Sunday 13th May 1917
Today we lost: 690
Air Operations:
Royal Flying Corps Losses today: 6
2Lt Gregory, J.L. (James Langdale), RFC. Killed in action aged 39.
2Lt Merchant, A.D.M. (Arthur Douglas Mountstephen), 68 Squadron, RFC. Killed whilst flying aged 18.
2Lt Sloan, C.R. (Cyril Rennie), 29 Squadron, RFC, aged 19. NFDK.
2Lt Smith, W.E., RFC. NFDK.
Lt Stewart, V.F. (Vernon Forster), 16 Squadron, RFC. Killed in action, Vimy Ridge, aged 24.
Second Lieutenant John Guthrie Troup, 16 Squadron, RFC (Cameronians attached Royal Flying Corps) is killed at age 20. He is the son of the Reverend George Elmslie Troup.
Claims: 19 confirmed (Entente 14 : Central Powers 5)
John Andrews #10th confirmed victory.
Francesco Baracca #11th confirmed victory.
Fulco Ruffo di Calabria #8th confirmed victory.
John Cowell #2nd confirmed victory.
Francis Cubbon #12th & #13th confirmed victories.
Robert Farquhar 3rd confirmed victory.
William fry 3rd confirmed victory.
Conn Standish O’Grady #2nd confirmed victory.
Victor Huston #5th confirmed victory.
2Lt Douglas McGregor claims his 1st confirmed victory with 23 Squadron, RFC. Flying a Spad VII he shot down an Albatros DIII near Vis en Artois-Vitry. The son of Dr. John O. McGregor, Douglas Urquhart McGregor was a student at McGill University and a member of the famous Redmen football squads when he joined the Royal Flying Corps in 1916. He set sail for England on 25 September 1916 from Halifax aboard the Corsican. He was promoted to 2nd Lieutenant (on probation) on 6 October 1916. After training he was posted to 23 Squadron at Baisieux, arriving on 20 April 1917. With this unit he scored 12 victories in 1917 flying the Spad VII. Following in his father's footsteps, Douglas McGregor became a physician after the war. He died suddenly while attending a wrestling match in Hamilton, Ontario. He was 58.
William Kennedy-Cochran-Patrick #10th & #11th confirmed victories.
Frederick Thayre #12th & #13th confirmed victories.
Godwin Brumowski u/c.
Karl Allmenroder #12th & #13th confirmed victories.
Lothar von Richthofen #24th confirmed victory.
Paul Strahle #5th confirmed victory.
Kurt Wolff #30th confirmed victory.
Western Front
Flanders: General Sir H Gough to command key northern wing of Ypres offensive.
Gough, the young ‘thruster’ put in charge of the opening offensive in Flanders.
Somme:British establish themselves in Roeux & gains on ‘Greenland Hill’.
Champagne: German counter-attacks north of Reims and in Maisons de Champagne repulsed
Tunstills Men Sunday 13th May 1917:
Scottish Camp, south-west of Brandhoek
Another hot day, although there was a little rain around midday. The large overnight working parties which had been provided whilst at Chippewa Camp resumed.
The Battalion was bolstered by a draft of 59 men, which had originally been destined for posting to 9DWR. They had arrived in France on 26th April and had spent the interim at at no.34 Infantry Base Depot at Etaples. A number of members of this draft have been identified. Many of them had previously seen active service, often with 6DWR. Among the men returning to France were Pte. William Postill Taylor (see 26th April) who had served with 10DWR on the Somme in July 1916; he had deserted from 3DWR in March, but had been apprehended after only two days.
A number of others were men who had been called up in December 1916 and had trained with 3DWR before being posted to France. Pte. Willie Bates was a 36 year-old joiner and cabinet maker from Bradford. Pte. Joseph Henry Woodcock was a 30 year-old mechanic from Bradford; he was married with an eight year-old son. He had spent two weeks in hospital during training in December 1916, suffering from influenza.
Pte. Richard Marsden (see 3rd May) also re-joined with this draft from Etaples, he had been away from the Battalion for the previous month following a bout of influenza.
At home in Bradford, Agnes Evans, wife of Pte. Ernest Evans (see 16th January), gave birth to the couple’s sixth child; the boy would be named Victor Leslie.
Eastern Front:
General Kornilov, Commandant of Petrograd, and M. Guchkov, Minister of Marine and War, resign.
Africa, Asiatic & Egyptian Theatres:
Mesopotamia: Russian detachments compelled to retire across Diala river towards Kifri.
Naval Operations:
Shipping Losses: 6 (All to U-Boat action)
Spanish S.S. "Carmen" sunk in protected zone by German submarine.
Political:
Socialist Conference opens at Stockholm.
Marshal Joffre reviews garrison troops at Montreal; much enthusiasm.
Anniversary Events:
1607 |
|
English colonists land near the James River in Virginia. |
1648 |
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Margaret Jones of Plymouth is found guilty of witchcraft and is sentenced to be hanged. |
1779 |
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The War of Bavarian Succession ends. |
1846 |
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The United States declares war on Mexico after fighting has already begun. |
1861 |
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Britain declares its neutrality in the American Civil War. |
1864 |
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The Battle of Resaca commences as Union General William T. Sherman fights towards Atlanta. |
1888 |
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Slavery is abolished in Brazil. |
1912 |
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The Royal Flying Corps is established in England. |
1913 |
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Igor Sikorsky flies the first four-engine aircraft. |
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