100 Years Ago Today

[Jimbuna]

13th January 1917

Eastern Front

Germans again repulsed near Kalutsem.

Enemy repulsed east of Focsani.

Naval and Overseas Operations

Italians severely defeat rebels near Zuara (Tripoli).

Political, etc.

The British government today raised £100 million from the public for its new war loan.

Responding to German criticism of the Allied blockade as inhumane, Britain states Germany starved Paris during the Franco-Prussian War.

A petition from Massachusetts, carrying 15,281 names, urges the U.S. government to break ties with Germany over the treatment of Belgians.

Russia claims that its naval raid on the Anatolian coast sunk 40 Ottoman ships that were carrying food to Constantinople.

Vatican confirms that Pope Benedict will not participate in any action towards peace that might appear to favor one power over the other.

Ship Losses:

USS Milwaukee (United States Navy) The St. Louis-class armored cruiser ran aground at Eureka, California. All 438 crew were rescued. Milwaukee broke in two in November 1918 and was a total loss. Her remains were scrapped in situ.

Solvang (Norway) The cargo ship was sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 30 nautical miles (56 km) north of Cape Finisterre, Spain (43°17′N 9°25′W) by SM U-59 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Toftwood (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the English Channel 24 nautical miles (44 km) north of Sept Îles, Côtes-du-Nord, France (49°15′N 3°43′W) by SM UC-18 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.

[Sailor Steve]

January 13, 1917

English Channel:
Wilhelm Kiel, commanding UC-18, captures British freighter SS Toftwood, 3,082 tons, bound from New York for Le Havre with a general cargo. After the crew have abandoned ship, Kiel sinks her with a torpedo. His score is now 28 ships and 26,919 tons.



Spain:
Wilhelm von Fircks, in U-59, sinks Norwegian freighter SS Solvang, 2,970 tons, carrying a load of iron ore from Almeria to Barrow. His score is now 3 ships and 3,392 tons.



United States:
American cruiser USS Milwaukee (C-21), 9,700 tons, is sent to Eureka, California, to assist in the re-floating of submarine USS H-3, which had run aground at Humboldt Bay the previous December 14th. The cruiser runs aground at Samoa Beach, off Eureka, and is stranded. The crew are all safe, but the ship proves unsalvageable.

[Jimbuna]

14th January 1917

Eastern Front

Enemy thrown back in Casin valley and repulsed north-east of Focsani, but capture Vadeni (between Braila and Galatz).

In Romania, German-led forces advance on a 10-mile front towards the Siret River against Romanian and Russian forces, capturing 2 villages.

Naval

German submarine SM UB-37, which had sunk 31 ships, is sunk by British Q ship HMS Penshurst in the English Channel.

Japanese armoured cruiser Tsukuba suffers an accidental explosion in Yokosuka, resulting in 305 deaths.



Political, etc.

At Ciurea station, Romania, a train crash causes 800-1000 deaths. Due to war, no formal investigation takes place.

Ship Losses:

Martin (United Kingdom) The cargo ship shelled and was sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 8 nautical miles (15 km) north by west of Ouessant, Finistère, France (48°36′N 5°08′W) by SM UC-18 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Norma (Denmark) The cargo ship was sunk in the English Channel (50°13′N 2°00′W) by SM UB-37 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Sydney (France) The cargo ship was shelled and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 90 nautical miles (170 km) north west of Cape Villano, Spain (44°13′N 10°41′W) by SM U-48 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Tsukuba (Imperial Japanese Navy) The Tsukuba-class cruiser exploded and sank at Yokosuka, Kanagawa with the loss of 305 of her 879 crew.
SM UB-37 (Kaiserliche Marine) The Type UB II submarine was shelled and sunk in the English Channel 50°07′N 1°47′W by HMS Penshurst ( Royal Navy) with the loss of all 21 crew.

[Sailor Steve]

January 14, 1917

Air War:
1115 English pilot Gilbert Green, flying BE.12 6601, and Welsh pilot Franklin Geoffrey Saunders, in 6603, team up to shoot down an Albatros two seater. The German crew are not named but were reported as captured. Victory number 4 for Green, number 1 for Saunders.



English Channel:
Paul Günther, commanding UB-37, sinks Danish freighter SS Norma, 1,997 tons, bound from Valencia for Falmouth and then London with a load of oranges plus general cargo. Later Günther comes across another small freighter and opens fire at 3,000 yards. The freighter stops and the crew abandon ship. UB-37 continues to fire, and then the ship starts to return fire. The "freighter" is actually the Q-Ship HMS Penshurst, and the "crew" were a "panic party", acting as a decoy by manning the lifeboats and leaving. Penshurst scores several hits, and UB-37 sinks. The Q-Ship finishes the job, dropping depth charges. UB-37 is lost, Paul Günther and his 20 crew all going down with their ship. HMS Penshurst had previoiusly sunk UB-19 on the previous November 30th. Günther's final score is 20 ships and 13,175 tons.

Wilhelm Kiel, in UC-18, sinks British freighter SS Martin, 1,904 tons, travelling from Bayonne to Barry with a load of pit props, northwest of Ushant. His score is now 29 ships and 28,813 tons.



Spain:
Berndt Buß, in U-48, stops French freighter SS Sydney, 2,695 tons, carrying a load of coal from Cardiff to Bône (modern Annaba), and sinks her with his deck gun off Cape Villano.. His score is now 13 ships and 35,284 tons.



Japan:
Japanese armored cruiser IJN Tsukuba, 13,750 tons, suffers a magazine explosion while anchored at Yokosuka, with the loss of 305 of her crew.



Caribbean Sea:
American schooner Evie B. Hall, 361 tons, travelling from Las Palmas, Canary Islands for Guadeloupe Island, is wrecked at Le Moule Bay, Guadeloupe.

[Jimbuna]

15th January 1917

Eastern Front

Indecisive fighting in Casin valley sector.

Unsuccessful Russian attack in neighbourhood of Fundeni.

Political, etc.

British Cabinet members meet with commanders of the British and French armies to coordinate war plans.

German Foreign Secretary Zimmermann blames the Allies for preventing German efforts at seeking a peace deal.

Kings of Bavaria & Saxony declare their support of the Kaiser and that they will fight “until the enemy’s disgraceful plans are shattered.”

Persia (Iran) asks the U.S. State Department to help defend its rights, as its territories have been invaded by both Russians & Ottomans.

Ship Losses:

Bernadette (France) The brig was scuttled in the Bay of Biscay 8 nautical miles (15 km) south south east of the Glénan Islands, Finistère (47°27′N 3°50′W) by SM UC-18 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Brabant (Norway) The cargo ship struck a mine laid by UC 43 (Erwin Sebelin) and sank in the North Sea 2 nautical miles (3.7 km) off Flamborough Head, Yorkshire, United Kingdom with the loss of three of her crew.
Esperanca (Norway) The cargo ship was captured in the Atlantic Ocean by SM U-48 ( Kaiserliche Marine). She was scuttled the next day 165 nautical miles (306 km) north of Cape Finisterre, Spain.
Garfield (United Kingdom) The tanker was torpedoed and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 60 nautical miles (110 km) north east by north of Alexandria, Egypt (36°05′N 19°57′E) by SM U-39 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived, but her captain was taken as a prisoner of war.
Graafjeld (Norway) The coaster struck a mine laid by UC 43 (Erwin Sebelin) and sank in the North Sea 3 nautical miles (5.6 km) east of Flamborough Head. Her crew survived.
Independant (France) The sailing vessel was scuttled in the Atlantic Ocean 20 nautical miles (37 km) north west of Ouessant, Finistère by SM UB-38 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived; they were rescued by a Royal Navy destroyer.
Kinpurney (United Kingdom) The full-rigged ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 110 nautical miles (200 km) west of the Bishop Rock, Isles of Scilly (49°20′N 9°10′W) by SM U-84 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Omsk (Denmark) The cargo ship was sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 90 nautical miles (170 km) west of the Bishop's Rock (49°12′N 8°39′W) by SM U-84 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Otto (Norway) The cargo ship was sunk in the Bay of Biscay 10 nautical miles (19 km) north west of Belle Île, Morbihan, France (47°32′N 3°41′W) by SM UC-18 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Port Nicholson (United Kingdom) The cargo liner struck a mine laid by UC 1 (Hugo Thielmann) and sank in the North Sea 15 nautical miles (28 km) west of Dunquerque, Pas-de-Calais, France (51°01′45″N 1°58′15″E) with the loss of two of her crew.

"The Straight Game" (Western Mail cartoon)

[Sailor Steve]

January 15, 1917

Air War:
German pilot Friedrich-Karl Burckhardt, flying a Halberstadt D.II, shoots down a BE.2c for victory number 1.



Celtic Sea:
Walter Roehr, commanding U-84, sinks two Allied ships near Bishop Rock:
British sailing ship Kinpurney, 1,944 tons, bound from Cardiff for Port Nolloth, South Africa with a load of coal, coke and limestone.
Danish freighter SS Omsk, 1,574 tons, travelling from Leith to Genoa with a load of coal and fish.
Roehr's score is now 6 ships and 14,602 tons.



English Channel:
Wilhelm Amberger, in UB-38, stops and scuttles French dandy Independant, 153 tons, carrying 120 tons of pit props from La Rochelle to Swansea; northwest of Ushant. The crew are rescued by a British destroyer. Amberger's score is now 6 ships and 5,576 tons.



Strait of Dover:
British freighter SS Port Nicholson, 8,418 tons, en route from Sydney to Dunkerque with a load of meat and general cargo, hits a mine laid by Hugo Thielmann, new commander of UC-1. This is Thielmann's first sinking.



North Sea:
Two Norwegian freighters hit mines laid off Flamborough Head by Erwin Sebelin in UC-43:
SS Brabant, 1,492 tons, bound from Christiania for London with a load of wood pulp plus general cargo.
SS Graafjeld, 728 tons, travelling from Aalesund to Hull with a load of salt herring.
Sebelin's score is now 4 ships and 3,951 tons.



Bay of Biscay:
Wilhelm Kiel, in UC-18, stops and scuttles two Allied vessels near the Glénan Islands:
French brigantine Bernadette, 128 tons, carrying a load of pit props from La Roche Bernard to Cardiff.
Norwegian coaster SS Otto, 401 tons, travelling from Middlesbrough to Saint Nazaire with a load of pitch.
Kiel's score is now 31 ships and 29,342 tons.



Mediterranean Sea:
Leading u-boat ace Walter Forstmann, in U-39, sinks British freighter SS Garfield, 3,838 tons, carrying a load of coal from Barry to Port Said. His score is now 140 ships and 283,717 tons.

[Jimbuna]

16th January 1917

Western Front

Another big British daylight raid west of Lens.

Capture of enemy posts on front of 600 yards north of Beaucourt-sur-Ancre.

Eastern Front

Mackensen's advance in Romania checked.

Naval and Overseas Operations

British Admiralty announces that German raider in the Atlantic has sunk 10 British and 2 French ships, and captured 2 British ships.

Political, etc.

Germany claims that Allied shelling and air raids have killed 2,557 French and Belgian civilians in occupied areas.

Greece government asks the U.S. for help, stating Allied meddling in the country is causing starvation among its people.

At the Pope’s request, Kaiser Wilhelm agrees that he will cooperate in the restoration of the damaged Rheims cathedral.

General Bieliaev appointed Russian Minister of War in place of General Shuvaiev.

George Dewey, U.S. Admiral of the Navy (only person to hold the rank), has passed away.


Ship Losses:

HMT Amplify (Royal Navy) The naval trawler was lost on this date.
Jeune France (France) The ship was sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 25 nautical miles (46 km) west north west of Ouessant, Finistère by SM UC-18 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Valle (Spain) The cargo ship was sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 10 nautical miles (19 km) south west of Ouessant by SM UC-18 ( Kaiserliche Marine).[128] Her crew were rescued by Kurt ( Sweden).

Editorial Cartoon: 'When attrition meets attrition' ─ Chicago Tribune

[Sailor Steve]

January 16, 1917

Celtic Sea:
Paul Wagenfür, commanding U-44, sinks British freighter SS Baron Sempill, 1,607 tons, bound from Glasgow for Huelva with a general cargo. His score is now 9 ships and 31,289 tons.

Wilhelm Amberger, in UB-38, sinks Spanish freighter SS Manuel, 2,419 tons, carrying a load of copper ore from Bilbao to Glasgow. His score is now 4 ships and 7,995 tons.



Bay of Biscay:
Wilhelm von Fircks, in U-59, stops and scuttles French barque Brenn, 2,189 tons, travelling in ballast from La Pallice to Taltal. His score is now 4 ships and 5,581 tons.

Wilhelm Kiel, in UC-18, sinks Norwegian freighter SS City of Tampico, 1,513 tons, carrying a load of coal from Manchester to Nantes. His score is now 32 ships and 30,855 tons.



Spain:
Berndt Buß, in U-48, scuttles Norwegian freighter SS Esperanca, 4,428 tons, travelling in ballast from La Spezia to Cardiff. The ship was captured the previous day off Cape Finisterre. Buß's score is now 14 ships and 38,712 tons.



South Africa:
HMFM Trent comes to rest and a damage crew visits HMS Severn to inspect for leaks. Finding everything shipshape the tow to Durban is resumed.

[Jimbuna]

17th January 1917

The Central Powers accuse Russia of deporting Austrian men of military age in occupied areas of Austro-Hungary.

Ships sunk by the German raiding ship SMS Möwe cost U.S. insurance companies more than $10 million.

Germany demands that France move its prisoner of war camps beyond the range of German artillery to prevent accidental hits.

At the Ancre front, British troops capture 600 yards of trenches north of Beaucourt, France.

British “Room 40” codebreakers intercept a coded telegram penned by German foreign secretary Arthur Zimmermann. The Zimmermann telegram proposes an alliance between Germany and Mexico if the U.S. enters the war.

Ship Losses and a couple of other entries in my previous post were in fact for todays date oops!

[Sailor Steve]

January 17, 1917

Air War:
1340 German pilot Georg Schlenker, flying a Halberstadt D.III, shots down RE.8 A74 for victory number 1. Details on the British pilot are unavailable at this time.



Celtic Sea:
Wilhelm Kiel, commanding UC-18, stops and scuttles two Allied ships west of Ushant:
French schooner Jeune France, 126 tons, bound from La Rochelle for Cardiff with a load of pit props.
Spanish freighter Valle, 2,365 tons, carrying a load of iron ore from Bilbao to Middlesbrough.
Kiel's score is now 34 ships and 33,346 tons.

British schooner M. Lloyd Morris, 144 tons, en route from Cadiz to Halway with a load of salt, sinks following a collision off the Lizard (the outermost point of Cornwall).



Scotland:
His Majesty's Trawler Amplify, 342 tons, runs aground near Mingulay, at the south end of the Isles of Lewis.



Liberia:
British freighter SS Gando, 2,895 tons, travelling from New York to Liberia, is wrecked at Bruni Rock, just south of the Sanquin River.



Canada:
Canadian service vessel No. 6 Dredge, 370 tons, travelling from Isaac's Harbour, Nova Scotia to Sydney, NS, founders off Shag Rock, with the loss of 9 lives.

[Jimbuna]

18th January 1917

Eastern Front

Unsuccessful attacks on enemy positions between Casin and Susitsa valleys.

Political, etc.

Lighthouses in Jamaica and other British possessions in the Caribbean are darkened due to fear of German raiders and submarines.

Re-opening of Duma and of Council of the Empire postponed by Russian Government from 25 January to 27 February.

Members of the Prussian Diet urge the vigorous prosecution of the war with the increased use of submarines.

Ship Losses:

Asp (Norway) The cargo ship was sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 45 nautical miles (83 km) north west of the Isles of Scilly, United Kingdom (50°37′N 6°43′W) by SM UB-38 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Dagmar (Denmark) The cargo ship struck a mine laid by UC 4 (Georg Reimarus) and sank in the North Sea off Orfordness, Suffolk, United Kingdom (52°07′30″N 1°45′30″E). Her crew survived.
HMS Ferret (Royal Navy) The Acheron-class destroyer was torpedoed and damaged in the English Channel south east of St. Catherine's Point, Isle of Wight by SM UC-21 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of a crew member. She was repaired and returned to service.
Louise (France) The sailing vessel was sunk in the Bay of Biscay 14 nautical miles (26 km) south south west of the Glénan Islands, Finistère by SM UC-18 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Louis Joseph (France) The auxiliary schooner was sunk in the Bay of Biscay 6 nautical miles (11 km) east south east of Guilvinec, Finistère by SM UC-18 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Manchester Inventor (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 50 nautical miles (93 km) north west by west of the Fastnet Rock by SM U-57 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Taormina (Italy) The cargo ship was sunk in the English Channel 60 nautical miles (110 km) off Jersey, Channel Islands by SM UC-16 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.

[Sailor Steve]

January 18, 1917

Ireland:
Carl-Siegfried von Georg, commanding U-57, sinks British freighter SS Manchester Inventor, 4,247 tons, bound from St. John, New Brunswick, Canada for Manchester with a general cargo. His score is now 25 ships and 20,686 tons.



Celtic Sea:
Wilhelm Amberger, in UB-38, sinks Norwegian freighter SS Asp, 1,759 tons, travelling from Barry to Fayal, in the Azores, with a load if coal. His score is now 5 ships and 9,754 tons.



English Channel:
Egon von Werner, in UC-16, sinks Italian freighter SS Taormina, 2,457 tons, en route from Huelva to Newport, Wales with a load of Iron Ore, off the Isle of Jersey. His score is now 40 ships and 45,575 tons.

Reinhold Saltzwedel, in UC-21, torpedoes British destroyer HMS Ferret, 778 tons, off St. Catherine's Point, Isle of Wight. The damaged ship makes port safely and is repaired and converted to a fast minelayer.



North Sea:
Friedrich Karl Sichart von Sichartshofen, in UB-41, attacks British trawler Cetus, 139 tons, with his deck gun. The damaged trawler manages to make safe port.
This is Sichart von Sichartshofen's last attack. He will leave UB-41 on March 20, 1917 and leave the naval service on November 10, 1919. Other than that nothing seems to be known of his later life except for a note in Timothy Mulligan's book Neither Sharks Nor Wolves stating that he served in the U-bootsabnahmakommando (U-boat Acceptance Command) in World War Two.

Danish freighter SS Dagmar, 758 tons, travelling in ballast from Trouville to Methil, hits a mine laid by Georg Reimarus in UC-4 near Orfordness. Reimarus' score is now 2 ships and 940 tons.



Bay of Biscay:
Wilhelm Kiel, in UC-18, sinks two French vessels off Brittany:
Auxiliary motor schooner Louis Joseph, 197 tons, bound from La Rochelle for Port Talbot with 230 tons of pit props, scuttled off Guilvinec.
Ketch Louise, 101 tons, carrying 65 tons of pit props from Le Verdon to Swansea; scuttled off Penfret.
Kiel's score is now 36 ships and 33,644 tons.



Durban, South Africa:
0810 HMFM Trent stops outside Durban Harbour and a work crew goes aboard HMS Severn.
0940 HMS Severn's tow ropes are slipped and the minitor proceeds into the harbour under her own power.
1120 HMFM Trent anchors and waits for tug boats.
1250 Trent is moored alongside HM Trawler Huntsgreen.



Canada:
Canadian coaster SS Pilot, 427 tons, carrying a general cargo from Rivière Du Loup to Quebec, is wrecked at Red Island, in the Saint Lawrence River.

[Jimbuna]

19th January 1917

Eastern Front

Further unsuccessful Romanian attacks between Casin and Susitsa valleys.

Town of Nanesti and bridgehead of Fundeni carried by enemy.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

Right bank of Tigris below Kut cleared of enemy after 10 days' continuous fighting.

Naval

British submarine E36 collides with another submarine E43 in the North Sea, resulting in E36’s sinking with loss of all hands.

Political, etc.

Great explosion at Silvertown, east London; 69 killed, 400 injured.

Germany initiates negotiations with Mexico, Japan and U.S.A.

More than 1000 Americans in Ottoman Syria and Palestine apply for evacuation out of the region.

German occupation in Belgium sentences 30 Belgians to death for attempting to escape through the Netherlands and join the Belgian Army.

Coffee rations in Budapest are cut to 125 grams per person for each month.

Russia announces that in 1916, it captured 428,000 soldiers, 325 artillery guns, 1,661 machine guns, and 421 mortars and mine throwers.

Ship Losses:

Anna (Norway) The cargo ship was scuttled in the Atlantic Ocean 80 nautical miles (150 km) west of Ouessant, Finistère, France (48°29′N 7°12′W) by SM UC-16 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
HMS E36 (Royal Navy) The E-class submarine collided with HMS E43 ( Royal Navy) in the North Sea off Harwich, Essex and sank with the loss of all 30 crew.
Gaea (Norway) The cargo ship was sunk in the Bay of Biscay 21 nautical miles (39 km) north by east of Bilbao, Biscay, Spain by SM U-59 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Joseph Rosalie (France) The sailing vessel was sunk in the English Channel 40 nautical miles (74 km) north west of the Roches-Douvres Lighthouse, Côtes-du-Nord by SM UC-21 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Klampenborg (Denmark) The cargo ship was sunk in the Bay of Biscay off Audierne, Finistère, France (47°56′N 4°42′W) by SM UC-18 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Lilian H. (United Kingdom) The schooner was scuttled in the Atlantic Ocean 15 nautical miles (28 km) south by east of the Old Head of Kinsale, County Cork by SM UB-38 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Marietta di Giorgio (Norway) The coaster was scuttled in the Atlantic Ocean 70 nautical miles (130 km) south west of Ouessant (47°38′N 6°23′W) by SM UC-21 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Nailsea Court (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 32 nautical miles (59 km) west of the Skelligs by SM U-48 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Parahyba (Uruguay) The cargo ship was sunk in the Bay of Biscay 5 nautical miles (9.3 km) south of the La Vieille Lighthouse, Finistère (47°57′N 4°45′W) by SM UC-18 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Reinunga (Norway) The cargo ship was sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 70 nautical miles (130 km) south west of the Bishop Rock, Isles of Scilly, United Kingdom by SM UC-16 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Theresdal (Norway) The cargo ship was sunk in the Atlantic Ocean off Ouessant by SM UC-16 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Tremeadow (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was shelled and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 35 nautical miles (65 km) north east by north of Ouessant (49°03′N 4°50′W) by SM UC-21 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.

[Sailor Steve]

January 19, 1917

Air War:
German pilot Otto Brauneck, now flying a Halberstadt D.II with Jasta 25, shoots down a Caudron G.IV for victory number 5.



Ireland:
Berndt Buß. cp,,amdomg U-48, sinks British freighter SS Nailsea Court, 3,295 tons, bound from Bougie for Barrow with a load of iron ore. His score is now 15 ships and 41,407 tons.

Wilhelm Amberger, in UB-38, stops and scuttles British schooner Lillian H., 467 tons, carrying a load of slate from Whitehaven to Barbados. His score is now 6 vessels and 10,221 tons.



Celtic Sea:
Egon von Werner, in UC-16, stops and scuttles three Norwegian freighters west of Ushant:
SS Anna, 1,237 tons, travelling from Almeria to Glasgow with a load of esparto grass.
SS Reinunga, 1,147 tons, carrying a load of esparto from Arzew to Glasgow.
SS Theresdal, 1,762 tons, en route from Bathurst to Liverpool with a load of ground nuts.
Von Werner's score is now 43 ships and 49,721 tons.

Reinhold Saltzwedel, in UC-21, sinks three Allied ships around Ushant:
French schooner Joseph Rosalie, 138 tons, travelling from Palmpoi to Swansea with a load of ore; scuttled.
Norwegian freighter SS Marietta di Giorgio, 988 tons, en route from Cadiz to Moldøen. Norway with a load of salt; scuttled.
British freighter SS Tremeadow, 3,653 tons, carring a load of maize from Buenos Aires to Hull.
Saltzwedel's score is now 27 ships and 31,660 tons.



Brittany:
French sailing vessel Parfaite claimed to have been sunk by a German U-boat. There is no German record claiming this sinking, and no details on the size, route or cargo of the French vessel.

Wilhelm Kiel, in UC-18, sinks two ships in the Bay of Audierne:
Danish freighter SS Klampenborg, 1,785 tons, bound from Tyne for Bordeaux with a load of coal.
Uruguayan freighter SS Parahyba, 2,606 tons, carrying a load of coal from Clyde to Saint Nazaire.
Kiel's score is now 38 ships and 38,035 tons.



Bay of Biscay:
Wilhelm von Fircks, in U-59, sinks Norwegian freighter SS Gaea, 1,002 tons, travelling from Bilbao, Spain to Newport, Wales with a load of iron ore, northeast of Bilbao. His score is now 5 ships and 6,583 tons.



Simonstown, South Africa:
Drydock is filled, HMS Hyacinth moves out into harbour.

Durban, South Africa:
HMFM Trent is moved to dock by tugs. In a log entry Trent reports seven men absent without leave all day, three men refusing to go on duty and two men not showing up for watch duty.

[Jimbuna]

20th January 1917

Eastern Front

Germans take Fundeni (on the Sereth).

Naval and Overseas Operations

Official despatch from German East Africa reports progress in Rufiji valley region and west of Mahenge.

General A.R. Hoskins succeeds General Smuts.

Political, etc.

An explosion at a munitions laboratory in Spandau, Germany results in 10 deaths and 20 injuries.

The Tsar addresses a rescript to Prince Golitzin laying down the main lines of his policy.

Ship Losses:

Bulgarian (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 50 nautical miles (93 km) west of the Fastnet Rock by SM U-84 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of fourteen of her crew. Nine survivors were taken as prisoners of war.
Kisagata Maru No.3 (Japan) The cargo ship was sunk in the Bay of Biscay by SM UC-21 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Neuquen (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 20 nautical miles (37 km) north west by west of the Skellig Islands (51°50′N 10°52′W) by SM U-84 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of eighteen crew.
HMT New Comet (Royal Navy) The naval trawler struck a mine laid by UC 4 (Georg Reimarus) and sank in the North Sea off Orfordness, Suffolk (52°07′30″N 1°43′40″E) with the loss of eight of her crew.
HMT Pansy Royal Navy The naval trawler was lost on this date.[37]
laid by UC 43 (Erwin Sebelin) (United Kingdom) The coaster struck a mine and sank in the North Sea off Whitby, Yorkshire with the loss of all eleven crew.
Standard (Denmark) The brigantine was sunk in the English Channel 13 nautical miles (24 km) off Portland Bill, Dorset, United Kingdom by SM UC-17 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.