100 Years Ago Today

[Jimbuna]

5th March 1915

Western Front

French attack on German positions at Hartmannsweilerkopf.

Zeppelin L8 wrecked near Tirlemont.

Eastern Front

Germans concentrate strong forces between Thorn and Mlava.

Russians cross the Bistritza (eastern Carpathians) and threaten Austrian flank.

Southern Front

Dardanelles: Narrows forts bombarded by "Queen Elizabeth" from Gulf of Saros; fort L blown up and others damaged.

Naval and Overseas Operations

British warships bombard Smyrna.


Dardanelles Campaign - Phase 1 had been successful with the outer defences destroyed, beach and demolition parties landed, little damage to the bombarding ships, and few casualties. Now Adm Carden was ready for Phase 2 - sweeping the minefields, believed to consist of ten lines of mines starting 8 miles inside the entrance and reducing the gun and other defences right up to the Narrows. For the latter, naval forces included 14 British and 4 French capital ships and four British light cruisers, but the only minesweepers were eight slow trawlers.

Turkish Coastal Operations - Attempt to reduce Smyrna (Izmir) forts by bombardment was unsuccessful because of defensive minefields; battleships Swiftsure, Triumph, armoured cruiser Euryalus, seaplane carrier Aenne Rickmers, five trawler minesweepers took part. Minesweeper No.285 sunk on 8th, Aenne Rickmers damaged on 11th.

Dardanelles Campaign
Queen Elizabeth, dreadnought, Queen Elizabeth-class, 31,500t, completed January 1915, 8-15in/16-6in, taking leading part in first bombardment of the inner defences, anchored in the Aegean 2½m W of Gaba Tepe and firing over the Gallipoli peninsula at the Narrows forts, spotting by seaplanes and battleship Albion within the Straits. Turks brought up mobile field guns and howitzers, mainly 12pdrs and hit her 17 times, no serious damage.

Political, etc.

German Note issued an answer to attempt to United States to mitigate rigours of war zone.

Germany stops the sale of wheat or rye flour on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays to conserve food.

Ship Losses:

HMT Calliope II ( Royal Navy): The naval trawler collided with another vessel off the Butt of Lewis (58°31′00″N 5°45′30″W) and sank with the loss of a crew member.
Dongola ( United Kingdom): The ship was driven ashore in Porthkerry Bay. Her passengers were taken off by two Royal Navy patrol ships. She was subsequently refloated.
Ignacio Roca ( Spain): The cargo ship departed from West Hartlepool, County Durham, United Kingdom for Barcelona, Spain. No further trace, presumed foundered with the loss of all hands.

Russian battleship Tsesarevich, a pre-dreadnought battleship of the Imperial Russian Navy, docked, ca. 1915.

[Sailor Steve]

March 5:

Sheerness, England: HMS Humber, Mersey and Severn are boarded by parties of dock workers whose orders are to shore up the hulls for their upcoming ocean voyage. Fittings and boats are removed; since they are considered unseaworthy the monitors are to be towed by seagoing tugs. The crews will ride in a liner and the monitors will be empty. Commander Eric John Arthur Fullerton, captain of Mersey, is the senior naval officer and the only one privy to their destination, which is Malta.



Cape Horn: HMS Bristol puts into Puerto Tamar with rudder problems. HMS Glasgow is patrolling the area around Union Sound.



German East Africa: At 1625 Kinfauns Castle hoists out Sopwith S920. The seaplane makes two flights before returning to the ship.

[Jimbuna]

6th March 1915

Eastern Front

Austrian attacks in the Carpathians again repulsed. They retreat in the Bukovina.

Naval

Ottoman Empire begins dismantling some forts in the Dardanelles straits as they prove ineffective in countering Allied warships.

Dardanelles: Bombardment continued by "Queen Elizabeth" and seven other warships.

Queen Elizabeth continued indirect fire across the peninsula with Albion spotting, while Agamemnon and Lord Nelson entered the straits to carry out their attacks on the Narrows forts:

Majestic, battleship, Majestic-class, covering Albion while she spotted. Hit by a heavy shell from Messudieh Fort.

Agamemnon and Lord Nelson, battleships, Lord Nelson-class, c17,700t, 4-12in/10-9.2in, nicknamed "Aggie" and "Nellie", covered by the French battleship division, opened fire about 1230 on the powerful Chanak forts. Agamemnon soon hit on armour by 6in shell, at 1300 on quarterdeck apparently by 14in shell which blew a great hole, wrecked the wardroom and gunroom and drove splinters through the foretop, followed by two more heavy shells. As both ships continued to come under intense fire from many batteries, both were hit several times from 1400 on, rigging and upper works damaged. Agamemnon hit by a total of 8 heavy shells, Lord Nelson by 7 including one which hit her armour below the waterline, flooded two bunkers and also sent splinters into her conning tower; Capt McClintock and two crew wounded by the splinters. Both ships returned to Tenedos, and next day Lord Nelson left for Mudros and the repair ships there.

Smyrna Blockade
Triumph, battleship, Swiftsure-class and Euryalus, armoured cruiser, Cressy-class, 12,000t, 2-9.2in/12-6in, taking part in blockade of Smyrna to prevent it being used as a submarine base. The intention was to destroy the forts ready for an attack, with minesweeping trawlers sweeping ahead, covered by Triumph, Swiftsure and Euryalus. Turks opened heavy and accurate fire forcing the trawlers to withdraw, Triumph, Euryalus and minesweepers hit; 1 officer DOW, 1 officer and 6 ratings wounded.

Political, etc.

Greece: King Constantine forces the resignation of Venizelos cabinet.

Garibaldi Legion, a French Foreign Legion made up of Italians, is disbanded due to the general mobilization in Italy.

Germany asks the U.S. to take care of its diplomatic interests in Constantinople if the city was to fall to the Allies.

Ship Losses:

Glendalough ( United Kingdom): The schooner sprang a leak and foundered in the Irish Sea off Skerries, Dublin.
HMT John Sherburn ( Royal Navy): The naval trawler ran aground and was wrecked near Dover, Kent.
British steamer BILLITER steel screw 832grt/468nrt was sunk by the Turkish Authorities at Channel of Smyrna Harbour. She was one of three British steamers detained at Smyrna at the outbreak of the war. The others were ASSIOUT (3146 grt) and CITY OF KHIOS (3496 grt). All three were scuttled.

[Sailor Steve]

March 6:

Austro-Hungarian chief-of-staff General Conrad von Hötzendorf tells his German counterpart General Erich von Falkenhayn that in his opinion war with Italy is inevitable.



Air War: Russian pilot Yevgraph Nikolayevich Kruten, flying a Voisin III with an unnamed observer, is credited with bringing down an 'Enemy Aircraft'.



Cape Horn: HMS Bristol is anchored at Puerto Tamar with divers examining her rudder. HMS Glasgow investigates the area around Ultima Esperanza, finally anchoring at Puerto Natales.



German East Africa: Sopwith S920 is again hoisted into the water, taxis to the beach, makes on test flight and is recovered by Kinfauns Castle. The aircraft is still having trouble functioning it the extreme heat.

[Jimbuna]

7th March 1915

Western Front

Ostend bombed by six British aviators.

Eastern Front

Russians pursue retreating Germans in Augustovo Woods (northern Poland).

Heavy fighting at Osovyets.

Further Austrian attacks repulsed at Baligrod (Carpathians).

Naval and Overseas Operations

No liners from the U.S. will be arriving in England for 11 days, which is the longest pause in 35 years.

German East Africa Campaign - British lake steamers Winifred and Kavirondo drove German gunboat Mwanza ashore at the southern end of Lake Victoria and established local control.

Several coast batteries silenced at Smyrna.

Dardanelles: "Queen Elizabeth", "Ocean" and "Agamemnon" continue bombardment from Gulf of Saros. Fort Dardanos batteries silenced.

Dublin, light cruiser, Chatham-class, 6,000t, 8-6in/4-3pdr/2-21in tt, in Gulf of Xeros/Saros, keeping watch off Bulair at the neck of Gallipoli peninsula. Hidden battery opened fire, hit four times, damage not serious.

Political etc.

Greek Government request explanation of British occupation of Lemnos.

Germany begins calling up men up to the age of 55 for military service.

Germany confiscates the “Münchener Zeitung” newspaper for advocating the annexation of Belgium and suspends “Hammer” for antisemitism.

Government in Constantinople prepares to evacuate the capital, but the Sultan remains in favor of staying in the city.

Romanian Parliament passes a law empowering the government to proclaim a “state of siege” until the end of war if it was deemed necessary.

Ship Losses:

Bengrove ( United Kingdom): The collier was torpedoed and sunk in the Bristol channel 5 nautical miles (9.3 km) north north east of Ilfracombe, Devon by SM U-20 ( Kaiserliche Marine): All 33 crew were rescued.

[Sailor Steve]

March 7:

English Channel: U-20, Walther Schwieger commanding, torpedoes SS Bengrove, 3,840 tons, carrying 5,000 tons of coal. The ship explodes, which is seen from the shore. The Ilfracombe coast guard sends boats to aid in the rescue. At first it is thought that Bengrove hit a mine. Schwieger now has 4 ships to his credit, for 15,748 tons.



Pacific Ocean: HMS Kent arrives at the reported German rendezvous point hoping to find SS Gotha. With only 530 tons of coal remaining, Captain J.D. Allen stops both engines and waits.



Cape Horn: HMS Bristol is still anchored at Puerto Tamar, divers still working on her rudder. HMS Glasgow spends the day patrolling Almirante Gulf.



Atlantic Ocean: At 1143 hours HMS Carnarvon arrives at Rio de Janeiro. She salutes the Brazilian flag with 21 guns, which honor is returned by the local fort. She then salutes the ship carrying the local rear-admiral with 13 guns. The ship is joined by the collier Bampton and begins coaling and pumping all four boilers again.



German East Africa: SS Kinfauns Castle hoists out S920 again. Again the plane makes two tentative flights. Again it is decided that the Sopwith is not ready.

At 1335 hours HMS Goliath anchors at Moresby Point (Ras Mkumbi), the northern-most point of Mafia Island.



Yemen: Sometime around this date Hellmuth von Mücke arrives back at Al Hudaydah and begins making plans for an escape by sea.

[Jimbuna]

8th March 1915

Western Front

Local attack by Germans, after heavy bombardment, fails at Dixmude.

Eastern Front

Severe fighting on whole front north of Vistula.

Fighting goes in favour of Russians round Osovyets.

Despite heavy losses, Austrians continue to attack at Baligrod.

Russians checked at Kosziowa (southern Carpathians), but retain positions by a counter-attack.

Naval and Overseas Operations

Two more Dardanelles forts are silenced by Allied warships; Ottoman counter-battery fire is largely ineffective.

Smyrna Blockade
OKINO, Admiralty trawler, 241/1914, H L Taylor, Grimsby-reg GY4, hired 8/14 as minesweeper, Admiralty No.285, 15 crew, Lt Geoffrey Whitehouse RNR in command, sweeping channel into Smyrna (Izmir) at night to allow battleships to close and bombard the forts, battleships Triumph and Swiftsure firing on the searchlights. Night of 8th/9th - Mined and sunk about 3,000yds from Fort Yeni Kali, S side of Gulf of Smyrna (H/C/D/sc - in the Dardanelles); 10 crew lost, skipper and four men saved.

Heraclea (Eregli) (Asia Minor) and neighbouring coast bombarded by Russian Black Sea fleet.

Ostend bombed.

Political, etc.

Britain allows U.S. cotton shippers until March 31st to complete their contracts in Germany before the Allied blockade goes into effect.

Britain considers trying the captured German crew of submarine U-8 as pirates.

Greece: M. Zaimis having refused to form a ministry, King Constantine summons M. Gounaris who forms a cabinet.

In a council at Vienna, the Emperor Francis Joseph accepts the principle of a rectification of frontiers in favour of Italy.

Ship Losses:

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

[Sailor Steve]

March 8:

Pacific Ocean: HMS Kent is still waiting for SS Gotha to appear. With the dawn Captain J.D. Allen and his crew find themselves in the midst of a heavy fog. By late afternoon the fog has burned off, and at 1517 Allen is surprised to see SMS Dresden herself, at a distance of 26,000 yards. Kent starts working up to full speed. At 1537 they are only 17,000 yards away when Captain Lüdecke sights the British cruiser and runs. Kent is making 21 knots but Dresden turns out to be faster, making better than 23 knots. By 2000 she has opened the range to 30,000 yards and Allen slows his ship to cruising speed and sends a message to Captain Luce aboard HMS Glasgow.

"By 2000 she was hull down and only her masts and tops of funnels showed. Our funnels were glowing red hot and sparks were flying astern. At 2100 it was nearly an hour since I had seen anything."

Kent is low on coal and returns to the meeting place to see if the German collier will show up. Dresden is even worse off. Lüdecke decides to make his way to Más a Tierra, or Robinson Crusoe Island. He has been given permission to seek internment if that becomes the only option - "His Majesty the Kaiser leaves it to your discretion to lay up."



Cape Horn: HMS Bristol is still laid up with her damaged rudder.



Rio de Janeiro: HMS Carnarvon once again has divers examining her damaged hull. Arrangements are made for the ship to move to a floating dry-dock for repairs.



Zanzibar: HMS Goliath moves from Moresby Point to join the squadron at Mafia Island. Admiral King-Hall takes direct command of the Rufiji squadron.



Yemen: The rest of the Emden crew arrive back at Al Hudaydah.

[Jimbuna]

9th March 1915

Western Front

French gain ground in the Perthes-Mesnil district.

Heavy fighting between Four-de-Paris and Bolante.

Eastern Front

New German offensive near Przasnysz.

Russian advance north of Osovyets.

Heavy artillery firing along the river Narev.

Austrian attack fails in the Carpathians.

Naval and Overseas Operations

Submarine U12 rammed and sunk by H.M.S. "Ariel".

North Sea
Leviathan, armoured cruiser, Drake-class, was 6th CS Grand Fleet, now ordered to Rosyth prior to becoming flagship North American Station, zig-zagging near Bell Rock around 1730. Torpedo fired by U.12, missed.

22 French transports make their way to the Dardanelles; bombardment of Turkish forts continues.

German submarines sink three British steamships today, resulting in 37 deaths.

The U.S. sends the armored cruiser Washington and the battleship Georgia to Veracruz, Mexico to protect US interests.

Political, etc.

Lloyd George proposes a measure which will allow the government to take control of factories that produce war supplies.

German Imperial Family cancels receptions and reduces staff to be more in line with the war conditions.

Professor Lowell of Harvard declares that it is “inevitable” the U.S. will be drawn into the European war and should prepare for it.

Ship Losses:

Aberdon ( United Kingdom): The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the North Sea off St. Abb's Head, Berwickshire by SM U-12 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of fifteen crew.
Blackwood ( United Kingdom): The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the English Channel 18 nautical miles (33 km) south west by south of Dungeness, Kent by SM U-35 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Gris Nez ( France): The trawler was shelled and sunk in the English Channel 20 nautical miles (37 km) west south west of Beachy Head, East Sussex, United Kingdom by SM U-35 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Princess Victoria ( United Kingdom): The cargo ship was sunk in Liverpool Bay 16 nautical miles (30 km) north west by north of the Liverpool Bar Lightship ( United Kingdom) by SM U-20 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Tangistan ( United Kingdom): The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the North Sea off Scarborough, Yorkshire with the loss of 37 of her 38 crew. The survivor was rescued by Woodville ( United Kingdom).

[Sailor Steve]

March 9:

English Channel: U-12, under Hans Kratzsch, torpedoes SS Aberdon, 1,005 tons, travelling from Seaham to Aberdeen with a cargo of coal. This will be Kratzsch's only score.

Walther Schwieger in U-20 torpedoes SS Princess Victoria, 1,108 tons, bound from Aberdeen to Liverpool with a general cargo. This is Schwieger's fourth ship for 15,856 tons.

U-35, commanded by Waldemar Kophamel, torpedoes the British freighter SS Blackwood, 1,230 tons, heading from Blyth to Le Havre with a load of coal. Later the same day Kophamel stops the 208-ton French trawler Gris Nez. He allows the crew to abandon ship and then sinks the boat with his deck gun.



Pacific Ocean: HMS Kent returns to the German rendezvous point. While waiting for the arrival of the collier Gotha the ship is stopped and men put over the side to scrape the bottom. Captain Allen means to makes sure that if they should meet Dresden at sea again his ship will be faster.



Cape Horn: HMS Bristol is still laid up at Puerto Tamar with divers working on her damaged rudder. The repairs will not be completed until April 18th.

HMS Glasgow is moving through the narrow channels from Ultima Esperanza to Caffin Pass in preparation for joining HMS Kent at sea. Glasgow was one of the survivors of the disaster at Coronel, and Captain Luce wants to be there when they finally meet SMS Dresden.



Rio de Janeiro: At 0810 HMS Carnarvon is moved into the Brazilian floating drydock Alfonso Pina. Divers go down and remove the collision mat. At 1045 pumping water out of the dock begins. At 1110 the ship comes to rest on the wooden blocks designed for that purpose. At 1130 pumping is stopped and workers begin shoring up the sides of the hull. At 1545 pumping begins again. At 1815 a second row of shoring is set up and at 1845 the dock is dry. HMS Carnarvon will remain there undergoing repairs until April 1.



Zanzibar: HMS Kinfauns Castle again tests S920. The plane rises to 1000 feet, but is still struggling the whole time.

HMS Goliath departs Zanzibar for Mombasa.

[Jimbuna]

10th March 1915

Western Front

Battle of Neuve Chapelle begins.

Eastern Front

Russians repulse renewed German attacks on the Niemen and west of Grodno.

Naval and Overseas Operations

German armed auxiliary cruiser "Prinz Eitel Friedrich" puts into Newport News (U.S.A.) for repairs.

Dardanelles: Renewed bombardment.

German submarine U-12 is sunk after being rammed by the British torpedo destroyer Ariel.
Ariel, destroyer, I-class, c990t, 2-4in/2-12pdr/2-21in tt, 1st DF, now believed based at Rosyth for service with Grand Fleet, Lt-Cdr Cyril Calaghan. U-boat sighted by trawler off Fife Ness, SE Scotland, three destroyers including Attack and Acheron called up, spotted her on the surface and opened fire, Ariel then rammed the conning tower as she submerged, U.12 came back up, was hit again and scuttled by the crew. Ariel's bow considerably damaged, stern high out of water, docked at Leith for repairs.


Political, etc.

Greece: Gounaris ministry sworn in.

Further report on German treatment of civilians in occupied territory issued by the French Government.

A new Note on the Anglo-French naval blockade presented by the United States.

Ship Losses:

HMT Manx Hero ( Royal Navy): The naval trawler was lost on this date.
U-12 ( Kaiserliche Marine): The Type U 9 submarine was shelled by Ariel and Attack then rammed by Acheron (all Royal Navy) in the North Sea off Eyemouth, Berwickshire and sank with the loss of nineteen of her 29 crew.

After Neuve Chapelle – bivouac of 4th Battalion on 10th March 1915

[Sailor Steve]

March 10:

English Channel: After being chased for four days by trawlers, U-12 is cornered and attacked by the destroyers HMS Acheron, Ariel, and Attack. Attack opens fire on the submarine, which starts to dive. Ariel manages to ram the boat's conning tower as it slips beneath the surface. Captain Kratzsch orders the tanks blown and U-12 shoots back to the surface, only to come under fire from all three destroyers. The main hatch is jammed and only ten of the boat's crew manage to escape and be taken prisoner. Among those lost is the boat's commander, Hans Kratzsch.

Also taking part in the chase are the trawlers May Island, which first spotted the submarine on March 6th, Ben Strome, Olive Branch and Strathisla, plus Auxiliary Patrol trawlers Chester, Coote, Duster, Martin and the armed yacht Portia.

U-12 has a unique place in history. Back on January 15th, with Walther Forstmann commanding, U-12 carried a Friedrichshafen FF.29 on her forward deck from Zeebrügge into the open ocean. Forstmann ordered the forward tanks flooded and the seaplane floated free, then took off and returned to its base. The pilot for this test was Oberleutnant zur See Friedrich von Arnauld de la Perière, the younger brother of the man who would become the greatest submarine ace of all time.





Pacific Ocean: Captain Allen of HMS Kent decides the German collier is not going to show up and sets course for Coronel to recoal there.

HMS Glasgow leaves Cape Horn behind, moving into the Pacific and heading for SMS Dresden's last known position.



Africa: HMS Goliath arrives at Mombasa, recoals, and heads back for Mafia Island.

[Jimbuna]

11th March 1915

Western Front

British make progress near Neuve Chapelle, occupying village of l'Epinette.

Eastern Front

Heavy fighting is ongoing on an 80-mile front near Przasnysz, Poland as German troops launch another offensive in the area.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

Cavalry reconnaissance to Nakaila (west of Basra).

Naval and Overseas Operations

North Channel
Ambrose, Admiralty armed merchant cruiser, 4,595/1903, hired 20/11/14, 10th CS. Heading for Liverpool to coal, approaching North Channel, two torpedoes fired in separate attacks off Oversay Island (ss - Ornsay island) off Islay, possibly by U.20. During third attack, conning tower spotted and fired at.

BAYANO, Admiralty armed merchant cruiser, ex-passenger ship, 5,948/1913, 14kts, Elders & Fyffes, Liverpool, hired 8/14 (C/wi - 21/11/14), 2-6in, Pennant No.M.78, 10th CS Northern Patrol, Cdr Henry Carr i/c, master, Lt Bernard Dunphy RNR. After coaling in the Clyde, left night of 10th to return to patrol line (Rn/wd - for Liverpool to coal), sailing without lights at 13kts, very calm dark night. Torpedoed by U.27 (Bernd Wegener) amidships under boiler room around 0515, magazines exploded and she sank within 4min in Firth of Clyde, 10 miles SE by E of Corsewall Point, Galloway (ke - 10 miles WNW of; wi - in 55.03.03N, 05.26.03W); 196 lives lost - 14 officers, 124 ratings and 59 merchant seamen (ke - 195 lost), 26 survivors - 2nd i/c, 7 officers and men picked up by ABS Tara, 18 PO's and men on two liferafts by SS Balmerino and landed at Ayr. Wreck believed to lie at 330ft.

Dardanelles Campaign
Six trawler minesweepers again attempted to sweep the Kephez lines; one unknown trawler hit by 6in shell and repaired by Agamemnon's carpenters. Gunfire so heavy the trawlers soon withdrew, next night the French sweepers failed to make any progress sailing against the current, and it was decided to man some of the trawlers with regular navy crews. It was noted that the mines were “not as violent as North Sea mines".

Smyrna Blockade
Aenne Rickmers, seaplane carrier, German steamship, 7,000t/4,083grt, 1911, 1-12pdr/2 seaplanes, seized at Port Said 8/14, taken over as seaplane carrier in January with minimum of modifications, under Red ensign with mixed naval/civilian crew, French aircraft with French pilots and British observers, operated off Sinai, Syrian & Turkish coasts, taking part in British naval blockade of Smyrna. Torpedoed by German-commanded, Turkish torpedo boat Demir Hisar at 0200, grounded at Mudros for shoring-up by HMS Reliance, refloated 12 May, to Alexandria for repairs, completed 18 June. Recommissioned as HMS Anne with naval crew 5 August, paid off August 1917.

Political etc.

Swiss authorities begin expelling French refugees in the country, who total over 30,000.

Ship Losses:

Auguste Conseil ( France): The cargo ship was sunk in the English Channel 22 nautical miles (41 km) south of Start Point, Devon, United Kingdom by SM U-29 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew were rescued by Excellence Pleske ( Denmark).
HMS Bayano ( Royal Navy) The armed merchant cruiser was torpedoed and sunk in the North Channel 3 nautical miles (5.6 km) off Corsewall Point, Dumfriesshire (55°03′N 5°26′W) by SM U-27 ( Kaiserliche Marine).[21] Twenty-six survivors were rescued by Balmarino ( United Kingdom and HMS Tara ( Royal Navy).
Florazan ( United Kingdom): The cargo ship was torpedoed and damaged in the North Sea 53 nautical miles (98 km) north east of the Longships Lighthouse by SM U-20 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of a crew member. She sank on 13 March 50 nautical miles (93 km) south west of St. Ann's Head, Aberdeenshire.

HMS Manica was a British cargo steamship that became the first kite balloon ship of the Royal Naval Air Service. She saw active service in the Dardanelles Campaign of 1915 directing the fire of the supporting ships at Anzac Cove.

[Sailor Steve]

March 11:

Sheerness, England: The work on HMS Humber, Mersey, and Severn is done. Their crews are put into a barracks and the three monitors are towed out of the harbor and prepared for their journey.



English Channel: Walther Schwieger, commanding U-20, torpedoes SS Florazan, 4,658 tons, travelling in ballast from Le Havre to Liverpool. His score is now 20,514 tons.

Bernd Wegener, in U-27, torpedoes the armed merchant cruiser HMS Bayano, 5,948 tons, giving him a score of 12,273 tons.

Otto Weddigen, now commanding U-29, sinks SS Auguste Conseil, 2,952 tons, carrying a cargo of coal from Cardiff to Le Havre. Weddigen also torpedoes SS Adenwen, travelling in ballast from Rouen to Barry, but the damaged merchant manages to safely make port. Weddigen is still the leading U-boat ace with 46,302 tons.



Pacific Ocean: HMS Kent arrives at Vallenar, Chile. Delaying his journey to Coronel, Captain Allen decides it is more important to complete the task of cleaning his ship's bottom. He puts out a picket boat armed with a machine gun and two torpedoes, a common practice when anchored in a foreign port.



United States: SMS Prinz Eitel Friedrich puts into Newport News, Virginia, for repairs. Captain Max Therichens finds that the sinking of William P. Frye has severely prejudiced the Americans against him. This is somewhat mollified by the statement of Frye's captain H.H. Kiehne, who describes the destruction of his ship after they were too slow jettisoning their cargo of wheat, but also the gentlemanly treatment accorded Kiehne, his family and his crew.


German East Africa: HMS Goliath returns to Mafia Island. The captain of HMS Kinfauns Castle is called to Goliath for a conference with the Admiral. Goliath then heads back to sea.



Yemen: Hellmuth von Mücke charters two zambuks (a type of sailboat common to the area, about 45 feet in length). The French armored cruiser is still anchored at Al Hudaydah. Convinced that there are British and French spies in the city, von Mücke spreads the word that he will be sailing from Isa Bay on the 13th.

[Jimbuna]

12th March 1915

Western Front

German counter-attacks repulsed at Neuve Chapelle.

Eastern Front

Russians repulse German attacks near Augustovo Woods and north of Przasnysz.

Naval and Overseas Operations

French force for Dardanelles collecting in North Africa.

North Sea
INVERGYLE, Admiralty collier, 1,794/1907, Invergyle SS Co (Stewart & Gray), Glasgow-reg, Mr D Minto, Scapa Flow for Hartlepool in ballast. (te/un - 13th) - Torpedoed by U.23 (Hans Schulthess), sank next day 12 miles NNE of Tyne estuary (L/wi - 15 miles NNE of, in 55.18.40N, 01.25.44W).

General Sir Ian Hamilton appointed Commander-in-Chief, Mediterranean (Dardanelles) Expeditionary Force.


Political etc.

Prince von Buelow, German ambassador to Italy, officially raises an offer to cede Austrian territory to Italy for an alliance.

Dutch Government issue warning that foreign merchant ships using Dutch flag will be detained.

British Government notify Russian Government of their acceptance of Russian claims to Constantinople.

Naval council of Germany convenes due to the high rate of attrition of its submarine fleet.

U.S. government launches an investigation after the revelation yesterday that an American civilian vessel was sunk by Germany.

Ship Losses:

Andalusian ( United Kingdom): The cargo ship was scuttled in the Atlantic Ocean 25 nautical miles (46 km) west north west of the Bishop Rock, Isles of Scilly by SM U-29 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Headlands ( United Kingdom): The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 8 nautical miles (15 km) south of the Isles of Scilly (49°51′N 6°26′W) by SM U-29 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Indian City ( United Kingdom): The cargo ship was sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 10 nautical miles (19 km) south of St Mary's, Isles of Scilly (49°30′N 6°15′W) by SM U-29 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Inga ( Bermuda): The schooner was driven ashore on Bermuda and was wrecked.