100 Years Ago Today

[Sailor Steve]

July 2, 1916

Air War:
1400 German ace Max von Mulzer claims BE.2c 2654 for victory number 7. Lt Ian C. MacDonnell and 2nd Lt Hugh A. Williamson are both killed in action.

German pilot Stefan Kirmaier also claimed 2654 for kill number 1. The problem here is that the Germans did not award shared kills, yet in this case they seem to have done so. There is a chance that Kirmaier's victim may have actually been a Nieuport 17 flown by MdL André Seigneurie, who was taken prisoner that day.

To make it more confusing, German ace Ernst von Althaus claimed a "Nieuport Scout", but there was only one Nieuport reported lost. There was, however, a Nieuport 11, No. 1139, flown by Lt François Mouronval, listed as missing on June 30, two days earlier. All these claims were awarded, but confusion persists as to who shot down whom.

1730 English ace Albert Ball, flying Nieuport 16 A134, shoots down a Roland C.II for victory number 6. Half an hour later Ball brings down and Aviatik two-seater for number 7.

1930 English pilot Horace Davey and observer Cpl W. Paul, in FE.2b 5238, shoot down an eindecker. Victory number 3 for Davey, unknown for Paul.

At the same time Australian pilot Lancelot Richardson and observer Lt M.V. Lewes also claim a Fokker. Number 3 for Richardson, unknown for Lewes. Given the timing this may have been a shared kill, but the records don't say one way or the other.

French pilot Joseph Denis Bernard Robert de Bonnefoy, in a Nieuport 11 or 17, shoots down an "Enemy Aircraft" for victory number 1.

French ace André Chainat, in an unlisted Nieuport, destroys a German balloon for kill number 6.

German ace Otto Parschau, in a Fokker E.IV, shoots down Caudron G.4 2235 for victory number 6. Sgt Lesire and Soldat Coat both killed in action. This may have actually taken place on the 1st.



Black Sea:
Max Valentiner, commanding U-38, sinks British freighter SS Rockcliffe, 3,073 tons, chartered to the Russian Navy for use as a transport ship. His score is now 84 ships and 175,916 tons.

[Oberon]

3rd July 1916



Brigade attacked LA BOISSELLE from the North and carried it. In conformity with the attack Battalion advanced from the communication trenches due East but owing to 57th Brigade being driven back we were compelled to withdraw to our consolidated position. Battalion was relieved this night by 56th Brigade with the exception of 150 men.




If my Great-Grandfather had carried on after his wounds yesterday then today he was hit again, taking a 'GSW' (Gun Shot Wound) to the right thigh. This would take him out of the war again until March of the next year. The 6th Wiltshires had been badly savaged during the two days of fighting and were withdrawn and consolidated over the coming fortnight, they would return to the frontlines by the end of the month at Brecourt Wood but in a supporting role rather than taking part in the major offensives.

I have added an account to the last days entry from a soldier from the 6th Wiltshire Regiment, hopefully it will give some insight into the conditions of the battle.

[Jimbuna]

3rd July 1916

Western Front

Fierce fighting continues; British capture La Boiselle and part of Ovillers. French capture Chapitre Wood, Feuilleres, Buscourt, Flaucourt; also Assevillers to the South. Allied forces at the Somme have managed to push in 6 miles in some areas and have captured 10,000 Germans.

“Y” Wood & German trenches at the Somme. Snow-like appearance on ground is due to bombardment.


Returning British troops from the Battle of Albert (Somme) carrying a wounded German soldier.


Germans gain and lose Damloup work (Verdun).

North of Ancre actions indecisive.

12,300 prisoners to date.

Eastern Front

Battle of Baranovichi continues south of Vilna.

Russian sea-attack on German lines near Riga.

Southern Front

French air-raid on Sofia from Salonika.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

Russians again resume offensive in Armenia, west of Erzerum.

Naval and Overseas Operations

British advance in East Africa, in region between Lake Tanganyika and Victoria Nyanza.

Political, etc.

Former German Chancellor von Buelow warns that the Allies will be “unforgiving” towards Germany after the war.

Report of Royal Commission on the causes of the Irish Rebellion issued.

Russo-Japanese treaty re: the Far East signed.

[Sailor Steve]

July 3, 1916

Air War:
French pilot Marcel Bloch destroys A German observation balloon for victory number 3.

German ace Otto Parschau, in a Fokker E.IV, shoots down a French balloon for victory number 7.

Geran pilot Franz Walz and observer Martin Gerlich shoot down BE.2c 5746. Victory number 3 for both.

[Jimbuna]

4th July 1916

Western Front

Heavy thunderstorms impede operations.

British take Bernafay Wood, east of Montauban; make air attacks on Comines, Combles, St. Quentin.

French capture Estrees, Belloy-en-Santerre, and Sormont Farm: advance from Curlu towards Hem.

Germans regain Thiaumont (Verdun).

Eastern Front

Second Great Russian advance in the Ukraine under General Lesch; they cross Styr at Kolki and Rafalovka and drive the Austrians towards the Stokhod. Further south they cut Carpathian railway at Mikolichin.

Southern Front

Italians continue to advance in Trentino.

Naval and Overseas Operations

The "Goeben" and "Breslau" bombard Russian ports in Black Sea.

Political, etc.

Ignatius Tribitch Lincoln, ex-M.P., sentenced to three years penal servitude for forgery.

Ship Losses

Birkdale (United Kingdom) The barque caught fire at San Francisco, California, United States and was beached.
Queen Bee (United Kingdom) The fishing smack was scuttled in the North Sea 25 nautical miles (46 km) east by north of Whitby, Yorkshire by SM UB-23 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of a crew member.

[Sailor Steve]

July 4, 1916

Air War:
Austrian pilot Raoul Stojsavljevic and Bohemian observer Josef Friedrich, in Hansa-Brandenburg C.I 64.14, shood down an Italian Farman two-seater, one of two which had attacked them, for victory number 1.

Russian pilot Alexander Nikolaivich Prokofiev de Seversky, in a Grigorovich M.9, shoots down an Austro-Hungarian "Scout" for victory number 1. De Seversky was grounded the previous year when shot down while on a bombing mission, which cost him one of his legs. Intervention by Tsar Nicholas himself led to De Seversky's reinstatement.



North Sea:
Otto Schulze, commanding U-63, torpedoes British sloop HMS Rosemary, 1,250 tons. The ship is only damaged.

Ernst Voigt, in UB-23, stops and sinks British fishing smack Queen Bee, 34 tons, bringing his score to 3 ships and 1,206 tons.



Black Sea:
Russian sail/paddle steamer Knyaz Obolenskiy, 341 tons, is sunk by Turkish battlecruiser Yavuz Sultan Selim (ex-SMS Goeben) in the port of Tuapse.

Russian freighter Mariya-Annetta, 863 tons, is torpedoed by Turkish light cruiser Midilli (ex-SMS Breslau) off Sochi.

According to Uboat.net, British freighter SS Rockcliffe was torpedoed and sunk on July 2, 1916 by Max Valentiner in U-38, which was reported here. Wrecksite.eu says Rockcliffe was subsequently beached and destroyed by gunfire from Turkish light cruiser Midilli on July 4th.



Canada:
British freighter SS Fernfield, 2,025 tons, is stranded off Louisbourg Harbour, Nova Scotia. Sources say her course was from Plymouth, England to Le Havre, France, so either the listed route or the location of the wreck seems to be wrong.



Pacific Ocean:
British freighter SS Ecuador, 1,768 tons, founders off Constitucion, Chile.

[Jimbuna]

5th July 1916

Western Front

English improve their position between Somme and Ancre; advance slightly in some sectors.

French win Hem; north of Somme they repel counter-attacks at Belloy-en-Santerre.

German attacks at Verdun on Avocourt and Hill 304 fail.

Eastern Front

the Riga and Baranovichi fronts, fighting continues.

In Galicia, Russians continue their attacks south of Dniester.

Southern Front

Risings and guerrilla warfare in Serbia and Montenegro, owing to weakening of Austrian garrisons.

Political, etc.

King George V decides to confer peerage on Sir Edward Grey, the Secretary of Foreign Affairs.

Mexican government agrees to negotiate with the U.S. in order to defuse tensions, and U.S. decides not to further reinforce the border.

Ship Losses:

Annie Anderson (United Kingdom) The fishing smack was scuttled in the North Sea 16 nautical miles (30 km) east south east of the mouth of the River Tyne by SM UB-23 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Geertruida (Netherlands) The drifter, on her maiden voyage, was sunk in the North Sea (57°15′N 1°15′E by SM U-45 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Jacob Luckenbach (United States) The cargo ship collided with Eddystone ( Belgium) in the English Channel, 1 nautical mile (1.9 km) north of the Downs Lightship ( United Kingdom) and sank. Her 31 crew were rescued.
Knias Obolensky (Russia) The paddle steamer was shelled and sunk at Tuapse by Yavûz Sultân Selîm ( Ottoman Navy).
Peep O' Day (United Kingdom) The drifter was scuttled in the North Sea 25 nautical miles (46 km) east north east of the mouth of the River Tyne (55°05′N 0°50′W) by SM UB-23 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.

[Sailor Steve]

July 5, 1916

English Channel:
American freighter SS Jacob Luckenbach, 2,879 tons, bound from San Francisco for Leith with a load of barley, sinks after a collision with SS Eddystone.



North Sea:
Erich Sittenfeld, commanding U-45, sinks Dutch drifter Geertruida, 140 tons, on her way home fully loaded from her first fishing trip. Sittenfeld's score is now 5 vessels and 8,172 tons.

Ernst Voigt, in UB-23, stops and scuttles British fishing smack Annie Anderson, 77 tons, and drifter Peep O'Day, 52 tons. His score is now 5 vessels and 1,335 tons.

UC-7 (Georg Haag) is lost, presumed to be by a mine. Last seen heading home from her latest patrol, by UB-12. All 18 crew members are lost. The bodies of Haag and one other are recovered by Dutch fishing boats, while two other bodies washed ashore at Flanders.



Atlantic Ocean:
Back on March 16th the Russian schooner Ekonom, 224 tons, was abandoned off the English Channel. At 1025 on July 5th British battleship HMS Swiftsure comes across the ship roughly 100 miles north of Madeira. A boat is lowered and a boarding party enters the derelict. It is determined that the wreck is Ekonom, and Swiftsure attempts to sink it with her 10" guns. At 1245 Swiftsure rams the wreck, causing it to capsize and sink.



Chile:
Chilean schooner Veleidosa, 128 tons, is wrecked off the port of Caldera.

United States:


Russian barque Avio, 451 tons, is wrecked at Rock Pile, outside the harbor at Pensacola, Florida.

American schooner Bradford C. French, 797 tons, carrying a load of molasses from San Juan, Puerto Rico to New Orleans, is abandoned near South Pass, Mississippi.

American sailing barge Harry Morse, 1,242 tons, founders off Mobile, Alabama.

American schooner Mary G. Danzler, 421 tons, is wrecked near the Ship Island Lighthouse, near Gulfport, Mississippi.



Brazil:
American freighter SS Wilhelmina, 1,696 tons, carrying a load of coal from Newport News to Rio de Janeiro, sinks following a collision in Rio de Janeiro Bay.


Dredger SS Soudan, 152 tons, was scuttled this day, according to Wrecksite.eu. There are no details as to location or reason.

[Jimbuna]

6th July 1916

Western Front

British win ground on slopes of Thiepval; two successful raids on Loos salient.

French again repel attacks at Belloy; lose a small wood north of Hem.

Artillery active at Verdun.

Eastern Front

Between the Styr and Stokhod Germans fall back in disorder from Chartorysk salient.

Southern Front

Italian pressure on the Trentino and Isonzo fronts continued.

Naval

British submarine HMS E26 is reported lost with all 30 hands in the North Sea. Cause of sinking is unknown.

Political, etc.

Ministerial changes: Mr. Lloyd George becomes Secretary of State for War. Lord Derby, Under Secretary for War. Sir Edward Grey raised to Peerage as Viscount Grey of Falldon.

Ship Losses:

HMS E26 Royal Navy The E-class submarine was lost in the North Sea with the loss of all 30 crew.
Girl Bessie (United Kingdom) The drifter was scuttled in the North Sea 23 nautical miles (43 km) south east by east of the mouth of the River Tyne by SM UB-23 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Nancy Hunnam (United Kingdom) The drifter was scuttled in the North Sea 24 nautical miles (44 km) east by south of the mouth of the River Tyne by SM UB-23 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Newark Castle (United Kingdom) The drifter was scuttled in the North Sea 23 nautical miles (43 km) south east of the mouth of the River Tyne by SM UB-23 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Petunia (United Kingdom) The drifter was scuttled in the North Sea 23 nautical miles (43 km) south east of the mouth of the River Tyne by SM UB-23 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Watchful (United Kingdom) The drifter was scuttled in the North Sea 23 nautical miles (43 km) south east by south of the mouth of the River Tyne by SM UB-23 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.

[Sailor Steve]

July 6, 1916

Air War:
Canadian RFC pilot Harry Alison Wood, flying DH.2 5997, shoots down a "D-Type" fighter for victory number 1. Since at the end of June Idflieg reported six Halberstadt D.IIs and two D.IIIs at the front, it's entirely possible that one of the first German biplane fighters was destroyed almost at the beginning of its career.



North Sea:
Ernst Voigt, commanding UB-23, attacks a fishing fleet off the mouth of the Tyne River, sinking drifters Girl Bessie, 62 tons, Nancy Hunnam, 58 tons, Newark Castle, 85 tons, Petunia, 58 tons, and Watchful, 52 tons. His score is now 10 vessels and 1,650 tons.

British fishing vessel Heron is reported missing this day. No details at all.



German East Africa:
0030-0250 For more than two hours HMS Severn, anchored in Tanga Bay observes flashes and explosions from the direction of Tanga village.
After waiting for daylight, at 0715 a seaplane lands alongside Severn for instructions.
0730 Seaplane takes off for reconnaissance over Tanga.
1755 HMS Severn weighs anchor and moves southward.
1800 Cruiser HMS Talbot and whaler/gunboat HMS Styx move into Tanga Harbour.



Chile:
Chilean steel tug Svip, 181 tons, runs aground in Horcón Bay.



Atlantic Ocean:
American lugger Adelaide T. Carleton, travelling from Buenos Aires to Cape Verde Island, runs aground off Ilha Grande (La Paloma), Brazil. Crew rescued.

[Jimbuna]

7th July 1916

Western Front

British again advance; portion of Leipzig Redoubt carried on Thiepval Plateau. Fighting at Ovillers and east of La Boiselle. Contalmaison won but not held.

Eastern Front

Russians reach Manevichi station on Kovel-Sarni railway in northern Lutsk salient.

Southern Front

Italians continue advance between Brenta and Adige; they carry two enemy positions north of Asiago.

Naval and Overseas Operations

In East Africa General Smuts occupies Tanga, the terminus of Usambara railway.

Political, etc.

Congratulatory message to troops from King George. “I am proud of my troops. None could have fought more bravely.”

Fredrick G. Kellaway, secretary to the Minister of Munitions, states 3.5 million men are working in 4000 arsenals to make guns for Britain.

Ship Losses:

Gannet (United Kingdom) The cargo ship struck a mine laid by UC 6 (Otto Ehrentraut) and sank in the North Sea 5 nautical miles (9.3 km) east north east of the Shipwash Lightship ( United Kingdom) (52°05′N 1°53′E) with the loss of eight of her crew.

[Sailor Steve]

July 7, 1916

English Channel:
Norwegian freighter SS Bainbridge, 1,900 tons, carrying a load of coal from Sunderland to Bayonne, is wrecked off Kerlouan, France.



North Sea:
British freighter SS Gannet, 1,127 tons, bound from Rotterdam for London with a general cargo, hits a mine laid by Otto Ehrentraut in UC-6. His score is now 9 ships and 6,199 tons.

U-77, under the command of Erich Günzel, is lost while on a minelaying mission to Kinnaird Head, Scotland. All 33 crewmembers lost.

German trawler Wilhelmshaven, 170 tons, departs Geestemünde, Bremerhaven, for a fishing trip and is not heard from again.



German East Africa:
Cruiser HMS Talbot and monitor HMS Severn carry a raiding party to Tanga Island, along with gunboat Thistle, armed whalers Styx and Charon, and seaplane/balloon tender Manica.
0600 the ships anchor off Kwawa Reef.
0620 HMS Manica hoists out seaplane for scouting work.
0645 Seaplane is sent to scout over Tanga.
0730 Seaplane lands next to Talbot with information. Apparently the plane made a bad landing. Nothing is said of this but later log records speak of salvaging the damaged plane.
0915 HMS Manica hoists up balloon.
0955 Manica lowers and stows balloon.
1020 Party of native scouts transfers from Talbot to Severn.
1057 Severn lands scouts at Red Cliffs.
1115 Talbot passes damaged seaplane off to Thistle.
1153 Manica enters Tanga Bay.
1200 British force occupies Tanga village.
1255 Landing party re-boards Severn.
1300 Manica joins Thistle to recover wrecked seaplane.
1305 Severn departs to rejoin other ships.
1500 Remains of seaplane hoisted aboard Manica.
It is not said whether the landing party met any resistance.

Australia:
Australian coaster SS Dunster Castle, 62 tons, travelling in ballast from Esperance to Albany, is wrecked at Shoal Cape, next to Fanny Cove.

[Jimbuna]

8th July 1916

Western Front

British penetrate southern part of Trones Wood; hand to hand fighting in Ovillers.

French take Hardecourt.

Violent artillery duel at Verdun.

Heavy rain hampers operations.

Eastern Front

Russians break through north of Lutsk and cross Upper Stokhod at Ugli and Arsenovich, having advanced 25 miles in four days on a 40-mile front. South of Dniester they capture Delatyn and threaten right flank of Bothmer's army.

Political, etc.

Winston Churchill: “No democratic country like Great Britain, the United States or France…can plan and prepare an aggressive war.”

Great Britain rescinds the London Declaration of 1909 in order to provide legal justification for their blockade of Germany.

A Russo-Japanese Agreement in regard to the Far East signed and announced.

Socialist members of the Berlin City Council attacks the German government’s claim that there is no hunger in the city.

Ship Losses:

Baro (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was run into by Diana VI ( Nigeria) at Lagos, Nigeria and was beached.

[Sailor Steve]

July 8, 1916

Air War:
1405 Malayan RNAS pilot Thomas Francis Netterville Gerard, flying Nieuport Scout 3889, shoots down a Fokker eindecker, pilot and fate unknown.

Bavaria-born German ace Max von Mulzer, in a Fokker E.IV, shoots down BE.2c 5765 for victory number 8. Australian pilot Eric C. Jowett is mortally wounded and dies the next day in a German hospital. Observer Cpl L.R.G. Johnstone taken prisoner.



Gulf of Bothnia:
Russian submarine Volk torpedoes German freighter SS Dorita, 3,689 tons, off Örnsköldsvik, Sweden.



United States:
American schooner Mary Ann McCann, 170 tons, carrying a load of coal from South Amboy, New Jersey to New York, is beached while sinking and breaks in half.

[Jimbuna]

9th July 1916

Western Front

Two German aeroplane raids on south-east coast, no damage.

English make slight progress at Ovillers; fighting continues in Trones Wood.

French advance along Bray-Peronne road; take Biaches, reach outskirts of Barleux.

French air squadrons bomb Ham and Bolancourt.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

Turks threaten attack on Tigris.

Naval and Overseas Operations

German submarine "Deutschland" arrives at Norfolk (Virginia) from Bremen; proceeds with mails and cargo to Baltimore.

Russian hospital ship "Yperyod" torpedoed in Black Sea.

Political, etc.

Belgiam government accuses Germany of forcing Belgian citizens into the German Army.

Official German casualties now number 3,012,637 men, with 757,327 of them killed in action.

London clergymen, including the Dean of Westminster, urge people to abstain from drinking in order to “save” Britain.

Edwin Samuel Montagu is appointed the new Secretary of Munitions to succeed Lloyd George.


Ship Losses:

Ancenio (Norway) Hurricane Four: The barque was driven ashore at Gulfport, Mississippi, United States.
HMT Astrum Spei (Royal Navy) The naval trawler was shelled and sunk in the Adriatic Sea by SMS Novara ( Austro-Hungarian Navy). Her crew were taken as prisoners of war.
HMT Clavis (Royal Navy) The naval trawler was shelled and sunk in the Adriatic Sea by SMS Novara ( Austro-Hungarian Navy).
John C. Meyne (United States) Hurricane Four: The barquentine was driven ashore at Gulfport, Mississippi.
Mary C. Dantzler (United States) Hurricane Four: The schooner foundered between Ship Island and Cat Island, Mississippi.
Imberhorne (Russia) Hurricane Four: The cargo ship was driven ashore at Moss Point, Mississippi.
Margareta (Russia) Hurricane Four: The barque was driven ashore at Moss Point.
Vperied (Russia) (Flag of the Red Cross) The hospital ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Black Sea off Hopa, Turkey (41°41′N 41°03′E) by SM U-38 ( Kaiserliche Marine).