100 Years Ago Today

[Sailor Steve]

December 29, 1916

Ireland:
British freighter SS Alondra,2,244 tons, en route from Las Palmas to Liverpool with a general cargo, runs aground outside Baltimre Harbour, Cork, in a thick fog.

British freighter SS Lennox, 3,667 tons, carrying a load of coal from Barry to Port Said, is wrecked at South Saltee Island. All 45 crew are saved by the Kilmore lifeboat.



North Sea:
Berndt Buß, commanding U-48, sinks Russian freighter SS Tuskar, 3,042 tons, bound from Achangelsk for London with a load of hides and skins. His score is now 6 ships and 16,518 tons.

British freighter SS Zoroaster, 3,803 tons, carrying a load of coal from Tyne to an unnamed destination, hits a mine laid by Benno von Ditfurth in UC-11 near the Sunk lightship. His score is now 5 ships and 9,963 tons.

Thee British ships run afoul of a minefield laid near the Shipwash lightship by Werner von Zerboni di Sposetti, beginning his career in UC-6:
Freighter SS Lonada, 1,286 tons, travelling from Tyne to London with a load of coal.
Minesweeper HMS Ludlow, 810 tons.
Minesweeper HMS Totnes, 810 tons.
Totnes is only damaged, and von Zerboni's opening score is 2 ships and 2,096 tons.

Norwegian fishing vessel Fram, 54 tons, is sunk in a collision with freighter SS Osnes off the Tyrhaug lighthouse.



Bay of Biscay:
Heinrich Jeß, in U-79, captures Danish freighter SS Danmark and keeps her for supply purposes.



Canada:
Canadian schooner Lena F. Oxner, 99 tons, founders off Liverpool, Nova Scotia.



United States:
American schooner Yemassee, 1,257 tons, carrying a load of coal from Philadelphia to Boston, founders in Massachusetts Bay.

[Jimbuna]

30th December 1916

Eastern Front

Very heavy fighting on whole Romanian front.

Enemy progress at various points in mountains and south-east of Ramnicu Sarat, but checked between here and Focsani.

Bulgars and Turks advance slowly towards Macin.

Political, etc.

Allied nations issue a joint statement rejecting Germany’s “empty and insincere” peace offer.

Charles I of Austria-Hungary: “Our enemies are finally commencing to understand that they cannot conquer us.”

Ship Losses:

Apsleyhall (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 28 nautical miles (52 km) west by north of Gozo, Malta by SM UC-22 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived, but her captain was taken as a prisoner of war.
Borre (Norway) The cargo ship was scuttled in the Atlantic Ocean 16 nautical miles (30 km) north east of Cape Finisterre, Spain (43°12′N 9°23′W) by SM U-70 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Danmark (Denmark) The cargo ship was scuttled in the Bay of Biscay off Vivero, Galicia, Spain (45°55′N 8°00′W) by SM U-79 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Edda (Norway) The cargo ship was scuttled in the Atlantic Ocean 3.5 nautical miles (6.5 km) north west of Cape Finisterre (43°11′N 9°19′W) by SM U-70 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Jean (United Kingdom) The sailing vessel was sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 60 nautical miles (110 km) east of the St Paul Rocks, Brazil by SMS Geier ( Kaiserliche Marine).
HMT Relevo (Royal Navy) The naval trawler was wrecked in the Mediterranean Sea off El Arish, Egypt.
Sappho (Greece) The cargo ship was sunk in the English Channel 25 nautical miles (46 km) north of the Île Vierge, Finistère, France (48°45′N 4°40′W) by SM UC-46 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.

[Sailor Steve]

December 30, 1916

Air War:
German pilot Friedrich Mallinckrodt, flying an Albatros D.I, claims a Caudron, but it is unconfirmed.



English Channel:
British tanker SS Aspenleaf, 7,535 tons, bound from Port Arthur for Portsmouth with a load of oil fuel, hits a mine laid off the Owers lightship by Egon von Werner in UC-16. The damaged ship makes it safely to port.

Friedrich Moecke, in UC-46, sinks Greek freighter SS Sappho, 2,087 tons, travelling from Alexandria to Hull with a load of cottonseed. His score is now 8 ships and 11,456 tons.



Spain:
Otto Wünsche, in U-70, stops and scuttles two Norwegian freighters off Cape Finisterre:
SS Borre, 741 tons carrying a load of fruit from Valencia to Hull.
SS Edda, 1,138 tons, en route from Seville to Preston with a load of pyrites.
Wünsche's score is now 36 ships and 44,331 tons.

Heinrich Jeß, in U-79, scuttles Danish freighter SS Danmark, 1,875 tons, captured the previous day, off Viveiro. His score is now 5 ships and 9,660 tons.



Mediterranean Sea:
Heino von Heimburg, in UC-22, torpedoes British freighter SS Apsleyhall, 3,882 tons, travelling from Karachi to Cardiff with a load of wheat, off Gozo Island (Għawdex in Maltese), just north of Malta. His score is now 13 ships and 42,964 tons.

His Majesty's Trawler Revelo, 176 tons, is wrecked at El Arish, Egypt.

[Jimbuna]

31st December 1916

Eastern Front

Further enemy progress in Moldavian mountains and west and south of Focsani.

Bulgars fail in attack on Braila bridgehead, but carry positions east of Macin.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

Magharah Wells, Hassana and Nakhl (Sinai) cleared of enemy.

Political, etc.

Paris Municipal Council adopts “decisive victory” as the New Year’s resolution for France.

French military announces it took 78,500 German prisoners during the Battle of Verdun.

Kaiser Wilhelm to troops: “All their [Allied] assaults, East and West, have collapsed owing to your bravery and devotion.”

Russian Duma adopts a resolution stating “dark forces” inside the nation are hampering its war efforts.

A group of Russian monarchists assassinate Grigori Rasputin in the belief it would save the Tsar.

Ship Losses:

Eva (Norway) The cargo ship was scuttled in the English Channel 10 nautical miles (19 km) south of The Lizard, Cornwall, United Kingdom (49°47′N 5°10′W) by SM UB-18 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Flora (Norway) The cargo ship was sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 25 nautical miles (46 km) south west of the Wolf Rock, Cornwall by SM UB-18 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Protector (United Kingdom) The pilot boat struck a mine laid by UC 31 (Otto von Schrader) and sank in the River Tyne with the loss of nineteen lives.
Venus (French Navy) The naval trawler struck a mine laid by UC 23 (Johannes Kirchner) and sank in the Aegean Sea off Milos, Greece with the loss of nine of her crew.

Editorial Cartoon: The Worst Year Ever ─ Chicago Tribune

[Sailor Steve]

December 31, 1916

Air War:
At this time home air defence in Britain involve 12,000 officers and men manning anti-aircraft guns and 2,200 officers and men operating 110 aircraft in 12 RFC squadrons.

According to Idflieg's bi-monthly report the German Air Service has the following fighters operating at the front:

Albatros:
D.I----39
D.II--214
D.III--13

Fokker:
D.I-----4
D.II---68
D.III--34
D.IV----2
E-II-----1
E.III---11
E.IV-----2

Halberstadt:
D.II----55
D.III---17
D.V----32

LFG Roland:
D.I------7

Pfalz:
E.I-------1

SSW:
E.I-------2

Supposedly all Fokker aircraft were grounded at the beginning of December, but those numbers are still reported as front-line aircraft, and one or two pilots are still claiming kills in them.

The precise date is unknown, but sometime in December French ace Marcel Viallet scored his 9th and last victory. He will survive the war and continue to serve in the military. While on service in Morocco Viallet contracted a disease and died on September 21, 1925, one month after his 38th birthday.



English Channel:
Claus Lafrenz, commanding UB-18, stops and scuttles 2 Norwegian freighters south of the Lizard:
SS Eva, 1,081 tons, bound from Swansea for Rouen with a load of coal.
SS Flora, 1,033 tons, carrying a load of coal from Swansea to Cantenay.
Lafrenz's score is now 24 ships and 22,384 tons.

British schooner Bayawanna, 1,121 tons, en route from Dartmouth to Plymouth, founders off Stoke Point.



North Sea:
British pilot boat Protector, 200 tons, hits a mine laid in the River Tyne by Otto von Schrader in UC-31. Von Scrader's score is now 9 ships and 6,026 tons.

Erwin Sebelin, in UC-43, captures Norwegian freighter SS Lupus, 539 tons, traveling from Øierhavn to Amsterdam with a load of pyrites. This is Sebelin's first attack.


Aegean Sea:
French naval trawler Venus, 281 tons, hits a mine laid of Milos by Johannes Kirchner in UC-23. His score is now 5 ships and 14,985 tons.

[Jimbuna]

1st January 1917

Western Front

Normal activity proceeding.

Sir Douglas Haig promoted to Field Marshal.

Eastern Front

Stubborn fighting in Carpathians on Moldavian frontier; slight enemy progress at various points. Enemy in touch with Sereth lines at Focsani and Fundeni.

Further enemy progress at the Macin bridgehead (Dobruja).

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

General Sir R. Wingate becomes High Commissioner of Egypt.

Naval and Overseas Operations

Transport "Ivernia" sunk by submarine in Mediterranean; over 100 missing.


British carry German lines near Lissaki in the Mgeta valley (German East Africa), and pursue enemy towards the Rufiji valley at Kibambawe.

Political, etc.

Britain raises train fares, except those for commuters, by 50% and limits luggage to 100 pounds.

Bankruptcies in Germany fell this year with 2,277 cases, compared to 4,580 in 1915 and 7,738 in 1914.

Publication of denunciation by Turkey of Treaty of Paris (1856) and Treaty of Berlin (1878).

Ship Losses:

Baycraig (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 84 nautical miles (156 km) east south east of Malta (35°32′N 16°10′E) by SM UC-22 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived, but her captain was taken as a prisoner of war.
Britannic (Norway) The cargo ship was sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 44 nautical miles (81 km) west of Leixões, Portugal (40°58′N 9°30′W) by SM UC-37 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Goosebridge (Sweden) The cargo ship was sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 10 nautical miles (19 km) west north west of Ouessant, Finistère, France[5] (48°39′N 5°13′W) by SM UC-46 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Holly Branch (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was scuttled in the Atlantic Ocean 14 nautical miles (26 km) north east by north of the Île de Batz, Finistère, France (48°59′N 3°56′W) by SM UB-39 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Ivernia (United Kingdom) The troopship was torpedoed and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 58 nautical miles (107 km) south east of Cape Matapan, Greece (35°30′N 22°53′E) by SM UB-47 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of 125 lives. Survivors were rescued by HMS Rifleman and a number of naval trawlers (all Royal Navy).
Laupar (Norway) The cargo ship was sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 40 nautical miles (74 km) west north west of Oporto, Portugal by SM U-79 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Leon (France) The coaster was sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 13 nautical miles (24 km) north north east of the Triagoz Lighthouse, Finistère by SM UB-39 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Sussex (United Kingdom) The cargo ship struck a mine laid by UC 1 (Oskar Steckelberg) and was damaged in the North Sea 4 nautical miles (7.4 km) off Gravelines, Pas-de-Calais, France. She was beached without loss of life. Later refloated, repaired and returned to service.
Tsiropinas (Greece) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean off Ferrol, Galicia, Spain (45°35′N 8°19′W) by SM U-70 ( Kaiserliche Marine).

[Sailor Steve]

January 1, 1917

Air War:
1515 Italian pilot Fulco di Clabria, flying a Nieuport 17, claims an Albatros two-seater, but it is unconfirmed.

1600 Italian ace Francesco Baracca, in a Nieuport 17, shoots down a Hansa-Brandenburg C.I for victory number 6.



English Channel:
Heinrich Küstner, commanding UB-39, sinks two ships north of Ile de Batz:
British freighter SS Holly Branch, 3,568 tons, bound from La Plata for Le Havre with a load of oats in bags.
French freighter SS Leon, 652 tons, travelling in ballast from Tréport to Brest.
Küstner's score is now 20 ships and 33,048 tons.

Friedrich Moecke, in UC-46, sinks Swedish freighter SS Goosebridge, 1,886 tons, carrying a load of coal from Port Talbot to Saint Nazaire. His score is now 9 ships and 13,342 tons.



North Sea:
British freighter SS Sussex, 5,686 tons, en route from Sydney to Dunkirk with a load of meat, hits a mine laid by Oskar Steckelberg in UC-1 north of Gravelines, just east of the Strait of Dover. The damaged ship is beached, then refloated and repaired.

Norwegian freighter SS Avis, 1,074 tons, carrying a load of coal from Methil to Svendborg, is wrecked off Østhassel, Norway.



Bay of Biscay:
Otto Wünsche, in U-70, sinks Greek freighter SS Tsirophinas, 3,015 tons, carrying a load of maize from Buenos Ayres to Belfast. His score is now 37 ships and 47,346 tons.



Portugal:
Heinrich Jeß, in U-79, sinks Norwegian freighter SS Laupar, 1,407 tons, en route from Malaga to Glasgow with a load of fish. His score is now 6 ships and 11,067 tons.

Otto Launberg, in UC-37, sinks Norwegian freighter SS Britannic, 2,289 tons, travelling from Almeria to Barrow with a load of irone ore, off Leixoes. This is his first sinking.



Mediterranean Sea:
Wolfgang Steinbauer, in UB-47, sinks British passenger liner SS Ivernia, 14,278 tons, south of Cape Matapan, the southernost point of Greece. Ivernia is acting as a troopship and suffers 125 casualties. Steinbauer's score is now 14 ships and 68,688 tons.

Heino von Heimburg, n UC-22, sinks British freighter SS Baycraig, 3,761 tons, carrying a load of sugar from Port Loouis, Maritius to Marseeille. His score is now 14 ships and 46,635 tons.



Zanzibar:
In anticipation of a long-overdue refit, the crew of monitor HMS Severn are transferred to HM Fleet Messenger Trent.



A note on sources: I don't post every source every day for the simple reason that there are so many.
Aviation sources consist of The Aerodrome website, Wikipedia's 1917 in Aviation page, Ciel de Gloire.com (Piotes As Francais), Albindenis.free.fr (Escadrilles Francaises), UKSerials.com, Specific Wiki pages on different pilots, and a variety of books I've purchased:
Under the Guns of the Red Baron, by Norman Franks, Hal Giblin and Nigel McCreery
Under the Guns of the German Aces, by Norman Franks and Hal Giblin
Under the Guns of the Kaiser's Aces, by Norman Franks and Hal Giblin
Sharks Among Minnows, by Norman Franks
KeKs and Fokkerstaffels, by Johan Ryheul
Albatros Aces of World War 1, by Norman Franks
Albatros Aces of World War 1, Part 2, by Greg Vanwyngarden
Albatros D.I-D.II, by James F. Miller
Austro-Hungarian Aces of World War 1, by Christopher Chant
DH.2 vs Albatros D.I/D.II, by James F. Miller
Early German Aces of World War 1, by Greg VanWyngarden
FE.2b/d vs Albatros Scouts: Western Front 1916-17, by James F. Miller
Nieuport 11 Bebe vs Fokker Eindecker, Western Front 1916, by Jon Guttman
Nieuport Aces of World War 1, by Norman Franks
Pusher Aces of World War 1, by Jon Guttman
Reconnaissance and Bomber Aces of World War 1, by Jon Guttman
Russian Aces of World War 1, by Victor Kulikov
SPAD VII Aces of World War 1, by Jon Guttman

Naval sources include U-boat.net, Wrecksite.eu, Naval History.net (British warships' logs), and a couple of books:
The Great War at Sea, by Richard Hough
Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships, 1906-1921

[Jimbuna]

2nd January 1917

Eastern Front

Enemy attack repulsed near Zloczow (north-eastern Galicia).

Continued heavy fighting in Moldavian mountains.

Enemy advance between frontier and Focsani; Russian successful counter-attacks south-east of that town.

Enemy advance near Macin continues.

Political, etc.

Reports show Allied nations captured a combined total of at least 582,723 prisoners on all fronts last year.

Japan notifies the U.S. that its merchant ships passing through the Panama Canal will be armed to protect against German U-boats.

Italian government orders its cities to increase food production by cultivating available public land, including city parks.

M. Bratianu, Premier of Romania, reconstitutes Cabinet.

Ship Losses:

Aconcagua (France) The full-rigged ship was shelled and sunk in the Bay of Biscay (46°11′N 7°26′W) by SM U-70 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Aristotelis C. Ioannou (Greece) The cargo ship was sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 30 nautical miles (56 km) west of Cape Roca, Portugal (38°55′N 9°48′W) by SM UC-37 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Asnières (France) The crew were captured by the merchant raider Moewe ( Kaiserliche Marine) which then sank the four-masted barque close to the St Peter and St Paul rocks in the Atlantic Ocean.
Bestik (Norway) The cargo ship was sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 30 nautical miles (56 km) south west of the Bishop Rock, Isles of Scilly, United Kingdom[17] by SM UB-18 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Carlyle (United Kingdom) The coaster was scuttled in the Atlantic Ocean 5 nautical miles (9.3 km) west south west of the Île de Sein Lighthouse, Finistère, France by SM UB-39 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Dimitrios Goulandris (Greece) The cargo ship was shelled and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 30 nautical miles (56 km) west of Cape Roca (39°10′N 9°50′W) by SM UC-37 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Edward Arthur (United Kingdom) The schooner was wrecked on Lundy Island, Devon.
Ellik ( Norway The coaster was sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 40 nautical miles (74 km) south west of the Bishop Rock by SM UB-18 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her fourteen crew were rescued, eight of them by Elisabeth van België ( Belgium). The second lifeboat with the rest of the crew landed on the Isles of Scilly.
El Toro (United Kingdom) The tanker foundered in the Atlantic Ocean 300 nautical miles (560 km) north west of Clogherhead, County Louth.
Gallier (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean by U-95 ( Kaiserliche Marine) 7 nautical miles (13 km) east north east of the Wolf Rock, Cornwall.
Johannes (Russia) The schooner was wrecked at Cadiz, Spain.
Notre Dame du Verger (France) The three-masted schooner was scuttled in the Atlantic Ocean 12 nautical miles (22 km) off Cape Roca by SM UC-37 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Odda (Norway) The cargo ship was sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 70 nautical miles (130 km) south west of Ouessant, Finistère[30] (47°30′N 6°20′W) by SM U-70 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Older (Norway) The cargo ship was sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 25 nautical miles (46 km) west of Oporto, Portugal[32] (41°07′N 9°42′W) by SM U-79 ( Kaiserliche Marine).[33] Her crew were rescued by Charkow ( Denmark).
Omnium (France) The cargo ship was sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 120 nautical miles (220 km) west south west of Penmarc'h, Finistère (47°26′N 7°10′W) by SM U-82 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
San Leandro (Spain) The cargo ship was sunk in the Atlantic Ocean (approximately 46°40′N 7°00′W) by SM U-70 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
HMT Teal (Royal Navy) The naval trawler was lost on this date.

[Sailor Steve]

January 2, 1917

Air War:
1130 Russian pilot Ivan Vasilievich Smirnov, in Nieuport 10 N722 with a Captain Pentko as observer, shoots down Aviatik C.I 2775/16 for victory number 1. The crew are both killed.

Galicia-born Austro-Hungarian pilot Godwin Brumowski, flying Hansa-Brandenburg C.I 68.24 with Julius Györffy as observer, shoots down a Farman two-seater for victory number 5.



Ireland:
British tanker SS El Toro, 5,958 tons, bound from Sabine, Texas for an unnamed destination, is wriecked near Clogher Head.

British freighter SS Nestorian, 6,395 tons, carrying a load of cotton and steel ingots from Galveston, Texas to Liverpool, is wrecked off Cape Clear, County Cork.



Irish Sea:
British schooner Duke of York, 50 tons, sinks following a collision with freighter SS Dublin.



Bristol Channel:
British schooner Edward Arthur, 130 tons, travelling from Waterford to Cardiff with a load of oats, is wrecked at Lundy Island.



Celtic Sea:
Claus Lafrenz, commanding UB-18, sinks two Norwegian freighters off Bishop Rock:
SS Bestik, 2,185 tons, bound from Cardiff for Philippeville with a load of coal.
SS Ellik, 603 tons, carrying a load of pit props from Villagarcia to Swansea.
Lafrenz's score is now 26 ships and 25,172 tons.



English Channel:
Heinrich Küstner, in UB-39, sinks British coaster SS Carlyle, 466 tons, carrying a general cargo from Manchester to La Pallice. His score is now 21 ships and 33,514 tons.



Bay of Biscay:
Otto Wünsche, in U-70, sinks three Allied ships:
French freighter SS Aconcagua, 1,313 tons, en route from Antofagasta, Chile to La Pallice with a load of nitrate; sunk with the deck gun.
Norwegian freighter SS Odda, 1,101 tons, carrying a load of pyrites from Huelva to Rouen.
Spanish freighter SS San Leandro, 1,616 tons, travelling from Malaga to London with a load of fruit.
Wünsche's score is now 40 ships and 51,376 tons.

Hans Adam, in U-82, sinks French freighter SS Omnium, 8,719 tons, en route from New Orleans to Saint Nazaire with an unspecified cargo. His score is now 6 ships and 10,681 tons.



Portugal:
Heinrich Jeß, in U-79, sinks Norwegian freighter SS Older, 2,256 tons, Bound from Newport for Gibraltar with a load of coal, just west of Oporto. His score is now 7 ships and 13.323 tons.

Otto Launburg, in UC-32, sinks three ships off Cape Roca:
Greek freighter SS Aristotelis C. Ioannou, 2,868 tons, cravelling from Bouenos Aires to Belfast with a load of maize.
Greek freighter SS Dimitrios Goulandris, 3,744 tons, carrying a load of wheat from Buenos Aires to Avonmouth; sunk by deck gun.
French schooner Notre Dame du Verger, 227 tons, en route from Swansea to Lisbon; scuttled.
Launburg's score is now 4 ships and 9,128 tons.



Egypt:
Russian battleship Peresvyet, 13,500 tons, is sunk by a mine laid by Gustav Seiß in U-73 off Port Said. His score is now 14 ships and 108,041 tons.



Chile:
Chilean troop transport Casma, 2,627 tons, hits a rock off Navarion Island.



Atlantic Ocean:
German surface raider SMS Möwe stops and scuttles French barque Asnières, 3,103 tons, carrying 3,000 tons of wheat from Bahia Blanca, Argentina to Pauillac, France.

[Jimbuna]

3rd January 1917


Eastern Front

Germans take island in Dvina near Glandau, north-west of Dvinsk.

Successful Russian attack near Mt. Botosul (Bukovina).

Enemy advance in region of Milcovu, north-west of Focsani.

Germans and Bulgarians take Macin and Jijila (Dobruja).

Political, etc.

Admiralty reasserts "immemorial" right of merchant-ships to defend themselves against attack or search by an enemy.

Former President Theodore Roosevelt says Wilson’s attempts to mediate a peace is “immoral,” as it helps Germany.

Ship Losses:

Angela (Italy The cargo ship was sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 35 nautical miles (65 km) west of Cape St. Vincent, Portugal by SM U-79 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Capricieuse (France) The schooner was scuttled in the Atlantic Ocean 12 nautical miles (22 km) west south west of Cape St. Vincent by SM UC-37 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Columbia (France) The fishing vessel was scuttled in the Bay of Biscay off La Rochelle, Charente-Maritime (46°27′N 2°28′W) by SM UB-39 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Diamant de la Couronne I (France) The fishing vessel was scuttled in the Bay of Biscay off La Rochelle (46°27′N 2°28′W) by SM UB-39 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Diamant de la Couronne II (France) The fishing vessel was scuttled in the Bay of Biscay off La Rochelle (46°27′N 2°28′W) by SM UB-39 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Fama (Norway) The cargo ship was scuttled in the Atlantic Ocean south west of Spain (36°47′N 8°43′W) by SM UC-37 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Formidable (France) The fishing vessel was sunk in the Bay of Biscay off La Rochelle by SM UB-39 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Helgøy (Norway) The cargo ship was sunk in the Bay of Biscay 10 nautical miles (19 km) south of the Chassiron Lighthouse, Charente-Maritime (45°55′N 1°35′W) by SM UB-39 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of a crew member.
Honneur et Devouement (France) The fishing vessel was sunk in the Bay of Biscay off La Rochelle by SM UB-39 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Jeanne Mathilde (France) The fishing vessel was sunk in the Bay of Biscay off La Rochelle by SM UB-39 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
La Pensee (France) The fishing vessel was sunk in the Bay of Biscay off La Rochelle by SM UB-39 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Marie Henriette (France) The fishing vessel was sunk in the Bay of Biscay off La Rochelle by SM UB-39 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Moderne (France) The fishing vessel was sunk in the Bay of Biscay off La Rochelle by SM UB-39 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Petite Emile (France) The fishing vessel was scuttled in the Bay of Biscay 40 nautical miles (74 km) west of the Baleines Lighthouse, Seine-Maritime by SM UB-39 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Père Montfort (France) The fishing vessel was sunk in the Bay of Biscay off La Rochelle by SM UB-39 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Pierre le Grand (France) The fishing vessel was sunk in the Bay of Biscay off La Rochelle by SM UB-39 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Richelieu (France) The fishing vessel was sunk in the Bay of Biscay off La Rochelle by SM UB-39 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Saint Jacques (France) The fishing vessel was sunk in the Bay of Biscay off La Rochelle (46°27′N 2°28′W) by SM UB-39 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Saint Paul II (France) The fishing vessel was sunk in the Bay of Biscay off La Rochelle by SM UB-39 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Valladares (Portugal) The sailing vessel was sunk in the Atlantic Ocean (43°30′N 9°48′W) by SM U-79 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Viking (Denmark) The coaster was sunk in the Atlantic Ocean by SM U-82 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.

[Sailor Steve]

January 3, 1917

Bay of Biscay:
Hans Adam, commanding U-82, sinks Danish freighter SS Viking, 761 tons, bound from Sunderland for Setubal with a load of coal. His score is now 7 ships and 11,442 tons.



Heinrich Küstner, in UB-39, attacks a French fishing fleet, scuttling 15 small fishing craft:
Columbia, 34 tons.
Diamant de la Couronne I, 36 tons.
Diamant de la Couronne II, 34 tons.
Formidable, 26 tons.
Honneur et Devouement, 26 tons.
Jeanne Mathilde, 60 tons.
La Pensée, 30 tons.
Marie Henriette, 25 tons.
Moderne, 38 tons.
Pére Montfort, 13 tons.
Pierre le Grand, 42 tons.
Richelieu, 25 tons.
Saint Jacques, 34 tons.
Saint Paul II, 30 tons.
Petit Emile, 60 tons.
Also sunk is Norwegian freighter SS Helgøy, 1,806 tons, travelling in ballast from Blaye to Barry.
Küstner's score is now 37 vessels and 35,833 tons.



Portugal:
Heinrich Jeß, in U-79, sinks two ships off the Portuguese coast:
Italian freighter SS Angela, 2,422 tons, en route from Genoa to Barry with an unnamed cargo.
Portuguese sailing vessel Valladares, 124 tons; scuttled.
Jeß's score is now 9 ships and 15,870 tons.



Otto Launburg, in UC-37, scuttles two ships off Cape St. Vincent:
French schooner Capricieuse, 156 tons, carrying a load of wine from Algiers to Vannes.
Norwegian freighter SS Fama, 2,417 tons, travelling from Portland, Maine to Marseille with a load of wheat; captured and scuttled.



Mediterranean Sea:
Wolfgang Steinbauer, in UB-47, torpedoes British freighter SS Huntsend, 8,826 tons, route and cargo unknown, off Crete. The damaged ship makes it safely to port.



Zanzibar:
Work begins transferring HMS Severn's stores to HMFM Trent.

[Jimbuna]

4th January 1917

Eastern Front

Germans fail to cross to right bank of Dvina near Glandau.

Enemy advance in Focsani sector, and also take Gurgueti and Romanul, thus piercing the Braila bridgehead; Russians evacuate Braila.

Russians defeated at Vacareni (Dobruja).

Southern Front

British airmen bomb Maritza bridge at Kuleli Burgas (south of Adrianople).

Political, etc.

Kaiser Wilhelm visits Vienna to meet with Austro-Hungarian officials to discuss the war.

New French tax on tobacco causes the closure of more than half of the retail shops, leading to shortages.

Emperor and Empress of Austria-Hungary sends an envoy to the Vatican to urge the Pope to intervene for peace.

German Governor General of Belgium issues decree ordering the collection of household goods made of brass, copper, tin, nickel, or bronze.

Ship Losses:

Calabro (Italy) The cargo ship was sunk in the Atlantic Ocean south west of Ouessant, Finistère, France (48°30′N 7°02′W) by SM U-82 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Chinto Maru (Japan) The cargo ship was sunk in the Atlantic Ocean south west of Spain (36°29′N 9°36′W) by SM U-79 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Gabrielle François (France) The fishing vessel was sunk in the Gironde Estuary by SM UB-39 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Liberté (France) The schooner was shelled and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean off Cape St. Vincent, Portugal (35°49′N 6°10′W) by SM UC-37 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Lonclara (United Kingdom) The cargo ship struck a mine laid by UC 31 (Otto von Schrader) and sank in the River Tyne at Sunderland, County Durham with the loss of four of her crew.
Luigi Ciampa (Italy) The cargo ship was sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 15 nautical miles (28 km) off Sagres Point, Portugal by SM UC-37 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Næsborg (Denmark) The cargo ship was sunk in the English Channel west of Guernsey, Channel Islands (49°26′N 3°40′W) by SM UB-18 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Ruby (Russia) The barque was scuttled in the Atlantic Ocean off the Isles of Scilly, United Kingdom (49°53′N 8°24′W) by SM U-70 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Seemel (Russia) The sailing vessel was sunk in the Atlantic Ocean (36°32′N 8°09′W) by SM UC-37 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Wragby (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was shelled and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 45 nautical miles (83 km) west by north of Cape Spartel, Morocco (35°57′N 6°49′W) by SM UC-37 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.

[Sailor Steve]

January 4, 1917

Air War:
1515 German pilot Friedrich Mallinckrodt, flying an Albatros D.I or D.II, shoots down a Sopwith 1½ Strutter for victory number 2.

1615 German ace Manfred von Richthofen, in Albatros D.II 491/16, wins a fight with Sopwith Pup N5193 for victory number 16. Canadian Flt Lt Allan Switzer Todd, RNAS, is killed.

Canadian RNAS pilot Edward Grange, in Sopwith Pup N5194, shoots down three Albatros D.IIs for victories 2, 3 and 4.



Celtic Sea:
Otto Wünsche, commanding U-70, stops Russian barque Ruby, 949 tons, bound from Darien for Fleetwood, and sinks her with his deck gun. His score is now 41 ships and 52,325 tons.

Hans Adam, in U-82, sinks Italian freighter SS Calabro, 1,925 tons, en route from Cartagena to Middlesbrough. His score is now 8 ships and 13,367 tons.



English Channel:
Claus Lafrenz, in UB-18, sinks Danish freighter SS Næsborg, 1,547 tons, carrying a load of coal from Sunderland to Bayonne. His score is now 27 ships and 26,719 tons.



North Sea:
British freighter SS Lonclara, 1,294 tons, hits a mine laid at the mouth of the River Wear by Otto von Schrader in UC-31. His score is now 10 ships and 7,320 tons.



Moray Firth:
His Majesty's Trawler Teal, 165 tons, is wrecked at the East Mucks, Buckie, Scotland.



Bay of Biscay:
Heinrich Küstner, in UB-39, sinks French fishing bessel Gabrielle Francois, 37 tons, at the mouth of the Gironde River, raising his score to 38 ships and 35,870 tons.



Portugal:
Heinrich Jeß, in U-79, sinks Japanese freighter Chinto Maru, 2,592 tons, off the Gulf of Cadiz. His score is now 10 ships and 18,462 tons.



Gulf of Cadiz:
Otto Launburg, in UC-37, sinks 4 Allied ships:
French schooner Liberté, 166 tons, bound from Cardiff for Marseilles with a load of coal; sunk with deck gun.
Italian freighter SS Luigi Campa, 3,988 tons, travelling from Philadelphia to Gibraltar with a load of wheat.
Russian sailing vessel Seemel, 209 tons, en route from Seville to Faro.
British freighter SS Wragby, 3,641 tons, carrying a load of coal from Barry to Gibraltar; scuttled.
Launburg's score is now 10 ships and 19,705 tons.

[Jimbuna]

5th January 1917

Western Front

British capture two enemy posts near Beaumont Hamel.

Eastern Front

Ground gained in Russian offensive between Lake Babit and the Tirul marsh (west of Riga).

Enemy advance at various points on Romanian front, especially between the rivers Rimnic and Buzeu.

The Dobruja entirely cleared of Russians and Romanians.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

Battle of Kut-el-Amara begins.

Naval and Overseas Operations

British occupy Kibambawe in Rufiji valley (German East Africa).

Political, etc.

French, British, Italian, and Russian government and military officials meet in Rome to discuss the war situation.

German male citizens age 16 and over living in Spain are ordered to register at the consulate for conscription purposes.

After negotiations, the Netherlands agrees to export 220 pounds of fresh pork to Germany for 176 pounds sent to England.

U.S. Federal Reserve Board estimates the belligerent nations have accrued $49.455 billion in new debt since the start of the war.

Ship Losses:

Allie (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was scuttled in the Bay of Biscay off the Île de Ré, Charente-Maritime (46°15′N 1°48′W) by SM UB-39 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Asta (Norway) The coaster was sunk in the English Channel 25 nautical miles (46 km) north of the Casquets, Channel Islands (50°09′N 2°34′W) by SM UB-37 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Combermere (Italy) The full-rigged ship was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea off Cabo de Gata, Almería, Spain by SM UC-37 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Danevirke (Denmark) The cargo ship was sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 10 nautical miles (19 km) off Ouessant, Finistère, France (49°14′N 4°17′W) by SM UB-18 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Ebro (Denmark) The cargo ship was sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 75 nautical miles (139 km) west south west o the Créac'h Lighthouse, Finistère by SM U-82 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Lesbian (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was shelled and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 125 nautical miles (232 km) east by south of Malta (35°48′N 17°06′E) by SM U-35 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived, but her captain was taken as a prisoner of war.
Markland (Norway) The cargo ship was sunk in the Bay of Biscay 10 nautical miles (19 km) west of the Île de Ré by SM UB-39 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Salvatore Padre (Italy) The sailing vessel was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea by SM U-35 ( Kaiserliche Marine).

[Sailor Steve]

January 5, 1917

Air War:
1100 German pilot Walter Göttsch, flying an Albatros D.II, shoots down BE.2e 7190 for victory number 3.

1440 German pilot Alfred Mohr, in an Albatros D.II, shoots down a Caudron two-seater for victory number 4.

1620 German pilot Friedrich Manschott, in an Albatros D.II, shoots down a Voisin two-seater for victory number 2.

German pilot Otto Brauneck, in an Albatros C.III with an Oblt Geissler as observer, shoots down two observation balloons for victories number 3 and 4.

Polish-born German pilot Hans-Georg von der Marwitz, flying for Schusta 10 in an unidentified two-seater with an nunnamed observer, shoots down a Farman two-seater for victory number 1.



Celtic Sea:
Hans Adam, commanding U-82, sinks Danish freighter SS Ebro, 1,028 tons, bound from Tyne for Livorno with a load of coal and coke, southwest of Ushant. His score is now 9 ships and 14,395 tons.



English Channel:
Claus Lafrenz, in UB-18, sinks Danish freighter SS Danevirke, 1,433 tons, carrying a load of coal from Newcastle to Gibraltar. His score is now 28 ships and 28,152 tons.

Paul Günther, in UB-37, sinks Norwegian freighter SS Asta, 573 tons, travelling in ballast from Rouen to Barry. His score is now 14 ships and 7,980 tons.



Denmark:
Swedish barquentine Gunilla, 233 tons, carrying a load of coal from Tyne to Christiania, runs aground near Klitmøller.



Bay of Biscay:
Heinrich Küstner, in UB-39, sinks two Allied ships:
British freighter SS Allie, 1,127 tons, en route from Swansea to Bordeaux with a load of copper sulphate.
Norwegian freighter SS Markland, 1,627 tons, carrying a load of pit props from Bayonne to Barry.
Küstner's score is now 40 ships and 38,624 tons.



Alboran Sea:
Otto Launsburg, in UC-37, has moved from the Gulf of Cadiz through the Strait of Gibraltar into the Mediterranean. Off the Cabo de Gata he stops and scuttles Italian freighter SS Combermere, 1,718 tons, travelling from Genoa to Pensacola. His score is now 11 ships and 21,423 tons.



Mediterranean Sea:
Lothar von Arnauld de la Perière, in U-35, is back in operation again, sinking two Allied ships southeast of Malta:
1615 British freighter SS Lesbian, 2,555 tons, carrying a general cargo from Calicut to London and Tees.
1915 Italian sailing vessel Salvatore Padre, 200 tons.
Von Arnauld's score is now 135 ships and 266,618 tons.



Zanzibar:
Fleet Messenger Trent reports offloading of equipment from HMS Severn is made difficult by swells entering the bay, causing the two ships to bump together. The wooden fenders protecting them are broken loose and swept away.



United States:
Canadian great lakes ship SS Case, 2,278 tons, is making the passage from Lake Huron to Lake Erie when she springs a leak in a storm. The ship is beached at Grosse Ile and abandoned. The ship burns, but the cargo is salvaged.



Atlantic Ocean:
Norwegian barque Fredriksten,1,293 tons, departs Savannah, Georgia, USA with 2,000 tons of oilcakes for Svendbord, Norway, and is not heard from again.

British freighter SS Martazan, 3,477 tons, en route from Sierra Leone for Liverpool, is sunk in a collision with Italian freighter SS Monte Bianco, off the Cape Verde Islands.