The Great War (1914-1918) in real time

Day 727 of the Great War, July 26th 1916

Western Front

The whole of Pozieres village in British hands.

British advance continues northwards towards Hill 160.

French capture some fortified houses south of Estrees.

Eastern Front: Hindenburg and Ludendorff Take Over Austro-Hungarian Forces on the Eastern Front

To try and stop the relentless Russian Brusilov Offensive, Germany’s top duumvirate of Hindenburg and Ludendorf took over command of a large portion of the Austro-Hungarian lines in the last week of July 1916. The commander of the East Galician front, General Pflanzer-Baltin, despite being perhaps Austria’s best general, was forced to accept a German, Hans von Seeckt, as his Chief of Staff. Austrian units were stiffened by a mix of German troops, as even Turkish troops were sent for.

This evident lack of trust in Austria’s fighting qualities came as a deep humiliation for the Teutonic Power’s junior partner. The Germans as well had felt for some time that Germany had to carry the weight of Austria-Hungary. A German soldier, General Hoffman, wrote on July 27 in his diary, recognizing the lack of trust between allies. “The fact that the arrival of the Turks in Galicia, even before they got there, has been so loudly proclaimed is surely humiliating for the Austrians.”

Senussi campaign

British-Italian car raid from Sollum.

United Kingdom: Mesopotamia and Dardanelles Commissions Established

The twin British failures at Gallipoli and Kut over the last year had exposed divisions within the normally-unified British Parliament. The surrender of an entire division and rumors of the appalling conditions of the sick and wounded in Mesopotamia led to increasing calls for the release of documents regarding the campaign, allowing for a debate on British mismanagement of it. Asquith resisted calls to do so on July 20, relying on General Robertson’s advice that the release of any documents could be useful to “an astute enemy reading between the lines.” Furthermore, Asquith did not want “a debate which gave the impression to the world outside that we are in any way divided among ourselves.”

Despite this, Asquith felt it necessary to submit to the political pressure and on July 26 set up two Special Commissions, one to investigate the Dardanelles and the other on Mesopotamia. These commissions, based on those like the one that investigated Charles Parnell after the Phoenix Park murders in the 1880s, would contain both parliamentarians and military representatives. The Mesopotamia Commission was to investigate “the origin, inception and conduct of operations of war in Mesopotamia.” The Commissions’ reports, published the next year, were one of the few openly self-critical documents openly published during the war. We have already seen a section of their report on the wounded at Basra in December 1915.

Aerial operations: ‘X’ Aircraft Depot formed

Contrary to its mysterious sounding name, the original ‘X’ Aircraft Park was simply the designation used for the Aircraft Park serving the two squadrons in Egypt (14 RFC and 17 RFC). It had arrived in late 1915 under Captain Claude Hamerton Rowe, and settled down at Abbassia, Cairo.

However, with the expansion of theatres and the formation of the Middle East Brigade on 1 July 1916, to cover all the operations in Egypt, Mesopotamia and Africa, the squadrons are now operating as widely scattered detachments. Today, therefore, a new ‘X’ Aircraft Depot was formed and made responsible for the issue of technical equipment and stores for all the Royal Flying Corps squadrons in the Middle East Brigade. The Depot will also deal with reinforcements and the training and trade testing of men transferred on probation in Egypt.

The original ‘X’ Aircraft Park is to become a mobile park similar to those in France. It will keep a specified number of aeroplanes, ready to fly, in its First Reserve, while aeroplanes under reconstruction are held in Second Reserve. To this reserve, aeroplanes crashed in the field, but repairable, will be sent, a replacement going to the detachment from the Park’s First Reserve.

Naval operations: North Sea

Ernst Voigt, commanding UB-23, sinks Norwegian barque KENTIGERN, 796 tons, bound from Drammen for Hartlepool with a load of pit props. His score is now 12 ships and 3,006 tons.

Naval operations: German East Africa

British monitor HMS MERSEY conducts operations against village of Saadani.
0540 MERSEY takes up firing position off Saadani.
0618 MERSEY opens fire on village.
0645 MERSEY ceases fire.
0730 HMS MANICA sends up an observation balloon.
0826 Seaplane is sent aloft, balloon hauled down.
0845 Seaplane drops bombs on Saadani, is fired on by machine guns.
0900 Ships move up the coast, with seaplane spotting.
0921 MERSEY opens fire on German positions.
0940 MERSEY ceases fire.
0945 MERSEY spots HMS TALBOT to north.
1025 MERSEY turns southward.
1042 Seaplane recovered.
1140 MERSEY opens fire on Buini Village.
1209 MERSEY ceases fire.
1626 MERSEY opens fire on Saadani again.
1645 Operations ceased.

Light cruiser HMS TALBOT is conducting an attack on Mkwaja Village, with a seaplane spotting for her as well. At 1300 a party of marines under captain Thomas is sent ashore.

Meanwhile, at Pangani Village HMS SEVERN uses her ship's boats to transfer a company of the 57th Regiment and one from the 5th from transport SS BARJORA to shore. Severn also transfers the sick German officer to BARJORA.

Day 729 of the Great War, July 28th 1916

YouTube (Happy Birthday World War 1)



United Kingdom: Conscientious Objectors Imprisoned in England

Poster: Although being a conscientious objector required the courage to stand for one’s principles, most viewed them as unmanly coward



In the last week of July more than 200 English conscientious objectors, who refused military service on philosophic or religious grounds, were sentenced to hard labor at a stone quarry at Dyce, near Aberdeen. “CO’s” were widely disparaged as cowards and traitors by the public. A government Tribunal, however, differed between “genuine” and invalid conscientious objectors; those who accepted alternative service like agricultural or medical work were pardoned. Those who did not were frequently sentenced to repeated imprisonment and hard labor.

Eastern Front: Brusilov Offensive Loses Steam

With attacks elsewhere along the front failing, Russian reinforcements now mostly went to Brusilov’s armies. Attacks in mid-July had made little progress, but Brusilov was hopeful that the deployment of the new Guards Army–60,000 fit, supposedly well-trained men, would allow a breakthrough to the transportation hub at Kovel. However, despite the Russian superiority in numbers and in artillery, the Guards Army was lacking in good leadership–and the Germans and Austrians were getting accustomed to Brusilov’s tactics by this point. Furthermore, the marshy ground was unfavorable for an attack, allowing movement only in single file in many places; one Russian officer remarked “you could cross the region in a plane, never on foot.”

The Guards Army attacked on July 28, and did make some minor gains, capturing 5,000 Austrians–but losing over 30,000 men in the process. Brusilov’s attacks had always resulted in high casualties for the Russians, but now they began to do so without commensurate gains. Only further south, outside of the marshes, would the Russians make any substantial progress going forward. The Austrian Fourth Army, all but shattered down to the company level, was still vulnerable, and the Russian Ninth Army, near the Romanian border, still made good progress. Brusilov was determined to continue the attacks all along the line, however, even where they were failing. On August 3, he wrote: “If an attack is being conducted properly, in a disciplined way, then it must be carried through to the end. Keep in mind that repeating an attack after some interval of time will cost still more lives, since the enemy will be better prepared.”

Aerial operations: 17 Squadron on the Salonika Front

Up to this point the only British aircraft in the Salonika area are the various RNAS detachments and seaplane carriers. With the impending British offensive in Salonika, the army has decided to build up its air component. Brigadier-General William Geoffrey Hanson Salmond had decided in June to send the personnel of 17 Squadron RFC from Egypt to Salonika. Their aircraft have been left behind for 1 Australian Squadron. Following the formation of the Middle East Brigade on 1 July they remained under his overall commend despite the move.

Lieutenant-Colonel Percy Robert Clifford Groves was sent to Salonika from Egypt (arriving on 1 July). Groves reported that the French had a considerable air service in the area, totalling some 160 aeroplanes. The enemy aerodromes, already located, were at Monastir, Hudova, and Xanthe, and the enemy air strength, as calculated by the French, was about fifty aeroplanes, but the service was reported to be increasing. He then made detailed recommendations and set out the arrangements he had already started for the reception and distribution of the squadron and of the Park.

An advanced detachment took up quarters at Mikra Bay about four miles south-east of Salonika. The rest of the personnel departed by sea on 2 July and 17 July and are now full y installed under Major Edward Newman Fuller and equipped with two flights of B.E.2c’s and B.E.12’s for reconnaissance and two DH2s and three Bristol Scouts for scouting.

Naval operations: North Sea

Ernst Voigt, in UB-23, attacks another fishing fleet, sinking motor fishing vessels ANDREW INA, 50 tons; Good design, 40 tons; JANE STEWART, 15 tons; JANET OVENSTONE, 15 tons, JOHAN, 49 tons; SPEEDWELL, 11 tons; SPERO MELLORA, 11 tons; and VOLUNTEER, 15 tons. Also sunk is drifter RENOW, 61 tons. Voigt's score is now 22 vessels and 3,499 tons.

Naval operations: German East Africa

Lothar von Arnauld de la Perière, commanding U-35, begins his epic patrol with the sinking of Italian freighter SS DANDOLO, 4,977 tons, en route from Calcutta to Livorno with an unnamed cargo. This brings his score to 49 ships and 112,634 tons.

British paddle steam minesweeper HMS MAJESTIC II, 408 tons, founders off Oran.

Naval operations: German East Africa

0727 British monitor HMS MERSEY once again opens fire on Saadani village, with a seaplane calling the fall of shot.
0755 MERSEY ceases fire.
0900 MERSEY gets underway southward to Bagamayo, arriving at 1145.
1400 MERSEY is underway again.
1500 MERSEY joins light cruiser HMS Talbot.
1745 TALBOT and MERSEY anchor in Zanzibar Harbour, joining Fleet Auxiliary Trent, whalers CHILDERS and ECHO, and colliers QUEEN ALEXANDRA and VIRENT.

HMS SEVERN is still at Mkwaja, hosting operations by Dickson's Scouts.

Day 731 of the Great War, July 30th 1916

Western Front

Combined Allied advace north of Somme, from Delville Wood to the river.

British make progress east of Waterlot Farm and Trones Wood; French reach outskirts of Maurepas.

German attack on left bank of the Meuse repulsed.

Photo: Medical teams on standby



Photo: Reinforcements move into the first line in the area north of the Somme during the July 30, 1916 attack



Eastern Front

In the direction of Kovel and in the region south of the Dniester towards Stanislau, Russians still pursue Austrians.

Italian Front

Austrian attack in Tofana and the Adige Valley repulsed.

Austrians reinforced, attakc three times in the Travignolo Valley without success.

United States: Black Tom explosion

At 0208 hours, on Black Tom Island in New York Harbor, 50 tons of small arms ammunition on Johnson Barge No. 17 explodes, causing further explosions among the 1,000 tons of munitions stored on the island. The blast is felt as far away as Philadelphia. Windows are broken in lower Manhattan, 25 miles away. Some fragments lodge in the Statue of Liberty. The blast was determined to be a deliberate act of sabotage, but the whole truth was not discovered until many years later. One of the results of the blast was the closing of the staircase leading to the Statue of Liberty's torch. It has not reopened since.

Photo: Wrecked warehouses and scattered debris after explosion



Naval operations: North Sea

British freighter SS CLAUDIA, 1,144 tons, bound from Middlesbrough for London with a load of steel and general cargo, hits a mine laid by Kurt Ramien in UC-1. Three lives are lost. Ramien's score is now 10 ships and 20,504 tons.

Naval operations: Gulf of Bothnia

Kurt Albrech, commanding UB-36, begins his career with two captures: Swedish briganting ANNA, 172 tons, travelling from Höggarn to Raumo, Finland with a load of ore and empty petrol casks, is stopped and scuttled off Raumo. Swedish steam coaster SS PITEA, 644 tons, bound from Sweden for Raumo, is taken as a prize. Albrecht's opening score is 2 ships and 816 tons.

Naval operations: Mediterranean Sea

Lothar von Arnauld de la Perière, in U-35, sinks four ships:
British freighter SS BRITANNIC, 3,487 tons, bound from Tyne for Alexandria with a load of coal.
British freighter SS ETHELBRYHTA, 3,084 tons, carrying a load of hay from St Louis du Rhône to Salonica.
Tunisian sailing vessel GUISEPPE MARTA, 111 tons, cargo and route unknown.
Danish freighter SS KATHOLM, 1,324 tons, travelling from Newport to Malta with a load of coal.
All four are sunk with the deck gun. Von Arnauld's score is now 53 ships and 120,640 tons.

Naval operations: German East Africa

British occupy Kikombo.

British flagship, battleship HMS VENGEANCE, joins operations against Dar-Es-Salaam.
0719 Cruiser HMS HYACINTH opens fire on observation station near Ras Upanga.
0741 VENGEANCE opens fire on lookout station near Kurasini.
0800 Shore battery opens fire on HYACINTH. HYACINTH weighs anchor and moves around, still firing.
0855 VENGEANCE weighs anchor and gets underway.
0858 Shore battery opens fire on VENGEANCE .
0900 VENGEANCE opens fire on shore battery.
0920 Armed whaler PIONEER opens fire on Ras Upanga. Tender MANICA sends up an observation balloon.
1023 HYACINTH ceases fire and puts to sea.
1030 VENGEANCE ceases fire.
1145 VENGEANCE underway for return to Zanzibar.
1545 VENGEANCE, HYACINTH, POINEER, FLY and PICKLE arrive at Zanzibar harbour.

Meanwhile, at Mkwaja monitor HMS SEVERN opens fire on a group of natives waving a red flag. Firing from 1745 to 1815.

Day 733 of the Great War, August 1st 1916

Western Front

North of Bazentin-le-Petit, a German attack is repulsed.

At the Battle of the Somme, a German counter-attack west of High Wood fails.

French capture a string work between Hem Wood and Monacu Farm.

At Verdun, German attacks west and south of the Thiaumont work southwest of Douaumont are repulsed.

Photo: Transporting a heavy caliber gun on the Western front (August 1916). The gun appears to be a French-made 240 mm G M1884



Macedonian Front: Russian Brigade Arrives at Salonika

The Allied forces at Salonika were quickly becoming some of the most cosmopolitan in the whole war. In addition to French, British, and Dominion troops, the exiled Serbian army had recently taken up posts on the front line. On August 1, a Russian brigade of 5000 men finished landing at Salonika after a long sea voyage (like their comrades in France had earlier undertaken). Marching through the city with gleaming bayonets, they made quite an impression on those already there. A division of Italians was also expected in the coming days.

Despite these new arrivals, the Allies were not yet ready to attack the Central Powers; the front line, stretching 170 miles, was poorly manned in many places. Furthermore, any attack would be contingent on Rumanian entry into the war, and they were dragging their feet–and since the Rumanians were, the British government had yet to agree to use their divisions in any offensive. Making these command matters worse, a new French general was on the way to head the four French divisions–but Sarrail was to remain in overall charge of all Allied forces at Salonika.

Photo: Russian forces along the quays in Salonika



East African campaign: Slow, Peripheral Entente Advance in East Africa

In many ways, the Western Front dominates memory of the Great War, relegating even the war in the east to being overlooked. The war in East Africa is particularly forgotten, even in 1916. It offered few great victories to the press, or even battles of much decisiveness. Largely it was a test of endurance for the men of the German and Imperial forces as they played a game of cat-and-mouse through the savannas and ridges of East Africa, suffering from disease, exhaustion and the climate.

The best the British could manage was a slow and peripheral advance, following on the heels of the small German force led by Paul von Lettow-Vorbeck. A Royal Navy raid on Dar-es-Salaam went successfully , but although the combined Anglo-Belgian-South African Allied force occupied two thirds of German East Africa, no end to the war was in sight. As much as the sacrifice of the soldiers has been overlooked, even less attention has been paid to the huge trains of African porters that made the movement of the armies possible. Their deaths remain poorly noted in any history, so too do those of the animals the armies depended on. General Smuts, the South African commander, wrote to his wife that “We are having a terrible hard time” after losing 33,500 pack animals later that year.

Photo: A British askari poses with a damaged German gun, a trophy captured from von Lettow-Vorbeck’s elusive army



Arab Revolt: Turkey’s new Emir of Mecca

The revolt against the Turks in western Arabia has enjoyed some successes, but Medina remains firmly in the hands of the Ottoman Empire. The Turkish garrison under Fahreddin Pasha is too strong for the rebels to dislodge. Fahreddin hopes to crush the rebellion and restore Turkish rule over Mecca and the entire Hejaz region.

The Turks are pursuing a military strategy but they are also trying to undermine the Arab Revolt by destroying the religious credibility of the rebel leader, Sharif Hussein, the Emir of Mecca. The Turkish Sultan claims the title of Caliph, which would make him the successor to the Prophet and the leader of all true Muslims. The Sultan has already declared a Jihad against the Allies, but instead of joining this holy war Sharif Hussein has entered into an alliance with the infidel. Turkish propaganda proclaims that such a man is unfit to be the guardian of the holy places.

The Turks have already declared Hussein to be no longer the Emir of Mecca. Now his intended replacement arrives in Medina. Sharif Ali Haydar is a distant relative of Sharif Hussein. He had been considered for the emirate when it last became vacant, but at that point Sharif Ali seemed like a safer pair of hands. Now that Haydar is in Medina, Fahreddin hopes to have him installed in Mecca before the Hajj in October.

The Turkish authorities do not entirely trust Haydar, who was previously considered to be a liberal and an anglophile (his wife, Isobel Duncan, is Irish and his eldest son was educated in Britain). There are rumours that Djemal Pasha, Turkey’s proconsul in Syria, has sent Colonel Nurredin to Medina to keep an eye on Haydar. At the first sign that Haydar is intriguing with the British, Nurredin is apparently under orders to kill him.

Aerial operations: Another unsuccessful Zeppelin raid

Overnight, the German Navy attempted another large Zeppelin raid with 10 ships, L11, L13, L14, L16, L17, L21, L22, L23, L30 and L31. In the event, L21 and L30 turned back and only eight actually reached England. Once again the weather conditions hampered visibility and the raid was unsuccessful.

L22, came inland near Lowestoft at 10.30pm, flew south-west and dropped a bomb on Poslingford at 11.45pm. L22 dropped four HE bombs at 12.20am on West Wickham airfield six more near Haverhill Gasworks, followed by five HE bombs at Withersfield. L22 dropped three more bombs AT at Snarehill airfield, but without damage. Over Croxton Heath, north of Thetford, L22 released a flare and started a fire. 10 bombs fell near near Hevingham, injuring a horse. Finally a single bomb landed on Burgh-next-Aylsham. L22 then flew out to sea between Mundesley and Happisburgh at 2.10am.

L14 came inland over the Wash close to Sutton Bridge at about 12.10am. Flying south, L14 dropped four bombs at 12.33am at March. The hip tjhen turned east dropping bombs on Hockwold and Croxton Heath, adding to the fire started by L22. L14 then dropped bombs at Bunwell, Buckenham and Reedham, before going back out to sea just south of Great Yarmouth at 2.15am.

L16, arrived near Skegness at about 11.35pm dropping six bombs but causing no damage. The ship then flew across Lincolnshire dropping bombs at Caythorpe, Skinnand, Metheringham and West Ashby. The ship then went out to sea near Mablethorpe.

L17 arrived over the coast near Caister at 12.20am. Flying south –west L17 bombed Pulham Market without damage. The ship then flew westwards and bombed Mellis Mellis, near the Great Eastern railway line. L17 then retraced its steps dropping three bombs at Billingford and Brockdish L17 then bombed Hardwick, Forncett station Pulham and Starston, Redenall, Denton and Broome. L17 went out to sea near Southwold at about 2.15am.

L11 arrived off the coast near Hollesley, and followed the River Debden inland, dropping three bombs on Bawdsey ferry and an incendiary on Bawdsey. L11 dropped a flare over Kirton but was then picked up by a searchlight. L11 then responsed by dropping four bombs causing serious damage to six cottages, and injuring a boy. At 1.25am L11 appeared off Felixstowe, and was engaged by an RNAS mobile gun at Shingle Street. At 2.00am L11 was over the entrance to Harwich harbour, attracting fire from guns. L11 dropped seven bombs on the parade ground of Landguard Fort, Felixstowe causing minor damage. L11 left at about 2.35am.

L31 spent two hours circling the Straits of Dover. At 00.55am the armed boarding steamer, Duchess of Devonshire, saw L31 overhead and opened fire. L31 dropped 20 bombs into the sea. Five minutes later L31 came inland at Deal, Kent but went back out to sea almost immediately, where a searchlight picked L11 up and held the ship in its light until she arrived at Dover at 1.10am, where the AA guns at Dover opened fire. At this point L31 decided to retire.

Many aircraft went up, but were impeded by the mist. The HMS Vindex went out with her destroyer escort on Zeppelin patrol, but she too saw nothing.

This afternoon, another raid was reported as three Zeppelins were spotted over the Bight of Heligoland. Two of them approached the East Coast, but did not come over land.

Aerial operations: The Turks are coming

Since the advance of Turkish forces in Sinai was spotted on 19 July, the RFC has done little to halt their advance. This is entirely deliberate as the British strategy is to allow the Turks to attack against their prepared positions and then hope to envelope them.

Reconnaissance has continued, however, and on 25 July the beginnings of an advanced enemy aerodrome west of Bir el Abd were discovered. On 28 July, three columns of enemy troops were spotted moving in the direction of the British outposts. They then halted and dug in at Hod um Ugba, five miles from the British positions. Movements of reinforcements in the Turkish back areas were also reported on the 29 and 30 June. Movements then stopped and yesterday reconnaissances estimated that the Turkish and German forces assembled for the attack numbered about 13,000.

On 29 July the RFC had finally begun offensive operations against the enemy troops. On that day two aeroplanes bombed the camel lines at Bir el Mazar with ten 20-lb bombs. This morning, aeroplanes co-operated with monitors in a bombardment of the Turkish camps at Oghratina and nearby Negiliat, and this afternoon five pilots bombed the same camps (fifteen 20-lb. bombs) and also the nearby headquarters camp at Dhaba (seventeen 20-lb. bombs).

The Royal Flying Corps units in the theatre are as follows:

- Ismailia: Fifth Wing head-quarters, and the head-quarters and one and a half Flights of 14 Squadron
- Qantara: one Flight of 14 Squadron
- Port Said: half-Flight of 14 Squadron
- Suez, one Flight of 1 Australian Squadron
- Heliopolis: headquarters and one Flight of 1 Australian Squadron
- Kharga: one Flight of 1 Australian Squadron

In anticipation of the Turkish attack, Brigadier-General Salmond, has issued the following orders. The Royal Flying Corps officer at the landing-ground at Romani is to send out, immediately the Turkish attack begins, the wireless signal ‘Q’ repeatedly. On receipt of this warning an aeroplane is to go up from Qantara to report the direction and weight of the enemy’s attack, and the observer is to indicate the main body of enemy troops by dropping smoke balls on them. Thereafter pilots are to use the landing-ground at Romani for direct co-operation with the 52nd Division and with the Anzac Mounted Division. Qantara will act as a reserve for Romani and Ismailia will act as a reserve for Qantara.

Photo: Ismailia Aerodrome with BE 2C two seater aircraft outside the hangars



Naval operations: North Sea

Walther Schwieger, commanding U-20, sinks British freighter SS AARO, 2,603 tons, bound from Hull for Christiana (Oslo). Three crew members are killed, the rest taken prisoner. Schwieger's score is now 32 ships and 136,003 tons.

Werner Fürbinger, in UB-39 attacks another fishing fleet, scuttling trawlers BRACONASH, 192 tons; HELVETIA, 167 tons; KING JAMES, 163 tons; RHODESIA, 110 tons; and TATIANA, 285 tons. He also sinks Dutch freighter SS ZEELAND, 1,292 tons, tavelling from Methil to Rouen with a load of coal. His score is now 27 ships and 4,675 tons.

Naval operations: Gulf of Bothnia

Kurt Albrecht, in UB-36, stops and scuttles Swedish coaster SS HUDIKSVALL, travelling from Stockholm to Mäntyluoto; and Finnish coaster SS PEHR BRAHE, 499 tons, carrying a load of bobbins from Raumo to Stockholm. Both sinkings are just off Raumo, Finland. Albrecht's score is now 4 ships and 1,796 tons.

Naval operations: Mediterranean Sea

Lothar von Arnauld de la Perière, in U-35, sinks British freighter SS HEIGHINGTON, 2,800 tons, travelling in ballast from Naples to Oran. His score is now 59 ships and 126,549 tons.

Naval operations: German East Africa

Battleship VENGEANCE leads the attack on Saadani.
0310 VENGEANCE drops anchor and joins monitors MERSEY and SEVERN, along with light cruiser TALBOT and tender MANICA.
0355 HMS TALBOT sends a detachment of marines ashore.
0400 Commander Watson and Major Hall lead landing party of 80 marines and 170 sailors from VENGEANCE ashore.
0430 Landing parties stop at HMS SEVERN.
0446 Landing parties depart SEVERN.
0545 MERSEY opens fire on Saadani to cover landing. Range 6,000 yards.
0550 VENGEANCE opens fire to cover landing party.
0552 SEVERN opens fire.
0600 SEVERN ceases fire.
0605 Seaplane is sent aloft.
0613 MERSEY ceases fire.
0630 Landing party occupies Saadani. Seaplane lands alongside SEVERN.
0635 Seaplane up again.
0700 Landing party hoists flag.
0835 MANICA and TALBOT depart Saadani Bay.
1100 TALBOT opens fire on town of Bagamoyo.
1110 Captured German officer is brought aboard SEVERN.
1155 MERSEY investigates abandoned dhow near Ras Untondue.
1205 TALBOT ceases fire on Bagamoyo.
1215 TALBOT departs Saadani for Zanzibar.
1230 SEVERN sends gear ashore for Dickson's Scouts.
1345 Captured German sergeant is brought aboard SEVERN for transfer to VENGEANCE.
1620 MERSEY departs Saadani Bay.
Throughout that night HMS SEVERN shines her searchlights on different areas of the shore.

Day 735 of the Great War, August 3rd 1916

Western Front

British gain ground west of Pozieres.

French retake Fleury (Verdun) and make progress towards Thiaumont, 1,750 prisoners taken.

Photo: British Gunners firing an 18 pounder gun at St Leger aux Boise



Photo: Shelters and trenches in the barracks of a barracks near Verdun



Eastern Front

Russians penetrate into Rudka-Mirynska (east Kovel).

Desperate fighting near Lyubashevo and Guledichi (east Kovel).

Caucasus campaign

Russians capture Turk trenches at Ognut (Armenia).

Sinai and Palestine campaign

Turks advance to attack on Major-General Hon. H. Lawrence's force at Romani (northern Sinai).

Map: Romani defences at nightfall 3 August 1916



Aerial operations: More Zeppelins

L21 arrived over Wells-next-the-Sea at 11.55pm on the 31st and flew southward. Attracted by flares at RFC Thetford, she dropped five bombs there at 12.45am. An aircraft set up to inctercept had to retrun with engine trouble. The ship then flew eastwards dropping 4 bombs near the airfield at Covehithe without damage. L21 then headed out to sea at 1.35am.

L13 reached the coast at Bacton where mobile anti-aircraft guns engaged her. Following the coast L13 came inland at Happisburgh at 11.52pm. Initially it headed south, dropping bombs at Panxworth, Mundham, Grange Farm, Ditchingham and Earsham. At Earsham L13 turned west, releasing three bombs over Shelton and seven at Tacolneston. More followed at Fundenhall, and Wymondham. From there L13 circled around villages south of Norwich for 10 minutes before passing west of that city and steering towards the coast where she exited between Bacton and Mundesley at 2.10am.

L16 came inland over Hemsby at 12.25am. She flew an erratic course to the south-west and west, as though searching for something but clearly never found it. Three bombs fell at Long Stratton at 1.10am, shortly after which L16 turned back to the north-east, appearing over Ashby St. Mary at 1.35am and dropping five bombs. L.16 then returned to the coast and flew out over Great Yarmouth at 2.10am.

Naval operations: English Channel

Otto Steinbrinck, commanding UB-18, stops and scuttles British coaster SS BADGER, 89 tons; schooner FORTUNA, 131 tons, carrying steel turnings from Le Havre to Swansea; French schooner JACQUES CARTIER, 259 tons; and British freighter SS SPHENE, 740 tons, travelling in ballast from Honfleur to Newport. Also attacked is British spritsail barge IVO, 56 tons, but the vessel survives the explosion and is towed into Alderney. Steinbrinck's score is now 55 ships and 38,937 tons.

Naval operations: North Sea

Werner Fürbinger, in UB-39, scuttles British trawlers Trawler PRINCE, 126 tons; MERCHANT PRINCE, 130 tons, drifter LUCANIA, 92 tons; and attacks British freighter SS DESTRO, 859 tons, with his deck gun. The steamer is only damaged, and Captain Edward Borrowdal Johnson will be awarded the DSC for his escape from the u-boat. His score is now 33 ships and 5,469 tons.

Naval operations: Mediterranean Sea

Lothar von Arnauld de la Perière, in U-35, sinks Greek freighter SS TRICOUPIS, 2,387 tons, carrying a load of coal from Cardif to Genoa. His score is now 62 ships and 128,637 tons.

Naval operations: Aegean Sea

Gustav Sieß, in U-73, torpedoes British auxiliary minesweeper HMS CLACTON, 820 tons, in Kavalla Bay.

Day 737 of the Great War, August 5th 1916

Western Front: The Somme: Churchill tries to call a halt

Winston Churchill resigned from the British government after the failure of the Gallipoli campaign. He rejoined the army and served on the Western Front, commanding a battalion of the Royal Scots Fusiliers. But the military life turned out not to suit him, so he gave up his commission and returned to Westminster, where he remains a member of the House of Commons.

Churchill has written a memorandum criticising British progress at the Somme. He argues that the battle is a waste of British lives and resources, with the minimal gains failing to justify the losses. He sees no prospect of a breakthrough and effectively calls for the offensive to be halted. Churchill’s letter is not made public but it is circulated to members of the Cabinet and the government’s War Committee.

The War Committee meets today. Robertson, the chief of staff of the British army, reads a report from Haig designed to counter Churchill’s claims. Haig claims three positive results of the battle so far. Firstly, the German pressure on the French at Verdun has been relieved. Secondly the German have been prevented from sending troops east to meet the Brusilov Offensive. And thirdly, the battle has had a generally positive effect on morale. Haig furthermore asserts that the British casualties suffered at the Somme are not particularly heavy. He recommends that the battle be continued, at least into the autumn, if not beyond.

If Churchill’s letter created any misgivings on the part of the politicians, Haig’s report dispels them. Asquith judges Haig’s resport to be “very satisfactory”. The Prime Minister instructs Robertson to reply to Haig assuring him that he retains the War Committee’s full support.

Photo: A British 18 pounder field gun in action near St. Leger-aux-Bois, 5 August 1916



Sinai and Palestine campaign: Final Turkish Push on Suez Canal Repulsed

Kressenstein’s Turkish force had made their way across the Sinai after nearly a month. As always, water was the limiting factor in the Sinai; Kressenstein’s force was only 16,000 men, while the British could only maintain 14,000 men as a permanent garrison in the area. Although the British knew from aerial reconnaissance that the Turks were coming, they still managed some element of surprise on the tactical level, overpowering a small Anzac force near Romani on the evening of August 3. The British were momentarily quite vulnerable to an attempted Turkish flanking maneuver to the south, but were able to rush reinforcements there in time and counterattacked on the afternoon of the 4th. Conditions were difficult, with infantry advances often halted by deep sand. By the evening of the 4th, the British had seen off the Turkish flanking maneuver and taken many Turkish positions, though the Turks were able to hold onto Wellington Ridge.

Photo: Soldiers from the Black Watch man a position alongside the Egyptian canal



At daybreak on August 5th, the British stormed Wellington Ridge with fixed bayonets. The Turkish forces soon broke, with nearly 900 surrendering immediately. Others fled, but the British had cavalry ready for the pursuit, who were able to round up two thousand more prisoners before going after the main Turkish army. Only that afternoon were the Turks able to reach an old defensive line and stop the British cavalry. The fighting continued for another day after that, but the British were too exhausted to pursue any further, and water supplies were stretched. The Turks fell back to Palestine, losing a quarter of their force as prisoners and another quarter killed or wounded. The Turks would make no further attempts on the Suez Canal for the remainder of the war.

Photo: Australian cavalry escorting Turkish prisoners after the battle



Caucasus campaign

Turk attacks held in the region of Mush-Bitlis (Asia Minor).

Successful Russian offensive continued 30 miles north of Erzingan.

East Africa campaign

British forces in East Africa begin simultaneous forward movement, through Nguru Mountains, etc., towards Morogoro.

Aerial operations: Grevilliers

Much of the day for the RFC on the Western Front has been spent in the routine operations of artillery shooting and reconnaissance. However amongst all this aircraft fron 4 Brigade launched a big raid on Grenvilles station in an attempt to disrupt stores.

Unfortunately one of the aircraft was lost. A Be2d (2649) from Squadron away shot down over Baupume. The pilot, lieutenant B D Thomas, flying alone, is missing. The aircraft was spotted around 6.15 pm crashed into a field.

Naval operations: Scotland

Norwegian freighter SS ARANDA, 1,838 tons, bound from Bonaventure to Glasgow with a load of lumber, hits a mine laid by Otto Dröscher in U-78. The stricken ship is towed to Lough Foyle, settling to the bottom there. Divers use explosives to blow off the deck, allowing the lumber to float to the surface and be recovered. This is Dröscher's first sinking, his previous prize having been released.

Naval operations: English Channel

Otto Steinbrinck, commanding UB-18, sinks British freighter SS SPIRAL, 1,342 tons, bound from Tyne for Bordeaux with a load of coal. His score is now 58 ships and 40,471 tons.

Naval operations: North Sea

Werner Fürbinger, in UB-39, sinks British trawlers EGYPTIAN PRINCE, 129 tons, and St. Olive, 202 tons, bringing his score to 37 vessels and 8,518 tons.

Naval operations: Mediterranean Sea

Lothar von Arnauld de la Perière, in U-35, sinks two more ships near Barcelona, Spain:
Greek freighter SS ACHILLEUS, 843 tons, travelling from Marseille to Nemors, Algeria, with 21,000 sacks of lime, is stopped an sunk with the deck gun. Achilleus is under charter to the French government at the time.
1200 British freighter SS MOUNT CONISTON, 3,018 tons, carrying coal and machinery from Port Talbot to Marseille, is stopped and scuttled.
Von Arnauld's score is now 68 ships and 134,893 tons.