Nice I started this thread back in August 2014 and now I get to add post number 900 - fair to say this is building nicely....
November 12th 1915
One RFC member dies on this day -
Air Mechanic 2 Joseph Goodwin 21 Squadron Royal Flying Corps - alas I can find no additional details...
There were no claims by pilots of any side on this particular day.
Western Front
The 33rd Division gets its marching orders....
On 10 December the War Office authorised the formation of the Fifth New Army. Like the other Kitchener Armies, it comprised six Divisions, in this case numbered 37 to 42. What eventually became 33rd Division was originally numbered 40th. In April 1915, the original Fourth New Army was broken up and its units converted for training and draft-finding purposes. When this took place the Fifth New Army became Fourth New Army and its Divisions were renumbered to 30th - 35th: thus what we remember as 33rd Division was born.
Divisional symbolsThe Division was largely comprised of locally raised units often known as "Pals", with units raised by the public schools, footballers and other sportsmen and the Church Lads Brigade, among others. 33rd Division troops were predominantly from the south of England..
After in most cases commencing training near home, the units were moved in July 1915 to concentrate at Clipstone camp near Mansfield in Nottinghamshire. It was not until August that the Division moved for final training and firing practice at Salisbury Plain.
In November 1915 the Division received a warning order to prepare to sail for France, but the original artillery and Train would not accompany it; instead, it would receive the artillery that had been raised for and trained with the 54th (East Anglian) Division. The move began on 12 November and by 21 November all units had reached the concentration area near Morbecque. Soon after arrival the Division was considerably strengthened by the exchange of 98th Brigade for the experienced 19th Brigade from 2nd Division, and other changes.
French mining successes in Argonne.
In all 519 mines were detonated in the area the Butte Vauquois the French accounted for 320 of them... Major site of mine warfare in Argonne. This is the best example of underground passages used as “living quarters”. The work done to enhance and maintain this site makes it one of the major places to visit in Meuse.
The guided tours, which are of particularly high quality, give an excellent insight into the fighting that occurred here.
The village of Vauquois was destroyed in February 1915 following harsh battles that radically transformed its landscape. Up until 1917, French and German forces dug miles of underground tunnels in order to inflict the greatest possible damage on the enemy’s network using tons of explosives. Today, visitors are able to see for themselves the changed face of Vauquois Hill overlooking the formidable craters caused by the detonation of mines, along with examples of restored trenches from both the French and German sides.
Eastern Front
Meeting between Kaiser and Hindenburg. Hindenburg threatens to resign if Kaiser insists on capture of Riga and Dvinsk.
Southern Front
Germans control railway from Belgrade to Constantinople.
Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres
British force under Townshend advances to within seven miles of Ctesiphon.
On 12, 13 and 14 November Lord Kitchener inspected positions at Helles, Anzac and Suvla.
Shah of Persia receives Allied Ministers and declares himself friendly.
The War at Sea
There were a total of 12 ships lost on this day - none to direct enemy action but TEN to a series of huge gales that swept the coasts of Britain...
Carthese ( United Kingdom): The cargo ship was driven ashore in a gale at Goodwick, Pembrokeshire.
Dinorwic ( United Kingdom): The cargo ship was driven ashore in a gale at Goodwick. She was later refloated.
Emerald Ray ( United Kingdom): The schooner was wrecked in a gale at Kingstown county Dublin.
Echo ( United Kingdom): The cargo ship was driven ashore in a gale at Goodwick.
Holme Wood ( United Kingdom): The cargo ship was driven ashore in a gale at Goodwick.
Industry ( United Kingdom): The schooner was wrecked in a gale at Kingstown.
Inveresk ( United Kingdom): The barque was wrecked in a gale at Kingstown.
Moorside ( United Kingdom): World War I: The coaster struck a mine and sank in the English Channel off Boulogne, Pas-de-Calais, France with the loss of eight of her crew.
Nigel ( United Kingdom): World War I: The cargo ship struck a mine and sank in the English Channel off Boulogne with the loss of five of her crew.
HMY Resource II ( Royal Navy): The naval yacht was lost on this date.
Thora ( United Kingdom): The ketch was wrecked in a gale at Fishguard, Pembrokeshire. Her crew were rescued by the Fishguard Lifeboat.
Tryfilia ( Greece): The cargo ship was wrecked at Wexford, Ireland. Her twenty crew were rescued
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