stevep
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Post by stevep on Apr 10, 2020 10:26:06 GMT
Very interesting here. Never knew that Austria had been willing to make concessions and in hindsight Italy was probably mistaken not to accept it. Also that suggestion from Falkenhayn about offering Austria Prussian territory. Think the only Prussian as opposed to German territory bordering the Hapsburg empire was Silesia. Which Prussia took from them back in the 1740's and is a rich industrial province so that is a hell of a concession. Some very intriguing what ifs here.
Steve
Well we will see the outcome in 16 days in the Treaty of London (1915)
Yes things go drastically different. Given how quickly Italy both drastically increases its demands, then goes over to the EP I wonder how realistic their suggestion of accepting concessions from Austria was.
Steve
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lordroel
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Post by lordroel on Apr 11, 2020 6:45:09 GMT
Day 258 of the Great War, April 11th 1915Western Front: Germans complete the installation of chlorine gas cylinders- The Germans have completed the installation of chlorine gas cylinders between the villages of Poelcappelle and Steenstraat on the northeastern face of the Ypres salient, and now await a favourable wind make use of them for the first time. - For the past week the French have launched regular attacks on the German lines at Vauquois in the Argonne, in order to draw German reserves away from the St.-Mihiel salient as the French offensive there continues. However, the operations against Vauquois have not only failed to distract the Germans, but have not gained any significant ground whatsoever. Eastern Front: General Ruzskii is finally dismissed as commander of North-West Front- At the end of March, General Ruzskii had finally been dismissed as commander of North-West Front. His replacement was General Mikhail Alexeyev, formerly Ivanov's chief of staff for South-West Front. Despite his former working relationship with Ivanov, he proves no more willing to co-operate than Ruzskii had been, jealously guarding the units assigned to North-West Front from perceived efforts to reassign them southwards. Today Russian army headquarters warns Alexeyev that western Galicia, in the area of Gorlice and Tarnow, might be threatened with attack. Alexeyev ignores the message, likely believing that it is simply another plot by Ivanov to steal more of his divisions. Though this area is precisely that being examined by the Germans, the warning is premature, given that Falkenhayn has not even decided whether to send more forces to the Eastern Front. Nevertheless, the irony of Alexeyev's non-response is telling of the muddle in the Russian command structure. Mesopotamia campaign General Nixon, the new commander of Indian forces in southern Mesopotamia, decides today to send the just-arrived 30th Brigade from Basra west to reinforce the defensive position at the village of Shaiba. Unknown to Nixon, the commander of Ottoman forces in the region, Suleiman Askeri Bay, has assembled a force of 4000 regulars and 18 000 Arab-Kurdish irregulars to target Shaiba in the first significant counteroffensive since the British occupied Basra and the surrounding territory. Their advance is observed by the Indian garrison today, and their British commander sends warning to Nixon that an enemy attack is imminent. Naval operations: German East AfricaBack in August when the Russians destroyed the grounded German cruiser MAGDEBURG, they had captured that ship's code books intact. Thanks to that, the British have known of SS RUBEN'S mission to resupply SMS KONINGSBERG. Admiral King-Hall is aboard his flagship HMS HYACINTH patrolling the area around Niororo Island with his other ships combing the area looking for signs of the German supply ship. Naval operations: Newport NewsSMS KRONPRINZ WILHELM arrives at Newport News where she drops anchor and ended her cruise, during which she steamed almost 60,618 kilometers and destroyed just under 56,000 long tons of Allied shipping. Photo: SMS KRONPRINZ WILHELM still flying the German naval ensign, interned in a U.S. port, April 1915
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lordroel
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Post by lordroel on Apr 12, 2020 6:08:28 GMT
Day 259 of the Great War, April 12th 1915Western Front: renewed French assault is launched at a four kilometer stretch of the German line west of MaizerayAfter several days of artillery bombardment, a renewed French assault is launched at 10am against a four kilometer stretch of the German line west of Maizeray. This operation was one of the methodical attacks promised by General Dubail to Joffre on the 10th. However, the advancing infantry make no progress whatsoever. General Augustin Gérard, commander of the army detachment that launched the attack at Maizaray, blames the failure on the artillery bombardment, which cut only some of the wire and left the Germand defences and artillery positions largely unmolested. Moreover, the prior months of 'stagnation' on this front had given the Germans time to establish a formidable defensive position, with wire barriers up to five hundred metres deep in places and concrete casemates to protect their infantry. Gérard's report to Dubail concludes that 'to continue to seek a penetration of the enemy line in this region with quickly prepared attacks, one risks . . . ruining an excellent infantry and destroying its confidence without [achieving any] results.' Eastern Front: Joffre sends a lengthy communication to Grand Duke Nicholas at Russian army headquartersJoffre sends a lengthy communication to Grand Duke Nicholas at Russian army headquarters today, in which he emphasizes the important of co-ordinating offensive operations between the French and British in the west, the Russians in the east, and the Serbs in the Balkans. If simultaneous attacks can be launched, the Germans and Austro-Hungarians will be tied down on all fronts and the possibility increases of securing a substantial victory. The French Commander-in-Chief also seeks to reassure Grand Duke Nicholas, in the face of German redeployments from west to east since November, that the French army has done and is doing everything in its power to attack the Germans. Ottoman Empire: Enver Pasha offers two Ottoman corps at the disposal of the Bulgarian armyEnver Pasha is eager to see a land link opened between the Ottoman Empire and Austria-Hungary, which would allow the free flow of munitions and supplies and relieve many of the desperate shortages now existing in the Ottoman army. As the conquest of Serbia the means by which this link can be achieved, the Ottoman War Minister writes to Falkenhayn today to offer to place two Ottoman corps at the disposal of the Bulgarian army, should the latter join in an offensive against Serbia undertaken by Austria-Hungary and Germany. Naval operations - Dardanelles campaignOver the past week the men of the ANZAC Corps have been arriving on the island of Lemnos, having been assigned to participate in the amphibious operation against the Gallipoli peninsula, and today the ocean liner Minnewaska, carrying the divisional and corps command staff, moors in the immense anchorage at Mudros. Mesopotamia campaign In Lower the now-expected Ottoman attack on the British defensive position at Shaiba opens this morning when a dozen Ottoman artillery pieces commence firing at dawn. From 9am through nightfall, the Ottoman infantry, aided by Arab irregulars, launch a series of attacks on the British line from the south, but are halted by barbed wire and machine-gun fire, and the British and Indians suffer only five dead and sixty-six wounded. To the east, the Indian 30th Brigade, is slogging through the ruins of Old Basra between Basra and Shaiba. With news arriving of the Ottoman attack, and an overland advance impossible given the knee-deep flood waters, General Nixon orders the brigade back to Basra. There they collect eighty boats, sufficient for brigade headquarters and the 24th Punjabis, and after 4pm begin moving up the river towards Shaiba. Though sailing under fire, they arrive at the British line between 830pm and midnight. Photo: Machine gunners of the 120th Rajputana Rifles, 18th Infantry Brigade, in a trench, Fort Shaiba, 12th April 1915 Naval operations: Saudi ArabiaHellmuth von Mücke and his men arrive at Rabigh; roughly one quarter of their journey on the Red Sea is done. There they hire a larger, stronger zambuk, as the one they now have is showing signs of strain. Von Mücke notes that they have seen no British ships at all, and wonders if his planted rumors of their travelling by land have worked. Given the events taking place at the same time, it seems more likely that the British are moving all their naval assets northward in anticipated support of the invasion of Gallipoli.
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lordroel
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Post by lordroel on Apr 13, 2020 7:39:05 GMT
Day 260 of the Great War, April 13th 1915Western Front: Reports have reached Joffre of inadequate preparation prior to the ongoing attacks on the St.-Mihiel salientReports have reached Joffre of inadequate preparation prior to the ongoing attacks on the St.-Mihiel salient, and he complains sharply to General Dubail that thoroughness is essential. Dubail responds tactfully to Joffre's concerns, but argues that the assaults should continue. Eastern Front: Falkenhayn and his staff officers have debated the merits of a major shift of forces from the Western to the Eastern FrontFor the past several days Falkenhayn and his staff officers have debated the merits of a major shift of forces from the Western to the Eastern Front, which would involve abandoning for the time being any thought of a major offensive in the west in favour of a similar operation in the east. Several officers argue that the most important theatre of the war is the Western Front, and that precious German reserves should only be sent east in the direst of emergencies. Falkenhayn is sympathetic to this line of thinking; indeed, he has long felt that, given the realities of space, a war-winning victory over the Russians is not possible. On the other hand, the detailed planning to date for an offensive on the Western Front has raised concerns whether even with the new reserve divisions sufficient forces can be assembled to ensure a reasonable chance of success. On the other hand, the army of Austria-Hungary is clearly in dire straits, and the most recent check of the Russian advance in the Carpathians was almost entirely due to the intervention of the German Beskid Corps. Should the Russians break through the Carpathians, German's only neighbouring ally could be knocked out of the war entirely, with disastrous consequences. This is to say nothing, of course, of how Austria-Hungary is to defend itself if it has to deploy forces from the Carpathians to the Alps in case of an Italian attack. With the greatest of reluctance, Falkenhayn concludes that the situation on the Eastern Front requires further German intervention, and that the strategic reserve being assembled on the Western Front will instead have to be sent east to undertake a major offensive operation to relieve Russian pressure on the Austro-Hungarians. Today Falkenhayn seeks and receives the Kaiser's approval for the redeployment eastwards. Mesopotamian campaign: Battle of ShaibaThis morning the heaviest fighting at Shaiba is to the west of the British position, where a large body of Arab irregulars have established themselves on a small rise in the ground known as the North mound. First a small cavalry force is sent to capture the heights, which is instead all but wiped out. With this result in mind, the commander of 30th Brigade orders a more co-ordinated attack, with three battalions advancing with the support of British artillery fire. By 11am the North mound is in British possession and, given that the Arab survivors are streaming westward, the opportunity presents itself for a cavalry pursuit. However, the cavalrymen are presently watering their horses, and the Arabs escape. For the next several hours the British battalions clear out several Ottoman trenches to the west of Shaiba before returning to British lines by 3pm. Elsewhere, Ottoman forces launch a series of half-hearted attacks from the south, which are easily repulsed. Photo: Mountain Battery at Shaiba - April 1915 Kamerun campaign The commander of German forces in Kamerun issues orders today to reduce the garrison at Garua to only one-and-a-half companies. He fears that a British advance could trap a substantial force in Garua; instead, he intends to hold the region via mobile columns that can shift rapidly to counter any axis of British advance.
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lordroel
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Post by lordroel on Apr 14, 2020 2:59:42 GMT
Day 261 of the Great War, April 14th 1915Western Front: German deserter informs the French infantry who capture him that the Germans intend to use asphyxiating gases in an imminent attack- Overnight a German deserter makes his way across No Man's Land near Langemarck on the northeastern face of the Ypres salient. He informs the French infantry who capture him that the Germans intend to use asphyxiating gases in an imminent attack, and shows the French a crude gas mask. Sufficiently alarmed, the commander of the French division participates personally in the interrogation of the German deserter, and passes the information to his corps commander and a liaison officer from Joffre's headquarters. - While Joffre agrees with General Dubail's request to continue the offensive against the St.-Mihiel salient, the French Commander-in-Chief today orders the removal of two infantry corps from the Provisional Group of the East, which has the practical consequence of ending large-scale French attacks. This effectively brings to a close the main fighting of the Battle of the Woevre. - For the past month, the German 11th Army has been planning for a major offensive operation on the Western Front. However, given yesterday's decision to shift the next major offensive from the west to the east, today Falkenhayn orders 11th Army and its eight divisions to the east, where it will spearhead the forthcoming operation at the beginning of May. As its commander Falkenhayn assigns General August von Mackensen, whose talents have been on display on the Eastern Front since the outbreak of the war. Eastern Front: Conrad arrives in Berlin to discuss the situation on the Eastern FrontThis evening, after a summons from Falkenhayn, Conrad arrives in Berlin to discuss the situation on the Eastern Front. Only now, two weeks after examination began, does Falkenhayn inform Conrad that the Germans will be undertaking a major offensive operation in the Gorlice-Tarnow region of western Galicia. Naturally Conrad is pleased, but there remains the thorny issue of the command structure. As the Austro-Hungarian 4th Army will be co-operating with the German 11th Army in the operation, Falkenhayn insists that the former take orders from Mackensen. In exchange, Mackensen himself will be under the direction of Conrad, though with the caveat that important decisions are to be taken in consultation with Falkenhayn. Mesopotamian campaign: Battle of ShaibaBy dawn today the British defenders at Shaiba realize that the larger portion of the Ottoman force has begun to withdraw. Unwilling to allow the enemy to retreat unmolested, at 930am most of the British force at Shaiba sorties in pursuit. The Ottoman outposts are easily overrun, but by 1030 the British reach Barjisiyeh woods to find the Ottoman entrenched. There follows several hours of bitter fighting, as repeated assaults on the enemy positions fail. Only by late afternoon, as both water and ammunition run low, do the Dorsets carry the first line of the Ottoman trenches. Exhausted, the British abandon their pursuit, and by sundown have returned to their initial lines at Shaiba. Photo: Shaiba Fort, overlooking the entrenched British Camp Naval operations: North SeaReinhold Lepsius, commanding U-6, scores his first victories. First is the Swedish steamer FOLKE, 1,352 tons, en route from Levanger to London with a load of timber. Next is the British fishing boat GLENCARSE, 188 tons, taken as a prize off Scotland. Last is the Danish cargo ship VESTLAND, 3,392 tons, torpedoed and sunk with all hands while underway from Narvik to Middlesbrough with a cargo of iron ore. Otto Steinbrinck, in UB-10, sinks the Dutch steamer SS KATWIJK, 2,040 tons, travelling from Baltimore to Rotterdam, cargo unlisted. Steinbrink had previously commanded U-6, without success. Naval operations: German East AfricaHMS HYACINTH is patrolling from Niororo Island to Mansa Bay. At 0410 hours she stops off the Kilulu Channel to wait for the sun to come up. At 0445 she moves inside the reef, then stops at 0450 when her starboard engine breaks down. At 0505 her lookouts see smoke. On closer inspection this turns out to be the German supply ship RUBENS. At 0530 HYACINTH opens fire over land, but RUBENS is out of range. At 0620 HYACINTH is close enough and opens fire again. RUBENS takes several hits and starts to burn. At 0640 HYACINTH turns into Mansa Bay. At 0755 HYACINTH sends a fire-fighting party to RUBENS. While they are fighting the fires the Germans are busy offloading supplies into boats and taking them to shore. At 0910 HYACINTH opens fire on the shore to stop the Germans' offloading activities. At 0920 Admiral King-Hall has his firefighting party recalled and at 0940 opens fire with 6" Lyddite shells, which are designed specifically to start fires and burn men. At 0950 he orders the Germans ashore attacked with shrapnel. At 1015 this is supplemented with 12pdr fire to destroy the Germans' boats. By 1030 Rubens has settled to the bottom and is burning from stem to stern. At 1045 HYACINTH departs Mansa Bay. Captain Looff's last hope of resupply is gone. At 0811 HMS LACONIA arrives at Durban. At 1145 she begins recoaling from lighters. Naval operations - Dardanelles campaignIn March 1915, British Admiralty agents hired the tramp steamer SS MANICA on sight, as she is perfect for the job they have in mind. Arriving at the Greek island of Lemnos today refitted with a radio, winch, a hydrogen compressor, and a kite balloon' and enters service as HMS MANICA. Photo: full view of HMS MANICA and here kite balloon HMS MANICA is an aerial observation platform unmatched by the Turkish defenders at Gallipoli. In a matter of days, spotters borne aloft from the MANICA will support landings in force by reporting enemy movements, directing artillery fire against Ottoman positions in the hills, and warning the fleet of any Turkish vessels approaching through the narrows. Photo: The HMS Manica‘s kite balloon seen from below during launch (left) and ascending from its bay (right)
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lordroel
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Post by lordroel on Apr 15, 2020 2:42:38 GMT
Day 262 of the Great War, April 15th 1915Western Front: German 4th Army designates today as the earliest possible date at which the planned gas attack on the Ypres salient- The German 4th Army had designated today as the earliest possible date at which the planned gas attack on the Ypres salient could be undertaken by XXVI Reserve Corps and 46th Reserve Division. However, throughout the day the winds are totally calm, and the attack is postponed. - At the start of the war the enormous pressure to increase artillery shell production led to a willingness to comprise quality in the name of quantity, by allowing automobile factories to bore out shell casings with a turning-lathe instead of an hydraulic press. While the new method meant significantly more factories could be switched immediately to shell production, the new shells have a range of problems. The fuses on some shells fail to fire properly; in January a German officer had calculated that 50% of French shells fired in a given day were duds. In other cases, faulty shells exploded prematurely; whereas before the war one artillery piece burst for every 500 000 rounds, by this spring one gun bursts for every 3000 rounds. Thus the issue of munitions production is not simply one of quantity - there is little point in increasing output if the resulting shells are defective. In response to the defects in French artillery shells, the government today reimposes the pre-war standard regarding the use of forged steel. Photo: 6″ Shell bodies being stacked outside a forge at Neptune Engine Works near Birmingham, England Mesopotamian campaign: Battle of ShaibaWhen the morning dawns at Shaiba in Mesopotamia, the Ottoman forces have disappeared completely, and such was their haste to retreat that they left behind their camps and everything from rifles to cooked food. For his part, the Ottoman commander felt sufficiently disgraced by the defeat that he assembled his officers and promptly shot himself in front of them. Indeed, the British victory at the Battle of Shaiba results in a growing disinclination among many Arabs to answer the Ottoman call to jihad; indeed, the retreating Ottoman forces are harried by Arabs for a hundred miles up the Euphrates River. The British, however, are unable to immediately follow up their victory by pursuit, the cavalry unprepared to run down the beaten foe. Indeed, the battle itself, for a time on the 14th, hung in the balance, as the British were held up by the Ottoman trench line. Even the British admitted the Ottoman soldiers fought bravely and resolutely, and only a last-minute bayonet charge by the Dorsets had been enough to capture the trench and turn the tide. Aerial operations German Zeppelins L-5, L-6 and L-7 continue the bombings over Britain. This time German Naval Airship Division Commander Peter Strasser is along for the ride. Roland Garros of France scores his second victory in his single-seat Morane 'L', shooting down an unidentified German aircraft. Naval operations: North SeaWilhelm Smiths, commanding U-5, sinks the small British steamer PTARMIGAN, 784 tons, bound from Rotterdam to London with a general cargo. Naval operations: Durban, South AfricaHMS LACONIA continues coaling in Durban harbor, takes aboard various aviation equipment.
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lordroel
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Post by lordroel on Apr 16, 2020 2:58:40 GMT
Day 263 of the Great War, April 16th 1915YouTube (Russia Fails In The Mountains - Basra Falls) Western Front: Belgian army passes on to the French intelligence that a German unit in the Ypres salient having received special training in the use of gasToday the Belgian army passes on to the French intelligence that a German unit in the Ypres salient having received special training in the use of gas. Despite this report and that of the deserter of the 14th, the French army does not believe the Germans will launch an attack using chemical weapons, believing the deserter to have been a plant and that the Germans would not so brazenly violate the Hague Conventions outlawing the use of asphyxiating gases. - Shortages of artillery shells are not the only problem plaguing the major combatants; artillery pieces themselves are often in short supply. As of today, the French army has lost 805 more of the vital 75-mm cannon than have been produced. Eastern Front: Falkenhayn orders Hindenburg at OberOst to plan a series of diversionary attacks- As preparations continue for the major offensive to be launched in the Gorlice-Tarnow region, Falkenhayn orders Hindenburg at OberOst to plan a series of diversionary attacks, to launched on the Eastern Front north of central Poland, designed to confuse the Russians as to German intentions and tie down Russian reserves. - Today Count Burián, the Austro-Hungarian foreign minister, formally rejects the territorial demands made by Italy on the 10th, and states that the most the Dual Monarchy is willing to cede above its initial offer of South Tyrol is perhaps a portion of Trentino. This 'concession' does not come close to meeting the terms required by Italy in exchange for continued neutrality. - Simultaneously, Austro-Hungarian army headquarters instructs General Franz Rohr, commander of garrison units along the Italian border, to concentrate resistance along the Isonzo River should the Italians attempt to invade. It is not the last time this river shall figure in the war . . Naval operations: Kepez, Çanakkale, TurkeyE-class submarine HMS E15 ( Royal Navy) runs aground at Kepez, Çanakkale, Turkey. Photo: wreck of the E15 inspected by Turkish and German personnel. Naval operations: Durban, South AfricaAfter more than a day HMS LACONIA is finally finished coaling. Naval operations: Bombay, IndiaHMS CHATHAM has an interesting entry in her log: "0800. Temperature 82. Picked up one corpse (male) and handed over to police." No other information is supplied.
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lordroel
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Post by lordroel on Apr 17, 2020 6:10:27 GMT
Day 264 of the Great War, April 17th 1915Western Front: two new British divisions arrived in France- In March Sir John French had refused Joffre's request for the British Expeditionary Force to take over the defence of the Ypres salient, citing a lack of manpower. By the beginning of April, two new divisions have arrived in France, including 1st Canadian Division, and the BEF commander has decided that he now has the strength to extend the British line northwards. For the past two weeks, the three divisions of the British V Corps have replaced three French divisions, a process that ends today when 1st Canadian Division comes into the line. The Ypres salient is now held, north to south, by the French 47th Colonial Division (from the Ypres Canal to east of Langamarck), 1st Canadian Division (from east of Langmarck to north of Broodseinde) 28th British Division (from north of Broodseinde to Polygon Wood) and 27th British Division (from POlygon Wood to south of Zillebeke. Map: A contemporary map of the Verdun sector. Note how the Western Front lies along the ‘grain’ of the terrain - As the British finish taking over much of the Ypres Salient, they also launched an attack just to the south, from a section of the line the BEF has held since the fall. In the flat terrain of Flanders, any rise in the land, however slight, becomes of great importance, given whoever holds in the ability to observe into and behind enemy lines and direct artillery fire accordingly. Thus it is with the optimistically-named Hill 60, which in reality is nothing more than a pile of earth taken from cuttings during the construction of the Ypres-Lille railway in the previous century. The Germans have held the 'hill' since the end of the 1st Battle of Ypres, and today, in an effort to dislodge them, the British explode seven mines under the hill this evening. Large craters are formed as a section of the German trench line is destroyed, and an immediate attack by 1st Battalion, Royal West Kent and 2nd Battalion, King's Own Scottish Borderers regiments manages to seize the hill and the craters from the stunned German defenders. Map: The Ypres Salient after the British take over most of the line, April 1915. Hill 60 is visible at the bottom of the map. Eastern Front: first units of the German 11th Army begin their redeployment by rail- The first units of the German 11th Army begin their redeployment by rail to the Eastern Front in preparation for the Gorlice-Tarnow offensive. - With yesterday's rejection of Italy's demands, the Austro-Hungarian foreign minster glumly informs Conrad today that negotiations will be continued only in the hope of delaying an Italian declaration of war as long as possible. Aerial operations: bringing down an Albatros two-seaterPilot Fernand Maximillian Leon Jacquet and observer Henri de Vindevoghel, in a Farman HF.20, bring down an Albatros two-seater. Vindevoghel fires seven rounds from his Lewis gun at a range of 30 yards, hitting the German pilot, Offizierstellvertreter Wilhelm Wohlmacher. Wohlmacher manages to land the plane safely before dying, allowing observer Hauptmann Bogislav von Hayden to be captured. This is the first aerial victory for a Belgian aircrew. Naval operations: North SeaKarl Groß in UB-4 sinks the Greek freighter ELLISPONTOS, 2989 tons, bound from Amsterdam to Montevideo with an unlisted cargo. His score is now 2 ships and 8,929 tons. Naval operations: Durban, South AfricaAt 1100 hours HMS LACONIA hoists Short Type 81 'Folder' S.122 aboard. At 1300 she takes aboard Folder S.119. Photo: a example of a Short Folder in naval service being hoisted aboard HMS Hermes in July 1913
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lordroel
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Post by lordroel on Apr 18, 2020 6:54:44 GMT
Day 265 of the Great War, April 18th 1915Western Front: Germans move up 19th Saxon RegimentAfter the loss of Hill 60 yesterday evening, the Germans have moved up 19th Saxon Regiment, and at 630 launch a desperate counterattack. Under heavy fire, and despite taking heavy casualties, the Germans are able to reach the British line, and hand-to-hand fighting ensued. By nightfall, however, a British bayonet charge has cleared their trenches of Germans, and, however narrowly, they remain in command of the hill. Aerial operations: French pilot Roland Garros shoots down his third German aircraft this monthOver the Western Front, French pilot Roland Garros, in his specially-modified Morane-Saulnier aircraft, shoots down his third German aircraft this month, demonstrating the effectiveness of being able to fire forward through the propeller. Shortly afterwards, however, Garros' aircraft is damaged by German anti-aircraft fire, and he is forced to crash-land behind German lines. Garros is made prisoner, and of greater importance his Morane-Saulnier aircraft is captured by the Germans. It will quickly be sent back to Berlin for study, and in particular will draw the attention of aircraft designer Anthony Fokker. Naval operations: Italy planning in the event of war breaking out with Austria-HungaryFor several months the leadership of the Italian navy has been developing plans in the event of war breaking out with Austria-Hungary, and today they are officially approved by the Italian government and transmitted to Duke Abruzzi, commander-in-chief of the Italian Navy. At the outbreak of hostilities, the Italian navy is to be based in the southern or central Adriatic, most likely at Taranto where they can be most easily reinforced by the British and French navies. If the Austro-Hungarian fleet comes south from its main naval base at Pola, the Italians will give battle. If the enemy remains at Pola, the Italian navy would remain in the south until called north to support the advance of the Italian army towards Trieste. It was at this point that the Italians most expected a major naval battle to occur, and the plan emphasizes the importance of maintaining the strength of the Italian navy until this point. This means that major warships of the Italian navy are not to be risked in minor operations; plans, for example, to seize islands on the Dalmatian coast have been abandoned. While sensible, the plan assumes that at some point, the main battle fleet of the Austro-Hungarian navy will put to sea and seek battle. The question, of course, is what if they do not? Naval operations: North SeaMax Valentiner, commanding U-38, takes as a prize the Norwegian freighter SS BRILLIANT, 1,441 tons, travelling from Fredrikstad to London with a load of timber. Naval operations: Durban, South AfricaAt 0800 HMS Laconia hoists Short Folder S121 aboard. At 1652 Laconia departs Durban for the Rufiji Delta. Naval operations: Red SeaHellmuth von Mücke and his men are halfway through their slow journey from Jeddah to Al Wahj. Every night they anchor among the coral reefs. This is done not with an actual anchor, but by taking the zambuk as close to a reef as possible, at which point two Arab sailors leap onto the reef and drive iron hooks directly into the coral. The coast on this journey is mostly unpopulated, but stopping among the reefs is preferable to the risk of another attack should they spend the night ashore. Naval operations: Kepez, Çanakkale, TurkeyPhoto: British battleship HMS Triumph's picket boat returning to the battleship after the mission to destroy crippled British submarine HMS E15, Dardanelles
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lordroel
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Post by lordroel on Apr 19, 2020 6:24:12 GMT
Day 266 of the Great War, April 19th 1915
Western Front: Joffre circulates a memorandum to his army commanders outlining the proper conduct of offensive operations
Today Joffre circulates a memorandum to his army commanders outlining the proper conduct of offensive operations. The objective of a major attack, writes Joffre, is to achieve a break through, and that once an assault has begin it is to be continued until the the German line has been decisively ruptured. This is to be done via continuous attacks, whereby pressure on the Germans is to be maintained by constantly sending more units into the attack until the strain becomes so great that the line breaks. The memorandum also compares the proper conduct of an offensive to a symphony, in which a wide range of parts have to work together harmoniously under the direction of the commanding officer if success is to be achieved.
Naval operations: German East Africa
HMS HYACINTH is patrolling the area south of Rufiji, investigates the bays of Keonga and Tunghi.
HMS KINFAUNS CASTLE spends the day anchored at the north end of Niororo Island, reports 78-degree temperature but rain storms all day long.
HMS WEYMOUTH is patrolling between Niororo and the Rufiji delta.
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lordroel
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Post by lordroel on Apr 20, 2020 2:40:27 GMT
Day 267 of the Great War, April 20th 1915United Kingdom: Prime Minister Asquith gives a speech to armaments workers in NewcastlePrime Minister Asquith gives a speech today to armaments workers in Newcastle, attempting to calm public and press concerns over a shortage of artillery shells by suggesting that the supply of munitions is adequate in present circumstances. Asquith bases his speech on advice from Lord Kitchener, who has assured the Prime Minister that worries over a 'shells crisis' are vastly overblown. The reality being otherwise, Asquith will come to regret his comments. Western Front: Germans reestablished themselves on the slopes of hill 60Preceded by heavy artillery bombardments, the Germans have launched repeated attacks against the British position on Hill 60 for three days. After bitter fighting the Germans have reestablished themselves on the slopes of the hill, with the British defenders left clinging to the large craters the detonation of their mines on the 17th created. Eastern Front: Italian government is drawn towards the Entente- From the outbreak of the war, when it declined to side with Austria-Hungary and Germany in fulfillment of its obligations under the Triple Alliance, Italy has remained on the sidelines. This neutrality, however, has never meant indifference; indeed, the Italian government has keenly followed the fortunes of both sides, for it has always intended to leverage its neutrality to secure territorial concessions. There is a powerful sentiment among many of the ruling class that Italian unification is not yet complete, as long as Italians live outside of Italy. This has inevitably drawn attention to Austria-Hungary; not only to secure the city of Trieste and the region of Trentino, but also to achieve a dominant position in the Adriatic and influence in the Balkans. Italy has already taken advantage of the war to occupy the Albanian port of Valona, and negotiations have been ongoing with Austria-Hungary over territorial concessions. However, even despite the intransigence of Conrad, Franz Joseph, and others in the Austro-Hungarian government, it was always improbable that Austria-Hungary would ever willing cede all the territory desired by the Italian government. Photo: one of the many Austrian fighting positions prepared in advance of Italy’s declaration of war This has inevitably drawn the Italian government towards the Entente, as the British and French are more than happy to promise whatever Italy desires to secure its entry into the war on their side. Since March 3rd, secret negotiations have been underway to find the size of the bribe necessary for Italy to join the Entente. The only significant stumbling block has been Russia - whereas Britain and France have no problem handing over whatever portion of the Balkans Italy desires, Russia has been more reticent, as it desires both to maintain its own influence in the Balkans and secure territorial acquisitions for its Serbian ally. The lands desired by both Serbia and Italy are not mutually compatible, and much of the focus of the negotiations has been on the fate of the Dalmatian coast and the islands just offshore. Generally, it has been the Russians who have compromised, for they have been promised post-war control over Constantinople and the Dardanelles by the British and French, and are not willing to endanger that pledge for the sake of their Serbian ally. The last stumbling block has been the date on which Italy will actually enter the war. The Italian government, on the advice of the army, has requested a delay until mid-May; the Russians, meanwhile, want Italian intervention as quickly as possible, in order to force Austria-Hungary to divert forces from the Carpathians. After personal messages from President Poincaré and King George V, this evening the tsar agrees to the delay, clearing the path for a final agreement. Photo: By the time Italian troops finally attack Austria, the defenders will fight behind minefields and belts of barbed wire Caucasus Campaign: Armenian Genocide When the Ottoman Empire entered the war in November 1914, its Young Turk leadership had sought to utilize the conflict to achieve their ambition of transforming the state into a revitalized pan-Turkic empire, seizing lands in central Asia from Russia inhabited by Turkic peoples. The crushing defeat at Sarikamish in January 1915 had destroyed these hopes, and in the aftermath the Young Turks had sought to assign blame to minorities within the Ottoman Empire, seeing non-Turkic peoples as inherently disloyal. The focus for such accusations had rapidly become the Armenian people, whose Christian religion had also told against them. Armenians had long been a scapegoat in Ottoman history, with widespread ethnic massacres occurring in the two decades prior to 1914. Further, though 2 million Armenians lived on the Ottoman side of the frontier in the Caucasus, another 1.5 million lived on the Russian side, which made it easy for the Ottoman government to portray the Armenians as sympathetic to the enemy. Map: German ethnographic map of Asia Minor and Caucasus in 1914. Armenians are labeled in blue. Over the past several months, increasingly harsh measures have been taken against Armenians. Those who served in the Ottoman army had been removed from combat formations and reassigned to labour battalions, preemptively disarming them lest they cause any trouble. In the countryside of the western Caucasus, and in particular the region around Lake Van, Ottoman police and soldiers have taken ever-harsher measures against the Armenian population, and by April massacres of civilians are increasingly commonplace. These atrocities have occurred with the knowledge and complicity of governor Cevdet Bey, brother-in-law to Enver Pasha - indeed, Cevdet's appointment to Van in February aimed to ensure that anti-Armenian measures adopted by the national leadership would be enthusiastically enforced at the local level. Photo: Armenian people are marched to a nearby prison in Mezireh by armed Ottoman soldiers. Kharpert, Ottoman Empire, April 1915. Yesterday Cevdet yesterday had ordered Ottoman police and army detachments into the Armenian-dominated city of Van. After several attacks on Armenian civilians, the Armenian population rises in rebellion today, and this uprising will provide the Young Turk leadership with the excuse to implement the policy they desired to implement anyway: genocide. Photo: Armenians in the trenches Naval operations: Bombay, IndiaHMS CHATHAM reports that at 2100 hours shore batteries open fire on three dhows entering the harbor. At 2200 CHATHAM turns on her searchlights to aid the batteries' targeting. Last fire is recorded at 2330. Naval operations: German East AfricaHMS HYACINTH probes into the Lindi River, Kiswere Harbour, Port Pactolus and Kilwa Kisiwani. HMS KINFAUNS CASTLE is still operating north of Niororo Island. HMS WEYMOUTH is still patrolling the Rufiji Delta.
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lordroel
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Post by lordroel on Apr 21, 2020 2:53:29 GMT
Day 268 of the Great War, April 21st 1915
Italy: Foreign Minister Sidney Sonnino, a leading voice for intervention on the side of the Entente, informs his colleagues
At a meeting of the Italian cabinet today, Foreign Minister Sidney Sonnino, a leading voice for intervention on the side of the Entente, informs his colleagues for the first time of negotiations over the past month with Austria-Hungary. He argues that the most recent offer from Austria-Hungary is not even close to sufficient, especially given that the Entente are willing to offer so much more.
Naval operations - Dardanelles campaign
This morning a heavy storm lashes the islands off the mouth of the Dardanelles where the Entente forces are assembling for the planned landings on the Gallipoli peninsula. Though the date for the operation had been set for April 23rd, the poor weather forces a postponement for forty-eight hours.
Naval operations: North Sea
Just off the entrance to the Firth of Forth, Bruno Hoppe, commanding U-22, stops SS RUTH, 867 tons, bound from Leith to Göteborg with a cargo of coal. The crew is allowed to abandon ship, then Hoppe torpedoes the freighter.
Naval operations: Malta
Captain Eric Fullerton is informed of upcoming plans for the three monitors. HMS HUMBER will stay at Malta to support the upcoming Dardanelles invasion. HMS MERSEY and SEVERN are to be towed to the Rufiji Delta to commence operations against SMS KONIGSBERG.
Naval operations: German East Africa
HMS HYACINTH returns to Zanzibar. HMS KINFAUNS CASTLE does the same.
HMS WEYMOUTH, still on station at Rufiji, recoals from SS CENTO.
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lordroel
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Post by lordroel on Apr 22, 2020 2:43:27 GMT
Day 269 of the Great War, April 22nd 1915Western Front: Second Battle of YpresFor the past two days, German artillery has been shelling the town of Ypres, but otherwise there has been little activity in the salient. It has been a pleasant spring day, clear with only a light breeze blowing from the northeast. However, the idyllic conditions are also ideal for the long-planned German gas attack, and a new terror is about to be unleashed on the modern battlefield. At 6pm the gas canisters are opened along the front held by the German XXIII and XXVI Reserve Corps, and in the evening breeze the yellow-green cloud slowly rolls towards the enemy line between the Yser Canal and Poelcappelle. Here the trenches are held by the French 87th Territorial and 45th Algerian Divisions. The French and colonial soldiers have no idea what the strange cloud approaching them is, and when it begins to seep into their trenches, pandemonium ensues. The chlorine gas blinds and chokes, the lungs blistering and filling with fluid until the victim, unable to breath, dies. The French and Algerians pay the price for the earlier dismissal of warnings regarding the German attack; the only choices they have is die or flee. Survivors flee southward, choking and half-blinded, presenting a terrifying spectacle to the British and Canadian soldiers they pass by. Photo: German chlorine gas drifts towards Entente lines during the 2nd Battle of Ypres, April 1915 At 615, the German infantry attacks, following in the wake of the gas clouds. In front of XXIII Corps, the gas attack was not entirely successful, and 45th and 46th Reserve Divisions have a hard fight before they are able to seize the village of Steenstraate, though later in the evening German forces are able to push across the Yser Canal at Het Sas. On the other side of the German attack, the gas is largely ineffective in front of 51st Reserve Division of XXVI Reserve Corps, and the right of 45th Algerian Division and the left of 1st Canadian Dvision are able to put up stiff resistance before the Germans are able to seize the village of Langemarck. In between, however, the attack has been completely successful. Here the gas completely routed the French and Algerians, and when 52nd Reserve Division advances, they encounter no resistance. By 640pm, or less than thirty minutes after their advance had begun, 52nd Reserve Division reaches the hills near Pilkem. They have advanced almost three kilometres, a stunning gain on the Western Front, and reflects the extent of the German accomplishment. The use of chlorine gas has completely shattered the Entente line, blowing a hole several kilometres wide between the Yser Canal and Poelcappelle. Before the Germans are little more than the fleeing remnants of the French and Algerian divisions. It is a breakthrough that dwarfs those accomplished on two occasions during the First Battle of Ypres. However, again like those two desperate moments during the first battle, when the outcome hung in the balance, the Germans are unable to fully exploit their advantage. Here the problem is simply a lack of forces: only a couple of brigades are available to send through the breach in the enemy line. No further reserves are immediately for two reasons. First, the impact of chlorine gas has exceeded even the most optimistic expectations of the Germans; quite simply, no one thought its use would open such an enormous gap. Second, the operation was never intended to be a major offensive designed to win a decisive and strategic victory. Instead, the attack at Ypres was primarily designed to test the combat utility of chlorine gas and distract the British and French from the flow of German forces from west to east to support the upcoming Gorlice-Tarnow offensive. Indeed, Falkenhayn had refused the request of the commander of 4th Army for an additional division to be held in reserve near the line; the thinking of the Chief of Staff was that given how the gas attack was dependent on the weather, he could not afford to have a valuable division tied up waiting for the attack to happen, and a significant exploitation of any success was not the point anyway. It is one of the few occasions during the war when either side will underestimate the potential for an offensive to succeed, and as a result the opportunity to drive to Ypres and inflict a crushing defeat slips away. Regardless, the surviving Entente forces still find themselves in a desperate struggle to hold back the Germans who are advancing. Along the Yser Canal the remnants of the French 87th Territorial Division, aided by the Belgians to the north, struggle to prevent the Germans from exploiting their bridgehead at Hen Sas. East of Langemarck, 3rd Canadian Brigade of 1st Canadian Division, on whose flank the Algerians had formally held the line, bends its left wing back until it runs south towards St. Julien in an effort to prevent the Germans from turned their flank and driving further eastward. Despite suffering from the gas, the Canadians recover from the initial shock of the attack, and in places are able to recover lost ground. In the gap, the first reinforcements to arrive are two Canadian battalions, the reserve of 1st Brigade and stationed nearby when the attack began. They plunge into woods near St. Julien and, massively outnumbered, engage in desperate combat and briefly check the Germans before being forced back. Other reinforcements have already been ordered to the front, but they are still en route at midnight, and the hole in the Entente line remains, a gaping wound that, to the eyes of French and British commanders, threatens disaster. Map: The position at Ypres at midnight on April 22nd, 1915, showing the extent of the German breakthrough seized this evening Eastern Front: Falkenhayn believes that surprise is vital to the operation's successAs the date for the German offensive in the Gorlice-Tarnow region approaches, Falkenhayn believes that surprise is vital to the operation's success. Should the Russians anticipate the German attack, he explains to Conrad today, the operation may fail. Naval operations: North SeaBruno Hoppe in U-22 captures and scuttles the British steam trawler ST. LAWRENCE, 196 tons. His score is now 2 ships and 1,053 tons. Max Valentier in U-38 sinks two Norwegian sailing ships - EVA, 312 tons and OSCAR, 766 tons. Both are travelling to Granton carrying pit props. Naval operations: German East AfricaHMS KINFAUNS CASTLE rejoins HMS WEYMOUTH at Niororo Island.
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lordroel
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Post by lordroel on Apr 23, 2020 3:07:21 GMT
Day 270 of the Great War, April 23rd 1915YouTube (Gas On The Western Front - Baptism of Fire for Canada)Western Front: Second Battle of YpresBouyed by the success achieved at Ypres yesterday, the German 4th Army orders further attacks today towards new objectives in an attempt to exploit their breakthrough. Meanwhile, this morning the first British reinforcements, drawn from reserve companies and battalions of 28th Division, arrive in the gap in the line northeast of Ypres, where they join the two Canadian battalions fighting since last night. Further reinforcements, including the Indian and Cavalry Corps, are en route. Along the Yser Canal, French survivors launch several counterattacks that, while not regaining lost ground, prevent the Germans from exploiting the bridgeheads won yesterday over the canal. The Canadian 3rd Brigade, with its left bent back ninety degrees, is attacked on three sides. It has already suffered heavy casualties and is still feeling the effects of yesterday's gas attack. German forces continue to work their way forward, especially against the exposed flank of the Canadians, and in bitter fighting the latter is slowly driven back to a new line northeast of St. Julien. In the gap itself, the mixed British and Canadian battalions fight desperate engagements with the Germans, and at 630pm attempt a counterattack. Again no lost ground is regained, but the forward momentum of the German XXVI Reserve Corps is broken. Still, the British and Canadians have been unable to restore a continuous front line, and gaps remain. Map: The line at Ypres at midnight, April 23rd, 1915  - German forces in the St.-Mihiel salient launch a surprise counterattack today against Les Éparges, though the French are able to initially hold the line. Mesopotamian campaign: new commanding officer arrives at Basra for 6th Indian DivisionToday a new commanding officer arrives at Basra for 6th Indian Division: General Charles Townshend, equally ambitious and self-assured. General Nixon, commander of Indian forces in lower Mesopotamia, issues orders for Townshend to take his division upriver, clear the Ottomans from their position near Qurna, and advance northwards to seize Amarah. Naval operations: Baltic SeaEgewolf von Berchheim, commanding U-26, scores his second victory when he captures and scuttles The Russian steamer FRACK, 849 tons. His first was the sinking of the cruiser PALLADA with all hands back in November. His score is now 8,624 tons. Naval operations: German East AfricaHMS LACONIA anchors off Niororo Island at 0740. SS REICHFELS delivers stores for the three seaplanes, which are hoisted overboard and tested by Lt. Cull and his pilots.
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lordroel
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Post by lordroel on Apr 24, 2020 8:12:33 GMT
Day 271 of the Great War, April 24th 1915Western Front: Second Battle of Ypres- After a short artillery bombardment, the Germans at Ypres launch a second gas attack, releasing the deadly clouds to drift over the British and Canadian lines at and north of St. Julien. From 5am the Germans launch a series of heavy assaults on the battered 3rd Canadian Brigade. Gassed for the second time, it has reached the limits of its endurance, and under overwhelming pressure fall back. After midday they withdraw 700 yards south of St. Julien, yielding the village to the enemy. To the east 2nd Canadian Brigade, commanded by General Arthur Currie, has to pull back its left wing, much as 3rd Canadian Brigade had done two days earlier. Map: The line at Ypres at midnight, April 24th, 1915, showing the ground yielded by 3rd Canadian Brigade today Still, though the Canadian line bends and ground is yielded to the enemy, it does not shatter. Even though it is only two days since the first gas attack, already countermeasures are being improvised. Soldiers quickly learn that chlorine gas, heavier than hair, clings to the earth, and that remaining in low ground is fatal. Similarly, running from the gas, by making one breath more heavily, simply makes one more susceptible to its effects. Finally, cloths soaked in urine negate much of the effect of the gas. Though the chlorine gas still causes casualties, it is not the completely unknown terror it was on the 22nd. Never again will a gas attack have the same psychological impact. At Gravenstafel in particular, the Canadian 8th Battalion makes a valiant stand and, though heavily outnumbered, fights the Germans to a standstill, preventing a breakthough that could have swept behind the British 28th Division east of Ypres and unhinged the entire defence of the salient. Again, though the Germans have gained additional ground, they have not won a decisive success, and further Entente reinforcements are en route. Photo: French soldiers using improvised gas masks in the 2nd Battle of Ypres - In the St.-Mihiel salient the German counterattack shifts focus slightly to advance southwest of Les Éparges, and achieves a notable success: the capture of four kilometres of the French first trench line, two kilometres of the French second trench line, and even a battery of 75-mm artillery pieces. General Dubail of the Provisional Group of the East reports to Joffre that the German success was due to the profligate use of artillery and trench mortars. Eastern Front: Chancellor Bethmann-Hollweg warns Foreign Minister Count Burián that the Austro-Hungarians can not count on any German military aid to fight Italy should the latter enter the war- At a meeting of the German and Austro-Hungarian leadership at Conrad's headquarters today, Chancellor Bethmann-Hollweg warns Foreign Minister Count Burián that the Austro-Hungarians can not count on any German military aid to fight Italy should the latter enter the war, and that such a circumstance could lead to defeat. The one hope those assembled cling to is that impending German offensive near Gorlice and Tarnow, if successful, will perhaps convince the Italians to hold back. Map: The ongoing arrival of elements of the German 11th Army east of Krakow, April 24th, 1915 Naval operations - Dardanelles campaignToday the harbour at Mudros on Lemnos in the eastern Mediterranean is barely-controlled chaos as final preparations are completed for the landings on Gallipoli. One by one the transports leave the anchorage, bound for a rendezvous either at the island of Imbros or Tenedos. The two destinations are a reflection of the plan adopted by General Sir Ian Hamilton, which calls for two main landings to be undertaken tomorrow. The first, assigned to the ANZACs assembling at Imbros, is to land on the western side of the peninsula north of Gaba Tepe, where resistance is expected to be light. After securing the beaches the ANZACs are to advance eastward to control part of the Sari Bair range before seizing the hill at Mal Tepe and taking Kilid Bahr, the high point on Gallipoli, on the second day. Meanwhile, the British 29th Division and the Plymouth battalion of the Royal Naval Division, assembling at Tenedos, will be landing at a number of beaches around the Helles tip of the peninsula. Though these positions were known to be well-defended by the Ottomans, it is hoped that naval gunfire will be able to overcome resistance. By the end of the first day these forces are to have seized the heights at Achi Baba behind the village of Krithia, and on the second will join the ANZACs in capturing Kilid Bahr. Once the high ground along the centre of the peninsula is seized, the Dardanelles coast can be clearing of enemy artillery and the minesweepers can finally complete their work. At the same time as the main landings, diversionary attacks will be made by the French at Kum Kale on the Asiatic shore and elsewhere to confuse and distract the Ottomans. It is a complex operation, and Hamilton hopes that by conducting so many landings simultanously the Ottomans will be unable to concentrate overwhelming force against any of them. In practice, what Hamilton has done is divided his own force such that none will be able to achieve its objectives. Caucasus Campaign: Armenian Genocide Cevdet Bey reports to Constantinople today that the Armenian rebels in the city of Van number four thousand, have barricaded themselves in the Armenian quarter, and are proving impossible to dislodge. As artillery is brought in to bombard Van, the Ottomans allow fifteen thousand Armenian civilians escaping massacres in the countryside to join the besieged rebels. This is not done out of any sense of mercy, of course; rather, the hope is that the more mouths there are to feed in Van, the quicker they will all starve to death. With the rebellion continuing in Van, the Young Turk leadership moves to implement further measures against the Armenian population. Talat Pasha, the Minister of the Interior, issues orders for the arrest of all prominent Armenians in Constantinople, while Enver Pasha, the Minister of War, sends orders to army commanders in eastern Anatolia to deport the Armenian population in those regions where they are in open revolt. The key dispatch, however, is a second message written by Talat Pasha, sent to the commander of 4th Army in the Caucasus. The Minister of Interior states that deporting Armenians to the Konya region, as has been done in the past, is no longer feasible, since concentrating substantial numbers of Armenians in such a location would simply create further problems. Instead, those Armenians 'whose expulsion from places like Iskenderun, Dörtyol, Adana, Haçin, Zeytûm, and Sis has been deemed necessary, to the southeast of Haleb, Zor, and Urfa'. The vilyats named by Talat are to be found in the Syrian interior; in other words, Talat is ordering the Armenian population in the region of Van to be relocated into the desert and left to their own devices. Naval operations: North SeaMax Valentiner in U-38 takes as a prize the Danish steamer SS NIDAROS, 1,024 tons. No credit is given, as Valentiner was later forced to release his prize. Naval operations: German East AfricaHMS HYACINTH returns from Zanzibar to Niororo Island. HMS KINFAUNS CASTLE is patrolling the Mafia Channel. HMS WEYMOUTH is patrolling the Rufiji Delta. At one point she secures alongside LACONIA, and then receives mail from HYACINTH. HMS LACONIA is anchored off Niororo Island. At 0910 she likewise receives stores and mail from WEYMOUTH. Naval operations: German Bombay, IndiaAfter several months in Bombay, at 0004 hours HMS CHATHAM is underway on a return trip to the Rufiji Delta. It was CHATHAM and her captain, Sidney Drury-Lowe, which first discovered SMS KONINGSBERG in the Rufiji River. Naval operations: Red SeaHellmuth von Mücke and his men are still making their slow journey north, hugging the shoreline and staying behind reefs as much as possible. He reports that the only other vessels they see are Arab fishing and supply boats. The occupants are in the habit of greeting each other with a loud howling noise. The Arabs in the other boats are always surprised when their howls are greeted by more than fifty voices doing the same.
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