100 Years Ago Today

[August]

25 April 1915.

The Gallipoli landings begin.

The main landings were made at 'V' Beach, beneath the old Seddülbahir fortress and at 'W' Beach, a short distance to the west on the other side of the Helles headland. The covering force from the Royal Munster Fusiliers and Hampshires landed from a converted collier, SS River Clyde, which was run aground beneath the fortress so that the troops could disembark via ramps to the shore. The Royal Dublin Fusiliers landed at 'V' Beach from open boats. At 'W' Beach, the Lancashire Fusiliers also landed in open boats, on a shore overlooked by dunes and obstructed with barbed wire. On both beaches the Ottoman defenders occupied good defensive positions and inflicted many casualties on the British infantry as they landed. Troops emerging one-by-one from sally ports on the River Clyde were shot by machine-gunners at the Seddülbahir fort. Of the first 200 soldiers to disembark, only 21 men reached the beach.

As at Anzac, the Ottoman defenders were too few to defeat the landing but inflicted many casualties and contained the attack close to the shore. By the morning of 25 April 1915, out of ammunition and left with nothing but bayonets to meet the attackers on the slopes leading up from the beach to the heights of Chunuk Bair, the 57th Infantry Regiment received orders from Kemal, commanding the 19th Division: "I do not order you to fight, I order you to die. In the time which passes until we die, other troops and commanders can come forward and take our places". Every man of the regiment was either killed in action or wounded. As a sign of respect, the 57th Regiment no longer exists in the Turkish Army

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gallipo...paign#Landings

[Jimbuna]

25th April 1915

Western Front

Second Battle of Ypres: Germans retake Lizerne; British repulsed at St. Julien.

Germans capture and lose summit of Hartmannsweilerkopf (Alsace).

Eastern Front

Severe fighting near Styrj.

Southern Front

Dardanelles: Anglo-French forces land on both shores of the Straits.

ANZAC troops begin landing at Anzac Cove on the Gallipoli peninsula.


Lieutenant-Colonel Mustafa Kemal of the 19th Division is ordered to defend against the landings.


Ottoman resistance is initially light, but the rough terrain of ridges and cliffs hampers the ANZAC advance.

Naval and Overseas Operations

Russian Black Sea fleet shells the forts of the Bosporus.

Political, etc.

Erasmus Darwin IV, grandson of the famed naturalist Charles Darwin, is killed in action at Ypres.


Herr Dernburg in U.S.A. outlines unofficial German peace terms.

Frederick W. Seward, Assistant Secretary of State under the Lincoln and Johnson administrations, has passed away.


Russian military announces it will not recruit any more horsemen due to the nature of modern war.

Edmund von Mach, former chair of art history at Harvard, says that Sir Edward Grey is a traitor & will be hanged.


Admiral Tirpitz is honoured by the Kaiser for his 50 years of service and is named the empire’s saviour.

[Sailor Steve]

April 25:

German East Africa: HMS Hyacinth patrols the South Mafia Channel to Tirene and back to Niororo Island. HMS Kinfauns Castle covers the area from Kibondo Anchorage to Aldabra Island. HMS Weymouth is still on station at the Rufiji Delta.

HMS Laconia departs Niororo Island at 0520 hours, and procedes to Kilindini, anchoring there at 0710. At 1010 one of the three Short Seaplanes takes off on a reconnaisance flight. Flight Commander John T. Cull and his observer, Air Mechanic Ebenezer Henry Alexander Boggis, find SMS Königsberg at the western end of the Simba Uranga, in the company of several small supply vessels. As they fly over at an altitude of 1200 feet a sudden downdraft forces the Short to 700 feet, exposing them to heavy fire from Konigsberg's 5cm guns. Cull is surprised at the German cruiser's condition. They had thought the ship was in bad shape, and in a deteriorated condition. Instead she looks as if ready for sea.
"She looked as though she had been newly painted. Her side-screens and awnings were spread, smoke was issuing from her funnels and in general she was looking very spic-and-span."

The Short's engine begins to falter, and after they overfly the wrecks of Newbridge and Somalia it quits entirely. Cull manages to land within a few hundred yards of Laconia. The plane has been hit several times and the main oil line is severed.

[Jimbuna]

26th April 1915

Western Front

Second Battle of Ypres: Germans pierce British line at Brrodseinde: French recover Het Sas; British fail to recover St. Julien.

British airmen bomb Courtrai and various neighbouring places.

Eastern Front

Austro-Hungarian troops make gains against the Russians at Uzsok Pass and captures Ostry Mountain.

Southern Front

Dardanelles: Hill 141 stormed and V Beach secured.

ANZAC forces fail to capture their objectives and only hold a 3.2km long, 790m deep beachhead. They are ordered to dig in.

16,000 ANZAC troops are now on the Gallipoli peninsula. They have suffered around 2900 total casualties today.

These below should have been posted yesterday had I have had sufficient time.





Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

Russian advance on Olty (Armenia).

Naval and Overseas Operations

Germans repulsed at Trekopjes, north-east of Swakopmund (German south-west Africa).

Aviation

For actions on this day 2nd Lieutenant William Rhodes-Moorhouse would become the first aviator to be awarded the Victoria Cross.
On 26 April 1915 at Kortrijk, Belgium, Rhodes-Moorhouse swept low over the railway junction that he had been ordered to attack. He released his 100 lb (45 kg) bomb and was immediately plunged into a heavy barrage of small arms fire from rifles and a machine-gun in the belfry of Kortrijk Church; he was severely wounded by a bullet in his thigh, and his plane was badly hit. Returning to the Allied lines, he again ran into heavy fire from the ground and was wounded twice more. He managed to get his aircraft back, and insisted on making his report before being taken to the Casualty Clearing Station. He died the next day, 27 April 1915.


Political, etc.

Lord Kitchener and Mr. Asquith on German barbarity.

Treaty of London is signed, which secures Italy’s entry into the war on the side of the Allies.

Ship Losses:

Recolo ( United Kingdom): The trawler struck a mine and sank in the North Sea 60 nautical miles (110 km) east by north of Spurn Point, Yorkshire with the loss of two of her crew. At least seven survivors were rescued by the trawler Sebastian ( United Kingdom).

[Sailor Steve]

April 26:

German East Africa: HMS Hyacinth comes from the south Mafia Channel to Kibondo, recoals from SS Corbridge and then moves to Songa Songa, where Admiral King-Hall entertains the local headman.

HMS Kinfauns Castle patrols from Kibondo to Aldabra and back, notes rain all day long but temperature still reaching 84 degrees Fahrenheit.

HMS Laconia is off Niororo Island. No flying due to rain.

HMS Weymouth maintains her constant patrol at the Rufiji Delta. At 1600 "Sent whaler to Laconia for fresh meat."

[Jimbuna]

In addition to yesterday 26th April 1915:

[Jimbuna]

27th April 1915

Western Front

Second Battle of Ypres: Allied attack north of Ypres checked by use of gas.

Eastern Front

German advance towards Shavli (Baltic Provinces).

Southern Front

Dardanelles: Allies establish themselves across the Gallipoli Peninsula.

Ottoman forces under Mustafa Kemal launche a counterattack against the ANZAC forces, but are driven off by naval gunfire.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

Russians expel the Turks from Kutur (Persia).

Baghdad railway bridge over Euphrates at Jerablus stated to be open for traffic.

Naval and Overseas Operations

French armoured cruiser "Leon Gambetta" sunk by an Austrian submarine in the Adriatic.


"Queen Elizabeth" sinks a Turkish t.b. off Maidos.

Submarine E14 sinks a Turkish gunboat in the Sea of Marmora.
Victoria Cross - Lt-Cdr Edward Courtney Boyle (CO, HM S/M E.14) arrived in the Sea of Marmara on the 27th at the start of a successful patrol, returning on 18 May in time to brief Lt-Cdr Nasmith of E.11. Lt-Cdr Boyle was awarded the VC for this and two further patrols.


Gallipoli Campaign
BALMEDIE, Admiralty trawler, 205/1906, Balgownie Steam Trawl Fishing Co, Aberdeen-reg A113, hired 8/14 as minesweeper, Admiralty No.350, Skipper George Reynolds RNR. In collision, sank in the Dardanelles (C - off); no lives lost.

Scorpion and Wolverine, destroyers, G-class, c,1,100t, 1-4in/3-12pdr/2-18in tt, 5th DF Mediterranean Fleet, two of nine temporarily-equipped minesweeping destroyers, sweeping some way inside the Straits to allow the battleships to reach bombardment positions, sweep wires passed and drawing apart. Turkish 4.1in shore batteries opened fire, Wolverine hit on bridge, Scorpion by shell in seaman’s messdeck which started a fire, soon put out; Wolverine lost Cdr O Prentis her captain, a sub-lieutenant RNR and coxswain (dk – on the 28th, probably night of 27th/28th). There were a few shrapnel holes in Scorpion (Lt-Cdr A B Cunningham - “ABC” of WW2 fame) soon repaired by destroyer depot ship Blenheim. Over the succeeding days, more destroyers were hit and damaged.

Political, etc.

Mr. Churchill announces that 29 prisoners from German submarines are separately confined and specially treated as a reprisal against the German submarine campaign.

London sees a shortage of whiskey, as people buy up stocks in fear that the government will institute prohibition.

Ship Losses:

HMT Balmedie ( Royal Navy): The naval trawler collided with another vessel and sank in the Dardanelles.
Léon Gambetta ( French Navy): The Léon Gambetta-class cruiser was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea off Santa Maria di Leuca, Apulia, Italy (39°30′N 18°15′E) by SM U-4 ( Austro-Hungarian Navy) with the loss of 684 of her 821 crew.

[Sailor Steve]

April 27:

"According to the papers, the Germans are making another dash for this place. There is certainly a hell of a row going on. We hear the guns day and night."
-Harold Rosher, No. 1 Naval Aeroplane Squadron, BEF, letter to his father, April 27th, 1915




North Sea: Max Valentiner in U-38 takes another prize - the Swedish freighter SS Torvald, 1,085 tons, carrying a load of wood from Niedewalle to Hartlepool. This ship will later be released along with Nidaros.



German East Africa: HMS Hyacinth patrols the south Mafia Channel from Kibondo to Tirene.

HMS Kinfauns Castle spends the day cruising north of Mafia Island.

HMS Laconia launches one of the Short floatplanes for another reconnaissance flight. This time the pilot stays well away from Königsberg, out of gun range but where the German ship can still be easily seen from the air.

HMS Weymouth, anchored off the Rufiji Delta, notes the seaplane flying over on its mission.

[Jimbuna]

28th April 1915

Western Front

Second Battle of Ypres: German offensive definitely stopped.

Germans bomb Dunkirk, Pervyse and Nancy; French bomb Friedrichshafen.

Germans storm French position at Les Mesnils.

Eastern Front

Very powerful Austro-German offensive under von Mackensen begins between the Dunajec and Biala Rivers (west Galicia). Russians driven back.

Southern Front

Dardanelles: Allied forces, aided by "Queen Elizabeth", advance on Krithia, 3rd Royal Marine Battalion landed. With Sedd el Bahr captured, Hamilton sends British and French troops into a general advance. They gain two miles but, meeting resistance, give in to fatigue. Continuing Turkish shelling renders the beaches chaotic, preventing or hindering resupply of these frontline troops. Hamilton's goal eludes him. (See map below).

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

Skirmishes east of the Suez Canal.

Naval and Overseas Operations

Gallipoli Campaign
Albion, battleship, Canopus-class, 14,300t, 4-12in/12-6in, above Morto Bay on European side off Kereves Dere, providing gunfire support for French forces, shortly after noon, about to be relieved by Lord Nelson. Hit and damaged by Turkish shellfire, leaking and retired to Mudros for three days for repairs.

Diplomatic Incidents - US merchant ship Cushing bombed by German aircraft in North Sea.

Atlantic off NW Scotland
Many supply ships especially colliers were needed for Admiral Jellicoe's Grand Fleet; some were lost as they passed up the western British Isles.

MOBILE, Admiralty collier, 1,950/1914, Furness, Withy & Co, West Hartlepool-reg, Mr W Fortune, Barry for Scapa Flow with coal. Captured by U.30 (Erich von Rosenberg-Grusczyski), sunk with bombs 25 miles NW of Butt of Lewis, Outer Hebrides (wi - by gunfire, in 58.48N, 06.50W).

Germans defeated at Gibeon (German south-west Africa).

South African Government publishes a Blue Book on the rebellion.

Political etc.

During the last 3 days, over 3000 Germans, 8000 Italians, & 1000 Austrians have left Switzerland as Italy’s entry into the war draws near.

British postal servants threaten to strike as the government refuse to grant them a war bonus.

War Secretary Lord Kitchener tells the House of Lords that Germany disregards The Hague Convention and has killed prisoners.

Germany prepares to buy 4 years supply of food, as Chancellor von Bethmann-Hollweg states the war might last that long.

Ship Losses:

Fuki Maru ( Japan): The cargo ship collided with Daichi Mari ( Japan) in the Yellow Sea off Hichihatsuto Island, Korea and sank with the loss of 30 of her crew.
Lilydale ( United Kingdom): The trawler was stopped and scuttled in the North Sea 37 nautical miles (69 km) east of St. Abb's Head, Berwickshire by SM U-10 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Mobile ( United Kingdom): The collier was shelled and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 25 nautical miles (46 km) north west of the Butt of Lewis, Outer Hebrides by SM U-30 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.

First Battle of Krithia

[Sailor Steve]

April 28:

Air War: French pilot Jacques Toussaint François Ortoli and his observer, Lt. J. Menj, in a Maurice Farman MF.11, are credited with bringing down a Rumpler two-seater.

Albert Achard of France, riding as observer in a Morane 'L' parasol, shoots down an unidentified German aircraft. Achard's pilot is also unidentified.



North Sea: Fritz Stuhr, commanding U-10, sinks the British trawler Lilydale, 129 tons, bringing his score to 6 ships and 1,425 tons.



Atlantic Ocean, off the coast of Ireland: Erich von Rosenberg-Grusczyski, in U-30, sinks SS Mobile, 1,905 tons, bound from Barry to an unlisted destination with a load of coal. His score is now 3 ships for 5,350 tons.



Malta: The two remaining monitors depart Grand Harbour. The tugs Blackcock and Revenger are undergoing repairs. HMS Mersey is being towed by Sarah Joliffe. HMS Severn is towed by Southampton and T.A. Joliffe. The collier SS Kendal Castle is following and the liner Trent is there bringing the monitors' crews along.



German East Africa: HMS Hyacinth spots a ship and heads seaward to investigate. It turns out to be the collier SS Corbridge, which had just departed Kibondo the day before. Later Hyacinth takes on stores from HMS Laconia.

HMS Kinfauns Castle is patroling north of Mafia Island.

At 1315 HMS Laconia hoists out one of the surviving two Short seaplanes. The aircraft is hoisted back in at 1430.

At 1410 hours HMS Weymouth logs the sighting of an aeroplane.



Saudi Arabia: After twenty days at sea Hellmuth von Mücke and his men land at an inlet eleven miles south of Al Wajh. Von Mücke had sent a messenger to the city, and his party is met by some gendarmes from the city. The gendarmes find some camels and begin to organize a caravan.

[Jimbuna]

29th April 1915

Western Front

Second Battle of Ypres: Artillery duels north of Ypres; Canadians withdrawn from the Ypres salient.

Germans bombard Reims and Dunkirk.

Eastern Front

Continued German advance in Galicia; also in the Baltic Provinces; Libau-Dvinsk railway reached.

Russians repulse Austrian attacks in the Uzsok Pass.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

Turks retreat from neighbourhood of the Suez Canal.

Naval and Overseas Operations

Submarine E14 sinks a Turkish transport in the Sea of Marmora.

The British admiralty collier Cherbury, bound from Barry to Cromarty with 5,100 tons of coal, crossed paths with a German submarine U-30 (Erich von Rosenberg-Grusczyski), on April 29, 1915, twenty-seven nautical miles west northwest of Eagle Island off Northern Island, spurring a 10-15 miles chase in which the German’s fired several shells and one torpedo at her as she zig-zagged in a futile attempt to escape. Finally, the German sub, apparently tiring of the game, came to within 150 yards of the steamer and signaled her to immediately abandon ship. Recognizing it as the courtesy it was, the Cherbury hove to and complied, thus sparing her entire crew of between 25 and 29 men. The German’s boarded the vessel, confiscated the ship’s papers and navigational equipment, and set three timed charges, by which they scuttled and sank her. The Cherbury’s crew rowed to Eagle Island Lighthouse that night and the next morning proceeded to Scotsport and Belmullet.

Political, etc.

Hundreds of thousands of respirators are donated to the British War Office after a public appeal was made after the German gas attacks.

Mr. Lloyd George announces the Government scheme with regard to alcoholic drinks.

Mehmed Selaheddin, only son of Sultan Murad V, has passed away.


International Congress of Women is held at The Hague, drawing over a thousand delegates.


Ship Losses:

HMAS AE2 ( Royal Australian Navy): Naval operations in the Dardanelles Campaign: The E-class submarine was scuttled in the Dardanelles following battle damage.
Cherbury ( United Kingdom): The collier was scuttled in the Atlantic Ocean 27 nautical miles (50 km) west north west of Eagle Island, County Fermanagh by SM U-30 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her 29 crew survived.

[Sailor Steve]

April 29:

"There has been some excitement here to-day. To begin with, three enemy aircraft came over here before breakfast, and then another between eleven and twelve o'clock. It was most comic to see our infuriated machines dashing off into the atmosphere in pursuit, with not an earthly chance of catching them. Soon after eleven o'clock there was a big explosion in the town and we all did a great leap into the air. From then, for nearly three hours, we were shelled with the greatest regularity at five minute intervals. We all climbed on to the roof of one of our sheds and watched through glasses the explosions, occuring to the second almost; big stuff it was too, 12" I should say, and fired from the back of Nieuport, quite 20 miles away. The total bag was 40 killed and 60 wounded."
-Harold Rosher, letter to his father, April 29, 1915



Atlantic Ocean, off the coast of Ireland: Erich von Rosenberg-Grusczyski, in U-30, sinks SS Cherbury, 3,220 tons, travelling from Barry to an unspecified destination with a load of coal. His score is now 4 ships for 8,048 tons.



German East Africa: HMS Hyacinth is patrolling around Niororo Island.

HMS Kinfauns Castle spends the day coaling from SS Cento and then dealing out stores to Hyacinth, Reichenfels and Weymouth.

HMS Laconia moves from Niororo to Mafia Island. At 1500 she hoists out one of the Short Folders. "Seaplane 121 exercising. Unable to climb to required height."


HMS Weymouth is at her usual station off the Rufiji Delta.



Saudi Arabia: Hellmuth von Mücke and his men ride to Al Wajh. They leave everything behind in the zambuk, carrying only their weapons and provisions for one day. The Arab sailors take the zambuk to Al Wajh, and as it happens meet no enemy ships. The Germans arrive in the early evening, where they are greeted by Suleiman Pasha, Sheik of Al Wajh.

[Jimbuna]

30th April 1915

Western Front

Second Battle of Ypres: Attempted German advance from St. Julien repulsed.

Zeppelin raid on East Anglia.

Eastern Front

German cavalry succeeds in getting around the extreme right of the Russian flank and conducts raids into the Russian Baltic provinces.
Germans reach the railway stations of the Muravievo and Radziviliski (Province of Kovno, Baltic Provinces).

Aviation

German zeppelins raid the towns of Bury St. Edmunds, Ipswich, and Whitton, destroying several homes.

Naval and Overseas Operations

Victoria Cross - L/Cpl Walter Richard Parker RMLI (Portsmouth Battalion, RN Division), to 1 May, Gallipoli, stretcher bearer, also carried ammunition and supplies to isolated position under intense enemy fire and cared for wounded.

Atlantic off SW Ireland
FULGENT, Admiralty collier, 2,008/1910, Westoll Line/James Westoll, Sunderland-reg, collier No.151, presumably Pennant No.Y3.151, 20 crew, Mr C Brown, from Cardiff south-about Ireland for Scapa Flow with 2,750t coal. U.30 (Erich von Rosenberg-Grusczyski) (L/Mn - U.7 but sunk 21 January 1915; ge - U.23) surfaced close astern at 0900 and fired one shot, collier went to full speed, attempted to keep the U-boat astern, but quickly overhauled on the port quarter, second shell hit bridge, engines stopped and ship abandoned. U.30 used the port-side boat to put a scuttling crew on board, charges sank her at 0945, 20 miles WNW from Blasket islands, N entrance to Dingle Bay (L/te/un - 45 miles NW of Skellig Rocks; wi - in 52.10.10N, 11.10W); man at the wheel killed and master badly wounded by second shell, 14 men took to the starboard boat with the master while the rest took the port, the boats stayed together all through the 30th and into the 31st then became separated during the night. The survivors, excluding the master who died two hours after being taken off, were picked up the SS’s Tosto and Angle, and landed at Galway and Kilrush on 1 May.

Political, etc.

German warning in U.S. newspapers re: sailing in "Lusitania".

King George congratulates General Sir Ian Hamilton for the “splendid achievement” of the landings at Gallipoli.


Ship Losses:

Elida ( Sweden): The cargo ship was sunk in the North Sea 190 nautical miles (350 km) east of the Farne Islands, United Kingdom (56°29′N 3°16′E) by SM U-38 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Fulgent ( United Kingdom): The collier was scuttled in the Atlantic Ocean 45 nautical miles (83 km) north west of the Skellig Islands, County Kerry by SM U-30 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of two of her crew.
Laila ( Norway): The coaster was sunk in the North Sea (56°51′N 3°09′E) by SM U-35 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Svorono ( Russia): The cargo ship was sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 14 nautical miles (26 km) west of the Blasket Islands, County Kerry by SM U-30 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
SM U-37 ( Kaiserliche Marine): The Type U 31 submarine struck a mine and sank in the English Channel (51°04′N 1°48′W).

MERCHANT SHIPPING
British, Allied and Neutral ships lost to enemy submarines, mines and cruisers etc in the month - 44 ships of 58,000 tons gross (Lloyd's War Losses).

[Sailor Steve]

April 30:

Atlantic Ocean: Erich von Rosenberg-Grusczyski continues his success in U-30, sinking two ships while making his way southward to the Western Approaches. First is the British freighter SS Fulgent, 2,008 tons, on her way around the islands from Cardiff to Scapa Flow with a load of coal. Next is the Russian steamer Svorono, also carrying coal from Port Talbot to Archangelsk. His score is now 6 ships and 13,168 tons.



North Sea: Waldemar Kophamel, commanding U-35, sinks Norwegian SS Laila, 748 tons, bound from Kragerø to Tyne with a load of timber. He now has 3 ships for 2,186 tons.



Max Valentiner and U-38 strike again, sinking Norwegian freighter Elida, 1,693 tons, travelling from Hälsingborg to Hull with a load of pit props, giving him 3 ships and 3,446 tons.



Indian Ocean: Approaching Zanzibar, HMS Chatham records heavy rain squalls.



German East Africa: HMS Hyacinth patrols the area, the anchors at Kibondo. The collier Corbridge supplies her with stores. Cornwall and Pioneer are also in the anchorage. Hyacinth communicates with the collier Lady Charlotte.

HMS Kinfauns Castle patrols the north Mafia Channel, then coals from SS Cento. The gunboats Fly and Echo are also in the area.

HMS Laconia travels from Nioroo to Mafia Island, where she takes on stores via her ship's boats.

HMS Weymouth continues her watch off the Rufiji Delta. At 0300 hours the captain has his Officer Of the Watch, Lt. A.G. Murray, arrested "...for neglect of duty in not keeping a vigilant lookout as OOW, the ship being anchored off the enemy coast."



Saudi Arabia: After a bath and a good night's sleep, Hellmuth von Mücke and his men make their first business of the day to have their clothes washed, especially the underwear. It is the first opportunity for a completely clean outfit in several weeks. Next they set about collecting enough camels for an overland journey.

[Jimbuna]

1st May 1915

Western Front

Second Battle of Ypres: Repulse of German attack on Hill 60; British ordered to withdraw to new line.

Eastern Front

Germans occupy Shavli and approach Libau (Baltic Provinces).

Austro-German offensive towards the Uzsok Pass.

Southern Front

Dardanelles: Turks attack the Allied line at Gallipoli.

Naval and Overseas Operations

Two German t.b.'s sunk by British destroyer in North Sea.

Union forces occupy Kubas (German south-west Africa).

American tanker Gulflight is torpedoed by the German submarine U-30, resulting in 3 American deaths. The ship survives the attack.


North Sea
Old destroyers Recruit and Brazen were on patrol off the Galloper Lightvessel in the Thames Estuary, while Yarmouth trawlers Columbia, Barbados, Miura, Chirsit were searching for a reported U-boat off North Hinder. Recruit was torpedoed and sunk at 1120 by a UB-boat, and about the same time a torpedo was fired at Columbia off the mouth of the Scheldt, probably by another UB. The trawlers continued their search and by 1500 were back at North Hinder when they were attacked by small German TB's A.2 and A.6, a new type based at Zeebrugge and sent overland in sections for assembly at Antwerp. Four torpedoes were fired and Columbia sank, followed by a 20 minute gun action between the TB's and the three surviving trawlers. The Germans then headed back at the sight of Harwich destroyers Laforey, Leonadis, Lawford, Lark coming out in reponse to the loss of Recruit, chased and sank both by gunfire:

RECRUIT (1), destroyer, C-class, 425t, 1896, 1-12pdr/5-6pdr/2-18in tt, 30kts, c63 crew, Pennant No.N.60, Nore Defence Flotilla, Cdr Charles Wrightson. Torpedoed amidships at 1120 by UB.6 (Erich Haecker) (Cn/D - by UB.16), broke in two and sank quickly near Galloper LV (Rn - c30 miles SW of North Hinder LV; ge/un - 30 miles SW of the Galloper), reportedly the first warship sunk by a Flanders Flotilla submarine; 39 ratings lost (He – 34, ke - 43), four officers and 22 men saved by passing Dutch steamer.

COLUMBIA, Admiralty trawler, 266/1886, Hellyers Steam Fishing, Hull-reg H42, presented (presumably as a private gift) 9/14 as auxiliary patrol vessel, Admiralty No.200, Canadian Lt-Cdr Walter Hawthorn RNR. Torpedoed shortly after 1500, probably by first torpedo fired by A.6 off North Hinder LV (ap - 4 miles NW of; D - nearby Thornton Ridge; H/L/C - Foreness, near North Foreland, Kent); total of 3 officers and 13 ratings lost, Barbados searched for survivors without success, later discovered one had been rescued by Miura. According to German reports, Lt Hawthorn and two men were picked up as POW’s, but lost when A.2 and A.6 were sunk.

Barbados, Admiralty trawler, (C - 211/1905; D - 183/1907), Hull-reg H.938, hired 10/14 as minesweeper, 1-6pdr AA, Lt Sir James Domville. Second torpedoes fired by A.2 and A.6 missed, then badly damaged by gunfire as Chirsit and Miura came up from some way off; Lt Domville and the skipper wounded. Note: The Colledge tonnage and build date apply to a second trawler named Barbados employed as BDV according to Dittmar & Colledge.

Political, etc.

Navigation resumed again between England and Holland.

Chinese Note to Japan requiring the restoration of Kiao-chau, and making other demands.

Ship Losses:

SMS A2 ( Kaiserliche Marine): The A1-class torpedo boat was shelled and sunk in the North Sea by HMS Laforey, HMS Lark, HMS Lawford and HMS Leonidas (all Royal Navy).
SMS A6 ( Kaiserliche Marine): The A1-class torpedo boat was shelled and sunk in the North Sea by HMS Laforey, HMS Lark, HMS Lawford and HMS Leonidas (all Royal Navy).
Balduin ( Norway): World War I: The cargo ship was sunk in the North Sea (56°58′N 3°15′E) by SM U-39 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
HMT Columbia ( Royal Navy): The naval trawler was torpedoed and sunk in the North Sea off the Noord Hinder Lightship ( Netherlands) by two German torpedo boats. Three of her crew were rescued by one of the torpedo boats, both of which were subsequently sunk by HMT Barbados, HMT Christi and another naval trawler (all Royal Navy).
Edale ( United Kingdom): The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 45 nautical miles (83 km) north west by north of the Isles of Scilly (50°09′N 7°30′W) by SM U-30 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her 24 crew survived.
Elsa ( Sweden): The sailing vessel was sunk in the North Sea 100 nautical miles (190 km) east of the Isle of May, Fife, United Kingdom by SM U-39 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Europe ( France): The cargo ship was captured by, and sunk by gunfire from, SM U-30 ( Kaiserliche Marine) in the Atlantic Ocean 3 nautical miles (5.6 km) north west of the Bishop's Rock (49°54′N 6°30′W). Her crew survived.
Joule ( French Navy): World War I: Gallipoli Campaign: The Brumaire-class submarine struck a mine and sank in the Dardanelles with the loss of all hands.
Gulflight ( United States): World War I: The tanker was torpedoed and damaged in the Atlantic Ocean 20 nautical miles (37 km) west of the Isles of Scilly by SM U-30 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of three crew and was beached. She was subsequently repaired and returned to service.
HMS Recruit ( Royal Navy): World War I: The C-class destroyer was torpedoed and sunk in the North Sea 30 nautical miles (56 km) south west of the Galloper Lightship ( United Kingdom) by SM UB-6 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of 34 of her crew.

German artillery near Warsaw