JUTLAND SPECIAL EDITION.
May 31st 1916.
4 airmen have fallen on Wednesday May 31st 1916.
A Mech 2 William Burlinson, Royal Flying Corps Central Flying School, Upavon, Wiltshire. Killed while flying 31 May 1916, with Flt Sergt. E G West. Flying a Maurice Farman aged 28.
Flt Sgt. Enos George West, Royal Flying Corps Central Flying School, Upavon, Killed while flying 31 May 1916 aged 22.
Flt Sub-Lt Leonard William Hodges, Royal Naval Air Service. Commanding Officer Naval Air Division, Persian Gulf. Died 31 May 1916 aged 23
Lt. Lindsey Carlton Powell, 23 Squadron Royal flying Corps. Killed in Action 31 May 1916 aged 21. In F.E.2b 5235 flown by 2nd Lieutenant E F Allen, escorting a photographic patrol over Cambrai-Arras Road-Marquion-Adinfer Wood. On return from Cambrai, flying at 8,000 feet, heading for aerodrome at Izel le Hameau.
Claims.
Two? claims were made today.
Austrian Kurt Nachod made his first claim flying Knoller-Albatros B.I (22.18) destroyed a Farman near Klewan. Shared with Franz Zuzmann & Ltn Mathias Thaller.
Nachod joined the Army Air Service in September 1915 and scored five victories as an observer with Flik 20. Having obtained his Filed Pilot's Badge in the second half of 1917, Nachod was badly injured in a crash on the night of 9 May 1918. He died from his injuries two days later.
For Germany.Max von Mulzer made his third claim. F.E.2b (6345) over Inchy, W of Cambrai.
However another source adds this information.
1120 German ace Max Immelmann and pilots Max von Mulzer and an Unteroffizier Heinemann engage a flight of seven FE.2bs. Immelmann hits one FE.2b which breaks off and runs for home. Immelmann turns to engage another Fee which is attacking Heinemann. Mulzer follows the one that is running away, shooting at it until it lands near the railway station at Inchy. 2nd Lt A. Cairne-Duff and Cpl G.E. Maxwell are taken prisoner, and von Mulzer is awarded victory number 3. Meanwhile Immelmann is firing at the second FE.2 whan his synchonizer gear fails and his own bullets shatter his propeller. Immelmann's quick reaction saves his life as he shuts the engine down and glides to a safe landing. Either Immelmann or Heinemann had scored hits on their Fee, killing observer Lt Lindsey Carlton Powell. Pilot 2nd Lt E.F. Allen gets the plane home safely.
Now the interesting bit!
0920 Four FE.2b teams share a kill over an "Enemy Aircraft" - E.F. Allen and L.C. Powell in 5235, Dirk Cloete and C.E. Pither in 6354, A.T. Watson and C.L. Blake in 5249, H. Wyllie and Arthur Norbury Solly in 5215. Also involved is AM1 D.R. Chapman in Martinsyde G.100 7280. Arthur Solly is the only one who will go on to become an ace and this is his first victory. Details are lacking for the others.
No enemy aircraft are reported lost on this day.
Wednesday 31 May 1916 – We Lost 5,892.
Notable losses today are so vast that I refer you to the lists given here for the 31st May 1916.
Ed.
https://greatwarliveslost.com/
Western Front.
Battle of Verdun: Fierce fighting between Mort Homme and Cumieres; French take a work south-west of Mort Homme.
Much artillery activity on Vimy Ridge.
Southern Front.
Austrians occupy Asiago and Arsiero; Italian prisoners 30,000 since beginning of Austrian offensive.
French occupy Poro (Salonika front).
Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres.
New Zealand troops raid Bir Salmana (20 miles east of Katiya), Mamakhatun retaken by Turks.
Naval and Overseas Operations.
Battle of Jutland.
It was one of the most anticipated naval battles in history. On May 31, 1916 the British Grand Fleet collided with the German High Seas Fleet off the coast of Denmark in an encounter that became known as the Battle of Jutland.
The conflict had been brewing for a number of years, ever since Kaiser Wilhelm of Germany had begun building up the German navy in order to challenge the naval dominance of the British fleet. The competition slipped into high gear in 1905 when the British introduced the first dreadnought - a super-sized battleship that carried larger guns and was faster than its predecessors. Soon both countries were adding these new super-weapons to their fleets as fast as possible.
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The Battle of Jutland May 31, 1916
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At the beginning of World War I the British fleet was dispatched to the North Sea where it established a ring of steel off the German coast that effectively prevented the movement of supplies into the country by sea. This left the German fleet bottled up in its ports, eager for a fight, but restricted by Kaiser Wilhelm's fear of losing his precious naval weapon in battle. Finally, in May 1916 the German fleet was ordered to leave its safe harbor and attack the British Grand Fleet. Unfortunately for the Germans, British Naval intelligence had broken the German code and was aware of its enemy's intentions.
Vice-Admiral Franz Hipper
The German plan was to use Vice-Admiral Franz Hipper's fast scouting group of five modern battlecruisers to lure Vice-Admiral Sir David Beatty's battlecruiser squadrons into the path of the main German fleet.
Vice-Admiral Sir David Beatty
Submarines were stationed in advance across the likely routes of the British ships. However, the British learned from signal intercepts that a major fleet operation was likely, so on 30 May Jellicoe sailed with the Grand Fleet to rendezvous with Beatty, passing over the locations of the German submarine picket lines while they were unprepared.
Admiral of the Fleet Sir John Rushworth Jellicoe.
The German plan had been delayed, causing further problems for their submarines which had reached the limit of their endurance at sea.
On the afternoon of 31 May, Beatty encountered Hipper's battlecruiser force long before the Germans had expected. In a running battle, Hipper successfully drew the British vanguard into the path of the High Seas Fleet.
By the time Beatty sighted the larger force and turned back towards the British main fleet, he had lost two battlecruisers from a force of six battlecruisers and four battleships, against the five ships commanded by Hipper.
Rear-Admiral Sir Hugh Evan-Thomas.
The battleships, commanded by Rear-Admiral Sir Hugh Evan-Thomas, were the last to turn and formed a rearguard as Beatty withdrew, now drawing the German fleet in pursuit towards the main British positions. Between 18:30, when the sun was lowering on the western horizon, back-lighting the German forces, and nightfall at about 20:30, the two fleets – totalling 250 ships between them – directly engaged twice.
After sunset, and throughout the night, Jellicoe manoeuvred to cut the Germans off from their base, hoping to continue the battle the next morning, but under the cover of darkness Scheer broke through the British light forces forming the rearguard of the Grand Fleet and returned to port.
Tactically, the battle was seen as a draw. The final scorecard revealed that the British had lost 14 ships and 6,094 men while the Germans lost 11 ships and 2,551 men. Strategically, however, the British came out the winner as the Germans never again jeopardized their High Seas Fleet by allowing it to battle the British. German surface naval power was thus neutralized. The Germans thereafter relied on its submarine fleet to bring the naval war to its enemy.
"...then came the big explosion."
Petty Officer Ernest Francis was a gunner's mate aboard the battle cruiser Queen Mary. His ship was one of the causalities of the conflict. It was blown out of the water with the loss of almost its entire crew of 1,000. We join his story as he and his gun crew sits in the turret of one of his ship's big guns and prepares for battle:
"The guns were loaded and brought to the half cock and reported, and then came the order to bring the right gun to the ready...Shortly after this, the first salvo was fired, and we started on the great game.
Up till now I had not noticed any noise, such as being struck by a shell, but afterwards there was a heavy blow, struck, I should imagine, in the after 4 inch battery, and a lot of dust and pieces flying around on the top of 'X' turret.
Another shock was felt shortly after this, but it did not affect the turret, so no notice was taken. Then the T.S. reported to Lt Ewert that the third ship of the line was dropping out. First blood to Queen Mary.
...A few more rounds were fired when I took another look through my telescope and there was quite a fair distance between the second ship and what I believed was the fourth ship, due I think to third ship going under. Flames were belching from what I took to be the fourth ship of the line, then came the big explosion which shook us a bit, and on looking at the pressure gauge I saw the pressure had failed. Immediately after that came, what I term, the big smash, and I was dangling in the air on a bowline, which saved me from being thrown down on the floor of the turret.
Everything in the ship went as quiet as a church, the floor of the turret was bulged up and the guns were absolutely useless.
...I put my head through the hole in the roof of the turret and nearly fell through again. The after 4 inch battery was smashed out of all recognition, and then I noticed that the ship had got an awful list to port. I dropped back again into the turret and told Lt Ewert the state of affairs. He said, 'Francis, we can do no more than give them a chance, clear the turret.'
'Clear the turret,' I said, and out they went...
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Britain's High Seas Fleet
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I went through the cabinet and out on top and Lt Ewert was following me; suddenly he stopped and went back into the turret. I believe he went back because he thought someone was inside. I cannot say enough for Lt Ewert, nothing I can say would do him justice. He came out of the turret cabinet twice and yelled something to encourage the guns crew, and yelled out to me 'All right, Francis'. He was grand, and I would like to publish this account to the World. It makes me feel sore hearted when I think of Lt Ewert and that fine crowd who were with me in the turret.
...I was half way down the ladder at the back of the turret when Lt Ewert went back. The ship had an awful list to port by this time, so much so that men getting off the ladder, went sliding down to port. I got to the bottom rung of the ladder and could not, by my own efforts, reach the stanchions lying on the deck from the ship's side, starboard side. I knew if I let go I should go sliding down to port like some of the others must have done, and probably got smashed up sliding down. Two of my turret's crew, seeing my difficulty, came to my assistance. They were AB Long, Turret Trainer, and AB Lane, left gun No 4. Lane held Long at full length from the ship's side and I dropped from the ladder, caught Long's legs and so gained the starboard side. These two men had no thought for their own safety; they knew I wanted assistance and that was good enough for them. They were both worth a VC twice over.
When I got to the ship's side, there seemed to be quite a fair crowd, and they didn't appear to be very anxious to take to the water. I called out to them 'Come on you chaps, who's coming for a swim?' Someone answered 'She will float for a long time yet', but something, I don't pretend to know what it was, seemed to be urging me to get away, so I clambered over the slimy bilge keel and fell off into the water, followed I should think by about five more men. I struck away from the ship as hard as I could and must have covered nearly fifty yards when there was a big smash, and stopping and looking round, the air seemed to be full of fragments and flying pieces.
A large piece seemed to be right above my head, and acting on impulse, I dipped under to avoid being struck, and stayed under as long as I could, and then came to the top again, and coming behind me I heard a rush of water, which looked very like surf breaking on a beach and I realised it was the suction or backwash from the ship which had just gone. I hardly had time to fill my lungs with air when it was on me. I felt it was no use struggling against it, so I let myself go for a moment or two, then I struck out, but I felt it was a losing game and remarked to myself "What's the use of you struggling, you're done", and I actually ceased my efforts to reach the top, when a small voice seemed to say 'Dig out'.
I started afresh, and something bumped against me. I grasped it and afterwards found it was a large hammock, but I felt I was getting very weak and roused myself sufficiently to look around for something more substantial to support me. Floating right in front of me was what I believe to be the centre bulk of our Pattern 4 target. I managed to push myself on the hammock close to the timber and grasped a piece of rope hanging over the side. My next difficulty was to get on top and with a small amount of exertion I kept on. I managed to reeve my arms through a strop and I must have become unconscious.
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The Queen Mary
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When I came to my senses again I was half way off the spar but I managed to get back again. I was very sick and seemed to be full of oil fuel. My eyes were blocked up completely with it and I could not see. I suppose the oil had got a bit crusted and dry. I managed by turning back the sleeve of my jersey, which was thick with oil, to expose a part of the sleeve of my flannel, and thus managed to get the thick oil off my face and eyes, which were aching awfully. Then I looked and I believed I was the only one left of that fine Ship's Company. What had really happened was the Laurel had come and picked up the remainder and not seeing me got away out of the zone of fire, so how long I was in the water I do not know. I was miserably cold, but not without hope of being picked up, as it seemed to me that I had only to keep quiet and a ship would come for me.
After what seemed ages to me, some destroyers came racing along, and I got up on the spar, steadied myself the moment, and waved my arms. The Petard, one of our big destroyers saw me and came over, but when I got on the spar to wave to them, the swell rolled the spar over and I rolled off. I was nearly exhausted again getting back. The destroyer came up and a line was thrown to me, which, needless to say, I grabbed hold of for all I was worth, and was quickly hauled up on to the deck of the destroyer. The first words I heard spoken were 'Are you English or German?'"
The Battle of Jutland was also significant for the Royal Naval Air Service in that it was the first time an aircraft was used in a sea battle to assist the fleet. The Short 184 aircraft that took part in the battle has a long and interesting history. It survived World War I intact but was then badly damaged in the bombing of London during World War II. The cockpit and part of the fuselage are on display at Fleet Air Arm Museum.
Germans retreat from Mombo on Tanga railway towards Hendeni (German East Africa); British occupy Bwiko and Belgians Usumbara.
Political, etc.
Allies protest to Greece against Bulgarian occupation of Fort Rupel.
Sir C. Dobell's and Brigadier-General Cunliffe's despatches of 1 March 1916 (27 September 1914 to 29 February 1916), and 16 March 1916 (14 August to 16 February) published.
Rob.
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