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Thread: 100 Years Ago Today

  1. #401

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    Quote Originally Posted by Naharaht View Post
    U-28 was very busy.
    More than can be said for our anti submarine patrols Dave.
    Rob.
    "Courage is the art of being the only one who knows you're scared to death."

  2. #402

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    Quote Originally Posted by Naharaht View Post
    U-28 was very busy.
    Must have found a good hunting lie
    Karl
    It is impossible for a man to begin to learn what he thinks he knows. -- Epictetus

  3. #403

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    Once more unto the typewriter dear friends.....

    28th March 1915

    Western Front

    French repulse all counter-attacks at Les Eparges. (see Thursdays update)

    Eastern Front

    Attempted renewal of offensive by Germans in northern Poland.

    Failure of Austrian attacks and progress by Russians in the Carpathians.

    Naval and Overseas Operations


    German submarine U-28 (again !) torpedoes and sinks S.S. "Falaba".

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    The U-28

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    Falaba was a 5,000 ton British passenger-cargo ship. It was sunk on 28 March 1915 by the German submarine U-28, which was commanded by Baron Forstner.

    Falaba was off the southern Irish coast when U-28 surfaced and stopped the British ship. Forstner had allowed for evacuation before sinking the ship, but when Falaba started sending wireless messages and distress rockets for help, Forstner cut short the time to evacuate the ship. The Germans claimed that they allowed 23 minutes for evacuation; the British claimed that they were only given 7.

    U-28 fired a single torpedo into Falaba, resulting in 100 deaths, including that of one US citizen, Leon Thresher, a mining engineer headed towards the Gold Coast in Africa (now the country of Ghana). The Germans also claimed that Falaba’s cargo contained rifle cartridges that exploded, hastening the sinking.

    The American press denounced the sinking as a “massacre” and an act of piracy, but the US Wilson Administration took no action on the matter. “After persistent requests by Secretary of State Bryan, documents detailing witness statements from the sinking of the Falaba offered proof that the captain of U-28 gave adequate warnings and time for the Falaba to offload passengers. Instead, the crew of the Falaba had used that time to radio the position of the submarine to nearby armed British patrol ships. As the warship approached, the submarine fired at the last minute — and detonated nearly thirteen tons of contraband high explosives in the Falaba’s cargo. This discovery allowed a diplomatic delay in the American response and the decision of whether to go to war.”

    The incident is also noteworthy as is represents the 1st American death of WWI and became known as the 'Thrasher Incident' : On March 28, 1915, the first American citizen is killed in the eight-month-old European conflict that would become known as the First World War. Leon Thrasher, a 31-year-old mining engineer and native of Massachusetts, drowned when a German submarine, the U-28, torpedoed the cargo-passenger ship Falaba, on its way from Liverpool to West Africa, off the coast of England. Of the 242 passengers and crew on board the Falaba, 104 drowned. Thrasher, who was employed on the Gold Coast in British West Africa, was returning to his post there from England as a passenger on the ship.

    Elswhere today, the SS Brussels is ordered to stop by U-boat U33 but chooses instead to attempt to ram the submarine, thereby forcing it to dive, which prevents the attack. The German authorities are outraged that a merchant vessel should attack a submarine. I mean the very thought of it - it certainly wasn't cricket !


    Russian Black Sea fleet bombards the forts on the Bosporus.

    Smyrna forts shelled.

    The War in the air

    The first flight by an aircraft from Tenedos aerodrome takes place to reconnoitre Turkish positions. The flying in the Dardanelles campaign was mainly (I think entirely) the province of 3 Wing RNAS, commanded by Wing Commander Charles Sansom.

    They were based not on the mainland, but on the islands of, first, Tenedos and then Imbros (now Bozcaada and Gokceada respectively). As for planes, they flew virtually everything the RNAS had - Farmans, BE2a and b, Nieuport 12s and Breguets.

    Politics and Business

    British Government conclude agreement with American rubber interests that rubber should not be exported except to Great Britain.

  4. #404

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    March 29th 1915

    I wonder if U-28 gets a mention today?

    The War in the Air

    The French squadron - Escadrille SPA.48 was founded on 29th March 1915 - Famous for it's crowing rooster emblem.

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    Eastern Front

    Germans take Tauroggen (north-east of Tilsit).

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    Further Russian advance in the Carpathians; 5,600 prisoners.

    The War at Sea

    Yup - at it again U-28 sinks the S.S. Flaminian: The cargo ship was shelled and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 50 nautical miles (93 km) south west by west of the Isles of Scilly (49°50′N 7°00′W)
    Brief summary of the U-28s war:
    The U-28 conducted four patrols, sinking 39 ships totaling 93,782 tons.
    +2 ships damaged totaling 11,188 tons
    +2 ships taken as prize totaling 3,226 tons
    On 19-9-17, after attacking the British steamer
    SS 'Olive Branch' with torpedo, U-28 came to close range to finish the 'Olive Branch' off with her
    deck gun. The shell detonated a cargo of munitions. The explosion debris severely damaged the U-boot causing it to sink,
    with all hands lost.

    Some of the U-28 crew

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    Two other British ships, and a Dutch merchant ship were also lost today. In addition the US Submarine USS-F4 foundered in the Pacific with the loss of 21 lives.

    Political, etc.

    Holland protests against the sinking of one ship, the shelling of another, and the detention of two more, by the Germans.
    British Government conclude agreement with American rubber interests that rubber should not be exported except to Great Britain.

    The Home Front

    In England’s west country, the “Exeter and Plymouth Gazette” reports on some “excellent” cultural support being provided to the local troops, where Mrs. J. Skeete, of Heavitree, is teaching French to soldiers billeted in Exeter.

    “The classes are held at the United Services Institute, Castle-street, Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday in each week. In three months no less than 450 soldiers have been given a good knowledge of the language, and the Army Council has written Mrs. Braithwaite Skeete in appreciative terms concerning the admirable work she is doing”.

  5. #405

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    Interesting addendum for 29 March, from the New World (Political stuff):
    President Wilson, at a meeting with the Argentine ambassador, states he hopes to see an American union united through mutual ideas & ideals.

  6. #406

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    Another week and the wheels of justice continue to grind slowly, so in Rob's continued legal sojourn, it is once again one of my late night postings on all things a century ago.

    30th March 1915

    Western Front

    Germans bomb Reims Cathedral. The Germans heavily damaged Reims during World War I. The Germans withdrew from the city, but held the forts on the surrounding heights. They became a part of the German trench system. From the commanding heights, the German periodically shelled the city over the 4 years the war lasted. Reims was one of many cities in northern France which were essentially destroyed during the War. much of the damage came from German artillery shelling. The Germans seemed to have aimed at the Cathedral. A French reader tells us, "During World War I historical monuments and cultural sites were not specially military objectives. The cathedral of Reims, however, was a prime target because of its height, it could be used as an observatory around the city. It became a prime target of German artillery. Reims Cathedral became known as a "Cathedral martyr" because of the German bombardment. The first shells fell on the city of Reims and the Cathedral as the Germans first approached. The abbots raised a white flag to stop the artillery fire. Shortly afterwards the French army took back the city, but the Germans firmly entrenched themselves in the high ground surrounding Reims and began shelling the city, commonly aiming at the Cathedral. here were some 300 direct hits. The German bombardment and a subsequent fire severely damage the world famous cathedral. Scaffolding remained in place on the north tower caught fire. The fire spread to the whole structure. Lead from the roof melted and flowed through the the gargoyles, destroying the residence of the Archbishop. Subsequently, the residents picked up the Gargoyles and returned them at the end of the war. The destruction of this monument led to a strong wave of emotion across France. Several wounded German soldiers were killed in the Cathedral." The Germans pounded the city for 4 years. What ever their reasons, it was just one more act that helped the British paint the image of the ruthless Hun on the Germans. The ruined Reims cathedral became one of the central images of Allied anti-German propaganda during the war. Propaganda has negative implications, but it does not mean that the charges involved were necessarily false.The Reims Cathedral along with the ruins of the Cloth Hall at Ypres and the University Library in Louvain were the principal evidence used to support the charge that Germans were targeting the cultural landmarks of European civilization as part of their aggression. By the end of the War there were few buildings still sanding in Reims. It was one of the most heavily damaged cities of the War. Despite the shelling and devastation, civilians remained in the city. More than 5,000 people were killed.

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    Tabriz (North Persia) reoccupied by Russian forces (see 8th, and June 14th, 1918).

    The War at Sea

    British Admiralty warn British merchant vessels to fly neutral or no ensigns in vicinity of British Isles (see February 6th, 7th and 11th).

    Guess what - they were at it again.....

    The cargo ship Crown of Castille was scuttled in the Atlantic Ocean 31 nautical miles (57 km) south west of the Bishop Rock, Isles of Scilly (49°25′N 6°50′W) by SM U-28 ( Kaiserliche Marine).[60] Her 43 crew were rescued by Magellan ( France). The naval trawler HMS Trygon was also lost.

    The Home Front

    In Britain, “after Lloyd George [the ‘Chancellor of the Exchequer’ or Finance Minister] denounces drinking as an enemy of the war effort, George V declares the royal household’s willingness to abstain from consumption of alcoholic beverages for the duration of the war”

    “We were fighting Germany, Austria and Drink, and the greatest of these three deadly foes was Drink.” The latest calls for temperance in wartime came today from the Shipbuilding Employees’ Federation, who met with David Lloyd George to urge upon him the closing of pubs and clubs in areas where munitions of war are being produced (Daily Telegraph page 9). Whilst it may look slightly odd that shipbuilders are the ones doing the urging, rather than munitions manufacturers themselves, a leader on the subject page 8 stated plainly that it was shipyards where this was a definite problem, and those who were excessively drinking were “casting a dark stain upon the good name of British workmen.”
    It was becoming clear that the exigencies of wartime and the army’s need for munitions were causing many to denounce the consumption of alcohol as an inhibitor to efficient production (another large temperance advert on page 7 reinforces the point), and Lloyd George informed the shipbuilders that the King had expressed concern on the same question. Indeed, it was Lloyd George who made the comment quoted above, and with such influential people coming down on the side of alcohol restrictions, it was surely only a matter of time before the Government would produce something to this effect, although the Telegraph stressed that should this come to pass, publicans should be fairly treated.

    Blimey after such a shocking piece of news I could do with a stiff Gin... oh bugger !

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    Mmmm this one's for you Wing Commander....

  7. #407

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    Quote Originally Posted by Hedeby View Post
    The Home Front


    Blimey after such a shocking piece of news I could do with a stiff Gin... oh bugger !

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    Mmmm this one's for you Wing Commander....
    Thanks old bean.
    Mr Lloyd George obviously does not understand what keeps a lot of his pilots flying.
    Kyte.
    "Courage is the art of being the only one who knows you're scared to death."

  8. #408

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    March 31st 1915 - now lets see what I can unearth about today....

    Will there be anything vaguely airborne? Will U-28 have claimed another victory? Will the incompetent inbred idiots of General Staff have come up with another mindless waste of lives? Will there be another excuse for a picture of a large gin and tonic? all will be revealed (well some of it might)

    Bit of a quiet day judging from the usual resources... so quiet in fact that “Sir John French is not issuing his bi-weekly communiqué to-day as there is nothing to report” (so if Sir John French is telling me nothing happened then that must be the case) So in lieu of my usual dispatches here are a few things Sir John French missed... (apart from the point that is...)

    The War at Sea

    There were two reported naval losses on this day - and neither of them were down to U-28 (which is a bit of a change). The cargo ship Emma (French))was sunk in the English Channel 12 nautical miles (22 km) south of Beachy Head, East Sussex, United Kingdom by SM U-37 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of nineteen of her 21 crew. The survivors were rescued by a Royal Navy destroyer. The sailing vessel Nor (Norwegian) was sunk in the North Sea off Sunderland, County Durham, United Kingdom (56°13′N 4°25′E) by SM U-10 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived

    The Telegraph’s indignation over the sinking of the liner Falaba (see previous posts) showed little sign of adapting. With the inquest taking place for the victims (page 9), it wasn’t mincing its words in a leader on page 8. “These wholly innocent and defenceless women … were assassinated with deliberate and criminal intent … this deed stands out, naked and unmistakable, as an act of calculated and cold-blooded slaughter of entirely helpless fellow-creatures; an act for which not the faintest colour of justification can be claimed on the score of military necessity.” To rub the point in, page 10 carries American disgust of the act.
    With the sinking of the Lusitania only just over a month off, with a concomitant loss of 10 time as many lives, it will be interesting to see just how high the Telegraph’s indignation level will be ramped up and what it (and others it reports) will have to say about that

    Eastern Front

    Germans bombard Libau.

    Liepāja (pronounced [liepaːja] ( listen)); German: Libau, Polish: Lipawa, Yiddish: ליבאַװע Lybave), is a city in western Latvia, located on the Baltic Sea directly at 21°E. It is the largest city in the Kurzeme Region and the third largest city in the country after Riga and Daugavpils. An important ice-free port, as of 1 July 2011, Liepāja had a population of 75,000.

    Liepāja is known throughout Latvia as "The city where the wind is born", likely because of the constant sea breeze. A song of the same name (Latvian: "Pilsētā, kurā piedzimst vējš") was composed by Imants Kalniņš and has become the anthem of the city. Its reputation of Liepāja as the windiest city in Latvia was strengthened with the construction nearby of the largest wind power plant in the nation (33 Enercon wind turbines).

    The Coat of Arms of Liepāja was adopted four days after the jurisdiction gained city rights on 18 March 1625. These are described as: "on a silver background, the lion of Courland with a divided tail, who leans upon a linden (Latvian: Liepa) tree with its forelegs." The flag of Liepāja has the coat of arms in the center, with red in the top half and green in the bottom.

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    Severe fighting in the Carpathians.(no additional details available)

    Political, etc.

    Home Secretary appoints a Committee of inquiry into the recruiting of men from retail trades - because not enough shop keepers were being killed at the front...
    But GOOD NEWS that is bound to make all the difference come the next big push.. The British Government announces that it has lifted its ban on the military recruiting men with bad teeth. (no seriously folks that's true !)

  9. #409

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    Well not much news was certainly covered very well by you Chris.
    I always hate those days but it was probably welcomed by the troops at the time.
    As they say, no news is good news.
    Rob.
    "Courage is the art of being the only one who knows you're scared to death."

  10. #410

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    April 1st 1915

    Well, what with Generals Haig and French etc. there were no shortage of fools around 100 years ago today.
    After a bit of a respite yesterday, there was lots happening today, and in one respect this is the day it all started - please read on...

    Western Front

    British air raid on Zeebrugge and Hoboken. Air raids at Zee brugge and districts are initiated by the Royal Naval Air Service squadron situated in the Dunkirk district;

    Germans occupy Cloister Hoek (near Dixmude).

    There was one momentous event though forward firing machine guns fitted to aircraft make their first appearance when a Frenchman takes his first “dogfight” victim over the Western Front. On April 1, 1915 French pilot Roland Garros took to the air in an airplane armed with a machine gun that fired through its propeller. This feat was accomplished by protecting the lower section of the propeller blades with steel armor plates that deflected any bullets that might strike the spinning blades. It was a crude solution but it worked, on his first flight Garros downed a German observation plane. Within two weeks Garros added four more planes to his list of kills. Garros became a national hero and his total of five enemy kills became the benchmark for an air "Ace."

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    No.9 Squadron is re-formed at Brooklands. This squadron would subsequently to form the basis of the Royal Flying Corps School of Wireless. After its initial formation at St Omer, France on 8 Dec 1914 by renaming the Wireless Flight of the RFC Headquarters, No. 9 Sqn was disbanded in March 1915 when its various elements were absorbed into other RFC Squadrons. Reformed a month later at Brooklands, the Squadron then joined the effort in France with its BE2Cs on reconnaissance and bombing tasks and subsequently with RE8s.

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    Eastern Front

    Russian advance checked in western Poland.

    Russians make progress in the Carpathians.

    Southern Front

    Bulgarian Komstodjis attack the Serbs at Valandovo.

    Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres


    Russians occupy Tsria (Transcaucasia).

    Naval and Overseas Operations

    April 1 the Royal Naval Division, which had arrived at Port Said on March 27 en route to the Dardanelles, sent four half battalions to take over the defences about Kantara.

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    South African forces occupy Hasuur (German south-west Africa).

    A busy day for the German Submarine U-10 taking over where U-28 left off - sinking three British ships, the Gloxina, The Jason and The Nellie - bit rough as they were all trawlers ! No fish to go with the chips... curse you Fritz and your devious plans.

    The British Merchantman S.S. "Seven Seas" torpedoed off Beachy Head by U-37

    Political, etc.


    Bismarck centenary celebrations.

    Herr Dernburg, interviewed by New York Times, justifies sinking of S.S. "Falaba".

    Scheme for a Dockers' Battalion at Liverpool published.

  11. #411

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    As you say Chris, from now on it gets munch more interesting from the point of view of the Air War.
    Rob.
    "Courage is the art of being the only one who knows you're scared to death."

  12. #412

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    Blimey - this is late even by my standards but it is still April 2nd. so the line remains unbroken...

    April 2nd 1915 It was Good Friday but not for some.

    Western Front

    German attack stopped at Bagatelle (Argonne).

    French air raids on German aviation camps in Belgium and Lorraine.

    Following on from a previous post here is more information about the key early role of the RFC over the Western Front...One of the initial and most important uses of RFC aircraft was observing artillery fire behind the enemy front line at targets that could not be seen by ground observers. The fall of shot of artillery fire were easy enough for the pilot to see, providing he was looking in the right place at the right time; apart from this the problem was communicating corrections to the battery.

    Development of procedures had been the responsibility of No 3 Squadron and the Royal Artillery in 1912–13. These methods usually depended on the pilot being tasked to observe the fire against a specific target and report the fall of shot relative to the target, the battery adjusted their aim, fired and the process was repeated until the target was effectively engaged. One early communication method was for the flier to write a note and drop it to the ground where it could be recovered but various visual signalling methods were also used. This meant the pilots had to observe the battery to see when it fired and see if it had laid out a visual signal using white marker panels on the ground.

    The Royal Engineers' Air Battalion had pioneered experiments with wireless telegraphy in airships and aircraft before the RFC was created. Unfortunately the early transmitters weighed 75 pounds and filled a seat in the cockpit. This meant that the pilot had to fly the aircraft, navigate, observe the fall of the shells and transmit the results by morse code by himself. Also, the wireless in the aircraft could not receive. Originally only a special Wireless Flight attached to No. 4 Squadron RFC had the wireless equipment. Eventually this flight was expanded into No. 9 Squadron under Major Hugh Dowding. However, in early 1915 the Sterling lightweight wireless became available and was widely used. In 1915 each corps in the BEF was assigned a RFC squadron solely for artillery observation and reconnaissance duties. The transmitter filled the cockpit normally used by the observer and a trailing wire antenna was used which had to be reeled in prior to landing.

    The RFC's wireless experiments under Major Herbert Musgrave, included research into how wireless telegraphy could be used by military aircraft. However, the most important officers in wireless development were Lieutenants Donald Lewis and Baron James in the RFC HQ wireless unit formed in France in September 1914. They developed both equipment and procedures in operational sorties.

    An important development was the Zone Call procedure in 1915. By this time maps were 'squared' and a target location could be reported from the air using alphanumeric characters transmitted in Morse code. Batteries were allocated a Zone, typically a quarter of a mapsheet, and it was the duty of the RFC signallers on the ground beside the battery command post to pick out calls for fire in their battery's Zone. Once ranging started the airman reported the position of the ranging round using the clock code, the battery adjusted their firing data and fired again, and the process was repeated until the pilot observed a target or close round. The battery commander then decided how much to fire at the target.

    The results were mixed. Observing artillery fire, even from above, requires training and skill. Within artillery units ground observers received mentoring to develop their skill, this was not available to RFC aircrew. There were undoubtedly some very skilled artillery observers in the RFC, but there were many who were not and there was a tendency for 'optimism bias' – reported target rounds that weren't. The procedures were also time consuming.

    The ground stations were generally attached to heavy artillery units, such as Royal Garrison Artillery Siege Batteries and were manned by RFC wireless operators, such as Henry Tabor.[15] These wireless operators had to fend for themselves as their squadrons were situated some distance away and they were not posted to the battery they were colocated with. This led to concerns as to who had responsibility for them and in November 1916 squadron commanders had to be reminded “that it is their duty to keep in close touch with the operators attached to their command, and to make all necessary arrangements for supplying them with blankets, clothing, pay, etc” (Letter from Headquarters, 2nd Brigade RFC dated 18 November 1916 – Public Records Office AIR/1/864)

    The wireless operators' work was often carried out under heavy artillery fire in makeshift dug-outs. The artillery batteries were important targets and antennas were a lot less robust than the guns, hence prone to damage requiring immediate repair. As well as taking down and interpreting the numerous signals coming in from the aircraft, the operator had to communicate back to the aircraft by means of cloth strips laid out on the ground or a signalling lamp to give visual confirmation that the signals had been received. The wireless communication was one way as no receiver was mounted in the aircraft and the ground station could not transmit.

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    The Type 'A' Camera (Seen above operating out of an FB.5): Operating limitations, the need to lean out of an exposed aircraft cockpit and operate a camera that required eleven distinct operations for each exposure with thick gloves or numbed fingers, combined with the need for vertical photographs for mapping purposes, led to the fixing of the camera to the aircraft. This was only possible when the key challenges of distortion due to aircraft movement and vibration caused by the aircraft motor necessitating fast shutter speeds, 1/125 of a second, were overcome. By the summer of 1915 when the ‘C’ type camera became available fixed semi-automated aerial photography had been achieved.


    Eastern Front

    Russian cavalry defeat German cavalry in northern Poland.

    Russians take Cigielka (Carpathians). By April 1st the Russians had so advanced that they controlled the crest of the Carpathians in this region. In the meantime the Russians were making a further movement from the north on to the Smolnik-Kalnica line, which resultd in the capture of Vola Michova on the railway, and was followed by the capture of Cisna on April 4th.

    On the main line very heavy snowfalls took place on April 2nd and 3rd, which held up the fighting; but on April 4th the advance was resumed upon the entire line. The Rosztoki-Gorne Pass was taken and the Hungarian villages in the valley of the Siroka also fell into the hands of the Russians.

    Naval and Overseas Operations

    Trawlers "Jason", "Gloxinia" and "Nellie" sunk in North Sea by submarine U10. Although apparently they were sunk yesterday as well - such is the fog of war.... The collier 'Lochwood' was torpedoed and sunk in the English Channel 25 nautical miles (46 km) south west of Start Point, Devon by SM U-24 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived. The French barquentine Parquerette was scuttled in the English Channel 18 nautical miles (33 km) north of Cap d'Antifer, Pas-de-Calais (50°20′N 0°16′E) by SM U-33 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.

    The (Egyptian) Home Front: At what became known as the “Battle of Wazzir” in Cairo a large body of (over 2000) mainly Australian and New Zealand troops participate in a drunken riot in an area known as “Haret el Wasser, an area of Cairo where there were a large number of brothels and drinking establishments”. The troops are reported “to have had an assortment of complaints, including recent price increases, poor quality drinks, and concerns about the spread of venereal disease.”

    And for something a little bit different - found this on You Tube which summarises much of this weeks activities in the Dardanelles https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kvlL...2TJlJX&index=1

    Political, etc.

    American Note to Great Britain on the blockade.

    Correspondence between Great Britain and Germany as to submarine crews taken prisoner by former, published.

    Austria offers Italy a rectification of frontier in the Trentino.

  13. #413

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    I have found some of these sinkings can be varied by date as much as a week Chris.
    Sometimes it is because they took some time to go down and stayed afloat overnight. Sometimes it is the date they were reported to the Admiralty, sometimes the date when they were mentioned in a dispatch, or Newspaper, and occasional the date on which they were added to Lloyd's Register.
    As you say the fog of war creates murky waters indeed.
    Rob.
    "Courage is the art of being the only one who knows you're scared to death."

  14. #414

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    I guessed it was something like that but thanks for the comment - useful indeed.
    How goes the trial? are we any closer to the gibbet yet?

  15. #415

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    Quote Originally Posted by Hedeby View Post
    I guessed it was something like that but thanks for the comment - useful indeed.
    How goes the trial? are we any closer to the gibbet yet?
    We are all finished in time for Easter Chris. No hangings at all. Not nearly as exciting as Sails!
    If you would like to finish off this week, I will resume the reins on Monday unless you fancy a bit more punishment.
    Do have a good weekend over Easter.
    Rob.
    "Courage is the art of being the only one who knows you're scared to death."

  16. #416

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    Although it has been fun and educational - I am away most of next week so being able to pass the baton back after Sunday would be appreciated. I will do today, Saturday and Sunday.
    Next time you are unavailable let me now and I will be only to happy to pick up again. (or indeed if you fancy a week off every now and then)
    Last edited by Hedeby; 04-03-2015 at 14:16. Reason: can't spell

  17. #417

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    Great Chris, could not have timed it better could we. Hope next week goes well.
    Rob.
    "Courage is the art of being the only one who knows you're scared to death."

  18. #418

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    Just need the weather Rob - so always something of a lottery

  19. #419

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    As my short stint as editor nears its conclusion - lets hope for an action packed day to report on...

    April 3rd. 1915

    Western Front

    French pilot Adolphe Pegoud scores 3rd victory.
    Adolphe Célestin Pégoud (13 June 1889 - 31 August 1915) was a French aviator and flight instructor who became the first fighter ace during World War I.

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    Pégoud served in the French Army from 1907 to 1913. Immediately thereafter he began flying, earned his pilot's certificate, and in a few months, on 21 September 1913, as a test pilot for Louis Blériot, in a Blériot model XI monoplane and in a series of test flights exploring the limits of airplane maneuvers, he flew a loop, believing it to be the world's first. Pégoud's feat was consequently widely publicized and believed by many to be the first loop, although Pyotr Nesterov, a Russian army pilot, had flown the first one on 9 September 1913, just 12 days earlier, in a Nieuport IV monoplane at an army airfield near Kiev. Pégoud also was the first pilot to make a parachute jump from an airplane.[1] He also became a popular instructor of French and other European fledgling pilots.
    At the start of World War I, Pégoud volunteered for flying duty and was immediately accepted as an observation pilot. On 5 February 1915, he and his gunner were credited with shooting down two German aircraft and forcing another to land. Soon he was flying single-seat aircraft and in April claimed two further victories. His sixth success came in July.

    It is not known how many of Pégoud's victories involved destruction of enemy aircraft, as early air combat was rare enough to warrant credit for a forced landing. However, it is certain that Pégoud, rather than Roland Garros (four documented victories), was the first pilot to achieve ace status of any sort.

    French take Regnieville (Woevre).
    British mine buries 100 yards of German trench near Cuinchy.
    Baron Victor Louis Lucien *D’Urbal replaces Maud’huy (to Vosges Army) in command of French Tenth Army.

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    The cargo ship Childwall collided with Trinculo ( United Kingdom) in the Bristol Channel off Lundy Island, Devon and sank. Her crew were rescued by Trinculo
    The Portuguese cargo ship Douro was reported to have been torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean. Her crew survived

    Eastern Front

    Russian attacks repulsed in the Carpathians.(looked for images and all I get is lots of grainy shots of mountains - really Russia where were your cameramen?)

    Severe fighting north of Czernowitz.

    Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

    French expeditionary force begins to land at Alexandria.

    Naval and Overseas Operations

    Turkish cruiser "Medjidia" sunk by a mine off Odessa; She was later salvaged by the Russians and entered service with the Imperial Russian Navy as Prut
    Russian Black Sea fleet engages the "Goeben" and "Breslau". Russian Fleet pursues smoke-screening Goeben and Breslau back to the Bosphorus but they sink 2 steamers and 2 Russian destroyers en route.

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    South African forces occupy Warmbad (German south-west Africa).

    Political, etc.

    Greece: Publication of a memorandum of 24 January 1915 by M. Venizelos to King Constantine on Greek foreign policy.
    American military mission, attached to the German Staff, recalled.
    Russian Imperial ukase issued granting municipal self-government to Russian Poland (see August 14th, 1914 and November 5th, 1916).
    BORN TODAY: in Apeldoorn in the Netherlands – Petrus Jozef Sietze (“Piet”) de Jong, World War 2 Dutch submarine commander and Prime Minister of the Netherlands, 1967-71.
    Attached Images  

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    Well a fair bit is going on today Chris.
    It is incredible how the Air war has picked up in two weeks.
    Rob.
    "Courage is the art of being the only one who knows you're scared to death."

  21. #421

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    Hopefully we will get more details on the various sites - some of this stuff has been a nightmare to pull together. My admiration for your efforts since last August has increased dramatically. Hope I have managed to maintain the high standards you have kept all these months?

  22. #422

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    The penultimate posting of my brief internship as master of the memories....

    Some musings on my time at the helm - I find that I am somewhat reluctant to be my normal less than serious self and that there is little humour to be found in the events that are researched. There's not so many laughs available when doing this.
    What has surprised me is just how difficult it is to find some of the more interesting details that help to explain certain events, so I apologise if there are some events detailed over the past days that you wish had contained more detail.
    I guess living in such an information age its difficult to comprehend of a time (not that long ago in the greater scheme of things) when in the place of an e-mail you had a well trained pigeon !!! - although I know which one I would rather eat.)

    Anyway to today.... April 4th 1915 This was Easter Sunday

    Western Front

    French make progress south of St. Mihiel (Meuse) and in the Woevre district.
    Command of the German second army passes from Field Marshal Karl von Bulow to General Fritz von Below.
    Fritz von Below (1853-1918) was a German general who came to prominence on the Eastern Front before commanding the Second Army on the Somme during the fighting of 1916 and the First Army on the Aisne in 1917.

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    Fritz Wilhelm Theodor Karl von Below was born in Danzig on 23 September 1853 into a military family. His father was a Prussian general, and his younger brother Otto von Below also achieved high rank during the First World War.

    Fritz von Below joined the Prussian Army in about 1870. He was commissioned in 1873 and attended the Prussian Kriegsakademie. Before the First World War he held a mix of staff and unit commands, before in October 1912 he was appointed to command XXI Corps at Saarbrüken.

    He commanded this corps for the first eight months of the First World War. He first came to prominence during the Second Battle of the Masurian Lakes (7-21 February 1915), part of a wider Austro-German offensive. The Germans won a major victory at the Masurian Lakes, but the wider offensive was a failure. He was awarded the Pour le Mérite on 14 March 1915 for his role in that battle.

    On 4 April 1915 von Below was appointed to command the Second Army on the Western Front, replacing Field-Marshal Karl von Bülow. The Second Army was posted on the Somme, and by the spring of 1916 von Below was aware that the British were preparing for an attack on his front. In March 1916 he suggested that the Germans should launch their own spoiling attack, starting to the north of the River Somme, then spreading south. This plan was rejected by the high command as all available troops were needed for the battle at Verdun.

    Germans take Driegrachten.

    Eastern Front

    Russian hospital bombed at Radom (Poland).

    Russians occupy Cisna and reach Sztropko (Carpathians).

    Fierce battle at Okna (nezr Czernowitz).

    Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

    Russians defeat Turks at Olty (Armenia).

    Naval and Overseas Operations

    "Goeben" and "Breslau" withdraw to Bosporus.(see yesterdays posting for events leading up to this)
    The collier 'City of Bremen' (yes it was British despite the name) was torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 20 nautical miles (37 km) south by west of the Wolf Rock, Cornwall by SM U-24 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of four of her seventeen crew. The survivors were rescued by Fanny ( United Kingdom). The coaster Olivine was torpedoed and sunk in the English Channel 30 nautical miles (56 km) south of St. Catherine's Point (50°26′N 1°12′W) by SM U-33 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.[6][17]

    Political, etc.

    Greece: Publication of a further memorandum by M. Venizelos, dated 30 January 1915, on Greek foreign policy.

    May be the fact that this was Easter day limited some theatres of operation - seems a bit of a quiet one in most places.

  23. #423

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    Thanks for filling in for Rob, Chris, an admirable job done.

  24. #424

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    I am, very pleased that you have brought your own inimitable style to the proceedings Chris.
    Thank you for injecting your humour into the reports. (Oh yes you did my boy)
    I know that if ever I am horse de combat* again you are a very able replacement.
    Rob.

    * A cavalry mount.
    "Courage is the art of being the only one who knows you're scared to death."

  25. #425

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    Thank you sir, thought I had best store up a few brownie points for when I get barred again...

  26. #426

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    Quote Originally Posted by Hedeby View Post
    Thank you sir, thought I had best store up a few brownie points for when I get barred again...
    Good thinking!

  27. #427

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    lol, that's what I thought

    Never Knowingly Undergunned !!

  28. #428

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    Quote Originally Posted by Hedeby View Post
    lol, that's what I thought
    From what Squadron Leader Skafloc has said about Aircraft carriers on another thread, it looks as if you will need to cash them, in sooner than you envisaged my lad.
    Kyte.
    "Courage is the art of being the only one who knows you're scared to death."

  29. #429

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    Quote Originally Posted by Flying Officer Kyte View Post
    From what Squadron Leader Skafloc has said about Aircraft carriers on another thread, it looks as if you will need to cash them, in sooner than you envisaged my lad.
    Kyte.
    Better to cash in those chips than to be cashiered, eh
    Karl
    It is impossible for a man to begin to learn what he thinks he knows. -- Epictetus

  30. #430

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    Well this is it, last update on here from me for the time being, back to the excellent hands of our Wing Commander.
    Can I just take this opportunity to say thank you for all the kind words of encouragement and the great feedback. Cheers gentleman !!!

    So this is it for now... just a pity I am ending on what appears to have been a bit of a quiet day - the sort that General French most certainly would have cancelled his bi- weekly address for...

    April 5th 2015

    Western Front

    Belgians repulsed at Driegrachten.

    French make progress east of Verdun, but are repulsed in the Argonne.

    Eastern Front

    Russians make further progress in the Carpathians.

    Whilst Italy and Austria were no further to coming to some sort of diplomatic arrangement, it looked as if another country might be entering the war, as Serbia found itself subject of a raid from Bulgaria (according to the daily telegraph). However, Bulgarian diplomats disclaimed any official backing for this raid, and there were perhaps inevitable rumours of Austrian and German involvement. Despite there being tensions between the two nations as a result of the Second Balkan War and Serbian ownership of land in Macedonia the leader on page 6 of the Telegraph foresaw a diplomatic solution to this incident.

    Naval and Overseas Operations

    Union forces occupy Kalkfontein and Kamus (German south-west Africa).

    The trawler Acantha was torpedoed and sunk in the North Sea 25 nautical miles (46 km) east by north of the Longstone Lighthouse (55°41′N 1°00′W) by SM U-10 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her thirteen crew were rescued by Tord ( Sweden). Looking back over the past few weeks it was a really bad time to be in a trawler. The cargo ship Northlands was torpedoed and sunk in the English Channel 24 nautical miles (44 km) south west of Beachy Head, East Sussex (50°03′N 0°16′W) by SM U-33 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her 24 crew were rescued by Topaz ( Belgium). Just to prove the Germans weren't having it 100% their way, The S43-class torpedo boat SMS T57 (such great names the Germans had for their boats, so evocative !) struck a mine and sank in the Baltic Sea

    United States demands �46,000 for the sinking of "W.P. Frye".



    Political, etc.

    Prince Bernhard von Bülow, the former foreign minister and chancellor of Germany who is now ambassador to Italy, is trying to mediate between Austria and Italy to keep Italy out of the war. Austria has been saying it’s willing to cede territory (no it’s not, or at least the emperor is not) but that in order to assure Italy’s continued neutrality it would only hand it over after the war is victoriously concluded. Von Bülow is suggesting a compromise by which Switzerland would occupy the territory until the war is over. I don’t think anyone’s asked Switzerland what they think about this. (A version of this proposal later in the month would have the Pope rather than Switzerland do it, although again I don’t think anyone asked the pope first).

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    Its funny how all these German generals and politicians bear an uncanny resemblance to each other. If they were all on a dating website you would have your suspicions...

    If you like your tinpot dictators with grey hair and moustache then this is the dating site for you... 'don't be Prussian into dating anyone else'.. Hun Match - 'Find the Hun who's the one' !! (you never know it could have been huge...)

    King George V prohibits use of alcoholic drinks in any of the royal households.(damn him, how can we celebrate my wings now?) Anyone notice the over sized bottle of Chambourd hidden in plain sight?

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    Last edited by Hedeby; 04-05-2015 at 16:46.

    Never Knowingly Undergunned !!

  31. #431

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    6th April 1915.


    Western Front.

    French make progress east of Verdun and in Alsace.

    An anonymous young French soldier sends to his mother what will prove to be his last letter:
    “Dear beloved Mother – it is mid-day, and we are at the forward position, in readiness. I send you my whole love. Whatever comes to pass, life has had its beauty.”
    Indecisive fighting on the Meuse front.

    Home Front.

    Following the King’s recent commitment for the Royal Household to abstain from alcohol until the war is over, some senior statesmen are struggling to follow the example set. A diarist reports “I never saw K [Kitchener, the Secretary of State for War] so depressed. Neither the retreat at the beginning of the war or Neuve Chapelle affected his spirits as badly as 3 days on lemonade”.

    ( I know the feeling. R)

    Eastern Front.

    Russian advance in the Niemen district.

    Tsar Nicholas of Russia is travelling behind the Eastern Front (in what is now Poland) and writes home to his wife, the Tsarina:

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    “To-day the weather is really delightfully warm. We had a fairly long walk in the fields and got into an evil-smelling swamp. Some amusing scenes occurred here, especially when Grabbe, having tucked tip his skirts, tried with all his might to pull himself out of the deep mud. You can imagine in what a charming condition we returned I Well, my love, my little bird, I must finish; it is time to dispatch the courier. We are all going to the cinematograph.”

    Southern Front.

    Serbian artillery silence bombardment of Belgrade.

    Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres.

    Russians enter Artvin (Armenia).

    Naval and Overseas Operations.

    Battleships and aeroplanes bombard Smyrna.
    Germans defeated at Karunga (German East Africa).
    Warmbad taken.

    Political, etc.

    Greek Note to Bulgaria and Bulgarian Note to Serbia on the Komitadjt outrages.
    British Government appoint a committee on munitions of war.
    "Courage is the art of being the only one who knows you're scared to death."

  32. #432

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    Much earlier update than my near midnight typing lol.

    Never Knowingly Undergunned !!

  33. #433

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    Addendum for 6 April 1915:
    Constantinople is hit with a typhoid epidemic due to an influx of large numbers of wounded soldiers.

    (although I can find no other support for this other than the twitter feed 100 years ago today: so, I do wonder if the exact day/year is accurate).

  34. #434

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    7th April 1915.

    Western Front.

    Indecisive fighting near St. Mihiel.

    3rd Monmouths on the move:- After a few days rest and recreation, equipment was reissued and the Battalion were on the move again, marching to Boeschepe, two and half miles north-west of Westoutre. Once settled the Adjutant, Company Commanders reconnoitered the trenches east of Ypres, held by the French troops. Vigorous enemy action was anticipated and the Division had the responsibility of an important area, the immortal Ypres Salient. This area had a reputation for it was most vulnerable to attack being a salient. It could be likened roughly to a saucer with the German Army in the secure position on the rim. The territory lying behind the line could be clearly observed from Passchendaele and Messines Ridge, both of which lay at the rear of the enemy lines.

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    Officers of the 3rd. Monmouth Regiment.

    Eastern Front.

    Telegram from Tzar Nicholas to the Tsarina Alexandra.

    Stavka. 7 April, 1915.
    MY BELOVED SUNNY
    I thank you heartily for your dear letter and am returning you the Countess's letter. I do not think that any difficulties will arise about that question; a little goodwill on our side and the thing will be done, and we shall have one annoyance the less in our lives. Of course I shall discuss it with the old man.
    To-day I had a very busy morning-after the reports I receive Grunwald, who has come from Vilna, where be inspected all the hospitals, and later on I saw Engalychev, as well as our Vielopolsky, looking like a king who has lost his kingdom. They all had lunch. N. received the Belgian Mission and entertained them in his train. Darling mine, I do not agree with you that N. ought to remain here during my visit to Galicia. On the contrary, precisely because I am going in war-time to a conquered province, the Commander-in-Chief ought to accompany me. It is he who accompanies me; not I who am in his suite.
    As I wrote to you yesterday, I hope to see the 2nd Caucasian Corps near Sambor, and get in touch with the 8th Army of Broussilov. Unless one counts last year's visit to the Caucasus, I have so far not had the opportunity of being near troops, and especially those troops which have been victorious since the very beginning of the war!
    To-day we drove in a car along our well-known, charming road, and went further into the delightful wood. It was quite hot, and we found some flowers - here is one of them! - To-morrow is the anniversary of our betrothal; how many joyful recollections! God bless you, my treasure, and the children! Thank Olga and Alexey for their letters. I kiss you all affectionately, and remain
    Ever your old hubby
    Nicky.
    Give A. my greetings



    The Countess: Countess Hohenfelsen, morganatic wife of the Grand Duke Paul, and later given the title of Princess Paley. In her letter she asked for the title of Princess, and referred to various family matters. GRUNWALD: General A. A. von Grunwald, Chief Equerry. VIELOPOLSKY: Count Vielopolsky was Master of the Imperial Preserves in Poland.




    Further Russian advance in Carpathians.

    Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres.

    First units of Indian Expeditionary Force "G" sail from Egypt for operations at Gallipoli
    Skirmish between Turks and British north-east of El Kantara (Egypt).

    Naval and overseas.

    The British trawler Zarina was torpedoed and sunk in the North Sea 72 nautical miles north east by north of the Spurn Lightship by an unidentified German submarine with the loss of nine of her crew.

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    Political, etc.

    German Minority Socialists publish a manifesto against the war.
    Appeal by the Churches for restraint in use of alcohol is followed by a memorial by business men to the same effect.

    Rob.
    "Courage is the art of being the only one who knows you're scared to death."

  35. #435

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    "The British trawler Zarina was torpedoed and sunk in the North Sea 72 nautical miles north east by north of the Spurn Lightship by an unidentified German submarine with the loss of nine of her crew."

    Bound to be pesky U-25 again

    and what is it about all these alcohol restrictions - there was time when you would struggle to find any sober person on a battlefield

    Never Knowingly Undergunned !!

  36. #436

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    Quote Originally Posted by Hedeby View Post

    and what is it about all these alcohol restrictions - there was time when you would struggle to find any sober person on a battlefield
    I'm beginning to understand why Kitchener went down with his ship.
    Kyte.
    "Courage is the art of being the only one who knows you're scared to death."

  37. #437

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    Quote Originally Posted by Flying Officer Kyte View Post
    I'm beginning to understand why Kitchener went down with his ship.
    Kyte.
    Well, he was Army; maybe he couldn't swim?
    Karl
    It is impossible for a man to begin to learn what he thinks he knows. -- Epictetus

  38. #438

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    Quote Originally Posted by Jager View Post
    Well, he was Army; maybe he couldn't swim?
    Karl
    Very good Karl. I needed a laugh this morning.

    I was actually alluding to this post which you may have missed.

    Following the King’s recent commitment for the Royal Household to abstain from alcohol until the war is over, some senior statesmen are struggling to follow the example set. A diarist reports “I never saw K [Kitchener, the Secretary of State for War] so depressed. Neither the retreat at the beginning of the war or Neuve Chapelle affected his spirits as badly as 3 days on lemonade”.


    I was intimating that lack of the elixir of lifemay have deprived him of the will to live and driven him over the edge literally.
    Rob.
    "Courage is the art of being the only one who knows you're scared to death."

  39. #439

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    I do remember that one; certainly a "plausible" explanation for his loss:
    "Blast it all; first there's this beastly war, which isn't going the way anyone thought it would, and is lasting far longer than was thought possible. Then the King (God save him) says 'Sorry Herb, got to give up your gin and whiskey for the duration'. Now the blasted Navy can't even keep this ship afloat! Oh Bother"

    Karl
    It is impossible for a man to begin to learn what he thinks he knows. -- Epictetus

  40. #440

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    8th April 1915.


    Western Front.


    French attacks in the Woevre district repulsed.

    No2 Squadron R.F.C.

    Thurs April the 8th.

    Weather did not clear until yesterday. It was still cloudy this morning but we decided to cross if possible after lunch. There were 14 machines in all, ready to start 8 REs , 3 Vickers Gun machines, 2 BE2c's, 1 Avro. I was about seventh to leave ground - found it very gusty. On reaching 6,000 ft headed across channel - bearing 160 . Half way across I entered a cloud, on emerging three minutes later saw Cap Gris Nez directly in front of me. Followed coast to Calais and railway from Calais to St Omer.
    One RE machine smashed up when getting off the ground at Folkestone & was burnt. Two of the Vickers machines did not arrive nor the other BE2c piloted by Eichermain.

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    Officers of No 7 Sqn RFC et al at Folkestone (probably 8 April 1915)

    Back row: Capt. Small, Lt. Bewes, Lt.s Spratt, Wynne, Broder, Anne, Capt. Smith
    Front row: Lt. Rutledge, Capt. Mills, Lt. Adams, Capt. Moore, Capt. Mansfield, Lt. Hunt.

    Photo published in Flight magazine 23 April 1915.
    Remained for tea at Headquarters and was sent by car to Headquarters No 1 Wing at Aire. After having dinner there came on by tender to No 2 Squadron at Merville, arriving 10.00 p.m. Slept at mess.

    Eastern Front.

    Indecisive fighting in the Carpathians.

    Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres.

    Deportation and massacre of Armenians in the Ottoman Empire begins.

    Naval and Overseas Operations.

    "Prinz Eitel Friedrich" interned at Newport News.

    Political, etc.

    Attempted assassination of Hussein Kamel, Sultan of Egypt.

    Italian Note to Austria, demanding territorial concessions in return for neutrality.

    Deportations and massacres of Armenians by order of the Turkish Government commence. In Zeitoun, in Cilicia, south east Turkey, the Turkish government begins the first of its year long systematic program of deporting Armenians. The official justification for the program is the belief that Armenians have been supporting, and in some cases fighting alongside, Russian invading forces from the Caucasus region.

    The Belgium Town Planning Committee stages an exhibition at University College, London, on the Remaking of Belgium and the issues of rebuilding the towns and villages, although it is stressed that “the invaders of Belgium” (i.e. the Germans) have the obligation to make good all the devastation they have done. As the timescale of the war will turn out, it was somewhat optimistic to stage the exhibition now as there will be a number of years and more damage wrought before they are in a position to put anything into action.

    Rob.
    "Courage is the art of being the only one who knows you're scared to death."

  41. #441

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    9th April 1915.

    Western Front.

    French completes the capture of Les Eparges.
    Germans bombard Reims.
    Indecisive fighting on the Meuse.
    The “Times” of London reports rumours that German forces are planning to use chemical weapons against the Allies:
    “It has been reported that in the Argonne, where the trenches are very close, the Germans have on several occasions pumped blazing oil or pitch onto the French, but, according to the statements of our prisoners, they are preparing a more novel reception for us in front of parts of our line. They propose to asphyxiate our men if they advance by means of poisonous gas. The gas is contained under pressure in steel cylinders, and, being of a heavy nature, will spread along the ground without being dissipated quickly.”

    Eastern Front.

    Russians make progress near Suvalki.
    Continued indecisive fighting in the Carpathians.

    The Middle East.

    Sir John Nixon arrives in Basra, in Turkish Mesopotamia (now Iraq) to take command of the original Expeditionary Force, with orders to carry on with a further advance of 60 miles up the Tigris from al-Qurnah to Erza’s tomb and al-Amara.

    Political, etc.

    Greece: M. Venizelos temporarily retires from public life.

    Rob.
    "Courage is the art of being the only one who knows you're scared to death."

  42. #442

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    Quote Originally Posted by Flying Officer Kyte View Post
    9th April 1915.

    Germans bombard Reims.
    And we'll be seeing this a lot for the next 3 years
    Karl
    It is impossible for a man to begin to learn what he thinks he knows. -- Epictetus

  43. #443

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    10th April 1915.

    Western Front.

    French success in the Bois de Montmare (Woevre).




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    On 10th April Major-General Ilse, the Chief of Staff of German 4th Army, was summoned to Supreme Headquarters at Charleville-Mézičres for a meeting with General von Falkenhayn. At the meeting he was informed that the trial of the gas cloud was now urgent and that it should be carried out as quickly as possible. General Ilse was also informed that there was a possibility that the XXVI. Reserve Corps, which was set to carry out the attack, might be removed from the Western Front.
    Major-General Ilse hurried back to the 4th Army headquarters in Thielt as the installation of the gas cylinders was almost finished in the alternative sector north of the Allied Ypres Salient.

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    General von Falkenhayn

    Eastern Front.

    Severe fighting for the Uzsok Pass (Carpathians).


    Telegram from Tzar Nicholas to the Tsarina Alexandra.

    Telegraph Office 152. 10 April, 1915.

    Have arrived safely in Khyrov via Sambor. Saw the wonderful Caucasian Corps. The district is delightful. The weather is summer-like. Have received very deep and joyful impressions. I embrace you tenderly.
    Nicky.

    Southern Front.

    Austrian gunboat shells Belgrade.
    Albanians bombard Durazzo.

    In the Aegean.

    The harbour at Moudros, on the Greek Island of Lemnos, temporarily commandeered by the British, is becoming congested with warships bringing troops to the impending land attack on the Dardanelles.


    Naval and Overseas Operations.

    The cargo ship Harpalyce was torpedoed and sunk in the North Sea 7 nautical miles off the Noord Hinder Lightship by SM UB-4 with the loss of seventeen of her 44 crew. Survivors were rescued by the Dutch ship Elizabeth.


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    Harpalyce.

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    UB-4

    The coaster President was stopped and scuttled in the Atlantic14 nautical miles south by west of The Lizard by SM U24. Her ten crew were rescued by the British fishing smack Pencaer

    Political, etc.

    White Book published, containing correspondence between the British Government and the U.S. Ambassador on German treatment of prisoners of war and interned civilians.
    German Note to U.S.A. protesting against the none neutral conduct of America.
    Pope Benedict XV orders prayers for peace.

    Rob.
    "Courage is the art of being the only one who knows you're scared to death."

  44. #444

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    11th April 1915.



    Western Front.

    Germans repulsed at Les Eparges.
    Severe fighting near Albert.


    Eastern Front.

    Germans bombard Osovyets.
    Russians capture Wysocko Nizhne, near the Uzsok Pass.


    Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres.



    British troops in Mesopotamia fend off a large attack by the Turks against Basra. The British then branch out to protect their position at Basra, and proceed up the Tigris Valley toward Baghdad.
    Turkish forces shell the city of which has been held by the British since early December 1914.
    They also attack Ahwaz (Persian Gulf).


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    British Troops in the Persian Gulf.

    Naval and Overseas Operations.

    The Armed Merchant Cruiser HMS Wayfarer was torpedoed and sunk with the loss of five of the 189 people on board.

    "Kronprinz Wilhelm" arrives at Newport News.


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    Kronprinz Wilhelm


    Political, etc.

    Count Bernstorff publishes the German Note to U.S.A.
    German reprisals announced re: British treatment of captured submarine crews: 39 British officer prisoners under arrest.
    Bulgaria agrees to mixed Serbian and Bulgarian commission on frontier incidents in Macedonia.

    Rob.
    "Courage is the art of being the only one who knows you're scared to death."

  45. #445

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    A correction: the photo above is one of the German battleship. The Kronprinz Wilhelm that arrived in Newport News was not the battleship, but an armed merchant cruiser of the same name. According to the twitter feed I frequently reference, "The German commerce raider SS Kronprinz Wilhelm takes shelter at Newport News, U.S. after it runs out of supplies: imgur.com/slcO5Wh ". This is more in keeping with what is known in general about the Hochsee Flotte, the British blockade of Germany, and the auxillary cruisers Germany used to raid British shipping during the First World War.

  46. #446

    Default

    Oh, and I sem to remember that thing being used as a troop transport after it was interned, and then siezed by the US after the US entry to the war. Let me check on that.

    Ah, yes, Wikipedia say that is indeed what happened: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_Kronprinz_Wilhelm

  47. #447

    Default

    As this source material seems to be at fault yet again,

    http://www.firstworldwar.com/onthisday/1915_04_11.htm

    And I have to thank zen lizzard for correcting me once more , I am obviously getting past it as far as things go and will pass the column back to Chris as soon as he returns.
    Rob.
    "Courage is the art of being the only one who knows you're scared to death."

  48. #448

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Flying Officer Kyte View Post
    As this source material seems to be at fault yet again,

    http://www.firstworldwar.com/onthisday/1915_04_11.htm
    I am obviously getting past it as far as things go (snip)
    Yeah, no surprise that the source material might confuse one for the other. I don't see how that's a sign as you "getting past it", you work your ass off for these updates, as things go.

  49. #449

    Default

    Should have used more than two sources to check the material.
    Rob.
    "Courage is the art of being the only one who knows you're scared to death."

  50. #450

    Default

    12th April 1915.


    Western Front.

    Failure of French attack south-east of Hartmannsweilerkopf.
    French consolidate their positions at Les Eparges.

    German airship bombs Nancy.

    Eastern Front.

    Russians checked east of the Uzsok Pass.

    Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres.

    Indecisive fighting at Kurna and Ahwaz.

    Turks attack Basra from west and south.

    Battle of Shaiba (Mesopotamia) begins.

    Naval and Overseas Operations.

    French cruiser "St. Louis" bombards Gaza.

    First Allied advance on Yaunde (Cameroons) begins.

    Political, etc.

    Papal Note to President Wilson declaring the readiness of the Pope to co-operate for the restoration of peace.

    Entente Governments make offer to Greece of Smyrna and hinterland in return for immediate action against Turkey.

    French Government notify Russian Government of their acceptance of Russian claims to Constantinople.

    Rob.
    "Courage is the art of being the only one who knows you're scared to death."

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