100 Years Ago Today

[TarJak]

16 August 1914

HMAS PIONEER, (light cruiser), captured the German merchant ship NEUMUNSTER, off Rottnest Island, WA

Members of the AN&MEF re-embarked at Thursday Island on Troopship 'Kanowna' to take part in the capture of German New Guinea.

With the significant aid of the howitzers and the Big Bertha gun (a 420mm siege howitzer) the Liege forts were finally taken by Germany on 16 August, General Leman having to be carried unconscious out of the besieged forts.

B.E.F. first contingent completes its landing in France. This was an Army of 4 Infantry Divisions, with another 2 divisions kept in England in case of an invasion.

French attacks considered successful in northern Alsace

General advance of Russian armies into East Prussia.

Austrians capture Shabatz (north-west Serbia), but Serbians check Austrian advance between Loznitsa and Shabats. Serbians defeat Austrians at Battle of Jadar.

Franco-British squadron enters the Adriatic sinking the SMS Zenta. On 16 August 1914 the combined Anglo-French Fleet under Admiral Auguste Boué de Lapeyrère, made a sweep of the Adriatic Sea. Zenta was escorted by a destroyer blockading the coast of Montenegro. She was trapped by seventeen French and British naval units consisting of battleships and armoured cruisers, which prevented her escape North. After allowing the destroyer SMS Ulan to get away, she was sunk by gunfire during the Battle of Antivari off the coast of Bar, Montenegro, with the loss of 179 lives. Surviving commander Paul Pachner, officers and crew swam ashore and were interned until 1916 (the Anglo-French Fleet did not attempt to rescue any survivors). The imprisoned crew were Croats from Blato na Korčuli, Šolta, Tisno, Biograd na Moru, Bogomolje, Rab, Imotski, Hvar, Trogir, Split, Šibenik, Vela Luka, Sali and Zadar and two Montenegrins from Grbalj and Perast.

Zapata and Pancho Villa over run Mexico Cit taking it from the forces of Carranza's Constitutionalist Army of Mexico.

[Jimbuna]

16th August

Belgium: Indecisive action at Wavre.

B.E.F. first contingent completes its landing.

French successful in northern Alsace (Schirmeck, etc.).

Serbian 1st Combined Division attacks Austro-Hungarian outposts on the slope of Cer Mountain.

Fort de Hollogne and Fort de Flémalle, the last of the Liège forts, falls

The Battle of Liège comes to an end with 5300 German casualties and 6000-20,000 Belgian casualties with 4000 prisoners.

Empire of Japan sends an ultimatum to the German Empire, demanding it must leave its colonies and concessions in the Far East by the 23rd.

2nd Lieutenant Evelyn Perry of the Royal Flying Corps dies in a training accident, making him the first British officer to die in France.

Italy withdraws its military contingent from Scutari, Albania to emphasize its neutrality in the war.

[Sailor Steve]

August 16

Adolf Hitler joins the German army. He will end up being a messenger, being wounded several times, and recieving more than one medal for valor.

Off the coast of Venezuela SMS Karlsruhe spots a merchant ship. The ship also sees them and runs northward. Captain Köhler decides that the risk of running into one of Cradock's ships is too great and breaks off the pursuit.

No. 5 Squadron RFC transfers from Gosport to Maubeuge. Last to arrive is Lieutenant Louis Strange. Strange had a life time of misadventures spanning two world wars and more. He won a couple of cross-country races starting in 1913, and his hard-luck story began on June 20, 1914, when he entered his Bleriot monoplane in a race from Hendon to Manchester. He won the first leg of the race, which made him lose the rest. The mayor of Manchester stood on one of the Bleriot's bracing wires to shake Strange's hand. Strange took off for the return trip, only to have the wire break, causing damage that forced Strange out of the race. His future with the army will be equally checkered.

[TarJak]

17 August 1914

HMAS Berrima, an auxiliary cruiser, was commissioned into the Royal Australian Navy. Berrima was previously known as SS Berrima of the P&O Line.

Members of the AN&MEF from Victoria board a train leaving Flinders St Station in Melbourne, bound for Sydney to join others aboard HMAS Berrima with the aim of taking action against German New Guinea.

The 3rd Light Horse Regiment was raised in Adelaide on 17 August 1914. Although most of its recruits were enlisted in South Australia, one of the regiment’s three squadrons was composed of Tasmanians and was raised and trained in Hobart.

Work of medically examining volunteers for the 10th Battalion Australian Imperial Expeditionary Force began at the Parade Ground on King William Road in Adelaide. The pay for a private was 4s a day and 1s deferred pay while in Australia and 5s a day with 1s deferred pay plus rations while overseas. Criteria included height 5 feet 6 inches and age between 19 and 38 years. Two men aged 34 and 36, both ex-servicemen, walked from Port Pirie to enlist.

A tent city at Morphettville was set up to cope with the expected enlistments. This followed a large gathering of some 20,000 people in Elder Park on 10 August where the Governor, Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Henry Galway, spoke of the patriotic spirit of South Australians. A procession of 4000 children civil servants and retired soldiers, with bands playing, had marched down King William Street where flags flew from nearly every building. More speeches from the premier and other ministers all added to the stirring of patriotic fervour. Although the leader of the Labor party asked for sympathy for the German colonists who, he said, were ‘all Australians’ this appeal was not in all cases adhered to and many Germans were in interned at Torrens Island for the duration of the war. In all about eight per cent of South Australia’s male population of a quarter of a million served overseas in the armed services.

The Hobart Mercury published this article outlining the Australian Prime Minister's Monifesto, which discussed the struggle for national existence and what Australia's part in the War should be: http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/10381637

The Battle of Stallupönen, fought between Russian and German armies on 17 August 1914, was the opening battle of World War I on the Eastern Front. It was a minor German success, but did little to upset the Russian timetables.

Russian 1st and 2nd Armies begin their advance into East Prussia, fulfilling Russia’s promise to its ally, France, to attack Germany from the east as soon as possible so as to divert German resources and relieve pressure on France during the opening weeks of the First World War.

The Russian 1st Army, commanded by Pavel Rennenkampf, and the 2nd Army, led by Aleksandr Samsonov, advanced in a two-pronged formation—separated by the Masurian Lakes, which stretched over 100 kilometers—aiming to eventually meet and pin the German 8th Army between them. For the Germans, the Russian advance came much sooner than expected; counting on Russia’s slow preparation in the east, they had sent the great bulk of their forces west to face France.

Renewed French advance, they take Marsal and Chateau-Salins.

Sir John French takes up his headquarters at Le Cateau.

12th Battalion, Royal Lancer's arrive in France. The intent is to operate this cavalry unit as a mobile strike force as part of the BEF.

Battle of the Jadar (between Shabats and Loznitsa) continued.

In Belgium, Government is transferred from Brussels to Antwerp.

Enrolment of Special Constables across Great Britain begins.

[Dan D]

Well yes. The planning of the Germans in WW I was according to the Schlieffen-Plan to beat the French on the Western front fast to then direct all troops against Russia. The Germans thought that Russia would need more time to fully mobilize its armies. They thought that Russia was harder to beat than France, obviously because of Russia's manpower. What Germany always feared was to have to fight a two-frontiers war in the West and in the East simultaneously That plan did not work out.
Russia mobilized its troops faster than „planned“ by the German High Command and began to invade Eastern German territory. It then became a reversed Schlieffen-Plan: first beat the Russians, then direct all troops to the West. This became possible when Germany made a seperate peace with Russia at Bresk-Litowsk, today Poland. But the troops then sent to the West to beat the Alllies in the West were not enough, even more so when the US entered the war in the West and sent fresh troops.


In WW II, you could say the Germans followed the same plan and did better.
They occupied all of Western Europe and tossed out the Brits from the Continent. So all according to the Schlieffen-Plan. Then they directed all their attention towards the East to beat the Soviet Union which was a bit over-optimistic. Smart minds in Germany at that time already knew that is would be impossible to beat the Soviet Union for Germany, just compare the sheer numbers between Germany and the Soviet Union.

[Jimbuna]

East Prussia: Russians defeat Germans at Stalluponen: Germans fall back on Gumbinnen.

Adriatic: Austrian cruiser sunk near Antivari.

All audiences for Pope Pius X are suspended due to his ill health.

Montreal millionaire J.K.L. Ross donates $500,000 (about $11.9 million today) to the government as war aid.

Heinrich Charles, President of the German-American Chamber of Commerce, warns that Japan could attack the U.S.

Serbian army attempts to retake the town of Šabac, occupied by the 2nd Austro-Hungarian Army, but fails.

[Sailor Steve]

August 17

Lieutenant Antoine Cesari and Corporal Roger Prudhommeaux, who had unsuccessfully attacked the Zeppelin shed at Metz on the 14th, are now on a mission to reconnoiter German positions in the city itself. Cesari's engine quits. Deciding that if he's going to be captured he should strike first, he glides over a fort and drops his bomb. Then his engine restarts, allowing to return home safely. Prudhommeaux also drops his bomb on the fort.

SMS Karlsruhe meets up with the collier Patagonia, south of Barbados.

IJNS Wakamiya is commissioned into the Japanese Navy as the world's first dedicated seaplane carrier. The Russian freighter Lethington was captured in 1905 and renamed Takasaki Maru, then renamed again to Wakamiya Maru.

[TarJak]

18 August 1914

ADML von Spee, C-in-C, German Pacific Fleet, recorded in his journal: ‘The AUSTRALIA is my special apprehension-she alone is superior to my whole squadron’.

Germans occupy Tirlemont.

French advance and cut line between Metz and Strasbourg at Saarburg.

Russian invasion from the east under Brusilov and Russki continues.

Austrians defeated at Shabats.

[Jimbuna]

German headquarters are moved from Berlin to Coblenz, on the Rhine.

Belgian government abandons their capital, Brussels, and moves to Antwerp. Foreigners are requested to leave the city.

Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Jr., fifth child of FDR, is born at Campobello Island, New Brunswick.

Austro-Hungarian Army launches a counterattack against Serbian forces near Šabac, but is defeated at the Dobrava River.

Serbian 2nd Army and 1st Combined Division launch their own offensive near the Cer Mountain.

[Sailor Steve]

August 18

German forces begin to shell the town of Haelen, where Belgian units are holed up following the loss of Liége. Haelen is quickly taken, and the Germans cross the Gette River. The main Belgian force is on the other side, and they hastily withdraw north to the Dilje River. The largest action of the day is fought at Margriethe-Houthem, after which the Belgians continue to retreat.

SMS Karlsruhe stops British freighter SS Bowes Castle. The ship's master insist that his cargo of nitrates is American, but since it is a war material Captain Köhler decides to sink the ship. the crew are taken onto Patagonia and Bowes Castle is scuttled.

[TarJak]

19 August 1914



The Australian Naval and Military Expeditionary Force departed Sydney on 19 August 1914; its mission was to capture German possessions in the Western Pacific and in German New Guinea.

This expeditionary force of 1500 men were embarked on the troop ship Berrima on the 19th August 1914 and after a short stay on Palm Island for training and acclimatisation proceeded on to annex New Britain. This was the first force ever to leave Australia with its own ships, under the command of Australian officers.

SYDNEY MAIL 19th August, 1914. Page 14. The call to the Commonwealth : Types of New South Wales volunteers On Saturday afternoon 1100 New South Wales volunteers, who are to leave with the Australian Expeditionary Force, paraded at the Agricultural show ground, Sydney, and were inspected by Colonel Holmes, who expressed great satisfaction with the manner in which they bore themselves. Volunteers have offered from all parts of the State, and as only 6420 troops are required as the quota of New South Wales for the Expeditionary Force of 20,000 many must be disappointed. The men who are full of eagerness, include many South African campaigners. (Source Mitchell Library Sydney)



President Woodrow Wilson addressed Congress and made public the U.S. policy of neutrality. During his address he warned U.S. citizens against taking sides in the war for fear of endangering the wider U.S. policy.

Germans reach Dinant-Neufchateau line and occupy Louvain; Belgians, defeated at Aerschot, fall back towards Antwerp.

French re-enter Mulhausen and push on in Lorraine.

Austrians' advance checked near Kyeltsi.

Kaiser's alleged order for the destruction of "General French's contemptible little army".

[Jimbuna]

End of Battle of the Jadar; defeat of Austrians.

Japan requests the US Ambassador in Berlin to take over Japanese interests in Germany if Japan enters the war.

Peruvian destroyer Tenient Rodriguez becomes the first warship to pass through the Panama Canal.

President Wilson asks the American public to refrain from partisan acts or utterances over the war in Europe.

Belgian Army retreats from the Gette on Antwerp.

First unit of Indian Expeditionary Force "C" [This unit, the 29th Punjabis, was the first to leave India for any theatre of war.] leaves India for East Africa.

Mustaufi ul Mamalek appointed Persian Prime Minister.

[Sailor Steve]

The Belgian retreat from the Gette River continues. Belgian forces make a stand at Aarschot, and hold off the Germans for several hours before retreating. Reports are made of Germans shooting Belgian prisoners and then executing 150 Aarschot citizens.

"Europe, in her insanity, has started something almost unbelievable. In such times one realises to what a sad species of animal one belongs. I quietly pursue my peaceful studies and contemplations and feel only pity and disgust."
-Albert Einstein, director of the Institute of Physics, Berlin

[TarJak]

20 August 1914

The German cruiser MAGDEBURG was captured by the Russian Navy, after running aground in a fog in the Gulf of Finland. Code books recovered from the cruiser were rushed to London, where intelligence experts matched them with merchant service code books seized by the RAN on 11 August, from the German ship HOBART, in Port Phillip, VIC. By November 1914 all German naval wireless traffic was being intercepted and decoded orders passed to the British Fleet.

The Battle of Gumbinnen, initiated by forces of the German Empire on August 20, 1914, was the first major German offensive on the Eastern Front during the First World War. Because of the hastiness of the German attack, however, the Russian army emerged victorious.

Brussels evacuated by Belgians and occupied by Germans. General von Lüttwitz appointed Military Commandant of the city of Brussels.

Namur bombarded.

Powerful German counter-attack near Saarburg and Morhange drives French back. French evacuated Saarburg, and after heavy fighting before Mörchingen. General Foch's 20th Corps fell back with remainder of Second Army.

British concentration Avesnes-Le Cateau completed.

Disorderly flight of Austrians towards the Serbian frontier

Taveta occupied by the Germans: Uganda Railway attacked.

Death of Pope Pius X.

[Jimbuna]

Senator Hitchcock introduces a bill that would make loans to belligerent nations illegal under current neutrality laws.

Canada’s Liberal and Conservative parties unanimously approve its stand with Great Britain in the war.

Germany launches a counterattack against invading French troops in Lorraine, forcing them to retreat.

Battles of Morhange and Sarrebourg end.

Longwy invested by German forces.

First British Order in Council revising "Declaration of London" issued.