The Great War (1914-1918) in real time

Day 357 of the Great War, July 19th 1915

Eastern Front: Grand Duke Nicholas, chief of staff of the Russian army, visits the headquarters of General Alexeiev of North-West Front

Grand Duke Nicholas, chief of staff of the Russian army, visits the headquarters of General Alexeiev of North-West Front today and, given the continued setbacks, gives the latter the authority to order a retreat eastward from the Vistula and to abandon Warsaw, if the situation warrants. In southern Poland, 3rd Army disengages overnight from the Germans opposite and retreat to a prepared defensive line just south of the vital Lublin-Cholm railway. The Germans undertake an energetic pursuit, and by nightfall have come up against the new Russian positions. To the west, on the other side of the Vistula River, the German forces under General Woyrsch continue their advance, reaching the line Przylek-Zwolen-Podgora and taking five thousand prisoners by evening.

Italian Front: 2nd Battle of the Isonzo

Along the Isonzo River Italian infantry attacks expand to include actions against the Austro-Hungarian bridgehead on the west bank of the river at Görz. Despite heavy fighting, however, all of these assaults are thrown back, and after the first two days of the offensive nothing of any significance has been gained. In holding off the Italians, however, the Austro-Hungarians have suffered heavy casualties - VII Corps on the Karst plateau has already lost 5500 men, and 20th Honved Division in particular is down to one-third strength. To reinforce VII Corps, 93rd Division is transferred from reserve to reinforce the front.

Senussi campaign: Italian colony of Libya under pressure by the Senussi

In the Italian colony of Libya, the garrison continues to be under pressure from the uprising of the Senussi of the interior. Lacking sufficient numbers to hold the entire colony, the Italians have been abandoning posts to the south, and today retire from Ghadames in western Libya on the border with French Tunis. Most of the colony is essentially under the control of the Senussi, with the Italians only able to cling to the coast.

Naval operations: North Sea

Reinhold Lepsius and U-6 begin their second war patrol by stopping and sinking Swedish sailing brigantine SV CAPELLA, 422 tons, bound from Halmstad to West Hartlepool with a cargo of pit props. His score is now 4 ships and 5,354 tons.

Ernst Graeff, commanding U-36, begins his second war patrol by sinking Swedish sailer SV Nordlyset, 82 tons, carrying pit props from Arendal to Granton. This brings his score to 3 ships and 3,319 tons.

Naval operations: German East Africa

The crew of HMS MERSEY spend the day removing armour plate and bringing ammunition aboard from the tug BLACKOOK.

HMS SEVERN has several native shipwrights and handlers installing fixtures and removing plating, while the ship's crew are painting the ship and stowing ammunition. Some are aboard HMS LACONIA handling the same.

Day 359 of the Great War, July 21st 1915

Western Front: General Castlenau of the French Army Group of the Centre sends to Joffre his outline for the fall offensive in Champagne

General Castlenau of the French Army Group of the Centre sends to Joffre his outline for the fall offensive in Champagne. He proposes to have 2nd and 4th Armies undertake the main attack, with 5th Army (on the left) and 3rd Army (on the right) in supporting roles. To ensure a 'particularly effective' artillery bombardment, Castlenau states that the operation will require ten days supply of munitions. For the attack itself he envisions two phases: first, to rupture the German front and push the remnants back to a depth of twelve miles, which would provide reserve forces, in the second phase, sufficient room to maneouver to 'inflict a severe defeat on a significant part of the opposing forces on the Franco-Belgian front.'

Eastern Front: German and Austro-Hungarian offensive continues

- In southern Poland the German and Austro-Hungarian offensive continues. West of the Vistula, Landwehr under the command of General Woyrsch punches a two kilometre hole in the Russian line at Zwolen this morning and push northward towards the Russian fortifications at Ivangorod, while 4th Landwehr Cavalry Brigade is sent east towards the bridges across the Vistula at Novo Alexandriya. Further east attacks of the Austro-Hungarian 4th and German 11th Armies achieve only local successes, while the Army of the Bug occupies Hrubieszow on the right flank of the main advance.

- As their forces continue their offensives in Poland, the military leadership of Germany and Austria-Hungary give due consideration to the ultimate purpose of their actions on the Eastern Front. Today Conrad sends a memorandum to Falkenhayn, copied to the the Austro-Hungarian Foreign Minister, urging that the military victories accomplished since May should be exploited to achieve a separate peace with Russia; in Conrad's phrase, a 'golden bridge' should be constructed that would allow the Russians to accept a reasonable peace. Conrad's motive in forwarding the recommendation is partly revealed by a private letter written to General Artur von Bolfras today in which he writes that after peace with Russia, they 'could successfully deal with Italy.' For the Austro-Hungarian chief of staff, the fight against Russia remains simply a means to an end, a necessary evil that must be finished before he can turn the full strength of the Austro-Hungarian army (such that it is) against the enemy who betrayed (in his eyes) the Dual Monarchy in August 1914.

Italian Front: Austro-Hungarian artillery launch a heavy bombardment on the Italian forces on the summit of Monte San Michelle

At 2am this morning Austro-Hungarian artillery launch a heavy bombardment on the Italian forces on the summit of Monte San Michelle, less than twelve hours after the latter captured the heights, and without time to adequately entrench the Italians suffer significant casualties. Two hours later, fifteen Austro-Hungarian battalions launch a counterattack to retake San Michelle, and after several hours of hand-to-hand fighting the Italians fall back, yielding the only significant gain of the offensive on the Isonzo River launched on the 18th. Even in the mountainous terrain of the Italian Front it is possible to gain ground, but it is even more difficult to hold against immediate counterattacks; it is harder to dig trenches in rock than dirt.

United States: Wilson’s third “Lusitania” note, the United States threatens war

President Wilson issues his third protest over the sinking of RMS LUSITANIA and other ships which cost American lives. This one is more harsh, and insists that submarine operations can be conducted according to rules of war, and further similar attacks will be considered "unfriendly".

Third U.S. Protest over the Sinking of the Lusitania

July 21, 1915

The Government of the United States is not unmindful of the extraordinary conditions created by this war or of the radical alterations of circumstances and method of attack produced by the use of instrumentalities of naval warfare which the nations of the world can not have had in view when the existing rules of international law were formulated, and it is ready to make every reasonable allowance for these novel and unexpected aspects of war at sea; but it can not consent to abate any essential or fundamental right of its people because of a mere alteration of circumstance.

The rights of neutrals in time of war are based upon principle, not upon expediency, and the principles are immutable. It is the duty and obligation of belligerents to find a way to adapt the new circumstances to them.

The events of the past two months have clearly indicated that it is possible and practicable to conduct such submarine operations as have characterized the activity of the Imperial German Navy within the so-called war zone in substantial accord with the accepted practices of regulated warfare.

The whole world has looked with interest and increasing satisfaction at the demonstration of that possibility by German naval commanders. It is manifestly possible, therefore, to lift the whole practice of submarine attack above the criticism which it has aroused and remove the chief causes of offence.

In view of the admission of illegality made by the Imperial Government when it pleaded the right of retaliation in defense of its acts, and in view of the manifest possibility of conforming to the established rules of naval warfare, the Government of the United States can not believe that the Imperial Government will longer refrain from disavowing the wanton act of its naval commander in sinking the Lusitania or from offering reparation for the American lives lost, so far as reparation can be made for a needless destruction of human life by an illegal act.

The Government of the United States, while not indifferent to the friendly spirit in which it is made, can not accept the suggestion of the Imperial German Government that certain vessels be designated and agreed upon which shall be free on the seas now illegally proscribed.

The very agreement would, by implication, subject other vessels to illegal attack, and would be a curtailment and therefore an abandonment of the principles for which this government contends, and which in times of calmer counsels every nation would concede as of course.

The Government of the United States and the Imperial German Government are contending for the same great object, have long stood together in urging the very principles upon which the Government of the United States now so solemnly insists. They are both contending for the freedom of the seas.

The Government of the United States will continue to contend for that freedom, from whatever quarter violated, without compromise and at any cost. It invites the practical cooperation of the Imperial German Government at this time, when cooperation may accomplish most and this great common object be most strikingly and effectively achieved.

Repetition by the commanders of German naval vessels of acts in contravention of those rights must be regarded by the Government of the United States, when they affect American citizens, as deliberately unfriendly.

Naval operations: North Sea

Reinhold Lepsius, commanding U-6, stops Swedish sailing barque SV MADONNA , 455 tons, bound from Halsingborg to West Hartlepool with a cargo of pit props. Lepsius allows the crew to abandon ship and then sinks her. Later he stops Norwegian freighter SS ANVERS, 862 tons, carrying a load of timber from Fredrikstad to London, and takes her as a prize. his score is now 6 ships and 6,671 tons.

Naval operations: German East Africa

Aboard both monitors work continues with the crews cleaning and painting ships while native workers removing armour plates.

Day 361 of the Great War, July 23rd 1915

YouTube (Scorched Earth - Russia's retreat goes up in flames)



Eastern Front: German Army of the Niemen has been advancing in Courland

For the past ten days the German Army of the Niemen has been advancing in Courland. Despite the relatively small size of the German force (as compared with the armies advancing under Gallwitz and Mackensen to the south), the Army of the Niemen has been able to take advantage of both the low troop density and Russian disorganization to make significant progress, and today they seize the town of Szawle and defeat a Russian force nearby.

Italian Front: fighting around Monte San Michelle dies down

Along the Isonzo the fighting around Monte San Michelle dies down today, both sides being exhausted after five days of constant combat. Instead the Italians shift the focus of their attacks southwards, attempting to break through the Austro-Hungarian lines between the villages of Selz and Vermegliano.

Naval operations: Atlantic Ocean, north of Scotland

Ernst Graeff, commanding U-36, sinks French freighter SS DANAE, 1,505 tons, bound from Liverpool to Arkhangelsk with an unspecified cargo, and Norwegian freighter SS FIMREITE, 3,819 tons, carrying a load of iron ore from Wabana to Immingham. He then encounters a small British fishing group and sinks trawlers HERMIONE, 210 tons, HONORIA, 207 tons, and SUTTON, 332 tons. Graeff's score now stands at 11 ships and 13,345 tons.

Day 363 of the Great War, July 25th 1915

Western Front: Joffre approves Castlenau's proposed plan for the fall offensive in Champagne

Joffre approves Castlenau's proposed plan for the fall offensive in Champagne today, with one revision: the French commander-in-chief believes that only seven days' worth of artillery shells will be needed, as opposed to ten.

Eastern Front: German Army of the Niemen pushes across the Dubissa River

In Courland the German Army of the Niemen pushes across the Dubissa River and occupies Poswol and Poniewiez as the Russian 5th Army falls back.

Mesopotamia Campaign: British capture the town of Nasiriyeh

In Mesopotamia the British follow up their victory east of Nasiriyeh yesterday with the capture of the town today, in an episode reminiscent of the capture of Amara on the Tigris two months earlier. As the British infantry marched wearily along the river, a gunboat sailed ahead to Nasiriyeh itself, which has descended into chaos, with widespread looting by local Arabs. The crew of the gunboat are greeted by white flags everywhere but the Ottoman barracks, whose garrison have yet to learn of the defeat of their compatriots yesterday. The gunboat returns to the British expedition and, joined by a second gunboat, embark a hundred Gurkas and two machine guns. This small force is landed at Nasiriyeh and take possession of the town, receiving the surrender of the remaining Ottoman soldiers. Only later does the rest of the infantry, marching through a sandstorm, reach the town.

Persian Campaign: Falkenhayn approves a plan from the German military attaché in Teheran

Falkenhayn today approves a plan forwarded by the German military attaché in Teheran to fund and arm Persian tribes to augment the efforts of Wassmuss in the south of the country; with £100 000 and a ton of explosives, the attaché believes 50 000 tribesmen can be raised to drive Entente forces out of the country and move on India and Afghanistan.

East African campaign: Battle of Saisi

In northern Rhodesia the German detachment under the retired major-general Kurt Wahle returns to the British post of Saisi and launches a second attack, but as was the case in June the Rhodesian police and Belgian soldiers hold off the enemy.

Naval operations: North Sea

Reinhold Lepsius, commanding U-6, sinks Norwegian sailing ships SV G.P. HARBITZ, 673 tons, bound from Dynekilen to West Hartlepool with a cargo of pit props; SV HARBOE, 388 tons, sailing from Holmestrand to Sunderland, also carrying pit props; and SV SOGNEDALEN, 644 tons, carrying a load of planed wood from Fredrikstad to Middlebrough. His score is now 10 ships and 8,579 tons.

Claus Hansen, in U-41, finds another fishing fleet and sinks British trawlers CELTIC, 264 tons,CYDONIA, 259 tons, EMBLEM, 157 tons, GADWALL, 192 tons, and HONORIA, 179 tons. Moving west out of the North Sea he sinks the American freighter SS LEELENAW, 1,923 tons carrying a load of flax and hemp from Arkhangelsk to Belfast. Hansen's score now stands at 25 ships and 32,918 tons.

Erich Haecker, in UB-6, finishes his third war patrol by sinking the small British freighter SS FIRTH, 406 tons, heading from Treport to Methil in ballast. His score is now 7 ships and 4,200 tons.

Naval operations: British East Africa (Kenya)

HMS LACONIA has been at Kilindini Harbour, Mombasa, for the past three days, offloading aircraft and aviation stores. This morning the RNAS pilots and mechanics leave the ship for new assignments.

Day 365 of the Great War, July 27th 1915

Western Front: Joffre and Foch expect the British to undertaking a supporting attack south of La Bassée

As part of the French fall offensive in Champagne and Artois, Joffre and Foch expect the British to undertaking a supporting attack south of La Bassée in the direction of Lens. An assault here, they hope, will draw off German reserves from the French assault north of Arras, and that if the British seize the high ground near Lens as the French seize Vimy Ridge, the Germans will be compelled to Douai. The British, however, are extremely reluctant to follow the French script. General Haig, whose 1st Army would be responsible for undertaking the operation, has strongly recommended against an assault south of La Bassée, believing the broken terrain of the sector advantageous to an already well-entrenched German defence, and that digging approach trenches in the chalky soil would eliminate the element of surprise. Sir John French shares Haig's concerns, and if the BEF is to be committed to the attack he prefers an operation norther of La Bassée. The commander of the BEF meets with Foch today and explains the British concerns, but the latter is unconvinced. While sympathetic to the difficulties of an assault south of La Bassée, Foch argues that an attack to the north would be too far distant to either draw off German reserves or contribute to the French offensive.

Italian Front: commander of the Italian 3rd Army now expects an Austro-Hungarian counterattack

- After the heavy losses of the past few days, the commander of the Italian 3rd Army now expects an Austro-Hungarian counterattack, and Cadorna reassigns several divisions to 3rd Army to shore up the front. The Italians, however, need not have worried: the Austro-Hungarians have also suffered greatly, having lost 29 000 men since the start of the Italian offensive on the 18th. Given how thinly they were stretched along the Isonzo to begin with, any major counterattack is little more than wishful thinking

- After much discussion, the Italian government today decides against authorizing a naval operation to seize the island of Lagosta off the Dalmatian coast. They fear the impact on public opinion if warships are lost in the effort, given the sinking of Amalfi and Garibaldi already in the war. The decision, however, leaves the garrison of Pelagosa in the air, as its occupation had only ever been intended to complement the seize of Lagosta.

Mesopotamia Campaign: British occupy the entirety of the Basra department

With the capture of Nasiriyeh on the 25th, the British have occupied the entirety of the Basra department, and hold defensive positions upriver from the city on both the Tigris and Euphrates. The British have thus achieved their objectives of securing a strong grip on Basra and its environs, which had been the aim of the operations of the past few months. However, the very success, and the ease by which it has been accomplished, only encourages further advances. All of the standard tropes of mission creep come into play: the belief that further operations will be as easy as prior operations, that occupying B to protect A now requires the occupation of C to protect B, that further operations are only a slight expansion of the original mandate, that nebulous benefits of prestige and influence will accrue once the additional operation is successful. Such thoughts are rampant among officials in the Indian government, who see in Mesopotamia a natural sphere for British (and Indian) imperial expansion, and come to focus on the town of Kut-al-Amara, upriver from Amara on the Tigris River. The Indian viceroy writes to the Secretary of State for India today that 'the occupation of Kut-al-Amarah is considered by us to be a strategic necessity,' justifying the view by asserting that it is a mere four miles beyond the border of the Basra department, that it commands the lower reaches of both the Tigris and Euphrates, given the proximity of the two rivers at Kut-Al-Amara, and that occupying the town would 'facilitate the reinforcement of our position on either river and also enable us to control the powerful Bani Lam tribe and effectively safeguard the oil fields against aggression from the Tigris.' In what was doubtless a calculated appeal to the concerns of his civilian master, the Viceroy also suggests that once Kut-al-Amara is occupied, 'we could probably reduce materially our garrisons at Nasiriyeh and Amara and thus economize our troops.' On the tide of such sentiments does mission creep advance, and the British find themselves adrift towards disaster.

Naval operations: North Sea

Walther Becker, commanding UB-13, sinks British fishing smacks ICENI, 57 tons, and SALACIA, 61 tons, bringing his total to 3 ships and 2,151 tons.

Hans Valentiner, in UB-16, stops and scuttles British smack WESTWARD HO. His score is now 6 ships and 7,492 tons.

Day 367 of the Great War, July 29th 1915

Western Front

Falkenhayn meets with the chiefs of staff of the German armies on the Western Front at Metz

Falkenhayn meets with the chiefs of staff of the German armies on the Western Front at Metz today, and concludes that the situation is sufficiently stable and quiet to permit a further division to be redeployed from the west to the Eastern Front.

Eastern Front: German Landwehr Corps launches its crossing of the Vistula

- At 130am this morning the German Landwehr Corps launches its crossing of the Vistula along a twenty-four kilometre front downriver from Ivangorod. The Russian XVI Corps on the opposite bank had been completely ignorant of the arrival of Woyrsch's force yesterday, and thus the attack catches them completely by surprise. At only two of the ten crossing points do the German infantry encounter significant resistance, and by the time Russian artillery begins to respond at 5am the bulk of the Landwehr Corps is already on the east bank. Given that the crossing threatens the flank of the Russian 4th Army holding the line southeast of Ivangorod, General Alexeiev orders it and the adjacent 2nd Army to the north to concentrate forces to throw the Germans back across the Vistula. By evening, though the German bridgehead remains intact, growing Russian resistance prevents a breakout.

To the east, General Mackensen's army group launches the next stage of its offensive, spearheaded once again by the German 11th Army. The main assault is launched by the German X, X Reserve, and XXII Reserve Corps west of the Wieprz River, and the Russian II Siberian Corps opposite suffers heavy casualties and is forced back. By the end of the day, German elements have reached the village of Trawniki, thereby cutting the vital Lublin-Cholm railway. On both flanks, the Austro-Hungarian 4th Army and the German Army of the Bug encounter stubborn Russian resistance and achieve less substantial gains.

Naval operations: German East Africa

At 0030 Admiral King-Hall's makeshift task force is joined by another gunboat, HMS PIONEER. At 0200 the group stops at Lindi bay. Armed parties are transfered to ECHO and RATTLER. Their purpose is to finish an old job: Back on October 19th of the previous year Captain Drury-Lowe of HMS CHATHAM had discovered the German transport SS PRASIDENT at Lindi, disguised as a hospital ship. Commander Raymond Fitzmaurice had disabled the ship's engines. Now Admiral King-Hall has received word that the German freighter's engines have been repaired and the ship has been moved into Lukuledi Creek, where she is being stocked with wood for fuel. King-Hall intendes to destroy the freighter entirely. The attacking force is lead by Commander Richard Orlando Beaconsfield Bridgeman.

At 0500 the group of ships enters the bay with the two acting minesweepers ahead and PIONEER and the tugs behind. At 0630 the water becomes too shallow for CHALLENGER to proceed further, and Commander Bridgeman leads the smaller vessels up the river. Bridgeman takes ECHO and FLY up Lukeledi Creek, sending other ships back to CHALLENGER. He finds PRASIDENT in good working order and 16-pound guncotton charges around the ship. Präsident's engines are destroyed, and her wireless, and sufficient holes are blown in her sides to sink the ship. At 1535 Echo and Fly exit the Lindi River and at 1735 CHALLENGER leads the smaller ships toward home.

Day 369 of the Great War, July 31st 1915

Eastern Front: German and Austro-Hungarian commanders believe that the Russians intend to offer serious resistance

In southern Poland the German and Austro-Hungarian commanders believe that the Russians intend to offer serious resistance on the new defensive line they retreated to yesterday. As such, Mackensen instructs the German 11th Army to prepare a major assault for tomorrow, while the Austro-Hungarian 4th Army on the left flank and the German Army of the Bug on the right flank continue to advance, so as to be in position to support the main attack tomorrow. While the latter is able to advance at Strzelce and capture a stretch of the road leading to Cholm, the former is unable to win significant ground in a series of sharp battles.

Naval operations: Celtic Sea

Georg-Günther von Forstner, commanding U-28, captures and sinks two small British messengers headed from Glasgow to the Mediterranean - NUGGET, 405 tons, and TURUQOISE, 486 tons. His score is now 12 ships and 31,622 tons.