100 Years Ago Today

[Sailor Steve]

August 1, 1917

Northwest of Ireland:
Wilhelm Werner, in U-55, uses scuttling charges to sink British freighter SS Belgian Prince. Werner had torpedoed the ship the previous day, but she had refused to sink. His score is now 37 ships and 62,058 tons.



Ireland:
Johannes Lohs, in UC-75, sinks British passenger ship SS Karina, 4.222 tond. carrying passengers, palm oil and palm kernals along an unnamed route; off Hook Head, Waterford. His score is now 21 ships and 20,022 tons.



English Channel:
Thomas Bieber, in UB-31, sinks two British vessels near the west end of the Channel:
Motor vessel Alcyone, 149 tons, bound from Cardiff for Saint Brieuc with a load of coal; 45 miles north-northwest of Roches Douvres, France.
Freighter SS Laertes, 4,541 tons, travelling in ballast from Southampton to Montreal; off Prawle Point, Devon.
Bieber's score is now 10 ships and 35,111 tons.



Atlantic Ocean:
Karl Meusel, in U-155, scuttles French barque Alexandre, 2,671 tons, travelling in ballast from La Pallice to Iquique; 400 miles southeast of the Azores. His score is now 16 ships and 42,054 tons.



Mediterranean Sea:
Gustav Seiß, in U-33, sinks British freighter SS LLandudno, 4,187 tons, en route from Marseille to Salonica with an unnamed cargo; 110 miles southwest of Porquerolles island. His score is now 37 ships and 150,181 tons.

British freighter SS Rokeby, 3,786 tons, hauling a load of coal from Newchastle to Livorno, hits a mine laid off Porquerolles Island by Johannes Feldkirchner in U-72. The damaged ship makes it to a safe port.

[Jimbuna]

2nd August 1917

Western Front

Positions Ypres-Roulers retaken by British.

Germans attack Infantry Hill (east of Monchy-Arras) and carry some trenches.

Eastern Front

Generals Brusilov and Dmitriev resign. General Kornilov appointed Commander-in-Chief.

Naval and Overseas Operations

German raider "Seeadler" wrecked on Lord Howe Island, Pacific.


Aviation

British complete the first aircraft landing on a moving ship, the HMS Furious.


Political, etc.

M. Kerenski resigns.

Admiral Lacaze (Minister of Marine) and M. Denys Cochin (Under Secretary Foreign Affairs) resign from French Cabinet.

German war council, headed by Kaiser Wilhelm and attended by high military officials, meets in occupied Brussels.

Ship Losses:

USS Arvilla (United States Navy) The patrol boat collided with the fishing vessel Higo ( United States) at San Diego, California and sank. She was later raised, repaired and returned to service.
HMS Ermine (Royal Navy) The fleet messenger struck a mine laid by UC 23 (Volkhard von Bothmer) and sank in the Aegean Sea (40°39′N 23°34′E) with the loss of 24 of her crew.
Libia (France) The cargo ship was sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 70 nautical miles (130 km) west of Penmarc'h, Finistère (47°49′N 5°55′W) by SM U-61 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of 24 crew.
Marthe (France) The barque was scuttled in the Atlantic Ocean south south east of the Azores, Portugal (33°38′N 23°30′W) by SM U-155 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of a crew member.
Newlyn (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the English Channel 2 nautical miles (3.7 km) south of Prawle Point, Devon by SM UB-31 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of four of her crew.
SMS Seeadler (Kaiserliche Marine)The auxiliary cruiser was wrecked on Maupihaa, French Polynesia. Her crew survived.
Teesdale (United Kingdom) The cargo ship foundered in the North Sea 3 nautical miles (5.6 km) north of Saltburn-by-the-Sea, Yorkshire.
Young Bert (United Kingdom) The fishing vessel was scuttled in the North Sea off the mouth of the Humber by SM UC-63 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of all hands.

[Sailor Steve]

August 2, 1917

RNAS Squadron Commander Edward Dunning is the first pilot to land aboard a moving ship, hybrid aircraft carrier/battlecruiser HMS Furious.

Air War:

0830 Italian pilot Giorgio Pessi, flying a SPAD VII, shoots down a Hansa-Brandenburg C.I for victory number 1.

Italian pilot Antonio Amantea, in a SPAD VII, shoots down an "Enemy Aircraft" for victory number 1.

Italian ace Pier Piccio, in a Nieuport 11, shoots down a Hansa-Brandenburg C.I for victory number 8. Future Austro-Hungarian ace Frank Lincke-Crawford, flying the two-seater without an observer, crashes uninjured.

Pier Piccio later shoots down another Hansa C.I for victory number 9.



English Channel:
Thomas Bieber, commanding UB-31, torpeoes British freighter SS Newlyn, 4,019 tons, bound from Tyne for Genoa with a load of coal and coke; off Prawle Point. His score is now 11 ships and 39,130 tons.



North Sea:
Karsten von Heydebreck, in UC-63, scuttles British fishing smack Young Bert, 59 tons; off the Humber River. The crew are all lost in the lifeboat, and the craft is listed as Missing. Von Heydebreck's score is now 22 vessels and 8,351 tons.



Bay of Biscay:
Vicktor Dieckmann, in U-61, sinks French freighter SS Libia, 2,416 tons, route and cargo unknown; 70 miles west of Brittany. His score is now 30 ships and 53,984 tons.



Atlantic Ocean:
Karl Meusel, in U-155, shells and scuttles French barque Marthe, 3,119 tons, travelling in ballast from Bordeaux to Valparaiso; south-southeast of the Azores. His score is now 17 ships and 45,173 tons.



Aegean Sea:
His Majesty's Fleet Messenger Ermine, 1,777 tons, hits a mine laid between Saros and Mudros by Vokhard von Bothmer in UC-23. His score is now 10 ships and 25,382 tons.
(Location is tentative. Mudros is an island in the middle Aegean and Saros is in the southern part of the Sea, several hundred miles south. There is also the Gulf of Saros, north of the Dardanelles. Confusing matters even more is a location marker at U-boat.net near Thessaloniki.)

[Jimbuna]

3rd August 1917

Western Front

British retake St. Julien and positions on Infantry Hill.

Eastern Front

Fall of Czernowitz.

Kimpolung (Romanian front) evacuated.

Naval and Overseas Operations

Heavy fighting German East Africa; enemy compelled to withdraw along Lindi-Masasi road (80 miles south-west of Port Lindi).

Political, etc.

Russian Premier Kerensky and other members of the cabinet submit resignations, but the Provisional Government does not accept them.

Due to the failure of the Kerensky offensive, General Aleksei Brusilov is replaced as Commander in Chief by Lavr Kornilov.

A decree is published indicting Lenin, Zinoviev and Alexandra Kollontai, among others, for state treason: working for foreign powers and organising an armed insurrection in Petrograd.

Ship Losses:

Aube (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Bay of Biscay 3.5 nautical miles (6.5 km) north west of the Île d'Yeu, Vendée, France (46°56′N 2°28′W) by SM UC-71 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of one of her 30 crew. Survivors were rescued by Bouvreuil ( French Navy).
Beechpark (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 4 nautical miles (7.4 km) south of St Mary's, Isles of Scilly (49°51′N 6°17′W) by SM UC-75 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Halldor (Norway) The cargo ship was scuttled in the Atlantic Ocean 90 nautical miles (170 km) west of Gibraltar (36°58′N 6°51′W) by SM U-39 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Hornchurch (United Kingdom) The cargo ship struck a mine laid by UC 29 (Ernst Rosenow) and sank in the North Sea 3.5 nautical miles (6.5 km) north east of Coquet Island, Northumberland with the loss of two of her crew.
Renée Marthe (France) The sailing vessel was sunk in the English Channel west of Prawle Point, Devon, United Kingdom by SM UB-31 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
San Nicola (Italy) The sailing vessel was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea by SM UC-22 ( Kaiserliche Marine).

[Sailor Steve]

August 3, 1917

Air War:
German ace Adolf von Tutscheck is told he is being awarded the Pour Le Merite (Blue Max). The official announcement will be made on the 7th, and the ceremony held on the 15th.

0950 Italian Aces Francesco Baracca and Flavio Baracchini, both flying SPAD VIIs, shoot down a Hansa-Brandenburg C.I. Victory number 16 for Baracca, number 11 for Baracchini.



Celtic Sea:
Johannes Lohs, commanding UC-75, torpedoes British freighter SS Beechpark, 4,763 tons, bound from Tyne for Port Sid with a load of coal and coke. His score is now 22 ships and 24,785 tons.



English Channel:
Thomas Bieber, in UB-31, scuttles French sailing vessel Renee Marthe, 50 tons, bringing his total to 12 vessels and 39,180 tons.



North Sea:
British freighter SS Hornchurch, 2,159 tons, en route from London to Methil with a load of coal, hits a mine laid by Ernst Rosenow in UC-29. His score is now 18 ships and 21,943 tons. This is Rosenow's last sinking, as UC-29 was sunk by the Bitish Q-Ship HMS Pargust back on June 7.



Bay of Biscay:
1100 (1200 German time) Reinhold Saltzwedel, in UC-71, torpedoes British freighter SS Aube, 1,837 tons, heading from Newport tp Bordeaux with 2,451 tons of coal; northwest of Ile d'Yeu. The merchant comes to rest with her bow on the bottom and her stern still afloat. All her crew excpet one manage to abandon ship and are later rescued by French patrol boat Bouvreuill. Saltzwedel's score is now 91 ships and 150,216 tons.



Golfo de Cadiz:
Walter Forstmann, in U-39, scuttles Norwegian freighter SS Halldor, 2,919 tons, carrying a load of coal from Glasgow to Civitavecchia. his score is now 170 ships and 360,552 tons.



Mediterranean Sea:
Erich Wiesenbach, in UC-22, sinks Italian sailing vessel San Nicola, 30 tons, bringing his score to 2 vessels and 100 tons.

[Jimbuna]

4th August 1917

Eastern Front

Russians rally and attack enemy on Zbrucz River; elsewhere Russian retreat continues.

Naval

German submarine SM UC-44, credited with sinking 29 ships, is sunk by its own mine off the coast of Ireland.

Political, etc.

King and Queen attend special service at Westminster Abbey for third anniversary of war.

Despite three years of war, France has 3 million soldiers at the front, a million more than in 1914.

M. Kerenski withdraws resignation at request of All Parties Conference; new Cabinet constituted.

France introduces bread rations, with each person receiving 500 grams per day.

Statues and antiques worth 1.5 million rubles are stolen from the Senate and Synod building in Petrograd.

Ship Losses:

Angelina T. (Italy) The brigantine was shelled and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea north of Cape Corse, Corsica, France (42°41′N 10°04′E) by SM U-33 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Azira (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the North Sea 6 nautical miles (11 km) south east of Seaham, County Durham by SM UB-22 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of a crew member.
British Monarch (United Kingdom) The cargo ship struck a mine laid by U 72 (Johannes Feldkirchner) and sank in the Mediterranean Sea 2 nautical miles (3.7 km) south south west of Porquerolles, Var, France. Her crew survived.
Cairnstrath (United Kingdom) the cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Bay of Biscay 6 nautical miles (11 km) south south west of the Île du Pilier, Vendée, France (47°00′N 2°29′W) by SM UC-71 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of 22 of her 23 crew. The survivor was rescued by Victoire ( France).
Countess of Mar (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Bay of Biscay 55 nautical miles (102 km) north of Bayonne, Pyrénées-Atlantiques, France (44°27′N 1°48′W) by SM U-61 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of 20 crew.
SM UC-44 (Kaiserliche Marine) The Type UC II submarine was sunk by one of her own mines off the coast of Ireland (52°07′N 6°59′W) with the loss of all 26 crew. The wreck was raised in September 1917 and scrapped.

[Sailor Steve]

August 4, 1917

Ireland:
UC-44 is laying new mines in Waterford Harbour when she hits one of her own mines. Kurt Tebbenjohanns and two others in the conning tower manage to escape the sinking submarine. Tebbenjohanns becomes separated from the other men in the dark, and in the end he is the only survivor. Taken prisoner for the rest of the war.



North Sea:
Karl Wacker, commanding UB-22, sinks British freighter SS Azira, 1,144 tons, bound from Tyne for Cherbourg with a load of coal; off Seaham Harbour. His score is now 4 ships and 1,740 tons.



Bay of Biscay:
Victor Dieckmann, in U-61, sinks British freighter SS Countess of Mar, 2,234 tons, carrying a load of ore from Bilbao to Cardiff; 55 miles off Bayonne, France. His score is now 31 ships and 56,219 tons.

Reinhold Saltzwedel, in UC-71, torpedoes two ships off Bell Ile:
French freighter SS Afrique, 2,457 tons, en route from Blythe to Saint Nazaire. The damaged ship makes safe harbor.
British freighter SS Cairnstrath, 2,128 tons, headed from Bilbao to Tyne with a load of iron ore.
These sinkings are early in the morning of the 4th, not long after the sinking of Aube, listed as the night before. The first news of any of them is a telegram from Ile du Pilier reporting the sighting of a wreck with two masts. French patrol boat Berthic is sent to search the area and finds the body of a man with papers indicating he was from SS Cairnstrath. At about the same time the French tug Victoire pulls a survivor from the sea who confirms the loss of that ship. He is the only survivor of a crew of 23.
Saltzwedel's score is now 92 ships and 152,344 tons.
http://www.uboat.net/wwi/ships_hit/1038.html



Ligurian Sea:
Gustav Seiß, in U-33, shells Italian brigantine Angelina T, 146 tons. His score is now 38 vessels and 150,327 tons.

British freighter SS British Monarch, 5,749 tons, en route from Hull to Genoa with a load of coal, hits a mine laid off Ile de Porquerolles (south coast of France) by Johannes Feldkirchner in U-72. His score is now 15 ships and 11,100 tons.

[Jimbuna]

5th August 1917

Western Front

Germans regain footing in Hollebeke, but are driven out in course of day.

Eastern Front

Enemy now 10 miles east of Czernowitz.

Vama (Bukovina front) occupied by enemy.

Political, etc.

New German Ministry announced (von Kuhlmann Foreign Minister).

Argentina breaks off talks with Germany over the sinking of an Argentinian ship by a U-boat due to slow progress of negotiations.

Captain Noel Godfrey Chavasse, British doctor, Olympic athlete (& awarded the Victoria Cross twice), is killed in action at Ypres.


Ship Losses:

HMT Bovic (Royal Navy) The naval trawler was lost on this date.
HMS Bracondale (Royal Navy) The Q-ship was damaged in the Atlantic Ocean 120 nautical miles (220 km) north west of Tory Island, County Donegal by SM U-44 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of a crew member. She was taken in tow, but sank on 7 August.
Campo Libre (Spain) The fishing vessel was sunk in the Bay of Biscay 40 nautical miles (74 km) off Bilbao, Biscay (44°10′N 2°45′W) by SM U-61 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Kathleen (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 90 nautical miles (170 km) west of the Skellig Islands, County Kerry (52°10′N 12°20′W) by SM U-100 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of a crew member.
Ryton (United Kingdom) The cargo ship rammed SM U-39 ( Kaiserliche Marine) in the Atlantic Ocean (35°57′N 7°07′W) and sank due to damage received. Her crew survived.
Sauternes (France) The coaster was sunk in the Bay of Biscay 9 nautical miles (17 km) off Cap Ferrat, Alpes-Maritimes by SM U-61 ( Kaiserliche Marine).

[Sailor Steve]

August 5, 1917

US Army 1st Aero Squadron departs Columbus, New Mexico on a troop train for Jersey City, New Jersey. They are to become the first air unit to enter the Great War.

Air War:
1500 German ace Kurt Wüsthoff, flying an Albatros D.V, shoots down a Nieuport 23 for victory number 7.

1530 German pilot Kurt Wissemann, in an Albatros D.V, shoots down Sopwith Camel B2304 for victory number 2. 2nd Lt H.J. Ellam is wounded and taken prisoner.

1730 Canadian RFC pilot Conrad Lally and English observer Basil John Blackett, in DH.4 A7477, shoot down an Albatros D.III. Victory number 3 for Lally, number 1 for Blackett.

1800 English RNAS observer Edward Darby, riding in DH.4 N5982 with Flight Commander R. Jope-Slade as pilot, shoots down an Albatros D.III for victory number 1.

1800 English RNAS pilot Thomas Le Mesurier and observer Horace Stanley Jackson, in DH.4 N5967, shoot down an Albatros D.III. Victory number 2 for Le Mesurier, number 1 for Jackson.

1802 Thomas le Mesurier and Horace Jackson score a second victory, number 3 for Le Mesurier and number 2 for Jackson.

1940 German ace Heinrich Gontermann, flying an Albatros D.V, shoots down a Nieuport fighter for victory number 26. No details.

2000 Two RFC pilots share a victory over an Albatros D.III:
Spencer Horn, England, SE.5a A8930, victory number 3.
William Molesworth, Ireland, SE.5a A4851, munber 5.

2015 German ace Hermann Göring, in an Albatros D.V, shoots down Sopwith Camel B3792 for victory number 11. Lt Gilbert Budden is wounded but manages to crash on his own side of the lines.



North Atlantic Ocean, west of Ireland:
Degenhart von Loë, commanding U-100, torpedoes British freighter SS Kathleen, 3,915 tons, bound from Norfolk for Limerick with a load of wheat and maize. His score is now 4 ships and 14,075 tons.



Northwest of Ireland:
Paul Wagenführ, in U-44, torpedoes British Q-Ship HMS Bracondale, 120 miles northwest of Tory Island. The damaged ship will sink two days later while under tow by HM Tug Saxon. His score is now 25 ships and 72,927 tons.



Bay of Biscay:
Victor Dieckmann, in U-61, sinks two ships:
French freighter SS Sauternes, 902 tons, en route from Bordeaux to Spain with an unlisted cargo; 9 miles from Cap Ferat.
Spanish fishing vessel Campo Libre, 50 tons; 40 miles off Bilbao.
Dickmann's score is now 33 vessels and 57,171 tons.



Golfo de Cadiz:
British freighter SS Ryton, 3,991 tons, carrying a load of iron ore from Aguilas to Clyde, runs into a submerged object which rips a hole in her bottom. The ship sinks slowly, and all the crew abandon ship safely. The "submerged object" turns out to be German submarine U-39, commanded by Walter Forstmann. The u-boat survives but has to end her patrol, and returns to her base at Cattaro. Forstmann is credited with the sinking, bringing his score to 171 ships and 364,543 tons.

[Jimbuna]

6th August 1917

Eastern Front

Slight Russian rally in Czernowitz region.

Romanian front von Mackensen storms positions north of Focsani.

Political, etc.

M. Kerenski (Prime Minister, War and Marine), forms National Ministry. M. Tereshchenko, Foreign Minister.

Ship Losses:

Alfred (France) The sailing vessel was sunk in the North Sea off Dunquerque, Nord by SM UC-63 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Argalia (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 81 nautical miles (150 km) north west by west of Tory Island, County Donegal by SM U-94 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of three of her crew.
Baysoto (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the North Sea 33 nautical miles (61 km) south east by east of Girdleness, Aberdeenshire (56°58′N 1°50′W) by SM UC-42 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Campana (United States) The tanker was sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 143 nautical miles (265 km) off the Île de Ré, Charente Maritime, France (46°08′N 5°30′W) by SM U-61 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Six survivors were taken as prisoners of war.
El Kaddra Nr. 53 (Tunisia) The boat was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea by SM UC-27 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Eugenia (Italy) The cargo ship was sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 7.5 nautical miles (13.9 km) west north west of the Fastnet Rock by SM U-55 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Fane (Norway) The cargo ship struck a mine laid by UC 63 (Karsten von Heydebreck) and sank in the North Sea off the Inner Dowsing Lightship ( United Kingdom) (53°21′N 0°38′E) with the loss of four of her crew.
Jenny (Denmark) The brig was scuttled in the North Sea 25 nautical miles (46 km) east north east of Hartlepool, County Durham, United Kingdom (54°55′N 0°53′W) by SM UB-22 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Matunga (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was scuttled in the Pacific Ocean 300 nautical miles (560 km) east of Riche Island, New Guinea by SMS Wolf ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Narcissus (United Kingdom) The drifter was scuttled in the North Sea 12 nautical miles (22 km) south east of the mouth of the River Tyne (54°55′N 1°05′W) by SM UB-22 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Polanna (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the North Sea 3 nautical miles (5.6 km) east of Whitby, Yorkshire by SM UC-40 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of two of her crew.
Rosemount (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the North Sea 45 nautical miles (83 km) north east by north of Muckle Flugga, Shetland Islands by SM U-101 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of a crew member.
Talisman (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was scuttled in the North Sea 7 nautical miles (13 km) east south east of Hartlepool (54°44′N 1°10′W) by SM UB-41 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.

[Sailor Steve]

August 6, 1917

Northwest of Ireland:
Alfred Saalwächter, commanding U-94, sinks British freighter SS Argalia, 4,641 tons, bound from Baltimore for Clyde with a general cargo, 81 miles northwest of Tory Island. His score is now 20 ships and 45,178 tons.



Celtic Sea:
Wilhelm Werner, in U-55, sinks Italian freighter SS Eugenia, 4,835 tons, carrying coal plus general cargo from Liverpool to Genoa, west-southwest of Fastnet. His score is now 38 ships and 66,893 tons.



North Sea:
Karl Koopmann, in U-101, begins his u-boat career with the sinking of British freighter SS Rosemount, 3,044 tons, underway from Archangelsk to Sharpness with a load of wood.

Karl Wacker, in UB-22, stops and scuttles two sailing vessels off Hartlepool:
Danish brig Jenny, 293 tons, sailing from Halmstad to West Hartlepool with a load of wood.
British boat Narcissus, 58 tons, route and cargo unknown.
Wacker's score is now 6 vessels and 2,091 tons.

Günther Krause, in UB-41, scuttles British coaster SS Talisman, 153 tons, travelling in ballast from Greenock to Grimsby; 7 miles east-southeast of Hartlepool. His score is now 7 ships and 6,610 tons.

Gustav Deuerlich, in UC-40, sinks British freighter Polanna, 2,345 tons, carrying a load of coal from Tyne to Dunkerque; 3 miles east of Whitby. His score is now 9 ships and 7,928 tons. This is Deuerlich's last sinking. He will survive the war, leave the naval service in 1920 and live until 1972.

Hans Albrecht Müller, in UC-42, begins his U-Boat career with the sinking of British freighter SS Baysoto, 3,082 tons, en route from Archangelsk to Tyne and Le Havre with a load of flax.

Karsten von Heydebreck, in UC-63, is responsible for the sinking of two vessels and damaging a third:
French sailing vessel Alfred, 107 tons, hits a mine laid by UC-63 off Dunkerque.
Norwegian freighter SS Fane, 1,119 tons, travelling in ballast from Rouen to Sunderland, hits a mine laid by UC-63 off the Inner Dowsing lightship.
British freighter SS Zamora, 3,639 tons, is damaged by a mine off the Inner Dowsing lightship, but makes port safely.
Von Heydebreck's score is now 24 ships and 9,577 tons.



Bay of Biscay:
Victor Dieckmann, in U-61, attacts two ships in the middle of the Bay:
American freighter SS Campana,, 3,675 tons, travelling in ballast from La Rochelle to Helva; sunk 143 miles west of Ile de Ré.
French Q-Ship Jeanne Et Genevieve, 695 tons, damaged by gunfire 170 miles west of the Gironde River.
Dieckmann's score is now 34 ships and 60,846 tons.



Mediterranean Sea:
Gerhard Schulz, in UC-27, sinks Tunisian sailboat El Kaddra Nr 53, 20 tons, bringing his total to 37 vessels and 24,096 tons.

[Jimbuna]

7th August 1917

Eastern Front

Von Mackensen crosses the Susitza river, and takes 3,000 prisoners.

Naval and Overseas Operations

Vice-Admiral Sir R. Wemyss succeeds Admiral Sir C. Burney as Second Sea Lord; Mr. A. G. Anderson, Controller.

Aviation

Squadron Commander E.H. Dunning fails at his 2nd attempt to land on a moving ship and is killed.


Political, etc.

Liberian declaration of war on Germany, dated 4 August, published.

Elihu Root, U.S. diplomat to Russia, declares recent news about riots and revolution in Russia are exaggerated.

Representatives of Allied nations meet in New York to discuss standardizing airplane parts.

Russian Provisional Government release lists of spies, informers and agent provocateurs who were in the former Tsar Nicholas’s pay.

Russian Ministry of Justice orders the arrest of Leon Trotsky for his part in the recent clashes between the government and Bolsheviks.

Ship Losses:

Blesvig (United Kingdom) The cargo ship collided with another vessel and sank.
Christiane (United States) The barque was scuttled in the Atlantic Ocean 200 nautical miles (370 km) east of São Miguel Island, Azores, Portugal (37°40′N 20°40′W) by SM U-155 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Esemplare (Italy) The cargo ship was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea (35°00′N 1°37′E) by SM UC-27 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Iran (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 200 nautical miles (370 km) east south east of Santa Maria Island, Azores by SM U-155 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Jarl (Sweden) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 130 nautical miles (240 km) south west of the Faroe Islands (59°45′N 9°28′W) by SM U-22 ( Kaiserliche Marine).[50] The ship had previously been taken by a British prize crew for visitation in a British port. One of the British prize crew was killed by the explosion.
Onesta (Italy) The cargo ship was sunk in the North Sea off the Inner Dowsing Lightship ( United Kingdom) by SM UC-63 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Othalia (Sweden) The cargo ship was torpedoed and damaged in the North Sea 50 nautical miles (93 km) east of the Orkney Islands, United Kingdom[53] (59°00′N 0°58′W) by SM UC-30 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Othalia was towed in to Kirkwall where she was declared a constructive total loss. Subsequently fitted with a new stern section and returned to service.
Port Curtis (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was scuttled in the Atlantic Ocean 70 nautical miles (130 km) west of Penmarc'h, Finistère, France (47°30′N 6°00′W) by SM UC-71 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Trento (Italy) The cargo ship was captured and scuttled in the Atlantic Ocean 150 nautical miles (280 km) west north west of Ouessant, Finistère by SM U-61 ( Kaiserliche Marine).

[Sailor Steve]

August 7, 1917

North Atlantic Ocean, near Faroe Bank:
Hinrich Hashagen, commanding U-22, torpedoes Swedish freighter SS Jarl, 1,643 tons, bound from from Goteborg for Pasajes with a load of wood pulp. His score is now 2 ships and 2,349 tons.



North Atlantic Ocean, off the Bay of Biscay:
Victor Dieckmann, in U-61, sinks italian freighter SS Trento, 3,276 tons, carrying a load of coal from Cardiff to Torre Annunziata; 150 miles west-southwest of Ushant. His score is now 35 ships and 64,122 tons.



North Sea:
Karsten von Heydebreck, in UC-63, torpedoes Italian freighter SS Onesta, 2,674 tons, en route from Tyne to Genoa with a load of coal, off the Inner Dowsing lightship. Onesta tries to reach the Humber River but sinks before making it there. Von Heydebreck's score is now 25 ships and 12,551 tons.

Danish freighter SS Slesig, 961 tons, travelling in ballast from Caen to Tyne, sinks following a collision near the Mouse Sand lightship in the Thames Estuary.

Kurt Siewert, in UC-31, torpedoes Swedish freighter SS Othalia, 1,205 tons, east of the Orkney Islands. This is Siewert's second unsuccessful attack.

British minesweeper HMS Haldon, 810 tons, hits a mine laid by Kurt Tebbenjohanns in UC-44. The ship is only damaged. This is the last damage done by Tebbenjohanns, whose boat was lost to one of its own mines on August 4.



Bay of Biscay:
Reinhold Saltzwedel, in UC-71, sinks British freighter SS Port Curtis, 4,710 tons, underway from Bahia to Blanca with a load of oats; 70 miles west of Penmarch. His score is now 93 ships and 157,054 tons.




Mid-Atlantic Ocean:
Karl Meusel, in U-155, sinks two ships 200 miles east of the Azores:
American barque Christiane 964 tons, travelling in ballast from London to New York.
British freighter SS Iran, 6,250 tons, carrying a general cargo from Calcutta to London and Tees.
Meusel's score is now 19 ships and 52,387 tons.
This is Karl Meusel's last sinking. He will command two more U-Boats without success, retire from the Navy in 1919 and live until 1941.



Mediterranean Sea:
Gerhard Schulz, in UC-27, sinks Italian freighter SS Esemplare, 1,102 tons; near Mahdia, on the Tunisian coast. His score is now 38 ships and 25,095 tons.



Peru:
British wooden coaster SS Alfred Nobel, in port with a load of gasoline, is lost to a fire in Callao Bay.

[Jimbuna]

8th August 1917

Western Front

Wet weather continues in Flanders.

French make progress north-west of Bixschoote.

Eastern Front

Retirement of Russo-Romanians in Trotus valley south-west of Ocna.

Political, etc.

Spain helps to provide arrangements for the safe passage of hospital ships.

Irish Home Rule Convention reopens in Dublin after it was adjourned in July to discuss the future of Ireland.

Ship Losses:

Berlengas (Portugal) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Bay of Biscay 90 nautical miles (170 km) south west of Ouessant, Finistère, France (47°00′N 5°15′W) by SM UC-77 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Breton (France) The cargo ship was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea (37°30′N 9°19′E) by SM UC-37 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
George A. Marsh (United States) The schooner sank in Lake Ontario during a storm with the loss of twelve lives
HMS Dunraven (Royal Navy) The Q-ship was torpedoed and shelled in the Bay of Biscay off Ouessant, Finistère, France by SM UC-71 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of a crew member. Survivors were rescued by HMS Christopher ( Royal Navy). HMS Dunraven sank on 10 August.
Llanishen (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 8 nautical miles (15 km) north by east of Cape Creus, Spain 42°25′N 3°20′E) by SM U-33 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of two crew.
Marie Jesus Protegez Nous (France) The sailing vessel was sunk in the North Sea off Lowestoft, Suffolk, United Kingdom by SM UC-63 ( Kaiserliche Marine).

[Sailor Steve]

August 8, 1917

Air War:
Italian ace Flavio Baracchini, flying an Hanriot HD.1, shoots down an Austrian Albatros D.III for victory number 12.

French pilot Fernand Bonneton, flying for Romania in a unnamed aircraft, shoots down an "Enemy Aircraft" for victory number 1.



Celtic Sea:
Reinhold Saltzwedel, commanding UC-71, torpedoes British Q-Ship HMS Dunraven, 3,117 tons. The damaged ship sinks while under tow two days later, raising his score to 94 ships and 160,171 tons.



English Channel:
Thomas Bieber, in UB-31, attacks French freighter SS Algerie, 3,386 tons, travelling in ballast from Calais to Cardiff. The damaged ship makes safe port.



North Sea:
Karsten von Heydebreck, in UC-63, scuttles French sailing vessel Marie Jesus Protegez Nous, 46 tons, carrying 65 tons of coal from Shields to Greavelines; off Lowestoft. The date is uncertain. The vessel was stopped at midnight August 6 and scuttled at 0340. The crew were rescued at 0600 by Norwegian freighter SS Inneroy. Von Heyedreck's score is now 26 vessels and 12,298 tons.



Bay of Biscay:
Reinhard von Rabenau, in UC-77, sinks Portuguese freighter SS Berlengas, 3,548 tons, en route from Rangoon to London with a load of beans; 90 miles southwest of Ushant. His score is now 21 ships and 20,442 tons.



Golfe du Lion:
Gustav Seiß, in U-33, sinks British freighter SS Llanishen, 3,837 tons, travelling in ballast from Savona to Melilla. His score is now 39 ships and 154,164 tons.



Mediterranean Sea:
Willy List begins his U-boat career in UC-37 with the sinking of French freighter SS Breton, 3,739 tons, en route from Tunis to Saint Nazaire with a load of cereals; near the entrance to the Jalita Islands.