[Sailor Steve]

January 26, 1917

Air War:
1005 English pilot James McCudden, flying DH.2 7858, shoots down a German two-seater for victory number 2.

1215 French ace Georges Guynemer, in a SPAD VII, shoots down an Albatros two-seater for victory number 30.

1520 French air crew of Jules Covin, Adj Gimmmig and Sldt Massier, in a Caudron three-seater, shoot down an "Enemy Aircraft". Victory number 2 for Covin, number 1 for Gimmig and Massier.

1550 English observer William Gilson, riding in FE.2d A32 with Lt J.K. Stead as pilot, shoots down a Halberstadt D.II for victory number 4.

German ace Walter von Bülow, in an Albatros D.II, shoots down Sopwith 1½ Strutter A1074 for victory number 7. Flt Sgt W.G. Webb and Cpl R.D. Fleming are both killed.

French pilot Marcel Hauss, in a Nieuport, shoots down a German two-seater for victory number 4.

French air crew of Jean Loste, Lt. P. Barbou and Louis Martin, in a Caudron R.4, shood down an Aviatik two-seater. Victory number 7 for Loste, 4 for Barbeau and 6 for Martin. This is the last victory for all three of these men. Records are unclear, but it is confirmed that Loste lived until 1960, Martin until 1920. No infromation on Barbou.



Ireland:
British freighter SS Ava, 5,076 tons, departs Liverpool for Dakar with a load of coal and general cargo, and is not heard from again. Presumed torpedoed but there are no matching German claims. 92 crew lost.

Erich Sittenfeld, commanding U-45, captures British freighter SS Tabasco, 2,987 tons, bound from Halifax for Liverpool with a general cargo. After the crew abandon ship Tabasco is sunk with a torpedo. Sittenfeld's score is now 10 ships and 12,056 tons.


Celtic Sea:
Carl-Siegried von Georg, in U-57, sinks Italian freighter SS Bisagno, 2,252 tons, travelling from Garrucha to Barrow with a load of iron ore. His score is now 29 ships and 29,027 tons.



North Sea:
German freighter SS Westfalia, en route from Rotterdam to Copenhagen with a load of coal, sinks following an explosion off Terschelling. Cause unknown. The only life lost is the Dutch pilot.



Skagerrak:
Willy Petz, in U-85, sinks Norwegian freighter SS Dicax, 923 tons. carrying a load of milled boards from Fredrikstad to Garston; west of Ryvingen. This is Petz's first sinking.



Russia:
British freighter SS Bayropea, 4,671 tons, travelling from Cardiff to Arkhangelsk with a load of munitions, catches fire and explodes at Arkhangelsk.



South Africa:
British freighter SS Matheran, 7,654 tons, hits a mine laid by German raider SMS Wolf off Dassen Island.



Simonstown, South Africa:
HMS Hyacinth conducts gunnery practice with a target towed by tug Scotsman.



Durban, South Africa:
Aboard HMFM Trent the naval guard is releaved by the ship's guard force. Ten men are released from prison and returned to the ship. On his return one man starts a quarrel with two men who did not refuse duty.
At 1620 Trent leaves the quay and moves to a mooring buoy in the bay.



Atlantic Ocean:
Canadian Schooner Bessie A. Crooks departs Pernambuco, Brazil for Barbados and is not heard from again. Captain F.L. Wally and six men are lost.