100 Years Ago Today

[Jimbuna]

3rd October 1916

Western Front

Fighting continues at the Somme, but rains and mud prevent large-scale infantry attacks and artillery bombardment.

Eastern Front

Romanian Second Army takes offensive near Fogaras and in region Roter Turm Pass.

Northern Army (4th) left wing, 12 miles south-east of Maros Vasarhely, continues to advance.

West of Lutsk (Volhynia), objective Vladimir Volymski, Russians gain some enemy positions.

Southern Front

General Bulgar retreat on whole line Nidje Planina to Krushograd (Florina).

After considerable fighting British take Yenikeui on left bank Struma.

Naval

Austro-Hungarian gunboats destroy a Romanian pontoon bridge over the Danube River.

Political, etc.

Viscount Bryce, former ambassador to the US, warns, “To indulge in revenge [against the Germans] will be to sow the seeds of future wars.”

Russia won’t negotiate a trade pact with US, as it “can’t spare the time now for any negotiations which has no direct bearing on the war.”

Japanese Prime Minister Ōkuma Shigenobu announces his resignation due to a corruption scandal.

Ship Losses:

Ada (Norway) The cargo ship was sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 15 nautical miles (28 km) south of the Wolf Rock, Cornwall, United Kingdom by SM UC-26 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
J. Y. Short (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was shelled and sunk in the Barents Sea 80 nautical miles (150 km) east of Vardø, Finnmark, Norway (70°14′N 35°30′E) by SM U-43 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
La Fraternite (France) The barque was sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 20 nautical miles (37 km) north west of Île Vierge, Finistère by SM UB-38 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Samos (Greece) The cargo ship was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea south of Mallorca, Spain by SM U-35 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Tourgai (Russia) The cargo ship was scuttled in the Barents Sea of the North Cape, Finnmark (70°14′N 33°03′E) by SM U-43 ( Kaiserliche Marine).

[Sailor Steve]

October 3, 1916

English Channel:
Erwin Waßner, commanding UB-38, stops and scuttles French barque La Fraternite, 477 tons, bound from Port Talbot for an unknown destination. His score is now 23 ships and 23,405 tons.

Matthias von Schmettow, in UC-26, sinks Norwegian freighter SS Ada, 1,111 tons, carrying a load of iron ore from Bilbao to Glasgow, off the Wolf Rock lighthouse. His score is now 43 ships and 53,699 tons.



North Sea:
British trawler Lindum, 156 tons, runs aground at Thornwick Bay.



Barents Sea:
Helmuth Jürst, in U-43, sinks two Allied ships:
British freighter SS J.Y. Short, 2,193 tons, carrying a load of coal from Penarth to Arkhangelsk.
Russian freighter SS Tourgai, 4,281 tons, travelling from New York to Ackhangelsk wit a load of locomotives and rails.
Jürst's score is now 10 ships and 20,831 tons.



Mediterranean Sea:
Lothar von Arnauld de la Perière, in U-35, scuttles Greek freighter SS Samos, 1,186 tons, increasing his score to 129 ships and 243,064 tons.

[Jimbuna]

4th October 1916

Western Front

Germans driven out of Eaucourt.

French carry German line between Morval and St. Pierre Vaast wood.

Eastern Front

Romanian Second Army retreating, Fogaras evacuated.

Romanians progress in Dubruja.

Troops who crossed Danube at Rjahovo withdrawn.

Battle west of Lutsk still in progress, enemy obstinately holds positions on Zlota Lipa (Galicia).

Southern Front

Allied forces reach Kenali (10 miles from Monastir).

East of Monastir, Serbs cross Cherna.

British make progress (Struma) towards Seres.

Italian success in the Travignolo Valley (Avisio region, Trentino).

Naval and Overseas Operations

French transport SS Gallia is sunk by German U-35, resulting in between 600-1800 French and Serbian troop deaths.


RMS Franconia, a British troop transport, is sunk by German U-boat UB-47. 12 crew are killed.


Political, etc.

Greek Cabinet (M. Kalogeropoulos) resigns.

Swedish Prime Minister Hammarskjöld states he seeks more “intensive collaboration of neutrals” to help stop the spread of war.

Ship Losses:

Birk (Norway) The coaster was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 37 nautical miles (69 km) north of Philipeville, Algeria (38°32′N 7°25′E) by SM U-35 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Brantingham (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Barents Sea 70 nautical miles (130 km) north north east of Vardø, Finnmark, Norway by SM U-46 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of all 24 crew.
Brink (Norway) The cargo ship was sunk in the Barents Sea (50 nautical miles (93 km) north east of Vardø by SM U-48 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Cantatrice (France) The sailing vessel was sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 12 nautical miles (22 km) south of the Wolf Rock, Cornwall, United Kingdom by SM UB-38 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Franconia (United Kingdom) The troopship was torpedoed and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 195 nautical miles (361 km) east of Malta by SM UB-47 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of twelve of her 314 crew. Survivors were rescued by HMHS Dover Castle ( Royal Navy).
Gallia (French Navy) The armed merchant cruiser was torpedoed and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 35 nautical miles (65 km) south west of San Pietro Island, Italy (38°27′N 7°30′E) by SM U-35 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of 1,338 of the approximately 2,000 people on board.
Jennie Bullas (United Kingdom) The fishing vessel was scuttled in the North Sea 14 nautical miles (26 km) east north east of the Spurn Lightship ( United Kingdom) by SM UB-19 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Jersey (United Kingdom) The fishing vessel was scuttled in the North Sea 16 nautical miles (30 km) north east by east of the Spurn Lightship ( United Kingdom) by SM UB-19 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Rado (United Kingdom) The fishing vessel was scuttled in the North Sea 15 nautical miles (28 km) north east by east of the Spurn Lightship ( United Kingdom) by SM UB-19 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Risholm (Norway) The cargo ship was sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 12 nautical miles (22 km) west south west of Ouessant, Finistère, France by SM UC-26 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.

[Sailor Steve]

October 4, 1916

Air War:
Russian pilots Ivan Orlov and Vasili Yanchenko, both flying Nieuport 11s, shoot down a German two-seater. Victory number 3 for Orlov, number 2 for Yanchenko.



Bristol Channel:
British coaster SS Electra, 495 tons, carrying a load of coal from Port Talbot to Dieppe, sinks after a collission off Hartland Point.



Celtic Sea:
Matthias von Schmettow, commanding UC-26, sinks Norwegian freighter SS Risholm, 2,550 tons, bound from Blyth for Bordeaux with a load of coal. His score is now 44 ships and 56,249 tons.



North Sea:
Walther Becker, in UB-19, stops and scuttles three fishing vessels near the Spurn Head lightship:
Motor fisher Jennie Bullas, 26 tons.
Steam fisher Jersey, 162 tons.
Steam fisher Rado, 182 tons.
Becker's score is now 9 vessels and 6,493 tons.



Barents Sea:
Leo Hillebrand, in U-46, sinks British freighter SS Brantingham, 2,617 tons, bound from Arkhangelsk for Leith with a load of pit props. Hillebrand's score is now 14 ships and 15,158.

Berndt Buß, in U-48, sins Norwegian freighter SS Brink, 1,391 tons, carrying a load of lumber from Onega to Hull. His score is now 3 ships and 7,425 tons.



Mediterranean Sea:
Lothar von Arnauld de la Perière, in U-35, sinks two Allied ships:
1100 Norwegian freighter SS Birk, 715 tons, carrying a load of barley and cork from Philippeville to Marseille.
1400 French armed merchant cruiser Gallia, 14,996 tons, transporting troops from Marseille to Salonika. Sources vary as to the number of lives lost. One says "between 600 and 1,800, another says "unknown but over 1,000", and a third gives the exact number as 1,338.

Von Arnauld would later write "The picture of that foundering sticks in my mind with undiminished horror. There was a wild panic on the stricken vessel's crowed deck. Lifeboats were being lowered by by men too much in a panic to let them down slowly and safely. Hundreds of soldiers were jumping into the water and swimming around. The sea became a terrible litter of overturned lifeboats, overcrowded and swamped lifeboats, and struggling men. After what I had seen I did not feel elated.
Lowell Thomas, Raiders Of The Deep, 1929, as related by Edwin Gray in The U-Boat War: 1914-1918, 1972

Von Arnauld is now the hightest-scoring u-boat ace with 131 ships and 258,749 tons.

Wolfgang Steinbauer, in UB-47, sinks British troopship SS Franconia, travelling in ballast from Alexandria to Marseille. There are no troops on board at the time. Her displacement of 18,510 tons effectively doubles Steinbauer's score to 5 ships and 37,044 tons.

[Jimbuna]

5th October 1916

Western Front

British advance north-east of Eaucourt.

French make progress east of Morval.

Eastern Front

After three days' fighting Romanian Northern Army achieve success in Parajd region.

Austrians retire west.

In Dobruja, Romanian offensive continues.

Lutsk battle in progress.

Southern Front

Italian success in the San Pellegrino Valley (Avisio, Trentino).

Political, etc.

Germany and Austria announce an "independent" Kingdom of Poland.

Due to a shortage of cash, the Greek government suspends payments to civil servants and other financial obligations.

Ship Losses:

Aurora (Italy) The cargo ship was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 50 nautical miles (93 km) south west of Cape Carbonara, Sardinia by SM U-35 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Cederic (Norway) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 18 nautical miles (33 km) south of the Wolf Rock, Cornwall, United Kingdom (49°40′N 5°42′W) by SM UB-38 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Countess of Derby (United Kingdom) The schooner was driven ashore west of Dieppe, Seine-Maritime and was a total loss. Her crew were rescued.
Grace Davis (United States) The schooner foundered in the Atlantic Ocean off Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, Canada.
Isle of Hastings (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was scuttled in the Atlantic Ocean 10 nautical miles (19 km) south by west of Ouessant, Finistère, France (48°18′N 5°08′W) by SM UC-26 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Rosenvold (Norway) The coaster was sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 15 nautical miles (28 km) south of the Wolf Rock (49°50′N 6°00′W) by SM UB-38 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Rover (United Kingdom) The fishing vessel was scuttled in the North Sea 10 nautical miles (19 km) east north east of the Spurn Lightship ( United Kingdom) by SM UB-19 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
St. Nikolai (Russia) The sailing vessel was sunk in the Black Sea (45°55′N 32°06′E) by SM UB-42 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Vera (Sweden) The cargo ship was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 45 nautical miles (83 km) south of Cape Carbonara by SM U-35 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.

[Sailor Steve]

October 5, 1916

Britain:
George Holt Thomas, owner of Airco, the company building Geoffrey de Havilland's DH.2 fighter and soon the DH.4 light bomber, creates Aircraft Transport & Travel Limited, which in 1919 will become the world's first regularly-scheduled airline.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircra...ort_and_Travel



Air War:
Jasta 9 becomes operational. Based at Leffincourt, its first commanding officer is Kurt Student, and they are equipped with Fokker E.IVs and Halberstadt D.IIs.



Celtic Sea:
Matthias von Schmettow, commanding UC-26, sinks British freighter SS Isle of Hastings, 1575 tons, bound from Fray Bentos for London with a load of tinned meat. His score is now 45 ships and 57,824 tons.



English Channel:
Erwin Waßner, in UB-38, sinks three vessels near the Wolf Rock lighthouse.
French schooner Cantatrice, 109 tons. Scuttled.
Norwegian freighter SS Cederic, 1,129 tons, travelling from Bordeaux to Barry with a load of pit props. Captured and sunk by torpedo.
Norwegian freighter SS Rosenvold, 758 tons, carrying a general cargo from Manchester to La Pallice.
Waßner's score is now 26 ships and 25,401 tons.

British schooner Countess of Derby, 76 tons, runs aground off Dieppe.



North Sea:
Walther Becker, in UB-19, stops and scuttles British fishing craft Rover, 42 tons, bringing his score to 10 ships and 6,535 tons.

Black Sea:
Fritz Wernicke, in UB-42, sinks Russian sailing vessel St Niklei, 150 tons, at the entrance to Karkinit Bay, bringing his score to 2 ships and 881 tons.



Mediterranean Sea:
Lothar von Arnauld de la Perière, in U-35, sinks two more Allied ships:
0925 Italian freighter SS Aurora, 2,806 tons, en route from Genoa to Tunis.
1000 Swedish freighter SS Vera, 2,308 tons, travellng from Newport, Wales to Naples with a load of coal.
Von Arnauld ends his sixth war patrol with a total of 133 ships and 263,863 tons.

[Jimbuna]

6th October 1916

Eastern Front

Falkenhayn's offensive extending east against Kronstadt, Romanian retreat continues.

Russian activities removed from Volhynia to northern Galicia; fighting renewed at Brzezany (Zlota Lipa region).

Southern Front

Lively actions with seven miles of Monastir.

Gradual withdrawal Bulgarians from valley of Struma to mountains beyond Demirhissar and Seres.

Strong enemy counter-attack on Busa Alta positions repulsed by Italians.

Political, etc.

Lloyd George on peace with Germany: “Peace now or at any time before the final and complete elimination of this menace is unthinkable.”

Viscount James Bryce, former British ambassador, appeals to the U.S. to provide aid for the Armenians and Syrians.

German newspaper Die Zukunft is suppressed by the government for printing an article describing the horrors of war.

Ship Losses:

Erika (Russia) The cargo ship was sunk in the Barents Sea off the Kola Peninsula by SM U-46 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Lanterna (United Kingdom) The cargo ship struck a mine laid by UC 1 (Heinrich Küstner) and sank in the North Sea 2.5 nautical miles (4.6 km) north east of Cromer, Norfolk. Her crew survived.
Tuva (Sweden) The cargo ship was sunk in the Barents Sea 70 nautical miles (130 km) north of North Cape, Finnmark, Norway by SM U-48 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived. Swedish official history puts the date for the sinking to Oct 7.

[Sailor Steve]

October 6, 1916

North Sea:
British freighter SS Lanterna, 1,685 tons, bound from Tyne for London with a load of coal, hits a mine laid by Heinrich Küstner in UC-1. This is Küstner's first sinking.



Barents Sea:
Leo Hillebrand, in U-46, sinks Russian freighter SS Erika, 2,430 tons, carrying a load of coal from Blyth to Arkhangelsk. His score is now 15 ships and 17,588 tons.



Berndt Buß, in U-48, attacks two Allied ships off North Cape, the northern tip of Norway:
Russian freighter SS Suchan, 3,781 tons, route and cargo unknown, taken as a prize and sent to Wilhelmshaven.
Swedish freighter SS Tuva, 2,270 tons, travelling from Arkhangelsk to Hull with a load of timber, sunk.
Buß's score is now 5 ships and 13,476 tons.



Mediterranean Sea:
Italian freighter SS Alberto, 2,058 tons, hits a mine laid by an unknown vessel and sinks 12 miles off Cape Carovedo.



United States:
American motor fishing vessel Independent, 151 tons, out of Juneau, Alaska on September 28th, is returning with 10 tons of fresh halibut aboard when she strikes a reef near Middleton Island. The crew of 36 are all rescued.

[Jimbuna]

7th October 1916

Western Front

British and French advance on Albert-Bapaume road.

British advance 1,000 yards and capture Le Sars.

French advance north-east of Morval to within 200 yards of Sailly.

Eastern Front

Enemy retake Kronstadt and Szekely.

Romanian forces withdrawing to frontier on whole line Predeal to Orsova.

Southern Front

British advance towards Seres continues (Struma front).

Italians capture one of the peaks of the Busa Alta (Avisio, Trentino).

Political, etc.

British government prohibits the importation of cotton knit goods, aluminum powder, birds, bone, horn, ivory, and celluloid.

Sweden halts all exports to Britain due to a British requirement that no enemy interests can be involved in goods shipped to Britain.

Ship Losses:

Asvald (Norway) The brig was dismasted in the English Channel and was abandoned by her crew. She was later towed into Fishguard, Pembrokeshire in a waterlogged condition.
Jupiter (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was damaged in the North Sea by SM UB-27 ( Kaiserliche Marine). She was towed to the Pentland Firth and was beached. Later refloated, repaired and returned to service.

[Sailor Steve]

October 7, 1916

Air War:
0910 German pilot Manfred von Richthofen, flying Albatros D.II 491/16, shoots down BE.12 6618 for victory number 4. 2nd Lt William Fenwick is killed.

1010 German pilot Hans Berr, probably in a Halberstadt, shoots down a Caudron and a BE.12 for victories 3 and 4.

German ace Oswald Boelcke, in Albatros D.II 386/16, shoots down a Nieuport 12 for victory number 31.



North Sea:
Vicktor Dieckmann, commanding UB-27, stops British freighter SS Jupiter, 2,124 tons, bound from Arkhangelsk for Hull with a load of timber. The ship is damaged by the charges but does not sink. Towed to the Firth of Forth and beached there on October 11th.

Dutch trawlers J.T. Cremer, 222 tons, and Zaanstroom III, 194 tons, depart Ymulden for a fishing trip and are not heard from again.



Australia:
Steam vessel Rose, 43 tons, is lost to a fire off Port Stephens, New South Wales.

[Dowly]

Good job on keeping this thread going. Tons of stuff I've never known about.

[Jimbuna]

8th October 1916

Western Front

North and east of Courcelette, British line advanced, enemy attack Schwaben Redoubt and regain some trenches.

Eastern Front

Germans occupy island in Danube near Ruschuk.

Southern Front

Artillery activity on whole Italian front.

Italians inflict heavy losses on Busa Alta.

Serbs occupy the Dobropolye summit (east of Kaymakachlan).

Aviation

The Imperial German Flying Corps ("Fliegertruppen des Deutschen Kaiserreiches") is reorganized and renamed the German Air Force ("Luftstreitkräfte").

Naval and Overseas Operations

Enemy submarine, U.53, outside Newport, Rhode Island.

Atlantic Ports International. Merc. Marine orders no vessels to sail pending instructions.

Ship Losses:

Blommersdijk (Netherlands) The cargo ship was sunk in the Atlantic Ocean east of the Nantucket Lightship ( United States Coast Guard) (40°40′N 69°36′W) by SM U-53 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew were rescued by a United States Navy destroyer.
Christian Knudsen (Norway) The tanker was sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 14 nautical miles (26 km) south south east of the Nantucket Lightship ( United States Coast Guard) by SM U-53 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew were rescued by a United States Navy destroyer.
Magnus (United Kingdom) The trawler was scuttled in the North Sea 40 nautical miles (74 km) east north east of the Longstone Lighthouse, Northumberland by SM UB-27 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Stephano (United Kingdom) The passenger ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 2.5 nautical miles (4.6 km) off the Nantucket Lightship ( United States Coast Guard) by SM U-53 ( Kaiserliche Marine). All 154 people on board were rescued by a United States Navy destroyer.
Strathdene (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 20 nautical miles (37 km) south south east of the Nantucket Lightship ( United States Coast Guard) by SM U-53 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.[11][50] Her crew were rescued by a United States Navy destroyer.
West Point (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was scuttled in the Atlantic Ocean 46 nautical miles (85 km) south east by east of the Nantucket Lightship ( United States Coast Guard) (40°25′N 69°00′W) by SM U-53 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew were rescued by a United States Navy destroyer.

Piper James Richardson wins Victoria Cross for playing his pipes under intense fire during Battle of the Ancre Heights.

[Sailor Steve]

October 8, 1916

Air War:
Italian pilot Luigi Olivi, flying a Nieuport 11, shoots down an "Enemy Aircraft" for victory number 1.



North Sea:
Victor Dieckmann, commanding UB-27, stops and scuttles British trawler Magnus, 154 tons. His score is now 9 ships and 8,432 tons.



India:
British battleship HMS Vengeance has travelled from German East Africa to Bombay for repairs, and will enter drydock on the 11th.



United States:
Hans Rose, in U-53, begins the first attack on shipping off the American east coast, near the Nantucket light vessel.
Dutch freighter SS Blommersdijk, 4,850 tons, travelling from New York to Amsterdam with a load of wheat.
Norwegian tanker SS Chr. Knudsen, 4,224 tons, carrying gasoil from New York to London.
British passenger/cargo Stephano, 3,449 tons, out of St. Johns, Newfoundland for New York with passengers and a general cargo.
British freighter Strathdene, 4,321 tons, bound from New York for Bordeaux with a general cargo.
British freighter SS West Point, 3,847 tons, carrying a general cargo from London to Newport News, Virginia.
Rose's score is now 6 ships and 23,567 tons.

[Jimbuna]

9th October 1916

Western Front

British make progress east of Le Sars towards Butte de Warlencourt.

Eastern Front

Enemy takes Torzburg (south-west of Kronstadt).

East of Brzezany (Galicia) enemy assumes offensive, fighting on Volhynia front.

Southern Front

Allied forces in Macedonia advance on both wings.

Serbs attack enemy's 3rd and last line of defence in Cherna loop, capture positions at Slivitza; Bulgarians retire north of Brod.

British advanced posts within 5,000 yards of Seres.

Italian offensive on the Isonzo front.

Aviation

After France published the names of 11 French flying aces, Germany responds by publishing a list of 29 German aces, 7 with 10+ kills.

Naval

Danish submarine Dykkeren sinks after colliding with a Norwegian steamer. All crew members are saved.


Political, etc.

New Greek Cabinet formed, Prof. Lambros, Premier; M. Zalocosta, Foreign Affairs; Gen. Drako, War.

M. Venizelos arriving Salonika receives great ovation.

Gradual constitution of Provisional Government.

British Royal Commission on Wheat and Flour Control appointed.

Ship Losses:

Astoria (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Barents Sea 120 nautical miles (220 km) north west by west of Vardø, Finnmark, Norway by SM U-46 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of seventeen crew.
Canowie (United Kingdom) The barque was wrecked on Chiloe Island, Chile with the loss of all hands.

[Sailor Steve]

October 9, 1916

Barents Sea:
Leo Hillebrand, commanding U-46, sinks British freighter SS Astoria, 4,262 tons, bound from New York for Ackhangeelsk with a load of copper, leather, and machinery. His score is now 16 ships and 21,850 tons.



Chile:
Australian barque Canowie, 2,193 tons, travelling from Port Talbot to Mejillones, is wrecked at Chiloé Island.



West Indies:
Danish schooner Thor, 339 tons, is wrecked at St Thomas, Virgin Islands.



Atlantic Ocean:
American schooner T.W. Dunn, 707 tons, en route from New Orleans to Barcelona, was abandoned in the Gulf Stream.