100 Years Ago Today

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7th February 1921

USS Selfridge (DD-320) commissioned.


Ship Losses:

Klamate (United States) The cargo ship was wrecked whilst on a voyage from San Francisco, California to Portland, Oregon. Her crew were rescued.
Vital (Germany) The cargo ship collided with another vessel and sank off Delfzijl, Netherlands. Her crew were rescued by the other vessel.

[Jimbuna]

8th February 1921

A tank and tractor demonstration at Rock Creek Park, Washington D.C.


Emperor Karl I of Austria (Charles IV of Hungary) in exile with his family in Switzerland. He is secretly eyeing the restoration of his throne in Hungary.


Ship Losses:

Eskdale (United Kingdom) The cargo ship came ashore at the Heugh Lighthouse, Hartlepool, County Durham and was wrecked.

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9th FEBRUARY 1921

Edward, Prince of Wales, on his way to unveil a monument at Magdalen College, Oxford.


Britain denies that relations with the United States are becoming strained, and refutes rumors that they are threatening war against their old colony.


Ship Losses:

HMS Hydra (Royal Navy) The Acheron-class destroyer collided with the torpedo boat Z 3 ( Royal Navy) in the Weilingen Channel and sank. All 72 crew were rescued by Z 3.
Iocasti (Greece) The cargo ship caught fire in the Mediterranean Sea (36°44′N 1°28′W) and was abandoned.
Margarita (Greece) The cargo ship foundered on this date.
Sparkling Glance (United Kingdom) The schooner was abandoned in the Atlantic Ocean.

[Jimbuna]

10th February 1921

U.S. Congress counts the electoral votes, formally certifying the election of Warren G. Harding as the next President of the U.S.


Students at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier (delegation of the General Student Association)

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11th February 1921

The White Star Line purchases the German ocean liner Bismarck, the largest ship in the world. The ship was handed over to Britain after the war as reparations and will be renamed RMS Majestic.


Former Kaiser Wilhelm in his first interview since going into exile claims, “We would never have lost the war if my people had remained true to themselves.”


Princess Mary, Princess Royal and Countess of Harewood (1897-1965), the only daughter of King George V and Queen Mary.


Ship Losses:

Abracadabrante (Spain) The schooner collided with Swainby ( United Kingdom) in the English Channel off Hartland Point, Devon and sank. Her crew were rescued by Swainby.
Bombardier (Belgium) The cargo ship foundered in the Atlantic Ocean (45°53′N 54°10′W).
Marion Grace (United Kingdom) The schooner was driven ashore at Saint-Pierre, Saint Pierre and Miquelon and was wrecked.

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12th February 1921

Ship Losses:

Elizabeth Fearn (United Kingdom) The schooner was driven ashore at St. John's, Newfoundland and was wrecked.
Horley (United Kingdom) The cargo ship parted from her tow and cane ashore at Covehithe, Suffolk. She was refloated on 25 February.
Osiris (United States) The houseboat/yacht burned and sank off Miami, Florida.

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13th February 1921

Winston Churchill is appointed the new Secretary of State for the Colonies. He will mainly deal with the British occupation of the Middle East as well as negotiations in the Irish War of Independence. Winston Churchill in Mandatory Palestine.


Ship Losses:

Hawker (United Kingdom) The schooner departed Patras, Greece, for Trapani, Sicily, Italy. No further trace, presumed foundered in the Mediterranean Sea with the loss of all hands.

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14th February 1921

President Wilson and his cabinet during his last month in office (left) compared with him earlier in his Presidency (right). Wilson suffered a debilitating stroke in October 1919 that left him largely incapacitated.


Ship Losses:

Victorieux (France) The cargo ship was abandoned in the Atlantic Ocean (39°11′N 49°01′W) with the loss of a crew member. Survivors were rescued by Cranford ( United States).

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15th February 1921

IRA forces attack a train carrying British soldiers in Upton, Ireland. Six British soldiers are wounded and three IRA volunteers are killed, but eight civilians are caught in the crossfire and killed.


Ship Losses:

Horace E. Munroe (United States) The schooner collided with Palma ( United Kingdom) in the Atlantic Ocean (35°22′N 3°14′W) and was abandoned. Her crew were rescued by Palma.

[Jimbuna]

16th February 1921

Emigration from Central Europe to the United States is halted in response to a typhus outbreak.


Su Zhu (Chinese politician who changes his name to Hua Guofeng and becomes Chairman and Premier of the People’s Republic of China after the deaths of Chairman Mao and Premier Zhou Enlai) is born in Shanxi province.


Soviet invasion of Georgia begins, as troops of the 11th Red Army, led by Anatoly Gekker (pictured), cross the border towards the capital of Tbilisi.


Ship Losses:

Charles G. Endicott (United States) The schooner struck a mine and sank in the Atlantic Ocean 60 nautical miles (110 km) north east of Cuba.
Progreso (Spain) The sailing ship sprang a leak and foundered in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Portugal. Her crew were rescued by a British merchant ship.
Tonesit (United States) The cargo ship ran aground on Ven, Sweden. She was refloated on 24 February.

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17th February 1921

The battleships USS New Mexico (foreground) and USS Pennsylvania (background) at the Panama Canal Zone.


Ship Losses:

Delmira (United Kingdom) The tanker caught fire in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Florida, United States and was abandoned. Her crew were rescued by J. E. O'Neil ( United States).[54] Delmira was towed in to Key West, Florida by Victory ( United States).

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18th February 1921

Prince of Wales (later King Edward VIII) inspecting Honourable Artillery Company Guard of Honour.

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19th February 1921

France and Poland sign a political alliance to coordinate economic and foreign policies. A secret defensive military alliance aimed at possible threats from Germany and Soviet Russia will also be signed on the 21st. Polish marshal Piłsudski at Élysée Palace, Paris.


Ship Losses:

Fernando (Portugal) The barquentine was driven ashore and sank at Madeira.
Ioanna (Greece) The cargo ship was sunk by barratry off Cape Tiñoso, Spain

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20th February 1921

Generals Fayolle, Franchet d'Esperey and Lyautey are appointed Marshals of France.

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21st February 1921

Ship Losses:

Miss Williams (United Kingdom) The schooner foundered in the Irish Sea 3.5 nautical miles (6.5 km) off Curracloe, County Wexford.
USS Woolsey (United States Navy) The Wickes-class destroyer sank after colliding with the steamer Steel Inventor ( United States) in the Pacific Ocean off Panama City, Panama. Survivors were rescued by the destroyer USS Aaron Ward ( United States Navy).