lordroel
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Post by lordroel on Apr 25, 2020 9:21:16 GMT
Day 272 of the Great War, April 25th 1915YouTube (The Landings At ANZAC Cove And Suvla Bay 1915) Western Front: Second Battle of YpresEarly this morning the newly-arrived British 10th Brigade attempts a counterattack against St. Julien in the Ypres salient. The British infantry are able to advance right up to the edge of the houses, but are halted by heavy machine-gun fire. To the east, after five hours of constant fighting, 8th Battalion of the Durham Light Infantry is forced to yield its position at Grafenstafel at 7pm, but the extra day has allowed further reinforcements to arrive, and the fall of Grafenstafel does not imperil the British line. The right wing of the German XXVII Reserve Corps is able to push forward against 2nd Canadian Brigade, but does not break through. By this evening, sufficient reinforcements have arrived to pull the battered 2nd and 3rd Canadian Brigades out of the line, replaced by elements of the Lahore Division and numerous British battalions. The British have also reestablished a continuous front from the Yser Canal east to just south of Grafenstafel. The Germans for their part recognize that the opportunity for further significant gains is slipping away; 4th Army commander issues orders this afternoon to abandon further attempts to push west of the Yser Canal as now beyond their capabilities, and instead concentration on collapsing the salient east of Ypres. Map: The line at Ypres at midnight, April 25th, 1915 Eastern Front: 28th Regiment, composed largely of Czechs and on the Carpathian front tries to surrender to the RussiansThe decline of the Austro-Hungarian army is such that an incident today shows that some of its soldiers cannot even surrender correctly. The entire 28th Regiment, composed largely of Czechs and on the Carpathian front, attempts to surrender to the Russians opposite. Instead, when they enter the 'enemy' trench announcing their surrender, they find it full of German soldiers. One can imagine the reaction of the Germans to the surrender of their allies. Afterwards, eight officers will be executed for treason and every tenth men in regiment shot to teach the others a lesson. Naval operations - Dardanelles campaignMap: Landing of the covering force from battleships (red) and destroyers (orange) at Anzac Cove - In the dark of night the British and ANZAC landing forces approach the Gallipoli shores, and at 1am the boats are lowered from the steamers and the soldiers begin to transfer to their landing craft. These boats are not landing craft in any sense of the word; in most cases, they are simple rowboats, which are to be towed close to the beaches by steamers or destroyers. They wait until the full moon sets just before 3am, and begin their run into shore. Map: The Entente Landings at Gallipoli, April 25th, 1915 On the southern end of Gallipoli the British conduct their landings at five beaches: Y, X, W, V, and S running counterclockwise around the tip of Cape Helles. At Y, X, and S beaches, the initial landings have gone well, but the other two are nearly disastrous. Map: British Landings at Cape Helles, April 25th, 1915 At W beach, the shore is crisscrossed with barbed wire and Ottoman trenches, and the naval bombardment has not succeeded in clearly them away. When the Lancashire Fusiliers land, they take terrible casualties fighting their way up the beach. The worst, however, is at V beach. Here the British attempt an innovative means of landing two thousand infantry from the Hampshire Regiment and the Munster Fusiliers. The infantry are packed aboard the collier RIVER CLYDE, and the plan is for the ship to ground itself near the shore, at which point the soldier will pour out of several specially-cut exits in the side of the ship, make their way down gangplanks, and move ashore. In addition, eight rowboats towed by small steamers are to carry the Dublin Fusiliers to shore. When the landing is launched, it is a complete disaster. There are three complete lines of barbed wire and several Ottoman trenches and machine guns positions. When RIVER CLYDE hits bottom and the infantry begin to move out of the hull, Ottoman fire is concentrated on the exits, and fearful casualties are suffered, most never reaching shore. A similar fate befalls the men landing by boat, caught in the wire and shot down. Those who survive are pinned to the beach throughout the day, unable to make any progress. The debacle at V beach imperils the entire landing, and forces from S beach in particular attempt to push inland and dislodge the Ottoman defenders at V beach from landward, but are unable to reach their beleaguered comrades. Photo: The RIVER CLYDE beached at Cape Helles, Gallipoli, 1915 To the north the ANZACs are landing as well. In the run into shore, the first wave had gotten lost in the pitch darkness, and a midshipman commanding one of the rowboats decides, entirely on his own responsibility, to shift northwards and the others, lacking higher direction, simply follow suit. The landing boats also bunch together, and come ashore north of their target beach near Gaba Tepe. Instead, they land around the lesser point of Ari Burnu and the small cove to the south, which will shortly be rechristened Anzac Cove. The first wave hits the beach at 430am, and encounter little defensive fire from the Ottomans, the latter unable to target effectively in the darkness. The ANZACs quickly move inland, finding themselves facing steep cliffs and rough scrub which slows the advance; if they march along hilltops they are highlighted against the sky and are easy targets, whereas if they descent into the gullies and ravines they are hidden but also entirely lost. The outnumbered Ottomans, meanwhile, fall back and use the terrain to maintain an effective harassing fire. Nevertheless, the ANZACs are ashore, and despite casualties and the difficult terrain, elements are pushing inland, and by 930am a half company of 11th Battalion is reaching towards the high ground at Chunuk Bair to the northeast of the landing beach. Photo: Infantry unloading on the beach at Anzac Cove, April 25th, 1915 It was at this point, with the Australians, in spite of difficulties, advancing towards the centre of the peninsula, that the situation is transformed by the intervention of one man - Lieutenant Colonel Mustafa Kemal. Indeed, if ever a man was matched to the hour, it is he, and his actions this day will make his reputation and launch him on the path to become the most important figure in the history of 20th-century history. Today, Kemal is commander of 19th Division, inland east of Gaba Tepe. At 8am he receives orders to send a battalion against the ANZAC landing, but Kemal perceives that this is no mere diversion, but rather a substantial force whose advance must be checked if Gallipoli is to be held. He thus orders an entire regiment, along with a battery of artillery, to move against the ANZACs as quickly as possible. Kemal accompanies the force, and when he encounters other Ottoman soldiers fleeing and without ammunition, he orders them to fix bayonets and return to the fight. The imperative at the moment was to halt the ANZAC advance, and nothing else matters. He gives to his commanders the order that will become famous: I don't order you to attack - I order you to die. In the time that passes until we die, other troops and commanders can take our places.After midday Kemal's force drives into the advance elements of the ANZAC force moving towards Chunuk Bair. The ANZACs had hardly expected an Ottoman counterattack, and the complete disorganization of the landing forces, with fragments of battalions mixed up with each other, prevent any overall direction for their advance. Kemal's counterattack has been perfectly timed, hitting the ANZACs before they could entrench and sort out the organizational chaos, and the ANZACs are shattered. They are pushed back from Chunuk Bair and lose their intermediate positions on Battleship Hill and Baby 700, yielding the high ground to the enemy. The Ottomans are only barely held at the Nek, which nevertheless leaves most of the beach now under Ottoman fire. The ANZACs have committed all of their reserves, and the numbers of wounded grow. Indeed, some of the wounded 'evacuated' to the beach are shot a second time as they wait to be taken offshore. This evening the ANZAC commander warns General Hamilton that their position may not be tenable if the Ottomans push hard again tomorrow. Hamilton's response is that the ANZACs must hold on - an evacuation would surely be a greater catastrophe - and famously writes 'You have got through the difficult business, now you have only to dig, dig, dig, until you are safe.' In future the ANZACs will come to call themselves 'diggers' Map: The disposition of Ottoman forces during the Entente landings, April 25th, 1915 On the Asiatic shore the French diversionary attack goes ashore at 930am, far too late to actually distract the Ottomans from the main landings which are already underway on Gallipoli. The French skirmish with Ottoman forces and take five hundred prisoners, but otherwise accomplish nothing of significance. On Gallipoli itself, the British and ANZACs are ashore, but otherwise their situation is tenuous at best. At Cape Helles the failure at V beach has completely upset General Hamilton's plan; instead of pushing inward, they are still struggling to get off the beach itself. To the north, the ANZACs have been pushed back into a narrow beachhead, contained by the perfectly-timed counterattack led by Mustafa Kemal. It is only the first day and the Entente plan has gone badly off the rails. - As the British and ANZACs land and die at Gallipoli, the Russian navy decides to make an appearance, bombarding the Ottoman forts at the entrance to the Bosphorus. The attack makes no real difference, in line with the Russian contribution to the Dardanelles campaign to date. - Meanwhile, amidst growing concern over the situation in the Aegean, and increasingly frustrated with the hesitancy of the Austro-Hungarian navy, the German navy has decided to dispatch U21, an ocean-going submarine, to the Mediterranean to attack the British and French warships off the Dardanelles. As U21 does not have the range to reach the Aegean on its own, a supply ship has been been chartered from a port in northern Spain and will rendezvous with the submarine to allow it to refuel. Naval operations: German East AfricaHMS 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 proceeds 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 KONINGSBERG 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 KONINGSBERG'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.
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lordroel
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Post by lordroel on Apr 26, 2020 6:48:45 GMT
Day 273 of the Great War, April 26th 1915Western Front: Second Battle of Ypres- At Ypres the French line near the Yser Canal has been reinforced by elements of 152nd and 153rd Divisions, and a French counterattack against the German bridgeheads over the Yser Canal is able to retake the village of Het Sas, though the Germans remain in control of the locks. To the east a major British counterattack by the Lahore Division and the Northumberland Brigade is launched at St. Julien, but the infantry quickly run into a hail of German rifle and artillery fire. The British take heavy losses - the Northumberland Brigade alone suffers almost two thousand casualties - and are able to make no progress. There is also heavy fighting near Grafenstafel, while German attacks are able to make incremental gains near Broodseinde. Map: The line at Ypres at midnight, April 26th, 1915 Eastern Front: Treaty of London- Despite every attempt at secrecy, the German buildup near Gorlice and Tarnow has simply been too substantial to hide completely. Further, the local population in the region is strongly pro-Russian; indeed, Colonel Seeckt, Chief of Staff of the German 11th Army, has wanted to deport the entire population to prevent news reaching the Russians. Nevertheless, the chief of staff of the Russian 3rd Army reports to South-West Front today that indications are that German forces intend to break through east of Krakow, or exactly where they intend to attack. - At 3pm this afternoon, the ambassadors of France, Russia and Italy meet British Foreign Secretary Sir Edward Grey at the Foreign Office in London, where they sign the treaty that pledges Italy to join the war on the side of the Entente. Territorially, the Italian government has achieved its aims - in exchange for entering the war within one month, Italy is to receive the Trentino and South Tyrol up to the Brenner Pass, the city of Trieste and the surrounding region, including all of Istria, northern Dalmatia, and a number of islands off the coast, as well the Albanian city of Valona. Further, the rest of the Dalmatian coast, though it is to be awarded to Serbia, is to be militarily neutralized, leaving Italy the dominant power in the Adriatic. At the ceremony, the Russian ambassador is particularly somber, as he recognizes that the treaty is a defeat for Slavic interests in the Balkans, and thus by extension a blow to Russian prestige. However, both Britain and France have stated in secret notes to the Russian government that Italy's entrance into the war does not effect their pledge of the Straits to Russia, and this, from the Russian perspective, is the more important war aim. Having reaching the diplomatic agreement, the Italian government is now faced with ensuring that parliamentary and public opinion will support the decision for war. This will be no easy task - former Prime Minister Giovanni Giolitti supports neutrality, and reports received today by current Prime Minister Antonio Salandra from fifty prefects indicate that a solid majority of the Italian public, especially in the south, backs continued neutrality. Map: The territories of Austria-Hungary promised to Italy in the London Treaty Naval operations - Dardanelles campaign- At Gallipoli the ANZACs are able to turn back a heavy Ottoman counterattack, with heavy naval gunfire decimating enemy infantry advancing down the face of Battleship Hill. Otherwise, however, the ANZACs are unable to expand their narrow beachhead, and they take their commander's words to heart and dig trenches into the rough terrain. To the south, the landing at Y beach has come to grief; advancing inland, they are taken in flank and fall back to the shore. The decision is taken to evacuate Y beach, which is successful under the covering fire of the pre-dreadnoughts offshore. However, the failure to advance rapidly at Y beach yesterday had thrown away a golden opportunity to strike behind the Ottoman defences holding the British at the tip of Cape Helles, and the evacuation allows the Ottomans to concentrate against the remaining beaches. Furthest south at V beach, the news is somewhat better; after a terrible day of fighting, the Dublin and Munster Fusiliers are able to seize the Ottoman trenches at 2pm and capture Sedd el Bahr and Hill 141 to the north. The British infantry, however, are exhausted, and General Aylmer Hunter-Weston, commander of the British 29th Division, orders them to entrench against a feared Ottoman counterattack. In practice, the halt gives the Ottomans time to bring up additional reinforcements. As for the Asiatic shore, at 740am General Hamilton instructs General Albert d'Amade, commander of the French forces assigned to the Gallipoli invasion, to send those of his units not committed to the diversionary landing at Kum Kale to land at X Beach on Cape Helles. D'Amade, who had hoped that the Kum Kale operation might be expanded, now realizes that it has accomplished all it possibly (i.e. very little), and at 1130 requests that the French force on the Asiatic show be withdrawn, to which Hamilton agrees. Naval operations: German East AfricaHMS 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."
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lordroel
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Post by lordroel on Apr 27, 2020 7:24:09 GMT
Day 274 of the Great War, April 27th 1915Western Front: Second Battle of YpresAt Ypres the commander of the German XXVI Corps decides that there are too few gas cylinders available for immediate use, and thus calls off further offensive operations for the time being until additional gas cylinders can be installed. Though occasional British and French counterattacks occur (accomplishing nothing), a pause ensues in the 2nd Battle of Ypres. Eastern Front: northern end of the Eastern Front has been comparatively quiet over the past few months- The northern end of the Eastern Front has been comparatively quiet over the past few months, in contrast to the Winter Battle of the Masurian Lakes just to the south and the terrible fighting in the Carpathians beyond. Falkenhayn, however, has issued orders for OberOst to conduct diversionary operations prior to 11th Army's attack at Gorlice-Tarnow, and Ludendorff has decided that the most substantial of these operations is to occur here. Three cavalry divisions - 3rd, 6th, and Bavarian - are to spearhead the advance, supported by 6th, 36th, and 78th Reserve Division. These forces have been formed into Army Group Lauenstein, named for its commander, General Otto von Lauenstein. Their objective is the conquest of Courland, a sparsely populated region west of Riga and north of the Niemen River. Here, with an almost complete lack of infrastructure, the front has been sparsely held by both sides, and the Russian defence is anchored around strong-points scattered about ten miles apart. The lack of defence in depth gives space for cavalry to operate, and when the German advance begins today both 3rd and Bavarian Cavalry Divisions in particular are able to make rapid progress into the gaps in the Russian line. - General Ivanov of South-West Front submits his plan to Russian army headquarters today for a resumption of offensive operations in the Carpathians. He intends to insert 11th Army between 8th and 9th Armies, and advance along the line Turka-Nagy-Verecke. Grand Duke Nicholas insists on several changes to Ivanov's plan, including the deploying of XXXIII Corps closer to the front. Ivanov complies, and states that the attack will be scheduled to begin May 3rd. As it turns out, a day too late. - The negotiations that led to the Treaty of London between Italy, Britain, France, and Russia, as well as the signing ceremony yesterday, were undertaken in secret. However, the French delegation in particular has leaked like a sieve, news of the agreement spreading from cabinet members to friends and journalists - indeed, the dressmaker to the wife of President Poincaré is even in on the secret. Thus it is little surprise that the French newspaper Le Temps announces today that 'the London negotiations have virtually terminated in an accord.' Nothing like giving the enemy four weeks' notice of an impending declaration of war. Meanwhile, reverberations from the Treaty of London ripple across Europe. In Serbia the national parliament debates rumours of the agreement amidst concerns that Serbia's allies have sold out its interests in yielding to Italy's territorial demands along the Adriatic coast. The most Premier Nikola Pašić can say is that he has no information on the matter, which hardly reassures the parliamentary deputies, and criticism mounts that he has failed to defend Serbian interests. - On the Austro-Hungarian side of the frontier with Italy, construction begins on the defensive line along the Isonzo River, which will be much-utilized in the years to come. Naval operations - Dardanelles campaignOn the Asiatic shore of the Dardanelles, the French evacuation from Kum Kale is completed before daybreak. French casualties for the two days of fighting amount to 780, and while Ottoman losses were greater, the landing did not otherwise impact the course of the fighting on Gallipoli. At Cape Helles, General Hunter-Weston had hoped that the French reinforcements ordered yesterday by General Hamilton to land at X Beach would arrive before noon today, allowing for a general advance towards the village of Krithia and the heights at Achi Baba, which was supposed to have been captured on the first day of the operation. However, a shortage of steamboats delay the landing, which in turn forces a postponement of the advance until tomorrow. Map: Kum Kale, 1915 As the Gallipoli operation is already significantly behind schedule, General Hamilton concludes that reinforcements will be necessary to secure control of the peninsula. Late this evening he sends a message to Lord Kitchener asking for 42nd (East Lancashire) Division, currently in Egypt defending the Suez Canal, to be reassigned to his command, which the Secretary of War enthusiastically endorses. On the other side, German General Liman Sanders, commander of the Ottoman 5th Army tasked with defending Gallipoli, has been rushing forces to meet the Entente landings. By this evening all of the Ottoman forces that had been defending the beaches near Bulair on the northern end of the peninsula have been sent southwards. Reinforcements are also en route from the Asiatic side of the Dardanelles, and two fresh divisions - 15th and 16th - have departed Constantinople for the front. Closer to the front than Entente reinforcements, and able to arrive without having to co-ordinate shipping, the Ottomans are able to get new forces to the lines on Gallipoli faster than the British and French. Photo: Ottoman machine-gun teams equipped with MG 08s Mesopotamian campaignAfter a reconnaissance of Qurna and conferring with officers there, General Townshend reports to General Nixon that the latter's original plan for an attack north of Qurna via a tactical outflanking maneouver was not feasible due to the flooded terrain. Instead, Townshend suggests advance through Ahwaz, which would force the Ottomans out of their position to avoid encirclement. Such an operation, however, would require traversing Persian territory, which does not endear it to Nixon. u]Naval operations: North Sea[/u] 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. u]Naval operations: German East Africa[/u] 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 KONINGSBERG, 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.
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lordroel
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Post by lordroel on Apr 28, 2020 2:46:32 GMT
Day 275 of the Great War, April 28th 1915Eastern Front: German 3rd and Bavarian Cavalry Divisions covers seventy-five kilometres in forty-eight hoursIn Courland the German 3rd and Bavarian Cavalry Divisions have covered seventy-five kilometres in the past forty-eight hours and reached the town of Kielmy. With German forces streaming through the porous front, the main body of the Russian army in Courland withdraws past Kielmy. Naval operations - Dardanelles campaignOn Cape Helles the Entente forces launch their first major push northwards today. Given the exhaustion of his forces after three days of constant combat, General Hunter-Weston of 29th Division has ordered a limited advance designed to seize Krithia and secure positions from which the high ground at Achi Baba can be seized in a subsequent attack. After a preliminary bombardment undertaken by two artillery batteries and warships offshore, the British 87th and 88th Brigades, as well as the French 175th Regiment, climb out of their trenches and begin their advance. They encounter heavy Ottoman resistance, and further the rough and unfamiliar terrain serves to disorientate and split adjacent battalions from each other. The result is command chaos, with no one on the Entente side having any real idea what was happening. This included Hunter-Weston himself, who finally landed his headquarters this morning but lacked radio or telephone communications with his forward units. Units of the 87th Brigade manage to reach within a kilometre of Krithia, but unsupported on either flank (the adjacent units had gotten lost or repulsed), were forced to retire. At the end of the day, all the attack accomplishes is to straighten out the Entente line - Krithia remains firmly in Ottoman hands - while the British and French suffer 2000 and 1200 casualties respectively. Thus ends the First Battle of Krithia; it will not be the last. Map: Cape Helles landing beachesNaval operations: North SeaFritz Stuhr, commanding U-10, sinks the British trawler LILYDALE, 129 tons, bringing his score to 6 ships and 1,425 tons. u]Naval operations: Atlantic Ocean, off the coast of Ireland[/u] 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. Naval operations: MaltaThe two remaining monitors depart Grand Harbour. The tugs BLACKCOOK 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 KENDALL CASTLE is following and the liner Trent is there bringing the monitors' crews along. u]Naval operations: German East Africa[/u] 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 paroling 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. Naval operations: Saudi ArabiaTwenty days after departing Djidda by sea aboard a zambuk, Emden's landing party arrives at Sherm Munnaiburra, a sheltered bay approximately ten miles south of El Wegh, their intended destination. These last ten miles, however are over open seas, and they will be beyond the protection of the reefs which have kept larger enemy warships at bay. Unwilling to risk capture, the Germans disembark and prepare to journey overland to El Wegh.
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lordroel
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Post by lordroel on Apr 29, 2020 7:07:59 GMT
Day 276 of the Great War, April 29th 1915
Eastern Front: German 11th Army completes its deployment near Gorlice
- Today the German 11th Army completes its deployment near Gorlice, with the German Guards, VI, XXXXI Reserve, and X Corps arranged north to south from Ciezkowice to Ropica Ruska. To the north, the Austro-Hungarian 4th Army west of Tarnow deploys a further six infantry divisions and is to be under the operational command of General Mackensen. Elaborate measures have been taken to maintain secrecy about the German deployment. The trains carrying the corps eastward were routed through rail lines in northern Germany, to give the appearance they were destined for East Prussia. Further, German formations took over their parts of the line only at night, to avoid Russian observation, and German staff officers surveying the front even wore Austro-Hungarian uniforms, lest the Russians notice and become suspicious.
The final attack orders are issued today by Mackensen to his corps commanders, with the attack scheduled to begin May 2nd. While giving each corps freedom of action regarding particular targets, Mackensen stipulates the number of batteries each corps is to assign to the front, and emphasizes the importance of close infantry-artillery co-operation. The artillery is to keep up with the pace of the infantry advance, and artillery observers are to be with the infantry to co-ordinate fire on enemy strongpoints. Mackensen also issues a separate order for the artillery directly under army control, which is to be commanded by one officer only. The army-level artillery was tasked with the preliminary bombardment the night before the attack, and is to prevent the arrival of Russian reserves and keep those at the front off-balance. Further, the preliminary bombardment will briefly cease at two points overnight to allow pioneer patrols to make their way into No Man's Land to cut wire and observe the extent of the damage. Once the initial infantry attack has been launched, continual pressure is to be maintained, the infantry advancing in deep columns protected by friendly artillery fire. Crucially, if a unit finds itself ahead of their neighbours, instead of halting and waiting they are to keep advancing, keeping the Russians off balance. These orders incorporate the lessons learned by Chief of Staff Seeckt and others on the Western Front over the past five months.
Naval operations: 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.
u]Naval operations: German East Africa[/u]
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.
Naval operations: 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.
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lordroel
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Post by lordroel on Apr 30, 2020 2:48:10 GMT
Day 278 of the Great War, April 30th 1915
YouTube (The Sea Turns Red - Landing At Gallipoli)
Eastern Front: German cavalry divisions seize the town of Shavli
- Today advancing German cavalry divisions seize the town of Shavli in Courland, which had been set on fire by the retreating Russians.
- For all that the Germans have done to maintain secrecy regarding the upcoming offensive on the Eastern Front, they can do nothing about the 'loyalty' of their ally: today deserters from the Austro-Hungarian army inform the Russians who capture them that a major attack will occur between Gorlice and Tarnow on May 2nd.
Naval operations - Dardanelles campaign
Responding to pleas from General Hamilton for reinforcements, General John Maxwell, commander of British forces in Egypt, suggests the twelve battalions of the ANZAC Light Horse and Mounted Rifle Brigades be sent to Gallipoli to fight as dismounted infantry.
Naval operations: 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.
Naval operations: 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.
u]Naval operations: Indian Ocean[/u]
Approaching Zanzibar, HMS CHATHAM records heavy rain squalls.
Naval operations: 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."
Naval operations: 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.
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lordroel
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Post by lordroel on May 1, 2020 7:08:25 GMT
Day 279 of the Great War, May 1st 1915Western Front: French managed to retake some of the second-line trenches lostA week after a surprise German counterattack seized ground south of Les Éparges in the St.-Mihiel salient, the French have managed to retake some of the second-line trenches lost, but otherwise the Germans have been able to hold their new position. The gains still held by the Germans are greater than those accomplished in the entire French offensive at St.-Mihiel over the past month. Indeed, the Battle of the Woëvre has been an abject failure: with inadequate preparation, insufficient artillery, and poor coordination, French losses at St.-Mihiel and the supporting operation at Vauquois have been 65,000. Notably, this figure is 50% higher than the casualties that resulted from Joffre's primary offensive in Champagne during February and March. Eastern Front: German artillery opens fire, commencing the preliminary bombardment for the forthcoming German offensive near Gorlice and TarnowAt noon today German artillery opens fire, commencing the preliminary bombardment for the forthcoming German offensive near Gorlice and Tarnow. After dusk German infantry crawl forward to their start positions under cover of darkness, ready to begin the advance tomorrow morning. Map: Eastern Front on May 1st 1915 - The Italian Cabinet meets today, where Foreign Minister Sidney Sonnino asks for advice whether Italy should formally and publicly denounce the Triple Alliance with Germany and Austria-Hungary. He argues that such a declaration should occur before an agreement with the Entente, so he could enter into negotiations with a clear conscience. This, of course, is an outright lie - Sonnino knows full well that the Treaty of London, committing Italy to enter the war on the side of the Entente within a month, was signed on April 26th. with the connivance of Prime Minister Antonio Salandra, this minor detail has been hidden from the Cabinet to avoid any unnecessary interference to their desire to steer Italy into the war. After discussion the Cabinet agrees to Sonnino's request, believing that only after the Triple Alliance has been denounced will Sonnino sign agreements with the Entente. Naval operations - Dardanelles campaignAt Cape Helles on Gallipoli, as the British and French reorganize for another push on Krithia, the Ottomans launch a counterattack this evening. Hoping to catch the enemy by surprise, there is no preliminary artillery bombardment and the attacking infantry were ordered not to load their rifles. They give their position away, however, when the Ottoman soldiers yell 'Allah-o-Akbar' as they begin their charge. Sufficiently warned, the British and French are able to fire on the Ottomans, cutting down many before they can reach the Entente lines. In several places the Ottomans manage to make incremental gains, only to have them lost to British and French counterattacks. Photo: The view from British lines towards Krithia, May 1st, 1915 Naval operations: New YorkRMS LUSITANIA departs for Liverpool. On April 22 the German embassy had issued a warning that British ships would be attacked and anyone travelling on them did so at their own risk. Despite this the ship carries many American passengers. This notice was placed alongside the advertisement for Lusitania's sailing, published on the same day, May 1. Naval operations: Atlantic OceanIn the Western Approaches Erich von Rosenberg-Grusczyski in U-30 sinks two ships: SS EDALE, 3,110 tons, bound from Rosario to Manchester with a load of wheat and linseed, and the French steamer SS EUROPE, heading from Barry to St. Nazaire with a load of coal. He also damages the American tanker SS GULFLIGHT. His score is now 8 ships and 18,165 tons. Walter Forstman, commanding U-39, sinks the Norwegian freighter SS BALDUIN, 1,059 tons, heading from Drammen to London with a cargo of lumber and wood pulp. He then stops and sinks the Swedish sailing vessel ESA, 120 tons, travelling from Halmstad to Granton with a load of mine props. Erich Haeker in UB-6 also scores his first sinking when he torpedoes the destroyer HMS RECRUIT. Photo: HMS RECRUIT u]Naval operations: German East Africa[/u] At 0415 HMS CHATHAM sights the Moresby Point lighthouse at Mafia Island. At 0650 she anchors off Niororo Island. At 0830 she begins coaling from SS CENTO. HMS HYACINTH departs Niororo for Zanzibar. HMS WEYMOUTH accompanies her on the trip. HMS KINFAUNS CASTLE departs Niororo for North Fanjove Island for Durban. HMS LACONIA anchors off Niororo Island, and notes KINFAUNS CASTLE'S departure. Naval operations: Saudi ArabiaSuleiman Pasha, Sheik of Al Wajh, takes a liking to Hellmuth von Mücke and helps him collect the camels necessary for the next stage of their journey. Suleiman also tells von Mücke that he will personally conduct their caravan through his territory.
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lordroel
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Post by lordroel on May 2, 2020 6:29:36 GMT
Day 280 of the Great War, May 2nd 1915Eastern Front: Gorlice–Tarnów OffensiveAt 6am this morning the artillery bombardment of the Russian line between Tarnow and Gorlice intensifies, with 370 light and 144 medium and heavy artillery batteries raining fire on the enemy. At 9am they are joined by almost a hundred trench mortars, their plunging fire ideal for landing shells in trenches and penetrating bunkers for maximum damage. Finally, at 10am infantry from ten divisions of the German 11th Army, as well as eight divisions of the Austro-Hungarian 4th Army to the north, begin their advance. Photo: German heavy siege mortars at Przemyśl.  The Russian line they assault, despite ample warning, is almost comically unprepared to defend itself. As General Ivanov of South-West Front has decreed an imminent revival of the Carpathian offensive, the focus of Russian commanders in the region is to the south, not the west from which the Germans are attacking. Indeed, to help facilitate the Carpathian offensive 3rd Army has taken over responsibility for the western end of the Russian line in the mountains, and the attention of its commander is firmly fixed there. Thus 3rd Army has assigned only two corps - IX and X - to defend the western face of the Russian line while the rest of the army is deployed south and east of the Wistoka River. Most of the army's reserves are also to the south and are poorly-positioned to respond to an attack from the west. The line held by IX and X Corps has also been quiet since the end of December, and thus there is little expectation that any significant fighting might occur here. As such, the Russian trenches are extremely primitive, even by the standards of the Eastern Front - perhaps one or two thin strands of barbed wire in front of one thin trench that is little more than a ditch. No provision had been made for reserve positions - indeed, when the commander of X Corps requested permission to build a reserve position, he was told that if he has the manpower to spare for trench-digging he must have more manpower than he needs, and one regiment was withdrawn from each of X Corps' divisions. Most of the formations in these two corps were also second-rate, with infantry often armed with antiquated rifles they did not know how to use. Russian tactics were also disastrous - in both corps their available infantry were concentrated in the front-line, making the men vulnerable to bombardment as well as leaving few reserves in case of emergencies. All told, for all the skill the Germans show and will show in preparing and executing offensive operations at Gorlice-Tarnow, it was also the case that the region was perhaps the most vulnerable to precisely the sort of overwhelming attack that descends on them this morning. The preliminary bombardment largely obliterates the primitive Russian defences and a third of the Russian defenders are killed by artillery fire in the hours before the attack. Most of the rest are reduced to a state of shock, such that the attacking German infantry encounter only sporadic resistance - one German corps manages to take four thousand prisoners in the first hour of combat. When the Russian survivors attempt to retreat, they have to escape over open ground, where they are vulnerable to further artillery bombardment. Further, because there are no reserve defensive positions, once pushed into the open the Russians are unable to halt the momentum of the retreat and rally in new trenches. By late afternoon the ruins of the town of Gorlice are in German hands and a gap has opened between the retreating remnants of IX and X Corps while the German 11th and Austro-Hungarian 4th Armies continue to surge forward. The Russian response, delayed by the temporary absence of 3rd Army commander, is sluggish, and the only substantial measure is convincing General Ivanov to release III Caucasian Corps to 3rd Army. The advance elements of the corps, however, are only as far west as Jaslo this evening, which is still twenty kilometres behind the front - though granted, the front line is rapidly moving in their direction. Map: The German offensive at Gorlice-Tarnow, May 2nd to 6th, 1915. Naval operations - Dardanelles campaignThis evening the Ottomans attempt another attack on the British and French lines on Cape Helles. This time the Entente are waiting for them, and when the Ottomans move into the open to attack they are cut down by rapid fire from French 75mm guns. Meanwhile, the heavy resistance at Cape Helles, combined with a slackening of Ottoman artillery fire, convinces the commander of ANZAC forces to the north that the Ottomans have thinned their lines to hold the British and French before Krithia. To take advantage of this perceived weakness a night attack is ordered. An artillery bombardment commences at 7pm, and shortly thereafter Australian and New Zealand battalions are ordered to advance, hoping to secure the high ground beyond Monash Gully relieve the Ottoman pressure on the Nek. However, the attack miscarries almost immediately - some of the battalions are not in position to attack when the advance begins, and the Ottomans have effectively entrenched to take advantage of the rough terrain. Naval operations: North SeaWalter Forstmann, in U-39, sinks the trawlers ST. LOUIS No. 1, 211 tons, and SUNRAY, 165 tons, bringing his score to 4 ships and 1,555 tons. Claus Hansen, commanding U-41, sinks the Norwegian steamer SS AMERICA, 3,706 tons, sailing from Boston to Bergen with a general cargo. Hansen then attacks a British fishing fleet, sinking four trawlers - CRUISER, 146 tons, MATABAN, 148 tons, MERCURY, 222 tons, and ST. GOERGE, 215 tons. Naval operations: Mediterranean SeaCollier SS KENDAL CASTLE is sent ahead of the monitors' convoy to make arrangements for coaling at Port Said. Her crew are under restriction: no shore leave and no one from outside to be allowed on board. Naval operations: German East AfricaHMS CHATHAM moves to Niororo Island and takes on more coal from SS CENTO. Later CHATHAM moves to Koma Island. HMS HYACINTH and WEYMOUTH arrive at Zanzibar. HMS KINFAUNS CASTLE departs Fanjove Point for Durban. HMS LACONIA moves from Niororo Island to Mafia Island and back again. Naval operations: Saudi ArabiaEscorted by Suleiman Pasha and a contingent of his guard, Hellmuth von Mücke's party of German sailors set out on camelback for Al Ula, roughly 150 miles away.
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stevep
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Post by stevep on May 2, 2020 12:52:09 GMT
lordroel , Sounds like at least some of the tactical problems for the Russians were perhaps due to the attitude of the higher command. If their forbidden permission to construct reverse positions then more men will be in the front line as that's the area that will give the best protection and their ready to repel an attack. Having them based further back and having to advance over open ground to the front would be bad. Still a serious problem having too many men in the front line, which continues to recur in the western front at times until virtually the end of the war but as artillery becomes more powerful and more skilled it becomes more and more costly for the defenders. 
Given how well their preformed elsewhere and the amount of warning they have had from various sources its a pitiful disaster by the high command. If instead of focusing on new attacks they have prepared properly they might well have straved off the OTL German successes or at least inflicted markedly more causalities on the attacking forces which might have been very important given the lack of success elsewhere by the CPs. The OTL defeats in 1915 in the east gravely weakened the Russian army in terms of manpower and morale and while equipment levels would slowly improve up until the 1917 revolution the morale was another matter. So far after the initial disaster in E Prussia the Russian had done pretty well against the Germans and Austrians but this changes things a lot.
Steve
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lordroel
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Post by lordroel on May 2, 2020 13:04:14 GMT
lordroel , Sounds like at least some of the tactical problems for the Russians were perhaps due to the attitude of the higher command.
Steve
So they could have done better if the right people where in command. |
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stevep
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Post by stevep on May 2, 2020 13:32:40 GMT
lordroel , Sounds like at least some of the tactical problems for the Russians were perhaps due to the attitude of the higher command.
Steve
So they could have done better if the right people where in command.
Well considering one of the corps commanders wanted to construct a 2nd line position, which would have helped against any breakthrough and probably mean less men packed into the front line and hence subject to the heavy artillery bombardment but was denied permission and had men removed that was a clear error. Especially since they seem to have had at least some warning of an offensive planned there, in part by numerous Austrian deserters.
Sounds from your post that the people at the top were too fixed on another attack in the Carpathians - presumably to finally break the Austrian army and force their way through into the Hungarian plain to consider what the enemy may be doing. Not saying the German offensive would have definitely failed but at the very least the Russians wouldn't have suffered as badly and the CP would have taken greater losses and advanced more slowly, which gives more time for a new defensive position to be set up.
Steve
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lordroel
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Post by lordroel on May 3, 2020 6:17:41 GMT
Day 281 of the Great War, May 3rd 1915Western Front: Second Battle of Ypres- Yesterday evening the German XXVI Reserve Corps, having assembled sufficient gas cylinders, launched an attack between Pilkem and St. Julien northeast of Ypres. However, the effectiveness of the gas was limited by gusting winds and the primitive gas masks now available to the British and French soldiers, and the attack was repulsed. Nevertheless, the continued German pressure has convinced the British that the Ypres salient, now squeezed from the north by the German gains of the past two weeks, cannot be held on present lines. The decision is made to evacuate the easternmost portion of the salient stretching from Fortuin east to Grafenstafel, south to the Polygon Wood, and west to almost Hooge. The orders having gone out, the withdrawal begins tonight. Map: The line at Ypres prior to the British withdrawal - At 530am this morning just over a thousand French artillery pieces, including almost three hundred heavy guns, open fire on German positions in Artois between Lens and Arras. This bombardment is the first phase of the next major French offensive on the Western Front. Despite earlier failures in the 1st Battle of Champagne, 1st Battle of Artois, and the Battle of the Woevre, Joffre believes that the French army has learned important lessons regarding the conduct of operations in the conditions of trench warfare, and has now acquired the proper weaponry, such as heavy artillery, to mete out sufficient damage to ensure success. The objective of the offensive is to break through the German lines and seize the high ground at Vimy Ridge, followed by a pursuit that would force the Germans to abandon Douai. To accomplish this, the French 10th Army, under newly-appointed General d'Urbal, has been assigned six infantry and one cavalry corps. Three of these corps - XXXIII, XX, and XVII - will undertake the primary advance towards Vimy Ridge, while XXI Corps will attack and seize the heights at Notre-Dame de Lorette. D'Urbal had argued for a brief preliminary bombardment of four hours to preserve the element of surprise, but the lesson Joffre believes the failed offensives earlier in the year has shown is that a prolonged and thorough artillery bombardment is essential to achieve success. The artillery is thus to fire for four days until the infantry attack goes in on the 7th. Sir John French has also agreed that the BEF will launch an co-ordinated attack to the north to draw off German reserves and support the French offensive. Eastern Front: German 6th Cavalry Division reaches the town of Mitau in Courland- In Courland the German 6th Cavalry Division reaches the town of Mitau in Courland. Here the retreating Russians have halted and established strong defensive positions. Unable to ouflank the enemy, here the German advance halts, and the front settles down along the Dubissa River. However, in addition to the ground won, the German advance has achieved its larger strategic purpose - General Alexeyev of North-West Front has sent several divisions from elsewhere to Courland to contain the enemy advance. Map: The German advance in Courland towards Mitau, late April and early May, 1915 Eastern Front: Gorlice–Tarnów OffensiveThe German and Austro-Hungarian advance at Gorlice-Tarnow continues today, and by this evening the Germans have advanced eight miles. Given the ongoing success, Mackensen sets new objectives further east, instructing his commanders to reach the Wisloka River. At this point the primary impediments to the German advance are the management of the large number of prisoners taken and the difficulties hauling supplies over the ground destroyed by the artillery bombardment. On the Russian side, both IX and X Corps of 3rd Army have been severely battered: over the two days of fighting the available strength of the latter has fallen from 34 000 to 5000, while to the north a second-line division of IX Corps has simply disintegrated. A five-mile gap has opened between the two corps, and the Russian survivors are falling back in disorder. The meager reserves available nearby have been pushed into the battle to no effect, and two regiments force-marched into the gap simply disappear. General Radko Dimitriev (interestingly, a Bulgarian), commander of the Russian 3rd Army, hopes to hold the heights at Biecz to use as the springboard for the intervention of the approaching III Caucasian Corps, and sends in half of 63rd Division to reinforce the Russian defences. All this accomplishes is the destruction of the division, and by this evening the heights are in German hands. Austria-Hungary: the opposition in the Hungarian Parliament brings forward a motion to grant the right to vote to all soldiers over the age of twentyIn the Hungarian Parliament the opposition has brought forward a motion to grant the right to vote to all soldiers over the age of twenty, in an effort to encourage the rank-and-file of the Austro-Hungarian army and give them more of a stake in the fighting. Prime Minister Tisza, however, rejects the proposal outright, seeing in it the first step to universal suffrage, which is entirely unacceptable. Today Tisza is denounced in parliament by Mihály Károlyi, a leading figure of the Independence Party, who argues that the realities of modern war require a recognition of the sacrifices being asked by the men of Hungary. It is just one example of the tin ear of the leadership of Austria-Hungary towards the importance of public morale in modern war. Libya: Senussi campaignIn Libya ongoing resistance to the imposition of Italian rule over the colony seized from the Ottoman Empire in 1912 has limited Italian control to coastal regions. To prevent a complete collapse, Chief of Staff Cadorna orders today the dispatch of ten thousand soldiers to Libya. The necessity comes at a very inopportune moment, given that the Italian army is supposedly preparing and concentrating for a war against Austria-Hungary. Naval operations - Dardanelles campaignOvernight the ANZAC attack at Gallipoli has continued, and though isolated units are able to gain some ground, elsewhere the Ottomans stop the attack cold. At 130am, despite having no indications that the operation was proceeding satisfactorily, the local commander commits two reserve battalions from the Naval Division, which only succeeds in raising the casualty total. Soon the stream of wounded coming back down Monash Gully impairs efforts at any further advance. A few men manage to scale the heights to the east, but are driven back after coming under friendly fire. By mid-afternoon all of the ANZAC forces are back to their starting line of the night before, having accomplished nothing of any importance. Naval operations: North SeaU-9 was the submarine used by Otto Weddigen to sink the armoured cruisers ABOUKIR,CRESSY and HOUGE. Johannes Spieß is now commanding U-9, and his first encounter is with a British fishing fleet. Spieß captures and scuttles seven trawlers: BOB WHITE, 191 tons, COQUET, 176 tons, HECTOR, 179 tons, HERO, 173 tons,IONATHE, 179 tons, NORTHWARD HO, 180 tons, and PROGRESS, 273 tons. His initial tally is 7 ships for 1,351 tons. Erich von Rosenberg-Grusczyski, commanding U-30, sinks SS MINTERNE, 3018 tons, tavelling from Cardiff to Buenos Aires with a cargo of coal. His score is now 9 ships and 21,183 tons. Walter Forstman in U-39 captures and scuttles the trawler SCOTTISH QUEEN, 125 tons, bringing his score to 5 ships and 1,680 tons. Claus Hansen in U-41 scuttles the Trawler OSCAR, 107 tons, and takes the trawler ROXANE as a prize. ROXANE is later released. Hansen's total is now 6 ships and 4,562 tons. Naval operations: Mediterranean SeaThe tugs BLACKCOOK and REVENGER catch up to the monitors' convoy, and Southampton returns to Malta. That evening the convoy arrives at Port Said. After several hours taking on coal and water the convoy enters the Suez Canal. Naval operations: German East AfricaHMS CHATHAM has taken WEYMOUTH'S place watching the Rufiji Delta. HMS HYACINTH is still at Zanzibar, the crew employed in painting the ship. HMS KINFAUNS CASTLE is en route to Durban. HMS LACONIA spends the day coaling and taking on stores for the seaplanes. HMS WEYMOUTH is also still at Zanzibar. Naval operations: Saudi ArabiaHellmuth von Mücke's caravan spends its first day crossing the desert.
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stevep
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Post by stevep on May 3, 2020 12:14:23 GMT
Unfortunately, like Haig, Joffre has learnt exactly the wrong lesson in the use of artillery. This error is to cost a lot of the western allies men their lives in the next three years and probably prolonging the war by at least several months.
Part of the reason why this was politically unacceptable was that the Hungarians were a minority in their own kingdom, being outnumbered by the assorted other peoples. Also the government was largely by the aristocratic magnates who owned most of the land and resources and also sort to exclude the ordinary Hungarian population from any power. It was a major reason why Hungary especially was such a fragile state at this time period. As you say winning the war was less important to them than avoiding their position of power being reduced. Which of course meant they lost everything pretty much when defeated.
Steve
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lordroel
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Post by lordroel on May 3, 2020 12:17:30 GMT
Unfortunately, like Haig, Joffre has learnt exactly the wrong lesson in the use of artillery. This error is to cost a lot of the western allies men their lives in the next three years and probably prolonging the war by
And sadly we are going to see a lot of lets fire a lot of artillery onto our enemy and then they will not be able to stand our infantry charge moment to come. |
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stevep
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Post by stevep on May 3, 2020 12:30:31 GMT
Unfortunately, like Haig, Joffre has learnt exactly the wrong lesson in the use of artillery. This error is to cost a lot of the western allies men their lives in the next three years and probably prolonging the war by
And sadly we are going to see a lot of lets fire a lot of artillery onto our enemy and then they will not be able to stand our infantry charge moment to come.
Agreed, If used correctly and when you have the necessary numbers and experienced which Britain doesn't have at the moment, it is the key weapon on the western front. Later Foch realises this but unfortunately Haig only does so at in the last stages of the conflict if at all. That's what made 3rd Ypres such a bloodbath for the men involved, along with him ignoring warnings about the high water table there.
A prolonged bombardment, instead of a short very intense one, not only gives the enemy a lot of warning but also tears up the ground which makes attempts to advance very difficult, especially when carrying full kit. Plus Haig's perpetual belief in a decisive victory in a battle rather than the bite and hold tactics for small limited offensives further caused problems. Until the right ground was used, motorised units were sufficiently developed and the German army was weakened enough such large scale deep penetrations were pretty much impossible due to the command and control problems at the time. Commanders simply couldn't get a clear idea of where progress was being made and send reinforcements there in time before the defenders rallied except under very rare circumstances. Of course at the moment Haig is still a subordinate commander to French who is even worse on such issues. 
Steve
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