lordroel
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Post by lordroel on Oct 14, 2020 2:52:22 GMT
Day 442 of the Great War, October 14th 1915Serbian campaign: Kossava continues- The Kossava continues unabated in Serbia today, and the only craft able to cross the swollen Save and Danube Rivers are boats with motors or steam engines, of which only two are available to transport supply for the entire German III and X Reserve Corps. For the German and Austro-Hungarian forces on the south banks of the rivers, supply problems continue. South of Belgrade further attacks by the German XXII Reserve Corps and the Austro-Hungarian VIII Corps succeed in pushing the Serbians back from their forward positions, and elements of the German 43rd and 44th Reserve Divisions advance on either side of the railway running towards Ripanj. On the front of the German 11th Army, after reconnaissance patrols yesterday established that the Serbs had evacuated Požarevac, the German 3rd Bavarian Regiment occupies the town today. Meanwhile the Bulgarian 1st and 2nd Armies begin their advance today. Given that the former is clearly aimed directly at Niš, the Serbs have deployed strong forces, totalling five infantry divisions and one cavalry division, to contain the Bulgarian advance in the mountain passes east of the city. Given the strong resistance, coupled with the continuing bad weather, the Bulgarian 1st Army makes no progress today. However, given the continued pressure the Serbs are under on all fronts, they are incapable of being strong everywhere, and only small forces can be spared to hold back the Bulgarian 2nd Army. Map: The deployment of the Bulgarian 1st and 2nd Armies and the Serbian forces assigned to contain them, Oct. 14th, 1915 Aerial operations: five German Zeppelins undertake a bombing raid on LondonOvernight five German Zeppelins undertake a bombing raid on London. While L11 turned back near the English coast after coming under fire, dropping his bombload on several small villages, and L16 strikes the town of Hertford, twenty miles north of London, the three others all manage to hit the British capital. Most notably, L15, watched by members of Parliament who had been debating an emergency taxation measure, drops its bombs from Charing Cross to the Bank of England, with the second bomb exploding in Wellington Street and killing seventeen, the greatest number of deaths caused by a single bomb in a raid to date. L13, meanwhile, targets pumping and power stations at Hampton as well as Woolwich Arsenal, and L14, after a lengthy diversion to Hythe on the Kent coast where it dropped nine bombs on an army encampment and killed fifteen soldiers, struck the suburb of Croydon where a number of homes were damaged or destroyed. Though the Zeppelins had trouble with fog on the return voyage, all return safely (though L15 landed three miles short of Nordholz, necessitating repairs). This raid is one of the deadliest of the war, with 71 killed and 128 injured, including 38 killed and 87 injured in London itself. Naval operations: North SeaBritish freighter SS SALERNO, 2,071 tons, bound from Hull to Marseille and then Italy with a general cargo, runs on a mine laid by UC-3 and her new commander, Erwin Waßner.
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lordroel
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Post by lordroel on Oct 15, 2020 2:50:16 GMT
Day 443 of the Great War, October 15th 1915
YouTube (Learning Lessons From Loos - Bulgaria Enters The War)
Western Front: Field Marshal Sir John French learns that Joffre has called off the French offensives in Artois and Champagne
Field Marshal Sir John French learns that Joffre has called off the French offensives in Artois and Champagne, which invalidates the strategic premise of the British offensive at Loos. This, in conjunction with the failure of the attack of the 13th to secure significant gains, compels the commander of the BEF to call off the offensive in Flanders. Henceforth, the British 1st Army will limit itself strictly to those operations essential to seize ground to protect itself from German counterattacks against the ground captured on the 13th.
Since September 25th the British 1st Army has suffered approximately 50 000 casualties, including almost 16 000 dead, while pushing forward between 800 and 2500 yards on a 6000 yard stretch of the German line north and south of the village of Loos. As with the French in Champagne, most of this ground was seized in the first hours of the attack on the morning of the 25th, and again in common with the French the British proved unable to sustain the initial momentum and subsequent attacks proved increasingly futile. In the case of Loos, the failures from the afternoon of the 25th onward have been ascribed by Haig and his supporters as primarily the responsibility of Field Marshal's French's mishandling of the reserves, a dispute that continues to fester in the upper ranks of the British army. The battle has also proven to be a bitter introduction to the divisions of Kitchener's 'New Armies' to combat on the Western Front, the attack of 21st and 24th Divisions, though driven home with great courage, was an abysmal failure, gaining no ground at the cost of several thousand casualties. They will not be the only divisions of the 'New Armies' to have such a deadly debut on the Western Front.
Bulgaria: Great Britain and Montenegro formally declare war on Bulgaria
With Bulgaria's entry into the war on the side of Germany with its invasion of Serbia, Great Britain and Montenegro formally declare war on Bulgaria today.
India: Austen Chamberlain, Secretary of State for India, informs Lord Hardinge, Viceroy of India
Austen Chamberlain, Secretary of State for India, informs Lord Hardinge, Viceroy of India, that the Cabinet is discussing the withdrawal of the two divisions of Indian Expeditionary Force A from France and dispatching them to Mesopotamia. This redeployment has two purposes: (1) to facilitate the capture of Baghdad; and (2) to secure the region if an Entente withdrawal from the Dardanelles allows the Ottomans to redeploy divisions there to Mesopotamia.
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lordroel
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Post by lordroel on Oct 16, 2020 8:14:08 GMT
Day 444 of the Great War, October 16th 1915
Serbian campaign: German 44th Reserve Division and the Austro-Hungarian 59th Division secure the northern face of the Avala Hills
In Serbia a further advance by the German 44th Reserve Division and the Austro-Hungarian 59th Division of the Austro-Hungarian 3rd Army secure today the northern face of the Avala Hills, the main Serbian defensive line south of Belgrade.
Bulgaria: French government formally declares war on Bulgaria
The French government formally declares war on Bulgaria today.
Naval operations: North Sea
British freighter SS VOLSCIAN, 570 tons, travelling in ballast from Dieppe to Grimsby, hits a mine laid by Erwin Waßner and UC-3. The ship is only damaged, and returns to service sometime later.
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lordroel
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Post by lordroel on Oct 17, 2020 6:55:54 GMT
Day 445 of the Great War, October 17th 1915
Western Front: Field Marshal Sir John French calls off the British offensive at Loos
After the failure of the attack on the 13th, Field Marshal Sir John French had called off the British offensive at Loos, limiting further operations to seizing ground deemed essential to repulsing any potential German counterattack. Haig's conclusion is that several key positions on the northern flank of the Loos salient, including The Quarries, Fosse 8, and The Dump, will need to be captured. Today the first attack is undertaken by the Guards Division, aiming to capture German trenches on either flank of the Hohenzollern Redoubt, isolating the position and allowing for a further attack to seize Fosse 8. The Guards had only come into the line yesterday to replace the battered 46th Division, and its readiness to attack at 5am this morning is a testimony to the experience and skill of the staff officers. The attack itself, however, is over ground that has been fought over for the past month, and thus is covered with the dead as well as the debris of battle, severely impeding the advance of the infantry. Moreover, only a short artillery bombardment precedes the attack, which does little more than alert the German defenders that the British are coming. The broken terrain and heavy German fire conspire to prevent any Guards infantry from reaching their objectives, and Lord Cavan, commander of the division, calls off the attack at 8am, the Guards having suffered 101 dead for no gain.
Serbian campaign: Kossava abate in Serbia
Only today does the Kossava abate in Serbia, allowing the flow of men and supplies across the Save and Danube Rivers to resume. South of Belgrade, with the Germans and Austro-Hungarians pushing across the Avala Hills, General Živojin Mišić, commanding the Serbian 1st Army, orders a retreat southwards to a new line of hills centred on Kosmaj Mountain, covering the Kolubara River and the town of Valjevo. During the day, the Serbian divisions under his command disengage and pull back seven miles to the new line by nightfall. The pursuit by the Austro-Hungarian 3rd Army is slowed by the poor state of the roads in the aftermath of the Kossava and the destruction of several viaducts cutting the only railway south of Belgrade. To the east on the front of the German 11th Army, after two days of fighting German forces push through a new Serbian defensive line on the Sapina Hills running through Smoljinac and Makci, with 107th Division seizing the former and X Reserve Corps capturing the latter.
Naval operations: North Sea
His Majesty's Trawler JAVELIN, 205 tons, is sunk by a mine laid by UC-3 under Erwin Waßner, bringing his score to 2 ships and 2,276 tons.
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Post by lordroel on Oct 18, 2020 6:40:50 GMT
Day 446 of the Great War, October 18th 1915
Serbian campaign: German III Corps has had a particularly difficult few days
The German III Corps has had a particularly difficult few days as a result of the Kossava, as in addition to the supply difficulties faced by the other German and Austro-Hungarian corps it is being drawn in two directions: 6th Division has been attempting to cross the Ralja River and advance southwards while 25th Division has been moving westward in an attempt to link up with the Austro-Hungarian 3rd Army. After difficult fighting, however, 6th Division is across the Ralja and today routs the Serbs out of a heavily defended position at Mala Krsna, and pursue the retreating enemy into the hills south of the river.
Italian front: Third Battle of the Isonzo
- On the Italian front the preliminary artillery bombardment for the 3rd Battle of the Isonzo begins precisely at 12pm. Italian fire is concentrated on the frontline trenches of the Austro-Hungarian defenders opposite, but attention is also paid to known concentration of Austro-Hungarian reserves, communication trenches, and headquarters. Only south of Görz on the Karst plateau, however, is notable damage done to the Austro-Hungarian positions.
Naval operations: Black Sea
With the entry of Bulgaria into the war, German submarines in the Black Sea can now operate out of Bulgarian ports, located closer to the Russian coast than Ottoman bases, and today the first German submarine - UB-8 - arrives at Varna.
Naval operations: North Sea
British freighter SS ALEPPO, 3,870 tons, bound from Alexandria to Hull with a general cargo (mostly grain), hits a mine laid by Matthias von Schmettow and UC-6. The ship is beached and later returned to service. Norwegian freighter SS SALERNO, 2,431 tons, carrying general cargo, mail and passengers from Tyne to Santos, also hits a mine laid by UC-6 and sinks. Von Schmettow's score is now 12 ships and 9,534 tons.
Naval operations: Aegean Sea
Waldemar Kophamel, commanding U-35, begins his sixth war patrol with the sinking of Italian freighter SS SCILLA, 1,220 tons, route not listed, general cargo. Kophamel's score is now 23 ships and 41,228 tons.
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Post by lordroel on Oct 19, 2020 2:51:11 GMT
Day 447 of the Great War, October 19th 1915Serbian campaign: arriving Germans turn the flank of the Serbian defendersIn Serbia, on the western flank of the German XXII Reserve Corps the advance of 26th Division brings it into contact with the Austro-Hungarian 53rd Division of XIX Corps, held short of Obrenovac since its initial crossing of the Save River. The arriving Germans turn the flank of the Serbian defenders, who pull back and allow the trapped Austro-Hungarians to finally break out. To the east, the German 105th Division of IV Reserve Corps breaks through Serbian positions in the hills east of Lucić, suffering heavy casualties to overcome the fierce enemy resistance. Meanwhile, however, the Germans score a coup when 232rd Reserve Regiment of 107th Division captures a Serbian patrol and an engineer detachment with orders to destroy the railway bridge over the Mlava River to the south. Intelligence gleaned from the prisoners allow the Germans to capture the bridge intact, which will aid further advances. To the south, while the Bulgarian 1st Army continues to be held up in the mountain passes east of Niš, to the south the Bulgarian 2nd Army has made much more progress, and today reaches the Vardar River at Veleš and cuts the railway linking Niš and Salonika. Macedonian front: Russia and Italy formally declare war on Bulgaria- Both Russia and Italy formally declare war on Bulgaria today. - The Serbian government has been pressuring General Sarrail to move his forces north from Salonika and concentrate them at Niš, to oppose the Bulgarians attacking from the east. Sarrail knows that such a movement is impossible with the forces at his disposal, but recognizes that a gesture (beyond the deployment at the Strumica rail station) is needed. As a result, he orders an infantry regiment and artillery battery, newly arrived at Salonika and from the French 57th Division, to move north to Krivolak, on the Salonika-Skopje railway thirty kilometres north of the Strumica rail station and south of Veleš. Map: The French advance from Salonika, October 1915 Italian front: Third Battle of the IsonzoThe Italian preliminary artillery bombardment along the lower Isonzo River is joined today by Italian aircraft, which this morning strike the Austro-Hungarian airbase at Aisovizza and begin airstrikes on marching columns and railway stations. These raids are largely unopposed, as the Austro-Hungarian aircraft on the Italian Front are primarily designed for reconnaissance, not aerial combat. Japan: government of Japan adheres to the Pact of LondonThe government of Japan adheres to the Pact of London today, which had originally been signed on September 5th, 1914 by Russia, France, and Britain and by which they had pledged not to sign a separate peace with Germany. Japan's agreement to remain in the war until the end does not, however, signal an expansion of the Japanese contribution to the war effort of the Entente. Instead, the Japanese government hopes that adhering to the pact will secure it a seat at the peace conference at the end of the war and allow Japanese negotiators to secure the permanent transfer of captured German colonies in Asia and the Pacific to Japan. Naval operations: English ChannelHis Majesty's Trawler ERIN II, 181 tons. is sunk by a mine laid by Herbert Pustkuchen in UC-5. Pustkuchen's score is now 10 ships and 13,059 tons.
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Post by lordroel on Oct 20, 2020 2:55:34 GMT
Day 448 of the Great War, October 20th 1915
Serbian campaign: Falkenhayn observes the progress of the Serbian campaign with apprehension
At OHL Falkenhayn has been observing the progress of the Serbian campaign with apprehension, as he views the progress to date, especially over the past week as the Kossava raged, as insufficient to secure the desired rapid victory. The German chief of staff decides today to commit the German Alpine Corps, currently in the Tyrol, to the Serbian campaign, and decides to visit Mackensen's headquarters in three days' time.
Greece: British government offered to cede the island of Cyprus to Greece
Four days ago, the British government offered to cede the island of Cyprus, acquired from the Ottoman Empire in the 19th-century, to Greece in exchange for Greek entry into the war on the side of the Entente. The inducement is not sufficient to move King Constantine off of his policy of neutrality, and today the Greek government declines the British offer.
Macedonian front: Bulgarian forces attack and capture Veleš
In southern Serbia, Bulgarian forces attack and capture Veleš on the Salonika-Skopje railway forty kilometres north of Krivolak. The Serbs appeal to General Sarrail to advance further north to maintain the line of communications with Skopje, but he refuses to move beyond Krivolak. Between Krivolak and the Strumica rail station, he has already committed most of the forces at his disposal - the last elements of the French 57th Division are still disembarking at Salonika even as its lead elements are arriving at Krivolak today, and a third French division is still en route to the port. Moreover, French forces at the Strumica rail station continue to engage Bulgarian forces, and defeat here would isolate the French forces moving to Krivolak, and reports from Krivolak itself indicate that the railway has already been cut just north of the town.
Italian front: Third Battle of the Isonzo
As the Italian preliminary artillery bombardment continues, Italian prisoners captured by the Austro-Hungarians indicate that the anticipated infantry assault is to begin tomorrow morning. Not only the timing but the location of the attack has been ascertained - the pattern of bombardment clearly shows that a major effort will be made against the Austro-Hungarian VII Corps south of Görz, and reserves of the adjacent III Corps are ordered to prepare to move north to aid their neighbour once the enemy attack begins. Though outnumbered, the Austro-Hungarians are thoroughly prepared to meet the Italian offensive.
Naval operations: Celtic Sea
French barque SV AMIRAL COURBET, 2,223 tons, bound from Cork, Ireland to Albany, Australia, runs aground at Beaulna Cove, Fennings Bay, Cork, Ireland. The stranded ship is abandoned by her crew with no casualties.
Naval operations: English Channel
His Majesty's Drifter STAR OF BUCHAN, 81 tons. is sunk by a mine laid by Herbert Pustkuchen in UC-5, bringing his score to 11 ships and 13,140 tons.
Naval operations: Sea of Marmara
British submarine H-1 torpedoes and sinks Turkish freighter SS HANEFIYE, 515 tons, while the cargo ship is anchored in the Sarkoy Roads transferring stores to lighters.
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Post by lordroel on Oct 21, 2020 2:49:51 GMT
Day 449 of the Great War, October 21st 1915Western Front: General Haig of the British 1st Army remains confident that a more methodical approach will secure the ground on the northern flank of the Loos salientDespite the failure of the attack by the Guards Division on the 17th, General Haig of the British 1st Army remains confident that a more methodical approach will secure the ground on the northern flank of the Loos salient he deems essential to establish a good defensive position for his forces over the winter. Among the tactics Haig implements is the digging of approach trenches as close to the German lines as possible, to minimize the time needed for the attacking infantry to cross No Man's Land. This work cannot be rushed, however, and Haig does not believe his army will be ready to attack until November 7th. Today Field Marshal French gives his approval to the proposed local attacks. Macedonian front: remainder of the French 156th Division has arrived at the Strumica rail stationOver the past week the remainder of the French 156th Division has arrived at the Strumica rail station, and in cooperation with Serb forces has repulsed an attack by elements of the Bulgarian 2nd Army. Italian front: Third Battle of the IsonzoThis morning the 3rd Battle of the Isonzo opens on the Italian Front as infantry assaults are undertaken by the Italian 2nd and 3rd Armies. Given the lack of both surprise and sufficient munitions, to say nothing of the terrain, the Italian attacks get nowhere. North of Plava the Italian 27th Division attempts to cross the Isonzo River at Loga and Ajba before dawn, hoping to catch the enemy by surprise. The intention of the attackers had long since been betrayed by the noise of their assembly, and the crossing runs into a hail of fire and is shattered. A second attempt after dusk makes use of a more substantial preliminary bombardment, but is no more successful. South of Görz, 3rd Army assaults the Karst plateau at 10am. Only along small sections of the front do Italian infantry manage to even reach the first enemy trench line, and these successes are soon erased by fierce Austro-Hungarian counterattacks. Only on a two hundred yard stretch of the Austro-Hungarian line north of Mt dei sei Busi are the Italian attackers able to hold captured ground against enemy counterattacks. By nightfall hundreds of Italian dead lay before Austro-Hungarian positions on Mt S Michelle. After dark the Italian VII Corps attacks up the slope of Heights #121 east of Monfalcone, and after four failed attempts the fifth managed to reach the enemy trenches just before midnight. Map: The 3rd Battle of the Isonzo, Oct. 19th to Nov. 4th, 1915 Naval operations: North SeaBritish freighter SS MONITORIA, 1,904 tons, bound from Humber to London with a load of coal, hits a mine laid by UC-6 under Matthias von Schmettow. His score is now 13 ships and 11,438 tons. Norwegian barque SV CISSIE, 1,848 tons, en route from Hull to Port Arthur, Texas, is lost after a collision with SS Northwestern Miller, 13 miles southeast of the Nab lightvessel. Seven of her crew are lost. UC-9, under Paul Schürmann, is destroyed by one of her own mines while laying a field off Long Sand, in the Thames Estuary. All 14 crew were lost. The Chief Engineer's body washed ahore on November 12. Naval operations: White SeaBritish freighter SS ANTIBES, 2,549 tons, heading from Barry to Arkhangelsk, is sunk by a mine laid by SMS METEOR on the night of June 7-8.
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Post by lordroel on Oct 22, 2020 2:49:56 GMT
Day 450 of the Great War, October 22nd 1915YouTube ("The Crime That Shook the World" - The Execution of Edith Cavell)Western Front: Joffre sends a memorandum to his army group commandersJoffre sends a memorandum to his army group commanders today, assessing the strategic situation on the Western Front in the aftermath of the fall offensives in Champagne and Artois. The French commander-in-chief casts the most favourable light on the recent operations, arguing that the French and British have achieved 'important tactical results', inflicted heavy losses on the Germans, and gained an 'undeniable moral superiority' over the enemy. Only a lack of artillery had prevented the much-desired breakthrough and decisive victory. In a more realistic appraisal, he recognizes the exhaustion of the French army, and states that the primary focus in the month ahead will be on resting the infantry and reconstituting units whose ranks have been decimated in the recent fighting. However, local operations will be necessary to keep the Germans believing major offensives may be imminent, and thus keep them from redeploying units on the Western Front to other theatres. Other than troops necessary for these minor attacks, the number of soldiers in the front line is to be reduced as low as possible, perhaps for the entire winter. For the first time since the aftermath of the First Battle of Ypres in November 1914, Joffre is not planning an imminent major offensive designed to break the deadlock on the Western Front. Serbian campaign: Mackensen and Seeckt issue orders today for the next phase of the invasion of SerbiaMackensen and Seeckt issue orders today for the next phase of the invasion of Serbia. The German 11th Army is to advance south on both sides of the Morava River towards Kragujevać, establishing contact with the Bulgarian 1st Army. The Austro-Hungarian 3rd Army would also push south towards Kraljevo, with the ultimate aim of preventing Serbian forces from retreating to the west. To the south, elements of the Bulgarian 2nd Army seize Skopje today. Map: The advance of the German 11th and Austro-Hungarian 3rd Armies, Oct. 22nd to 29th, 1915 Italian front: Third Battle of the Isonzo- North of Görz the Italian II Corps of 2nd Army launches heavy assaults near Plava, the third of which breaks into the Austro-Hungarian trenches at Zagora. However, 4th Battalion of the Austro-Hungarian 4th Regiment counterattacks before the Italians can consolidate their gains, and retake the lost ground. The rest of the day here consists of artillery duels, the Italians striking the enemy trenches and the Austro-Hungarians hitting the assembly areas for Italian infantry. To the south of Görz the Italian 3rd Army continues its attacks, succeeding only in capturing and holding the first enemy trench line west of St. Martino just before noon. Everywhere else the Austro-Hungarian VII and III Corps hold, and indeed an attack this morning retakes the ground lost yesterday at Heights #121 by 10am. However, given the heavy enemy pressure most of the available Austro-Hungarian reserves are committed to the fight during the course of the day. Naval operations: North SeaHis Majesty's Trawler SCOTT, 288 tons, is sunk by a mine laid by UC-1, under Egon von Werner, bringing his score to 7 ships and 7,619 tons. British tug GRAPPLER, 690 tons, is damaged by a mine laid by UC-5 under Herbert Pustkuchen, while salvaging equipment from trawler Erin II, sunk three days earlier by a mine also laid by UC-5.
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Post by lordroel on Oct 23, 2020 8:05:24 GMT
Day 451 of the Great War, October 23rd 1915Italian front: Third Battle of the IsonzoReinforced with divisions drawn from reserve, today the Italian XIV and X Corps of 3rd Army, the northern wing and centre of the army respectively, launch repeated heavy attacks on the Austro-Hungarian line between Mt. San Michelle and Mt. dei sei Busi. Again and again, Italian infantry rush forward, often uphill, into heavy enemy fire, and when they manage to reach the first trenches they are met by bayonets and grenades. Despite losses, numerical inferiority, and exhaustion, the Austro-Hungarian defenders, some of whom consist of Landsturm reserves barely accustomed to the intensity of modern combat, are able to hold repulse every Italian attack. Naval operations: North SeaBritish freighter SS ILARO, 2,799 tons, bound from Forcados to Hull with a cargo of palm kernels and maize, is sunk by a mine laid by Herbert Pustkuchen and UC-5. Pustkuchen's score is now 12 ships and 15,939 tons. Photo: German U-boat U-35 cruising in the Mediterranean Naval operations: Baltic SeaBritish submarine HMS E-8 torpedoes German armord cruiser SMS PRINZ ADALBERT, 8,943 long tons, 20 miles west of Liepāja (Libau). One of the ship's magazines is detonated, sinking the ship instantly with the loss of 672 of her crew. There are only 3 survivors. PRINZ ADALBERT had just been repaired after surviving a torpedo attack by E-9 on July 19. Photo: The German Imperial Navy cruiser SMS PRINZ ADALBERT before 1914 Naval operations: Aegean SeaWaldemar Kophamel, commanding U-35, sinks British troopship MARQUETTE, 7,057 tons, transporting troops and equipment from Alexandria to Salonica. His score is now 24 ships and 48,285 tons.
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Post by lordroel on Oct 24, 2020 7:09:48 GMT
Day 452 of the Great War, October 24th 1915
Serbian campaign: Falkenhayn arrives at Mackensen's headquarters at Temesvár
- After a brief stop yesterday to confer with Conrad at Teschen, Falkenhayn arrives at Mackensen's headquarters at Temesvár at 945am. After discussion it is decided that the German Alpine Corps will be assigned to the Austro-Hungarian 3rd Army to relieve part of the German XXII Reserve Corps, the latter not being well equipped for mountain warfare. Mackensen and Seeckt also brief the German chief of staff on current operations, and afterwards dine with the Kaiser and his entourage.
At the front, the Austro-Hungarian 3rd and German 11th Armies have advanced relatively unimpeded over the past two days; other than rearguard actions, Serbian forces only put up a sustained defensive effort south of Požarevac, which had covered the main road in the Morava River valley. Revised orders from Mackensen orders the inner wings of the two armies to seize Kragujevać as quickly as possible, hoping to break the Serbian line into several pockets that could be enveloped. The weather, however, continues to impede operations; on average, it takes German artillery two hours to move one mile.
The Serbian 1st and 3rd Armies, meanwhile, have taken up defensive positions on high ground running approximately from Larazec through Arangelovac and south of Palanka to Petrovac, hoping to block access to the Morava and Mlava River valleys.
Italian front: Third Battle of the Isonzo
- On the northern wing of the Italian 2nd Army, 8th Division and Alpine Group A launch repeated attacks on Austro-Hungarian positions north of Tolmein, advancing up slopes soon covered in the dead and dying. In the late afternoon, Italian infantry finally manage to break into the enemy trenches, only to be driven from them by counterattacks by the Austro-Hungarian 3rd and 14th Mountain Brigades.
To the south, overnight the Italian 29th Division, after four earlier attempts failed, finally break into the first Austro-Hungarian trench line before Mt. San Michele just before dawn. In an attempt to follow up this meagre success, the commander of the Italian 3rd Army commits his final reserve formation - 21st Division - to a general assault by XIV Corps designed to push past Mt. San Michele. After an intensive artillery bombardment, eight regiments attack opposite Mt. San Michele just after 3pm, but all along the front the waves of infantry are repulsed with heavy losses.
Naval operations: North Sea
His Majesty's Drifter CHARITY, 102 tons, goes missing with all hands while en route from Yarmouth to Poole.
Naval operations: Baltic Sea
Hans Walther, commanding U-17, captures Swedish freighter SS RUMINA, 1,418 tons, bound from Hörnefors to London with a load of wood pulp, as a prize and orders her to Libau. On the way there the freighter hits a mine and sinks, taking six of her crew with her.
This is U-17's last sinking. She will serve the rest of the war as a training submarine. Hans Walther's next command will be U-52.
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Post by lordroel on Oct 25, 2020 7:45:29 GMT
Day 453 of the Great War, October 25th 1915
Italian front: Third Battle of the Isonzo
After four days of heavy attacks north and south of Görz, the Italian 2nd and 3rd Armies have gained negligible ground; only several small stretches of the first enemy trench line have been captured, and in each case the Austro-Hungarian defenders have simply fallen back to the second trench line. At no point have the Italians even threatened to achieve a significant victory or breakthrough, and what little has been gained has been won at the cost of 67 000 casualties. The Italian 3rd Army in particular has suffered heavily and its infantry is exhausted after constant, fruitless combat, and thus Cadorna today orders a pause of several days to the offensive to allow replacements and supplies to reach the front.
Though they have generally held their line, the Austro-Hungarians have also suffered significant losses, and 5th Army, responsible for defending the Isonzo River line, has exhausted almost all of its reserves, with only several battalions of Landsturm immediately at hand. The break in the Italian offensive thus gives a much-needed opportunity to bring up further reserves and replacements.
Naval operations: English Channel
HMS VELOX, 380 tons, is sunk by a mine laid by Herbert Pustkuchen in UC-5. VELOX was the third experimental turbine-powered destroyer built for the Royal Navy and the first to see active service. Pustkuchen's score is now 13 ships and 16,319 tons.
Naval operations: North Sea
Norwegian freighter SS SELMA , 1,654 tons, bound from Middlsbrough to Nantes with a load of pig iron and steel plates, is sunk by a mine laid by Erwin Waßner and UC-3. Waßner's score is now 3 ships and 3,930 tons.
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Post by lordroel on Oct 26, 2020 3:45:24 GMT
Day 454 of the Great War, October 26th 1915
Serbian Campaign: German XXII Reserve Corps, with the assistance of a heavy artillery bombardment, has secured the Serbian defensive positions at Arangelovac
After hard fighting, the German XXII Reserve Corps, with the assistance of a heavy artillery bombardment, has secured the Serbian defensive positions at Arangelovac. With the way open to the high ground at Rudnik, Mackensen orders the corps, supported by the Austro-Hungarian XIX Corps, push on towards Kraljevo, hoping to block one potential Serbian retreat route to the west. Meanwhile, the Bulgarian 2nd Army seizes the Kačanik Gorge north of Skopje which, with the earlier occupation of Veleš along with Skopje itself, isolates Salonika from Serbia.
Macedonian front: Lord Kitchener remains skeptical of the Salonika expedition
Lord Kitchener remains skeptical of the Salonika expedition, and feels that, with the fall of Skopje, the opportunity to effectively aid the Serbs may have passed. However, under continued pressure from the French, he agrees today to permit the British 10th Division, currently at Salonika, to cross the Greco-Serbian border to aid the French in the Vardar River valley.
Niedermayer–Hentig Expedition: German mission to Afghanistan has its first audience with Emir Habibullah
The German mission to Afghanistan has its first audience with Emir Habibullah today, where the latter expresses sympathy for the Germans but is unwilling to commit himself or his country to any particular course of action. The stalling of the emir leads some in the German mission to wonder if they will be able to accomplish their objectives.
Naval operations: Dardanelles
British freighter SS MILO, 1,057 tons, is sunk as a blockship to protect the North Beach landing site from bad weather.
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lordroel
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Post by lordroel on Oct 27, 2020 3:46:19 GMT
Day 455 of the Great War, October 27th 1915
Serbian Campaign: mood is grim at Serbian army headquarters
As the Germans and Austro-Hungarians grind southwards towards Kragujevac, the mood is grim at Serbian army headquarters. General Mišic of 1st Army proposes today a counterattack similar to that which secured victory along the Kolubara River in late 1914. The Serbian army of 1915, however, is not that of 1914 - counting the Balkan wars, it has been in combat for almost four years, and the infantry are exhausted and reserves are non-existent. General Putnik declines Mišić's suggestion, realizing that the best they can do is hold on while begging the British and French to advance from Salonika as quickly as possible.
Naval operations: Black Seas
The Russian Black Seas Fleet undertakes another bombardment of the Bulgarian coast today, but unlike the prior operation on the 10th they are opposed by the German submarines UB-7 and UB-8 now based out of Varna. As the Russian pre-dreadnoughts PANTELEIMON(formerly POTEMKIN) Potemkin, a decade away from silent film fame) and ROSTISLAV bombard Varna from 21 000 yards, they are attacked by the two German submarines, and only rapid evasive action by PANTELEIMON allows it to avoid enemy torpedoes.
Naval operations: North Sea
His Majesty's Trawler BONAR LAW, 285 tons, employed as a minesweeper, is lost in a collision with freighter SS DWINA, off the coast of Deal, Kent, at the mouth of the English Channel. No lives are lost.
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lordroel
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Post by lordroel on Oct 28, 2020 3:49:46 GMT
Day 456 of the Great War, October 28th 1915Serbian Campaign: Austro-Hungarian VIII and German III Corps are within fifteen miles of KragujevaćBy this evening the Austro-Hungarian VIII and German III Corps are within fifteen miles of Kragujevać, while a break in the weather has allowed for renewed aerial reconnaissance that reveals to Mackensen and Seeckt the disposition of the Serbian forces opposing his armies. They issue orders for the two corps approaching Kragujevać to not only seize the city but also pin down the Serbian defenders. Simultaneously, the German XXII Reserve and Austro-Hungarian XIX Corps to the west would push south and seize the bridges over the West Morava River, while to the east the German IV Reserve and X Corps would advance south along the Morava River, where they would link up with the Bulgarian 1st Army advancing from the east. The Bulgarian 2nd Army, meanwhile is to contain the Entente forces at Salonika and cover the southern exits from the Morava River valley. If executed successfully, the operation will trap the majority of the Serbian 1st and 3rd Armies between the Morava and West Morava Rivers, leading to their destruction. Italian Front: Third Battle of the IsonzoAfter three days to replace losses and bring up supplies, Cadorna orders a resumption of the 3rd Battle of the Isonzo today. As the initial plan to push forward north and south of Görz prior to an assault on the city itself has been a spectacular failure, for the second phase of the offensive Cadorna decides to forgo the flank attacks and instructs VI Corps of 2nd Army to move directly on Görz. On either side, XIV Corps of 3rd Army (to the south) and II Corps (to the north) will capture Mt. San Michele and push east from Plava respectively. Just north of Görz, the Italian 3rd Division launches repeated assaults against Austro-Hungarian trenches at Zagora, just south of Plava. This position had been so devastated by artillery fire that the defenders had been instructed to fall back to the second trench line, but repeated counterattacks prevented 3rd Division from holding the old Austro-Hungarian trenches. On the other side of Plava, 32nd Division had similarly failed to gain any ground. Opposite Görz itself, Italian artillery unleash a heavy bombardment before the infantry goes forward early this morning. Elements of the Italian 4th Division reach the first trench line at Oslavija, but is repulsed, while 11th Division cannot even reach the trenches opposite. The Italian 12th Division, however, is able to take advantage of a degree of cover offered by the broken terrain they advance over, and are able to break into the Austro-Hungarian positions on the heights at Podgora this afternoon. Several detachments of Italian infantry fight their way to the crest of the heights, from which they can see Görz in the distance. To the sound of bugles, however, five Austro-Hungarian companies counterattack, and by evening have regained the high ground at Podgora. To the south of Görz, Italian artillery spend the morning pounding enemy positions before XIV Corps launched a concentrated assault on Mt. San Michele this afternoon. After hours of bitter fighting infantry from 28th and 19th Division (the latter from the adjacent X Corps) break into trenches just south of Mt. San Michele held by the Austro-Hungarian 17th Division. Elsewhere, however, the Italian assaults break down under withering enemy artillery and machine-gun fire. The northern wing of the Italian 2nd Army is also active today, attacking on both sides of Tolmein, and just north of Dolje Italian infantry manage to reach the enemy trench line where the inner wings of the Austro-Hungarian 3rd and 14th Mountain Brigades meet. Fierce hand-to-hand combat ensues into the night, with small groups of Austro-Hungarian soldiers rushing up from brigade and division reserves to plug the gap. Persian Campaign: negotiations between the Persian government and the German ambassador continueAs negotiations between the Persian government and the German ambassador continue, Prime Minister Mustaufi ul-Mamalik informs Ambassador Reuss that as Persia's most valuable provinces would likely be seized by the Russians and British if Persia entered the war on the side of Germany, his government will require a monthly subsidy of at least two million marks, plus a loan of a hundred million marks after the war and the reimbursement of all war costs. Reuss feels that if Germany desires Persian support, they must agree to whatever terms the Persians request. Naval operations: North SeaBritish armoured cruiser HMS ARGYLL, 10,850 tons, runs aground on Bell Rock, off Dundee, Scotland. The crew are rescued by destroyers. The ship had just had a refit at Devonport and was underway to join her squadron. Later everything, including her guns, will be taken off and the wreck blown up. Photo: HMS ARGYLL at anchor, 1909 Naval operations: Aegean SeaBritish auxiliary minesweeper HMS HYTHE, 509 tons, is sunk in a collision with armed boarding steamer SS SARNIA. Two officers, a warrant officer, 9 crewmembers and 143 soldiers are lost.
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