100 Years Ago Today

[Jimbuna]

27th August 1923

"Commission From Italy Massacred— Three Establishing Border of Albania and Greece Assassins' Victims". Italian Army General Enrico Tellini, inspecting the disputed border between Greece and Albania, was shot and killed in an ambush along with three officers and an interpreter.


Ship Losses:

Thursby (United Kingdom) The coaster foundered in the Irish Sea 40 nautical miles (74 km) north east of the Longships Lighthouse with the loss of one of her thirteen crew.

[Jimbuna]

28th August 1923

"Gangster Slain From Ambush— Rival Penetrates Cordon of Police to Fire Shot". Nathan Kaplan, 32, American gangster known as "Kid Dropper", was shot to death by hit man Louis Cohen while being transferred by a police car in New York City after his arrest.


Ship Losses:

Glyndwr (United Kingdom) The cargo ship passed Dungeness, Kent for Oporto, Portugal. No further trace, presumed foundered with the loss of all hands.

[Jimbuna]

29th August 1923

Richard Attenborough is born in Cambridge, the eldest of three sons.


"A Hundred Years Hence. Professor's Vision of Warfare. How We Shall Fight in A.D. 2023."


Ship Losses:

Deputé Emile Driant The collier capsized and sank in the English Channel off boulogne, Pas-de-Calais with the loss of nineteen of her 24 crew.
Klüpfel (Germany) The cargo ship foundered in the North Sea with the loss of all but one of her crew. The survivor was rescued by a Dutch fishing vessel.
Rawlinson (United Kingdom) The cargo ship foundered in the North Sea. A lifeboat from the ship was recovered by a German trawler on 10 September. All hands lost.

[Jimbuna]

30th August 1923

Casper Daily Tribune: Italian Battle Fleet Made Ready For War.


Ship Losses:

Deputé Emile Driant The collier capsized and sank in the English Channel off boulogne, Pas-de-Calais with the loss of nineteen of her 24 crew.
Klüpfel (Germany) The cargo ship foundered in the North Sea with the loss of all but one of her crew. The survivor was rescued by a Dutch fishing vessel.
Rawlinson (United Kingdom) The cargo ship foundered in the North Sea. A lifeboat from the ship was recovered by a German trawler on 10 September. All hands lost.

[Jimbuna]

31st August 1923

The United States formally recognized Mexico.




The Corfu incident began as Italian naval forces shelled and occupied the unfortified Greek island of Corfu with 11,000 troops.

Ship Losses:

Sheikh Berkhud (Egypt) The cargo ship sank at Suez.

[Jimbuna]

1st September 1923

The Great Kantō earthquake devastates Tokyo and Yokohama, killing an estimated 142,807 people, but according to a Japanese construction research centre report in 2005, 105,000 are confirmed dead. Varied accounts indicate the duration of the earthquake was between four and ten minutes.


Ship Losses:

Amagi (Imperial Japanese Navy) Great Kantō earthquake: The Amagi-class battlecruiser was damaged beyond economic repair at Yokosuka whilst under conversion to an aircraft carrier. She was scrapped in situ in 1924.
Unknown lighter (Japan) Great Kantō earthquake: The lighter, loaded with lumber, was shattered when caught between Lyons Maru ( Japan), that had broken adrift from her dock, and Empress of Australia ( United Kingdom).

[Jimbuna]

2nd September 1923

Adolf Hitler and Julius Streicher at the German Day parade in Nuremberg.


Ship Losses:

City of Rockland (United States) The retired 274-foot (84 m), 1,696-gross register ton passenger ship, a sidewheel paddle steamer, was scuttled in very shallow water and burned as a means of disposal off Beverly, Massachusetts, between Great Misery Island and Little Misery Island at 42°32′44″N 070°48′08″W.

[Jimbuna]

3rd September 1923

The "Los Angeles Illustrated Daily News" was first published after being founded by Cornelius Vanderbilt IV. The newspaper would cease publication on December 18, 1954.

[Jimbuna]

4th September 1923

The United States Navy's first U.S.-built rigid airship, the as-yet-unnamed ZR-1, makes her first flight at Naval Air Station Lakehurst, New Jersey. She contains most of the world's extracted reserves of helium at this time. (Named USS "Shenandoah" in October).


Ship Losses:

Cronstadt (United Kingdom) The tanker was destroyed by fire at Lisbon, Portugal.

[Jeff-Groves]

The Shenandoah crash happened 155 miles from my home.
Been past there many times.
At one time there was a motel built in the shape of an Airship near there.
It was demolished years ago but I did see it before it was totally removed.

[Jimbuna]

5th September 1923

In the immediate aftermath of the Great Kanto Earthquake, Japanese police and vigilantes massacred Koreans living in Japan. Between 6,000-10,000 people are murdered. Bamboo spears are commonly used to execute victims.


Ship Losses:

USS New Jersey (United States Navy) The decommissioned Virginia-class battleship was sunk as target in the Atlantic Ocean off Diamond Shoals, North Carolina, by Martin NBS-1 bomber aircraft of the 2nd Bombardment Group (United States United States Army Air Service).
USS Virginia (United States Navy) The decommissioned Virginia-class battleship was sunk as target in the Atlantic Ocean off Diamond Shoals, North Carolina, by Martin NBS-1 bomber aircraft of the 2nd Bombardment Group (United States United States Army Air Service).

[Jimbuna]

6th September 1923

The Hunchback of Notre Dame released, becoming Universal's most successful silent film.


Ruined tank in Poelkapelle, Belgium, near the memorial to French pilot Georges Guynemer, shot down in 1917.


Ship Losses:

Orkney (United Kingdom) The dredger foundered in the Atlantic Ocean off the Longships Lighthouse.

[Jimbuna]

26th September 1923

Fearing riots because of the abandonment of passive resistance, the Bavarian government declares a state of emergency and appoints the former Prime Minister Gustav Ritter von Kahr as State Commissioner General (Generalstaatskommissar), to whom all executive power is transferred.


Reich President Friedrich Ebert temporarily transfers executive power to Reichswehr Minister Otto Geßler and declares a state of emergency for the entire German Reich under Article 48 of the Weimar Constitution. It will last until February 1924.

Ship Losses:

Obernai (United Kingdom) The cargo ship sprang a leak at Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada and was beached.

[Jimbuna]

27th September 1923

"Bayonets Rule In Germany. Bavaria Revolt Brings Drastic Berlin Action. Suspend Civil Laws for Whole Nation. Friend of Crown Prince Rupprecht made dictator of Bavaria as Germany formally announces surrender to France."


Ship Losses:

Fred J. Wood (United States) During a gale, the 681-gross register ton, 181-foot (55.2 m) schooner washed ashore in Port Clarence Bay on the coast of the Territory of Alaska and was pounded to pieces by the surf. All 105 people aboard survived and were rescued by the steamer Buford ( United States).
Santa Maria (Portugal) The cargo ship came ashore at Cape Villano, Spain.

[Jimbuna]

28th September 1923

George Herman "Babe" Ruth and His Wife, Claire.


Ship Losses:

Alcibiades (Belgium) The cargo ship sprang a leak and was beached at Varna, Romania.
Reliance (United States) The inland passenger vessel was destroyed by fire in Louisiana after an explosion in her engine room. Six killed.
Taku No. 5 (United States) With no one and no cargo aboard, the 19-ton scow was blown ashore during a gale and wrecked in Taku Harbor in Taku Inlet in Southeast Alaska. The wreck was hauled ashore and burned to prevent it from causing further damage in the harbor.