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Post by lordroel on Jun 3, 2020 2:53:22 GMT
Day 311 of the Great War, June 3rd 1915
San Marino: WAR
The tiny state of San Marino, falling in line with its far larger Italian neighbour, today declares war on Austria-Hungary.
Eastern Front: Przemyśl Fortress is abandoned
- Overnight the Russian army has abandoned the fortress at Przemysl, and at 3am the first unit from the Central Powers - a battalion of Prussian Guards - enters the city. Though the Russian had blown the bridges over the San during their retreat, they thoughtfully left behind a considerable cache of bridging equipment, which the Germans use to construct an emergency bridge by 11am. This afternoon General Mackensen enters Przemsyl, and from here writes a letter to Franz Joseph, announcing the return of the famed city and its defences to Austria-Hungary. The moment is bittersweet for the leadership of the Dual Monarchy: though one of its greatest losses of the war has been recovered, it has clearly only occured through the intervention of the German army.
The fall of Przemysl also frees up the Austro-Hungarian X Corps, and orders are issued for its redeployment from its present position west of the fortress to 4th Army to north, where it is to help restore the line near Rudnik.
As Przemysl falls, Falkenhayn and Conrad meet at Pless to discuss the next stage of the campaign in Galicia. With the capture of Przemysl, the original objective of the offensive - to push the Russians east of the San and Dniester Rivers have been largely, though not entirely, achieved: while the German 11th Army is substantially east of the San, on the left the northern wing of the Austro-Hungarian 4th Army is still west of the river, while on the right the Austro-Hungarian 7th Army remains on the Pruth River, where it was pushed to in early May. Falkenhayn's opinion is that if the current German commitment on the Eastern Front was reduced, Austria-Hungary could easily find itself in dire straits again. Conversely, Mackensen reports that the Russian corps opposite his 11th Army have suffered heavy losses, and further attacks may achieve additional substantial victories. For his part, while Conrad is still obsessed with punishing Italy for its betrayal, he understands that it would be desirable to drive the Russians further eastwards, and in particular liberate Lemberg.
Thus the two chiefs of staff agree today to continue the offensive in Galicia. Falkenhayn orders the redeployment of XXII Reserve Corps, 22nd, 10th, and 8th Bavarian Reserve Divisions (equally drawn from the Western Front and elsewhere on the Eastern Front) to Galicia provide an injection of fresh infantry, and with these reinforcements Mackensen's 11th Army is to once again undertake the main advance. Squeezed out of the line by the capture of Przemysl, the Austro-Hungarian 3rd Army is broken up, some units assigned to the neighbouring 2nd Army, some to 4th Army along the Vistula, and some to the Italian Front. Further, Mackensen will have operational control over 2nd Army on his southern flank in addition to 4th Army to his north. The offensive is to begin on June 13th, allowing for ten days to bring up supplies and munitions and provide rest for the infantry. The only advance scheduled for this period is to be by the adjacent wings of the German 11th and Austro-Hungarian 2nd Armies, pushing eastward from Przemysl to straighten up the line prior to the 13th.
Mesopotamian campaign: Battle of Amara (Second Battle of Qurna)
Along the Tigris River the main body of 6th Indian Division has advanced to Ezra's Tomb, just less than halfway from Qurna to Amara. On the river itself, meanwhile, the British naval flotilla, with divisional commander General Townshend aboard, has made more substantial progress. Though three larger sloops had to turn back lest they run aground on the shallow waters, the rest of the flotilla has pushed on, with the small tugboat Shaitan sent to reconnoitre ahead. This tiny vessel, crewed by nine and armed with a 12-pounder gun, encounters no enemy fire whatsoever as it makes its way north towards Amara. More than a thousand Ottoman soldiers are present in the town, but after the defeat at Qurna and a demoralizing and disorganized retreat they are in no condition to resist, even if they had wanted to. Thus the Ottoman garrison makes no attempt to halt Shaitan, and when the vessels arrives at Amara the Ottoman response is to surrender in the hundreds. Thus Lieutenant Mark Singleton, captain of Shaitan, and his crew capture Amara entirely on their own, despite being ridiculously outnumbered.
The rest of the flotilla cautiously approaches from the south, assuming at some point they will encounter Shaitan returning from the north with a report on the defences at or near Amara. Its failure to appear, coupled with the absence of signs of gunfire, indicate to the British that the tiny tugboat has gotten all the way to Amara itself. The flotilla continues north until it arrives at the town at 2pm, where Townshend receives the surrender of several impressively-decorated Ottoman officers, and a detachment raises the Union Jack over the Customs Office.
The capture of Amara could hardly have been easier, despite the completely ad hoc nature of the operation. A single unremarkable tugboat received the town's surrender, and the only reinforcements that arrive later today are the other small vessels of the river flotilla. Not only are there no infantry from 6th Indian Division present, Townshend doesn't even know where they are - the best guess is somewhere south - and the maps of the region are so poor that if it wasn't for the Tigris itself the British wouldn't have the slightest idea where they were. This stunning success, however, is very much a blessing in disguise - it helps to convince the British that they don't need things like maps, or logistics, or even a plan to succeed against the Ottomans. All that is needed is one swift kick (as at Qurna on the 31st) and all that remains afterwards is a mere matter of collecting the spoils. It is a dangerous lesson, the consequences of which will culminate at another nondescript (and similarily-named) town further up the Tigris.
Gallipoli campaign - Naval operations
With the arrival of German submarines off the Dardanelles, and the sinking of the pre-dreadnoughts MAJESTIC and TRIUMPH, the Entente fleet has been trying to counter the threat from beneath the waves, and countermeasures have included anti-torpedo nets and booms, as well as the more judicious deployment of heavy warships for shore bombardment. Nevertheless, as Admiral de Robeck writes today, 'these submarines are the devil & cramping one's style very much.' Indeed.
Naval operations: Celtic Sea
Claus Rücker, captain of U-34, sinks French freighter PENFELD, 793 tons, bound from Nantes to Cardiff with an unnamed cargo. His score is now 6 ships and 12,818 tons
Naval operations: North Sea
Max Hammerle, commanding U-14, torpedoes and sinks Swedish freighter SS LAPLAND, 2,238 tons, carrying a load of iron ore from Narvik to Middlesbrough.
Constantin Kolbe, in U-19, sinks a series of fishing boats and trawlers - SALVADOR, Danish fishing boat, 165 tons, British boats CHRYSOPRASUS, 119 tons, DOGBERY, 214 tons, ENNA MAY, 90 tons, KATHLEEN, 92 tons, and STRATHBRAN, 163 tons. Kolbe also sinks the British freighter IONA, 3,344 tons, travelling from Middlesbrough to Montreal with a general cargo. His score now stands at 8 ships and 5,488 tons.
Hans Valentiner begins his U-boat career in UB-16, capturing and scuttling three British fishing smacks - BOY HORACE, 69 tons, E&C, 60 tons, and ECONOMY, 69 tons.
Naval operations: German East Africa
A little less than three months after leaving Britain the monitors' convoy arrives at Mafia Island. By 1800 hours Trent is at anchor with MERSEY and SEVERN tied up on either side. Before they can be sent into action they will have to be unbattened. The metal plates will have to be removed from the hatches and portholes, the breakers removed from the bow, and all the loosened rivets refastened. Then will come the gunnery drills to get the crews back in shape. It will still be some weeks before the two monitors are ready to face KONINGSBERG.
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lordroel
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Post by lordroel on Jun 4, 2020 2:53:27 GMT
Day 312 of the Great War, June 4th 1915YouTube (Artillery in World War 1 - The Key To Success)Eastern Front: Austro-Hungarian XIV Corps of 4th Army once again finds itself under heavy attackAfter being pushed back across the San River and losing Rudnik on the 1st, the Austro-Hungarian XIV Corps of 4th Army once again finds itself under heavy attack today. Though the Russians are held, the commander of 4th Army requests further aid from the German 11th Army, and Mackensen finds himself once again sending reinforcements - this time the recently-arrived 22nd Division - to bail out his allies. Gallipoli campaign: Third Battle of KrithiaSince the failure at the beginning of May to break through the Ottoman line in the 2nd Battle of Krithia, the British and French forces on Cape Helles have received replacements for losses suffered by the British 29th Division, as well as the Royal Naval Brigade (from the ANZAC beachhead) and 126th Brigade as reinforcements. Though the British 52nd Division is also en route to the eastern Mediterranean, General Hamilton, at the insistence of General Hunter-Watson, has decided to launch another assault before the Ottomans themselves can be further reinforced. The plan calls for a general assault along the entire front line, with the advance undertaken (from left to right) the British 29th and 42nd Divisions, the Royal Naval Division, and the French 1st and 2nd Divisions. By attacking everywhere simultaneously, the hope is to overwhelm the Ottoman reserves and break the enemy line, seizing Krithia and advancing towards the high ground at Achi Baba. Map: The Third Battle of Krithia, June 4th, 1915 Within the limits of supply and munitions, the British and French have put together a reasonable plan: for several nights sappers have dug trenches towards the Ottoman line, to minimize the time it takes the infantry to cross No Mans' Land, and the heavry artillery bombardment will momentarily pause at 1130am, to lure the Ottomans back to their trenches before resuming the shelling. However, nothing the Entente attacks can do can negate two fundamental realities: (1) the Ottomans have numerical equality, with easier access to their reserves; and (2) the terrain very much favours the defence, as at several points the attacking infantry will have to advance up gullies under enemy fire from the high ground on both sides. Photo: French Colonial 75-mm gun in action near Sedd el Bahr At 12pm, the four-hour preliminary bombardment ceases, and the infantry go over the top. In the centre of the line, 42nd Division, led by the Manchesters of 127th Brigade, manage to break through the Ottoman defences, advancing 1200 yards and capturing not only the main trench line but the reserve trenches as well. The retreating Ottomans are pushed into the open, and no prepared defensive position exists between the Manchesters and Krithia itself. The success in the centre, however, has not been matched on the flanks: 88th Brigade (on the left) and the Royal Naval Division (on the right) have also managed to seize several trenches, but have suffered heavy losses that leave them ill-prepared to defend against counterattacks. Photo: Charge by Naval Division on the Gallipoli Peninsula in 1915 Along both coasts, the attack has been an absolute debacle, and in particular infantry of the two French divisions are shot down in droves before they can even reach the first enemy trench. Hunter-Weston sends his available reserves to either flanks in an attempt to restart the advance, but they accomplish nothing but add to the casualty rolls. The failure on the French flank in particular is of decisive importance. From this position the Ottomans are able to fire into the flank of the Royal Naval Division, and after suffering heavy lossses falls back this afternoon, yielding much of the ground captured in the initial attack. This then exposes the right flank of 42nd Division, and Ottoman fire prevents any reinforcements from reaching the Manchesters in their advanced position. By sundown the momentum of the offensive has been completely broken - not only are the British and French no longer advancing, but they are hard-pressed to hold on to the few gains that remain in their hands. Photo: 60-pounder of the 90th Heavy Battery, RGA at full recoil, in action near Hill 114 Naval operations: North Atlantic Ocean, off the west coast of IrelandWaldemar Kophamel, commanding U-35, captures British schooner GEORGE & MARY, 100 tons, carrying a load of scrap iron and lead from Tralee to Glasgow, and sinks her with the deck gun. His score is now 5 ships and 6,638 tons. Naval operations: Celtic SeaClaus Rücker, in U-34, sinks the British freighter SS INKUM, 4,747 tons, bound from New York to London with a general cargo. This brings his score to 7 ships and 17,565 tons. Naval operations: North SeaConstantin Kolbe in U-19 attacks another fishing fleet, sinking trawlers CORTES, 174 tons, EBENEZER, 113 tons, EVENING STAR, 156 tons, EXPLORER, 156 tons, and PETREL, 182 tons, as well as the small steamer SS DUNNER HEAD, 343 tons, heading in ballast from Baltasound to Arboath. His score is now 14 ships and 2,682 tons. Naval operations: Baltic SeaEgewulf von Berckheim, in U-26, sinks the Russian minelayer YENISEI, 3,600 tons. This gives him 12 ships and 12,224 tons. Naval operations: German East AfricaHMS MERSEY'S log records that work is begun breaking down the wooden braces in the mess decks and the breakwater on the forward deck. Also a working party is sent from HMS HYACINTH.
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Post by lordroel on Jun 5, 2020 7:27:21 GMT
Day 313 of the Great War, June 5th 1915Western Front: French infantry attack the remnants of the village of Neuville in ArtoisAfter three days of artillery bombardment French infantry attack the remnants of the village of Neuville in Artois. In hard fighting they are able to seize the main road through the village, but heavy fire from Germans remaining in the cellars and rubble that have survived the shelling prevent consolidation of French control over Neuville. Eastern Front: General Ivanov of South-West Front has been reflecting on the state of his commandJust as the fall of Przemysl has been the occasion for debate between the German and Austro-Hungarian army leadership regarding future operations in Galicia, General Ivanov of South-West Front has also been reflecting on the state of his command. Since the opening of the Gorlice-Tarnow offensive on May 2nd, the armies under his direction have suffered 412 000 casualties and are also short 300 000 rifles; many new recruits having to be sent to the front without weapons, with instructions to pick up the rifles of their fallen comrades. Despite this, Ivanov sees some grounds for optimism. He believes that the Germans have been using ammunition, especially artillery shells, at unsustainable rates, and that if the Russians can simply hold on the Germans will soon have to curtail operations due to munitions shortages. On this basis he issues orders today for his armies to hold their present ground, while six corps are pulled out of the line to create reserves sufficient, it is hoped, to deal with future German offensives. United States: Secretary of State William Jennings Bryan has an emotional interview with President Woodrow WilsonIn Washington today Secretary of State William Jennings Bryan has an emotional interview with President Woodrow Wilson. The former objects not merely to the tone of the response to the sinking of the liner Lusitania, but more generally to what he perceives to be the harder line taken by the American government towards German unrestricted submarine warfare as opposed to the British naval blockade. To Wilson, however, the issue is clear: the killing of civilians by sinking passenger ships without warning is reprehensible, and cannot be allowed to continue without objection. While neither Wilson nor the American public have any appetite at present to enter the war, the president feels that it is a moral necessity to object as strongly as possible to the German conduct of the war at sea. Bryan, himself no stranger to moralizing, understands that he cannot alter Wilson's view, and thus tenders his resignation. The president accepts, and will appoint as Bryan's replacement Robert Lansing, currently an advisor at the State Department and a supporter of a harder line against Germany. With the departure of Bryan, the cabinet has lost the strongest voice in favour of strict American neutrality in the ongoing war. Naval operations: North SeaConstain Kolbe, commanding U-19, attacks another fishing fleet, sinking the trawlers BARDOLPH, 215 tons, CURLEW, 134 tons, GAZEHOUND, 138 tons, PERSIMON, 255 tons, and STAR OF THE WEST, 197 tons. He also sinks the Russian sailing ship ADOLF, 169 tons, carrying a load of salt from Middelsbrough to Arkhangelsk. Max Hammerle, in U-14, approaches the British trawler OCEANIC II. He fires a warning shot, intending to allow the crew to abandon ship before sinking her. In this case, however, the trawler is armed, and immediately opens fire. Hammerle orders an emergency dive, but a damaged flood valve prevents the boat from going down. More trawlers arrive on the scene and one of them, Hawk, rams the helpless u-boat. Hammerle orders the crew to abandon ship. Twenty-seven of them survive, the only fatality being Hammerle himself. Photo: U-14 Naval operations: German East AfricaHMS MERSEY'S log notes that the crew are busy hoisting timber out of the monitor onto Trent, while the gunners are clearing and overhauling their guns.
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Post by lordroel on Jun 6, 2020 6:37:33 GMT
Day 314 of the Great War, June 6th 1915
Gallipoli campaign: Battle of the Vineyard
Since the failure of most of the British and French attacks on the 4th, the Ottomans have had the upper hand, as exhaustion and casualties have impaired the ability of the Entente infantry to hold what little ground they managed to seize. For the past two days, the Ottomans have launched attack after attack on the British and French lines, and at times have come close to breaking through themselves. In the dire circumstances, Entente artillery fired constantly, slaughtering the enemy infantry as they advanced. On the front line, extreme measures have to be taken to hold off the Ottomans. At one point on the line held by 42nd Division, an attack this morning led to a panicked retreat by British soldiers who abandoned two trench lines to the enemy. A greater disaster is averted only when Second Lieutenant Dallas Moor, who at only eighteen years of age finds himself the senior officer left alive in 2nd Battalion of the Hampshires, confronts the fleeing soldiers and stops the rout by shooting several of them. The importance of Moor's action is reflected in the award of a Victoria Cross for his actions. By this evening the Ottoman pressure has slackened, and indeed the Ottomans have suffered greater casualties (9000) than the British (4500) or French (2000) in the Third Battle of Krithia. Nevertheless, the battle is undoubtedly an Ottoman victory; the British have managed to hold only the most minimal of gains, and these are largely irrelevant given that they have been unable to break the stalemate that is very much to the Ottoman's advantage to maintain.
Naval operations: Celtic Sea, south of Ireland
Waldemar Kophamel, commanding U-35, captures and sinks the steel barque SUNLIGHT, 1,433 tons, carrying a load of molasses from Macoris to Glasgow.
Naval operations: North Sea
Constantin Kolbe, in U-19, captures and sinks two more trawlers - JAPONICA, 145 tons, and DROMIO, 208 tons.
Naval operations: German East Africa
At Mafia Island HMS MERSEY has a party busy pumping out water, the gunners are overhauling their guns, and the rest of the crew are setting up armour plating on the boat deck.
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Post by lordroel on Jun 7, 2020 7:41:12 GMT
Day 315 of the Great War, June 7th 1915United Kingdom: War Council is renamed the Dardanelles CommitteeAfter the formation of the coalition government in Britain, the existing War Council was renamed the Dardanelles Committee, but otherwise retained the same functions and membership; indeed, for now Churchill even remains a members. Today it meets for the first time in three weeks, and given the name change it is not surprising that the ongoing campaign on Gallipoli is the focus of discussion. The early enthusiasm of February and March for the operation has dissipated, replaced by bewilderment at the lack of success and uncertainty as to the best course of action. Should Gallipoli be reinforced, which by definition means taking units from elsewhere, or should it be evacuated, thus giving the Ottomans a great morale victory and damaging British prestige throughout the Balkans and the Muslim world. After discussion today, including a memo from Churchill, it is agreed to send out a further three divisions to Gallipoli, constituting the reinforcements General Hamilton had requested after the failure of the Second Battle of Krithia. No one as of yet is willing to countenance the embarrassment of defeat by advocating evacuation. Arial operations: Reginald Alexander John Warneford,brings down LZ.37Overnight three Zeppelins attempted bombing raids on England, with varying degrees of success. The naval Zeppelin L9 drops ten explosive and fifty incendiary bombs on Hull, causing the most extensive damage inflicted on England by a Zeppelin to date. Indeed, during the day there are anti-German riots in Hull, mobs attacking businesses supposedly owned by Germans. The two army Zeppelins sent against England - LZ38 and LZ39 - suffer a much different fate. The former develops engine trouble and returns to its base near Brussels, only to have its shed bombed by two British aircraft based at Dunkirk after daybreak. LZ39, meanwhile, earns the dubious distinction of being the first Zeppelin shot down by enemy fire. Near Ghent it was attacked by several British aircraft, and Flight Sub-Lieutenant Warneford manages to drop a bomb that detonates on the airship, causing it to burst into flames and plummet to the earth. The victory earns Warneford acclaim and the Victoria Cross, while the German army concludes the Zeppelins under its direction would be more profitably used in reconnaissance and bombing roles on the Eastern Front. Drawing: downing of LZ37 by Rex Warneford Naval operations: Atlantic Ocean, southwest of IrelandClaus Rücker, commanding U-34, sinks Norwegian sailing ship SUPERB, 1,515 tons, travelling from Buenos Aires to Queenstown with a cargo of grain. His score is now 8 ships and 19,080 tons. Naval operations: Celtic Sea, between Ireland and WalesWaldemar Kophamel, in U-35, sinks the Norwegian freighter TRUDVANG, 1,041 tons, bound from Pomaron to Dublin with a load of pyrite (Iron sulfide, AKA "Fool's gold"). This brings Kophamel's score to 7 ships and 9,112 tons. Naval operations: North SeaOtto Wünsche, in U-25, sinks Norwegian freighter GLIIERTIND, 717 tons, carrying a load of pit props from Hälle to Hartlepool. Wünsche then attacks a fishing fleet, capturing and sinkng the British trawlers NOTTINGHAM, 165 tons; PENTLAND, 204 tons; SATURN, 183 tons; and VELOCITY, 186 tons. Otto Steinbrinck, in UB-10, sinks the Belgian freighter Menapier, 1886 tons, en route from Algiers to Middlsbrough with a load of iron ore. Steinbrinck ends his first war patrol with 2 ships and 3,906 tons. Naval operations: German East AfricaAt Mafia Island HMS MERSEY'S crew are still busy with the same operations: Pumping water out of the chain locker, mounting guns and putting up armour plating.
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Post by lordroel on Jun 8, 2020 2:52:15 GMT
Day 316 of the Great War, June 8th 1915Eastern Front: German 48th Reserve Division captures the city of KaluszOn the right wing of Südarmee, the German 48th Reserve Division captures the city of Kalusz overnight, and after a further advance today occupies the city of Stanislau without a fight. On Südarmee's left wing, however, the Russian VI Corps launches a counterattack today at Zydaczow and Mikolajow, disrupting the Austro-Hungarian 7th Division as it was preparing to advance across the Dniester River. Naval operations: Celtic SeaWaldemar Kophamel, commanding U-35, stops and scuttles British sailing vessel EXPRESS, 115 tons. Next is French sailing vessel LA LIBERTE, 302 tons, carrying a load of coal from Swansea to Bougie. He then torpedoes the British freighter SS STRATHCARRON, 4,347 tons, bound from Barry to an unlisted destination with a cargo of coal. Finally is the sailing vessel SUSANNAH, 115 tons, also carrying coal from Preston to Thuro. This brings Kophamel's score to 11 ships and 13,991 tons. Naval operations: German East AfricaAt 0550 hours Short Folder 122 makes another recon flight, returning to HMS LACONIA at 0728. At 0700 the tug BLACKCOOK brings a supply of armour plates to HMS MERSEY, whose crew are still busy installing them and readying her guns. Naval operations: Black SeaRussia begins salvaging operations of the Ottoman cruiser MECIDIY after it was sunk outside of Odessa. Photo: MECIDIY being salved by Russian workers
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Post by lordroel on Jun 9, 2020 3:02:26 GMT
Day 317 of the Great War, June 9th 1915United States: Second US Protest over the Sinking of the LUSITANIAPresident Wilson sends a second note to the German Ambassador: The Government of the United States notes with gratification the full recognition by the Imperial German Government, in discussing the cases of the Cushing and the Gulflight, of the principle of the freedom of all parts of the open sea to neutral ships and the frank willingness of the Imperial German Government to acknowledge and meet its liability where the fact of attack upon neutral ships “which have not been guilty of any hostile act” by German aircraft or vessels of war is satisfactorily established; and the Government of the United States will in due course lay before the Imperial German Government, as it requests, full information concerning the attack on the steamer Cushing.
With regard to the sinking of the steamer Falaba, by which an American citizen lost his life, the Government of the United States is surprised to find the Imperial German Government contending that an effort on the part of a merchantman to escape capture and secure assistance alters the obligation of the officer seeking to make the capture in respect of the safety of the lives of those on board the merchantman although the vessel had ceased her attempt to escape when torpedoed.
These are not new circumstances. They have been in the minds of statesmen and of international jurists throughout the development of naval warfare, and the Government of the United States does not understand that they have ever been held to alter the principles of humanity upon which it has insisted. Nothing but actual forcible resistance or continued efforts to escape by flight when ordered to stop for the purpose of visit on the part of the merchantman has ever been held to forfeit the lives of her passengers or crew. The Government of the United States, however, does not understand that the Imperial German Government is seeking in this case to relieve itself of liability, but only intends to set forth the circumstances which led the commander of the submarine to allow himself to be hurried into the course which he took.
Your Excellency’s note, in discussing the loss of American lives resulting from the sinking of the steamship Lusitania, adverts at some length to certain information which the Imperial German Government has received with regard to the character and outfit of that vessel, and your Excellency expresses the fear that this information may not have been brought to the attention of the Government of the United States.
It is stated in the note that the Lusitania was undoubtedly equipped with masked guns, supplied with trained gunners and special ammunition, transporting troops from Canada, carrying a cargo not permitted under the laws of the United States to a vessel also carrying passengers, and serving, in virtual effect, as an auxiliary to the naval forces of Great Britain.
Fortunately these are matters concerning which the Government of the United States is in a position to give the Imperial German Government official information. Of the facts alleged in your Excellency’s note, if true, the Government of the United States would have been bound to take official cognizance in performing its recognized duty as a neutral power and in enforcing its national laws.
It was its duty to see to it that the Lusitania was not armed for offensive action, that she was not serving as a transport, that she did not carry a cargo prohibited by the statutes of the United States, and that, if in fact she was a naval vessel of Great Britain, she should not receive clearance as a merchantman; and it performed that duty and enforced its statutes with scrupulous vigilance through its regularly constituted officials.
It is able, therefore, to assure the Imperial German Government that it has been misinformed. If the Imperial German Government should deem itself to be in possession of convincing evidence that the officials of the Government of the United States did not perform these duties with thoroughness, the Government of the United States sincerely hopes that it will submit that evidence for consideration.
Whatever may be the contentions of the Imperial German Government regarding the carriage of contraband of war on board the Lusitania or regarding the explosion of that material by the torpedo, it need only be said that in the view of this Government these contentions are irrelevant to the question of the legality of the methods used by the German naval authorities in sinking the vessel.
But the sinking of passenger ships involves principles of humanity which throw into the background any special circumstances of detail that may be thought to affect the cases, principles which lift it, as the Imperial German Government will no doubt be quick to recognize and acknowledge, out of the class of ordinary subjects of diplomatic discussion or of international controversy.
Whatever be the other facts regarding the Lusitania, the principal fact is that a great steamer, primarily and chiefly a conveyance for passengers, and carrying more than a thousand souls who had no part or lot in the conduct of the war, was torpedoed and sunk without so much as a challenge or a warning, and that men, women, and children were sent to their death in circumstances unparalleled in modern warfare.
The fact that more than one hundred American citizens were among those who perished made it the duty of the Government of the United States to speak of these things and once more, with solemn emphasis, to call the attention of the Imperial German Government to the grave responsibility which the Government of the United States conceives that it has incurred in this tragic occurrence, and to the indisputable principle upon which that responsibility rests.
The Government of the United States is contending for something much greater than mere rights of property or privileges of commerce. It is contending for nothing less high and sacred than the rights of humanity, which every Government honours itself in respecting and which no Government is justified in resigning on behalf of those under its care and authority.
Only her actual resistance to capture or refusal to stop when ordered to do so for the purpose of visit could have afforded the commander of the submarine any justification for so much as putting the lives of those on board the ship in jeopardy. This principle the Government of the United States understands the explicit instructions issued on August 3, 1914, by the Imperial German Admiralty to its commanders at sea to have recognized and embodied, as do the naval codes of all other nations, and upon it every traveller and seaman had a right to depend.
It is upon this principle of humanity as well as upon the law founded upon this principle that the United States must stand.
The Government of the United States is happy to observe that your Excellency’s note closes with the intimation that the Imperial German Government is willing, now as before, to accept the good offices of the United States in an attempt to come to an understanding with the Government of Great Britain by which the character and conditions of the war upon the sea may be changed. The Government of the United States would consider it a privilege thus to serve its friends and the world. It stands ready at any time to convey to either Government any intimation or suggestion the other may be willing to have it convey and cordially invites the Imperial German Government to make use of its services in this way at its convenience.
The whole world is concerned in anything that may bring about even a partial accommodation of interests or in any way mitigate the terrors of the present distressing conflict.
In the meantime, whatever arrangement may happily be made between the parties to the war, and whatever may in the opinion of the Imperial German Government have been the provocation or the circumstantial justification for the past acts of its commanders at sea, the Government of the United States confidently looks to see the justice and humanity of the Government of Germany vindicated in all cases where Americans have been wronged or their rights as neutrals invaded.
The Government of the United States therefore very earnestly and very solemnly renews the representations of its note transmitted to the Imperial German Government on the 15th of May, and relies in these representations upon the principles of humanity, the universally recognized understandings of international law, and the ancient friendship of the German Nation.
The Government of the United States cannot admit that the proclamation of a war zone from which neutral ships have been warned to keep away may be made to operate as in any degree an abbreviation of the rights either of American shipmasters or of American citizens bound on lawful errands as passengers on merchant ships of belligerent nationality.
It does not understand the Imperial German Government to question those rights. It understands it, also, to accept as established beyond question the principle that the lives of non-combatants cannot lawfully or rightfully be put in jeopardy by the capture or destruction of an unresisting merchantman, and to recognize the obligation to take sufficient precaution to ascertain whether a suspected merchantman is in fact of belligerent nationality or is in fact carrying contraband of war under a neutral flag.
The Government of the United States therefore deems it reasonable to expect that the Imperial German Government will adopt the measures necessary to put these principles into practice in respect of the safeguarding of American lives and ships, and asks for assurances that this will be done.Eastern Front: Mackensen orders a halt to the attacksFor the past several days corps from the German 11th and the Austro-Hungarian 2nd Armies have been attacking the Russians lines south of Mosciska and east of Przemysl, aiming to straighten out the front and seize the ground from which the resumption of the offensive will begin on the 13th. Despite some successes, however, the Russians have held their positions tenaciously, and after minor successes Mackensen orders a halt to the attacks today, it being more desirable to conserve the strength of the armies for the major operation ahead. To the southeast, the Russian VI Corps continues its counterattack against the left wing of Südarmee, forcing General Linsingen to redeploy a division and brigade of Austro-Hungarian infantry from his right wing to the left, and pull back those forces in the centre that had already crossed the Dniester. Though Südarmee is able to contain the Russian advance, Linsingen is forced to postpone assembling a strong force on the north bank of the Dniester to roll up the Russian defensive positions along the river. Naval operations: Adriatic SeaUpon Italy's entry into the war, Britain and France dispatched warships to reinforce the Italian fleet in the Adriatic, as per the naval convention signed between the three powers on May 10th. Since that time, the combined fleet has been conducting naval exercises, so as to acquaint themselves with each other and learn to be able to operate (in theory at least) as a single cohesive force. The warships, however, do not make a particularly impressive sight: the French capital ships are poorly handled, the Italian ones emit sufficient smoke as to obscure each other and any potential target, and the British ones are very much the dregs of the Royal Navy, with all the first-rate warships in the North Sea and the second-rate off Gallipoli. The most modern and effective of the British contingent is the light cruiser DUBLIN, so naturally during exercises today it is torpedoed by the Austro-Hungarian submarine U4. DUBLIN manages to return to the port of Brindisi under its own power, but it will be out of commission for some time. Hardly the start the Entente had hoped for in the Adriatic, but it has the 'benefit' of being no more successful than the start of the Italian campaign on land. Secretary of State William Jennings Bryan, believing that the President is moving towards war, resigns. Wilson replaces him with State Department counselor Robert Lansing, who has supported Wilson's stance toward Germany. Photo: DUBLIN before the war Naval operations: North SeaConstantin Kolbe, commanding U-19, sinks Norwegian freighter SVEIN JARL, 1,135 tons, carrying a load of coal from Warkworth to Kirkenes. His score is now 23 ships and 4,355 tons. Otto Wünsche, in U-25, stops and sinks Trawlers CARDIFF, 163 tons; Castor, 182 tons; J. LEYMAN, 197 tons; and TUNISIAN, 211 tons. This brings his score to 9 ships and 2,208 tons. Werner Fürginger, in UB-2, starts his career with a very small fleet of fishing smacks: BRITANNIA, 43 tons; EDWARD, 52 tons; LAURESTINA, 48 tons, QUI VIVE, 50 tons; and WELFARE, 45 tons. Naval operations: German East AfricaThe complete crew of HMS MERSEY debark HMFM (His Majesty's Fleet Messenger) TRENT and board their own ships. Both monitors cast off and TRENT departs Mafia Island for Tirene bay to stock up on fresh water. TRENT returns at 1820 and the monitors are again tied up to the liner.
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lordroel
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Post by lordroel on Jun 10, 2020 2:53:27 GMT
Day 318 of the Great War, June 10th 1915Kamerun Campaign: Germany’s garrison at Garua surrendersFor several months Frederick Lugard, the British governor of Nigeria, has desired an attack against the fort at Garua in northwestern German Kamerun, especially after the German thrust of April to the Benue River undermined British prestige in northern Nigeria. A combined Franco-British force of fourteen companies, accompanied by two heavy artillery pieces, has advanced to Garua, and by yesterday had closed to within a kilometre of the German positions. The goal of the operation was not only to seize Garua but also cut off the garrison's line of retreat and force their surrender. The first rounds fired by the artillery, however, panicked the askaris of the garrison, half of whom promptly fled by swimming down the Benue River towards Banyo. Greatly weakened, the three hundred men remaining in Garua surrender the fort today before the British and French can launch an attack on the German line. Photo: German trenches in Garua during the Kamerun Campaign For the British and the French, the operation against Garua has been a subsidiary one, designed to restore British prestige and preempt further incursions into Nigeria. They believe that the Germans are focusing their defensive efforts in the south of the colony, in the region surrounding Jaunde, which is where the British and French have directed their main attacks. In fact, the Germans have based their defense of Kamerun on the broad northern uplands around Ngaundere, and Garua was the key to holding this territory. Thus the Germans are greatly concerned about the fall of Garua, which calls into question their entire focus on the north, while the British and French have no idea of the significance of what they have actually managed to accomplish. Photo: German troops manning the defenses at Garua during the Kamerun Campaign Naval operations: North Atlantic, Outer HebridesKonrad Gansser, commanding U-33, sinks Russian freighter DANIA, 2,648 tons, bound from Cardiff to Archangelsk with a cargo of coal. This brings his score to 5 ships and 7,476 tons. Naval operations: Celtic Sea, off southern IrelandWaldemar Kophamel, in U-35, sinks Russian sailing ship THOMASINA, 1,869 tons, traveling from Liverpool to Pensacola in ballast. His score is now 12 ships and 15,860 tons. Naval operations: North SeaWerner Fürbinger, in UB-2, stops and scuttles British fishing smack INTREPID, 59 tons, bringing his total to 6 ships and 297 tons. Naval operations: Adriatic SeaHeino von Heimburg, in UB-15, torpedoes Italian submarine MEDUSA. This is von Heimburg's and UB-15's only sinking. Photo: Italian submarine MEDUSA Naval operations: German East AfricaHMS HYACINTH spends the morning in target practice - target towed by the tug REVENGER. Some of the crew of HMS MERSEY are still putting up armour plate, while others are setting up furniture and loading provisions aboard.
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Post by lordroel on Jun 11, 2020 2:51:37 GMT
Day 319 of the Great War, June 11th 1915
YouTube (Rex Warneford Destroys A Zeppelin - Austria Digs Into the Mountains)
Western Front: Second Battle of Artois
Over the past six days the fighting at the village of Neuville has been constant, and the French infantry have managed to literally inch their way forward, advancing their line by five hundred metres on a three hundred metre stretch of the line. Needless to say, French casualties have been horrendous. The Germans too, however, have suffered: XIV Corps around Neuville has been completed exhausted, and has had to be replaced by IV Corps. Crucially, the latter had been designated to undertake a counterattack on the French, which in consequence has been called off. Futher reinforcements have come from 1st Army (5th Division) and the GHQ reserve (5th Prussian Division), the latter replaced the completely worn out 15th Division today. Though the French have utterly failed to break through, they are not the only ones being ground down by the fighting.
Italian front: Battles of the Isonzo
At the outbreak of the war, General Cadorna and the leadership of the Italian army had envisioned large-scale advances into Austro-Hungarian territory, insisting for example on Serbian co-operation in the Balkans and what the two armies should do when they link. The reality of war has sharply narrowed Cadorna's vision, as he discovers that the Italian Front is not immune to the type of positional warfare that has typified the war on other fronts. Indeed, the mountainous terrain along the frontier between Italy and Austria-Hungary renders offensive operations even more difficult. Coupled to this has been the hesitancy and incompetence shown by Italian generals, and the result has been minimal gains. On the key front along the Isonzo River, the Italians have secured two crossings, but these have been contained and elsewhere the Austro-Hungarian defences have proven too strong. In a communication to his commanders today Cadorna admits that the war of maneouvre they anticipated has not come to pass. Instead, successful operations will necessitate the concentration of men and artillery, and the use of 'the method suggested by the experience of combat in the other allied theatres of operations, avoiding improvised attacks which although they show the valour of our troops do not allow [us] to achieve results proportional to [our] losses.'
Kamerun Campaign: British and French focus their attention towards Jaunde
- Oblivious to the signifance of the fall of Garua in northern Kamerun (indeed, ignorant of the very fact of its fall, given the complete absence of adequate communications), the French and British have been concentrating their columns in southern Kamerun, aiming at Jaunde. Even beyond the fact that these columns are directed at the wrong target, they are proving to be failures. From Edea in the west two columns - the British to the north and the French to the south - have been struggling along a track through the jungle and swamp. Despite numbering less than six hundred, the German defenders have made use of the difficult terrain to ambush and delay the Franco-British force, which has been further weakened by disease. Having suffered 25% casualties since departing Wum Biagas on May 25th, the column has been able to advance at a rate of only 1.5 kilometres per day. At this snail's pace they will not reach Jaundre before the rainy season renders movement impossible. The commander of the column has requested permission to abandon the advance, which General Charles Dobell, the senior British commander in German Kamerun, approves today. A failure to understand the strategic basis of the German defence of the colony is now coupled with operational defeat.
Naval operations: Black Sea
Once the presence of German submarines off of Gallipoli was apparent, the Russians concluded that their appearance in the Black Sea could not be ruled out. As such, raids by large warships of the Russian Black Sea Fleet, which had been ongoing for several months to interrupt coastal trade, were suspended, but operations by fast destroyers continued. Today the Russian destroyers GNYEVNI and DERSKI are intercepted during one such raid by the Ottoman light cruiser MIDILLI MidillI (ex BRESLAU). In the ensuing gun battle GNYEVNI is crippled, but MIDILLI breaks off the action without going in for the kill and returns to the Bosphorus. This enables DERSKI to take the damaged GNYEVNI in tow back to safety, and the incident does not deter the Russians from planning further such raids.
Naval operations: North Sea
Constantin Kolbe, commanding U-19, torpedoes and sinks Swedish freighter SS OTAGO, 1,410 tons, bound from Hamsund to Hull with a cargo of timber. He then captures and sinks the British trawlers PLYMOUTH, 165 tons, and WAAGO, 154 tons. Kolbe's score is now 26 ships for 6,084 tons.
Naval operations: German East Africa
The entire crew of HMS MERSEY spend the day taking aboard ammunition from HMFM Trent.
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Post by lordroel on Jun 12, 2020 7:22:15 GMT
Day 320 of the Great War, June 12th 1915
Eastern Front: Battle of Sieniawa
Though the German 11th Army is to resume its offensive in Galicia tomorrow, an important preliminary attack is undertaken taken today at the town of Sieniawa, where 11th Army's northern flank and the Austro-Hungarian 4th Army meet. Here a Russian counterattack on May 27th had carved out a salient in the Austro-Hungarian line, and before 11th Army can launch its main advance eastwards the salient must be eliminated. This morning the German 22nd and 119th Divisions, attacking from the south, quickly collapse the Russian line. On the western face, the Austro-Hungarian 26th Landwehr Division has more trouble initially, though by evening it has secured Sieniawa itself. The Russian salient has been wiped out, and two bridges erected over the San to assist in the forward movement of supplies and reinforcements for the main operation.
Naval operations: Celtic Sea
Waldemar Kophamel, commanding U-35, sinks two more freighters - Norwegian sailing ship SV BELLGLADE, bound from Halifax, Nova Scotia, to Sharpness with a load of timber; and large British four-masted barque SV CROWN OF INDIA, heading from Barry to Pernambuco with a load of coal. His score now stands at 13 ships and 16,524 tons.
Naval operations: North Sea
- Hans Walther begins his career in U-17 by stopping and sinking the Danish three-masted schooner COCOS, 85 tons, travelling from Christiania to Leith with a cargo of timber. Walther then torpedoes British tanker SS DESABLA, 6,047 tons, en route from Port Arthur to an unnamed destination.
- After nine days without a victory Hans Valentiner and UB-16 sink British steamer SS LEUCTRA, 3,027 tons, inbound from Rosario to Hull with a load of Linseed. This is Valentiner's first real ship and brings his score to 4 vessels and 3,225 tons.
Naval operations: German East Africa
The entire crew of HMS MERSEY are now living onboard their own ship. The gunner's party is engaged in installing and testing voice pipes from the bridge to different compartments.
At 0845 the crew of HMS SEVERN board their ship and begin to work at erecting armour plating. At 1650 Severn casts off from HMFM TRENT and conducts steam trials. At 1815 the monitor ties up to the collier KENDAL CASTLE.
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Post by lordroel on Jun 13, 2020 6:18:07 GMT
Day 321 of the Great War, June 13th 1915Western Front: Second Battle of ArtoisWhile the main French offensive has been grinding forward in Artois, secondary attacks have been undertaken at other points along the Western Front to distract the Germans and draw reserves away from the main theatre. On June 7th the French 2nd Army attacked thirty kilometres south of Souchez, and when the operation is called off today it has managed to advance nine hundred metres on a front of two kilometres, at a cost of 10 351 casualties. Eastern Front: Gorlice-Tarnow Offensive In Galicia the main offensive of the German 11th Army begins at 4am this morning when almost a thousand artillery pieces open fire on the Russian front between the town of Mosciska in the south to the Lubaczowka River in the north. For ninety minutes, the Russian defenses come under a massive bombardment, after which 120,000 German infantry surge forward from their trenches and attack. At several places the Russian line is pierced, and by midday they are falling back all along the line. The greatest success is achieved in the centre by the Guard Corps and the newly-arrived XXII Reserve Corps in the centre, while on the left X Corps crosses the Lubaczowka and on the right XLI Reserve Corps pushes across the swamps of the Wisznia River valley. While hard fighting occurs at certain points, overall 11th Army has secured all of its initial objectives by the end of the day. The only discordant note comes unexpectedly from the Austro-Hungarian 2nd Army to the south, whose attack in co-ordination with the Germans breaks against fortified Russian positions at Hadynie. This delay, however, is of no great importance to the larger plan, which so far is unfolding as Mackensen had envisioned. Map: The Gorlice-Tarnow Offensive, June 12th to 21st, 1915.  Greece: supporters of Eleutherios Venizelos win an overall majority in electionIn Greek elections held today the supporters of Eleutherios Venizelos, who had been dismissed as Prime Minister in March, win an overall majority. However, due to the ongoing severe illness of King Constantine I - since April he has had pneumonia and pleurisy, had an operation to remove two ribs, and suffered a blood infection - coupled with the rivalry between the monarch and Venizelos, the latter will have to wait to be reappointed Prime Minister. Naval operations: Celtic SeaWaldemar Kophamel, commanding U-35, finishes his third war patrol with the sinking of a French barque,DIAMANT, 324 tons, sailing in ballast from St. Milo to Swansea; and two more British freighters - SS HOPEMOUNT, 3,300 tons, bound from Cardiff to Alexandria with a load of coal; and PELHAM, 3,354 tons, travelling in ballast from Malta to Barry. His score now stands at 17 ships and 25,716 tons. Naval operations: German East AfricaThe tug T.A. JOLIFFE brings more armour plate to HMS MERSEY. HMS SEVERN offloads 54 tons of fuel oil to collier KENDALL CASTLE. the crew spend the day putting up armour plating.
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Post by lordroel on Jun 14, 2020 8:40:19 GMT
Day 322 of the Great War, June 14th 1915
Eastern Front: Gorlice-Tarnow Offensive
Overnight the Russian 8th Army pulls back eastward in Galicia, retreating to a second defensive line that had been prepared prior to the resumption of the German offensive yesterday. When the German 11th Army comes up against the new Russian entrenchments, hard fighting ensues; despite the heavy casualties already suffered by the Russians, they retain the ability to fight tenaciously on the defensive. Only the Guard Corps and XXII Reserve Corps in the centre are able to push through this new line by evening, and everywhere 11th Army fails to reach the objectives for today set by Mackensen.
Naval operations: Atlantic Ocean, north end of Scotland
Konrad Gansser, commanding U-33, captures and sinks with the deck gun Norwegian freighter SS DAVANGER, 2,256 tons, bound from Liverpool to Arkhangelsk with a general cargo. His score is now 6 ships and 9,732 tons.
Naval operations: German East Africa
At 0230 hours HMS WEYMOUTH records a hard rain squall passing through.
At 1615 hours the rain has passed and HMS LACONIA hoists out Short 122 for another recon flight. The plane suffers another engine failure, and at 1745 a motorboat is sent to help. At 2215 the boat returns with the seaplane in tow.
The crew of HMS MERSEY spend the day putting up more steel plates.
HMS Severn casts off from collier KENDALL CASTLE and anchors on her own. Her crew then resume putting up their own armour plate.
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Post by lordroel on Jun 15, 2020 3:03:15 GMT
Day 323 of the Great War, June 15th 1915
Eastern Front: Gorlice-Tarnow Offensive
- In Galicia the German 11th Army endures another day of hard fighting as it continues its advance to the east. Once again it is the Guard Corps making the greatest headway, with 2nd Guard Division pushing into the woods south of the village of Hruszow. Both flanks also make progress, though to a lesser degree than Guard Corps. Notably, on the northern wing X Corps is increasingly stretched as it seeks to remain in contact with the Austro-Hungarian 4th Army to the northwest and the rest of 11th Army moving further eastward. To avoid a gap opening between the two armies, 8th Bavarian Reserve Division is taken from army reserve and inserted into the line alongside X Corps. Over the past three days the right wing of 4th Army itself has managed to push northeastwards from Sieniawa, and by this evening the Austro-Hungarian XVII Corps moves through Dobra. On the other flank of 11th Army the Austro-Hungarian 2nd Army continues to encounter stubborn Russian resistance, and it is only with the greatest of difficulty that they are able to advance.
General Brusilov's 8th Army, along with the left flank of 3rd Army, has put up greater resistance than the Germans and Austro-Hungarians had expected, and the attacking armies are now behind schedule. The Russians, however, have also suffered greatly: 34 000 were taken prisoner on the 13th alone, and several divisions have been reduced to only several thousand effectives. Moreover, the German Guard Corps has punched a clear hole through the second defensive line and pushed the Russian defenders into the open. To continue holding their present positions would require the Russians to fight a battle of maneuver in the clear, a prospect that held little prospect of success. Brusilov instead concludes that his army must withdraw to the next prepared defensive line, running south from Rawa Ruska through Magierow and Grodek to the east bank of the Wereszyca River, and orders for the retreat go out this evening.
Naval operations: Celtic Sea
Bruno Hoppe, commanding U-22, begins his second war patrol by torpedoing British freighter SS STRATHAIRN, 4,336 tons, bound from Penarth to Archangelsk with a cargo of coal. Hoppe's score is now 3 ships and 5,389 tons.
Naval operations: German East Africa
At 0915 HMS SEVERN receives two maxim machine guns from the cruiser HYACINTH, plus five gun stands and spare parts. At 1015 she sets out for anchoring and mooring trials, then at 1405 puts out to sea, drops off a target and begins gun trials. She drops anchor back in port at 1755.
At 1115 HMS MERSEY receives a visit from Admiral King-Hall and his staff, who leave the monitor at 1220. At 1630 MERSEY puts out for a trial run. The starboard rudder is found to be out of alignment, and the ship stops to make adjustments, returning to port at 1830.
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Post by lordroel on Jun 16, 2020 2:48:49 GMT
Day 324 of the Great War, June 16th 1915
Western Front: French 10th Army undertakes a major assault in Artois
After several weeks of small-scale attacks, the French 10th Army undertakes a major assault today in Artois, moving against the German line from Liévin in the north through Souchez and Neuville almost to Arras in the south. In addition to placing additional reserves at General d'Urbal's disposal, Joffre has insisted that the lessons learnt from the failures of prior operations be implemented. Not only will these reserves be placed much closer to the front line than was the case on May 9th, but the preliminary artillery bombardment is to be more nuanced. Realizing that simply pounding the German line for several days gave the Germans too much warning of an impending attack, for this assault the artillery is to target a sufficiently diverse range of German targets to avoid giving away the French plan. Instead, the first German trench line is to be targeted by a massive bombardment the moment the French infantry leave their own trenches, so as to not only destroy the German defences but leave them insufficient time to respond. For this bombardment, over a thousand artillery pieces have been assigned to 10th Army, and together they fire almost five hundred thousand shells prior to and during the attack, almost double the number fired prior to and on May 9th.
Despite the concentration of firepower, the preliminary bombardment is deemed to be insufficient this morning, and the infantry attack is postponed from 9am to 1215pm to allow for additional artillery fire. When the French infantry go over the top, they run into a storm of German fire, and are limited to incremental gains: between Liévin and Angers XXI Corps seizes the first trench line formerly held by the German 7th Division, another trench is seized at Lorette Spur, XXXIII Corps reaches the edge of Souchez, and elements of XX, X, and XVII Corps fight their way into the mess of trenches and defensive positions in the Labyrinth. The greatest French success is achieved by the Moroccan Division south of Souchez, which advances up to a kilometre along a front of four hundred metres. Nowhere, however, had the French achieved anything like the breakthrough of May 9th, when elements of Pétain's XXXIII Corps had advanced six kilometres and reached the summit of Vimy Ridge. Instead, today's attacks have failed to break through the German line at any point - indeed, German counterattacks this evening retake the trench lost earlier in the day between Liévin and Angers - and what little ground has been taken and held has been purchased at the cost of 19 000 casualties. Today's assault has been a dismal failure.
Meanwhile, another attack intended to divert German attention from Artois had been launched on June 6th ten kilometres south of Noyon, and when it is halted today the French 6th Army has managed to advance only five hundred yards while suffering 7905 casualties.
Eastern Front: Gorlice-Tarnow Offensive
In Galicia the realization gradually dawns on the German and Austro-Hungarian commanders this morning that the Russians have retreated overnight, and a vigorous pursuit is ordered. The German 11th Army advances rapidly eastward, with fighting limited to skirmishes with Russian rearguards. To the south the Austro-Hungarian 2nd Army is also able to advance now that the Russians have fallen back, and by this evening are approaching the lower Wereszyca River, on the east bank of which the Russians have entrenched.
Naval operations: Celtic Sea
Bruno Hoppe and U-22 stop the tiny British freighter SS TRADFFORD, 215 tons, travelling from Newport to Sydney with a cargo described as "light". This likely means that there was no cargo but the ship was also not ballasted. After the crew is allowed to abandon ship TRADFFORD is sunk with fire from U-22's deck gun.
Later U-22 stops SS TURNWELL, 4,264 tons, bound from Liverpool to New York with an unspecified cargo. The crew abandon ship and the crew of U-22 open the ship's valves and detonate scuttling charges. After the u-boat departs the ship fails to sink. TURNWELL'S crew reboard their ship and manage to get her safely to port.
Naval operations: German East Africa
The crew of HMS MERSEY spend the day "...preparing ship for battle." Between 1630 and 1800 gunnery practice is held, firing four rounds from each gun at a target prepared by the tug SARAH JOLIFFE.
Meanwhile the crew of HMS Severn are still putting up armour plating. At 0900 the ship is swung about for calibrating the compass.
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Post by lordroel on Jun 17, 2020 2:52:31 GMT
Day 325 of the Great War, June 17th 1915
Western Front: French attacks continue in Artois
French attacks continue in Artois this morning, but are no more successful than those of yesterday, and only along the road running from Aix-Noulette to Souchez are the French able to gain and hold any ground. Joffre visits Foch's headquarters this morning, and in light of the high casualty total and the continued failure to break through the German line, the French commander-in-chief orders that future attacks be limited to those sectors where progress has already been made.
Though the French have suffered greatly, German formations committed to the battle have also suffered heavy casualties. The battle has been a constant draw on German reserves, as divisions are rotated into the line, only to themselves need relief in a matter of weeks. The headquarters of I Bavarian Reserve Corps reports today that its 58th Division is incapable of further fighting, while 16th Division, which is considered to be in an even weaker state, is pulled out and replaced by 11th Division. Further reinforcements are also dispatched to Artois, including two brigades from Lorraine, a division from 4th Army, and thirteen heavy artillery batteries.
Eastern Front: Gorlice-Tarnow Offensive
This morning the German 11th Army continues its advance eastward in Galicia, and by afternoon has closed up to the new Russian defence line running south from Rawa-Ruska. Concluding that the enemy position cannot be taken by a coup de main, the corps commanders of 11th Army each decide that the assault on the Russian line should only follow a preliminary artillery bombardment. After yesterday's rapid advance, the field artillery spends today catching up with the infantry, and preparations are made to open fire tomorrow. Further south, the Austro-Hungarian 2nd Army closes up to the Russian line along the Wereszyca River, but are unable to force their way across today.
United Kingdom: Dardanelles Committee
The Dardanelles Committee, the supreme decision-making body of the new coalition government, meets in London today, and in light of the continued deterioration of the Russian position on the Eastern Front decides to offer two further divisions to General Hamilton, hoping that success on Gallipoli will repair Entente prestige in the Balkans and bolster their Russian ally.
Naval operations: German East Africa
In the morning HMS MERSEY and SEVERN both conduct firing trials to calibrate their guns. In the afternoon Severn's crew are again busy setting up armour plate and painting the ship.
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