photobucket.com/user/SailorSteve/media/VictorChapman-Killed_02_zpszs4mxx0v.jpg.html)http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a325/SailorSteve/VictorChapman-Killed_03_zpsvrtwrvf4.jpg (http://s14.photobucket.com/user/SailorSteve/media/VictorChapman-Killed_03_zpsvrtwrvf4.jpg.html)http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a325/SailorSteve/VictorChapman-Killed_04_zpsuf1wqzbi.jpg (http://s14.photobucket.com/user/SailorSteve/media/VictorChapman-Killed_04_zpsuf1wqzbi.jpg.html)

The header is dated the 24th, and the article says "yesterday", but at the foot it says the article was published the 25th. German records show that Wintgens filed the claim on the 23rd. Also claiming the 23rd is this photograph.

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a325/SailorSteve/VictorChapman-6-23-16_zpsoysvrqad.jpg (http://s14.photobucket.com/user/SailorSteve/media/VictorChapman-6-23-16_zpsoysvrqad.jpg.html)



North Sea:
British freighter SS Burma, 706 tons, travelling in ballast from London to Goole, hits a mine laid by Otto Ehrentraut in UC-6, bringing Ehrentraut's score to 6 ships and 3,356 tons.



Norwegian Sea:
Norwegian ketch Alisa, 75 tons, runs aground off Borgarnes, Iceland.



Balearic Sea:
Lothar von Arnauld de la Perière, commanding U-35, stops and sinks Italian sailing ship Giuseppina, 1,872 tons, bound from Savona for Baltimore with an unspecified cargo.
Von Arnauld also sinks French passenger ship SS L'Hérault, 2,299 tons, travelling from Cette to Oran. This brings his score to 34 ships and 78,671 tons.



Adriatic/Ionian Sea:
Friedrich Fändrich, in Austrian submarine U-15, torpedoes Italian freighter SS Citta Di Messina, 3,495 tons, and French destroyer Fourche, 745 tons. The destroyer is stopped at the time, rescuing survivors from Citta Di Messina. Fändrich's score is now 5 ships and 6,592 tons.



Sulu Sea:
Portuguese freighter SS Fernando Poo, 3,824 tons, travelling from Barcelona to Manila, runs aground at Antibeg Island.

[Jimbuna]

24th June 1916

Western Front

German troops reach 5 kilometers from Verdun. General Joffre dispatches four additional French divisions as reinforcements.

Germans repulsed in an attack on the heights of the Meuse.

Political, etc.

British memorandum on neutral commerce handed to U.S. Ambassador.

Mr. Asquith announces forthcoming bill on the registration and organisation of national resources.

German Chancellor von Bethmann-Hollweg denies in an interview that Germany is seeking to annex Belgium.

Mexican government urges its citizens currently living in the United States to return home.

Pope Benedict appeals to President Wilson and General Carranza to avert war between the United States and Mexico.

[Sailor Steve]

June 24, 1916

Air War:
French pilot Albert Deullin, flying a Nieuport (probably 11 or 16), destroys a German observation balloon for victory number 5.



Balearic Sea:
Lothar von Arnauld de la Perière, commanding U-35, sinks five more Allied ships:
British freighter SS Canford Chine, 2,398 tons, travelling in ballast from Marseille to Porman.
French sailing brig Checchina, 184 tons, route and cargo unlisted.
Japanese freighter Daiyetsu Maru, 3,184 tons, out of Marseille for an unlisted destination.
Italian barque San Francesco, 1,060 tons, bound from Buenos Aires for Genoa with a load of Campeche wood.
Italian sailing ship Saturnina Fanny, 1,568 tons, also carrying Campeche wood from Buenos Aires to Genoa.
His score is now 39 ships and 87,065 tons.



Red Sea:
Coaster SS Barawa (nationality not listed), 294 tons, carrying a load of grain from Port Sudan to Massowah, runs aground at Ras Kasab, near Suakim.



German East Africa:
Armed merchant cruiser HMS Himalaya brings a fresh load of troops from Durban to Kilindini Island, then joins the squadron there.

0020 Light cruiser HMS Hyacinth spots what appears to be a signal light near Shuka.
0121 After maneuvering closer to shore, Hyacinth fires one round at the light. Reports light extinguished.

[Jimbuna]

25th June 1916

Western Front

Continued fighting north of Arras and on the heights of the Meuse.

French airmen bomb railway station at Douai.

Eastern Front

Russians fight a rearguard action at Bobrka.

Southern Front

Austrians repulsed in the Carnic Alps.

Naval and Overseas Operations

Bukoba (German port on L. Vict. Nyanza), destroyed by British column.

Political, etc.

British War Office announces 500 more women have been accepted as army cooks, bringing the total up to 2000.

French Chamber of Deputies appropriates 25 million Francs for propaganda purposes overseas.

Ship Losses:

Clara (Italy) The cargo ship was shelled and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 85 nautical miles (157 km) north of Majorca, Spain (40°55′N 5°15′E) by SM U-35 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Fournel (France) The cargo ship was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea off Barcelona, Spain (41°50′N 5°00′E) by SM U-35 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.

[Sailor Steve]

June 25, 1916

Air War:
1600 English pilot Albert Ball, flying Nieuport 16 5173, shoots down a German observation balloon for victory number 5.

German ace Walter Höhndorf, in a Fokker E.III, shoots down Caudron G.4 1202 for victory number 7. Slt Joseph Ransom and Cpl Bresch are both killed.

Russian pilots Ivan Orlov and Vasili Ivanovich Yanchenko, in Nieuport 11s, share Aviatik B.III 30.30. Victory number 2 for Orlov, number 1 for Yanchenko.

Also killed this day is German Leutnant Erwin Tütschulte of FA 23, in a fight with an FE.2b. His loss is unclaimed by any Allied pilot.



Baltic Sea:
German freighter SS Norderney, 4,867 tons, carrying a load of iron ore from Sweden to Germany, is sunk by a mine off Cap Arkona, Rügen Island, Germany.



Mediterranean Sea:
Lothar von Arnauld de la Perière, commanding U-35, has moved eastward again from the Balearic Sea into the northern Mediterranean, where he sinks two more ships:
Italian freighter SS Clara, 5,503 tons, bound from Portoferralo for Norfolk with an unnamed cargo.
French freighter SS Fournel, 2,047 tons, carrying a general cargo from Slt. Louis du Rhône to Algiers and Oran.
Von Arnauld's score is now 41 ships and 87,065 tons.



Greek freighter SS Nitsa, 3,370 tons, travelling from Norfolk, Virginia, USA to Savona, Italy, is lost, possibly due to grounding.

[Jimbuna]

26th June 1916

Western Front

Battle of Verdun: French gain near Thiaumont work.

British patrols active.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

Russians advance west in northern Persia.

Turks prepare to leave Mosul.

Turks driven from Lake Urmia (Persia).

Political, etc.

General demobilisation ordered in Greece.

Germans threaten to stop Swiss coal supply if their cotton purchases are not delivered.

President Wilson rejects a proposal by Latin American diplomats who offered to mediate between the U.S. and Mexico to avoid war.

Frankford Arsenal in Philadelphia announces it is producing gas bombs, incendiary bombs, and grenades for the U.S. Army.

Australian William Jackson awarded the Victoria Cross for his actions in a raid near Armentières, France.
http://i.imgur.com/JJMmD4s.jpg

Irish nationalist Roger Casement go on trial for treason. He had been smuggled into Ireland by Germany. He has been stripped of his knighthood.
http://i.imgur.com/Numeqqo.jpg

Ship Losses:

Astrologer (United Kingdom) The coaster struck a mine laid by UC 1 (Kurt Ramien) and sank in the North Sea 5 nautical miles (9.3 km) south south east of Lowestoft, Suffolk with the loss of eleven of her crew.
HMT Tugela (Royal Navy) The naval trawler struck a mine laid by UC 1 (Kurt Ramien) and sank in the North Sea off Lowestoft with the loss of nine of her crew.

[Sailor Steve]

June 26, 1916

Air War:
0800 Australian RFC pilot Lancelot Richardson and English gunner Leslie Simpson Court, in FE.2b 4283, claim an eindecker for victories number 2 and 1 respectively. No German pilots died this day, so he must have landed safely.

In the same fight German ace Max von Mulzer, in a Fokker E.III, shoots down FE.2b 5212. Pilot R.C.B. Riley manages to crash on his own side of the lines, but gunner Lt Eric Hinckes Bird is killed in the action.

Two other British gunners are killed in this fight, but in both cases the pilots manage to evade the Germans and make it safely home.

French pilot Marcel Robert Leopold Bloch, in a Nieuport 11, shoots down a balloon for victory number 1.

French pilot Lucien Jailler, in a Nieuport 11, also brings down a balloon for number 4.



North Sea:
British freighter SS Astrologer, 912 tons, bound from Leith for Dunkerque with a general cargo plus a load of coal, hits a mine laid by Kurt Ramien in UC-1.
Also striking a mine laid by Ramien is His Majesty's Trawler Tugela, 233 tons. on minesweeping operations. Ramien's score is now 5 ships and 15,805 tons.



Whitefish Bay, Canadian side, Lake Superior:
Canadian wooden steamer SS Panther,1,373 tons, is rammed by SS James J. Hill in heavy fog off Parisienne Island. The captain of the Hill manages to keep the two ships locked together until all of Panther's crew are safely aboard his own ship, then backs off and let's Panther sink.

SS Panther
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a325/SailorSteve/SS%20Panther_zps2xyqw3pl.jpg (http://s14.photobucket.com/user/SailorSteve/media/SS%20Panther_zps2xyqw3pl.jpg.html)

[Jimbuna]

27th June 1916

Western Front

French repulse German attacks on the heights of the Meuse and at Metzeral.

Despite Allied bombardment at the Somme, German “dugouts are still good. The [Germans] appear to remain…completely sheltered.”

Eastern Front

Germans occupy Halicz, and advance to the Bug.

Russians retreat from the line of the Dniester to Gnila-Lipa line.

Russian attacks break down north of Przasnysz.

German troops under von Linsingen capture Russian positions in Volhynia, while German aeroplanes bomb Dvinsk (Daugavpils).

Southern Front

Dardanelles: British carry four Turkish lines near Krithia.

Serbians capture island of Michaiska (Danube).

Naval and Overseas Operations

Coast of Asia Minor opposite Chios bombarded by H.M.S. "Hussar".

Political, etc.

Report shows that the U.S. trade in May reached record highs due to the war. The favorable trade balance was $243 million.

Mexico deploys 40,000 troops along railways near the U.S. border in order to face a possible U.S. invasion.

Ship Losses:

Mongibello (Italy) The cargo ship was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 50 nautical miles (93 km) off Port Mahon, Minorca, Spain (39°45′N 5°20′E) by SM U-35 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Northland United States The cargo ship sank at Kake, Alaska.[73]
Pino (Italy) The cargo ship was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 60 nautical miles (110 km) off Port Mahon (39°55′N 5°30′E) by SM U-35 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Roma (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 50 nautical miles (93 km) east of Minorca (39°50′N 5°10′E) by SM U-35 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Waalstroom (Netherlands) The cargo ship struck a mine laid by UC 6 (Otto Ehrentraut) and sank in the North Sea 4 nautical miles (7.4 km) north east of the Shipwash Lightship ( United Kingdom) (52°06′30″N 1°51′20″E).
Windermere (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was scuttled in the Mediterranean Sea 58 nautical miles (107 km) south south east of Port Mahon (39°50′N 5°40′E) by SM U-35 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of twelve crew.

[Sailor Steve]

June 27, 1916

Fokker Aircraft's chief designer Martin Kreuzer is performing an acceptance flight in a D.I when the plane crashes. Kreuzer is dragged from the wreckage and manages to report a jammed rudder before he dies.



Air War:
German ace Oswald Boelcke has been told he will be posted to a non-flying position to protect him after the death of Immelmann. He determines to fly as much as possible before that happens, and on June 27th he takes his Fokker E.IV up in bad weather and attacks a group of five French aircraft. He chases one plane until he loses sight of it in the dark. The next day it is reported that a Nieuport crashed on the German side of the lines. Since he was the only pilot flying that late he is awarded victory number 19.

On the Southern Front, Italian pilots Alessandro Buzio and Guido Nardini share a 4-way kill with two other pilots, all in Nieuport 11s. Their victim is unidentified.



North Sea:
Paul Hundius, commanding UB-16, takes Belgian sailing vessel Z-20 as a prize. Tonnage, route and cargo unknown.

Dutch freighter SS Waalstroom, 1,441 tons, bound from Swansea for Amsterdam with a general cargo, hits a mine laid by Otto Ehrentraut in UC-6, raising his score to 7 ships and 4,797 tons.

Danish coaster SS Knuthenborg, 527 tons, travelling in ballast from Grimsby to Tyne, is lost after a collision with SS Rhone.



Mediterranean Sea:
Lothar von Arnauld de la Perière, in U-35, sinks four more ships:
Italian freighter SS Mongibello, 4,059 tons, travelling from Baltimore to Genoa.
Italian freighter SS Pino, 1,677 tons, en route from Swansea to Savona.
Italian freighter SS Roma, 2,491 tons, bound from Clyde for Porto Vecchio.
British freighter SS Wendermere, 2,292 tons, carrying a load of coal from Tyne to Savona.
Von Arnauld's score is now 45 ships and 97,934 tons.



German East Africa:
British army major Brook and ten native askaris join HMS Mersey.

Light cruiser HMS Talbot moves from her Ulenge Island anchorage to Tanga bay, where she fires on German trenches at Aboni from 0810 to 0855.

[Jimbuna]

28th June 1916

Western Front

Battle of Verdun: Heavy fighting at Fleury and Hill 321; Germans repulsed north-west of Thiaumont.

Eastern Front

Heavy fighting on Lutsk salient; Austrians defeated on 25-mile front east of Kolomea; 10,000 prisoners reported; Germans repulsed in Riga district. Despite German use of gas, Russian troops repel German attacks south of Riga and on the Dvina River.

Southern Front

Italians regain half the trenches lost during the Austrian offensive.

Italian cavalry reach Pedescala (north-east of Arsiero).

Political, etc.

British abandon Declaration of London.

Mexican government orders the release of 23 U.S. Army troops in an attempt to defuse U.S.-Mexican tensions.

A bill to permanently ban vodka is being discussed in the Russian Duma.

Ship Losses:

Knuthenborg (Denmark) The cargo ship collided with Rhone ( Denmark in the North Sea off Hornsea, Yorkshire, United Kingdom and sank. Her crew were rescued by Rhone.
Mercurius (United Kingdom) The dredger struck a mine laid by UC 1 (Kurt Ramien) and sank in the North Sea 3 nautical miles (5.6 km) south east of Lowestoft, Suffolk with the loss of six of her seven crew.
Serpente (Regia Marina) The Sirio-class torpedo boat collided with Citta di Bari ( Italy) and sank in the Adriatic Sea.

[Sailor Steve]

June 28, 1916

North Sea:
British dredger Mercurius, 129 tons, hits a mine laid by Kurt Ramien in UC-1, bringing his score to 6 ships and 15,934 tons.



German East Africa:
Battleship HMS Vengeance leads an attack on Kilwa Kivinje.
0740 Monitor HMS Mersey and whaler Pickle stop off Jewe Reef to wait for Vengeance.
0800 Vengeance and HMS Manica join Mersey and Pickle.
0940 Vengeance and Manica anchor at Kilwa Kivinje.
1035 Mersey opens fire on Gingwera camp.
1040 Mersey ceases fire and joins Vengeance.
1115 Manica launches seaplane for spotting. Vengeance opens fire with 12" and 6" guns.
1120 Mersey opens fire again.
1220 Ships cease firing.
0330 HMS Manica puts up seaplane to assess damage.
1530 Mersey departs.
1630 Vengeance and Manica depart.

[Jimbuna]

29th June 1916

Western Front

Champagne: German first and second line trenches taken at Tahure; German attack on Hill 304 (Verdun), repulsed.

Eastern Front

Germans repulsed north-east of Vilna.

Naval and Overseas Operations

Turkish steamers sunk by Russians in the Black Sea.

Political, etc.

Roger Casement found guilty of high treason and sentenced to death.

U.S. demands apology from Austria for the sinking of the "Petrolite".

It is announced that meats will be rationed across the entire German Empire starting on September 1st.

Ship Losses:

Carlo Alberto (Italy) The sailing vessel was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea west of Sicily (37°45′N 12°10′E) by SM U-35 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Giuseppina (Italy) The barquentine was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea west of Sicily 38°18′N 9°50′W) by SM U-35 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
HMT Hirose (Royal Navy) The naval trawler struck a mine laid by UC 6 (Otto Ehrentraut) and sank in the North Sea off Aldeburgh, Suffolk (52°08′10″N 1°42′20″E) with the loss of ten of her crew.
Teano (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was scuttled in the Mediterranean Sea 24 nautical miles (44 km) north west of Marettimo, Italy (38°15′N 11°45′E) by SM U-35 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew were rescued by Molina( Norway).

[Sailor Steve]

June 29, 1916

Air War:
Between the hours of 0700 and 0820 Czech-born Austro-Hungarian pilot Heinrich Kostrba and Austrian Observer Johann Frint, in Hansa-Brandenburg C.I 26.09, shoot down three Italian-flown Farman two-seaters. Victories number 5, 6 and 7 for Kostrba, numbers 3, 4 and 5 for Frint.

German pilot Otto Parschau, in a Fokker E.III, claims a French Voisin for victory number 5. The French record no losses for the day, but the British do report losing a DH.2 flown by 2nd Lt Kenneth Parnell McNamara, KIA. The confusion may come from the German habit of listing all pushers as 'gitterumpf', or 'lattice frame'.



North Sea:
His Majesty's Trawler Hirose, 275 tons, runs on a mine laid by Otto Ehrentraut in UC-6, bringing his score to 8 ships and 5,072 tons.



Mediterranean Sea:
Lothar von Arnauld de la Perière, commanding U-35, sinks three more ships:
Italian sailing ship Carlo Alberto, 312 tons.
Italian barquentine Giuseppina, 214 tons.
British freighter SS Teano, 1,907 tons, bound from Hull for Naples with a load of coal and general cargo.
Von Arnauld's score is now 48 ships and 107,657 tons. This finishes a record patrol of 40 ships sunk for 57,131 tons in 18 days.



German East Africa:
Light cruiser HMS Challenger continues the previous day's attack at Kilwa Kivinje, sinking several dhows in Ginwera Creek with gunfire directed by seaplanes from HMS Manica and Himalaya.



Gulf of Mexico:
Italian sailing ship Mount Carmel, 1,686 tons, travelling in ballast from Genoa to Pensacola, is last seen off the Pensacola Bar on this day, and not heard from again.

[Oberon]

Time for me to return to the story of my predecessors, at this time my great-great-grandfather Robert Currie was serving as a driver in the Army Service Corps 52nd Train in Egypt, and my great-grandfather Edward Clack had been transferred to the 6th Battalion Wiltshire Regiment (part of 58th Brigade - 19th Western Division) in December after recovering from wounds in Alder Hey Hospital in England that he had received during the Turkish offensive of 10th August 1915 at Gallipoli. He'd managed to avoid the Battle of Loos...but soon he would be embroiled in the Battle of the Somme. Batallion diaries show the build up to the offensive, with extensive training in May, and heavy artillery bombardment from the 23rd to the 26th, on the 28th operations were postponed for 48 hours due to heavy rain, on the 29th final inspections were carried out in preparation...

http://www.tyneside-scottish.co.uk/pics/laboisselle2.jpg
The area of La Boiselle, where the 6th Wiltshire was about to attack

30th June 1916

All packs, kits etc sent back to Divisional Train - Battalion moved at 10p.m to preliminary position South of JUNO Bridge on the railway line Nr ALBERT. Walter Long Lt.Col. Commdg 6th Bn Wiltshire Regiment Remarks LENS. SHEET 11

http://i.imgur.com/EpyKoFP.jpg

[Jimbuna]

30th June 1916

Western Front

Continued Allied bombardment on Western Front.

Verdun: French counterattack against the Germans reach Fort Thiaumont, but heavy back-and-forth fighting continues.

Naval and Overseas Operations

Baltic: Indecisive small British naval action.

German submarine SM U-10 strikes a mine in the Gulf of Finland and sinks with all 29 hands.
http://i.imgur.com/NsHpBgC.jpg

Aviation

The first flight of an aircraft with all-metal stressed skin construction, the Zeppelin-Lindau Rs.II, takes place.
http://i.imgur.com/EKuyZnA.jpg

Political, etc.

Trades Union Congress, representing 3 million workers, meets in London to ask the British government to set food prices.

Ship Losses:

Moeris (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 46 nautical miles (85 km) south east of Cape Sidero, Crete, Greece by SM UB-44 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of three of her crew.
SM U-10 (Kaiserliche Marine) The Type U 9 submarine struck a mine in the Gulf of Finland and sank with the loss of all 29 crew.
HMT Whooper (Royal Navy) The naval trawler struck a mine laid by UC 1 (Kurt Ramien) and sank in the North Sea 4.5 nautical miles (8.3 km) north of Southwold, Suffolk with the loss of nine of her crew.

Merchant Shipping

British, Allied and Neutral ships lost to enemy submarines, mines and cruisers etc in the month - 68 ships of 109,000 tons gross. (Lloyd's War Losses).

[Sailor Steve]

June 30, 1916

Idflieg Bi-Monthly Report on German Fighters at the Front

Fokker:
E.I 3
E.II 4
E.III 101
E.IV 29

Pfalz:
E.I 13
E.II 30
E.III 8

Halberstadt:
D.II 6
D.III 2



Air War:
0715 Scottish RFC pilot Phillip Bernard Prothero, flying Bristol Scout C 5308, shoots down an "Emeny Aircraft" for victory number 1.

German ace Kurt Wintgens, flying a Fokker E.III, shoots down a French Farman two-seater for victory number 8, for which he will become the fourth pilot to be awarded the Pour Le Merite.

German pilot Heinrich Lorenz, in a Fokker E.III claims a Caudron on this day, for victory number 1.

There is no specific date given, but sometime in June German observer
Adolf Gutknecht scored his first victory. Pilot, aircraft and victim all unnamed.

Before his transfer to Turkey, Oswald Boelcke sits down with members of Fliegertruppe high command and discusses the reorganization of squadrons and the way they operate. It is at this time that he composes the first version of his Dicta Boelcke, the first codified rules for fighter pilots.

1. Always try to secure an advantageous position before attacking. Climb before and during the approach in order to surprise the enemy from above, and dive on him swiftly from the rear when the moment to attack is at hand.


2. Try to place yourself between the sun and the enemy. This puts the glare of the sun in the enemy's eyes and makes it difficult to see you and impossible for him to shoot with any accuracy.

3. Do not fire the machine guns until the enemy is within range an you have him squarely within your sights.

4. Atttack when the enemy least expects it or when he is pre-occupied with aother duties such as observation, photography or bombing.

5. Never turn your back and try to run away from an enemy fighter. If you are surprised by an attack on your tail, turn and face the enemy with your guns.

6. Keep your eye on the enemy and do not let him deceive you with tricks. If your opponent appears damaged follow him down until he crashes to be sure he is not faking.

7. Foolish acts of bravery only bring death. The Jasta must fight as a unit with close teamwork between all pilots. The signal of its leaders must be obeyed.



North Sea:
His Majesty's Trawler Whooper, 302 tons, hits a mine laid by Kurt Ramien in UC-1, bringing his score to 7 ships and 16,209 tons.



Gulf of Finland:
U-10, commanded by Fritz Stuhr, is lost, probably to a mine.



Mediterranean Sea:
Franz Wäger, commanding UB-44, sinks British freighter SS Moeris, 3,409 tons, carrying a general cargo from Glasgow to Alexandria. His score is now 11 ships and 19,587 tons.



German East Africa:
Cruiser HMS Challenger continues the attack on Kilwa Kivinje, firing on enemy dhowws in Gingwera Creek while a seaplane from HMS Himalaya calls the fall of shot for them.

Light cruiser HMS Talbot lands a party of sailors and marines on Ulenge Island, then fires on German positions at Bagamoyo and Chagoliani.

[Oberon]

1st July 1916

http://pierreswesternfront.punt.nl/_files/2008-03-18/ovillers-image012.jpg

At 7.30a.m Brigade moved up to position into TARA USNA Trenches - Orders were received to attack LA BOISSELLE from the South during that night which however did not take place.

http://i.imgur.com/oZDtVdV.jpg

My great-grandfather was fortunate not to be in the first waves, when the members of the 34th Division emerged from the Usna-Tara jumping off trenches at 7:30am that morning and marched towards La Boiselle, some 80% of the forward element were swiftly cut down by machine gun fire. On the first day of the Somme, the 34th Division suffered the greatest casualty rate of the British forces.

[Jimbuna]

1st July 1916

Western Front

Great Franco-British offensive begins on 25-mile front north and south of Somme. British capture Montauban and Mametz; break through towards Bapaume. French attack towards Peronne; reach outskirts of Hardecourt and Curlu; take Dompierre, Becquincourt, Bussus, and Fay. 5,000 prisoners taken.

Eastern Front

River Pruth Russians advance north-west of Kolomea.

Austro-Germans progress north-west of Tarnopol

Southern Front

Vigorous Italian attacks continued north of upper Isonzo.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

In Persia the Turks defeat Russians; pursue them to Kermanshah.

Political, etc.

French Ministry of Interior reports that 46,263 houses, 331 churches, and 900 public buildings have been wrecked due to war.

[Sailor Steve]

July 1, 1916

Sometime in July Idflieg places the first production order for 60 Fokker D.II and 30 D.III fighters. As with previous orders there was originally a letter of intent, and the planes are already under construction.

Air War:
0555 Canadian RFC pilot Harold Evans Hartney and observer AM2 A. Stanley, in FE.2d A3, are credited with two eindeckers on this day, but who the German pilots were is not recorded anywhere.

0745 Irish RFC pilot Sidney Cowan, flying DH.2 5964, shoots down an unidentified German two-seater for victory number 2.

Sometime between 0830 and 1030 Australian RFC pilot Sydney Dalrymple, in a Martinsyde G.100, brings down a Roland C.II for victory number 1.

French pilot Marcel Bloch, in a Nieuport, destroys a German balloon for victory number 2.

French pilot André Chainat, flying a Nieuport, shoots down an "Enemy Aircraft" for victory number 5.

Australian RNAS pilot Roderic Dallas, flying the prototype Sopwith Triplane N500, shoots down a German two-seater for kill number 4.

French pilots Pierre de Gavardie and Jacques Senart, both in Nieuport 11s, share a victory over an eindecker. Number 3 for de Gavardie, number 2 for Senart.

[Betonov]

1st July 1916


Southern Front

Vigorous Italian attacks continued north of upper Soča.


:stare:

[Oberon]

2nd July 1916

http://i.imgur.com/rCoB7YV.jpg
Soldiers of A Company, 11th Cheshire Regiment in a captured German trench at Ovilliers-la-Boisselle


At 1.30p.m orders were received to take up position in front line at 4p.m. At 4p.m Battalion advanced in open order and attacked German front line system of trenches just South of LA BOISSELLE. Two lines of trenches were taken and consolidated. Cheshires were on our right flank and Welch Fusiliers on our left. Our losses were Lt. Hunter, Lt's Allen, King and Biggs killed - Capt Tanner, Lt's Springette, Reid, Tynan and Capt Henry (R.A.M.C) wounded. Other ranks were 35 killed, 237 wounded and 35 missing. The night was spent in consolidating - no counter attacks was made by the enemy.

http://i.imgur.com/qA4uzcn.jpg

My great-grandfather was likely wounded in this attack, but I am not certain how much so, in the coming two days his card notes further wounds, but I am not sure whether he was wounded on this day and the records are staggered, or whether he was wounded on this day, patched up and then wounded further later.

http://i.imgur.com/MqaCja6.jpg?1

A personal account from Private Roy Bealing of the 6th Wiltshire Regiment:

"Captain Reid came along the top of the trench – right out in the open! – I suppose it was the only way he could pass the word along the company and he must have had a couple of machine-gun bullets through his water bottle because the water was spouting out of it.
He yelled down ‘ Fix your bayonets and get ready to go over when you hear the whistle.’ I was beside a chap called Lucas and he was a bundle of nerves. He was shaking, yes. He was simply shivering and shaking like a leaf. He could hardly hold his rifle, never mind fix his bayonet, the state he was in! So I fixed mine and then I said ‘Here you are Lucas,’ and I fixed his for him. It would have taken him a week to fix his bayonet
the state he was in! He wasn’t one of a new draft. He was one of the older ones, and I was right sorry for him.
When the whistle went, I threw my rifle on top of the trench and clambered out of it, grabbed the rifle and started going forward. There were shell-holes everywhere. I hadn’t gone far before I fell in one of them. There were so many shell-holes you couldn’t get round them. But you had to go on so, every time I stumbled and fell in a shell-hole, I just waited a quarter of a minute, had another breath, then out of it and on again. I must of fallen half a dozen times before I got to the first line, and there were lads falling all over the place. You didn’t know whether they were tripping up like me or whether they were going down with bullets in them, because it wasn’t just the shells exploding
round about, it was the machine guns hammering out like hell from the third German line because it was on slightly higher ground. Lucas went down. He was killed before he even got to the first trench – the one that was partly in our hands."

[Jimbuna]

2nd July 1916

Western Front

British capture Fricourt; relinquish captured trenches at Gommecourt. French take Curlu, Frise, Bois de Mereaucourt and Herbecourt.

Eastern Front

Russians take offensive at Smorgon and Baranovichi, and penetrate German lines.

Germans continue advance on Lutsk salient. South of Dniester they regain Tlumacz.

Southern Front

Skirmishes near Salonika; artillery duels on lower bank of Vardar.

Heavy artillery fire and sharp infantry attacks in Trentino and Carso.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

Turks take Kermanshah; Russians driven east on road to Hamadan.

Ship Losses:

Rockcliffe (Imperial Russian Navy) The transport ship was shelled and sunk in the Black Sea off Vardane by SM U-38 ( Kaiserliche Marine).

[Sailor Steve]

July 2, 1916

Air War:
1400 German ace Max von Mulzer claims BE.2c 2654 for victory number 7. Lt Ian C. MacDonnell and 2nd Lt Hugh A. Williamson are both killed in action.

German pilot Stefan Kirmaier also claimed 2654 for kill number 1. The problem here is that the Germans did not award shared kills, yet in this case they seem to have done so. There is a chance that Kirmaier's victim may have actually been a Nieuport 17 flown by MdL André Seigneurie, who was taken prisoner that day.

To make it more confusing, German ace Ernst von Althaus claimed a "Nieuport Scout", but there was only one Nieuport reported lost. There was, however, a Nieuport 11, No. 1139, flown by Lt François Mouronval, listed as missing on June 30, two days earlier. All these claims were awarded, but confusion persists as to who shot down whom.

1730 English ace Albert Ball, flying Nieuport 16 A134, shoots down a Roland C.II for victory number 6. Half an hour later Ball brings down and Aviatik two-seater for number 7.

1930 English pilot Horace Davey and observer Cpl W. Paul, in FE.2b 5238, shoot down an eindecker. Victory number 3 for Davey, unknown for Paul.

At the same time Australian pilot Lancelot Richardson and observer Lt M.V. Lewes also claim a Fokker. Number 3 for Richardson, unknown for Lewes. Given the timing this may have been a shared kill, but the records don't say one way or the other.

French pilot Joseph Denis Bernard Robert de Bonnefoy, in a Nieuport 11 or 17, shoots down an "Enemy Aircraft" for victory number 1.

French ace André Chainat, in an unlisted Nieuport, destroys a German balloon for kill number 6.

German ace Otto Parschau, in a Fokker E.IV, shoots down Caudron G.4 2235 for victory number 6. Sgt Lesire and Soldat Coat both killed in action. This may have actually taken place on the 1st.



Black Sea:
Max Valentiner, commanding U-38, sinks British freighter SS Rockcliffe, 3,073 tons, chartered to the Russian Navy for use as a transport ship. His score is now 84 ships and 175,916 tons.

[Oberon]

3rd July 1916

http://i.imgur.com/LIvgtRk.jpg?1

Brigade attacked LA BOISSELLE from the North and carried it. In conformity with the attack Battalion advanced from the communication trenches due East but owing to 57th Brigade being driven back we were compelled to withdraw to our consolidated position. Battalion was relieved this night by 56th Brigade with the exception of 150 men.

http://i.imgur.com/ScsPgU0.jpg


If my Great-Grandfather had carried on after his wounds yesterday then today he was hit again, taking a 'GSW' (Gun Shot Wound) to the right thigh. This would take him out of the war again until March of the next year. The 6th Wiltshires had been badly savaged during the two days of fighting and were withdrawn and consolidated over the coming fortnight, they would return to the frontlines by the end of the month at Brecourt Wood but in a supporting role rather than taking part in the major offensives.

I have added an account to the last days entry from a soldier from the 6th Wiltshire Regiment, hopefully it will give some insight into the conditions of the battle.

[Jimbuna]

3rd July 1916

Western Front

Fierce fighting continues; British capture La Boiselle and part of Ovillers. French capture Chapitre Wood, Feuilleres, Buscourt, Flaucourt; also Assevillers to the South. Allied forces at the Somme have managed to push in 6 miles in some areas and have captured 10,000 Germans.

“Y” Wood & German trenches at the Somme. Snow-like appearance on ground is due to bombardment.
http://i.imgur.com/AKwWOtb.jpg

Returning British troops from the Battle of Albert (Somme) carrying a wounded German soldier.
http://i.imgur.com/h94XXrj.jpg

Germans gain and lose Damloup work (Verdun).

North of Ancre actions indecisive.

12,300 prisoners to date.

Eastern Front

Battle of Baranovichi continues south of Vilna.

Russian sea-attack on German lines near Riga.

Southern Front

French air-raid on Sofia from Salonika.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

Russians again resume offensive in Armenia, west of Erzerum.

Naval and Overseas Operations

British advance in East Africa, in region between Lake Tanganyika and Victoria Nyanza.

Political, etc.

Former German Chancellor von Buelow warns that the Allies will be “unforgiving” towards Germany after the war.

Report of Royal Commission on the causes of the Irish Rebellion issued.

Russo-Japanese treaty re: the Far East signed.

[Sailor Steve]

July 3, 1916

Air War:
French pilot Marcel Bloch destroys A German observation balloon for victory number 3.

German ace Otto Parschau, in a Fokker E.IV, shoots down a French balloon for victory number 7.

Geran pilot Franz Walz and observer Martin Gerlich shoot down BE.2c 5746. Victory number 3 for both.

[Jimbuna]

4th July 1916

Western Front

Heavy thunderstorms impede operations.

British take Bernafay Wood, east of Montauban; make air attacks on Comines, Combles, St. Quentin.

French capture Estrees, Belloy-en-Santerre, and Sormont Farm: advance from Curlu towards Hem.

Germans regain Thiaumont (Verdun).

Eastern Front

Second Great Russian advance in the Ukraine under General Lesch; they cross Styr at Kolki and Rafalovka and drive the Austrians towards the Stokhod. Further south they cut Carpathian railway at Mikolichin.

Southern Front

Italians continue to advance in Trentino.

Naval and Overseas Operations

The "Goeben" and "Breslau" bombard Russian ports in Black Sea.

Political, etc.

Ignatius Tribitch Lincoln, ex-M.P., sentenced to three years penal servitude for forgery.

Ship Losses

Birkdale (United Kingdom) The barque caught fire at San Francisco, California, United States and was beached.
Queen Bee (United Kingdom) The fishing smack was scuttled in the North Sea 25 nautical miles (46 km) east by north of Whitby, Yorkshire by SM UB-23 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of a crew member.

[Sailor Steve]

July 4, 1916

Air War:
Austrian pilot Raoul Stojsavljevic and Bohemian observer Josef Friedrich, in Hansa-Brandenburg C.I 64.14, shood down an Italian Farman two-seater, one of two which had attacked them, for victory number 1.

Russian pilot Alexander Nikolaivich Prokofiev de Seversky, in a Grigorovich M.9, shoots down an Austro-Hungarian "Scout" for victory number 1. De Seversky was grounded the previous year when shot down while on a bombing mission, which cost him one of his legs. Intervention by Tsar Nicholas himself led to De Seversky's reinstatement.



North Sea:
Otto Schulze, commanding U-63, torpedoes British sloop HMS Rosemary, 1,250 tons. The ship is only damaged.

Ernst Voigt, in UB-23, stops and sinks British fishing smack Queen Bee, 34 tons, bringing his score to 3 ships and 1,206 tons.



Black Sea:
Russian sail/paddle steamer Knyaz Obolenskiy, 341 tons, is sunk by Turkish battlecruiser Yavuz Sultan Selim (ex-SMS Goeben) in the port of Tuapse.

Russian freighter Mariya-Annetta, 863 tons, is torpedoed by Turkish light cruiser Midilli (ex-SMS Breslau) off Sochi.

According to Uboat.net, British freighter SS Rockcliffe was torpedoed and sunk on July 2, 1916 by Max Valentiner in U-38, which was reported here. Wrecksite.eu says Rockcliffe was subsequently beached and destroyed by gunfire from Turkish light cruiser Midilli on July 4th.



Canada:
British freighter SS Fernfield, 2,025 tons, is stranded off Louisbourg Harbour, Nova Scotia. Sources say her course was from Plymouth, England to Le Havre, France, so either the listed route or the location of the wreck seems to be wrong.



Pacific Ocean:
British freighter SS Ecuador, 1,768 tons, founders off Constitucion, Chile.

[Jimbuna]

5th July 1916

Western Front

English improve their position between Somme and Ancre; advance slightly in some sectors.

French win Hem; north of Somme they repel counter-attacks at Belloy-en-Santerre.

German attacks at Verdun on Avocourt and Hill 304 fail.

Eastern Front

the Riga and Baranovichi fronts, fighting continues.

In Galicia, Russians continue their attacks south of Dniester.

Southern Front

Risings and guerrilla warfare in Serbia and Montenegro, owing to weakening of Austrian garrisons.

Political, etc.

King George V decides to confer peerage on Sir Edward Grey, the Secretary of Foreign Affairs.

Mexican government agrees to negotiate with the U.S. in order to defuse tensions, and U.S. decides not to further reinforce the border.

Ship Losses:

Annie Anderson (United Kingdom) The fishing smack was scuttled in the North Sea 16 nautical miles (30 km) east south east of the mouth of the River Tyne by SM UB-23 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Geertruida (Netherlands) The drifter, on her maiden voyage, was sunk in the North Sea (57°15′N 1°15′E by SM U-45 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Jacob Luckenbach (United States) The cargo ship collided with Eddystone ( Belgium) in the English Channel, 1 nautical mile (1.9 km) north of the Downs Lightship ( United Kingdom) and sank. Her 31 crew were rescued.
Knias Obolensky (Russia) The paddle steamer was shelled and sunk at Tuapse by Yavûz Sultân Selîm ( Ottoman Navy).
Peep O' Day (United Kingdom) The drifter was scuttled in the North Sea 25 nautical miles (46 km) east north east of the mouth of the River Tyne (55°05′N 0°50′W) by SM UB-23 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.

[Sailor Steve]

July 5, 1916

English Channel:
American freighter SS Jacob Luckenbach, 2,879 tons, bound from San Francisco for Leith with a load of barley, sinks after a collision with SS Eddystone.



North Sea:
Erich Sittenfeld, commanding U-45, sinks Dutch drifter Geertruida, 140 tons, on her way home fully loaded from her first fishing trip. Sittenfeld's score is now 5 vessels and 8,172 tons.

Ernst Voigt, in UB-23, stops and scuttles British fishing smack Annie Anderson, 77 tons, and drifter Peep O'Day, 52 tons. His score is now 5 vessels and 1,335 tons.

UC-7 (Georg Haag) is lost, presumed to be by a mine. Last seen heading home from her latest patrol, by UB-12. All 18 crew members are lost. The bodies of Haag and one other are recovered by Dutch fishing boats, while two other bodies washed ashore at Flanders.



Atlantic Ocean:
Back on March 16th the Russian schooner Ekonom, 224 tons, was abandoned off the English Channel. At 1025 on July 5th British battleship HMS Swiftsure comes across the ship roughly 100 miles north of Madeira. A boat is lowered and a boarding party enters the derelict. It is determined that the wreck is Ekonom, and Swiftsure attempts to sink it with her 10" guns. At 1245 Swiftsure rams the wreck, causing it to capsize and sink.



Chile:
Chilean schooner Veleidosa, 128 tons, is wrecked off the port of Caldera.

United States:


Russian barque Avio, 451 tons, is wrecked at Rock Pile, outside the harbor at Pensacola, Florida.

American schooner Bradford C. French, 797 tons, carrying a load of molasses from San Juan, Puerto Rico to New Orleans, is abandoned near South Pass, Mississippi.

American sailing barge Harry Morse, 1,242 tons, founders off Mobile, Alabama.

American schooner Mary G. Danzler, 421 tons, is wrecked near the Ship Island Lighthouse, near Gulfport, Mississippi.



Brazil:
American freighter SS Wilhelmina, 1,696 tons, carrying a load of coal from Newport News to Rio de Janeiro, sinks following a collision in Rio de Janeiro Bay.


Dredger SS Soudan, 152 tons, was scuttled this day, according to Wrecksite.eu. There are no details as to location or reason.

[Jimbuna]

6th July 1916

Western Front

British win ground on slopes of Thiepval; two successful raids on Loos salient.

French again repel attacks at Belloy; lose a small wood north of Hem.

Artillery active at Verdun.

Eastern Front

Between the Styr and Stokhod Germans fall back in disorder from Chartorysk salient.

Southern Front

Italian pressure on the Trentino and Isonzo fronts continued.

Naval

British submarine HMS E26 is reported lost with all 30 hands in the North Sea. Cause of sinking is unknown.

Political, etc.

Ministerial changes: Mr. Lloyd George becomes Secretary of State for War. Lord Derby, Under Secretary for War. Sir Edward Grey raised to Peerage as Viscount Grey of Falldon.

Ship Losses:

HMS E26 Royal Navy The E-class submarine was lost in the North Sea with the loss of all 30 crew.
Girl Bessie (United Kingdom) The drifter was scuttled in the North Sea 23 nautical miles (43 km) south east by east of the mouth of the River Tyne by SM UB-23 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Nancy Hunnam (United Kingdom) The drifter was scuttled in the North Sea 24 nautical miles (44 km) east by south of the mouth of the River Tyne by SM UB-23 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Newark Castle (United Kingdom) The drifter was scuttled in the North Sea 23 nautical miles (43 km) south east of the mouth of the River Tyne by SM UB-23 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Petunia (United Kingdom) The drifter was scuttled in the North Sea 23 nautical miles (43 km) south east of the mouth of the River Tyne by SM UB-23 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Watchful (United Kingdom) The drifter was scuttled in the North Sea 23 nautical miles (43 km) south east by south of the mouth of the River Tyne by SM UB-23 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.

[Sailor Steve]

July 6, 1916

Air War:
Canadian RFC pilot Harry Alison Wood, flying DH.2 5997, shoots down a "D-Type" fighter for victory number 1. Since at the end of June Idflieg reported six Halberstadt D.IIs and two D.IIIs at the front, it's entirely possible that one of the first German biplane fighters was destroyed almost at the beginning of its career.



North Sea:
Ernst Voigt, commanding UB-23, attacks a fishing fleet off the mouth of the Tyne River, sinking drifters Girl Bessie, 62 tons, Nancy Hunnam, 58 tons, Newark Castle, 85 tons, Petunia, 58 tons, and Watchful, 52 tons. His score is now 10 vessels and 1,650 tons.

British fishing vessel Heron is reported missing this day. No details at all.



German East Africa:
0030-0250 For more than two hours HMS Severn, anchored in Tanga Bay observes flashes and explosions from the direction of Tanga village.
After waiting for daylight, at 0715 a seaplane lands alongside Severn for instructions.
0730 Seaplane takes off for reconnaissance over Tanga.
1755 HMS Severn weighs anchor and moves southward.
1800 Cruiser HMS Talbot and whaler/gunboat HMS Styx move into Tanga Harbour.



Chile:
Chilean steel tug Svip, 181 tons, runs aground in Horcón Bay.



Atlantic Ocean:
American lugger Adelaide T. Carleton, travelling from Buenos Aires to Cape Verde Island, runs aground off Ilha Grande (La Paloma), Brazil. Crew rescued.

[Jimbuna]

7th July 1916

Western Front

British again advance; portion of Leipzig Redoubt carried on Thiepval Plateau. Fighting at Ovillers and east of La Boiselle. Contalmaison won but not held.

Eastern Front

Russians reach Manevichi station on Kovel-Sarni railway in northern Lutsk salient.

Southern Front

Italians continue advance between Brenta and Adige; they carry two enemy positions north of Asiago.

Naval and Overseas Operations

In East Africa General Smuts occupies Tanga, the terminus of Usambara railway.

Political, etc.

Congratulatory message to troops from King George. “I am proud of my troops. None could have fought more bravely.”

Fredrick G. Kellaway, secretary to the Minister of Munitions, states 3.5 million men are working in 4000 arsenals to make guns for Britain.

Ship Losses:

Gannet (United Kingdom) The cargo ship struck a mine laid by UC 6 (Otto Ehrentraut) and sank in the North Sea 5 nautical miles (9.3 km) east north east of the Shipwash Lightship ( United Kingdom) (52°05′N 1°53′E) with the loss of eight of her crew.

[Sailor Steve]

July 7, 1916

English Channel:
Norwegian freighter SS Bainbridge, 1,900 tons, carrying a load of coal from Sunderland to Bayonne, is wrecked off Kerlouan, France.



North Sea:
British freighter SS Gannet, 1,127 tons, bound from Rotterdam for London with a general cargo, hits a mine laid by Otto Ehrentraut in UC-6. His score is now 9 ships and 6,199 tons.

U-77, under the command of Erich Günzel, is lost while on a minelaying mission to Kinnaird Head, Scotland. All 33 crewmembers lost.

German trawler Wilhelmshaven, 170 tons, departs Geestemünde, Bremerhaven, for a fishing trip and is not heard from again.



German East Africa:
Cruiser HMS Talbot and monitor HMS Severn carry a raiding party to Tanga Island, along with gunboat Thistle, armed whalers Styx and Charon, and seaplane/balloon tender Manica.
0600 the ships anchor off Kwawa Reef.
0620 HMS Manica hoists out seaplane for scouting work.
0645 Seaplane is sent to scout over Tanga.
0730 Seaplane lands next to Talbot with information. Apparently the plane made a bad landing. Nothing is said of this but later log records speak of salvaging the damaged plane.
0915 HMS Manica hoists up balloon.
0955 Manica lowers and stows balloon.
1020 Party of native scouts transfers from Talbot to Severn.
1057 Severn lands scouts at Red Cliffs.
1115 Talbot passes damaged seaplane off to Thistle.
1153 Manica enters Tanga Bay.
1200 British force occupies Tanga village.
1255 Landing party re-boards Severn.
1300 Manica joins Thistle to recover wrecked seaplane.
1305 Severn departs to rejoin other ships.
1500 Remains of seaplane hoisted aboard Manica.
It is not said whether the landing party met any resistance.

Australia:
Australian coaster SS Dunster Castle, 62 tons, travelling in ballast from Esperance to Albany, is wrecked at Shoal Cape, next to Fanny Cove.

[Jimbuna]

8th July 1916

Western Front

British penetrate southern part of Trones Wood; hand to hand fighting in Ovillers.

French take Hardecourt.

Violent artillery duel at Verdun.

Heavy rain hampers operations.

Eastern Front

Russians break through north of Lutsk and cross Upper Stokhod at Ugli and Arsenovich, having advanced 25 miles in four days on a 40-mile front. South of Dniester they capture Delatyn and threaten right flank of Bothmer's army.

Political, etc.

Winston Churchill: “No democratic country like Great Britain, the United States or France…can plan and prepare an aggressive war.”

Great Britain rescinds the London Declaration of 1909 in order to provide legal justification for their blockade of Germany.

A Russo-Japanese Agreement in regard to the Far East signed and announced.

Socialist members of the Berlin City Council attacks the German government’s claim that there is no hunger in the city.

Ship Losses:

Baro (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was run into by Diana VI ( Nigeria) at Lagos, Nigeria and was beached.

[Sailor Steve]

July 8, 1916

Air War:
1405 Malayan RNAS pilot Thomas Francis Netterville Gerard, flying Nieuport Scout 3889, shoots down a Fokker eindecker, pilot and fate unknown.

Bavaria-born German ace Max von Mulzer, in a Fokker E.IV, shoots down BE.2c 5765 for victory number 8. Australian pilot Eric C. Jowett is mortally wounded and dies the next day in a German hospital. Observer Cpl L.R.G. Johnstone taken prisoner.



Gulf of Bothnia:
Russian submarine Volk torpedoes German freighter SS Dorita, 3,689 tons, off Örnsköldsvik, Sweden.



United States:
American schooner Mary Ann McCann, 170 tons, carrying a load of coal from South Amboy, New Jersey to New York, is beached while sinking and breaks in half.

[Jimbuna]

9th July 1916

Western Front

Two German aeroplane raids on south-east coast, no damage.

English make slight progress at Ovillers; fighting continues in Trones Wood.

French advance along Bray-Peronne road; take Biaches, reach outskirts of Barleux.

French air squadrons bomb Ham and Bolancourt.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

Turks threaten attack on Tigris.

Naval and Overseas Operations

German submarine "Deutschland" arrives at Norfolk (Virginia) from Bremen; proceeds with mails and cargo to Baltimore.

Russian hospital ship "Yperyod" torpedoed in Black Sea.

Political, etc.

Belgiam government accuses Germany of forcing Belgian citizens into the German Army.

Official German casualties now number 3,012,637 men, with 757,327 of them killed in action.

London clergymen, including the Dean of Westminster, urge people to abstain from drinking in order to “save” Britain.

Edwin Samuel Montagu is appointed the new Secretary of Munitions to succeed Lloyd George.
http://i.imgur.com/Jny96nJ.jpg

Ship Losses:

Ancenio (Norway) Hurricane Four: The barque was driven ashore at Gulfport, Mississippi, United States.
HMT Astrum Spei (Royal Navy) The naval trawler was shelled and sunk in the Adriatic Sea by SMS Novara ( Austro-Hungarian Navy). Her crew were taken as prisoners of war.
HMT Clavis (Royal Navy) The naval trawler was shelled and sunk in the Adriatic Sea by SMS Novara ( Austro-Hungarian Navy).
John C. Meyne (United States) Hurricane Four: The barquentine was driven ashore at Gulfport, Mississippi.
Mary C. Dantzler (United States) Hurricane Four: The schooner foundered between Ship Island and Cat Island, Mississippi.
Imberhorne (Russia) Hurricane Four: The cargo ship was driven ashore at Moss Point, Mississippi.
Margareta (Russia) Hurricane Four: The barque was driven ashore at Moss Point.
Vperied (Russia) (Flag of the Red Cross) The hospital ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Black Sea off Hopa, Turkey (41°41′N 41°03′E) by SM U-38 ( Kaiserliche Marine).

[Sailor Steve]

July 9, 1916
German ace Max Ritter von Mulzer recieves the Pour le Merite. He is the fifth German pilot to receive the award.

1320 French pilot René Pierre Marie Dorme, flying a Neuport 11, shoots down an LVG two-seater for victory number 1.

1510 Australian RNAS pilot Roderic Dallas, in Niuport 11 3994, claims an eindecker for victory number 5.

French pilot Alfred Marie-Joseph Heurtaux, in a Nieuport 17, shoots down an LVG two-seater for victory number 1.

German pilot Gustav Leffers, in a Fokker E.III, wins a combat with FE.2b 6952 for kill number 8. 2nd Lt David Hamilton McIntyre is taken POW and Hayden Floyd KIA.

German pilot Hans Müller, in a Fokker E.III, destroys a French balloon for victory number 2.

German ace Otto Parschau, in a Fokker E.IV, also gets a balloon for number 8.

French pilot Paul Joannes Sauvage, in an unidentified Nieuport, shoots down an "Enemy Aircraft" for kill number 1.

Italian pilot Mario Stoppani, flying a Nieuport 11, brings down an "EA" for number 1.

German two-seater team of Franz Walz and Martin Gerlich also claim an "EA" for victory number 4.



Black Sea:
Max Valentiner, commanding U-38, torpedoes Russian passenger liner SS Vperied (Vperiod, according to Wrecksite), 859 tons, being used as a hospital ship. His score is now 85 ships and 176,775 tons.



German East Africa:
Battleship HMS Vengeance, cruisers HMS Talbot and Hyacinth, and monitor HMS Severn continue to watch the Tanga area, with seplanes flying reconnaissance.

[Jimbuna]

10th July 1916

Western Front

Germans regain footing in Trones Wood.

British gain ground east of Ovillers and in Bois de Mametz.

French advance further towards Peronne; take Hill 97 (south-east of Biaches) with La Maisonette Farm.

Eastern Front

Germans rally and offer strong resistance on west bank of the Stokhod.

Austrians concentrate troops for big offensive on south side of Lutsk salient.

Russians claim 300,000 prisoners to date.

Naval and Overseas Operations

Italian destroyer "Impetuoso" torpedoed and sunk by submarine in Lower Adriatic.
http://i.imgur.com/fr3tLYi.jpg

Political, etc.

Premier Asquith makes an appeal to the House of Commons, urging them to accept the Irish Home Rule plan.

Berlin opens municipal kitchens and eating houses, capable of feeding 7000 people daily, in order to combat food shortages.

Ship Losses:

Florida (Imperial Russian Navy) The transport ship was sunk in the Black Sea off Sukhumi (43°05′N 40°52′E) by SM U-38 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Impetuoso (Regia Marina) The Indomito-class destroyer was torpedoed and sunk in the Strait of Otranto (40°10′N 18°50′E) by SM U-17 ( Austro-Hungarian Navy).
Kara (United Kingdom) The cargo ship struck a mine laid by UC 6 (Otto Ehrentraut) and was damaged in the North Sea off Pakefield, Suffolk. She was declared a constructive total loss.
Staffa (United Kingdom) The trawler was scuttled in the North Sea 45 nautical miles (83 km) east by north of the mouth of the River Tyne by SM UB-39 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.

[Sailor Steve]

July 10, 1916

Air War:
Scotish RFC pilot Phillip Prothero, flying Bristol Scout C5308, shoots down a German two-seater for victory number 2.

German ace Ernst von Althaus is lightly wounded and misses a few days' action. This may be connected with Roderic Dallas's victory claimed the previous day, for which the Germans had no corroborating pilot lost or injured.



North Sea:
Werner Fürbinger, commanding UB-39, stops and sinks British trawler Staffa, 176 tons. His score is now 12 ships and 1,550 tons.

British freighter SS Kara, 2,338 tons, travelling in ballast from Rouen to South Shields, hits a mine laid by Otto Ehrentraut in UC-6. His score is now 10 ships and 8,537 tons.



Bay of Biscay:
American freighter SS Goldshell, 5,614 tons, hits a mine laid by an unknown ship. There are no casualties.



Strait of Bosphorus:
Turkish ferry Sultaniye, 520 tons, listed as scuttled. Details lacking.



Black Sea:
Max Valentiner, in U-38, sinks Russian freighter SS Florida, 3,238 tons, bringing his score to 86 ships and 180,013 tons.



Strait of Otranto (Between the Adriatic and Ionian Seas):
Zdenko Hudecek, in Austrian U-17, torpedoes Italian destroyer Impetuoso, 680 tons, with the loss of 37 lives.

[Jimbuna]

11th July 1916

Western Front

Contalmaison won and held against counter-attacks; British also take parts of Mametz and Trones Woods.

Total prisoners in 10 days fighting 7,500, and 26 field guns.

At Verdun Germans gain footing in Damloup battery and east of Firmin and Chenois Woods.

Eastern Front

Germans receive reinforcements and heavy artillery to defend passage of the Stokhod.

Russia claims to have captured 271,000 prisoners since the Brusilov Offensive’s start. Heavy fighting continues around the Stokhid River.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

Russians begin a fresh offensive in Armenia.

General Maude succeeds General Gorringe in command of Tigris column.

Naval and Overseas Operations

A German submarine shells Seaham Harbour. One man killed. Three armed trawlers sunk off Scottish coasts, in action with German submarines.

Ship Losses:

Calypso (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the North Sea off Listafjord, Norway by SM U-53 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of all 30 crew.
HMT Era (Royal Navy) The naval trawler was shelled and sunk in the North Sea off Aberdeen (57°09′N 2°00′W) by SM U-69 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived and were taken as prisoners of war by SM U-52 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Inger (Norway) The barque ran aground on Langley Island, Saint-Pierre and Miquelon and was wrecked.
HMT Nellie Nutten (Royal Navy) The naval trawler was shelled and sunk in the North Sea off Aberdeen (57°06′N 0°58′E) by SM U-24 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of two crew. A third crew member was taken as a prisoner of war.
HMT Onward (Royal Navy) The naval trawler was shelled and sunk in the North Sea off Aberdeen (57°09′N 2°00′W) by SM U-52 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her fourteen crew survived but were taken as prisoners of war.

[Sailor Steve]

July 11, 1916

Air War:
French ace Georges Guynemer claims an LVG C.II, but it is unconfirmed.

German pilot Stefan Kirmaier, flying a Fokker E.III, destroys a French balloon for victory number 2.

French pilot Joseph Marie Xavier de Sevin, in an unspecified Nieuport, claims an "Avion", or Enemy Aircraft, for his first victory.

German two-seater team of Renatus Theiller and Otto Schmidt down a balloon for victory number 2.



North Sea:
An unusual day, in which three of His Majesty's trawlers are sunk by the gunfire of three different u-boats.

Walter Remy, new captain of U-24, sinks HMT Nellie Nutten, 174 tons, with his deck gun. Two casualties and one crewmwmber taken prisoner.

Hans Walther, commanding U-52, sinks HMT Onward, 266 tons, with his deck gun. All 14 crewmembers are taken prisoner aboard the U-boat. Walther's score is now 12 ships and 15,941 tons.

Ernst Wilhelms, in U-69, sinks HMT Era, 168 tons, with his deck gun. The trawler's 12-man crew are taken prisoner aboard U-52, along with Onward's 14. The trawler's captain, George Noel, dies two days later while a prisoner.

Hans Rose, in U-53, scores his first sinking with British freighter SS Calypso, 2,876 tons, bound from London to Christiania with a general cargo. The British listed the ship as missing, and all 30 crew perished.



Black Sea:
Freighter SS Ida, 1,681 tons, (nationality unknown), is sunk by gunfire (source unknown) at Ereğli, Turkey.



Canada:
Norwegian barque Inger, 1,450 tons, carrying a load of timber from Pugwash, Nova Scotia to Sharpness, Gloustershire, England, is wrecked of Pointe du uest, Miquelon, Newfoundland.



Argentina:
Chilean freighter SS Ludovico, 650 tons, travelling from Buenos Aires to Punta Arenas, runs aground near the Rio Negro.

[Jimbuna]

12th July 1916


Western Front

British gain Mametz Wood and make progress in Trones Wood.

Successful raids in Loos salient.

Germans attack strongly at Verdun; gain some ground at Chapelle St. Fine, at intersection of Fleury-Vaux roads.

Eastern Front

Furious fighting continues on the Stokhod, with no decisive results.

Southern Front

An Austrian attack on the Adige driven back.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

Russians under General Yudenich advance west of Erzerum on the Erzingan road and recapture Mamakhatun.

Political, etc.

Americans offer up to $50,000 (today $1.1 million) to travel in a submarine to Germany. North German Lloyd Line refuses the offers.

President Wilson meets with a delegation of Polish organizations and promises aid to relieve the “tragical” situation in Poland.

Foreign Secretary Sir Edward Grey again refuses to allow American Red Cross aid to reach Germany and Austria-Hungary.

Ship Losses:

Ramos (United States) The cargo ship foundered in the Atlantic Ocean 600 nautical miles (1,100 km) north of Watling Island, Bermuda.

http://i.imgur.com/7uyVF0B.jpg

[Sailor Steve]

July 12, 1916

American armored cruiser USS North Carolina is the first ship to launch an aircraft with a catapult while underway. There is some confusion over this launch, with a much earlier date of November 5, 1915 being given. Some digging leads to the conclusion that November 5 was the date of the first catapult launch, but the ship was anchored at the time. This is the first launch while underway.

North Carolina with catapult.
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a325/SailorSteve/627px-1916_catapult_launcher_on_USS_North_Carolina_zpsjv d1wkdv.jpg (http://s14.photobucket.com/user/SailorSteve/media/627px-1916_catapult_launcher_on_USS_North_Carolina_zpsjv d1wkdv.jpg.html)

The launch.
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a325/SailorSteve/1280px-1916_catapult_sea_plane_zpsv75h9wiv.jpg (http://s14.photobucket.com/user/SailorSteve/media/1280px-1916_catapult_sea_plane_zpsv75h9wiv.jpg.html)



Air War:
0830 French pilot Noël de Rochefort, flying Nieuport 11 1374, shoots down an LVG C.II for victory number 4.

French ace André Chainat, in an unnamed Nieuport, downs an "Enemy Aircraft" for kill number 7. (According to The Aerodrome. Another site has this taking place one day earlier, on the 11th.



Atlantic Ocean:
American freighter SS Ramos, 843 tons, bound from Philadelphia for Cartagena with a load of coal, founders in a hurricane northwest of Watling Island (Modern San Salvador). Sources differ concerning the fate of the crew. One source says the Captain and 14 crew (out of 25) were rescued, but another cites the first mate as saying the captain was one of those attacked by sharks.
http://www.sharkattackfile.net/spreadsheets/pdf_directory/1916.07.11-Wichman-Ramos.pdf

[Jimbuna]

13th July 1916

Western Front

German raids west of Wytschaete and south of La Bassee Canal repulsed.

Somme, British capture German howitzers and munitions.

French make successful raid in Champagne.

Eastern Front

Sharp fighting in Austrian centre, north-west of Buczacz, on the Strypa.

No decisive results on the Stokhod.

Naval and Overseas Operations

German submarine sinks two trawlers and two fishing boats off Whitby.

Political, etc.

Finance ministers of Britain, France, Russia and Italy meet in London to discuss the coordination of finances for the war.

Ship Losses:

Alfa (Denmark) The cargo ship ran aground at Bempton, Yorkshire, United Kingdom. She broke her back and was a total loss.
Dalhousie (United Kingdom) The drifter was scuttled in the North Sea 10 nautical miles (19 km) north north east of Whitby, North Riding of Yorkshire by SM UB-39 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Florence (United Kingdom) The trawler was scuttled in the North Sea 13 nautical miles (24 km) north by east of Whitby by SM UB-39 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Mary Ann (United Kingdom) The fishing vessel was scuttled in the North Sea 13 nautical miles (24 km) north by east of Whitby by SM UB-39 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Silverton (United Kingdom) The collier was torpedoed and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 14 nautical miles (26 km) north east of the Canai Rocks, Tunisia (37°27′N 10°05′E) by SM U-39 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Success (United Kingdom) The fishing vessel was scuttled in the North Sea 13 nautical miles (24 km) north by east of Whitby by SM UB-39 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.

[Sailor Steve]

July 13, 1916

North Sea:
Werner Fürbinger, commanding UB-39, stops a small fishing fleet off the Tyne River, scuttling trawler Florence, 149 tons; drifter Dalhousie, 89 tons; and small fishing boats Mary Anne, 5 tons, and Success, 6 tons. His score is now 16 vessels and 1,799 tons.

Danish freighter SS Alfa, 1,369 tons, bound from Hudidsvall, Sweden for London with a load of timber, is wrecked at Bempton Cliffs, Yorkshire.



Mediterranean Sea:
Leading U-boat ace Walter Forstmann begins his eighth war patrol in U-39 with the sinking of British freighter SS Silverton, 2,682 tons, carrying a load of coal from Cardiff to Alexandria. Forstmann stops the freighter and allows her crew to abandon ship, then sinks her with a torpedo. His score is now 77 ships and 185,296 tons.



German East Africa:
British monitor HMS Severn spends part of the day firing at houses on Karange Island. Later in the day Severn anchors off Kitange Island alongside light cruiser HMS Talbot, tender Manica and whaler Styx. Manica sends up a seaplane to inspect the area and at 0230 to 0430 the monitor and cruiser resume the shelling of houses.

[Catfish]

...
German East Africa:
British monitor HMS Severn spends part of the day firing at houses on Karange Island. ...Manica sends up a seaplane to inspect the area and at 0230 to 0430 the monitor and cruiser resume the shelling of houses.

What purpose did this "shelling of houses" serve? Zanzibar and the islands were already in "british" hands in 1916. I thought the sinking of the Pegasus had been the last action of german naval resistance in the region. Or were there still german soldiers on those islands?

[Sailor Steve]

What purpose did this "shelling of houses" serve? Zanzibar and the islands were already in "british" hands in 1916. I thought the sinking of the Pegasus had been the last action of german naval resistance in the region. Or were there still german soldiers on those islands?
The German army was still operating in the area. Zanzibar and Mafia Island were held by the British, but a large part of the shoreline was not. I'm not sure of the exact purpose of this attack, having no reference to command decisions in the area. What I do have are the ships' logs, describing their actions, and not all of them agree with each other as to specifics, and sometimes one log or another will not even mention being there, even though another ship mentions them. It is definitely confusing sometimes.

[Catfish]

^ thanks, up to now i thought german resistance was only existent on the mainland at that point, not on islands.

What Lettow-Vorbeck did and what Schnee wanted 'differred' a bit, but L.-Vorbeck's actions were afaik limited to inland fighting, the only resistance to speak of "near the shore" at all was in the Rufiji delta, inland again.

It interests me because there are two "stories" that could have met but did not, regarding distant ancestry. One is the 1st officer and later captain in the german "Woermann-Linie" on a ship that took the plane of Mr. Bruno Buechner to Dar es Salaam, for an english-german fair that then did not happen due to the outbreak of the war.

The other was Obermaschinenmaat on the L 59 Zeppelin that was sent to meet Lettow-Vorbeck on the Mahenge tableland, but had to turn around due to a false report outh of Khartoum, but would have had difficulties anyway because Vorbeck was at another place at that time. (in the fictitious story "The ghosts of Africa" the captain of the L 59 manages to crash-land the L 59 on the flanks of the Kilima n'jaro, and the germans are able to defend the region).

The german steamer tried to go back to Germany, but it was assaulted during coaling by an english warship's boarding party in a neutral port in Mozambique. Despite resistance the civilian crew had no chance and the survivors were detained in a POW camp. Crew and 1st officer managed to flee and break through to the Rufiji delta, and this is why i am interested here.. part of this journey was done by boat, so there may be a faint chance there could ne some more information.. ?

Would be nice to get more information, so if anyone hears of this... :):salute:

[Sailor Steve]

I don't know, and it is interesting, but it's also getting way off topic.

I'll ask again: Please put questions and speculations like these into the World War 1 thread and confine discussions here to things that happened 100 Years Ago Today.

[Jimbuna]

14th July 1916

Western Front

British attack German second line; capture Longueval and Bazentin-le-Petit, and the whole of Trones Wood.

20th Deccan Horse, Indian Army, prepare to attack in case a breakthrough occurs at the Somme.
http://i.imgur.com/Ud9oI01.jpg

German prisoners captured by the British during the Battle of Bazentin Ridge.
http://i.imgur.com/YQ1lgFf.jpg

End of first phase of Battle of the Somme.

Eastern Front

End of Battle of Baranovichi.

Naval and Overseas Operations

British force under General Sir C. Crewe captures Mwanza, on Lake Victoria Nyanza.

General van Deventer takes Mpondi (on Central Railway).

Political, etc.

Emperor Franz Joseph I of Austria-Hungary falls ill, and his family is summoned to Schönbrunn Palace.

France celebrates Bastille Day today, as heavy fighting continues at Verdun and the Somme.
http://i.imgur.com/u0LY9pu.jpg

Ship Losses:

Antigua (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was scuttled in the Mediterranean Sea 20 nautical miles (37 km) east by north of Djidjelli, Algeria (36°57′N 6°11′E) by SM U-39 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Ben Aden (United Kingdom) The fishing vessel was scuttled in the North Sea 15 nautical miles (28 km) north east of Hartlepool, County Durham by SM UB-39 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Bute (United Kingdom) The fishing vessel was scuttled in the North Sea 25 nautical miles (46 km) south east of the mouth of the River Tyne by SM UB-39 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Ecclesia (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was shelled and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 11 nautical miles (20 km) off Cape Bougaroni, Algeria (37°12′N 5°57′E) by SM U-39 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Girl's Friend (United Kingdom) The drifter was scuttled in the North Sea 21 nautical miles (39 km) east of Hartlepool by SM UB-39 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
USS Hector (united States Navy) The collier ran aground in the Atlantic Ocean 10 nautical miles (19 km) off Charleston, South Carolina and subsequently sank. All 142 people on board were rescued.
Langley Castle (United Kingdom) The drifter was scuttled in the North Sea 18 nautical miles (33 km) north east by east of the mouth of the River Tyne by SM UB-39 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Recorder (United Kingdom) The trawler was scuttled in the North sea 16 nautical miles (30 km) north east by east of the mouth of the River Tyne by SM UB-39 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
SM U-51 (Kaiserliche Marine) The Type U 51 submarine was torpedoed and sunk at the mouth of the Ems by HMS H5 ( Royal Navy) with the loss of 34 of her 38 crew.

http://i.imgur.com/75xWFoX.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/Um46366.jpg

[Sailor Steve]

July 14, 1916

Air War:
1940 English pilot Charles Chapman, flying DH.2 5992, claims a Fokker eindecker for victory number 2. There are no German reports of losing a fighter this day, but as always planes that land safely after losing an engine aren't usually reported.



North Sea:
British submarine H-5 torpedoes U-51 off the Ems River estuary. U-51 is just departing for her first war patrol. Kptlt Walter Rumpel and 33 crew lost, 4 survivors.

Werner Fürbinger, in UB-39, finds another fishing fleet and sinks British trawlers Ben Aden, 176 tons; Bute, 176 tons; Recorder, 149 tons; and drifters Girls Friend, 55 tons and Langley Castle, 93 tons. His score is now 21 vessels and 2,448 tons.



Mediterranean Sea:
Walter Forstmann, in U-39, moving westward from Tunisia along the Algerian coastline, sinking British freighters SS Antigua, 2,876 tons, carrying a load of iron ore from La Goulette to Middlesbrough; and SS Ecclesia, 3,714 tons, travelling from Norfolk, Virginia, USA to Taranto, Italy. Forstmann's score is now 79 ships and 191,886 tons.



Adriatic Sea:
Austro-Hungaria torpedo boats A65 and A66 sink Italian submarine RM Balilla, 728 tons, off Lissa Island. According to Itialian Wikipedia the sumbarine had been sighted earlier by railway signalmen at Lissa. Balilla is surfaced and recharging her batteries when she sights A65 (or T65) towing a mine. Captain Paul Tolosetto Farinata degle Uberti fires two torpedoes. The torpedo boat sees and evades them, but the sudden action sets the mine off, severely damaging the boat. Balilla surfaces and launches a third torpedo, but apparently doesn't see A66. The two boats open fire on Balilla, rendering her unable to dive. A66 fires two torpedoes at the now-helpless submarine which sinks along with all her crew.
https://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=it&u=https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balilla_(sommergibile_1915)&prev=search



Gulf of Aden:
French coaster SS Binger, 346 tons, is wrecked at Djibouti, at the mouth of the Red Sea.



German East Africa:
British monitor HMS Severn continues shelling of houses in the Tanga area, supported by a seaplane and balloon from HMS Manica.



United States:
American schooner Rover, 120 tons, sets out from Baltimore, Maryland, bound for Tampa, Florida, and is not heard from again.

American naval cargo ship USS Hector (AC-7) is wrecked off the Outer Banks, South Carolina. The wreck is hung up on the sand bars and sinks three days later, the 17th.

American tug Wellington is towing barges North West, 570 tons, and South West, 835 tons, when severe waves force Wellington to cut the tow ropes. North West founders off Charleston, South Carolina. The crew are saved by Cape Romain lighthouse keeper August Wichmann. South West washes ashore further up the coast at Bulls Bay, but all eight of her crew are lost.

[Jimbuna]

15th July 1916

Western Front

British advance continued; capture of Delville Wood, penetrate to Bois des Foureaux and outskirts of Pozieres; 2,000 prisoners taken; second defence lines penetrated; British cavalry in action.

South of Somme, Germans re-enter Biaches and La Maisonette, and are again driven out by French.

Eastern Front

Riga front Russians, supported by sea and land artillery, make slight advance west of Kemmern.

Southern Lutsk salient Russians under Sakharov, anticipating Austrian offensive, attack them on Upper Styr.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

Russian right wing, under General Yudenich, occupies Baiburt; the left drives back Turks south-west of Mush.

Political, etc.

Sir Edward Grey: “Every week now the Allies are gaining confidence and the enemy is losing it.”

German Chancellor von Bethmann-Hollweg meets with the Kaiser to discuss whether or not to resume unrestricted submarine warfare.

Lord Robert Cecil states Germany refused to exchange 4000 British civilians for the same number of Germans interned in Britain.

Pacific Aero Products Co (later Boeing) is incorporated in Seattle by William E. Boeing.

Ship Losses:

Bertha (Norway) The schooner was set afire in the North Sea 60 nautical miles (110 km) east of West Hartlepool, County Durham, United Kingdom by SM UB-18 ( Kaiserliche Marine). She was towed in to port but was declared a total loss. Her crew survived.
Dina (Netherlands) The schooner was sunk in the North Sea 40 nautical miles (74 km) off Sunderland, County Durham by SM UB-18 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
HMS H3 (Royal Navy) The H-class submarine struck a mine and sank in the Gulf of Cattaro.
Sylvie (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was shelled and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 15 nautical miles (28 km) off Cape Sigli, Algeria (37°10′N 5°00′E) by SM U-39 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.

http://i.imgur.com/Xy0AGeO.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/ny5p680.jpg

[Sailor Steve]

July 15, 1916

Air War:
0500 English RFC pilot Gwilym Hugh Lewis, flying DH.2 7859, claimes an eindecker for his first victory. Shared with 2nd Lt K. Matheson and AM1 J. Booth in FE.2b 4272. No information on either of them.

1600 Canadian RNAS pilot Daniel Murray Bayne Gailbraith, in Nieuport 10 3963, claims a seaplane for victory number 1.

1845 French pilot Noël de Rochefort, in Niuport 11 1374, shoots down an Aviatik two-seater for kill number 5.

British pilot E.D. Hicks and American RFC observer Frederick Libby, in an FE.2b, bring down an AGO two-seater. Number 1 for Libby, unknown for Hicks.

German ace Walter Höhndorf, Flying a Fokker E.III, shoots down Nieuport 16 1392 for victory number 8. MdL Georges Abel Nautre is taken prisoner.

German pilot Stefan Kirmaier, in a Fokker E.III, shoots down an "Enemy Aircraft" for number 3.

French pilot Georges Lachmann, in a Nieuport 11 or 16, destroys a German observation balloon for victory number 1.

French pilot Didier Lecor-Grandmaisson and gunners Jules Campion and Leon Vitalis, an a Caudron R.4 "battle plane", shoot down an LVG two-seater. Number 1 for Lecor-Grandmaisson, number 2 for Vitalis, unknown for Campion.

French pilot Paul Albert Pierre Tarascon, flying a Nieuport 11 or 17, brings down an LVG two-seater for vicotry number 1.

German pilot Franz Walz, flying an unnamed two-seater with an unnamed observer, claims a Caudron G.4 for victory number 5.



North Sea:
Otto Steinbrinck begins his seventh war patrol (third in UB-18) with the sinking of Norwegian schooner Bertha, 203 tons, bound from Tønsberg for West Hartlespool with a load of pit props. After the crew abandon ship, a party from UB-18 board the vessel and set it on fire. Steinbrinck then sinks Dutch schooner Dina, 164 tons, carrying pit props from Christiania to Hartlepool. His score is now 42 ships and 36,912 tons.



Mediterranean Sea:
Still moving westward along the Algerian coastline, Walter Forstmann and U-39 sink another British freighter, SS Sylvie, 1,354 tons, travelling in ballast from Cartagena, Spain to Bône, Algeria (modern Annaba). Forstmann's score is now 80 ships and 193,240 tons.



Adriatic Sea:
British submarine HMS H-3 hits a mine while trying to sneak into the Austrian base at Cattaro. All hands lost.



German East Africa:
Cruiser HMS Talbot delivers the frame for a new lighthouse to the crew of monitor HMS Severn at Ulenge Island.

[Jimbuna]

16th July 1916

Western Front

British consolidate their positions; withdraw from Bois des Foureaux (High Wood); French make slight advance west of Fleury (Verdun).

Eastern Front

Sakharov drives Austrians back on to the Lipa, captures Mikhailovka, makes 13,000 prisoners.

Ship Losses:

Alto (United Kingdom) The cargo ship struck a mine laid by UC 1 (Kurt Ramien) and sank in the North Sea 4 nautical miles (7.4 km) off Kessingland, Suffolk. Her crew survived.
Euphorbia (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 56 nautical miles (104 km) north east of Algiers, Algeria by SM U-39 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of eleven crew.
Mopsa (United Kingdom) The coaster struck a mine laid by UC 1 (Kurt Ramien) and was damaged in the North Sea 7 nautical miles (13 km) south of Lowestoft, Suffolk. She was beached but was declared a total loss. Her crew survived.
Sirra (Italy) The cargo ship was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea off Cape Cherchell, Algeria (37°39′N 3°20′E) by SM U-39 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Virginia (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 42 nautical miles (78 km) south west by west of Cape Matapan, Greece by SM UB-45 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of two of her 50 crew.
Wiltonhall (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was scuttled in the Mediterranean Sea 65 nautical miles (120 km) north west of Algiers (37°54′N 3°50′E) by SM U-39 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.

[Sailor Steve]

July 16, 1916

Air War:
No. 3 Wing RNAS departs for France as the first British Strategic Bombing Wing.

French ace Georges Guynemer, flying an unnamed Nieuport, shoots down an LVG C.II for victory number 10.

French pilot Alfred Heurtaux, in a Nieuport 17, shoots down an "Enemy Aircraft" for victory number 2.



North Sea:
Otto Dröscher, commanding U-78, begins his career with the capture of Swedish freighter SS Vidar, 2,178 tons, as a prize. The Prize Court releases the ship back to its owners.

British freighters Alto, 2,266 tons, travelling in ballast from Rouen to Newcastle, and Mopsa, 885 tons, carrying a load of coal from Goole to Boulogne, both hit mines laid by Kurt Ramien in UC-1. His score is now 9 ships and 19,360 tons.



Baltic Sea:
Russian submarine Vepr sinks German freighter SS Syria, 3,597 tons.



Mediterranean Sea:
Leading u-boat ace Walter Forstmann, in U-39, sinks three more ships:
British freighter SS Euphorbia, 3,837 tons, bound from Calcutta for London with a general cargo.
Italian freighter SS Sirra, 3,203 tons, travelling from Naples to New York with an unnamed cargo.
British freighter SS Wiltonhall, 3,387 tons, carrying a general cargo from Bombay to Hull.
Forstmann's score is now 83 ships and 203,667 tons.

Karl Palis, in UB-45, begins his career with the sinking of British freighter SS Virginia, 4,279 tons, carrying a load of salt from Torrevieja to Calcutta, off Cape Matapan, Greece.



German East Africa:
British Monitor HMS Severn tows lighter with parts to build lighthouse at Kwale Bay.



Japan:
Japanese freighter Yeijo Maru, 2,506 tons, travelling in ballast from Yokohama to Otaru, runs aground and is lost.



United States:
American freighter SS William Chisholm, carrying a load of coal from Sewalls Point, Florida to Boston, is wrecked near Bourne, Massachusetts, in the Cape Cod Canal.

[Jimbuna]

17th July 1916

Western Front

British storm and capture German second line positions on front of 1,500 yards. Take Waterlot Farm, east of Longueval; clear Ovillers of the remaining Germans.

French repulse attacks at Biaches and La Maisonette Farm.

Eastern Front

Russians make progress in the Carpathians.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

In Sinai Peninsula a Turkish and German force under von Kressenstein advances westward on Katiya.

Naval and Overseas Operations

British capture two German steamers on Lake Victoria Nyanza.

Political, etc.

Trade Unions recommend postponement of all holidays in connection with munitions production.

Count Mihály Károlyi of the Hungarian Parliament declares Austria as corrupt and demands peace for Hungary.

Ship Losses:

Angelo (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 80 nautical miles (150 km) north east of Algiers, Algeria by SM U-39 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Gertrude United Kingdom) The fishing vessel was scuttled in the North Sea 10 nautical miles (19 km) north north east of the Haisborough Lightship ( United Kingdom) by SM UB-18 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Glance (United Kingdom) The fishing vessel was scuttled in the North Sea 10 nautical miles (19 km) north north east of the Haisborough Lightship ( United Kingdom) by SM UB-18 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Loch Nevis (United Kingdom) The fishing smack was scuttled in the North Sea off the Smith's Knoll Lightship ( United Kingdom) by SM UB-18 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Loch Tay (United Kingdom) The fishing smack was scuttled in the North Sea 10 nautical miles (19 km) north north east of the Haisborough Lighthship ( United Kingdom) by SM UB-18 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Rosemoor (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was scuttled in the Mediterranean Sea 80 nautical miles (150 km) north east of Algiers (37°53′N 3°56′E) by SM U-39 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Syria (Germany) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Baltic Sea off Skellefteå, Västerbottne County, Sweden.
Waverley (United Kingdom) The fishing smack was scuttled in the North Sea 10 nautical miles (19 km) north north east of the Haisborough Lightship ( United Kingdom) by SM UB-18 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
W.M.G. (United Kingdom) The fishing smack was scuttled in the North Sea 6 nautical miles (11 km) north east of the Haisborough Lightship ( United Kingdom) by SM UB-18 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.

[Sailor Steve]

July 17, 1916

Air War:
German bomber crew, pilot Karl Meyer and gunner Erich Bönisch, in Friedrichshaven F.33 599, shoot down down a French flying boat. Victory number 1 for Meyer, number 3 for Bönisch.



North Sea:
Otto Steinbrinck, commanding UB-18, stops and scuttles fishing smacks Gertrude, 57 tons, Glance, 60 tons, Loch Nevis, 58 tons, Loch Tay, 44 tons, V.M.G., 59 tons, and Waverley, 59 tons. This brings his score to 48 ships and 37,234 tons.



Mediterranean Sea:
Walter Forstmann, in U-39, sinks Italian freighter SS Angelo, 3,609 tons, bound from Genoa for Philadelphia; and British freighter SS Rosemore, 4,303 tons, travelling in ballast from Genoa to Hampton Roads. His score is now 85 ships and 211,579 tons.



Atlantic Ocean:
Canadian tug C.W. Morse departs New York for San Juan, Puerto Rico and then the Gold Coast (modern Ghana). The tug never reached San Juan, and is believed lost in a hurricane which entered the region about that time.

[Jimbuna]

18th July 1916

Western Front

North of Ovillers British advance on 1,000 yards front.

Germans make strong counter-attacks at Longueval and Delville Wood; retake part of latter.

Germans again repulsed at Biaches (Somme).

For third day, close fighting round Fleury (Verdun).

Eastern Front

German seaplanes drop bombs on Reval (G. of Bothnia).

Sakharov continues pressure against Austrians; drives them south of the Lipa.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

In Armenia, Russians continue advance; capture Kighi, an important junction on Erzerum-Baiburt road.

Naval and Overseas Operations

General Smuts reports steady clearance of Usambara district; enemy forces driven down Pangani river.

Aviation

Morane-Saulnier monoplanes in French service have all their metal parts (spinners, struts, and cowlings) painted red to avoid confusion with German Fokker monoplanes, the first time markings are used to identify a type of aircraft.

Political, etc.

General Haig at the Somme: “At this moment we are engaged in the greatest battle the British Army has ever fought.”

King George V: “The continued successful advance of my troops fills me with admiration, and I send my best wishes to all ranks.”

Kaiser Wilhelm: “Give the men in the trenches my greeting, and…tell them how important it is that they keep firm reliance on God.”

British organized labour agree to postpone August holidays so that the British Army does not see shortages.

British government blacklists 87 American firms and individuals under the trading with the enemy act.

France calls up men 47 to 48 years of age, except those working in munitions factories and farms, to serve in the army.

Ship Losses:

Llongwen (United Kingdom) The cargo ship sank in the Mediterranean Sea 90 nautical miles (170 km) north east of Algiers, Algeria (37°48′N 3°48′E) by SM U-39 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of fourteen crew.
Neto (United Kingdom) The 3,000 ton Glasgow steamer grounded at Gurnard's Head, Cornwall while carrying hay and fodder to Cherbourg in thick fog.
Ville de Rouen (France) The cargo ship sank in the Mediterranean Sea 120 nautical miles (220 km) south west of Cape Matapan, Greece by SM UB-45 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of three of her crew.

[Sailor Steve]

July 18, 1916

Air War:
Italian pilot Mario Stoppani, flying a Nieuport 11, shoots down an "Enemy Aircraft" for victory number 2.



Mediterranean Sea:
Walter Forstmann, commanding U-39, sinks British freighter SS Llongwen, 4,683 tons, en route from Naples to Barry with an unnamed cargo. Forstmann's score is now 86 ships and 216,262 tons.

Karl Palis, in UB-45, torpedoes French freighter SS Ville De Rouen, 4,721 tons, details unknown, south of Cape Matapan, Greece. His score is now 2 ships and 9,000 tons.



United States:
American schooner Virginia Rulon, 239 tons, travelling from Baltimore, Maryland to Tampa, Florida, founders off Hatteras, North Carolina.

[Jimbuna]

19th July 1916

Western Front

German attacks on Longueval and Delville Wood continued; British regain some lost ground, repulse attack on Waterlot Farm.

French take more trenches south of Estrees.

Bombardment of Verdun front.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

In Persia Russians are defeated and driven back north of Kermanshah by Turks.

3rd Turkish Division discovered at Bir el Abd (Sinai).

Political, etc.

New York City manufacturers receive an $1 million order to make artificial limbs for wounded Australian and New Zealand soldiers.

[Sailor Steve]

July 19, 1916

Air War:
0645 English RFC pilot Noel William Ward Webb and Scotttish observer John Anderson Mann, in FE2b 5245, shoot down a Fokker E.III for victory number 1 for Webb and number 4 for Mann. Vizefeldwebel Otto Dapper is killed.
In this same action DH.2 pilot John Godlee is shot down, and dies in hospital three days later. His opponent is unknown.

1030 English RFC pilot Arthur Knight, flying DH.2 5931, claims an eindecker for victory number 2.

German ace Walter Höhndorf, in a Fokker E.III, shoots down a Farman two-seater for victory number 9. Whether Lucien Rousselet and André Frémont survived is not mentioned.

French pilot Paul Sauvage, flying an unlisted Nieuport, is credited with an "Enemy Aircraft", for victory number 2.

German Ace Kurt Wintgens, possibly now flying a Halberstadt D.II, shoots down Sopwith 1-1/2 Strutter A386 for victory number 9. Henry Rathbone Hele-Shaw, 20, and Robert Claude Oakes, 18 both killed in action.



German East Africa:
The log books aren't specific, but sometime around this date the new lighthouse at Ulenge Island was completed.

Also sometime around this date His Majesty's Whaler Rattler is renamed HMW Prattler.

[Jimbuna]

20th July 1916

Western Front

Struggle in Longueval and Delville Wood continued.

British advance 1,000 yards between Bazentin and Longueval.

North of Somme French carry enemy trenches from Hardecourt Hill to the river. South, they take enemy first position from Estrees to Vermandovillers, and Barleaux to Soyecourt.

French gain a position south of Fleury (Verdun).

French airman drops leaflets over Berlin; is captured in Poland.

Eastern Front

Sakharov defeats Austrians on south-west of Lutsk salient; attacks and carries Berestechko.

Heavy fighting on Riga front resumed.

Southern Front

Demobilisation of the Greek army nearly completed.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

Russians continue advance in Armenia; they capture Gumishkhanek, on Trebizond-Erzingan road.

Turkish aeroplanes bomb Suez and Port Tewfik.

Political, etc.

Premier Asquith promises to investigate the defeats of the Dardanelles and Kut after heated debate in the House of Commons.

An Anglo-French Loan is made to Greek Government.

Ship Losses:

Cettois (France) The coaster sank in the Mediterranean Sea 60 nautical miles (110 km) north of Algiers, Algeria (37°23′N 2°10′E) by SM U-39 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Enrico Parodi (Italy) The 3,818 ton collier sank off The Carracks, Cornwall while being towed to St Ives by the Lady of the Isles. She ran aground off Gurnard's Head in dense fog, and was re-floated by a salvage team working on Neto, which was wrecked two days previous. She was heading to Messina from Cardiff with coal.
Grangemoor (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was shelled and sank in the Mediterranean Sea 75 nautical miles (139 km) north west by west of Algiers by SM U-39 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Karma (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was shelled and sank in the Mediterranean Sea 68 nautical miles (126 km) north north west of Algiers (37°19′N 1°55′E) by SM U-39 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Kasagi (Imperial Japanese Navy) The Kasagi-class cruiser ran aground in the Tsugaru Strait. She sank on 10 August.
Yzer (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sank in the Mediterranean Sea 56 nautical miles (104 km) north west of Algiers (37°12′N 2°20′E) by SM U-39 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of a crew member.

[Sailor Steve]

July 20, 1916

German ace Walter Höhndorf is awarded the Pour le Merite for his action on the 15th, becoming the sixth pilot to obtain the coveted 'Blue Max', as it is beginning to be called.

Air War:
0830 A BE.2c on an Artiller Spotting mission is attacked by an eindecker. Lt B.T. Collier and 2nd Lt T.E. Gordon-Scaife manage to shoot their attacker down. It is uncertain, but German flieger (flyer) Johann Steinmann is reported missing this day.

1830 Two FE.2b crews, Horace Davey and Captain H.C. Morley in 5238, and Lancelot Richardson and Leslie Court in 6932, team up to claim two Fokkers. Victories number 4 and 5 for Davey, 4 and 5 for Richardson, 3 and 4 for Court, unknown for Morley.

1900 2nd Lts D.S.C. Macaskie and C.I. Sandys-Thomas fail to return from a mission. It isn't until December, when Macaskie is repatriated (due to having his leg amputated), that it becomes known what happened. Macaskie reports that they were attaced and forced down by an eindecker. No German pilot filed a claim for the kill, so it went unreported.

2020 English pilot Henry Cope Evans, flying DH.2 7842, shoots down a Roland C.II for victory number 1

2045 English pilot Charles Chapman, in DH.2 5924, claims an eindecker for number 3.

2045 Canadian RFC pilot Alfred Edwin McKay, in DH.2 6010, brings down a Roland C.II for kill number 1

Donald Wainright Beard, flying a BE.2c with an unnamed observer, wins a fight with a Pfalz eindecker for victory number 1.



Mediterranean Sea:
Walter Forstmann, commanding U-39, sinks another series of Allied ships, all north of Algiers:
French freighter SS Cettois, 974 tons.
British freighter SS Grangemoor, 3,198 tons, travelling in ballast from Genoa to Baltimore, captured and then sunk with the deck gun.
British freighter SS Karma, 3,710 tons, bound from Tyne to Portoferralo with a load of coal.
British freighter SS Yzer, 3,538 tons, travelling in ballast from Cette to Gibraltar.
Forstmann's score is now 90 ships and 227,862 tons.

[Jimbuna]

21st July 1916

Western Front

British push their advance to Bois des Foureaux (High Wood).

Germans counter-attack and regain some ground.

Heavy bombing attacks by enemy south of Thiepval on Leipzig Redoubt.

French repulse counter-attacks on their new front at Soyecourt; also south of Chaulnes.

Eastern Front

Russians drive Austro-Germans over the River Styr, taking 14,000 prisoners.

Political, etc.

Russia warns the Ottoman Empire that hospital ships will be sunk, in retaliation for the sinking of the Russian hospital ship Portugal.

Martial law is lifted in Spain after the end of the railway strike, but press censorship continues.

Lieutenant Otto Parschau, one of the first flying aces, is killed after being wounded over Grévillers.
http://i.imgur.com/WihGSLp.jpg

Ship Losses:

Wolf (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was shelled and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 75 nautical miles (139 km) north north west of Algiers, Algeria (35°52′N 2°10′E) by SM U-39 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.

[Sailor Steve]

July 21, 1916

Air War:
0800 English RFC pilot John Oliver Andrews, flying DH.2 4948, shoots down an eindecker for victory number 1. His victim may have been 8-kill ace Otto Parschau. Parschau, the man who taught Oswald Boelcke and Max Immelmann how to fly a wing-warper, died of wounds received this day.

0930 German pilot Albert Österreicher attacks BE.2c 2100, part of a formation of bombers. Ace Kurt Wintgens joins in with his Fokker E.IV and wounds the pilot, 2nd Lt Rowland Murray Wilson-Browne, who crash-lands and later dies from his wounds (no observer). Wintgens is awarded kill number 10, Österreicher nothing.

0945 English pilot Reginald Maxwell and observer Herbert James Hamilton, in FE.2b A13, bring down an Aviatik two-seater. Victory number 2 for Maxwell, number 1 for Hamilton.

1730 Kurt Wintgens downs his second enemy of the day, Morane 'N' A128. Cpt Norman Alexander Browning-Paterson is killed in action.

1750 Australian RNAS pilot Stanley James Goble, in Nieuport 8517 (type unknown), shoots down a German two-seater for victory number 1.

2000 English pilot George Henry Hackwill and observer W.P. Parsons, in FE.2b 5214, shoot down a Roland C.II for victory number 1.

2025 English pilot Henry Evans, in DH.2 5924, brings down an "Enemy Aircraft" for kill number 2.

Silesia-born German pilot Kurt Haber, in a Fokker E.III, shoots down a Nieuport for victory number 4.

French ace Charles Numgesser, in a Nieuport 16, destroys an Aviatik two-seater for kill number 11.



North Sea:
Hans Valentiner, commanding UB-37, attacks Danish auxiliary motor schooner Samsø, 388 tons, carrying a load of timber from Halmstad to Hull, with his deck gun. The damaged ship manages to make it safely to port.



Mediterranean Sea:
Walter Forstmann, in U-39, captures British freighter SS Wolf, 2,443 tons, bound from Pelaw Main, New South Wales, Australia, for Genoa, Italy, and sinks her with his deck gun. His score is now 91 ships and 230,305 tons.



German East Africa:
Squadron flagship - old battleship HMS Vengeance - leads an attack on entrenched German forces near Dar-Es-Salaam.
0615 Vengeance, old cruiser HMS Challenger and monitor HMS Mersey anchor off the Makatumbe lighthouse. Armed whalers Fly and Pickle move to watch the coastline.
0617 Challenger opens fire on German gun position at northern mouth of Upanga River.
0623 Vengeance opens fire on Ras Upanga with her 12" and 6" guns while a seaplane directs their fire.
0645 Spotting seaplane has engine trouble, lands near Makatumbe Island.
0655 Challenger moves to aid seaplane.
0705 Seaplane airborne again.
0717 Seaplane lands, ties up alongside HMS Mersey.
0710 Challenger opens fire on the same target as Vengeance.
0728 Challenger fires on trenches south of Ras Upanga.
0800 Challenger departs area.
0915 Mersey opens fire on freighter SS Feldmarschall at head of Dar-Es-Salaam Bay. Misses due to incorrect reports from seaplane.
1030 HMS Manica launches an observation balloon.
1300 Mersey examines the coastline for enemy activity.
1635 Mersey, Fly and Pickle anchor off Sinda Island.
2230 Vengance's steering gear jams, forcing a half-hour stop for repairs.
2230 Mersey takes up firing position off Makatumbe Lighthouse.
Meanwhile light cruiser HMS Talbot is conducting a reconnaissance of Pangani.

Canada:
American schooner Vesta, 113 tons, bound from Liverpool, Nova Scotia for New York, founders east of Seal Island, Nova Scotia.

[Jimbuna]

Western Front

British attack along whole front from Pozieres to Guillemont; violent fighting.

French aeroplanes bomb Mulheim (Rhine) and other German towns.

Eastern Front

Austrians, retreating before Sakharov, begin to evacuate Brody.

Southern Front

Italian success in the Dolomites; they take and consolidate the Rolle Pass.

Naval

Launch of the Isaac Peral class submarine, built in the U.S. for the Spanish Navy.
http://i.imgur.com/5Adl5F2.jpg

Political, etc.

General Maxwell's despatches on Irish rebellion published in Times.

87 Socialist members in the French Chamber of Deputies oppose economic warfare against the Central Powers after the end of the war.

Ship Losses:

Bams (Norway) The sailing vessel was sunk in the North Sea east of Hartlepool, County Durham, United Kingdom (55°17′N 0°29′W) by SM UB-37 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Ida (Sweden) The barque was sunk in the North Sea east of Hartlepool by SM UB-37 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Juno (Norway) The brig was sunk in the North Sea east of Hartlepool (50°40′N 0°00′E) by SM UB-37 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Knutsford (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was shelled and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 12 nautical miles (22 km) north west by north of Cape Corbelin, Algeria by SM U-39 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Olive (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was shelled andsunk in the Mediterranean Sea 10 nautical miles (19 km) north west by north of Cape Corbelin by SM U-39 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Preference ( Sweden) The brigantine was sunk in the North Sea 50 nautical miles (93 km) east of Hartlepool by SM UB-37 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Subra (Norway) The sailing vessel was sunk in the North Sea east of Hartlepool (54°45′N 0°00′E) by SM UB-37 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.

[Sailor Steve]

July 22, 1916

Air War:
1400 Bavarian-born German ace Max von Mulzer, in a Fokker E.IV, shoots down an "Enemy Aircraft" for number 9.

German ace Ernst von Althaus, in a Fokker E.IV, brings down a Farman for kill number 8

German ace Walter Höhndorf, in a Fokker E.IV, shoots down an unnamed Nieuport for victory number 10. Two French Nieuports were downed this day, one of them rising ace Albert Deullin, but there is no direct connection linking Höhndorf with either of them.

German pilot Hugo Stöber, in an unnamed fighter, attacks a large French air raid and scores his first victory, bringing down Farmnan 1899. MdL René Weise and soldat (private) Aviez are both killed in action.

French pilot (or observer, the record is unclear) Del Antoine Gaston Vial, in a Maurice Farman, shoots down an "Enemy Aircraft" for victory number 1. This may have been Vizefeldwebel Kurt Schörf, who was shot down and killed this day.



North Sea:
Hans Valentiner, commanding UB-37, comes across a group of small sailing vessels all carrying pit props to West Hartlepool. Sunk are Norwegian vessels Bams, 308 tons, out of Sandefjord; Juno, 355 tons, sailing from Drammen; and Subra, 580 tons, out of Porsgrund; also Swedish vessels Preference, 222 tons, from Göteborg; and Ida, 302 tons, from Krisiania to Tyne. Valentiner's score is now 22 ships and 12,153 tons.



Mediterranean Sea:
Walter Forstmann, in U-39, sinks British freighters SS Knutsford, 3,842 tons, carrying a load of zinc ore from Tunis to Baltimore; and SS Olive, 3,678 tons, travelling from Algiers to Salonca with a load of hay. His score is now. 93 ships and 237,825 tons.



Adriatic Sea:
Austro-Hungarian freighter SS Carola collides with SS Mátyás Király and sinks.



German East Africa:
British monitor HMS Mersey fires six lyddite rounds at Ras Upanga.



Burma:
British steel barges Cornwallis, 604 tons, Curson, 917 tons, and Ripon, 918 tons, are struck by lighting and destroyed in the Rangoon River.



United States:
Paddle steamer Keyport, 515 tons, sinks off The Battery, New York, after a collision with Santos.

[Jimbuna]

23rd July 1916

Western Front

Second phase of Somme Battle begins.

Intense fighting in and round Pozieres; British recapture whole of Longueval, but Germans retake north end of village.

Outskirts of Guillemont twice change hands.

Eastern Front

Kuropatkin's troops drive Germans back south-east of Riga.

Russians advance 12 miles near Kemmern.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

Russians steadily close in on Erzingan (Armenia); the Turks retreat.

Naval and Overseas Operations

Running fight in North Sea near mouth of Scheldt between British ships and six enemy destroyers; no decisive results.

Naval force occupies Pangani (East Africa).

Political, etc.

The Dutch government publishes the “Orange Book,” which details the difficulties the nation faced as a neutral state in the war.

M. Sazonov, Russian Foreign Minister, resigns, and is succeeded by M. Sturmer.

Ship Losses:

Badminton (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was shelled and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 65 nautical miles (120 km) north east by north of Cape Carbon, Algeria by SM U-39 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.

http://i.imgur.com/STgBQAI.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/HhHdWci.jpg

[Sailor Steve]

July 23, 1916

Air War:
0745 Frnch ace Jean Chaput, flying an unlisted Nieuport, shoots down an Aviatik two-seater for victory number 8.



Cornwall:
Italian freighter SS Enrico Parodi, 3,818 tons, runs aground in heavy fog at The Gurnard's Head. The ship is refloated with the incoming tide, and taken under tow for St. Ives, but leakage causes her to founder at 2300 hours, sinking off The Carracks.



Mediterranean Sea:
Walter Forstmann, commanding U-39, sinks British freighter SS Badminton, 3,847 tons, travelling in ballast from Torre Annunziata, Italy, to Algiers. His score is now 94 ships and 241,672 tons.



Western Australia:
Australian fishing boat Ivydale B326, 12 tons, bound from Wallal Downs to Mangrove Point, founders with the loss of six of her seven crew. One man is rescued by lugger Whynot.

[Jimbuna]

24th July 1916

Western Front

Struggle for Pozieres continues; British gain some important advantages.

Persistent German counter-attacks at High Wood and Guillemont.

Near Estrees, French capture enemy battery. They take a redoubt west of Thiaumont (south-west of Douaumont, Verdun).

Eastern Front

Russians repulse Germans from Uxkull to Riga.

Southern Front

Italian advance on Asiago Plateau and Trentino border continues; after a night attack troops capture Monte Cismone.

Naval and Overseas Operations

In East Africa, General Northey defeats German southern detachment at Malangali; drives enemy towards Iringa.

Political, etc.

Premier Asquith asks the House of Commons for a vote of credit of £450 million, the largest asked by the government since the wars’ start.

Kaiser Wilhelm to wounded troops: “It is the most poignant grief of my life that I am unable to take a more active part in this war.”

Irish Home Rule is defeated in Parliament due to opposition by the Unionists. Irish members cry “traitor” to Premier Asquith.

David Lloyd George predicts victory in the next few months: “I feel confident that victory is assured to us.”

General Sir Douglas Haig praises the First Australian Division for “a very gallant, skillful and successful attack on Pozieres village…”

Ship Losses:

Balvenie (United Kingdom) The cargo ship collided with Tagona ( United Kingdom) in the Bristol Channel off Lundy Island, Devon and sank with the loss of two lives.
Maria (Italy) The brigantine was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea off the east coast of Algeria (37°38′N 9°20′E) by SM U-39 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Mars (Norway) The sailing vessel was sunk in the North Sea off the mouth of the River Tyne (55°51′N 0°13′E) by SM UB-19 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Mary (Norway) The barge was scuttled in the North Sea 30 nautical miles (56 km) east north east of the mouth of the River Tyne (55°12′N 0°35′E) by SM UB-23 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Matatua (United Kingdom) The cargo ship ran aground at St. Mary's, Newfoundland. She was refloated on 28 August.

http://i.imgur.com/5HtKkOs.png

[Sailor Steve]

July 24, 1916

Air War:
German pilot Hartmuth Baldamus, flying a Fokker E.III, shoots down an unidentified aircraft for victory number 3, and the Caudron G.4 2236 for number 4. Caporal René Blanc and Slt Bayard are both killed in action.

French ace Jean Chaput is wounded in a fight on this day, and will not return to duty until May 1917.
(Norman Franks, Sharks Among Minnows. According to The Aerodrome this takes place on August 24, and he returns to action in April 1917.)



Bristol Channel:
British freighter SS Balvenie, 872 tons, carrying locomotives and tenders from Glasgow to St. Nazaire, sinks following a collision with SS Tagona.



North Sea:
Walther Becker, commanding UB-19, scuttles Norwegian sailing vessel Mars, 106 tons, bound from Fredrikshald to West Hartlepool with a load of pit props. His score is now 6 ships and 2,320 tons

Ernst Voigt, in UB-23, scuttles Norwegian barge Mary, 560 tons, being towed from Fredrikstad to West Hartlepool with a load of pit props, bringing his score to 11 vessels and 2,210 tons. He lets towing tug Veslefjell go.

Dutch freighter SS Maas, 1,234 tons, en route from Tunis to Rotterdam, hits a mine laid by UC-1.
(www.wrecksite.eu (http://www.wrecksite.eu) and https://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=nl&u=https://www.pinterest.com/pin/456763587185114390/&prev=search (https://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=nl&u=https://www.pinterest.com/pin/456763587185114390/&prev=search). U-Boat.net has no such credit for UC-1, and on mention of any ship named 'Maas' throughout the war.)



Mediterranean Sea:
Walter Forstmann, in U-39, sinks Italian brigantine Maria, 198 tons. This brings his score to 95 ships and 241,870 tons.



German East Africa:
British monitor HMS Mersey puts two machine guns and their crews ashore at Tanga, plus iron plates to erect as armor for defense against German activity in the area.

Monitor HMS Severn takes aboard three officers and 113 native troops of "Dickson's Scouts", formerly placed ashore as assault troops.

Cruiser HMS Talbot lends her entire compliment of ship's boats to help transport troops across river at Pangani.



United States:
American schooner H.B. Cousins, 361 tons, runs aground at Seal Island, Maine.

[Jimbuna]

25th July 1916

Western Front

With fresh reinforcements the Germans counter-attack near Longueval and Bazentin; are repulsed.

Pozieres almost entirely in British hands.

British push along Albert-Bapaume road towards Hill 160.

French progress south of Estrees and north of Vermandovillers.

In Alsace a sharp attack north of Altkirch is repulsed.

Eastern Front

Sakharov again attacks Austrians east of Styr and advances against Brody. Defeats von Linsingen on River Slonuvka.

Southern Front

The re-constituted Serbian Army comes into action on the Salonika front against the Bulgarians.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

Capture of Erzingan; (it formed the advance base for Turkish operations on Caucasus front).

Aviation

First flight of the Anatra DS.
http://i.imgur.com/atgYh7E.jpg

Political, etc.

Kaiser Wilhelm to his troops: “Your duty is to break the English offensive, and to prove once more that Germany is invincible…”

The protest of Mr. Gerard (U.S.A. Ambassador) against inhumanity at Ruhleben camp published in Times.

U.S. makes an agreement with Denmark to buy the Danish West Indies for $25 million ($552 million today).

Ship Losses:

Norderney (Germany) The cargo ship foundered in the Baltic Sea off Rügen, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern with the loss of four of her crew.

[Sailor Steve]

July 25, 1916

Air War:
French observer Charles Alexandre Bronislas Borzecki, riding in a Caudron with an unknown pilot, shoots down an "Enemy Aircraft" for victory number 1.

French pilot Gustave Douchy, flying an unnamed Nieuport, shoots down a German two-seater for victory number 1.

German pilot Hans Hartl, in a Fokker E.III, shoots down a BE.2c for victory number 1. 2nd Lts James Alfred Brown and Fritz Bowyer are both killed.

Austro-Hungarian pilot Raoul Stojsavljevic and observer Josef Friedrich, in a Hansa-Brandenburg C.I, shoot down a Farman two-seater. Victory number 2 for both.



German East Africa:
British monitor HMS Severn drops "Dickson's Scouts" at Pangani Island. One officer from Dickson's Scouts is taken back aboard for medical treatment, as well as one German officer POW.

Light cruiser HMS Talbot fires four 6" salvoes at the village of Kipumbwe. The village hoists several white flags and Captain Thomas (no information, possibly Royal Marines) is sent to investigate.

[Jimbuna]

Western Front

The whole of Pozieres village in British hands.

British advance continues northwards towards Hill 160.

French capture some fortified houses south of Estrees.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

British-Italian car raid from Sollum.

Naval and Overseas Operations

Admiral Bacon's report on work of Dover Patrol published in Times.

Political, etc.

Premier Asquith revokes British titles from the two German Dukes and one German Prince.

German occupation authorities in Belgium execute 6 civilians in Ghent for “war treason.”

Ship Losses:

Duguay Trouin (France) The barque was severely damaged by fire at Nantes, Loire-Atlantique.
Ellen Kirstine (Denmark) The schooner collided with a Russian merchant ship in the North Sea. Her crew were rescued.
Flore (France) The cargo liner sank in the North Sea 8 nautical miles (15 km) east of Fetlar, Shetland Islands, United Kingdom. She probably struck a mine.
Kentigern (Norway) The barque was sunk in the North Sea 40 nautical miles (74 km) east north east of Hartlepool, County Durham, United Kingdom (55°10′N 0°20′W) by SM UB-23 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
HM Torpedo Boat 9 (Royal Navy) The torpedo boat collided with another vessel and sank in the North Sea.
HMT White Rose (Royal Navy) The naval trawler was lost on this date.

http://i.imgur.com/v7EpmP4.jpg

[Sailor Steve]

July 26, 1916

Air War:
French Nieuport pilot Joseph de Sevin claimes two eindeckers shot down. Both are discounted.

German pilot Werner Lehmann, flying a Fokker E.III, shoots down a Caudron G.4 for victory number 1. MdL André Waldmann and SLt Félix Giacomelli are both killed.



North Sea:
Ernst Voigt, commanding UB-23, sinks Norwegian barque Kentigern, 796 tons, bound from Drammen for Hartlepool with a load of pit props. His score is now 12 ships and 3,006 tons.

HM TB-9 (ex-Grasshopper), 255 tons, is lost following a collision.



German East Africa:
British monitor HMS Mersey conducts operations against village of Saadani.
0540 Mersey takes up firing position off Saadani.
0618 Mersey opens fire on village.
0645 Mersey ceases fire.
0730 HMS Manica sends up an observation balloon.
0826 Seaplane is sent aloft, balloon hauled down.
0845 Seaplane drops bombs on Saadani, is fired on by machine guns.
0900 Ships move up the coast, with seaplane spotting.
0921 Mersey opens fire on German positions.
0940 Mersey ceases fire.
0945 Mersey spots HMS Talbot to north.
1025 Mersey turns southward.
1042 Seaplane recovered.
1140 Mersey opens fire on Buini Village.
1209 Mersey ceases fire.
1626 Mersey opens fire on Saadani again.
1645 Operations ceased.

Light cruiser HMS Talbot is conducting an attack on Mkwaja Village, with a seaplane spotting for her as well. At 1300 a party of marines under captain Thomas is sent ashore.

Meanwhile, at Pangani Village HMS Severn uses her ship's boats to transfer a company of the 57th Regimant and one from the 5th from transport SS Barjora to shore. Severn also transfers the sick German officer to Bajora.

[Jimbuna]

27th July 1916

Western Front

Fresh British gains at Delville Wood and near Pozieres; fighting continues at Longueval.

French make progress east of Estrees.

Germans make two strong attacks on French centre at Ville-au-Bois, north of Aisne, and in Champagne, west of Prosnes.

Eastern Front

Sakharov reaches Klekotov position, within five miles of Brody.

Southern Front

Hostile aeroplanes drop bombs on Bari and Otranto.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

Russians advance towards Sivas (west of Erzingan); a Turkish attack near Mosul is repulsed.

Yanbo, port of Medina, captured by Grand Sherif of Mecca.

Turks and Germans begin to move from Katiya line.

Political, etc.

Captain Chas Fryat, of the G.E. liner "Brussels", is court-martialled and shot by German authorities in Belgium for attempt to ram German submarine.

Laurence Ginnell, Irish Nationalist MP, is suspended from the House of Commons for calling Herbert Samuel “insolent.”

Kaiser Wilhelm: “The iron hurricane rages against our brave German men at the Somme. Everything is at stake.”

Ship Losses:

Agenda (Norway) The brig was sunk in the North Sea off the mouth of the River Tyne (55°15′N 0°40′W) by SM UB-23 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.

[Sailor Steve]

July 27, 1916

Air War:
French pilot Joseph de Bonnefoy, in an unnamed Nieuport, shoots down an "Avion" for victory number 2.

French pilot Jean Augustin Paul Joseph Loste, observer P. Barbou and gunner Louis Honore Martin, in a Caudron three-seat "Battle Plane", claim an "Avion" for victory number 1.

Italian pilot Ferruccio Ranza, flying a Nieuport 11, shoots down a Hansa-Brandenburg C.I for victory number 1.



North Sea:
Ernst Voigt, commanding UB-23, sinks Norwegian brig Agenda, 226 tons, bound from Fredrikshald for Hartlepool with a load of pit props. His score is now 13 ships and 3,232 tons.

German minesweeper M-12 is sunk by a mine.



German East Africa:
Monitor HMS Mersey continues the attack on Saadani Village with 6" and 4.7" guns.
0230 Mersey lowers a skiff to examine two dhows drifting by her anchorage.
0455 Mersey is underway for Saadani.
0700 Seaplane is aloft for spotting.
0730 Mersey opens fire on village.
0752 Mersey ceases fire.
0800 Seaplane reports being fired on by machine guns in village.
0815 Mersey resumes fire at 7500 yards.
0820 Mersey ceases fire. Seaplane lands.
1015 Mersey moves south.
1800 Mersey opens fire on village with after guns only.
1825 Mersey ceases fire.
2230 Mersey fires on village one last time for ten minutes, ceasing at 2240.

Meanwhile light cruiser HMS Talbot and armed whaler Thistle against Mkwaja Village.
0700 Talbot sights flag battleship HMS Vengeance.
0745 Talbot puts ashore a "small-arm party and marines".
0815 Talbot opens fire on a house near Mkwaja with her 6" guns.
0830 Talbot ceases fire.
1140 Severn takes on board one officer and eight natives from Dickson's Scouts.
1245 Severn weighs anchor and departs Pangani for Mkwaja.
1500 Small-arm party returns to Talbot.
1700 Burial party for dead native.
1745 Severn arrives and anchors off Mkwaja Village.
2240 "Observed flashes and reports of gun fire to southward."

[Jimbuna]

28th July 1916

Today marks the second year since the start of the Great War.

Western Front

British capture of Delville Wood and Longueval village; make further progress near Pozieres.

Enemy raids near Neuve Chapelle repulsed.

French gains west of Thiaumont (Verdun).

Zeppelin raid on east coast. No damage.

Eastern Front

Sakharov enters Brody, having captured 40,000 prisoners and 49 guns in 12 days. Further north, Lesch and Kaledin attack on Upper Stokhod, crossing river at many points.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

Patrol engagements with Turks east of Suez Canal.

Political, etc.

Lloyd George says he got “Irish Nationalists & the Ulster Unionists to the point of shaking hands, instead of shaking fists at each other.”

American Ambassador in London presents formal protest against the policy of the "Black List".

Ship Losses:

Andrew Ina (United Kingdom) The fishing vessel was scuttled in the North Sea 12.5 nautical miles (23.2 km) north east of the mouth of the River Tyne by SM UB-23 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Dandolo (Italy) The cargo ship was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 50 nautical miles (93 km) south east of Cape Spartivento, Calabria (37°50′N 17°40′E) by SM U-35 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Good Design (United Kingdom) The fishing vessel was scuttled in the North Sea 15 nautical miles (28 km) north east of the mouth of the River Tyne by SM UB-23 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Jane Stewart (United Kingdom) The fishing vessel was scuttled in the North Sea 15 nautical miles (28 km) north east of the mouth of the River Tyne by SM UB-23 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Janet Overstone (United Kingdom) The fishing vessel was rammed and sunk in the North Sea 13 nautical miles (24 km) north east of the mouth of the River Tyne by SM UB-23 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Johan (United Kingdom) The fishing vessel was scuttled in the North Sea 15 nautical miles (28 km) north east of the mouth of the River Tyne by SM UB-23 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
HMS Majestic II (Royal Navy) The auxiliary minesweeper foundered in the Mediterranean Sea off Oran, Algeria.
Renown (United Kingdom) The drifter was scuttled in the North Sea 15 nautical miles (28 km) north east of the mouth of the River Tyne by SM UB-23 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Speedwell (United Kingdom) The drifter was scuttled in the North Sea 15 nautical miles (28 km) north east of the mouth of the River Tyne by SM UB-23 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Spero Meliora (United Kingdom) The fishing vessel was scuttled in the North Sea 15 nautical miles (28 km) north east of the mouth of the River Tyne by SM UB-23 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Volunteer (United Kingdom) The fishing vessel was scuttled in the North Sea 15 nautical miles (28 km) north east of the mouth of the River Tyne by SM UB-23 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.

[Sailor Steve]

July 28, 1916

Air War:

1315 After a string of five unconfirmed claims, French pilot René Dorme, flying an unnamed Nieuport, shoots down an AGO two-seater for victory number 2.

French pilots Georges Flachaire, Georges Lachmann and Jean Matton bring down an Albatros two-seater. Victories number 2 for Flachaire and Lachmann, number 1 for Matton.

French ace Georges Guynemer, in Nieuport 17 1531, shoots down an LVG C.II for victory number 11.



North Sea:
Ernst Voigt, in UB-23, attacks another fishing fleet, sinking motor fishing vessels Andrewina (or Andrew Ina), 50 tons; Good design, 40 tons; Jane Stewart, 15 tons; Janet Ovenstone, 15 tons, Johan, 49 tons; Speedwell, 11 tons; Spero Mellora, 11 tons; and Volunteer, 15 tons. Also sunk is drifter Renown, 61 tons. Voigt's score is now 22 vessels and 3,499 tons.



Mediterranean Sea:
Lothar von Arnauld de la Perière, commanding U-35, begins his epic patrol with the sinking of Italian freighter SS Dandolo, 4,977 tons, en route from Calcutta to Livorno with an unnamed cargo. This brings his score to 49 ships and 112,634 tons.

British paddle steam minesweeper HMS Majestic II, 408 tons, founders off Oran.



German East Africa:
0727 British monitor HMS Mersey once again opens fire on Saadani village, with a seaplane calling the fall of shot.
0755 Mersey ceases fire.
0900 Mersey gets underway southward to Bagamayo, arriving at 1145.
1400 Mersey is underway again.
1500 Mersey joins light cruiser HMS Talbot.
1745 Talbot and Mersey anchor in Zanzibar Harbour, joining Fleet Auxiliary Trent, whalers Childers and Echo, and colliers Queen Alexandra and Virent.

HMS Severn is still at Mkwaja, hosting operations by Dickson's Scouts.

[Sailor Steve]

July 29, 1916

Western Front:
Hand-to-hand fighting north and north-east of Pozieres and High Wood.

Two German attempts to recapture Delville Wood fail.

Activity south of Ypres and in Loos salient.

Political, etc.
German note to American Ambassador in Berlin rejects British offer to permit passage of American foodstuffs to Poland.

Duke of Devonshire appointed Governor-General of Canada.



Air War:
1215 Scottish pilot George Reid and English observer Laurence Henry Scott, in FE.2d A22, shoot down a Rumpler two-seater. Victory number 4 for Reid, number 1 for Scott.

1400 Irish RFC pilot Sidney Cowan, in DH.2 6000, shoots down a Roland C.II for victory number 3.

German pilot Hartmuth Baldamus, in a Fokker E.III, downs a Caudron G.4 for victory number 5. This is possible Farman MF.11 2118, SLt Boisson and Brigadier Vermillet.

German pilot Paul Hoppe, in a Fokker E.III, shoots down a Farman in flames for victory number 1. MdL Albert Divry and SLt Henri Santrot are both killed.

French pilot René Alphonse Pelissier and observer Paul Constant Homo, in a Caudron two-seater, shood down an eindecker for victory number 1.

German ace Franz Walz, flying a Fokker E.III (or possibly a two-seater) shoots down an "Enemy Aircraft" for victory number 6.



Mediterranean Sea:
Walter Forstmann, commanding U-39, sinks Itlalian freighter SS Letimbro, 2,210 tons, bound from Benghazi for Syracuse; and sailing vessel Rosarina G.V., 131 tons. His score is now 97 ships and 244,211 tons.

Greek freighter SS Mina, 2,357 tons, sinks following a collision with Italian freighter SS Attualta, nine miles east of Gibraltar.



German East Africa:
Dodoma is occupied by the British.

British light cruiser HMS Challenger blocks Lindi Harbour while a seaplane reconnoiters the area.

Light cruiser HMS Talbot spends almost three hours (0710-1000) firing on the village of Bagamoyo. At 0800 a seaplane drops bombs. German machine-gun fire hits one of the airmen.

[Sailor Steve]

July 30, 1916

Western Front:
Combined Allied advace north of Somme, from Delville Wood to the river.

British make progress east of Waterlot Farm and Trones Wood; French reach outskirts of Maurepas.

German attack on left bank of the Meuse repulsed.



Eastern Front:
In the direction of Kovel and in the region south of the Dniester towards Stanislau, Russians still pursue Austrians.



Southern Front:
Austrian attack in Tofana and the Adige Valley repulsed.

Austrians reinforced, attakc three times in the Travignolo Valley without success.



Air War:
No. 3 Wing RNAS has first combat as part of a combined French/British force. Four Farmans, 1 Nieuport, 2 Sopwith bombers and 1 fighter.
https://www.overthefront.com/over-the-front-journal/sample-articles/more-than-would-be-reasonably-anticipated

1030 German pilot Hermann Göring, flying a Halberstadt D.II, shoots down a Caudron for victory number 3. This is Göring's first kill in a fighter, his first two coming in two-seaters. It also seems to be the first victory for the new German biplane fighter.

German aces Walter Höhndorf and Kurt Wintgens, both in Fokker E.IVs, attack a formation of eight Martinsyde G.100s on a bombing mission. Each shoots down one aircraft, giving Höhndorf victory number 11 and Wintgens number 12. Lt Eric Rowland Farmer, flying G.100 7304, is captured. 2nd Lt Leslie Norris Graham, in 7471, is wounded and taken prisoner.

French ace Maxime Lenoir and pilot Lt Brindejonc share a victory over Fokker eindecker. Number 6 for Lenoir, unknown for Brindejonc.

French-American pilot Gervaise Raoul Lufbery, flying a Nieuport with N.124, the "Escadrille Americaine", shoots down a German two-seater for victory number 1.

German pilot Hugo Stöber, in a Fokker E.III, shoots down A Farman for victory number 2. The French crew are said to have escaped unharmned.



North Sea:
British freighter SS Claudia, 1,144 tons, bound from Middlesbrough for London with a load of steel and general cargo, hits a mine laid by Kurt Ramien in UC-1. Three lives are lost. Ramien's score is now 10 ships and 20,504 tons.



Gulf of Bothnia:
Kurt Albrech, commanding UB-36, begins his career with two captures: Swedish briganting Anna, 172 tons, travelling from Höggarn to Raumo, Finland with a load of ore and empty petrol casks, is stopped and scuttled off Raumo. Swedish steam coaster SS Pitea, 644 tons, bound from Sweden for Raumo, is taken as a prize. Albrecht's opening score is 2 ships and 816 tons.



Mediterranean Sea:
Lothar von Arnauld de la Perière, in U-35, sinks four ships:
British freighter SS Britannic, 3,487 tons, bound from Tyne for Alexandria with a load of coal.
British freighter SS Ethelbryhta, 3,084 tons, carrying a load of hay from St Louis du Rhône to Salonica.
Tunisian sailing vessel Giuseppe Marta, 111 tons, cargo and route unknown.
Danish freighter SS Katholm, 1,324 tons, travelling from Newport to Malta with a load of coal.
All four are sunk with the deck gun. Von Arnauld's score is now 53 ships and 120,640 tons.



Adriatic Sea:
Italian patrol boat (ex-whaler) Ponente, 74 tons, is lost following a collision with Clio.



German East Africa:
British occupy Kikombo.

British flagship, battleship HMS Vengeance, joins operations against Dar-Es-Salaam.
0719 Cruiser HMS Hyacinth opens fire on observation station near Ras Upanga.
0741 Vengeance opens fire on lookout station near Kurasini.
0800 Shore battery opens fire on Hyacinth. Hyacinth weighs anchor and moves around, still firing.
0855 Vengeance weighs anchor and gets underway.
0858 Shore battery opens fire on Vengeance.
0900 Vengeance opens fire on shore battery.
0920 Armed whaler Pioneer opens fire on Ras Upanga. Tender Manica sends up an observation balloon.
1023 Hyacinth ceases fire and puts to sea.
1030 Vengeance ceases fire.
1145 Vengeance underway for return to Zanzibar.
1545 Vengeance, Hyacinth, Pioneer, Fly and Pickle arrive at Zanzibar harbour.

Meanwhile, at Mkwaja monitor HMS Severn opens fire on a group of natives waving a red flag. Firing from 1745 to 1815.



Canada:
Canadian sailing ship Mule, 145 tons, bound from Parrsboro to Yarmouth, Nova Scotia with a load of coal, founders four miles northwest of Prim Point, NS.



United States:
At 0208 hours, on Black Tom Island in New York Harbor, 50 tons of small arms ammunition on Johnson Barge No. 17 explodes, causing further explosions among the 1,000 tons of munitions stored on the island. The blast is felt as far away as Philadelphia. Windows are broken in lower Manhattan, 25 miles away. Some fragments lodge in the Statue of Liberty. The blast was determined to be a deliberate act of sabotage, but the whole truth was not discovered until many years later. One of the results of the blast was the closing of the staircase leading to the Statue of Liberty's torch. It has not reopened since.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Tom_explosion

Black Tom is on the list of largest non-nuclear explosions.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Largest_artificial_non-nuclear_explosions

American schooner George E. Walcott, 1,388 tons, travelling from Buenos Aires to New York with a load of uebrach wood, catches fire at Black Tom, New Jersey, and sinks.

American schooner Julia A. Berkele, 160 tons, carrying a load of coal from New York to Nantucket, springs a leak and sinks at Tarpaulin Cove, Massachussets.

[Sailor Steve]

July 31, 1916

Britain:
Zeppelin raid on east and southeast England. Sixty or so bombs are dropped, causing no damage.



Eastern Front:
Russian forces advance on the Stokhod towards Kovel. Heavy fighting.

North of Dniester Russian forces cross the Korpyets River.



Southern Front:
In the Astico Valley, Austrian attack on positions of Monte Cimone are repulsed.

South-west of Castelletto another Austrian attack is repulsed by Italian defenders.

In the Travagnolo Valley, Italians occupy Paneveggo.



Asiatic and Egyptian Theaters:
The pursuit of the Turks from Erzingan continues in the face of a stubborn defense.



Political, etc.
Prime Minister in House of Commons denounces murder of Captain Fryatt; immediate action contemplated by the Government.

Henry Edward Duke, 1st Baron Merrivale, becomes Chief Secretary for Ireland.


Air War:
1015 English pilot Robert Henry Magnus Spencer Saundby, flying DH.2 5967, shoots down a Fokker eindecker for victory number 1.

1135 Scottish RFC pilot George Reid and English observer Laurence Scott, in FE.2d A22, shoot down an LVG two-seater. Victory number 5 for Reid, number 2 for Scott.

French/American pilot Raoul Lufbery, in a Nieuport 11 or possibly 17, shoots down a German two-seater for victory mumber 2.



North Sea:
Dutch freighter SS Koningin Wilhelmina, 1,964 tons, acting as a ferry carrying 49 passengers and 52 crew from Vissingen to Gravesend, hits a mine. Fast action by the crew limits the loss to 3 persons. Several sources attribute the mine to UC-1, but there is no claim by that U-boat on this day, nor any claim against a ship of this name by any U-boat, ever. One possible candidate is destroyer B.111.



Mediterranean Sea:
Lothar von Arnauld de la Perière, commanding U-35, sinks five more vessels:
1200 Italian freighter SS Citta Di Messina, 2464 tons, carrying an unspecified cargo from Barry to Messina.
1430 Italian brigantine Emilio G., 166 tons.
1500 Italian brigantine Generale Ameglio, 222 tons.
1615 Norwegian trawler Einar, 135 tons.
1615 Norwegian trawler Erli,122 tons.
Von Arnauld's score is now 58 ships and 123,749 tons.



German East Africa:
British occupy Saranda and Kilimatinde, on the East African Central Railway.

Flag battleship HMS Vengeance prepares for an assault on Saadani. At 0600 a group of Royal Marines board the ship from cruiser HMS Hyacinth. At 0710 the ship takes aboard special equipment: 250 ground sheets, 8 picks, 500 shovels, 100 kerosene lamps, 24 bearer poles, 1 12-pounder carriage and limber. At 0500 Vengeance recieves a 12-pounder gun from whaler Prattler, then sets course for Saadani.

Monitors HMS Mersey and Severn and light cruiser Talbot also sail from Zanzibar to Kokotone and then Saadani, arriving at 2140.

[Sailor Steve]

August 1, 1916

Western Front:
North of Bazentin-le-Petit, a German attack is repulsed.

At the Battle of the Somme, a German counter-attack west of High Wood fails.

French capture a string work between Hem Wood and Monacu Farm.

At Verdun, German attacks west and south of the Thiaumont work southwest of Douaumont are repulsed.



Air War:
1600 English pilot D.H. Dabbs and observer David Arthur Stewart, in FE.2b A13, claim a Fokker Eindecker for victory number 1.

French ace André Chainat, in a Nieuport, shoots down an "Avion" for number 8.

French pilot Pierre Pendaries, in an unnamed Nieuport, claims an unknown aircraft for victory number 1.

German pilot Kurt Student, flying a Fokker E.III, shoots down a Caudron for win number 2.

French pilot Paul Tarascon, in a Nieuport 17, brings down an Aviatik two-seater for victory number 2.



North Sea:
Walther Schwieger, commanding U-20, sinks British freighter SS Aaro, 2,603 tons, bound from Hull for Christiana. Three crewm members are killed, the rest taken prisoner. Schwieger's score is now 32 ships and 136,003 tons.

Werner Fürbinger, in UB-39 attacks another fishing fleet, scuttling trawlers Braconash, 192 tons; Helvetia, 167 tons; King James, 163 tons; Rhodesia, 110 tons; and Tatiana, 285 tons. He also sinks Dutch freighter SS Zeeland, 1,292 tons, tavelling from Methil to Rouen with a load of coal. His score is now 27 ships and 4,675 tons.



Gulf of Bothnia:
Kurt Albrecht, in UB-36, stops and scuttles Swedish coaster SS Hudiksvall, travelling from Stockholm to Mäntyluoto; and Finnish coaster SS Pehr Brahe, 499 tons, carrying a load of bobbins from Raumo to Stockholm. Both sinkings are just off Raumo, Finland. Albrecht's score is now 4 ships and 1,796 tons.



Mediterranean Sea:
Lothar von Arnauld de la Perière, in U-35, sinks British freighter SS Heighington, 2,800 tons, travelling in ballast from Naples to Oran. His score is now 59 ships and 126,549 tons.



German East Africa:
Battleship Vengeance leads the attack on Saadani.
0310 Vengeance drops anchor and joins monitors Mersey and Severn, along with light cruiser Talbot and tender Manica.
0355 HMS Talbot sends a detachment of marines ashore.
0400 Commander Watson and Major Hall lead landing party of 80 marines and 170 sailors from Vengeance ashore.
0430 Landing parties stop at HMS Severn.
0446 Landing parties depart Severn.
0545 Mersey opens fire on Saadani to cover landing. Range 6,000 yards.
0550 Vengeance opens fire to cover landing party.
0552 Severn opens fire.
0600 Severn ceases fire.
0605 Seaplane is sent aloft.
0613 Mersey ceases fire.
0630 Landing party occupies Saadani. Seaplane lands alongside Severn.
0635 Seaplane up again.
0700 Landing party hoists flag.
0835 Manica and Talbot depart Saadani Bay.
1100 Talbot opens fire on town of Bagamoyo.
1110 Captured German officer is brought aboard Severn.
1155 Mersey investigates abandoned dhow near Ras Untondue.
1205 Talbot ceases fire on Bagamoyo.
1215 Talbot departs Saadani for Zanzibar.
1230 Severn sends gear ashore for Dickson's Scouts.
1345 Captured German sergeant is brought aboard Severn for transfer to Vengeance.
1620 Mersey departs Saadani Bay.
Throughout that night HMS Severn shines her searchlights on different areas of the shore.

[Jimbuna]

2nd August 1916

Western Front

German attack on Delville Wood (Somme) repulsed.

German counter-attack on French at Estrees (southern Somme) repulsed.

German trenches carried south of Fleury (Verdun), 800 prisoners taken.

British naval air raid near Ghent.

Eastern Front

German gas attack in region of Smorgon (east Vilna) repulsed.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

Turkish counter-attack takes Mush and Bitlis (Armenia).

Aviation

Italian aeroplanes drop four tons of bombs on an Austro-Hungarian torpedo and submarine works west of Fiume (Rijeka).

http://i.imgur.com/a15e2Qx.jpg

Naval and Overseas Operations

Loss of Italian dreadnought "Lionardo da Vinci", at Taranto, by fire and explosion (248 killed).
http://i.imgur.com/9GZcZ2o.jpg

Political, etc.

Government attitude to Resolutions adopted by Allies at Economic Conference in Paris explained by Mr. Asquith.

Two important State Papers on barbarity of Germans published.

Ship Losses:

Bror Oskar (Sweden) The coaster was sunk in the Baltic Sea 15 nautical miles (28 km) off Rauma, Finland by SM UB-20 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Commerce (Sweden) The coaster was sunk in the Baltic Sea off Hudiksvall, Gävleborg County (61°50′N 18°02′E) by SM UB-20 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Eugenia (Italy) The barque was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 35 nautical miles (65 km) off the Isola de Vecca (38°40′N 7°45′E) by SM U-35 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
G. C. Gradwell (United Kingdom) The schooner was shelled and sunk in the English Channel 20 nautical miles (37 km) west north west of Cap d'Antifer, Seine-Maritime, France by SM UB-18 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Kohina Maru (Japan) The cargo ship was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea off Alexandria, Egypt by SM UB-46 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Leonardo da Vinci (Regia Marina) The Conte di Cavour-class battleship capsized at Taranto with the loss of 249 of her 1,000 crew. She was refloated on 17 September 1919 but was not repaired and was scrapped in 1923.
Margaret Sutton (United Kingdom) The brigantine was scuttled in the English Channel 35 nautical miles (65 km) south south east of St. Catherine's Point, Isle of Wight by SM UB-18 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Neptune (Italy) The brigantine was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 25 nautical miles (46 km) off Cap Sandolo, Algeria (39°00′N 7°30′E) by SM U-35 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Olympia (United Kingdom ) The trawler was shelled and sunk in the North Sea 3 nautical miles (5.6 km) east of Coquet Island, Northumberland by SM UB-39 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
S.D. (United Kingdom) The Thames barge was shelled and sunk in the English Channel 18 nautical miles (33 km) north west of Cap d'Antifer by SM UB-18 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Smiling Morn (United Kingdom) The fishing vessel was scuttled in the North Sea east of Coquet Island by SM UB-39 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Twiddler (United Kingdom) The drifter was scuttled in the North Sea east of Coquet Island by SM UB-39 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Vera (Sweden) The brigantine was sunk in the Baltic Sea off the Finngrundet Lightship ( Sweden) by SM UB-20 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Vermland (Sweden) The coaster was sunk in the Baltic Sea off the Finngrundet Lightship ( Sweden) by SM UB-20 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Zeeland (Netherlands) The cargo ship was shelled and sunk in the North Sea 7 nautical miles (13 km) east of Sunderland, County Durham (55°00′N 1°17′W) by SM UB-39 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.

[Sailor Steve]

August 2, 1916

0700 Austrian pilot Karl Urban and West Bohemian observer Otto Jäger, in Hansa-Brandenburg C.I 64.15, shoot down a Farman two-seater. Victory number 4 for Urban, number 5 for Jäger.

1035 French ace André Chainat and pilot Alfred Hertaux, flying Nieuport 17s, share a victory over an "Enemy Aircraft". Number 9 for Chainat, number 3 for Hertaux.

2000 English pilot Kenneth Lloyd Gopsill and observer 2nd Lt R.S. Osmaston, in FE.2b 6864, and Cpt A.T. Watson and 2nd Lt C.L. Blake, in FE.2b 6790, share a victory over a Fokker Eindecker. Number 1 for Gopsill, unknown for the other three.

On the Russian front reconnaissance crew of pilot Erwin Bohme and observer Lt Lademacher (first name unknown), in Albatros C.III 766/16, the famous "Dragodile", shoot down a Nieuport 11 for victory number 1. Russian ace Eduard Pulpe is fatally wounded.

The "Dragodile"
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a325/SailorSteve/Dragodile%201_zpswaubrvvp.jpg (http://s14.photobucket.com/user/SailorSteve/media/Dragodile%201_zpswaubrvvp.jpg.html)

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a325/SailorSteve/Dragodile%202_zpsjewgj4f4.jpg (http://s14.photobucket.com/user/SailorSteve/media/Dragodile%202_zpsjewgj4f4.jpg.html)


German ace Wilhelm Frankl, flying a Fokker E.III shoots down Morane 'BB' 5181 for victory number 7. 2nd Lt Lyonel Latimer Clark, 18, and Sgt Alexander Walker, 22, are both killed.

In the same action German ace Kurt Wintgens, in a Fokker E.IV, shoots down Morane 'BB' 5177 for kill number 13. Observer 2nd Lt Henry Joseph Newton, 19, is killed, while Canadian pilot Lt John Anthony Ninian Ormsby, 22 is badly wounded, dying three days later.

French ace André Chainat, flying a Nieuport 17, shoots down an "Enemy Aircraft" for victory number 10.

German bomber crew Karl Meyer and Erich Bönisch, in Friedrichshaven F.33 599, shoot down an attacking Caudron G.4. Number 2 mor Meyer, number 4 for Bönisch.

Also on this day a ground crew achieve "Ace" status when Hauptmann Janke and the crew of KFlak 44 shoot down their fifth aeroplane, a BE.2c from No.5 Squadron.



English Channel:
Otto Steinbrinck, in UB-18, stops and scuttles British schooner G.C. Gradwell, 156 tons; brigantine Margaret Sutton, 197 tons, travelling in ballast from Treport to Fowey; and ketch-rigged barge S.D., 131 ons. His score is now 51 ships and 37,718 tons.



North Sea:
Paul Hundius, commanding UB-16, sinks Norwegian freighter SS John Wilson, 798 tons, bound from Rotterdam for London with a load of foodstuffs. His score is now 4 ships and 6,867 tons.

Werner Fürbringer, in UB-39, finds another British fishing fleet off Coquet Island, Northumberland and scuttles trawlers Olympia, 221 tons; Smiling Morn, 126 tons; and Twiddler, 99 tons. This brings his score to 30 ships and 5,121 tons.



Gulf of Bothnia:
Max Viebeg begins his career in U-20 with the sinking of Swedish coaster SS Bror Oskar, 368 tons carrying a general cargo from Stockholm to Raumo; SS Commerce, 638 tons, en route from Sundsvall to Leith with a load of timber; brigantine Vera, 312 tons, carrying a load of staves from Sandvik to Newcastle; and SS Vermland, 213 tons, bound from Norrköping for Mäntyluoto with a general cargo. A fifth vessel, SS Themis, 1,047 tons, is taken as a prize and sent to Libau, but ends up in the Swedish port of Slite due to lack of coal. Viebeg's opening score is 4 ships and 1,531 tons.



Mediterranean Sea:
Lothar von Arnauld de la Perière, in U-35, sinks Italian barque Eugenia, 550 tons; and French brigantine Neptune, 151 tons, route and cargo unknown. His score is now 61 ships and 127,250 tons.

Cäsar Bauer, now commanding UB-46, sinks Japanese freighter Kohina Maru, 3,164 tons, bound from Bizerta to Port Said, bringing his score to 6 sips and 10,480 tons.

[Jimbuna]

3rd August 1916

Western Front

British gain ground west of Pozieres.

French retake Fleury (Verdun) and make progress towards Thiaumont, 1,750 prisoners taken.

Eastern Front

Russians penetrate into Rudka-Mirynska (east Kovel).

Desperate fighting near Lyubashevo and Guledichi (east Kovel).

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

Russians capture Turk trenches at Ognut (Armenia).

Turks advance to attack on Major-General Hon. H. Lawrence's force at Romani (northern Sinai).

Aviation

Zeppelin raid over east counties. No damage.

http://i.imgur.com/y52cCdP.jpg

Naval and Overseas Operations

The German blockade-runner submarine Deutschland leaves Baltimore and heads back to Germany.

British occupy Ujiji (Lake Tanganyika).

Political, etc.

Roger Casement hanged.

Statement by Mr. Balfour re: Naval Situation on the second anniversary of war.

Prime Minister receives deputation from Miners, Railway Men, and Transport Workers.

Ship Losses:

Badger (United Kingdom) The coaster was shelled and sunk in the English Channel 30 nautical miles (56 km) south west of St. Catherine's Point, Isle of Wight by SM UB-18 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
HMS Clacton (Royal Navy) The auxiliary minesweeper was torpedoed and sunk in the Aegean Sea (40°46′N 23°53′E) by SM U-73 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of five crew.
Fortuna (United Kingdom) The schooner was scuttled in the English Channel 15 nautical miles (28 km) south south west of Portland Bill, Dorset by SM UB-18 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Jacqueline (France) The schooner was sunk in the English Channel 14 nautical miles (26 km) north of Cap de la Hague, Manche (49°57′N 2°00′W) by SM UB-18 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Lucania (United Kingdom) The drifter was scuttled in the North Sea 4 nautical miles (7.4 km) east by south of Dunstanburgh, Northumberland by SM UB-39 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Merchant Prince (United Kingdom) The trawler was scuttled in the North Sea 9 nautical miles (17 km) east by south of Dunstanburgh by SM UB-39 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Nancy (United Kingdom) The schooner was run into and sunk by Avance ( Sweden) in the North Sea off Great Yarmouth, Norfolk.
HMT Rooke (Royal Navy) The naval trawler was lost on this date.
Sphene (United Kingdom) The coaster was scuttled in the English Channel 26 nautical miles (48 km) south west of St. Catherine's Point (50°04′N 1°48′W) by SM UB-18 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Trawler Prince (United Kingdom) The trawler was scuttled in the North Sea 12 nautical miles (22 km) south east of the Longstone Lighthouse, Northumberland by SM UB-39 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Tricoupis (Greece) The cargo ship was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea off the Île du Planier, Bouches-du-Rhône, France (42°08′N 5°21′E) by SM U-35 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.

[Sailor Steve]

August 3, 1916

Air War:
0730 German ace Max von Mulzer, in a Fokker E.IV, shoots down FE.2b 4272 for victory number 10. 2nd Lt Ken Mathewson and Pvt Eric Merril Des Brisay are both killed.

1010 English pilot Reginald Maxwell and observer David Stewart, in FE.2b A13, shoot down a Roland C.II. Victory number 3 for Maxwell, number 2 for Stewart.

1425 French pilot René Dorme, in an unnamed Nieuport, shoots down an "Enemy Aircraft" for victory number 3.

1530 Irish RFC pilot Sidney Cowan, in DH.2 5904, shoots down an LVG two-seater for victory number 4.

French pilot Joseph de Bonnefoy, in an unnamed Nieuport, shoots down an "Enemy Aircraft" for victory number 3.

French ace Georges Guynemer and pilot Alfred Hertaux, both in Nieuports, share a victory over an "Enemy Aircraft"; number 12 for Guynemer, number 3 for Hertaux.

German pilot Hans Karl Müller, flying a Fokker E.III, shoots down a Nieuport for victory number 3. This is either N1442, MdL Debrod or N833, Sgt Jean Maffert, both shot down this day.



English Channel:
Otto Steinbrinck, commanding UB-18, stops and scuttles British coaster SS Badger, 89 tons; schooner Fortuna, 131 tons, carrying steel turnings from Le Havre to Swansea; French schooner Jacques Cartier, 259 tons; and British freighter SS Sphene, 740 tons, travelling in ballast from Honfleur to Newport. Also attacked is British spritsail barge Ivo, 56 tons, but the vessel survives the explosion and is towed into Alderney. Steinbrinck's score is now 55 ships and 38,937 tons.



North Sea:
Werner Fürbinger, in UB-39, scuttles British trawlers Trawler Prince, 126 tons; Merchant Prince, 130 tons, drifter Lucania, 92 tons; and attacks British freighter SS Destro, 859 tons, with his deck gun. The steamer is only damaged, and Captain Edward Borrowdal Johnson will be awarded the DSC for his escape from the u-boat. His score is now 33 ships and 5,469 tons.



Mediterranean Sea:
Lothar von Arnauld de la Perière, in U-35, sinks Greek freighter SS Tricoupis, 2,387 tons, carrying a load of coal from Cardif to Genoa. His score is now 62 ships and 128,637 tons.



Aegean Sea:
Gustav Sieß, in U-73, torpedoes British auxiliary minesweeper HMS Clacton, 820 tons, in Kavalla Bay.



German East Africa:
Monitor HMS Severn fires on a windmill at Saadani. Reasons not given in log.



Canada:
Canadian sail/steam ship SS Samuel Blandford, 919 tons, travelling from New York to St. Johns with a load of coal, runs aground at St. Mary Cays, Newfoundland.



Carribean Sea:
Mexican freighter SS Libertad, 986 tons, carrying a load of lumber from New Orleans to Santiago de Cuba, founders off Cape San Antonio, Cuba.

[Jimbuna]

4th August 1916

Western Front

British gain German second line system on a front of 2,000 yards north of Pozieres, several hundred prisoners.

Germans retake Fleury (Verdun) but lose it again to French.

Furious German counter-attacks at Thiaumont work repulsed.

Eastern Front

Fierce fighting in progress on the Graberko and Sereth.

Russians take 1,300 prisoners.

Germans by an enveloping movement regain Rudka-Mirynska.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

Turk attack near Romani (northern Sinai) beaten off.

Political, etc.

German newspapers comment on the execution of Roger Casement, stating he was an “idealist” and “martyr.”

Ship Losses:

Demaris (United Kingdom) The schooner was scuttled in the English Channel 20 nautical miles (37 km) north of Alderney, Channel Islands by SM UB-18 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Ermenilda (United Kingdom) The schooner was scuttled in the English Channel 24 nautical miles (44 km) south south west of Portland Bill, Dorset by SM UB-18 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Favonian (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was shelled and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea off the Île du Planier, Bouches-du-Rhône, France (42°57'N 5°07'E) by SM U-35 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Jägersborg (Denmark) The cargo ship was scuttled in the North Sea 12 nautical miles (22 km) north east of the Longstone Lighthouse, Northumberland, United Kingdom by SM UB-39 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Siena (Italy) The passenger ship was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea off the Île du Planier (42°55'N 5°10'E) by SM U-35 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Stamfordham (United Kingdom) The coaster was shelled and sunk in the North Sea 8 nautical miles (15 km) south of the Longstone Lighthouse by SM UB-39 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Teti (Italy) The cargo ship was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea off the Île du Planier (43°10'N 4°25'E) by SM U-35 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Tottenham (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was shelled and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 22 nautical miles (41 km) south west of the Île du Planier (42°55'N 5°15'E) by SM U-35 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.

[Sailor Steve]

August 4, 1916

Air War:
French ace Maxime Lenoir, in a Nieuport, downs an "Enemy Aircraft" for victory number 7.



English Channel:
Otto Steinbrinck, commanding UB-18, sinks British schooner Demaris, 98 tons, bound from Guernsey for London with a load of stone; and schooner Ermenilda, 94 tons, from Guernsey to Poole, also with a load of stone. His score is now 57 ships and 39,129 tons.



North Sea:
Werner Fürbinger, in UB-39, stops and scuttles Danish freighter SS Jägersborg, 1,797 tons, carrying a load of magnetic iron ore from Narvik to Middlesbrough; and British freighter SS Stamforham, 921 tons, travelling in ballast from Kirkwall to Seaham. His score is now 35 ships and 8,187 tons.



Mediterranean Sea:
Now operating south of Marseilles, France, Lothar von Arnauld de la Perière, in U-35, sinks four more Allied ships.
1030 British freighter SS Favonian, 3,049 tons, travelling from Marseilles to London with a general cargo.
1130 Italian freighter SS Siena, 4,372 tons, bound from Colon for Genoa. Captured and sunk by gunfire.
1300 British freighter SS Tottenham, 3,106 tons, travelling in ballast from Oneglia to Gibraltar. Captured and scuttled.
1730 Italian freighter SS Teti, 2,868 tons, en route from Genoa to Aguilas.
Von Arnauld's score is now 66 ships and 142,032 tons.



Aegean Sea:
UB-44, commanded by Franz Wäger, dissapears after this date, not to be heard from again. 24 lost, 0 survivors.



German East Africa:
Fighting around Saadani continues.
0735 Battleship HMS Vengeance and tender Manica arrive and anchor off Bagamoyo.
0640 With both a seaplane and balloon spotting the fall of shot, Vengeance opens fire on a series of trenches behind the town.
0900 Vengeance ceases fire.
0915 Vengeance moves northward up the coast. Manica departs.
1300 Monitor HMS Mersey arrives.
1330 Mersey sends troops and supplies ashore.
2130 Captured German officer is taken aboard Mersey.

Meanwhile, with cruiser HMS Challenger providing escort, a seaplane from tender Malaya reconnoiters Mgau Mwania.

[Jimbuna]

5th August 1916

Western Front

In the past two days at the Somme, British and Australian troops manage to capture 3000 yards of trenches north and west of Pozieres.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

British counter-attack Turks with success near Romani (northern Sinai).

British pursuit continues for 18 miles.

Turk attacks held in the region of Mush-Bitlis (Asia Minor).

Successful Russian offensive continued 30 miles north of Erzingan.

Naval and Overseas Operations

British forces in East Africa begin simultaneous forward movement, through Nguru Mountains, etc., towards Morogoro.

Political, etc.

Brussels refuses to pay a fine of 5 million marks to the German occupation, which was imposed on the city due to anti-German demonstrations.

General Joffre, head of the French military, says that there will soon be a “crash” of the Germans’ ability to fight.

Romanian government warns Bulgaria on border clashes, stating it is “not in accordance with the good relations between the two countries.”

Ship Losses:

Achilleus (Greece) The coaster was shelled and sunk in the Gulf of Lion (42°02′N 3°25′E) by SM U-35 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Aranda (Norway) The cargo ship struck a mine laid by U 78 (Otto Dröscher) and was damaged in the North Channel (56°19′N 7°07′W) with the loss of two of her crew. She was towed into Lough Foyle where she sank.
Egyptian Prince (United Kingdom) The trawler was scuttled in the North Sea 12 nautical miles (22 km) south south east of the Longstone Lighthouse, Northumberland by SM UB-39 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Mount Coniston (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was scuttled in the Mediterranean Sea 7 nautical miles (13 km) east by south of the Medes Islands, Spain by SM U-35 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Spiral (United Kingdom) cargo ship was scuttled in the English Channel 40 nautical miles (74 km) west south west of St. Catherine's Point, Isle of Wight by SM UB-18 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
St. Olive (United Kingdom) The trawler was scuttled in the North Sea 11 nautical miles (20 km) east of Coquet Island, Northumberland by SM UB-39 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.

[Sailor Steve]

August 5, 1916

Air War:
German pilot Karl Meyer and observer Erich Bönisch, now flying Hansa-Brandenburg LW floatplane 571, shoot down a French flying boat. Victory number 3 for Meyer, number 5 for Bönisch.

According to some sources the only LW built was number 577. Experts on both sides give good evidence, so the truth remains unknown.



Scotland:
Norwegian freighter SS Aranda, 1,838 tons, bound from Bonaventure to Glasgow with a load of lumber, hits a mine laid by Otto Dröscher in U-78. The stricken ship is towed to Lough Foyle, settling to the bottom there. Divers use explosives to blow off the deck, allowing the lumber to float to the surface and be recovered. This is Dröscher's first sinking, his previous prize having been released.



English Channel:
Otto Steinbrinck, commanding UB-18, sinks British freighter SS Spiral, 1,342 tons, bound from Tyne for Bordeaux with a load of coal. His score is now 58 ships and 40,471 tons.



North Sea:
Werner Fürbinger, in UB-39, sinks British trawlers Egyptian Prince, 129 tons, and St. Olive, 202 tons, bringing his score to 37 vessels and 8,518 tons.



Mediterranean Sea:
Lothar von Arnauld de la Perière, in U-35, sinks two more ships near Barcelona, Spain:
Greek freighter SS Achilleus, 843 tons, travelling from Marseille to Nemors, Algeria, with 21,000 sacks of lime, is stopped an sunk with the deck gun. Achilleus is under charter to the French government at the time.
1200 British freighter SS Mount Coniston, 3,018 tons, carrying coal and machinery from Port Talbot to Marseille, is stopped and scuttled.
Von Arnauld's score is now 68 ships and 134,893 tons.



German East Africa:
A couple of interesting notes from ships' logs:
The log of monitor HMS Severn says "Discharged ratings to RN barracks". This would indicate that either because of living conditions aboard the monitors their sailors slept ashore, or that a certain number of seamen were transferred to shore duty. What is interesting is that this is not a daily occurence, but is only mentioned this once.

Light cruiser HMS Talbot notes that a German boat came out under a white flag and delivered letters to the cruiser, then proceeded northward. No indication of what the letters were for.

[Jimbuna]

6th August 1916

Western Front

Slight British progress east of Pozieres towards Martinpuich.

German attacks at Thiaumont work and in Vaux-Chapitre Wood repulsed (Verdun).

Eastern Front

Russians gain heights and villages on right bank of Sereth and Graberko (south Brody) and repel German counter-attacks.

Southern Front

Battle of Gorizia. Italian attack on Isonzo; several lines of trenches taken in Monfalcone sector, and nearly the whole of Hill 85; 3,600 prisoners and many machine guns taken.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

Determined Turk attacks repulsed by Russians north of the Upper Euphrates (Armenia) and in region of Mush-Bitlis.

Russians driven back by the Turks east of Kermanshah (Persia) British occupy Katiya (northern Sinai).

Aviation

French aviator René Fonck makes his first confirmed aerial victory against a German craft (he will end the war with 75 confirmed victories).

Political, etc.

Franz Eckert, German composer who composed the national anthem of Japan and the Korean Empire, has passed away.
http://i.imgur.com/bVKyo4U.jpg

Ship Losses:

Libestad (Mexico) The cargo ship was wrecked at Cape San Antonio, Cuba.
Loch Lomond (United Kingdom) The fishing smack was shelled and sunk in the North Sea 18 nautical miles (33 km) east of Lowestoft, Suffolk by SM UB-29 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.

[Sailor Steve]

August 6, 1916

Air War:
0900 French pilot Marcel Viallet, in a Nieuport scout, shoots down an Aviatik two-seater for victory number 2. Ten minutes later he bags a second Aviatik for number 3.

1030 French pilot René Paul Fonck and observer Paul Thiberge, in a Caudron G.4, shoot down Rumpler C.I 4593/15 for victory number 1. Fonck had a previous claim which was unconfirmed, and he will have another, but his next confirmed kill won't come for another seven months.

1410 French pilot René Dorme, also in a Nieuport, shoots down an LVG two-seater for win number 4.
(Some sources list this victory as "Unconfirmed")

1845 English pilot William Sanday, in a Sopwith 1½ Strutter with observer Lt Busk, shoots down two Albatros two-seaters for victories 2 and 3. Also involved are two more Strutters with aircrews Lts Blain and Griffiths and Lt Mase with an unknown observer.

1945 English pilot Selden Herbert Long, flying DH.2 7915, shoots down a Fokker Eindecker for victory number 1.

English pilot Henry Evans, in DH.2 7876, shoots down an LVG two-seater for kill number 3.

German pilot Hermann Pfeiffer scores his first victory, shooting down Caudron G.4 1467. Lt Escolle and Slt Verdie of Escadrille C56 are both killed.

French ace Noël de Rochefort, in a Nieuport, destroys a German observation balloon for victory number 6.



North Sea:
Berndt Buß, commanding U-48, captures British freighter SS Pendennis, 2,123 tons, off Stavanger, Norway, and takes her as a prize. First action for captain and boat.

Herbert Pustkuchen, in UB-29, scuttles fishing smack Loch Lomond, 42 tons, bringing his score to 35 vessels and 44,787 tons.



German East Africa:
Light cruisers HMS Challenger and Talbot lead an attack on Dar-Es-Salaam.
0650 Armed merchant cruiser HMS Himalaya launches seaplane.
0710 Talbot opens fire.
0736 Talbot ceases fire.
0738 Challenger opens fire.
0803 Challenger ceases fire.
0810 Himalaya opens fire. All ships open fire on railway station.
0838 Himalaya ceases fire.
0853 German position fires three rounds at Himalaya.
0855 All ships return fire.
0911 Challenger fires at East Ferry Point, while Talbot fires at West Ferry Point.
0915 Cruisers cease fire.
0950 Cruisers join Himalaya.
1110 Challenger departs, accompanied by whaler Childers.
1130 Himalaya departs.
1230 Talbot departs.

[Jimbuna]

7th August 1916

Western Front

British attack outskirts of Guillemont.

German attacks north and north-east of Pozieres, repulsed.

French advance north of Hardecourt (northern Somme).

French progress at Fleury and the Thiaumont work (Verdun).

Eastern Front

Russian advance in Graberko-Sereth region.

Heavy fighting, 2,000 prisoners taken.

Russians capture Tlumacz (12 miles from Stanislau), 2,000 prisoners taken.

Southern Front

Italian offensive continues.

Monte Sabatino, Monte San Michele and bridgehead of Gorizia captured. 8,000 prisoners, 11 guns and 100 machine guns taken.

Austrian attacks beaten off by Italians on Asiago Plateau and in the Upper Cordevole Valley (Dolomites).

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

Stiff fighting at Romani; British threaten Turkish flanks.

Political, etc.

Admiralty deny allegation in German press that British Hospital Ships are being used as transports.

London workers demonstrate in Trafalgar Square, demanding the hanging of Kaiser Wilhelm for the execution of Charles Fryatt.

National Council of French Socialists votes 1,824 to 1,075 to sever relations with the German Socialists.

British Premier Asquith with Major Edward Gerald Thompson at the RFC headquarters at Fienvillers.
http://i.imgur.com/7KLIzyw.jpg

Ship Losses:

Falcon (United Kingdom) The cargo ship caught fire and sank in the River Thames at Deptford, London. She was refloated the next day.
HMT John High (Royal Navy) The naval trawler struck a mine laid by U 75 (Curt Beitzen) and sank in the White Sea (67°34′N 41°19′E) with the loss of fourteen crew.
Newburn (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 34 nautical miles (63 km) north north east of Dragonera, Spain by SM U-35 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew were rescued by Daisy ( Denmark).
Tibor (France) The cargo ship caught fire and sank at Estaque, Bouches-du-Rhône.
Trident (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 34 nautical miles (63 km) north north east of Dragonera by SM U-35 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew were rescued by Daisy ( Denmark).

[Sailor Steve]

August 7, 1916

Air War:
Austrian pilot Raoul Stojsavljevic and observer Josef Friedrich, in Hansa-Brandenburg C.I 64.13, shoot down a Farman for victory number 3.



North Sea:
Norwegian freighter SS Ragnarok, 1,107 tons, carrying a general cargo from Göteborg to Rouen, hits a mine laid by an unknown ship.



Atlantic Ocean:
Norwegian barque Gerd, 776 tons, sets sail from Liverpool for Halifax in ballast, and is not heard from again. all 12 crew members lost.



Mediterranean Sea:
At 1100 hours local time, Lothar von Arnauld de la Perière, commanding U-35, sinks British freighters SS Newburn, 3,554 tons, bound from Cardiff for Marseille with a load of coal; and SS Trident, 3,129 tons, carrying a load of coal from Penarth to Livorno. His score is now 70 ships and 152,576 tons.



Russia:
British naval trawler HMT John High hits a mine laid by Curt Beitzen in U-75, off Barents sea near Mezen bay, at the entrance to the White sea. Beitzen's score is now 3 ships and 11,160 tons.

[Jimbuna]

8th August 1916

Western Front

British move against Guillemont continues, line advanced 400 yards.

French progress north of Hem Wood (southern Somme).

Germans, by violent counter-attack, regain trenches.

Fierce fighting in Verdun region: Germans gain and lose Thiaumont work.

Two German attacks beaten back east of Monacu Farm (northern Somme).

Eastern Front

Russians take Tysmienica (Stanislau, Galicia), 7,400 prisoners.

Southern Front

Italians storm Mount Podgora (covering Gorizia).

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

Turks occupy Mush and Bitlis (Armenia).

Turks abandon Oghratina and fall back to cover Bir el Abd (Sinai).

Aviation

http://i.imgur.com/csXos8J.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/d4lTvPS.jpg

Political, etc.

King George V and Prince Edward arrive in Calais to inspect British and ANZAC operations.

Portugal decides to extend her military co-operation to Europe.

Ship Losses:

Imperial (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was shelled and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 38 nautical miles (70 km) south west by west of the Île du Planier (42°43′N 4°30′E) by SM U-35 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Speme (Italy) The barquentine was sunk in the Gulf of Lion by SM U-35 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
SM UB-44 (Kaiserliche Marine) The Type UB II submarine departed Cattaro, Austria-Hungary for Hersingstand, Turkey. No further trace, lost with all 24 crew.

[Sailor Steve]

August 8, 1916

The Portuguese government announces increased military support for the Allied cause.



British attack on Guillemont is lacking artillery support. Advancing British troops are met with extremely accurate German artillery and then devastating machine-gun fire. The Liverpool Scottish Batallion loses ten of its twenty officers and ninety-six out of six hundred men. After dark Captain Noel Chavasse, batallion medical officer, carries out a mission to collect ID discs, reducing the number listed as missing, and to rescue wounded soldiers. Chavasse recovers several of the wounded, including three lying only twenty-five yards from German trenches. He is using his electric torch and calling out to any British soldier, and is wounded in the thigh for his efforts. For this Chavasse is awarded the Victoria Cross.



Air War:
0830 Austrian ace observer Johann Frint, riding with pilot Ernst Franz in Hansa-Brandenburg C.I 26.15, shoots down a Nieuport for victory number 6. Number 1 for Franz.

1030 German pilot Kurt Student, in a Fokker E.III, shoots down French Nieuport 12. Lt Hubert de Fels crash-lands safely behind his own lines. Observer SLt Emile Deviterne slightly wounded.

1200 English pilot Henry Evans, in DH.2 7878, shoots down a Roland C.II for victory number 4.

German pilot Walter von Bülow-Bothkamp, in a two-seater, shoots down an "Enemy Aircraft" for victory number 3.

French pilot Marcel Burguin, in a single-seat Nieuport, shoots down a Fokker E.III for victory number 1. Lt. Benno Berneis is killed when the eindecker catches fire.



North Sea:
Norwegian coaster SS Thore Hafte, 353 tons, travelling from Stettin, Germany to Haugesund, Norway, is sunk by a mine with the loss of 1 crew member.



Gulf of Lyon:
Lothar von Arnauld de la Perière, commanding U-35, sinks two more Allied ships:
0500 Italian barque Speme, 1,229 tons.
1600 British freighter SS Imperial, 3,818 tons, travelling in ballast from Marseille to Montreal.
Von Arnauld's score is now 72 ships and 157,623 tons.



Caribbean Sea:
American schooner Jessie, 131 tons, carrying a load of logwood from Jacmel, Haite to New York, is wrecked off Cape Maisí, Cuba.



Atlantic Ocean:
British full-rigged sailing ship Langdale, 2,047 tons, bound from Portland, Oregon for the Azores with a load of flour, is wrecked off São Miguel Island (aka St. Michaels) in the Azores.
(Another version has this as French ship Langlade, on her way to France. Both from Wrecksite.eu.)

Note: UB-44, previously noted here as disappearing on or after August 4th, as per U-boat.net. According to Wikipedia German records have UB-44 departing Cattaro on August 8th, and possibly sunk by British torpedo boat HMS 368, as reported by a newspaper in Athens.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SM_UB-44

[Jimbuna]

9th August 1916

Western Front

Germans driven back and French advance north of Hem Wood.

Germans regain Thiaumont work.

Eastern Front

Russians gain junction of Chryplin (Stanislau).

Southern Front

Capture of Gorizia by Italians. Austrians pursued, 10,000 prisoners taken.

Italians occupy hills on line Rosenthal-Vertoibica (Isonzo).

Heavy Austrian attack beaten back on left bank of Isonzo.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

Turks press back British cavalry east of Romani (Suez), but are repulsed and lose heavily.

Ship Losses:

Antiope (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was shelled and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 88 nautical miles (163 km) south west by west of Marseille, Bouches-du-Rhône, France (42°16′N 4°03′E) by SM U-35 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
HMS B10 (Royal Navy) The B-class submarine was bombed and sunk at Venice, Italy by Kaiserliche und Königliche Seeflugwesen aircraft.
Danevang ( Denmark) The cargo ship was sunk in the North Sea 60 nautical miles (110 km) east of Tynemouth, Northumberland, United Kingdom (55°45′N 0°14′E) by SM UB-37 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Ganekogorta Mendi (Spain) The cargo ship was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 10 nautical miles (19 km) north east of Port-Vendres, Pyrénées-Orientales, France by SM U-35 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Henri Elisa (France) The coaster was sunk in the English Channel 20 nautical miles (37 km) east of Barfleur, Manche (49°46′N 0°46′W) by SM UB-18 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Lorenzo Donato (Italy) The schooner was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 38°06′N 18°59′E) by SM U-73 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Sebastiano (Italy) The cargo ship was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 40 nautical miles (74 km) east north east of Cape San Sebastian, Spain by SM U-35 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Vassilaos (Greece) The sailing ship was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea by SM UB-46 ( Kaiserliche Marine).

[Sailor Steve]

August 9, 1916

Air War:
0630 English pilot John Andrews, flying DH.2 5925, shoots down a German two-seater for victory number 2.

0730 Irish RFC pilot Sidney Cowan, in DH.2 5998, shoots down a two-seater for victory number 5.

0815 English pilot Henry Evans, in DH.2 7878, also brings down a two-seater for win number 5.

1215 English pilot Noel Webb and observer C.S. Workman, in FE.2b 4839, force an Albatros two-seater to land. Victory number 2 for Webb, unknown for Workman.

Austrian pilot Ludwig Hautzmayer, in Fokker E.III 03.42, shoots down a Caudron for kill number 3.

French pilot Paul Tarascon, in a Nieuport scout, shoots down an Aviatik two-seater for victory number 3.



Firth of Clyde, Scotland:
Norwegian freighter SS Hjortness, 3,154 tons, carrying a load of corn from Buenos Aires to Scandinavia, is wrecked off the port of Ardrossan.



English Channel:
Otto Steinbrinck, commanding UB-18, stops and scuttles French freighter SS Henri Elisa, 822 tons. His score is now 59 ships and 41,293 tons.



North Sea:
Hans Valentiner, in UB-37, sinks Danish freighter SS Danevang, 1,247 tons, bound from Karlsberg for Hull with a load of sawn timber. His score is now 23 ships and 13,400 tons.



Mediterranean Sea:
Cäsar Bauer, in UB-46, sinks Greek sailing ship Basileios, 488 tons, returning from Egypt to the Adriatic. His score is now 7 ships and 10,968 tons.



Gulf of Lyon:
Lothar von Arnauld de la Perière, in U-35, sinks three more Allied ships:
1000 Spanish freighter SS Ganekogorta Mendi, 3,061, carrying a load of coal from Newcastle to Savona.
1600 Italian freighter SS Sebastiano, 3,995 tons, from New York to Genoa with a load of flour.
1700 British freighter SS Antiope, 2,973 tons, travelling in ballast from Marseille to Rosario.
Von Arnauld's score is now 75 ships and 167,652 tons.



Italy:
British submarine HMS B-10 is caught in an Austro-Hungarian air raid on the Naval Arsenal at Venice. The burnt-out hulk is later sold for scrap.



Ionian Sea:
Gustav Sieß, in U-73, stops and scuttles Italian schooner Lorenzo Donato, 140 tons. He now has 8 ships and 22,995 tons.

[Jimbuna]

10th August 1916

Western Front

British advance north-west of Pozieres.

Eastern Front

Russians take Stanislau and 8,500 prisoners.

Russians cross the Sereth and repulse repeated enemy counter-attacks.

Russians cross the Zlota-Lipa and advance on Halicz.

Southern Front

Allied offensive begins in Macedonia.

French bombard Doiran (Serbo-Greek frontier), and occupy Hill 227, south of Doiran.

Political, etc.

Mr. McKenna, in the House of Commons, spoke on the British financial position.

British protest re: shooting of Captain Fryatt published.

Tsar Nicholas II awards General Brusilov a sword of the Order of St. George for his victories against Germany and Austro-Hungary.

Ship Losses:

Annette Marie (France) The schooner was sunk in the English Channel 10 nautical miles (19 km) south east of Barfleur, Manche (49°45′N 0°55′W) by SM UB-18 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Credo (Norway) The coaster was sunk in the English Channel 8 nautical miles (15 km) east north east of Barfleur (49°55′N 0°55′W) by SM UB-18 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew were rescued by Robert ( Denmark).
Glitra (Norway) The cargo ship ran aground at Huxter, Sandness, Shetland Islands, United Kingdom. She sank two days later.
HMT Irawadi (Royal Navy) The naval trawler was wrecked on the Tigani Rocks in the Mediterranean Sea.
Marie (France) The coaster was scuttled in the English Channel 12 nautical miles (22 km) east north east of Barfleur (49°45′N 0°55′W) by SM UB-18 ( Kaiserliche Marine).[82] Her crew were rescued by Robert ( Denmark).
Saint Pierre (France) The sailing vessel was sunk in the English Channel 18 nautical miles (33 km) north north east of Barfleur by SM UB-18 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
San Bernando (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was scuttled in the North Sea 17 nautical miles (31 km) off the Longstone Lighthouse (55°30′N 1°00′W) by SM UB-19 ( Kaiserliche Marine).[2][84] Her crew were rescued by the trawler Magnus ( United Kingdom).
Sora (Norway) The cargo ship was sunk in the English Channel north east of Barfleur (49°45′N 0°55′W) by SM UB-18 ( Kaiserliche Marine).[85] Her crew were rescued by Robert ( Denmark).
Temmei Maru (Japan) The cargo ship was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea south of France (42°50′N 4°55′E) by SM U-35 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.

[Sailor Steve]

August 10, 1916

Air War:
Prior to his enforced leave, Oswald Boelcke had lengthy discussions with Feldflugchef (Aviation Chief of Staff) Hermann von der Lieth-Thomsen concerning the update and reorganization of the Kampfeinsitzer Kommandos (KEKs) into new permanent fighter groups. These were to be called Jagdstaffels, or Jastas for short. On August 10th the announcement is made that Jastas 2 and 3 are official, with Oswald Boelcke and Hermann Kohze respectively in charge. Boelcke is at this time aboard a train for the Russian Front.

Austrian pilot Adolf Heyrowski and observer Ferdinand Lerch, flying Hansa-Brandenburg C.I 61.61, shoot down a Voisin pusher two-seater. Victory number 4 for Heyrowski, unknown for Lerch.

German ace Wilhelm Frankl, in a Fokker E.IV, shoots down a Voisin and an "Enemy Aircraft" for victories number 8 and 9.
(This is per The Aerodrome website. According to Norman Franks, in Sharks Among Minnows, the RFC lost a BE.2d from Number 2 Squadron the previous day, August 9th while on a test flight that apparently wandered over the lines. Franks then points out that the captured pilot, Edward Wilmer Leggatt, after his repatriation in 1918, reported that he was carrying tracer bullets and attacking a German balloon when he was attacked by a Fokker and a "Nieuport with black crosses". This may have been one of the new Albatrosses or it may have been a captured Nieuport 11, which both Gustav Leffers and Kurt Student are known to have flown. There were also several French losses on the 9th and 10th, none of which correlate with Frankl's kills. The German 6 Armee's log book also credits Max Mulzer with a kill on the 9th, but he doesn't have any victories claimed or awarded after his 10th on August 3rd.)



English Channel:
Otto Steinbrinck, commanding UB-18, sinks five small coasters:
French steam freighter SS Marie, 784 tons, scuttled.
Norwegian steamer SS Credo, 728 tons, bound from Barry for Rouen with a load of coal.
Norwegian freighter SS Sora, 1,052 tons, carrying a load of coal from Barry to Rouen.
French sailing dandy Saint Pierre, 149 tons, out of St. Malo for Le Tréport with a load of stones, sunk with deck gun.
French schooner Annette Marie, 118 tons, Swansea to Le Havre with a load of coal, scuttled.
Steinbrinck's score is now 63 ships and 44,126 tons.



North Sea:
Walther Becker, in UB-19, sinks British freighter SS San Bernardo, travelling in ballast from Tyssedal to South Shields. His score is now 6 ships and 6,123 tons.

Norwegian freighter SS Glitra, 2,250 tons, carrying a load of grain from Baltimore, Maryland to Skien, Norway, is wrecked west of the Shetland Islands.
(Not to be confused with British SS Glitra, the first merchant ship sunk by a U-boat, on October 20, 1914)



Gulf of Lyon:
1300 Lothar von Arnauld de la Perière, in U-35, sinks Japanese freighter Temmei Maru, 3,350 tons, bringing his total score to 76 ships and 171,012 tons.



Mediterranean Sea:
His Majesty's Trawler Irawadi, 238 tons, is wrecked on the Tigani Rocks in the eastern Mediterranean.

Italian sailing vessel San Antonio, 22 tons, is reported sunk by a German submarine. There is no German record of this sinking, and the attacking sub is unknown. The same ship is also reported sunk on June 13th, 1917, with similar lack of corroboration.
(www.wrecksite.eu (http://www.wrecksite.eu) and www.uboat.net (http://www.uboat.net))



German East Africa:
Old 2nd class cruiser HMS Challenger, guided by a seaplane, fires four 6" rounds at a suspected German camp in the Bagamoyo-Windi area. Later armed merchant cruiser HMS Himalaya fires 22 6" rounds at the same position.

Old 3rd class cruiser HMS Hyacinth fires at Ras Nando, after a gun there shoots at a reconnaissance seaplane.



Bering Sea:
American petrol/sailing ship Great Bear, 367 tons, bound on August 6th from Unalalska Island for St. Paul and St. George Islands with a general cargo, is stranded on Pinnacle Rock, near St. Matthews Island on August 10th. The ship, worth $80,000 (uninsured), and cargo, worth $50,000, are lost. The crew of 21 are rescued by Coast Guard Cutter McCullough fifteen days later.

[Jimbuna]

11th August 1916

Western Front

French capture German trenches south of Maurepas.

Long distance British air-raids into Belgium.

Southern Front

Italians land at Salonika.

Italians cross the Vallone and make progress on the northern edge of the Carso (Isonzo).

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

Turks attack at Bayud (Sinai), and evacuate it.

Aviation

21 Austro-Hungarian aeroplanes drop three tons of bombs on Venice, causing fires to break out in the city.

Naval and Overseas Operations

German resistance broken at Matamondo (east of Nguru Mountains, East Africa); they retreat south.

Political, etc.

Russian Premier and Foreign Minister Stürmer states he “will strive to strengthen the friendship between Russia, England and France.”

Ship Losses:

Eleftheria (Greece) The troopship caught fire and was beached in the Aegean Sea off Skiathos with the loss of 40 lives.
F. Stobart (United Kingdom) The cargo ship struck a mine laid by UC 1 (Kurt Ramien) and sank in the North Sea off Aldeburgh, Suffolk (52°10′00″N 1°42′30″E) with the loss of four of her crew.
Inverdruie (Norway) The three-masted barque was sunk in the North Sea (56°46′N 2°46′E) by SM U-66 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Kings Hill (United Kingdom) The schooner was in collision with another vessel in the Irish Sea 6 nautical miles (11 km) south west by west of the Caernarvon Bay Lightship ( United Kingdom) and sank. Her crew were rescued.
Pagasarri (Spain) The cargo ship was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea off Savona, Liguria, Italy (40°30′N 10°30′E) by SM U-35 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Rufus (Norway) The brig was sunk in the North Sea 60 nautical miles (110 km) east by north of Sunderland, County Durham, United Kingdom by SM UB-37 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Skernahan (United Kingdom) The cargo ship collided with Yorkshire ( United Kingdom) in the Irish Sea and sank. Her crew were rescued by Yorkshire.

[Sailor Steve]

August 11, 1916

Air War:
Oswald Boelcke arrives at Kovel, on the Russian front, as part of his inspection tour, but also to visit his elder brother Wilhelm, commanding officer of Kampfstaffel 10, Kagohl 2. Upon his arrival he finds a telegram waiting for him from Feldflugchef Lieth-Thomsen: "Return to Western Front as quickly as possible to organise and lead Jagdstaffel 2 on the Somme." Boelcke is given permission to recruit any pilots he thinks will be an asset to his new command. He takes two Kasta 10 pilots with him: 37-year-old Erwin Böhme and 24-year-old Manfred von Richthofen.
-Greg vanWyngarden, Early German Aces, p.69

1330 Welsh RFC pilot Hubert William Godfrey Jones, in DH.2 7859, shoots down a Fokker E.III for victory number 1.

South African RNAS pilot Samuel Marcus Kinkead, in a Bristol Scout, shoots down a Fokker E.III for victory number 1.



Irish Sea:
British coaster SS Skernahan, 530 tons, travelling in ballast from Limerick to Whitehaven, sinks following a collision with SS Yorkshire.



North Sea:
Thorwald von Bothmer, in U-66, sinks Norwegian barque Inverdruie, 613 tons, travelling from Sandefjord to Hartlepool with a load of pit props. His score is now 10 ships and 23,461 tons.

Hans Valentiner, in UB-37, sinks Norwegian brig Rufus, 202 tons, carrying a load of pit props from Fredrikshald to Sunderland, bringing his score to 23 ships and 13,400 tons.

British freighter SS F. Stobart, 801 tons, bound from Goole for Jersey with a load of coal, hits a mine laid by Kurt Ramien in UC-1. His score is now 11 ships and 21,305 tons.



Baltic Sea:
German minesweeper M-27, while still on trials, is lost following a collision with German freighter SS Paranagua, north of Cape Arkona.



Ligurian Sea:
Lothar von Arnauld de la Perière has moved U-35 to a position near Savona, Italy. At 1000 hours he sinks Spanish freighter SS Pagasarri, 3,287 tons, carrying a load of coal from Barry to Genoa, raising his score to 77 ships and 174,299 tons.



German East Africa:
Old 2nd class cruiser HMS Challenger and Australian light cruiser HMAS Pioneer are patrolling off Ras Kankadya when, at 1530 hours, they are fired upon by a shore battery. They return fire from 1535 to 1600.



South China Sea:
Japanese freighter Heiyo Maru, 3,107 tons, departs Miike, Japan for Singapore with a load of coal and is not heard from again.

[Jimbuna]

12th August 1916

Western Front

British advance on a mile front north-west of Pozieres.

French gain the German third line system of trenches from Somme to Hardecourt.

Eastern Front

Russians cross the Zlota-Lipa and occupy Mariampol.

German retreat from the Strypa (East Galicia).

Southern Front

Italians capture strong positions on northern edge of the Carso, and take 1,565 prisoners and make progress in Monfalcone sector.

End of Battle of Gorizia.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

Turks evacuate Bir el Abd (northern Sinai), losing altogether 4,000 prisoners.

Naval and Overseas Operations

British occupy Mpapwa (East Africa).

Aviation

Two German seaplanes raid Dover, dropping four bombs, which results in the injury of 7 soldiers.

Political, etc.

Official German casualty figures are now 3,135,177 men killed, wounded, captured, or missing. It does not include naval or colonial losses.

General Cadorna, Chief of the Italian General Staff, on current operations: “All goes marvelously well.”

Ship Losses:

Gina (Italy) The sailing ship, either a barque or a schooner, was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 40 nautical miles (74 km) south of the Porquerolles (42°50′N 6°50′E) by SM U-35 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Kovda (Imperial Russian Navy) The despatch vessel struck a mine laid by U 75 (Curt Beitzen) and sank in the White Sea (67°35′N 41°22′E).
Nereus (Italy) The cargo ship was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 4 nautical miles (7.4 km) off Cape Garoupe, Alpes-Maritimes, France (43°28′N 7°09′E) by SM U-35 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Regina Pacis (Italy) The full-rigged ship was shelled and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea off Antibes, Alpes-Maritimes (43°27′N 7°33′E) by SM U-35 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Saint Gaetan (France) The brigantine was shelled and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea off Antibes (43°28′N 7°09′E) by SM U-35 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.

[Sailor Steve]

August 12, 1916

Air War:
French pilot Georges Lachmann and ace Maxime Lenoir, both in Nieuports, share a victory over an "Enemy Aircraft". Number 3 for Lachmann, number 8 for Lenoir.



North Sea:
British fishing vessel Welsh Prince, 122 tons, runs aground at Girdle Ness, Aberdeen, Scotland, in a thick fog. Crew all get safely to shore.



Barents Sea/White Sea:
Russian dispatch vessel Kovda, 1,125 tons, hits a mine laid by Curt Beitzen in U-75, at the entrance to the White Sea.



Ligurian Sea:
Lothar von Arnauld de la Perière, in U-35, sinks four more Allied ships off the Antibes Peninsula, between Cannes and Nice.
0300 Italian schooner Gina, 443 tons, bound from Genoa to Marseille with a load of pit props.
1040 Italian freighter SS Nereus, 3,980 tons, carrying 5,340 tons of coal from Newport News, Virginia to Genoa.
1110 French auxiliary motor brigantine Saint Gaetan, 125 tons, out of Marseilles for Nice with a load of tiles.
1600 Italian sailing ship Regina Pacis, 2,228 tons, travelling in ballast from Genoa to Buenos Aires.
All four are sunk with the deck gun or scuttling charges. Von Arnauld's score is now 81 ships and 181,075 tons.



Atlantic Ocean:
Norwegian freighter SS Cossack, 2,290 tons, carrying a load of gasoline and petroleum valued at $1,100,000 from New Orleans to Grangemouth, Scotland, catches fire and sinks in the North Atlantic. Nine crew members are lost, thirteen rescued by British freighter SS Tamaqua after two days adrift in a lifeboat.



Canada:
American schooner/barge Hercules, 738 tons, being towed from Amboy, New Jersey to Halifax, Nova Scotia with a load of coal, springs a leak and sinks near the Fairway buoy, Yarmouth, Nova Scotia.

American schooner Oriole, 104 tons, sinks after a collision with Norwegian freighter SS Borghild, 40 miles south-west of Seal Island, Nova Scotia.

[NathanBrittles]

Aug 13,1916.

Attack launched by Italian Third Army against Austro-Hungarian positions outside of San Michele, Italy.


The Battle of Gorizia, Sixth Battle of the Isonzo Aug. 06-16, 1916.

[Jimbuna]

13th August 1916

Western Front

Grenade attacks in progress at Fleury (Verdun).

French progress south-west of Estrees.

Eastern Front

German attack repulsed in region of the Stokhod (Volhynia).

Southern Front

Italian advance further on northern edge of Carso, and take 800 prisoners.

Naval and Overseas Operations

H.M.S. Lassoo torpedoed and sunk off Dutch coast.
http://i.imgur.com/tkDrbqc.jpg

Ship Losses:

Balmoral (Italy) The barque was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea off Porto Maurizio, Liguria by SM U-35 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Eurasia (Italy) The full-rigged ship was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea south of Savona, Liguria by SM U-35 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Francesco Saverio D (Italy) The brigantine was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea south west of Genoa, Liguria by SM U-35 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Fremad (Norway) The sailing vessel was sunk in the North Sea 50 nautical miles (93 km) east of Hartlepool, County Durham, United Kingdom by SM UB-37 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Ivar (Denmark) The cargo ship was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 30 nautical miles (56 km) south east of Capo Mele, Liguria by SM U-35 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
HMS Lassoo (Royal Navy) The Laforey-class destroyer was torpedoed and sunk in the North Sea off the Maas Lightship ( Netherlands) (52°03′N 3°39′E) by SM UB-10 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of six of her 77 crew.
Pepita (Sweden) The brig was sunk in the North Sea 25 nautical miles (46 km) off the Longstone Lighthouse, Northumberland, United Kingdom by SM UB-37 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Respit (Norway) The barque was sunk in the North Sea (54°48′N 1°15′E) by SM UB-37 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.

"Our Blockade At Work" (News of the World cartoon).
http://i.imgur.com/1ZXkq7F.jpg

[Sailor Steve]

August 13, 1916

Air War:
1945 German pilot Albert Dossenbach and observer Hans Schilling, in an Albatros C.III, are attacked by BE.12 6549. They shoot down their attacker, and 2nd Lt G.L. Clifford-Geen is taken prisoner.
(The Aerodrome website has this as victory 5 for Dossenbach and 4 for Schilling, but Norman Franks says this is number 3 for each. This is probably due to a couple of records being lost. As The Aerodrome has been my primary source for this I am continuing to follow their numbering.)

Russian pilot Alexander de Seversky, flying a Grigorovich M.9, is credited with three Austro-Hungarian seaplanes, for victories 2, 3, and 4.



North Sea:
Gustav Buch, third captain of UB-10, scores his first sinking when he torpedoes British destroyer HMS Lassoo, 1,010 tons.

Hans Valentiner, in UB-37, sinks three small vessels:
Norwegian sailing vessel Fremad, 104 tons, carrying pit props from Iltvedt to Hartlepool. No casualties.
Swedish brig Pepita, 261 tons, bound from Göteborg to Sunderland with pit props. Stopped and scuttled.
Norwegian barque Respit, 473 tons, carrying a load of pit props from Brevik to Hull.
Valentiner's score is now 26 ships and 14,238 tons.



Ligurian Sea:
Lothar von Arnauld de la Perière, in U-35, has moved further up the Italian coast to the area off Genoa. Here he sinks four more Allied ships.
0400 Italian barque Balmoral, 2,542 tons, travelling from Genoa to Baltimore. The ship is stopped and scuttled off Porto Maurizio.
0700 Danish freighter SS Ivar, 2,139 tons, carrying a load of coal from Cardiff to Genoa.
0800 Italian sailing ship Eurasia, 1,898 tons, out of Philadelphia bound for Genoa. Stopped and scuttled.
1820 Italian brigantine Francesco Severio D, 214 tons, travelling from Giragenti to Ceti with a load of sulphur.



German East Africa:
British monitor HMS Mersey, anchored at Zanzibar, has the following note in her log: "8.30am: Lt Ward RNVR (Intelligence officer) joined ship with 6 native spies."



Canada:
Canadian steam boat Island Gem, 11 tons, travelling from Bennetts Beach, Nova Scotia to Parrsboro Roads, NS, runs aground off Minas Channel.

[Jimbuna]

14th August 1916

Western Front

Great artillery activity north and south of the Somme.

Eastern Front

Russians press retreating Austrians, Halicz (Galicia) threatened, and continue passage of the Zlota-Lipa.

Southern Front

East of Gorizia, heavy fighting.

Italian advance on the northern edge of Carso results in capture of enemy trenches and 1,400 prisoners.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

Turkish offensive continues west of Hamadan (Persia).

Political, etc.

Final meeting between Italian and British delegates; complete understanding on economic questions.

Italy calls on its boy scouts to guard railroad stations, hospitals, and aeroplane hangars to free up manpower.

Ship Losses:

Emilia (Italy) The three-masted schooner was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea off Cape Corse, Corsica, France by SM U-35 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Francesca (Italy) The brigantine was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea north of Cape Corse by SM U-35 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Henriette B. (Italy) The brigantine was sunk of Cape Corse by SM U-35 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Ida (Italy) The three-masted schooner was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea off Cape Corse by SM U-35 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Lavinia (Italy) The brigantine was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea off Cape Corse by SM U-35 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Louis B. (Italy) The schooner was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea off Cape Corse by SM U-35 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
HMT Neath Castle (Royal Navy) The naval trawler collided with a Dutch merchant ship and sank off the Orkney Islands.
Pantellaria (Italy) The vessel was torpedoed and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 40 nautical miles (74 km) off Taranto, Apulia (39°55′N 17°15′E) by SM U-4 ( Austro-Hungarian Navy).
Pausania (Italy) The sailing vessel was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea north east of Cape Corse by SM U-35 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
HMS Remembrance (Royal Navy) The Q-ship was sunk in the Aegean Sea north of Paros, Greece by SM U-38 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Rosario (Italy) The brigantine was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea east of Cape Corse by SM U-35 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
San Francesco di Paolo (Italy) The sailing vessel was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea off Cape Corse by SM U-35 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
San Giovanni Batista (Italy) The cargo ship was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea east of Cape Corse by SM U-35 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
San Giuseppe Patriarca (Italy) The sailing vessel was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea north east of Cape Corse by SM U-35 ( Kaiserliche Marine).

[Sailor Steve]

August 14, 1916

Ligurian Sea:
Lothar von Arnauld de la Perière, in U-35, sinks 1 cargo ship and 10 sailing vessels off Cap Corse, the northern tip of Corsica:
0700 Italian freighter SS San Giovanni Battista, 1,066 tons, course and cargo unknown.
1200 Italian sailing vessel San Giuseppe Patriarca, 62 tons.
1300 Italian brigantine Henriette B, 176 tons.
1330 Italian schooner Emilia, 319 tons.
1330 Italian brigantine Francesca, 161 tons.
1330 Italian brigantine Lavinia, 243 tons.
1400 Italian schooner Louis B, 212 tons.
1400 Italian sailing vessel San Francesco di Paolo, 112 tons.
1445 Italian schooner Ida, 242 tons.
1450 Italian sailing vessel Pausania, 107 tons.
1745 Italian brigantine Rosario, 188 tons.
Von Arnauld's score is now 95 ships and 189,690 tons.



Gulf of Taranto:
Rudolf Singule, in Austro-Hungarian U-4, attacks Italian motor schooner Pantellaria, 204 tons, with his deck gun. The gun jams after two rounds, so Singule sinks Pantellaria with a torpedo, bringing his score to 9 ships and 8,041 tons.



Aegean Sea:
Max Valentiner, in U-38, sinks British Q-Ship HMS Remembrance, 3,660 tons, north of Paros Island. His score is now 87 ships and 193,673 tons.



German East Africa:
Several ships are preparing for an invasion at Bagamoyo.
0515 Monitor HMS Mersey, anchored at Zanzibar, notes the arrival of His Majesty's Whalers Styx and Charon.
0545 Old 2nd class cruiser HMS Challenger departs Saadani for Zanzibar.
0715 Mersey recieves 1 sergeant and 23 marines from battleship Vengeance.
0720 Mersey weighs anchor and leaves the harbour.
0900 Cruiser HMS Challenger arrives at Zanzibar Harbour.
0950 Challenger releases marine landing party to whaler Childers.
1034 Mersey anchors at Saadani.
1405 Whaler Childers arrives at Saadani, bringing 11 more marines for Mersey.
1510 Balloon ship Manica arrives at Zanzibar.
1515 Mersey exercizes Lewis gun crews.
1615 Challenger recieves gear for sailor landing party from Vengeance: Khaki shirts and trousers, helmets, waterproof sheets and mosquito nets.
1635 Challenger takes on board a Maxim machine gun and crew.
1700 Captain Dickson arrives on board Mersey with scouts and porters.
1705 Vengeance, Challenger, Childers and Manica set course for Chumbe Island.
1755 Squadron arrives anchors at Chumbe.
1845 Monitors Mersey and Severn depart Saadani for Chumbe.

[Jimbuna]

15th August 1916

Western Front

The King returns from a visit to the Armies on Western Front.

Eastern Front

Another Russian force reaches Zlota-Lipa, south of Brzezany (Galicia), and also Solotwina (west Stanislau).

Southern Front

Italians take more trenches east of Gorizia.

Naval and Overseas Operations

British clear of Nguru Mts., drive enemy force southward and eastward.

British troops, supported by aerial and naval bombardment, capture the town of Bagamoyo, German East Africa.

Political, etc.

Britain announce an agreement with Italy to supply it with coal and other supplies necessary for the war effort.

U.S. House of Representatives approves Senate plan to build 157 warships in three years.

Report shows that France is spending $397.4 million (about $8.8 billion today) a month for the war effort.

Ship Losses:

Augusta (Italy) The cargo ship was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 45 nautical miles (83 km) off Cape Figari, Sardinia by SM U-35 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Candida Altieri (Italy) The sailing vessel was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea east of Corsica by SM U-35 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
HMS E4 and
HMS E41 (Royal Navy) The E-class submarines collided in the North Sea off Harwich, Essex. Both vessels sank but were later salvaged, repaired and returned to service.
SMS V162 (Kaiserliche Marine) The S138-class destroyer struck a mine and sank in the Baltic Sea.
Vergine di Pompei (Italy) The brigantine was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea east of Corsica (41°30′N 10°05′E) by SM U-35 ( Kaiserliche Marine).

Editorial Cartoon: Great flying! ─ The Passing Show.
http://i.imgur.com/aRoxEKB.png

[Sailor Steve]

August 15, 1916

Air War:
0720 Australian RFC pilot Stanley Goble, flying Nieuport 8517, shoots down an unidentified seaplane for victory number 2.

Austrian pilot Adolf Heyrowski, in Fokker E.III 03.42, shoots down a Voisin for victory number 5. This will be Heyrowski's only victory in a single-seater.



Baltic Sea:
Heinrich Metzger, commanding U-47, begins his career with the capture of Swedish freighter SS Presto, 1,046 tons. The prize court later releases the ship back to her owners.

German destroyer V-162, screening minesweepers attempting to clear the Irben strait, hits a mine near Windau (moder Ventspils) and sinks along with 15 of her crew.



Tyrrhenian Sea:
Lothar von Arnauld de la Perière, in U-35, sinks three more small vessels:
1100 Italian coaster SS Augusta, 523 tons, scuttled off Cape Figari.
1400 Italian brigantine Vergine Di Pompei, 146 tons, scuttled east of the southern tip of Corsica.
1800 Italian sailing vessel Candida Altieri, 282 tons, scuttled off the the east coast of Sardinia.
Von Arnauld's score is now 99 ships and 190,641 tons.



German East Africa:
The attack on Bagamoyo proceeds:
0115 Monitor HMS Severn departs early from Chumbe for Bagamoyo.
0130 Battleship Vengeance, cruiser Challenger, monitor Mersey and balloon ship Manica get underway from Chumbe Island.
0255 Severn arrives at Bagamoyo.
0324 Vengeance, Challenger and Manica anchor off Bagamoyo.
0345 Mersey arrives at Bagamoyo.
0430 Challenger sends two cutters with sailors for landing party to Vengeance.
0440 Vengeance dispatches landing party - 24 marines, 123 sailors, 11 natives.
0500 Landing party boats assemble alongside Mersey.
0530 Boats are sent ashore. Monitors and whalers open fire on beach. Return fire from shore. Vengeance and Challenger open fire on north side of town.
0545 Boats begin landing.
0550 German shore batteries open fire.
0555 Challenger engages battery north of town and on a barracks near the French mission.
0600 Shore parties land.
0650 Balloon and aeroplane sent aloft.
0715 Landing party occupies fort and Governor's House and hoists Union Flag. Reports capture of 11 prisoners and one 4.1" (8.8 cm) gun from SMS Königsberg.
0740 Severn moves close ashore to recieve wounded.
1000 Three wounded natives, one marine, one sailor and one captured German on board Severn for treatment.
1015 Body of dead marine captain transferred from Severn to Vengeance.
1040 Wounded transferred from Severn to whaler Childers.
1200 Vengeance buries at sea Royal Marine Captain Francis Hastings Thomas, killed during occupation.
1330 German prisoners taken aboard Mersey.
1530 German prisoners transfered to Vengeance and Challenger.

The captured 8.8cm gun from Königsberg.
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a325/SailorSteve/88cm%20gun_zpsrgkfrzkz.jpg (http://s14.photobucket.com/user/SailorSteve/media/88cm%20gun_zpsrgkfrzkz.jpg.html)



United States:
American schooner Jennie S. Hall, tonnage unknown, sets sail from Gulfport Mississippi for Fort de France, Martinique, and is not heard from again



Jamaica:
Schooner Mineola, 270 tons, bound from Jamaica for New York, is wrecked at Alligator Pond Bay, Jamaica.

[Jimbuna]

16th August 1916

Western Front

British advance west and south-west of Guillemont.

French take trenches on front of 11 miles, Clery-Maurepas-Guillemont.

French take a system of German trenches near Belloy-en-Santerre (southern Somme) on front of 1,300 yards, 1,300 prisoners.

Eastern Front

Heavy Russian attacks west of Sereth (Galicia).

Total of Russian captures published. Russia announces that they have taken 358,602 Germans and Austro-Hungarians prisoners during the Brusilov offensive.

Southern Front

Artillery active on Isonzo.

Political, etc.

Terms of new British War Loan to be raised in U.S.A. announced.

German authorities arrest 106 people for smuggling in food to Berlin and selling them at 300% profit.

King Victor Emmanuel visits the recently captured city of Gorizia, even though it remains within Austro-Hungarian artillery range.

Ship Losses:

Admiral Clarke (United States) The cargo ship foundered in the Atlantic Ocean. Her crew were rescued by Pama (flag unknown).
Madre (Italy) The barque was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea off Sardinia (38°20′N 11°10′E) by SM U-35 ( Kaiserliche Marine).

[Sailor Steve]

August 16, 1916

Air War:
0835 English RFC pilot John Bowley Qiested and observer W.J. Wyatt, in FE.2b 6931, shoot down a Roland C.II for victory number 1.

0910 English ace Albert Ball, flying Nieuport 17 A201, shoots down a Roland C.II for victory number 8.

Italian pilot Mario Stoppani, in a Nieuport 11, downs an "Enemy Aircraft" for victory number 3




Tyrrhenian Sea:
1200 Lothar von Arnauld de la Perière, commanding U-35, scuttles Italian Barque Madre, 665 tons, near the southern tip of Sardinia. His total is now 100 ships and 191,306 tons.



German East Africa:
More action at Bagamoyo:
0337 Whalers Charon, Childers, Echo and Styx open fire on shore positions. German shore guns return fire.
0530 Monitor Severn enters Msasani Bay.
0545 Severn opens fire on German 8.8cm gun on hilside.
0600 Battleship Vengeance begins 12" gun bombardment of gun positions around Msasani Bay.
0625 Severn ceases fire, acts as spotter for Vengeance.
0730 Vengeance ceases bombardment, moves to new position.
0850 Vengeance stops at Hammond Rock and opens fire with 6" guns on Ros Rongoni.
0950 Vengeance opens fire on observation tower at Kurasini and railway station at Dar-Es-Salaam.
1020 Vengeance ceases fire.

HMS Challenger patrols Bagamoyo in a support position.



South Africa:
French barque La Blanche, 2,579 tons, carrying a load of coal from Durban, South Africa to Montevideo, Uruguay, is lost to a fire off the Cape of Good Hope. All 23 crew are rescued by French barque SS General Sonis.



United States:
American motor fishing vessel Agnes W, 8 tons, is crushed by ice in the Lynn Canal, near Juneau, Alsaska. Crew of 5 all saved.

American scow Pup No. 1, 24 tons, is crushed by ice in the Delta River, near Chena, Alaska.



Carribean Sea:
American Great Lakes-type freighter SS Admiral Clark, 2,321 tons, bound from Port Arthur, Texas for Buenos Aires, founders in a hurricane off Cape Santa Antonio, Cuba. Twenty crew members lost, six others rescued from raft five days later by Swedish barque Tana.

[Jimbuna]

17th August 1916

Western Front

Violent artillery fighting north and south of the Somme.

Determined German attack on broad front, north-west of Pozieres, beaten off.

Eastern Front

Strong enemy attacks beaten back by Russians on Zlota-Lipa (Galicia) front.

Russia announces that they have taken 358,602 Germans and Austro-Hungarians prisoners during the Brusilov offensive.

Southern Front

Lively and artillery action on upper and lower Isonzo. Sixth Battle of the Isonzo ends in an Italian victory. Italy suffered around 51,000 casualties, Austria-Hungary suffered 41,000 casualties.

Considerable activity along whole of Balkans front.

Political, etc.

Lloyd George: “Britain’s honor is not dead; her might is unbroken, her destiny unfulfilled, her ideals unshattered by her enemies.”

Romania concludes agreement with Allies for intervention; favourable demonstration at Bucharest. Romanian government signs a treaty with the Entente Powers to declare war on Germany and Austria-Hungary by August 28.

Ship Losses:

Stampalia (Italy) The passenger ship was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 30 nautical miles (56 km) south of Cape Matapan, Greece (36°40′N 22°10′E) by SM UB-47 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
HMY Zaida (Royal Navy) The naval yacht was sunk in the Gulf of Alexandretta by a Kaiserliche Marine U-boat.
Swedish Prince (United Kingdom) The steamer was sunk 12 miles NWxW of Pantelleria Island 36° 54'N, 11° 42'E whilst enroute from Salonica - Bizerta in ballast by U 35 (Lothar von Arnauld de la Perière). There was one casualty and the Master, chief engineer, and a gunner were taken prisoner.

http://i.imgur.com/JHb0tVf.jpg
U.S. Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire Abram I. Elkus leaving New York on the ocean liner Oscar II with wife Gertrude Hess Elkus, daughters Ethel J. and Katharine, son James Hess Elkus. The previous ambassador Henry Morgenthau stands with them. August 17, 1916.

[Sailor Steve]

August 17, 1916

Air War:
1020 Canadian RFC pilot Chester Stairs Duffus and observer Cpl A. Winterbottom, in FE.2b 6931, and another FE.2 crewed by Cpt J.G. Swart and 2nd Lt C.L. Cook, shoot down a German two-seater. It is victory number 1 for Duffus. Nothing is known about the other three.

Bohemian-born Austro-Hungarian pilot Andreas Dombrowski and observer Franz Sycek, flying Hansa-Brandenburg C.I 26.37, shoot down a Russian Voisin for victory number 1. Sycek holds the rank of "Kadettaspirant".

French aces Georges Guynemer, in Nieuport 17 1530, and pilot Alfred Herteaux, in an unnamed Nieuport, shoot down an Aviatik C.I for victories number 13 and 5 respectively. Guynemer also claims an Albatros two-seater, but it is unconfirmed.



Mediterranean Sea:
Lothar von Arnauld de la Perière, in U-35, has moved south into the passage between Sicily and Tunisia. There he sinks British freighter SS Swedish Prince, 3,712 tons, travelling in ballast from Salonica to Bizerta, bringing his score to 101 ships and 195,018. This puts him in second place for tonnage sunk. He has been in first place for number of ships for some time.

Wolfgang Steinbauer starts his career in UB-47 with the sinking of Itlalian freighter SS Stampalia, 9,000 tons.



German East Africa:
British cruiser HMS Challenger and monitors Mersey and Severn spend the night cruising up and down the coast, lighting up the area with searchlights. They then spend the day evacuating German prisoners, as well as women and children.



Canada:
Schooner Mary Hendry, 249 tons, travelling from Lunenburg, Nova Scotia to Rameo, Newfoundland, runs aground near Burgeo, Newfoundland.

[Jimbuna]

18th August 1916

Western Front

British advance from Pozieres to Somme; ground gained towards Ginchy and Guillemont.

French gain part of Maurepas and extend their gains south-east.

Violent German counter-attacks north of Maurepas beaten back by French.

French take the whole of Fleury (Verdun) and make progress at Thiaumont.

Southern Front

Bulgarians having advanced through East Macedonia, occupy several Greek forts.

Naval and Overseas Operations

General Northey occupied Lupembe (East Africa).

Political, etc.

British government bans British subjects who have been abroad since March 1st and foreigners from entering Ireland.

Gasoline prices in the U.S. drops to 23 cents per gallon, compared to 26 cents at the beginning of the week.

Ship Losses:

Erix (Italy) The coaster was sunk in the Malta Channel (36°09′N 15°49′E) by SM U-35 ( Kaiserliche Marine).

[Sailor Steve]

August 18, 1916

Air War:
French ace Georges Guynemer, flying Nieuport 17 1530, shoots down an Aviatik C.II for victory number 14.



Mediterranean Sea:
Lothar von Arnauld de la Perière, Commanding U-35, sinks Italian freighter SS Erix, 923 tons, travelling in ballast from Rhodes to Naples. His score is now 102 ships and 195,941 tons.



German East Africa:
Monitor HMS Severn fires on Mwangatoni Village with one 4.7" gun.
Armed Merchant cruiser Himalaya fires on camp near Mvita Village.
Other ships involved in moving prisoners around.

[Jimbuna]

19th August 1916

Western Front

Heavy fighting on Somme front. British continue to gain ground.

German attacks at Fleury (Verdun) repulsed.

Naval and Overseas Operations

German High Sea Fleet comes out, but retires in face of British forces.

H.M.S. "Nottingham" and "Falmouth", light cruisers, torpedoed and sunk; two German submarines destroyed.

http://i.imgur.com/w7ziVGq.jpg
Light cruiser HMS Nottingham is sunk by the German submarine U-52, resulting in 38 deaths.

Political, etc.

Lloyd George on war progress: “I feel for the first time in two years that the nippers are gripping and before long we will hear the crack.”

Germany apologizes for sinking the Dutch steamer Rijndijk, which was carrying food aid supplies to Belgium.

Crisis in Greece, owing to Bulgar occupation of Greek territory.

Ship Losses:

Dea (Italy) The brigantine was sunk in the Strait of Sicily by SM U-38 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
HMS Falmouth (Royal Navy) The Town-class cruiser was torpedoed and sunk in the North Sea (53°58′56″N 0°4′30″W) by SM U-63 and SM U-66 (both Kaiserliche Marine).
Mary Hendry (United Kingdom) The schooner was wrecked at Burgeoo, Newfoundland. Her crew were rescued.
HMS Nottingham (Royal Navy) The Town-class cruiser was torpedoed and sunk in the North Sea (55°34′N 0°12′E by SM U-52 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of 38 of her 433 crew.

[Sailor Steve]

August 19, 1916

North Sea:
On August 18 the German High Seas Fleet put to sea with the intention of bombarding Sunderland. Part of the plan was to draw the British Grand Fleet into a group of 24 German u-boats. In Britain the code group at Room 40 intercepted the German signals and the Grand fleet put to see, aware of the Germans' positions but not of the u-boats.

On the afternoon of the 18th 5 British battleships, 6 battlecruisers, 5 light cruisers, 20 destroyers and 25 submarines were ordered to intercept the German group.

At 0600 hours on the morning of August 19th Hans Walther, commanding U-52, fires three torpedoes at British light cruiser HMS Nottingham, 5,400 tons. Two of them hit, leaving Nottingham with no power. The other cruisers, believing they have wandered into a minefield, move away from the area. Then they realize that it is likely a u-boat, and HMS Dublin begins cruising up and down the area at high speed in an attempt to draw the u-boat's fire. At 0626 Walther fires a fourth torpedo, and at 0710 Nottingham sinks. When he recieves the signal about Nottingham, Admiral Jellicoe turns the Grand Fleet northward, away from the German fleet. At 1315 Hans Rose, in U-53, reports the British fleet's position to Admiral Scheer, and the German fleet turns homeward. Hans Walther's score is now 13 ships and 21,341 tons.

At 1323 HMS Minotaur reports a u-boat sighting, and at 1338 HMS Boadicea signals another sighting. Jellicoe turns away again.

At 1530 another u-boat sighting is reported, and again Jellicoe turns away from it. "It seemed fairly certain to me that the enemy would leave a trap behind him in the shape of mines or submarines, or both; and indeed numerous submarines already sighted made it probable that the trap was extensive."

At 1652 Thorwald von Bothmer, in U-66, sights the Grand fleet and fires two torpedoes at the nearest ship. HMS Falmouth, 5,250 tons, is seriously damaged, but a depth-charge attack by screening destroyers forces von Bothmer to dive deep and run before he can fire again.

On the British side, Jellicoe later wrote "The enemy's submarine commanders were no doubt increasing in efficiency, and risks which we could afford to run earlier in the war were now unjustifiable."

German Admiral Scheer was aware that only the timely signal from U-53 had saved him from disaster, but was unaware of the positive result of his venture. On September 13th Jellicoe ordered that the Grand Fleet would be restricted to the north end of the North Sea, which left most of the eastern British coastline unprotected.
-Edwin A. Gray, The U-Boat War: 1914-1918, pp 157-160



Mediterranean Sea:
Max Valentiner, in U-38, sinks Italian brigantine Dea, 167 tons, bringing his score to 88 ships and 193,840 tons.



Adriatic Sea:
Austro-Hungarian coaster SS Pozsony, 498 tons, is sunk by a mine off Durrës, Albania. Thirty-one lost, 139 saved.



German East Africa:
Cruiser HMS Challenger spends the hour from 0545 to 0650 cruising near Ras Kankadya trying to draw enemy fire.
0659-0710 Challenger fires briefly on trenches in the area.



Australia:
Australian coaster SS Commonwealth, 188 tons, carrying a load of coal from Lake Macquarie to Botany Bay, founders off Terrigal, New South Wales.

[Jimbuna]

20th August 1916

Western Front

Great artillery activity on the Somme.

British and French encounters all along the front.

Southern Front

Serbs throw back Bulgarians in Moglena sector (Balkans).

General Allied offensive in Macedonia.

Naval

Light cruiser HMS Falmouth, while it was being towed due to yesterday's damage, is sunk by the German submarine U-66.
http://i.imgur.com/0YNcR0j.jpg

Political,etc.

Germany announces that this year’s crops exceed those during peace and that there is no need to worry about food supplies.

Sir Charles Monro is appointed the new commander in chief of British troops in India.
http://i.imgur.com/rcfmMSn.jpg

Ship Losses:

Dragoon (United Kingdom) The fishing smack was scuttled in the North Sea 36 nautical miles (67 km) north east by north of Cromer, Norfolk by SM UC-10 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
HMS Falmouth (Royal Navy) The Town-class cruiser, which had been torpedoed and damaged the previous day by SM U-66 ( Kaiserliche Marine), was torpedoed and sunk in the North Sea off Flamborough Head, Yorkshire by SM U-63 ( Kaiserliche Marine). with the loss of eleven of her 433 crew.

"There Were Some Crows" (Western Mail cartoon).
http://i.imgur.com/MPqzsxn.jpg

[Sailor Steve]

August 20, 1916

Air War:
Czech-born Austro-Hungarian ace Heinrich Kostrba, flying Hansa-Brandenburg C.I with no observer, shoots down a Farman two-seater for victory number 8.
http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showpost.php?p=2428251&postcount=157
Jon Guttman, Reconnaissance and Bomber Aces of World War 1, pp 82-83



North Sea:
Otto Schultze, commanding U-63, finishes the job started yesterday by Thorwald von Bothmer and U-66. Finding the crippled cruiser HMS Falmouth under tow by destroyers Negro, Pasley and Pelican, according to one source, and a pair of tugs according to another, Schultze fires two torpedoes, both of which hit. Falmouth quickly sinks. The skeleton crew gets off safely, though one man will later die from his wounds. Pelican claims to have rammed the u-boat, but U-63 escapes untouched. This is Schultze's first sinking.
-Edwin A. Gray, The U-Boat War: 1914-1918, p 160



Werner Albrecht, in UC-10, stops and scuttles British fishing smack Dragoon, 30 tons. This is first sinking.



Montenegro, on the Adriatic Sea:
Lothar von Arnauld de la Perière, in U-35, returns to his base at Cattaro (modern-day Kotor), finishing the all-time record submarine war patrol. In 25 days at sea he has sunk 54 ships for 91,150 tons. He has fired over 900 shells from his deck gun, laid numerous scuttling charges, but only fired 4 torpedoes...and one of those missed.

[Jimbuna]

21st August 1916

Western Front

Considerable progress made on a front of half mile north-west of Pozieres.

British within 1,000 yards of Thiepval (Somme).

Political, etc.

Premier Asquith states Germany has yet “to agree to peace except on terms that would be intolerable or humiliating to some of the Allies.”

Due to protests, Germany cancels a $250,000 fine it levied on occupied Brussels for celebrating Belgian National Day.

Germany and Austria-Hungary warns Romania that allowing Russian troops passage through the country will result in war.

Ship Losses:

Dobrovoletz (Imperial Russian Navy) The Emir Bukharski-class destroyer struck a mine and sank in the Irben Strait.
Maria (Italy) The barquentine was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea east of Sicily (37°04′N 16°51′E by SM U-34 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Saronic (United States) The cargo ship sprang a leak in Lake Erie and was beached at Cleveland, Ohio. She was subsequently destroyed by fire.
SM UC-10 (Kaiserliche Marine) The Type UC I submarine was torpedoed and sunk in the North Sea (52°02′N 3°54′E) by HMS E54 ( Royal Navy) with the loss of all eighteen crew.
Baltia (Sweden) The cargo ship, en route from Söderhamn to Zaandam, struck a mine in the North Sea and sank. One of the crew was killed by the explosion.

[Sailor Steve]

August 21, 1916

Air War:
The southernmost air unit at Verdun, Kampfeinsitzer Kommando Avillers-Sainte-Croix, also known as Fokkerstaffel Avillers, becomes Jagdstaffel 5. The group is relocated to Bechamp, still near Verdun. Oblt Hans Berr is commanding officer and the aircraft are a mix of Halberstadt D.IIs and the new Fokker D.IIs.

1015 English RFC ace Alan Wilkinson, pilot S.J. Sibley and Canadian pilot Harry Wood, all in DH.2s, shoot down a German 2-seater. Victory number 7 for Wilkinson, 2 for wood and 2 for Sibley.



North Sea:
British submarine HMS E-54 torpedoes UC-10 off the Schouwen Bank. Werner Albrecht is lost along with all of his 17 crew.



Gulf of Riga, Baltic Sea:
Russian destroyer Dobrovolets, 660 tons, is sunk by a German mine in the Irbe Strait.



Atlantic Ocean:
French trawler Annibal, in service as a patrol boat, is lost at sea.



Mediterranean Sea:
Claus Rücker, commanding U-34, begins a new patrol with the sinking of Italian barquentine Maria, 242 tons, bound from Livorno for Tobruk with a load of wood. Rücker's tally is now 45 ships and 124,467 tons.



German East Africa:
Another attack is launched at Dar-Es-Saalam.
From 0710 to 0900 HMS Vengeance fires at German gun positions with her 12" guns. A seaplane and balloon from HMS Manica are spotting the fall of shot.
From 0710 to 0814 HMS Challenger shells a German 10.5cm gun positon at Bagamoyo.
From 0820 to 0850 HMS Talbot fires on a German camp at Lindi.
Monitors Mersey and Severn transport marines to and from the Bagamoyo area.



Indian Ocean:
Coaster SS Kilwa, 352 tons, departs Durban, South Africa for Majunga, Madagascar with a load of coal, and is not heard from again.

[Jimbuna]

22nd August 1916

Western Front

Two determined counter-attacks south of Thiepval beaten off by British.

Germans gain a footing in trenches held by French south of Estrees (southern Somme).

Heavy aerial fighting on Somme front.

Eastern Front

Russians gain heights south of Jablonica Pass (Carpathians).

Enemy attack with gas south-east of Vilna, repulsed.

Southern Front

Italian successes in the Dolomites.

Allied offensive progresses in the Moglena and Doiran sectors (Macedonia).

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

Russian offensive west of Lake Van (Armenia).

Aviation

Julius Arigi & Johann Lasi of the Austro-Hungarian air force become the 1st “ace in a day” by shooting down 5 Italian aircraft today.

Naval and Overseas Operations

British submarine HMS E16 is sunk by a mine in Heligoland Blight with the loss of all hands.

Kilossa, on Central Railway (East Africa), taken by British. Enemy falls back on Morogoro.

Political, etc.

Lloyd George states he sees the end of the war is approaching, while Churchill warns Britain must be prepared to fight even longer.

Mr. Lloyd George in the House of Commons gives survey of military situation; announces 35 Zeppelins destroyed by Allies.

British government reports that German Zeppelin raids against Britain have resulted in 334 civilian deaths and 50 military deaths.

U.S. warns the Ottoman Empire that any massacre of Armenians in Persia will be “regraded with great disfavor.”

Ship Losses:

HMS E16 (Royal Navy) The E-class submarine struck a mine and sank in the Heligoland Bight with the loss of all 30 crew.
San Pietro (Italy) The fishing vessel was sunk in the Strait of Sicily by SM U-34 ( Kaiserliche Marine).

[Sailor Steve]

August 22, 1916

Air War:
KEK Nord, stationed at Bertincourt, near Arras, becomes Jagdstaffel 1, under the command of Martin Zander.

0730-0800 Bohemia-born Austro-Hungarian pilot Julius Arigi and observer Johann Lasi, in Hansa-Brandenburg C.I 61.64, attack a formation of six Farman bombers. They claim to have shot down five of them, making them aces in one mission. The Italians claim to have lost only two aircraft in this fight. This is further complicated by the formation first being discovered by Lohner TT L131. Pilot Friedrich Lang and observer Franz Kohlhauser also claim to have brought down two of the enemy.

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a325/SailorSteve/Lohner%20L_131_zpsiulg8xpu.jpg (http://s14.photobucket.com/user/SailorSteve/media/Lohner%20L_131_zpsiulg8xpu.jpg.html)

Their commander, Oblt Cioll, gets into trouble with his superiors because the observer is supposed to be an officer. After three telegrams demanding to know why there was no officer aboard, Colli replies "All of our officers were indisposed at the time."
-Jon Guttman, Reconnaissance and Bomber Aces of World War 1, page 76

1745 English RFC pilots William George Sellar Curphey, flying DH.2 7851, and Leslie Peech Aizlewood, in another DH.2, shoot down an LVG two-seater. Victory number 1 for both.

1900-1945 English ace Albert Ball, in Nieuport 17 A201, Shoots down three Roland C.IIs for victories 9, 10 and 11. One of the three is flown by Wilhelm Cymera. The Roland crashes into a house, killing Cymera's observer. Wilhelm Cymera will go on to become an ace in single-seaters.

1910 English pilot Stephen William Price and American observer Frederick Libby, in FE.2b 6994, are credited with three Roland C.IIs, aided on two of them by Lt L.T. Rees and 2nd Lt B.F. Morris in FE.2b 6983 on two of them. Victories 1, 2 and 3 for Price, 2, 3 and 4 for Libby, 1 and 2 for Rees and Morris.

French ace Charles Nungesser, flying a Nieuport 16, brings down an "Enemy Aircraft" for kill number 12.



Mediterranean Sea:
Claus Rücker, commanding U-34, sinks Italian fishing vessel San Pietro, 53 tons, bringing his score to 46 ships and 124,520 tons.

[Jimbuna]

23rd August 1916

Western Front

Fighting south of Thiepval results in a slight British gain.

Strong German attacks at Guillemont repulsed.

Fierce artillery duel on French section of Somme front.

French progress south of Fleury (Verdun).

Southern Front

Activity on Salonika front, especially on left flank.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

Turks defeated at Rayat (Turco-Persian frontier); 2,300 prisoners.

Russians retake Bitlis (lower Vau).

Aviation

Zeppelin raid on east coast, no casualties.

http://i.imgur.com/qcZZOC7.jpg

Naval and Overseas Operations

Return of submarine "Deutschland" to Germany.

Ship Losses:

HMT Birch (Royal Navy) The naval trawler struck a mine laid by UC 1 (Kurt Ramien) and sank in the North Sea off Great Yarmouth, Norfolk (52°42′N 2°11′E) with the loss of three of her crew.
Cossack (Norway) The cargo ship foundered in the Atlantic Ocean. Thirteen crew were rescued.
Elios (Italy) The brigantine was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea off the south coast of France by SM U-38 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Maria Brizzolari (Italy) The brigantine was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea off the south coast of France by SM U-38 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Quebra (United Kingdom) The cargo ship struck rocks off the Blasket Islands, County Kerry and sank with the loss of three of her 37 crew.
Tanina (Italy) The brigantine was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea off the south coast of France by SM U-38 ( Kaiserliche Marine).

[Sailor Steve]

August 23, 1916

Air War:
KEK Martincourt becomes Jasta 7, commanded by Oblt Fritz Bronsart von Schellendorf and operating in the Metz area.

Armand Pinsard allegedly receives the first SPAD VII to enter service, A122. Up to this time his main claim to fame was his escape from a German prison camp. He was forced to land behind enemy lines on February 8, 1915. After fourteen months as a prisoner he escaped, along with Capitaine Victor Menard on March 26, 1916 and crossed the front lines on April 10.
-Jon Guttman, SPAD VII Aces of World War 1

1310 Canadian pilot Chester Duffus and observer Cpl C.A. Winterbottom, in FE.2b 6931, shoot down a Fokker eindecker for victory number 2.

Italian pilots Francesco Baracca and Fulco Ruffo di Calabria, both flying Nieuport 11s, shoot down a Hansa-Brandenburg C.I. Victory number 3 for Baracca, number 1 for di Calabria.

French pilot Joseph de Bonnefoy, in an unnamed Nieuport, shoots down an "Enemy Aircraft" for victory number 4.

French pilot Gustave Douchy, in a Nieuport, shoots down and Albatros two-seater for victory number 2.



Ireland:
British freighter SS Quebra, 4,538 tons, bound from New York for Liverpool with a general cargo, changes course after sighting a submarine. In the dark she runs aground at Valentia Island and sinks.



North Sea:
His Majesty's Trawler Birch, 215 tons, hits a mine laid by Kurt Ramien in UC-1, bringing his score to 12 ships and 21,520 tons.



Bay of Biscay:
British freighter SS Carly, 3,358 tons, travelling from Villaricos to Nantes with a load of iron ore, runs aground on the rocks near Batz-sur-Mer, west of Saint-Nazaire.



Gulf of Lyon:
Max Valentiner, commanding U-38, sinks three Italian sailing vessels:
Brigantine Elios, 190 tons.
Brigantine Maria Brizzolari, 152 tons.
Brigantine Tanina, 138 tons.
Valentiner's score is now 91 ships and 194,320 tons.



German East Africa:
The attack on Dar-Es-Salaam continues, with battleship HMS Vengeance, cruiser Challenger and armed merchant cruiser Princess firing at German trenches at Ras Rongoni and Ras Upanga.



Brazil:
French barque La Blanche, 2,100 tons, carrying a load of coal from Durban to Buenos Aires, catches fire off Santa Catalina, Brazil.

[Jimbuna]

24th August 1916

Western Front

Further British advance towards Thiepval (northern Somme).

Hard fighting east and north-east edge of Delville Wood, ground gained and prisoners taken.

German attacks west of Ginchy (Somme) driven off.

French capture whole of Maurepas and repulse violent German counter-attacks south of village.

Southern Front

Italian progress in Dolomites.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

Mush (Armenia) recaptured by Russians and 2,300 prisoners taken on way to Mosul.

Aviation

French Morane biplane at the Esquennoy aerodrome.
http://i.imgur.com/vA94v0y.jpg

Zeppelin raid on east and south-east coast, nine killed, forty injured.

http://i.imgur.com/CNrJGS2.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/gIZW9Qy.jpg

Political, etc.

Conference at Calais on Franco-British war finance.

French Army orders its soldiers to shave except their mustaches. An estimated 120 tons of beards will be shaved.

Austria-Hungary loots the artifacts and treasures of Visoki Dečani, a Serbian Orthodox monastery built in the 14th century.

Ship Losses:

Alix (Italy) The brigantine was scuttled in the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of Algeria (37°51′N 8°18′E) by SM U-34 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Angelina (Italy) The brigantine was scuttled in the Mediterranean Sea 53 nautical miles (98 km) north north east of Bône, Algeria (37°48′N 8°16′E) by SM U-34 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Gustave Zédé (French Navy) The Gustave Zédé-class submarine sank in the Adriatic Sea due to an explosion in her batteries with the loss of four of her 40 crew. She was subsequently refloated, repaired and returned to service.
Hump (United Kingdom) The cargo ship collided with Argyle ( United Kingdom) in the St. Lawrence River and sank. Her crew were rescued.
Isdalen (Norway) The cargo ship was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea (42°22′N 5°06′E) by SM U-38 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Liègeoise (Belgium) The cargo ship was captured in the Mediterranean Sea (42°12′N 5°25′E) by U-38 ( Kaiserliche Marine). She was shelled and sunk.

Editorial Cartoon: Crucial Days for the Iron Cross ─ Chicago Tribune.
http://i.imgur.com/E00Pnu5.jpg

[Sailor Steve]

August 24, 1916

Air War:
1630 Scottish RFC pilot Ian Henry David Henderson, flying a BE.12, shoots down an "Enemy Aircraft" for victory number 1.

1830 German pilot Leopold Rudolf Reimann shoots down Sopwith 1-1/2 Strutter A879 for victory number 1. Pilot Capt Robert Gerald Hopwood and gunner Charles Rapley Pearce are both killed. It is not certain, but Reimann may have been flying the first Albatros D.I, 385/16. He is known to have been flying this aircraft just eight days later, on September 1, so it's certainly possible. This is also the first kill for Jasta 1 as a unit, and the first kill for any Jasta.

1900 German ace Rudolf Berthold, in a Fokker E.IV, shoots down Nieuport scout N1552 for victory number 6. Caporal Henri Danguenger is killed.

French ace Albert Deullin, in an unnamed Nieuport, shoots down an "Enemy Aircraft" for victory number 6.

German pilot Hermann Pfeiffer, in a Fokker E.III, shoots down a Caudron G.4 for victory number 2. Sgt Jouanny and Aspirant Florintin are both captured.

French pilot Constant Frederic Soulier, in a Nieuport 17, destroys a German observation balloon for victory number 1.



North Sea:
Paul Hundius, commanding UB-16, sinks Norwegian coaster SS Velox, 312 tons, bound from Rotterdam for London with a general cargo. This brings his score to 5 ships and 7,179 tons.



Gulf of Lyon:
Max Valentiner, in U-38, sinks Norwegian freighter SS Isdalen, 2,275 tons, travelling from Hull to Genoa with a load of coal; and Belgian freighter SS Liegoeise, 3,895 tons, carrying a load of coal from Newport, Momnouthshire, Wales to Genoa. His score is now 93 ships and 200,490 tons.



Mediterranean Sea:
Claus Rücker, in U-34, stops and scuttles brigantine Alix, 141 tons, carrying 246 tons of phosphate from Bône to Naples; and brigantine Angelina, also en route from Bône to Naples with a load of wood. His score is now 48 ships and 124,814 tons.

[Jimbuna]

25th August 1916

Western Front

Determined German attack south of Thiepval repulsed.

Germans active in Verdun region.

Violent German attack repulsed west of Tahure (Champagne).

Southern Front

British warships bombard the forts of Kavalla.

Seres occupied by Bulgars.

Naval

HMS Duke of Albany, a requisitioned passenger vessel, is sunk by the German SM UB-27, resulting in at least 22 deaths.
http://i.imgur.com/nEOoewu.jpg

Political, etc.

Correspondence between British and Swedish Governments about the detention of mail packets by either Government is published.

Ship Losses:

HMS Duke of Albany (Royal Navy) The armed boarding steamer was torpedoed and sunk in the North Sea 20 nautical miles (37 km) east of the Pentland Skerries, Orkney Islands (58°44′N 2°28′W) by SM UB-27 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of 24 crew.[
Equinox (United Kingdom) The trawler struck a mine and sank in the North Sea 39 nautical miles (72 km) south east by east of the Humber Lightship ( United Kingdom) with the loss of nine of her crew.
Leandros (Greece) The cargo ship was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea off Cape Creux (41°52′N 4°07′E) by SM U-38 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Nostra Senora del Carmine (Italy) The full-rigged ship was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 40 nautical miles (74 km) off Cape Creux by SM U-38 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Socoa (France) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 30 nautical miles (56 km) north east of Cape Carbon, Algeria (36°58′N 5°20′E) by SM U-34 ( Kaiserliche Marine).

[Sailor Steve]

August 25, 1916

Air War:
KEK Vaux becomes Jasta 4. The squadron's location at Roupy is unchanged, and the commanding officer is still ace Hans-Joachim Buddecke.

KEK Sivry becomes Jasta 6. Commanding officer is Josef Wulff.

1100 English ace Albert Ball, flying Nieuport 17 A201, shoots down a Roland C.II for victory number 12.

1300 English pilot Stephen Price and American observer Frederick Libby, in FE.2b 6994, shoot down an Aviatik two-seater. Number 4 for Price, number 5 for Libby.

Slovakian pilot Jozef Kiss and Austrian observer Kurt Fiedler, in Hansa-Brandenburg C.I 26.29, shoot down a three-engined Caproni bomber. Victory number 2 for Kiss, number 1 for Fiedler.

French pilot Pierre Dufaur de Gavardi shares a kill with a soldat Carré (first name unknow) when the pair destroy a German balloon. Number 4 for de Gavardie, unknown for Carré.

French ace Charles Nungesser, in an unnamed Nieuport, shoots down an LVG two-seater for victory number 13.

German pilot Rudolf Friedrich Otto Windisch and observer Maximilian von Cossell, In an unnamed two-seater, destroy an observation balloon for victory number 1.

German pilot Martin Zander, now in a Fokker E.III (his first two were in two-seaters), shoots down BE.2c 4285 for victory number 3. Lts Ronald Draycott Walker and Charles Smith are both taken prisoner.



North Sea:
Victor Dieckmann, commanding UB-27, sinks British armed boarding steamer Duke of Albany, 1,997 tons, bringing his total to 7 ships and 7,709 tons.

British trawler Equinox, 198 tons, on a fishing trip out of Grimsby, goes missing. Presumed to have hit a mine.



Gulf of Lyon:
Max Valentiner, in U-38, sinks Greek freighter SS Leandros, 1,658 tons, travelling from Cardiff to Genoa with a load of coal; and Italian sailing ship Nostra Signora Del Carmine, 1,575 tons, en route from Baltimore to Genoa. His score is now 93 ships and 200,490 tons.



Mediterranean Sea:
Claus Rücker, in U-34, torpedoes French freighter SS Socoa, 2,772 tons, bringing his score to 49 ships and 127,586 tons.



German East Africa:
Another attack, this time against German trenches on Bongoyo Island. Battleship Vengeance and cruisers Challenger and Hyacinth shell the positions from 0810 to 0830, at which time the cruisers move on. From 0840 to 0900 Vengeance fires at gun positions near Kigamboni.

[Jimbuna]

26th August 1916

Western Front

British take a short length of German trench north of Bazentin-le-Petit (Somme).

Eastern Front

Russians make slight advance towards Halicz (Galicia).

Southern Front

Activity on left flank of Salonika front.

Serbs beat off Bulgar counter-attacks north-west of Kukuruz and progress in Ostrovo region.

General Moschopoulos appointed Chief of Greek General Staff in place of General Dusmanis.

Aviation

France claims they shot down five German aeroplanes today; Germany also claims they shot down 5 Allied planes.

Naval and Overseas Operations

British enter Morogoro (East Africa).

Political etc.

German Food Regulation Board appeals to the women of rural Germany to divide their food with the women and children living in urban areas.

Kaiser Wilhelm attempts to send Duke Albrecht as a special envoy to the Romanian King, but King Ferdinand rebuffs the Kaiser’s moves.

Romanian Council of Ministers increases credit for its army from $40 million to $120 million, as Romania prepares for war.

Ship Losses:

Atlantico (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was scuttled in the Mediterranean Sea 15 nautical miles (28 km) south east of Formentera, Spain by SM U-38 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Ballooie (United Kingdom) The cargo ship collided with Polzeath ( United Kingdom) in the Seine at Rouen, Seine-Maritime, France and was beached.
HMT Rosie (Royal Navy) The naval trawler was lost on this date.

[Sailor Steve]

August 26, 1916

Air War:
German pilot Hans Karl Müller, flying a Fokker E.III*, claims a Voisin shot down over Verdun for victory number 4. There is a Caudron from Escadrille C53 reported missing this day, along with its crew, Sgt Mars and SLt Humbert. This is also the first victory for newly-formed Jasta 5.
*According to Norman Franks, the unit also had some Halberstadts, but Müller "is believed" to have been in the Fokker.

German pilot Hermann Pfeiffer, in a Fokker D.III, shoots down a Caudron for victory number 2.

North Sea:
Norwegian freighter SS Renteria, 1,602 tons, carrying a load of paper pulp from Oscarshamn to Bilbao, is sunk at Dogger Bank by a mine of unknown origin.



Mediterranean Sea:
Max Valentiner, commanding U-38, has moved to the area south of Formentera Island, where he captures and scuttles Italian freighter SS Atlantico, 3,069 tons, bound from Buenos Aires for Genoa with a load of wheat. His score is now 96 ships and 206,792 tons.



Atlantic Ocean:
American schooner Lucia Porter, 285 tons, is abandoned in the North Atlantic.

[Jimbuna]

27th August 1916

Western Front

German attack in front of Fleury repulsed.

Southern Front

Ground gained by Serbs near Vetrenik (Salonika) in a general offensive.

Naval and Overseas Operations

British capture large artillery dump and occupy Mgeta.

Aviation

British and French aeroplanes bomb Ghent and hit an ammunition depot, causing several civilian casualties.

Political, etc.

Romania mobilises and declares War on Austria-Hungary.

Greek protest meeting in Athens on King Constantine's policy.

Russia states it is willing to cooperate with the U.S. to feed starving Polish civilians under German occupation.

Kaiser Wilhelm orders the postponement of any executions of French prisoners both civilian and military.

Ship Losses:

HMT Ocean Plough (Royal Navy) The naval trawler struck a mine laid by UC 1 (Kurt Ramien) and sank in the North Sea off Lowestoft, Suffolk (52°27′00″N 1°52′30″E) with the loss of five of her crew.
Torridon (Italy) The full-rigged ship was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 30 nautical miles (56 km) (38°27′N 1°56′E) by SM U-34 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Unnamed Barge (Austria-Hungary) The fuel-loaded barge was hit by a torpedo and exploded when the torpedo boats Rândunica, Bujorescu and Catinca ( Romanian Naval Forces) attacked Austro-Hungarian warships near the Bulgarian city of Rutschek.

[Sailor Steve]

August 27, 1916

Air War:
Sometime between August 12th and 26th Oswald Boelcke has arrived at Jasta 2. On this date he records in the Squadron Diary that the unit has 3 officers, 64 enlisted men, and 0 aircraft.



North Sea:
Victor Dieckmann, commanding UB-27, captures Norwegian freighter SS Skjaereg, 1,019 tons, bound from Halmstad for Hull with a load of wood, as a prize. His score is now 8 ships and 8,729 tons.

His Majesty's Drifter Ocean Plough, 99 tons, hits a mine laid by Kurt Ramien in UC-1. Ramien's score is now 13 ships and 21,359 tons.

British freighter SS Wavelet, 2,992 tons, travelling from Narvik to Tees with a load of iron ore, is wrecked off Bjugn, Norway.



Mediterranean Sea:
Claus Rücker, in U-34, sinks Italian freighter SS Torridon, 1,526 tons, carrying a load of coal rom Baltimore to Genoa. His score is now 50 ships and 129,112 tons.



German East Africa:
At 0800 light cruiser HMS Challenger reports hearing explosions from Dar-Es-Salaam.