100 Years Ago Today

[Jimbuna]

17th August 1915

Western Front

French gain footing on ridge in Vosges (Sondernach crest).

Night attack on Sondernach by Germans.

Eastern Front

Novo-Georgievsk furiously attacked and outlying forts captured.

Austrians approach Brest-Litovsk.

Russians driven across Bug at Konstantinov.

Fall of Kovna.

Enemy approaches Byelostok-Byelsk railway and cuts Kholm-Brest-Litovsk railway.

Southern Front

Italian advance on Bacher valley (Dolomites), Vrsik crest, Sta Maria and Sta Lucia hills (Julian).

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

1,200 Bunerwal rebels attack camp at Rustam (Peshawar); one officer killed.

Naval and Overseas Operations

Austrians attack Pelagosa Island (Centre Adriatic).

North Sea
Princess Margaret, auxiliary minelayer, 5,934/1914, and Mentor, destroyer, M-class, 1,055t, 3-4in/2-1pdr/4-12in tt, 10th DF, Cdr E Inman. Princess Margaret escorted by two divisions of 10th DF, supported by Harwich LCS and four 4th DF destroyers, sailed to lay field off Amrun Bank, 25 miles N of Heligoland, heading S from Horns Reef LV, very dark night, sea calm, heavily overcast. Ran into division of German 2nd TBF, attacked with torpedoes, Princess Margaret missed but Mentor's bows blown away under water, steamed back to Harwich; no casualties listed. Operation called off.

St George's Channel/Atlantic off SW England
Three Admiralty colliers, all presumably chartered (and six, probably seven more vessels) captured by U.38 (Max Valentiner) and all sunk (except one which escaped):

KIRKBY, 3,034/1891, Sir R Ropner & Co, West Hartlepool-reg, Mr W Hewison, Barry for Manchester with coal. Torpedoed by U.38, 23 miles W by S of Bardsey Isle (L/wi - 20 miles WSW of, in 52.30N, 05.10W).

THE QUEEN, coastal collier, 557/1897, John Hay & Sons, Glasgow-reg, Mr D Macalister, Ayr for Devonport with coal. Sunk by gunfire, 40 miles NNE of The Smalls LH, E of Milford Haven (wi - in 52.15N, 05.05W).

GLENBY, 2,196/1900, Sir R Ropner & Co, West Hartlepool-reg, Mr W Crighton, Cardiff for Archangel with coal. Sunk by gunfire, 30 miles N of The Smalls (L - 30 miles W of; wi - in 52.13N, 05.45W); two crew lost.

Aviation

Zeppelin raid on east coast.



Political, etc.

Germany has lost 43,872 officers since the war began, including those wounded and taken prisoner. The total includes 123 generals.

Germans claim two million prisoners to date: 330,000 British, French and Belgian; rest Russian.

German Crown Prince predicts that if Verdun is taken, then the war will be over by December.

League for the Liberation of the Ukraine sends a telegram to the German Kaiser congratulating him for the recent victories.

Proposals of Entente examined by Serbian cabinet.

Italian war loan totals 4 millions.

Ship Losses:

Bonny ( United Kingdom): The cargo ship was shelled and sunk in St. George's Channel 16 nautical miles (30 km) south by east of the Tuskar Rock, Ireland by SM U-38 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
George Baker ( United Kingdom): The drifter was shelled and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 45 nautical miles (83 km) north of the Bishop Rock by SM U-38 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Glenby ( United Kingdom): The collier was shelled and sunk in St. George's Channel 30 nautical miles (56 km) north of the Smalls Lighthouse by SM U-38 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of two crew.
Isidoro ( Spain): The cargo ship was sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 17 nautical miles (31 km) east sout east of the Tuskar Rock by SM U-38 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Kirkby ( United Kingdom): The collier was torpedoed and sunk in the Irish Sea 23 nautical miles (43 km) west by south of Bardsey Island, Pembrokeshire by SM U-38 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Maggie ( United Kingdom): The coaster was shelled and sunk in the Irish Sea 8 nautical miles (15 km) east of the South Arklow Lightship ( United Kingdom) by SM U-38 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Mineral ( Norway): The coaster was shelled and sunk in the North Sea off Marstenen, Nordland by SM U-25 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Paros ( United Kingdom): The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Irish Sea 30 nautical miles (56 km) west of Bardsey Island by SM U-38 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Repeat ( United Kingdom): The trawler was shelled and sunk in the Irish Sea 18 nautical miles (33 km) west by south of Bardsey Island by SM U-38 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
The Queen ( United Kingdom): The passenger ship was shelled and sunk in St. George's Channel 40 nautical miles (74 km) north east of the Smalls Lighthouse by SM U-38 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Thornfield ( United Kingdom): The coaster was shelled and sunk in St. George's Channel 25 nautical miles (46 km) north north east of the Smalls Lighthouse by SM U-38 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
SMS V99 ( Kaiserliche Marine): The B97-class destroyer was shelled and damaged in the Gulf of Riga by Novik ( Imperial Russian Navy). She then struck two mines and sank whilst attempting to escape.

[Sailor Steve]

August 17:

Celtic Sea: In St. George's Channel, the pass between Ireland and Wales, Max Valentiner in U-38 has a field day. His victims are British freighters SS Bonny, 2,702 tons, travelling in ballast from Marseille to Liverpool; Glenby, 2,196 tons, bound from Cardiff to Archangelsk with a load of coal; Kirkby, 3,034 tons, carrying coal from Barry to an unlisted destination; Maggie, 269 tons, travelling in ballast from Youghal to Fleetwood; Paros, 3,596 tons, from Karachi to Manchester with a load of wheat; The Queen, 557 tons, carrying coal from Ayr to Devonport; and Thornfield, 488 tons, from London to Peel, on the Isle of Man, with a cargo of wooden huts. Also sunk is Spanish freighter SS Isidoro, 2,044 tons, inbound from Bilbao to Glasgow with a load of iron ore; drifter George Baker, 91 tons; and trawler Repeat, 107 tons. The day's work nets 10 ships for 15,084 tons. Valentiner's score is now 38 ships and 29,788 tons.



North Sea: Otto Wünsche, commanding U-25, uses his deck gun to sink Norwegian freighter SS Mineral, 649 tons, bound from Narvik to Newcastle with a load of pig iron and reels. His score is now 20 ships and 12,282 tons.



German East Africa: Converted minesweepers Charon, Rattler and Salamander patrol the area off Dar-Es-Salaam, on the coast just south of Zanzibar, supported by HMS Challenger. At 1215 Challenger opens fire on a German merchant in the bay, at a range of 8,800 yards. The cruiser fires for twenty minutes, ceasing at 1235. Damage to the target is not recorded by the British.

The crew of HMS Severn re-mount a 4.7" gun that had previously been removed, while others continue rigging armour plate and mattresses for splinter protection.

[Jimbuna]

18th August 1915

Western Front

French capture position on Ablain-Angres road (Vimy), and trench on Schratmannele crest (Vosges).

Eastern Front

Russian retreat continue as Kovno (Kaunas) is captured by German troops. Germany claims they have captured 400 artillery guns.

Southern Front

Italian progress towards Tolmino and in Upper Rienz (Julian).

Naval and Overseas Operations

Russian naval success in Gulf of Riga. German Fleet retires losing two cruisers (including "Moltke") and eight torpedo boats. Russian gunboat "Sivuch" sunk.
Moltke


Kattegat
E.13 (below, stranded - Navy Photos/Antoine), submarine, E-class, 667/807t, 22/9/14, 1-12pdr/5-18in tt with 10 torpedoes, 15kts/9kts, c30 crew, Pennant No.I.93, served at Harwich, Lt-Cdr Geoffrey Layton. Ordered with E.8 to join E.1 and E.9 in the Baltic, sailed Harwich 14th, now approaching the Sound separating Denmark from Sweden late on the 18th, and E.13 dived. (C - 3 September) - Compass failed shortly before 2300, surfaced and ran hard aground on the SE of Saltholm island between Copenhagen and Malmo in neutral waters, tried all night to get clear and at 0500 on the 19th, Danish torpedo boat Narhvalen arrived to inform the captain that there was a 24 hour limit for getting off, no assistance could be given and a guardship would anchor nearby.



German destroyer came up but left when two more Danish TB's arrived, by this time it was accepted that E.13 could not be refloated and the crew were waiting to be taken off. About 0900 (or 0930) two German destroyers approached from the south flying the signal "abandon ship immediately", the leading G.132 fired one or two torpedoes which hit the bottom and failed to damage E.13, then both opened fire with machine guns, crew jumped into the water and swam for the shore or the Danish vessels but the Germans apparently fired on them until torpedo boat Soulven interposed herself, destroyers left and surviving men picked up by the Danes; 15 ratings lost by gunfire or drowning, 23 survivors landed in Copenhagen that evening and interned, Lt-Cdr Layton and 1st Lt Paul Eddis later withdrew their parole and escaped back home. The wrecked boat was interned (Cn - 18th; J - 3 September), sold to Danish shipbreakers Petersen & Albeck December 1921 (J - 1919), BU at Copenhagen. E.8 safely reached Revel (Tallinn).

Orkneys
POONAH, Admiralty trawler, 171/1903, Hull Steam Fishing & Ice, Hull-reg H737, hired 11/14 as minesweeper, 1‑3pdr, Admiralty No.550. In collision with minesweeping trawler HMT Northward (204grt), foundered off Stromness, Orkneys (hw - in Suvla Bay); no lives lost.

North Sea
Lilac, fleet sweeping sloop, Acacia-class, 1,200t, 2-12pdr/2-3pdr, recently joined Grand Fleet minesweeping flotilla, Lt-Cdr Leslie Fisher, sweeping Meteor-laid field in Cromarty Firth, bad weather with heavy sea running. (sc - 8th) - Stem hit mine, bows blown off nearly as far as bridge, remains hung down from keel, now drew nearly 30-40ft of water, towed by sister-ship Hollyhock into Peterhead, received new bow and rejoined flotilla some months later; 16 ratings lost.

Aegean Sea
Barry, fleet messenger and store carrier, ex-excursion paddle steamer, 398/1907, hired 29/6/15 (C - as minesweeper), Pendant No.Y4.28, based at Mudros, serving as supply ship off Dardanelles, carrying supplies to Suvla Bay. In collision with hired screw minesweeper Whitby Abbey (do - ABS) in Mudros Bay, island of Lemnos, stern badly damaged and had to unload cargo, repaired by repair ship Reliance. Believed returned to duties in September carrying men, ammunition, mail and supplies to Anzac Cove and Suvla Bay, often under shellfire but never hit.

Political, etc.

London police seizes “The Labor Leader” and “The Socialist Review” newspapers for reporting on labor problems due to the war.

Austro-Hungarian Minister of the Interior announces there the cholera epidemic is spreading. 670 new cases are reported in Galicia.

Tsar Nicholas II converts the Winter Palace at Petrograd to a hospital, with 1000 beds.


Ship Losses:

Ben Vrachie ( United Kingdom): The cargo ship was shelled and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 55 nautical miles (102 km) north west by north of the Isles of Scilly by SM U-27 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
HMS E13 ( Royal Navy): The E-class submarine ran aground on Saltholm, Denmark. She was subsequently attacked by SMS G 132 and another torpedo boat (both Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of fifteen of her 30 crew. The survivors were rescued by Royal Danish Navy torpedo boats. HMS E13 was later refloated but was declared beyond repair. She was scrapped in 1922.
Gladiator ( United Kingdom): The cargo ship was shelled and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 68 nautical miles (126 km) north by west of the Bishop Rock, Isles of Scilly by SM U-27 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Magda ( Norway): The cargo ship was sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 8 nautical miles (15 km) off Trevose Head, Cornwall, United Kingdom (50°39′N 5°09′W) by SM U-27 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her 16 crew survived.
HMT Poonah ( Royal Navy): The naval trawler collided with another vessel and sank in Suvla Bay.
Sverresborg ( Norway): The cargo ship was sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 8 nautical miles (15 km) off Trevose Head (50°50′N 5°10′W) by SM U-27 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.

Sir John French with Major the Hon. J. Dawnay, Major Watt, and Sirdar Bahadur Khwaja Mahomed [Blendecques, France].

[Sailor Steve]

August 18:

Celtic Sea: Bernd Wegener, commanding U-27, begins his fourth war patrol by sinking British freighters Ben Vrackie, 3,908 tons, bound from Cardiff to Malta with a cargo of coal and stores; and SS Gladiator, 3,359 tons, heading from Liverpool and Cardiff with a general cargo; and Norwegian freighters SS Magda, 1,063 tons, carrying a load of coal from Port Talbot to Nantes; and Sverresborg, 1,144 tons, heading from Barry to Le Havre with a cargo of coal. Wegener's score is now 11 ships and 35,727 tons.



German East Africa: At 1750 hours 3 officers and 31 men board HMS Severn from HMS Challenger.

[Jimbuna]

19th August 1915

Western Front

Germans retake trenches on Ablain-Angres road.

Eastern Front

Fall of Novo Georgievsk. Russians driven back between Augustovo and Osovyets (Northern Centre). Germans progress beyond Niemen east of Tykocin.

Mackensen reaches Piszcza and gains ground towards Brest-Litovsk.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

Turks prevent Italians leaving Smyrna.

Southern Front

The Battle of Chunuk Bair at Gallipoli ends in a British defeat with 6000 casualties after Ottoman troops permanently recapture the ridge.

Naval and Overseas Operations

Crew of the British submarine HMS E13 are interned by Danish government after it ran aground yesterday.

In spite of German assurances that large passenger liners would not be attacked, British liner Arabic was sunk without warning with the loss of 2 or 3 US citizens. Strong US protests led to German claim she was zig-zagging and as a single-funnelled vessel, not easily identified as a liner. Germany shortly extended assurances to small passenger ships.


German force landing at Pernau (Riga) destroyed by Russians. In support of the German infantry offensive in Poland, cruisers from the High Seas Fleet have been trying to bottle up Russian ships in the gulf at Riga. The battleships Posen and Nassau along with three cruisers- Seydlitz, Moltke, and Von der Tann- enter the gulf.

Atlantic off SW England
Possibly three Admiralty-hired colliers sunk by gunfire of U.38 (Max Valentiner):

RESTORMEL, (wi - Admiralty-requisitioned collier, released for this one voyage and cargo), 2,118/1901, New Restormel SS Co, Cardiff-reg, 19 crew, Seville for Clyde with 3,300t iron ore. U.38 surfaced close by, fired two shells and ordered her to stop, crew tried to abandon ship but master headed away at full-speed. Firing continued and ship finally hove-to, crew abandoned ship and a torpedo was fired hitting her in No.2 hold. Restormel was still afloat after the sinking of the nearby Baron Erskine, the U-boat returned, fired four shells into the engine-room and she sank at 0900, 28 miles NNW of Bishop Rock, Scillies (wi - in 50.15N, 06.52W); armed yacht Rovenska arrived, forced the submarine to withdraw, the survivors were then rescued and landed at Penzance.

BARON ERSKINE, 5,585/1911, Hogarth Shipping Co, Ardrossan-reg, 114 crew, on Admiralty charter for this voyage, Avonmouth for New Orleans in ballast. After U.38 had shelled Restormel, the U-boat headed for the expectant Baron Erskine and fired a warning shot, she headed at full speed for Land’s End sending SOS, continued to be chased and shelled. At 0840 shrapnel brought down the radio aerial, she stopped and after the crew had taken to the boats, torpedo hit port side in the engine-room. Six more shells were fired into the hull, she went down at 0920, 25 miles NNW of Bishop Rock (wi - in 50.12N, 06.50W); ship’s boats headed for St Ives, picked up by Rovenska and landed at Penzance.

SAMARA (wi - Admiralty requisitioned collier No.563), 3,172/1906, MacLay & McIntyre, Glasgow-reg, sailing Colombo via Port Said for Bristol with sugar. Shelled by U.38, ship abandoned, sank 35 miles W of Bishop Rock (L - 30 miles W of; wi - 35 miles NW of, in 49.45N, 07.20W); survivors picked up by HMT Dewsland, landed at Penzance that day at 1730.

Norwegian mail steamer "Haakon VII" stopped by Germans and mails seized. Norwegian Government protests.

"The Baralong Incident"

Admiralty collier (and a second British vessel) sunk by U.27 (Bernd Wegener). An attack on a third vessel led to U.27 being sunk by HMS Baralong:

BEN VRACKIE, Admiralty collier, 3,908/1905, Watson Brothers Shipping Co, Glasgow-reg, sailing Cardiff for Malta with coal and stores. (te/un - 18th) - Captured by U.27, sunk by gunfire 55 miles NW by N of Scillies (L - in 50.24N, 07.55W; te/un - 50.30N, 07.30W).

Nicosian, cargo steamship, 6,369/1912, Leyland Line, Liverpool, sailing New Orleans for Liverpool, carrying mules. (L - 20th) - stopped at 1500 by U.27 (Wegener), 73 miles S by W of Old Head of Kinsale (L - in 50.22N, 08.12W; dx - 50.43N, 07.22W; ge - c100 miles S of Queenstown), Q-ship Baralong was nearby, sighted Nicosian and received signals she had been captured by one or two U-boats. Baralong, headed as if to pick up Nicosian's crew from their boats, the U-boat passed behind the stopped ship to intercept the new arrival and when she appeared again, Baralong had the White Ensign hoisted and opened a heavy fire from 600yds which soon sank U.27. As Baralong picked up Nicosian's crew, Germans were seen swimming for the stopped ship and fearing they would board and scuttle her, opened fire on them in the water. Four Germans managed to reach her and disappeared below. With guns and ammunition onboard, Baralong sent her small Royal Marine contingent across to hunt them down, no doubt on a "shoot-on-sight" basis, before they could do any damage. All four were killed. Nicosian's crew returned and brought her into Bristol holed by U-boat shells. On the bases of reports by some of the American muleteers carried by Nicosian, the Germans described the incident as an atrocity and demanded the crew of Baralong be tried for murder and punished. Britain agreed to an impartial tribunal as long as the enquiry included the sinkings of liner Arabic, firing on the boats of collier Ruel and the attack on E.13 in neutral waters. The Germans dropped their demands although still threatened reprisals.

Aviation

Adriatic
Albert Medal 1st Class, later George Cross - CPO Michael Sullivan Keogh, HMS Ark Royal, aircraft taking off from Imbros airfield, crashed and caught fire, attempted to rescue the fatally injured pilot.

Flying a Fokker M.5K/MG bearing IdFlieg serial number E.3/15, fitted with a gun synchronizer and Parabellum MG 14 machine gun, Leutnant Oswald Boelcke shoots down his first aircraft.


Political, etc.

Reichstag opened; speech by Chancellor.

Bulgarian Foreign Minister resigns.

British forces total 3,825,000, including Colonial troops.

Russian government calls up the class of 1916 for military service. No exemptions because of family connections or study abroad are allowed.

Ship Losses:

Arabic ( United Kingdom): The ocean liner was torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean off the Old Head of Kinsale, County Donegal by SM U-24 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of 47 lives.
Baron Erskine ( United Kingdom): The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 25 nautical miles (46 km) north north west of the Bishop Rock, Isles of Scilly (50°12′N 6°50′W) by SM U-38 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Ben Vrackie ( United Kingdom): The collier was lost on this date.
Bras ( Norway): The cargo ship was captured, shelled and sunk in the North Sea 4 nautical miles (7.4 km) off the Egerø Lighthouse by SM U-25 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Dunsley ( United Kingdom): The cargo ship was shelled and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 48 nautical miles (89 km) south by west of the Old Head of Kinsale, County Cork (50°55′N 8°18′W) by SM U-24 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of two of her crew.
New York City ( United Kingdom): The cargo ship was shelled and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 44 nautical miles (81 km) south south east of the Fastnet Rock by SM U-24 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Pena Castillo ( Spain): The cargo ship was sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 33 nautical miles (61 km) north of the Wolf Rock, Cornwall United Kingdom (50°30′N 5°49′W) by SM U-27 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of 23 crew.
Restormel ( United Kingdom): The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 28 nautical miles (52 km) north north west of the Bishop Rock (50°15′N 6°52′W) by SM U-38 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
SMS S31 ( Kaiserliche Marine): The S31-class destroyer struck a mine and sank in the Gulf of Riga.
Samara ( United Kingdom): The cargo ship was shelled and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 35 nautical miles (65 km) west of the Bishop Rock (49°45′N 7°20′W) by SM U-38 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
St. Olaf ( United Kingdom): The schooner was shelled and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 58 nautical miles (107 km) off Galley Head, County Cork (50°33′N 8°29′W) by SM U-24 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
SM U-27 ( Kaiserliche Marine): Baralong Incident: The Type U-27 submarine was shelled and sunk in the Western Approaches 50°43′N 7°22′W by HMS Baralong ( Royal Navy) with the loss of all 37 crew.

[Sailor Steve]

August 19:

Air War: Oswald Boelke, flying Fokker M5K/mg E.3/15, shoots down an enemy described as a "Bristol biplane". Whether the other plane is armed is unknown. It is Boelke's second kill, and his first in an eindecker.



Celtic Sea: Rudolf Schneider, commanding U-24, sinks British liner Arabic, 15,801 tons, bound from Liverpool to New York with passengers, mail and general cargo; and freighters Dunsley, 4,930 tons carrying a general cargo from Liverpool to Boston; New York City, 2,970 tons, travelling from Swansea to New York with a general cargo; and schooner St. Olaf, travelling in ballast from Llanelly to Parrsboro, Nova Scotia. His score is now 22 ships and 75,146 tons.

Bernd Wegener, in U-27, sinks Spanish freighter SS Pena Castillo, 1,718 tons, heading from Santander to Glasgow with a cargo of iron ore, bringing his score to 12 ships and 37,445 tons. Wegener then attacks SS Nicosian. While U-27 is firing on the British freighter with his deck gun, another freighter approaches, flying the American flag. The new ship signals her intent to pick up survivors from Nicosian. As the range closes the new ship changes flags, hoisting the Royal Navy's white ensign. Q-ship HMS Baralong opens fire on U-27, riddling the u-boat with 12-pounder (3") shells and machine gun fire. The surviving German crew swim for Nicosian, and Baralong's machine guns open up on them. Some make it aboard Nicosian. A boarding party of Royal Marines from Baralong board the freighter, hunt down the Germans and execute them.

Max Valentiner, in U-38, captures and sink's British freighter SS Baron Erskine, 5,585 tons, travelling in ballast from Avonmouth to New Orleans; Restormel, 2,118 tons, bound from Sevilla to Clyde with iron ore; and Samara, 3,172 tons, en route from Colombo to Bristol with a load of sugar. His score is now 41 ships 40,663 tons.



North Sea: Otto Wünsche, in U-25, captures Norwegian freighter SS Bras, 1,863 tons, carrying pit props from Göteborg to Blyth, and sinks her with his deck gun. His score is now 21 ships and 14,145 tons. This is Wünsche's last operation in U-25. In September he will take command of U-70.



German East Africa: At 0008 hours HMS Challenger gets underway, escorting a group of vessels including two whalers, two tugs, three minesweepers and the monitor HMS Severn.

0640 hours HMS Severn transfers her "guests" to the whalers Fly and Pickle. The officers and men constitute a special group led by Commander Richard O.B. Bridgeman. Their assignment is to either capture or destroy the German freighter SS Markgraf, currently at Tanga harbor awaiting conversion to an armed raider. Also they are to capture the liner Präsident, which had months earlier had her engines disabled by the crew of HMS Chatham.

0710 Severn and the whalers enter Tanga harbor. Challenger remains outside the bay due to her deep draft, while Charon, Rattler and Salamander sweep the area for mines.

0720 Severn opens fire on a German mine lighter. The Germans open fire on the monitor and whalers.

0730 Pickle comes under fire from guns placed around a building. When the ships return fire the guns fall silent and a red-cross flag is raised, signifying a hospital.

0737 Pickle sights Markgraf. She has been run aground by the Germans, ensuring she not be taken as a prize and towed away. The ship is protected by several guns ashore. It is suspected that one of them is a 10cm (4.1") gun from Königsberg.

0740 Under heavy fire Pickle grapples and ties up alongside Markgraf. The fire grows so hot that Commander Bridgeman decides the two whalers will be sunk by the time scuttling charges can be placed. Pickle unties from Markgraf and she and Fly run away from the German freighter. Pickle has been hit twice, but neither she nor Fly has a single casualty.

0745 Severn opens fire on Markgraf.

0753 Markgraf has several holes below the waterline, exposed due to the grounding. The ship also has several fires aboard.

0815 Severn ceases fire. The monitor has been hit three times, with one man seriously wounded.

0820 On the way out of the harbor, Severn again opens fire on the lighter, which explodes. It is later discovered that the lighter had laid mines across the bay in case of attack by the British, but that they had been removed back to the little vessel only the previous day, the 18th.

0905 Severn proceeds southward, firing on a signal station ashore.

1120 Severn stops and transfers a wounded midshipman to tug Sarah Joliffe.

1340 Sarah Joliffe arrives at Zanzibar with the wounded man.

1530 Sarah Joliffe returns with the fleet surgeon.

1615 Sarah Joliffe takes Severn under tow.

1952 Severn anchors at Zanzibar.

The operation has been successful. Neither Markgraf nor Präsident will be of any use to their owners for the rest of the war.

(notes for this operation come from various ship's logs and the book Severn's Saga, by E. Keble Chatterton, Hurst & Blackett, LTD, London, 1938)

[Jimbuna]

20th August 1915

Eastern Front

Russians evacuate Byelostok; enemy occupies Byelsk (north of Brest).

Fortress of Novogeorgievsk surrenders to Germany. 90,000 Russians are taken prisoner and 1600 cannons are captured.


Southern Front

Topkaneh (Arsenal at Constantinople) bombed by Russian aviators.

Aviation

The first sustained aerial bombing offensive is made by Italian Caproni Ca.2s against Austria-Hungary.


Naval and Overseas Operations

Naval battle of Riga continues.

German Fleet penetrates Gulf.

Political, etc.

Sinking of the SS Arabic, which caused 3 American deaths, causes widespread uproar in the US. Officials describe it as “unfriendly act.”

Italy declares war on Turkey.

Russia considers moving the capital back to Moscow to put the center of government at the country’s center.

Second reading of War Loan Bill in Reichstag. 1,000,000,000 marks voted.

Swiss government sends 450 tons of wheat to Luxemburg due to the shortage of foodstuffs there.

Ship Losses:

Bittern ( United Kingdom): The cargo ship was shelled and sunk in the Bay of Biscay off Ouessant, Finistère, France 48°53′N 6°18′W by SM U-38 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Carterswell ( United Kingdom): The cargo ship was shelled and sunk in the Bay of Biscay 65 nautical miles (120 km) north west of Ouessant by SM U-38 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Daghestan ( Belgium): The tanker was captured, shelled and sunk in the Bay of Biscay off Ouessant (48°35′N 6°25′W) by SM U-38 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Martha Edwards ( United Kingdom): The three-masted schooner was shelled and sunk in the Bay of Biscay 62 nautical miles (115 km) north north west of Ouessant by SM U-38 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Silver Wings ( United Kingdom): The cargo ship ran aground on Sable Island, Nova Scotia, Canada and was abandoned.
Sivutch ( Imperial Russian Navy): The gunboat was sunk in the Gulf of Riga in a battle with a Kaiserliche Marine cruiser and gunboat.

Carlos Finlay, Spanish-Cuban physician known for his research of yellow fever & Nobel prize nominee, has passed away.

[Sailor Steve]

August 20:

Celtic Sea, off the south English Channel: Max Valentiner, commanding U-38, sinks four more ships: British freighters Bittern, 1,797 tons, carrying a load of coal and cargo from Clyde to Livorno; Carterswell, 4,308 tons, bound from Galveston via Newport News to Le Havre with a load of wheat; Belgian tanker Daghestan, 2,817 tons, scuttled while en route from Philadelphia to Rouen; and British schooner Martha Edmonds, 182 tons, carrying silversand (a fine white sand used for gardening and paving) from Rouen to Seville. His score is now 45 ships and 49,767 tons.



German East Africa: The crew of HMS Severn are busy once again removing armour plates, patching holes, replacing damaged gear and cleaning their ship.

[Jimbuna]

21st August 1915

Southern Front

Second British Suvla attack (Gallipoli) on Anafarta fails.

Naval and Overseas Operations

German Fleet retires from Riga, disembarkation having failed.

21st - First authenticated case of German submarine firing on a ship's crew in open boats (British S.S. "Ruel").

UC.5 is the first minelayer to penetrate the English Channel.

Political, etc.

British Government declares cotton absolute contraband.

Due to the failures of the Russian Army, Grand Duke Nicholas Nikolaevich is relieved of command of the army.


Tsar Nicholas II takes personal command of the Russian army.


Ship Losses:

Cober ( United Kingdom): The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 45 nautical miles (83 km) south south west of the Isles of Scilly (49°10′N 6°30′W) by SM U-38 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Ruel ( United Kingdom): The cargo ship was shelled and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 45 nautical miles (83 km) south west of the Bishop Rock, Isles of Scilly (49°25′N 7°10′W) by SM U-38 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of a crew member.
William Dawson ( United Kingdom): The coaster struck a mine and sank in the English Channel 1 nautical mile (1.9 km) off Boulogne, Pas-de-Calais, France with the loss of five of her crew.
Windsor ( United Kingdom): The cargo ship was shelled and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 70 nautical miles (130 km) south west of the Wolf Rock, Cornwall by SM U-38 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.

Death of Gerald Robert O'Sullivan, Irish recipient of the Victoria Cross for gallantry in 1915 at Gallipoli, Turkey.

[Sailor Steve]

August 21:

Argentina: Wilhelm Canaris arrives in Buenos Aires. When SMS Dresden was attacked by HMS Kent and Glasgow on March 14th and forced to scuttle, her crew escaped to Juan Fernandez Island. From there they were taken by the Chilean Navy to Quiriquina Island, where they were interned for the rest of the war. Among the refugees was Dresden's intelligence officer, in command of the prisoners. On August 5th Canaris escaped from the island in a boat and made his way to the German embassy in Santiago. There he was given a false passport and some travelling expenses. He then set out on horseback under the name "Reed Rosas". Crossing the Andes Mountains into Argentina Canaris arrives in Buenos Aires on August 21st.



Celtic Sea: Max Valentiner, commanding U-38, sinks three more British ships. Freighters Cober, 3,060 tons, bound from Cardiff to Buenos Aires with an unspecified cargo, is captured and then sunk by torpedo. SS Ruel, 4,029 tons, returning in ballast from Malta to Barry, is captured and sunk with the deck gun. SS Windsor, 6,055 tons, travelling from Barry to Livorno with a load of coal, is also sunk. Valentiner also attacks the British tanker San Melito, 10,160 tons, heading from London to Mexico. He shells the ship with his deck gun, but she manages to escape. His score is now 48 ships and 62,911 tons.

[Jimbuna]

22nd August 1915

Western Front

French occupy Schratzmannele crest (Vosges).

Eastern Front

Russians fall back from the Bobr and Niemen; fall of Osovyets.

German and Austro-Hungarian troops approach Brest-Litovsk on three sides. Aerial bombardments are carried out.

Kaiser Wilhelm tours the fort of Novogeorgievsk after its fall to German troops. Fires still rage in the nearby town.

Naval and Overseas Operations

German destroyer sunk by two French torpedo boat destroyers near Ostend.

Political, etc.

Henry Watterson, American journalist, criticizes Wilson’s inactivity towards Germany, stating “God Hates a Coward.”

Former President Roosevelt makes a speech advocating that time for action against Germany has come.

Eleftherios Venizelos accepts the post of Premier of Greece after a conference with the King.


Belgian government denies German allegations that Belgian civilians have targeted German troops.

Ship Losses:

Diomed ( United Kingdom): The cargo ship was shelled and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 57 nautical miles (106 km) west north west of the Isles of Scilly (50°21′N 6°40′W) by SM U-38 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Orion ( Brazil): The passenger ship ran aground at Macucos and was wrecked. All on board were rescued.
Palmgrove ( United Kingdom): The cargo ship was shelled and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 40 nautical miles (74 km) west by north of the Isles of Scilly (49°25′N 7°40′W) by SM U-38 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.

[Sailor Steve]

August 22:

Celtic Sea: Max Valentiner, commanding U-38, sinks British freighters Diomed, 4,672 tons, bound from Liverpool to Shanghai with a general cargo; and Palmgrove, 3,100 tons, captured and sunk with the deck gun while en route from Clyde to Porto Vecchio with a load of coal. Valentiner's score is now 50 ships and 70,683 tons.

[Jimbuna]

23rd August 1915

Western Front

Week of air raids begin.

French bomb Tergnier and Noyon.

British bomb Lens, Henin Lietard and Loos and German camps in Belgium.

Eastern Front

Stubborn fighting round Kleszczeli (south of Byelsk); Russians hold their own.

Southern Front

Italians attack bridgehead at Tolmino (Julian).

Naval and Overseas Operations

British fleet of 30 ships including H.M. monitors Prince Rupert, John Moore and Lord Clive (12-inch gun) bombarded Zeebrugge, Belgium, targeting German U-boat bases in the area.

North Sea
MIURA, Admiralty trawler, 257/1911, Neale & West, Cardiff-reg CF36, hired 1914 (D - 2/15; He - 1915) as auxiliary patrol vessel, 1-3pdr or 6pdr, Admiralty No.979, Lt Leslie Kersey RNR. On patrol off Great Yarmouth, explosion on starboard quarter at 1245, heeled over, righted, then slowly settled by the stern, sank off Yarmouth, Norfolk (wi - in 52.36.16N, 01.54.20E). Not known if she had been mined or torpedoed although survivors gave evidence that a U-boat was involved. Most sources list her as mined, Hepper as torpedoed. In either case, the submarine involved was UB.2 (Werner Fürbringer); 11 ratings lost.

Belgian Coast
Albyn, ex-Albion, paddle minesweeper, 363/1893, hired 26/5/15, 1-6pdr AA, one of the first six hired paddlers to arrive at Dover 14/7/15 as the Dover Paddlers, Lt A Daniels RNR i/c, night before swept ahead of monitors for Zeebrugge shoot, now daylight on 23rd, returning to Dover. (do - 22nd) - Attacked by German seaplane, a reported seven bombs dropped in two groups, avoided by helm and engine changes. During many subsequent operations, the paddle minesweepers with their broad beam often became the focus of German air attacks; it was reported on 10 June 1916 that "The paddle sweepers at Dunkirk... (had their routine work) enlivened on most days by attacks from hostile aircraft."

Atlantic off SW Ireland
One, possibly two Admiralty-chartered vessels stopped by U.38 (Max Valentiner) and sunk with bombs off Fastnet Rock, off Co Cork.

SILVIA, Admiralty chartered red-ensign oiler, 5,268/1913, Oil Tank SS Co, Liverpool-reg, 41 crew, Mr J Prouse, Halifax (NS) for Queenstown with 6,600t fumace fuel oil. U.38 sighted two miles away on starboard beam at 1100, started shelling, tanker stopped and abandoned, U-boat closed, boarded and placed charges in engine room, pulled off a short distance and opened fire after they had exploded, Silvia sank at 1215, 47 miles W of (L/wi - 40 miles W of, in 51.07N, 10.46W), ship's confidential papers thrown overboard by Master in weighted bag; survivors picked up by armed trawler at 1900, landed at Berehaven.

TRAFALGAR, 4,572/1911, Glasgow-reg, Glasgow Shipowners, 31 crew, Mr W Peter (wi - on Admiralty charter), Mejillones for Clyde with nitrates. Sunk 54 miles SW by W of (L - 54 miles SW of; wi - in 50.39N, 10.27W).

Political, etc.

President Wilson states he will recall the US ambassador of Germany if the sinking of the ocean liner Arabic was unjustified.

Germany apologizes to Denmark for firing on a British submarine that was grounded in Danish waters.

Greek Cabinet formed.

Serbia concedes to Italian demands in Albania, paving way for Allied intervention in the Balkan theater.

Prime Minister Okuma of Japan promises greater munitions aid to Russia in order to fight off the German advance.

Ship Losses:

SMS A15 ( Kaiserliche Marine): The A1-class torpedo boat was shelled and sunk in the North Sea off the coast of Belgium by Branlebas and Oriflamme (both French Navy).
Boy Bert ( United Kingdom): The fishing smack was scuttled in the North Sea 50 nautical miles (93 km) off Lowestoft, Suffolk by SM UB-12 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Commander Boyle ( United Kingdom): The trawler struck a mine and sank in the North Sea 40 nautical miles (74 km) north by west of Rattray Head, Aberdeenshire with the loss of three of her crew.
Integrity ( United Kingdom): The fishing smack was scuttled in the North Sea 24 nautical miles (44 km) east south east of Cromer, Norfolk by SM UB-12 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
HMT Miura ( Royal Navy): The naval trawler was torpedoed and sunk in the North Sea off Great Yarmouth, Norfolk (52°36′N 1°54′E) by SM UB-2 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of eleven crew.
Silvia ( United Kingdom): The tanker was shelled and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 47 nautical miles (87 km) west of the Fastnet Rock (51°50′N 10°46′W) by SM U-38 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Trafalgar ( United Kingdom): The cargo ship was scuttled in the Atlantic Ocean 54 nautical miles (100 km) south west by west of the Fastnet Rock (50°53′N 10°48′W) by SM U-38 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.

[Sailor Steve]

August 23:

Celtic Sea: Max Valentiner, commanding U-38, sinks British tanker Silvia, 5,268 tons, carrying oil from Halifax to Queenstown; and freighter Trafalgar, 4,572 tons, bound from Mejillones to Glasgow with a load of nitrate. He finishes his third war patrol with a total of 53 ship and 80,852 tons, overtaking Rudolf Schneider as the highest-scoring u-boat ace.*



North Sea: Werner Fürbinger, in UB-2, torpedoes HMT Miura, 257 tons, bringing his score to 7 vessels and 554 tons.

Hans Nieland, in UB-12, stops and scuttles fishing smacks Boy Bert, 57 tons, and Integrity, 52 tons. His score is now 8 vessels and 388 tons.



*These numbers do not match the numbers posted yesterday. This is because last night I discovered I had not counted one of the ships sunk long ago, forcing me to recheck the entire list.

[Jimbuna]

24th August 1915

Western Front

French air raid into south Baden (Lorrach).

Eastern Front

German forces advance to artillery range of Brest-Litovsk.

Southern Front

Austrians, reinforced, resume offensive along Italian front.

Naval despatch on Gallipoli published.

Political, etc.

Allies estimate Germany has 3.2 million soldiers on two fronts: 1.8 million in the West and 1.4 million in the East.

Ship Losses:

Sinsen (Norway): The steamer (1,925tons) and cargo unknown was taken as a prize in the North Sea, position (58° 46'N, 1° 21'W) by U 24 (Rudolf Schneider) (Kaiserliche Marine) but later released.

Leon Mathilde (Belgium): The Sailing Vessel was taken as a prize off Ostende by UB 17 (Ralph Wenninger) (Kaiserliche Marine).