lordroel
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Post by lordroel on Feb 19, 2022 7:29:46 GMT
Day 935 of the Great War, February 19th 1917
Western Front
South of Le Transloy (Somme) Germans using flammenwerfer capture a British advanced post and 30 prisoners.
East of Ypres British do great damage to enemy positions, and take 114 prisoners in a big raid.
Eastern Front: Russian Soldiers Deserting in Droves on the Eastern Front, Military Discipline in Total Breakdown
On the Eastern Front, the Russian Army was rapidly falling apart. But it was not due to German attacks - instead, thousands of soldiers were revolting against their officers and deserting back home. Georgi Zhukov, a young cavalry trooper (to rise to prominence in the Russian Civil War and World War II), recalled being summoned with a number of front-line cavalry squadrons one February morning. The horsemen were issued with live ammunition and ordered to ride to cavalry headquarters some distance behind the front line. They were not told the purpose of their mission.
“Soon,” wrote Zhukov, “everything became clear. From around a street corner appeared a demonstration carrying red banners. Spurring on his horse, our squadron commander, followed by other squadron commanders, galloped towards regimental headquarters, from which a group of officers and factory workers had emerged.”
A “tall cavalryman” addressed the assembled soldiers, telling that that the working class, peasants, and soldiers no long obeyed the Tsar. “The Russian people,” said the mutineer, “wanted an end to the slaughter of an imperialist war, they wanted peace, land and liberty.” Then he ended his speech by calling for an end to Tsarism and the war. “Though there had been no command,” Zhukov wrote, “the soldiers knew what they should do. They shouted and cheered, mingling with the demonstration.” The leaders of the revolt were Bolsheviks, who all along the front lines were appealing to soldiers to stop fighting and form revolutionary soldiers’ committees.
United Kingdom
Britain resumes regular coal shipments to Norway after Norway agreed to stop exports of pyrites to Germany.
Germany
German Imperial Bank urges German men and women to sell their gold and jewels to the bank for the war effort.
Official German Army deaths, excluding colonial troops, now numbers 988,329 men since the war’s start. Total casualties pass 4 million.
United States: American Embassy Shown Complete Zimmermann Telegram
The Zimmermann Telegram was sent and intercepted over a month ago. The explosive secret that the Germans had plans to offer Mexico and Japan an alliance against the United States had been confined to Room 40, and, in the last two weeks, the Foreign Office. Admiral Hall wanted to make sure that there would be no doubt as the the telegram’s veracity while simultaneously making sure that the Germans would not figure out that the British had cracked their codes. The latter was ensured by British agents in Mexico, who by February 10 had secured a copy of the (encoded) telegram as received by the German ambassador there. This was the version that would ultimately be sent to the Americans; with slight differences from the version originally intercepted on its way to Bernstorff, the Germans would think that the telegram had somehow been stolen in Mexico.
On February 19, Room 40 finished its decoding of the original telegram; this included the revelation that Germany would offer Mexico Texas, Arizona, and New Mexico in a peace deal, a move sure to enrage the Americans. Hall presented the telegram to Edward Bell, a diplomat at the American embassy who was regularly in contact with Hall; it’s unclear whether Hall consulted with the Foreign Office just before or just after doing so, but they did not object. Bell was initially incredulous, believing that it must be a forgery specifically constructed to enrage the United States. Hall soon convinced him, however, and Bell realized that he had just been given the key to American entry into the war.
The American ambassador was told the next day; now it just needed to get to Wilson while maintaining plausible deniability for British intelligence.
Naval operations: Celtic Sea
Hans Nieland, commanding U-67, torpedoes British freighter SS HEADLEY, 4,953 tons, bound from Portland, Maine for London with a general cargo, just off the west end of the English Channel. His score is now 17 ships and 21,667 tons.
Naval operations: Scotland
British trawler HALCYON, 190 tons, hits a mine laid by Hugo Schmidt in U-71 off the Butt of Lewis, in the Outer Hebrides. His score is now 9 ships and 6,834 tons.
Naval operations: English Channel
His Majesty's Trawler PICTON CASTLE hits a mine laid by Ralph wenninger in UC-17 just off Dartmouth Harbour.
The same day Wenninger himself stops and scuttles British sailing ship CENTURION, 1,828 tons, carrying a load of timber from Pensacola to London, southeast of The Lizard.
Wenninger's score is now 44 ships and 29,756 tons.
Wilhelm Kiel, in UC-18, attacks a British freighter with his deck gun. This turns out to be Q-Ship HMS LADY OLIVE, which first puts out a "Panic Party", pretending to abandon ship. LADY OLIVE then opens fire on UC-18 at a range of 100 yards. Two shots hit the conning tower and the third destroys the submarine's deck gun. UC-18 goes down by the bow. LADY OLIVE has also taken hits in the engine room and begins to sink. The crew abandon ship for real, and are rescued by the French destroyer DUNOIS thirty-two hours later. It seems likely that UC-18 was sunk by the gunfire of LADY OLIVE, but with no survivors to tell her tale this is not certain. She may have been sunk by some other cause. All that is know for sure is that UC-18 was never heard from again.
Kiel's final score is 38 ships and 39,304 tons.
Otto Steinbrinck, in UC-65, sinks six vessels near the Straigt of Dover:
French fishing vessel ALICE, 18 tons.
British coaster SS BRIGADE, 425 tons, carrying a load of flints from Saint Valery to Weston Point.
Belgian fishing vessel JUSTINE MARIE, 16 tons.
French fishing vessel SAINT LOUIS DE GONZAGUE, 53 tons.
Norwegian freighter SS SKRIM, 727 tons, travelling in ballast from Tréport to Bordeaux.
French fishing vessel VIOLETTE, 36 tons.
Steinbrinck's score is now 113 vessels and 104,998 tons.
Naval operations: North Sea
Richard Hartmann, in U-49, sinks Russian freighter SS SIGRID, 2,194 tons, east of Unst Island, in the Shetlands. His score is now 19 ships and 37,957 tons.
Naval operations: Bay of Biscay
Norwegian freighter SS RUTENFJELL, 1,844 tons, travelling from Newcastle to Chantenay with a load of coal, hits a mine laid by Reinhold Saltzwedel in UC-21. His score is now 44 ships and 62,577 tons.
Naval operations: Mediterranean Sea
Robert Moraht, in U-64, sinks British freighter SS CORSO, 3,242 tons, en route from Bombay to Hull with a general cargo. His score is now 8 ships and 17,655 tons.
Naval operations: Tyrhennian Sea
Alfred Klatt, in UC-38, sinks Italian freighter SS QUINTO, 1,796 tons, south of Rome. His score is now 4 ships and 5,887 tons.
Naval operations: Simonstown, South Africa
Aboard HMFM TRENT, the crew are asked to sight T124Z, a form placing them under the Naval Discipline Act. This is normal for civilian ships operating under Naval control, but apparently TRENT'S crew were still operating under the civilian Board of Trade agreement. No record of how many signed.
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lordroel
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Post by lordroel on Feb 20, 2022 7:26:21 GMT
Day 936 of the Great War, February 20th 1917
Western Front
At the Somme, German troops capture a British strongpoint south of Transloy, taking 30 prisoners.
Sinai and Palestine campaign
At Nakhl and Bir el Hassana (between Suez and Akaba) two small Turkish posts surprised and scattered by British.
United Kingdom
Report shows that out of 9,291 ships that arrived and left Britain in the first half of February, 101 ships were sunk by the Germans.
Arthur Ponsonby, Charles P. Trevelyan, Philip Snowden & other MPs in the House of Commons declare the Allies are pursuing war of conquest.
United States
President Wilson asks for powers from Congress "to enforce the obligations imposed by the laws of nations and by American statutes".
Naval operations: Celtic Sea
Ralph Wenninger, commmanding UC-17, stops and scuttles Norwegian barque FALLS OF AFTON, 1,965 tons, bound from Buenos Aires for Rotterdam with a load of linseed, southwest of Wolf Rock, right at the western entrance to the Channel. A German national is taken on board UC-17 at his own request. Wenninger's score is now 45 ships and 31,721 tons.
Arab Revolt: Arabs Begin Raiding Hejaz Railway
The capture of the port of Wajh in late January by Hashemite forces gave them their first secure base north of Medina, easily and bounteously supplied by the Royal Navy. It also let them strike inland towards the Hejaz Railway, the only reliable connection between the strong Turkish garrison in Medina and the rest of the Ottoman Empire. On February 20, a raiding party of 50 men (accompanied by a British explosives expert) derailed a train, wrecked its locomotive, and destroyed a bridge.
The raids would become commonplace, and would substantially hamper the Turkish forces in Medina, which would soon run short on food. The damage caused by these raids would be repaired, but only when accompanied by large troop detachments. The raids themselves continued unabated and could undo any repairs in short order.
Naval operations: Bay of Biscay
Otto Hersing, in U-21, sinks French freighter SS CACIQUE, 2,917 tons, en route from bordeaux to New York with an unspecified cargo. His score is now 26 ships and 69,812 tons.
Naval operations: Tyrhennian Sea
Alfred Klatt, in UC-38, sinks Norwegian freighter SS DORAVORE, 2,760 tons, travelling from Genoa to Naples with a load of zinc ore and a general cargo. His score is now 5 ships and 8,647 tons.
Naval operations: Mediterranean Sea
Walter Forstmann, in U-39, sinks British freighter SS ROSALIE, 4,237 tons, carrying munitions and oats from New York to Salonika, off Djidjelli, Algeria. His score is now 145 ships and 300,892 tons, making him the first U-Boat captain to reach the 300,000-ton mark as well as putting him back in the scoring lead.
Naval operations: Simonstown, South Africa
Cruiser HMS CHALLENGER entered drydock yesterday, apparently for a bottom scraping, because just one day later she leaves the drydock and moors by a pier.
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lordroel
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Post by lordroel on Feb 21, 2022 3:44:48 GMT
Day 937 of the Great War, February 21st 1917
Western Front
Germans begin to withdraw in front of Serre.
Eastern Front
Near Jakobeny the Russians repulse a strong German attack.
Italian Front
At Tarvis (Trentino) Italian artillery destroy Austrian railhead.
Spain
Off Cartagena (south-east Spain) spare parts for submarines are discovered in a buoy.
United Kingdom
New British Blockade orders issued. Vessels sailing to and from neutral countries, which have access to the enemy, must put into a British port for examination, or be liable to capture.
Germany
German Foreign Affairs Secretary Zimmermann expresses confidence that Germany will achieve its aims with submarine warfare.
Strike at the Krupp works in Essen, Germany continues, with several thousand workers demanding higher wages and increased food rations.
United States
$600 million of gold will be sent from Europe to the U.S. this February.
U.S. House of Representatives vote 321 to 72 approving total prohibition of alcohol in 19 states.
Nationwide protests against high food prices continue in the U.S. One protester is killed in Philadelphia.
Macedonian front: Sarrail Plans Offensive Against Bulgaria
In late 1916, the Allied armies around Salonika had finally gone on the offensive, liberating Monastir in southern Serbia from Bulgarian occupation in late November. Sarrail now planned an offensive for the spring of 1917, hoping to break through the Bulgarian lines, push on to their capital of Sofia, and hopefully knock them out of the war. The prospects for such an offensive were daunting; Sarrail still did not have the troops or guns he wanted, and the mountainous terrain would be a challenge. However, he hoped that he could turn the latter to his advantage; after an initial breakthrough, it would be very difficult for the Central Powers to move reserves to stop them from exploiting it. Also, unlike last year, he had the full cooperation of the British. Sarrail had impressed Lloyd George in January, and he authorized British participation in any offensive. The British in Salonika were also eager; any change from sitting in the malaria-infested swamps along the Struma would be welcome. On February 21, French War Minister Lyautey (Sarrail’s superior since the fall of Joffre) gave his approval to Sarrail’s plan.
Naval operations: Ireland
Walter Roehr, commanding U-84, sinks Norwegian freighter SS DUKAT, 1,408 tons, bound from Barry for Fayal with a load of coal. His score is now 13 ships and 31,894 tons.
Naval operations: English Channel
Karlgeorg Schuster, in U-60, stops and scuttles British auxiliary motor schooner TECWYN, 132 tons, en route from Saint Valery to Runcorn with a load of flints and boulders, off Portland Bill. His score is now 8 ships and 23,120 tons.
Hans Howaldt, in UB-40, sinks Norwegian freighter SS ALICE, 709 tons, travenlling from Port Talbot to Tréport with a load of coal. His score is now 10 ships and 5,280 tons.
Ralph Wenninger, in UC-17, sinks Swedish freighter SS MANNINGHAM, 1,988 tons, en route from Penarth Dock to Saint Vincent, Cape Verde Islands with a load of coal, north of Ushant at the west end of the Channel. His score is now 46 ships and 33,709 tons.
Herbert Pustkuchen, in UC-66, sinks three British fishing smacks near Eddystone:
ENERGY, 25 tons.
K.L.M., 28 tons.
MONARCH, 35 tons.
Pustkuchen's score is now 64 vessels and 85,060 tons.
Naval operations: Mediterranean Sea
Leading U-Boat ace Walter Forstmann, in U-39, sinks British freighter SS WATHFIELD, 3,012 tons, carrying a load of magnesite from Limni to Malta, north of Béjaïa, Algeria. His score is now 146 ships and 303,904 tons.
Naval operations: Aegean Sea
British freighter SS PRINCESS ALBERTA, 1,586 tons, en route from Stavros to Mudros with an unspecified cargo, hits a mine laid in Mudros Bay by Johannes Kirchner in UC-23. His score is now 6 ships and 16,517 tons.
Naval operations: Simonstown, South Africa
Seven crewmen from HMFM TRENT are sent ashore for a medical examination. While they are returning one of them deserts.
Naval operations: Indian Ocea
British freighter SS PERSEUS, 6,728 tons, carrying a general cargo from the Clyde River to Yokohama, hits a mine laid by SMS Wolf off Colombo, Ceylon (Sri Lanka).
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lordroel
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Post by lordroel on Feb 22, 2022 3:51:12 GMT
Day 938 of the Great War, February 22nd 1917Western FrontEast of Vermelles and south of Neuve Chapelle hostile raids repulsed with heavy loss. North of Gueudecourt British take enemy trench and 30 prisoners. British push forward cautiously. Mesopotamian campaignAt Sanna-i-Yat, General Maude launches fresh attack, capturing two lines of enemy trenches. United KingdomBritish merchant ships are now carrying phosphorus “smoke screens” to hide them from German U-Boats. British War Office declares that military operations against the Ottomans have successfully prevented them from reinforcing Germany. United StatesIn U.S.A., war tension appears critical. German agents instigating many disturbances. Ottoman empireTurkey declares her agreement with Germany on policy of unrestricted submarine warfare. SwitzerlandSwiss government seeks to use Genoa, Italy for exports & imports, as German ports are blockaded & French ports are threatened by U-boats. JapanJapanese businesses consider suspending shipping to Europe due to the U-boat threat, which has caused shipping costs to jump by 30%. Aerial operations: Progress in CanadaThe RFC’s great Canadian experiment is whirring into gear. The first three nucleus Flights, bearing the titles 78, 79, and 81 (Canadian) Reserve Squadrons, left England on 15 February and are due to arrive shortly. Lieutenant-Colonel Hoare has also reported that he has received more than 1,000 applications for cadetships, so it is unlikely there will be a shortage of pupils. He is however having some difficulty in recruiting suitable mechanics. Meanwhile the newly established Canadian Aeroplanes, Limited has taken over the sheds of the former Curtiss Company at Long Branch, Toronto and has begun to manufacture aeroplanes primarily to serve the training squadrons. A prototype of a modified Curtiss JN-4 was completed in January 1917 and the first completed example was delivered today and training of pilots will begin in the next few days. The Canadian-made JN-4 is derived form the JN-3 just like the US built JN-4. However this version has a lighter airframe, ailerons on both wings, a bigger and more rounded rudder, and differently shaped wings, stabilizer, and elevators. Perhaps more importantly, this aircraft also featured a control stick, which was now the standard in most new aircraft, rather than wheel. The Canadian built JN-4 went on the form the backbone of the training programme in Canada. Along with its American built counterpart, it also was an important aircraft in the establishment of aviation in post war Canada and the United States as war surplus aircraft entered the civilian market. The aircraft was used as a trainer well into the 30s. Photo: The prototype JN-4 Naval operations: Celtic SeaOtto Hersing, commanding U-21, sinks seven Allied ships near Bishop Rock: Dutch freighter SS BANDOENG, 5,851 tons, bound from Batavia for Rotterdam with a load of produce from Java. One year earlier, on February 15th, 1916, Bandoeng had survived hitting a mine laid by Ulrich Mohrbutter in UC-5. Dutch freighter SS EEMLAND, 3,770 tons, travelling in ballast from Amsterdam and Falmouth to New York; scuttled. Dutch freighter SS GAASTERLAND, 3,917 tons, en route from Rotterdam to Sandy Hook, New Jersey with an unspecified cargo; scuttled. Dutch freighter SS JACARTA, 5,373 tons, Batavia to Rotterdam with an unspecified cargo; captured and torpedoed. Dutch freighter SS NNORDERDIJK, 7,166 tons, carrying a load of corn meal and wheat from New York to Rotterdam; captured and torpedoed. Dutch freighter SS ZAANDIJK, 4,189 tons, travelling in ballast from Rotterdam and Falmouth to Philadelphia, scuttled. Zaandijk had previously survived hitting a mine laid by Alfred Nitzsche in UC-10. Norwegian freighter SS NORMANNA, 2,900 tons, travelling from Savannah to Stavanger with a load of phosphates; scuttled. Hersing also attacks Dutch freighter SS MENDAO, 5,874 tons, carrying produce from Batavia to Rotterdam, but the scuttling charges fail to sink the ship and it makes port safely. Hersing's score is now 33 ships and 102,978 tons, sinking more than 33,000 tons in one day. Walter Roehr, in U-84, stops and scuttles British barque INVERCAULD, 1,416 tons, en route from Gulfport to Fleetwood with a load of timeber. His score is now 14 ships and 33,310 tons. Naval operations: West of IrelandGerhard Berger, in U-50, sinks Norwegian freighter SS BLENHEIM, 1,144 tons, carrying a load of pitch pine from Pensacola to Greenock, bringing his score to 11 ships and 26,958 tons. Naval operations: English ChannelRalph Wenninger, in UC-17, sinks two vessels north of Ushant: Norwegian freighter SS AJAX, 1,468 tons, en route from Rufisque to Liverpool with a load of ground nuts. French schooner Saint SAUVEUR, 158 tons, sailing from Swansea to Bordeaux. Wenninger's score is now 48 ships and 35,336 tons. Herbert Pustkuchen, in UC-66, torpedoes Dutch freighter SS AMBON, 3,598 tons, travelling from Amsterdam to Java with an unnamed cargo. between Start Point and Plymouth. The damaged ship manages to make safe port. Naval operations: North SeaFranz Walther, in UB-21, torpedoes British freighter SS JOHN MILES, 687 tons, en route from Newcastle to Shoreham with a load of coal. His score is now 3 ships and 1,860 tons. British tanker SS ASHTABULA, 7,025 tons, bound from Port Arthur for London, hits a mine laid near the Elbow Buoy (North Foreland) by Werner von Zerboni di Sposetti in UC-6. The damaged ship makes port safely. Otto Heinrich begins his career in UC-42 with the sinking of two British trawlers off Aberdeen, Scotland: FROLIC, 183 tons. LORD COLLINGWOOD, 148 tons. Heinrich's opening score is two vessels and 331 tons. Naval operations: Tyrhennian SeaAlfred Klatt, in UC-38, sinks six Italian vessels east of Corsica: Barque ADELINA, 528 tons; deck gun. Barquentine APE, 301 tons; deck gun. Sailing vessel GIOVANNIP, 105 tons. Sailboat MICHIELINO, 20 tons; mine. Barque SAN MICHELE , 583 tons; deck gun. Sailing vessel VINCENZINO, 20 tons; mine. Klatt's score is now 11 vessels and 10,204 tons. Ernst von Voight, in UC-35, stops and scuttles British brigantine NOSTRA SIGNORA DEL PORTO SALVO, 136 tons, carrying a load of wine from Alicante to Malta; off Isola di Marettimo, just west of Sicily. This is his first sinking since he torpedoed 19,380-ton passenger liner SS Merion on May 30, 1915. His score is now 2 ships and 19,516 tons. Naval operations: Mediterranean SeaLeading U-Boat ace Walter Forstmann, in U-39, uses his deck gun to sink French freighter SS VILLE DE BOUGE, 508 tons, travelling from Algiers to Bône with 10 tons of calcium carbure. His score is now 147 ships and 304,412 tons. Naval operations: Simonstown, South AfricaBritish troopship SS TYNDAREUS, which hit a mine on February 6th leading to rescue operations by HMFM TRENT and tug LUDWIG WIENER on the 7th and 8th, begins repairs.
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lordroel
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Post by lordroel on Feb 23, 2022 3:49:51 GMT
Day 939 of the Great War, February 23rd 1917YouTube (Mechanised War In Mesopotamia - Toplica Uprising)Western FrontBritish follow-up retreating Germans. Eastern FrontNorth-west of Ocna (Moldavia) the Russians lose the heights of Magyaros, and 1,000 prisoners. Mesopotamian campaign: British Bridge the TigrisAfter a few days of preparation, the British were now ready to put up pontoons across the Tigris upstream of Kut. It would be a daunting task; the river was nearly 300 yards wide and had a swift five-knot current, and even in Mesopotamia, February nights were still quite cold. The British were to attempt to build three bridges across the Tigris, though the second and third were diversions that were eventually abandoned. The few troops that made it across on the pontoon boats from those two bridges were then isolated on the far side of the river, saved from capture only be withering point-blank artillery fire from the south bank. Photo: British troops practice for the crossing and bridging of the Tigris on the Shatt-al-Hayy, in the weeks before February 23 The first bridge, however, was eventually completed successfully, after nearly 12 hours of work. One engineer described: Hell of a morning, bullets flying freely all the time & we were shelled continuously. Saw a lot of our pontoons drifting downstream – & one hit fair by a shell disappeared completely….Turks crumped us at the bridge head all evening but failed to hit the bridge. Despite the stiff opposition, the Turkish forces in the area knew they would be unable to throw back the British once they had secured a bridgehead. And the British crossing here threatened the twenty miles of Turkish positions downstream. At Sannaiyat, the British had also launched attacks on the Turkish lines in an attempt to keep the Turkish forces pinned down and prevent them from escaping before the trap could be closed. The best positioned troops to prevent a Turkish escape were the British cavalry, who could outflank the Turkish positions and either attempt to catch the retreating Turks at speed or dismount and dig in across their line of retreat. However, they were hampered by a lack of water away from the Tigris itself, and micromanagement from General Maude, who forced them to stop and set up a wireless receiver every hour to obtain his new orders. By nightfall on the 23rd, the cavalry had “made very little progress.” Map: Situation at Kut on 22 February 1917 Aerial operations: Night TrippersThe RNAS carried out a couple of one-off night raids in November 1916, but to date the RFC has mainly avoided night flying. The French in contrast have switched almost exclusively to night bombing, targeting mainly railway installations and more recently enemy airfields. Despite initial fears of night flying, the loss rate of French night bombers is low, around 2%, significantly less than daytime raids. The increasing RFC loss rates (along with the inferiority of British aircraft to the new German Fighters has led to a minor change in strategy, and two squadrons dedicated specifically to night-bombing have been formed. 83 Squadron was formed at Montrose on 7 January 1917, and moved to Spittlegate in Lincolnshire to begin training 100 Squadron, the second night-bomber squadron was formed today at Farnborough from elements of 51 Squadron based at Hingham on Home Defence Duties. The Squadron is commanded by Major Malcolm Grahame Christie, with Recording Officer, Captain Cecil Cooper Waddington, Equipment officer Lieutenant Frederick Petch and Flight Commanders Captains John Sowery, William Arthur McClaughry and William E Collison. 51 Squadron are the only operational unit in the Home Defence Wing flying the F.E.2b, and as a result many of the pilots who were posted into the newly-formed Squadron had no experience on the type. With the departure of the Squadron to France imminent, the experience of the four officers from 51 Squadron will be invaluable in the familiarisation process. Naval operations: North SeaBritish freighter SS GRENADIER, 1,004 tons, bound from Rotterdam to Newcastle with a general cargo, hits a mine laid by Georg Reimarus in UC-4 off the Shipwash Lightship. Reimarus' score is now 5 ships and 2,381 tons. UC-32 hits one of her own mines and is destroyed. 22 crewmembers are lost, 3 survivors, including her captain, Herbert Breyer. Naval operations: Bay of BiscayRalph Wenninger, in UC-17, sinks three Allied ships near Belle Ile: British frieghter SS BELGIER, 4,588 tons, travelling from New York to Norfold and Le Havre with a general cargo. British freighter SS ISER, 2,160 tons, en route from Newport, Wales to Rochefort with a load of coal. Norwegian freighter SS NYLAND, 1,824 tons, carrying a load of coal from Cardiff to Gibraltar. Wenninger's score is now 51 ships and 43,908 tons. Naval operations: Mediterranean Sea0715 Lothar von Arnauld de la Perière, in U-35, sinks British freighter SS LONGHIRST, 3,053 tons, carrying a load of barley and hay from Philippeville to Salonika, off Cape Bon. His score is now 151 ships and 301,459 tons. at 1815 Von Arnauld attacks French troopship SS MONT VISO, 4,820 tons, but the damaged ship manages to make safe port. Leading U-Boat ace Walter Forstmann, in U-39, sinks British freighter SS TROJAN PRINCE, 3,196 tons, en route from London and Plymouth to Alexandria with a general cargo, off Cape Cherchell, Algeria. His score is now 148 shipls and 307,608 tons.
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lordroel
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Post by lordroel on Feb 24, 2022 4:01:04 GMT
Day 940 of the Great War, February 24th 1917Western FrontGreat German withdrawal in full swing. The villages of Serre, Miraumont, Petit Miraumont, Pys and Warlencourt evacuated. Mesopotamian campaign: British Retake KutAfter the British crossed the Tigris at Shumran, a few miles upstream of Kut, on the 23rd, the Turks began to abandon their positions along the Tigris twenty miles downstream at Sannaiyat. This allowed the British gunboats on the Tigris, previously held at bay by Turkish guns, to stream upriver without opposition. On the evening of the 24th, the gunboats reached Kut; their crew landed without opposition and secured the town, the Turks having abandoned it earlier in the day. This was a great symbolic victory for the British, who had been forced to surrender the town after a long siege nearly ten months ago. Photo: Indian lancers enter Kut Despite this victory, Maude and the British were disappointed that they were not able to trap the entirety of the Turkish force at Sannaiyat. A Turkish rearguard checked the advance of the troops that crossed at Shumran, and water shortages and general disorganization stopped the cavalry from cutting off the retreating Turks. Nevertheless, the British had still taken over 7000 prisoners, more than the number of Turkish effectives who had escaped, who were soon under pursuit by the British gunboats, as well as the British infantry who now outnumbered them nearly seven-to-one. United Kingdom Lloyd George states restrictive measures are needed to ration food in Britain, such as cutting beer & liquor production by two-thirds. RussiaRussian government opens a special committee to discuss the future status of Poland. United States U.S. War Department proposes a bill that would increase the Army size to 3,296,023 men, which will cost $472,258,746. Naval operations: North Atlantic, west of IrelandGerhard Berger, commanding U-50, sinks British freighter SS FALCON, 2,244 tons, bound from Newport for Marseille with a load of coal. His score is now 12 ships and 29,202 tons. Naval operations: North SeaOtto von Schrader, in UC-31, sinks British freighter SS BENEFICENT, 1,963 tons, en route from Tyne to Le Havre with a load of coal, just off Hartlepool. His score is now 16 ships and 12,453 tons. His Majesty's Yacht VERONA, 437 tons, hits a mine laid off Portimahomack, Scotland, by Martin Schelle in UC-33. His score is now 4 ships and 2,823 tons. Naval operations: Bay of BiscayRalph Wenninger, in UC-17, stops and scuttles Greek freighter SS SALAMIS, 995 tons, carrying a load of coal from Barry to Bordeaux; off Ile de Glenans. His score is now 52 ships and 44,903 tons. Naval operations: Tyrhennian SeaAlfred Klatt, in UC-38, sinks Italian brigantine ALBINA, 187 tons, east of Siniscola, Sardinia. His score is now 12 ships and 10,391 tons. Naval operations: Mediterranean SeaLothar von Arnauld de la Perière, in U-35, sinkks two ships northwest of Malta: British freighter SS DOROTHY, 3,806 tons, carrying 270 French troops from Tunis to Salonika; torpedoed. All but sixteen are rescued. Greek freighter SS PRIKONISOS, 3,537 tons, travelling in ballast from Salonika to Algiers, sunt with deck gun. Von Arnauld takes the lead again as highest scorer with 153 ships and 308,802 tons. Hermann von Fischel, in U-65, uses his deck gun to sink Italian schooner VENERE, 290 tons, just off San Pietro Island, on the west side of Sardinia. His score is now 3 vessels abd 22,157 tons. Hans von Mellenthin, in UB-43, sinks Greek freighter SS MIAOULIS, 2,918 tons, en route from Alexandria to Hull; north of Benghazi. His score is now 14 ships and 66,131 tons.
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Post by lordroel on Feb 25, 2022 2:46:40 GMT
Day 941 of the Great War, February 25th 1917Western FrontGerman organized retreat at the Ancre to the Hindenburg Line continues. British troops advance on a 11-mile front, to a depth of 3 miles. British advance extends over a front of 11 miles from south of Gomemcourt to east of Gueudecourt, and reaches an extreme depth of three miles. Successful raids at Monchy-au-Bois, Lens and in Champagne. Photo: Operations on the Ancre. 4.5inch howitzer emplacement of the Royal Field Artillery in Miraumont-le-Grand which was taken 25 February Mesopotamian campaignTurkish retreat continues, closely pursued by British cavalry. Turks destroy much war material. Naval operations: Kent, EnglandMargate and Broadstairs bombarded for ten minutes by German destroyers. Slight damage. Three killed, one wounded. Aerial operations: FallbackYesterday, a German prisoner had reported that orders had been issued for the German troops to fall back, by successive stages, to the Siegfriedstellung (or Hindenburg Line as it was known to the British). Construction of the new defensive position in France was begun by the Germans in September 1916, to make a retirement from the Somme front possible, and to counter an anticipated increase in the power of Anglo-French attacks in 1917. Today, six Sopwith Pups from 54 Squadron RFC got through to the Hindenburg Line and their pilots brought back news of great fires burning in dumps and villages as they passed on their way, proving that the fall back has commenced. 3 Wing RNAS carried out a further bombing raid on the ironworks at Brebach. During the raid, Flight Sub-Lieutenant Lewis Ewing Smith and Air Mechanic Richard Stretton Portsmouth were shot down in their Sopwith Strutter (9739) by Gottlieb Vothknecht from Jasta 24. Both men were killed. Also killed today was Lieutenant Jack Gordon Barrymore Baines from 23 Squadron RFC who was up on a practice flight when his SPAD VII (A6705) was seen to go into spinning nosedive from 1000 feet. Baines was killed in the crash. Naval operations: North Atlantic Ocean, west of IrelandGerhard Berger, commanding U-50, sinks three British ships roughly 200 miles west of Fastnet: Freighter SS ARIES, 3,071 tons, bound from Melilla for Glasgow with a load of iron ore. Freighter SS HUNTSMAN, 7,460 tons, carrying a general cargo from Liverpool to Calcutta. Passenger liner SS LACONIA, 18,099 tons, travelling from New York to Liverpool with passengers and a general cargo. Berger's score is now 15 ships and 58,012 tons. Naval operations: Celtic SeaRalph Wenninger, in UC-17, stops and scuttles French schooner KLEBER, 95 tons, carrying a load of coal from Swansea to Saint Martin de Ré, off Ushant. His score is now 53 ships and 44,998 tons. Naval operations: English ChannelHans Howaldt, in UB-40, scuttles Dutch sailboat MARIA ADRIANA, 88 tons, travelling in ballast from Le Havre to Teignmouth, off Cape Barfleur. His score is now 11 ships and 5,368 tons. Otto Steinbrinck, in UC-65, sinks two vessels west of Berck, France: French fishing boat SAINT JOSEPH, 42 tons. Norwegian freighter SS VIGDA, 1,851 tons, travelling from Hull to Chantenay with a load of coal. Steinbrinck's score is now 115 ships and 106,891 tons. Naval operations: Simonstown, South AfricaAboard HMFM TRENT, new bollards are being fitted to replace the ones torn off when attempting to tow SS TYNDAREUS more that two weeks earlier.
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lordroel
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Post by lordroel on Feb 26, 2022 7:34:09 GMT
Day 942 of the Great War, February 26th 1917Western FrontNorth and south of the Ancre British make further progress, capturing the village of Le Barque (south-west of Bapaume). Due to the German withdrawal towards the Hindenburg line, British forces have gained 22 square miles of territory in France. Mesopotamian campaignTurkish rearguard covers the retreat 15 miles from Kut. H.M.S. "FIREFLY" recaptured on the Tigris. United Kingdom British government announces that it raised £1 billion in new war loans, raised by the contribution of 5 million subscribers. British Government requisitions Dutch ships in British ports. United States: Wilson Proposes to Arm US Merchant Vessels Since the resumption of unrestricted submarine warfare at the beginning of February, only two American ships had been sunk, both with warning and without loss of life. The larger effect was in American ports, where many vessels that had been planning to depart for Europe simply refused to leave, clogging American ports and disrupting American trade. To help relieve this situation, and to impress upon the Germans his determination to protect America’s rights on the high seas, Wilson decided to ask Congress for the authorization to arm merchant ships so that they could defend themselves from submarines. Wilson planned to address a joint session of Congress on Monday, February 26. Over the weekend, Wilson had received the Zimmermann Telegram from his ambassador in London, and apparently showed “much indignation.” He had wanted to release it right away, but ultimately decided to wait until after the address to Congress, allowing him to test their mood towards Germany. The delay would also give him the chance to completely verify its authenticity (though he apparently had no doubts) and to consult with Secretary of State Lansing, who was not in Washington over the weekend. At 1PM on the 26th, Wilson addressed Congress and introduced his Armed Ships Bill. The message was well-received by most. Anti-German politicians were glad Wilson was finally standing up to Germany, while some pacifists hoped that arming merchant ships would deter Germany from attacking American ships and prevent an incident that would lead to war. Wilson himself took the second tack: “I am the friend of peace and mean to preserve it for America so long as I am able… proposing or contemplating war or any steps that lead to it.” Other pacifists, however, saw the measure as more likely to lead to a confrontation with Germany, and bitterly opposed it. While he was speaking, the news of the LACONIA sinking arrived, along with the deaths of two Americans on board. Although the LACONIA was a British ship (and could not have been affected by Wilson’s measure), the sinking only served to cement both sides’ opinions of the bill. Newspaper: Los Angles Herald, Febuary 26th 1917 Aerial operations: German bombersOut on the Salonika Front this morning, the French aerodrome at Gorgop was bombed by 20 large bombers attacked. Such was the surprise, that little resistance was possible and eight French aeroplanes were destroyed and four were damaged. In the afternoon the raiders appeared again, this time heading to the railhead at Yanesh near which was situated the headquarters of the XII Corps and the main aerodrome of 47 Squadron RFC. The British were a bit more alert because of the earlier attack, and as soon as the German formation was seen, pilots ran to their aeroplanes and were in the air. Little material damage was done but 21 people were wounded including 8 mechanics at the aerodrome. 7 men were also killed. The German squadron had come from Bucharest after a bombing campaign against Romania. It was a mobile unit with a railway train attached in which the offices and store are housed. It is equipped with AEG’s fitted with two 260hp Mercedes engines, Rumplers with two 150 horse-power Benz engines, and Friedrichshafeners with two 260hp Mercedes. There were also one Gotha bomber (two 260 h.p. Mercedes) and some single-seater Halberstadt fighters. Naval operations: St. George's ChannelBritish schooner HANNA CROASDELL, 151 tons, hits a mine laid off Skokholm Island by Otto Steinbrinck in UC-65. Naval operations: English ChannelBritish freighter SS ALGIERS, 2,361 tons, travelling in ballast from Calais to Barry Roads, hits a mine laid by Steinbrinck and UC-65 off the Owers Lightvessel. Meanwhile Steinbrinck himself stops and scuttles Dutch sailing vessel ALBERDINA, 134 tons, travelling in ballast from Le Havre to Teignouth. Steinbrinck's score is now 118 ships and 109,537 tons. Hans Howaldt, in UB-40, topedoes Russian freighter SS TAMERFORS, 994 tons, raising his score to 12 ships and 6,362 tons. British coaster SS SEA GULL, 144 tons, en route from London to Boulogne with a general cargo, hits a mine laid off Folkstone by Egon von Werner in UC-16. His score is now 47 ships and 51,932 tons. His Majesty's Trawler ST. GERMAIN, 307 tons, also hits a mine laid by UC-16, but is beached and later repaired. Ralph Wenninger, in UC-17, captures French barque LE LAMENTIN, 716 tons, sailing from Saint Marc, Haiti to Le Havre, and sinks her with his deck gun. His score is now 54 ships and 45,713 tons. Dutch freighter SS ALGIERS, 2,361 tons, travelling in ballast from Calais to Barry roads, hits a mine laid by Otto Stienbrinck in UC-65 off the Owers Lightship. Naval operations: Mediterranean SeaWalter Forstmann, in U-39, sinks British freighter SS BURNBY, 3,665 tons, carrying a load of coal from Barry to Algiers, off Cap Falcon, Algeria. He retakes the lead in tonnage sunk with 149 ships and 311,273 tons. Hans von Mellenthin, in UB-43, sinks British freighter SS CLAN FARQUHAR, 5,858 tons, travelling from Calcutta to London with a general cargo east of Benghazi, with 49 casualties. The second engineer is taken prisoner. His score is now 15 ships and 71,989 tons. Otto Launburg, in UC-37, sinks Greek freighter SS VICTORIA, 1,388 tons, en route from Bône to Almeria with an unspecified cargo. His score is now 12 ships and 22,811 tons. Launburg also torpedoes Italian freighter SS GEROLAMO ULLOA, 4,283 tons, but the crippled ship makes port safely. Naval operations: Atlantic OceanGerman raider SMS SEEADLER captures and sinks Canadian barque British YEOMAN, 1,953 tons.
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lordroel
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Post by lordroel on Feb 27, 2022 7:16:05 GMT
Day 943 of the Great War, February 27th 1917Western FrontLigny (east of Le Barque) and Gommecourt occupied by the British. Also the western and southern defences of Puisieux. East of Armentieres British raiders seriously damage three lines of enemy trenches and take 17 prisoners. Eastern FrontNear Jakobeny the Germans take several Russian positions on high ground and 1,300 prisoners. Macedonian front: German Bombing Raids in SalonikaAllied forces in northern Greece held a position that stretched from Albania to the mouth of the river Sturma. This force, the Armée d’Orient, was commanded by French General Maurice Sarrail (the French Army’s token socialist) and had an international composition. Alongside the French, British troops under General George Milne held 90 miles of front. Serbs, Italians, Russians, Montengrins, Greeks, and colonial troops added their firepower as well. Sarrail was planning an offensive for spring 1917, but the Germans took every opportunity to wreak havoc. On February 27, fifteen triple-engineered bombers swooped down to attack British soldiers, causing many casualties in the open. A week later they bombed the hospital many of the wounded were taken to, killing several in their beds. Another casulty of the Salonika front that spring was Field Marshal Sir John French’s sister, who was distributing food with the Serbian Relief Fund in Monstir. She was killed by shrapnel during an artillery barrage. Photo: French gunners with 75 mm anti-aircraft gun, Salonika Front Mesopotamian campaignPursuit of Turks continued. 7,000 prisoners taken. United Kingdom.French relations: British Expeditionary Force to Carry Out French OrdersLloyd George had been horrified by the months of carnage on the Somme, and placed the blame for it entirely at Haig’s feet. However, he did not feel he had the political clout to get rid of Haig, nor that any successor would be a vast improvement. He was, however, very impressed by the new French commander-in-chief, General Nivelle, who promised to break through the German lines with a swift offensive–and, most importantly, said that he would call the offensive off within two weeks if it did not prove successful. At a conference in Calais on February 26, called ostensibly for the purpose of discussing railroad logistics for the upcoming British offensive, Lloyd George unexpectedly brought up the topic of a single command for the Allied armies in France: The enemy has but one army. The Entente Powers should secure for themselves the same advantage, especially in battle. If we do not do this we cannot hope for complete success. Let us speak with the utmost frankness. Let no one hesitate to give his opinion as to the best organization to adopt for our common action. All personal considerations must be laid aside. There is no room either for circumlocution or false delicacy. Here, Lloyd George hoped that Nivelle would put forward a specific proposal in which Nivelle would be placed in complete command of the Allied armies in France. Nivelle did indeed make such a suggestion, but attempting to keep plausible deniability, did not immediately put forth a prepared memorandum outlining exactly what this would mean. He did so eventually later in the evening, but made it seem like he was being forced to do so by his government. The French proposal was breathtaking in its scope. It would basically turn the British Expeditionary Force into a French Army Group. Haig would have to follow Nivelle’s orders, and would not even be able to protest to London about it. All coordination between the British government and the BEF would take place through a British Chief of Staff attached to Nivelle’s headquarters (who would presumably be Sir Henry Wilson). The British generals were understandably horrified by the proposals, and objected strenuously. However, Lloyd George was adamant, and only allowed a few modifications to it before it was signed just before noon on the 27th. The arrangement would only last until the end of the upcoming offensive (as determined by the respective governments), and Haig kept the right to protest to London if he felt that Nivelle’s orders “would compromise the safety of his army.” Haig was allowed “to choose the means to be employed an the manner in which his troops will be utilized,” but would still have to follow Nivelle’s orders. Naval operations: United kingdomRoyal Navy purchases the HMS NAIRANA from Australia to be converted into a seaplane carrier. Naval operations: North Atlantic Ocean, west of IrelandRichard Hartmann, commanding U-49, sinks three Allied ships: British barque GALGORM CASTLE, 1,596 tons, bound from Buenos Aires for Queenstown with an unspecified cargo; stopped and scuttled 90 miles west of Fastnet. Italian freighter SS LUIGINO B., en route from Almeria to Tyne with an unnamed cargo, sunk northwest of Tearaght Island. British freighter SS TRITONIA, 4,445 tons, carrying horses and a general cargo from Halifax to Glasgow, sunk off Tearaght Island. Hartmann's score is now 22 ships and 45,969 tons. Naval operations: English ChannelErwin Sebelin, in UC-43, sinks French sailing vessel MARIE MADELEINE, 45 tons, off Ver Lighthouse with his deck gun. He now has 6 vessels and 4,538 tons. Otto Steinbrinck, in UC-65, is responsible for the loss of two Allied ships: French sailing vessel BRUNETTE, 104 tons, stopped and scuttled off The Needles, Isle of Wight. His Majesty's Trawler EVADNE, 189 tons, hits a mine laid by UC-65 south of the Owers Lightship. Steinbrinck's score is now 120 vessels and 109,830 tons. Naval operations: North SeaOtto Wünsche, in U-70, attacks British tanker SS SAN PATRICIO, 9,712 tons, with his deck gun, off the Orkney Islands. The tanker manages to outrun the submarine and escapes. Naval operations: Mediterranean SeaHans von Mellenthin, in UB-43, sinks British freighter SS BRODMORE, 4,071 tons, carrying a load of frozen meat from Majunga to the United Kingdom. The ship's master is taken prisoner. Von Mellenthin's score is now 16 ships and 76,060 tons. Heino von Heimburg, in UC-22, attacks British freighter SS BELLORADO, 4,649 tons, en route from Barry to Alexandria, with his deck gun. The damaged ship manages to escape. Alfred Klatt, in UC-38, sinks two Italian sailing vessels northwest of Palermo, Sicily: ELENA M., 125 tons. S. CIRO PALERINO, 113 tons. Klatt's score is now 14 vessels and 10,629 tons.
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lordroel
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Post by lordroel on Feb 28, 2022 7:12:19 GMT
Day 944 of the Great War, February 28th 1917
Western Front
Thilloy, Gommecourt, Puisieux and Sailly-Saillisel taken by British.
Romanian Campaign
Romanian counter-attacks in Bukovina partially successful.
Italian Front
Austrian attacks on Asiago Plateau and north of Gorizia repulsed.
Mesopotamian campaign
Turkish losses in Mesopotamia in last three months estimated at over 20,000.
Netherlands/German relations
Germany offers to lend 7 merchant ships for the duration of the war to replace Dutch ships recently sunk by U-Boats.
Entente Powers/China relations: Allies Promise Concessions to China If She Joins the War
China had previously expressed interest in joining the war against the Central Powers. This was vetoed by the Japanese at the end of 1915, fearing that China would use it to train an army that could later be used against them. By 1917, however, the situation had changed dramatically. Yuan Shikai had died, along with his dreams for becoming Emperor. The Allies were more aggressively courting neutral nations the world over, and the United States, the remaining neutral with the closest ties to China, had severed diplomatic relations with Germany earlier in the month.
The Allies held considerable leverage over China after the Boxer Rebellion. China was forced to pay the great powers large yearly indemnities in reparations (the bulk of which went to the Allies), and capped the tariffs China could impose on imports. On February 28, the Allies promised China that they could suspend those payments for the duration of the war if they broke off diplomatic relations with Germany, and hinted at further concessions if they declared war (in addition to being able to repudiate the payments to Germany and Austria). Two weeks later, China did indeed break off relations with Germany. The Boxer indemnity payments, however, would continue for several years after the war, only being largely halted after 1925.
Aerial operations: Idflieg's bi-monthly report on German fighters operating at the front at the end of February 1917
Albatros:
D.I----28
D.II--150
D.III-137
Fokker:
D.I-----5
D.II---49
D.III---7
E.III---2
Halberstadt:
D.I----12
D.II----5
D.III--12
D.V----39
LFG Roland:
D.I----12
D.II---22
LVG:
D.I----61 (License-built Albatros D.II)
Naval operations: English Channel
Claus Lafrenz, commanding UB-18, stops and scuttles British schooner HARRIET WILLIAMS, bound from London for Le Havre with a load of bulk pitch; off Cap d'Antifer. His score is now 34 ships and 33,731 tons.
Hans Howaldt, in UB-40, sinks French sailing vessel IMMACULEE CONCEPTION, 36 tons, on a fishing trip off Dungeness. The crew row their single lifeboat to the Colbart Lighthouse. Later picked up there by Torpilleur 323 and taken to Boulogne. Howaldt's score is now 13 vessels and 6,398 tons.
Otto Steinbrinck, in UC-65, stops and scuttles two ships:
French schooner MARIE JOSEPH, 192 tons, travelling in ballast from Fécamp to Cardiff; off Etretat.
Norwegian freighter SS SJOSTAD, 1,155 tons, carrying a load of coal from Newport, Wales to Fécamp; off Cap Le Heve.
Steinbrinck's score is now 122 ships and 111,177 tons.
Naval operations: Mediterranean Sea
Hans von Mellenthin, in UB-43, torpedoes Japanese freighter SHINSEI MARU, 3,060 tons, travelling from Cardiff to Port Said with an unspecified cargo. His score is now 17 ships and 79,120 tons.
Naval operations: Tyrhennian Sea
Hermann von Fischel, in U-65, sinks Italian sailing vessel EMANCIPATO, 30 tons, east of Corsica, bringing his score to 4 vessels and 22,187 tons.
French minelayer CASSINI, 970 tons, hits a mine laid by Ernst von Voigt in UC-35 in the Strait of Bonifacio, between Corsica and Sardinia.
Meanwhile, von Voigt himself is in the Mediterranean, sinking two Italian sailing vessels off the island of Linosa, east of Malta:
ELISABETTA CONCETTINA, 45 tons.
GIUSTINA MADRE, 35 tons.
Von Voigt's score is now 5 vessels and 20,566 tons.
Naval operations: MERCHANT SHIPPING LOSSES for month of February 1917
British, Allied and Neutral ships lost to enemy submarines, mines and cruisers etc. in the month - 366 ships of 596,000 tons gross. (Lloyd's War Losses).
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lordroel
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Post by lordroel on Mar 1, 2022 3:48:46 GMT
Day 945 of the Great War, March 1st 1917Western FrontG.H.Q. reports capture of 2,133 German prisoners and 11 villages during past month. German air losses during February twice those of Allies. GermanyGermany announces end of safe period for sailing vessels in Atlantic. Speech by Herr Zimmermannn on torpedoing of neutrals. United States: Zimmermann Telegram Revealed to American PressOn the morning of the 28th, Wilson decided that he wanted to release the Zimmermann Telegram to the press. While he had never intended to hold onto it for too long, it seems that he thought it would prove good ammunition for the debate over the Armed Ships Bill in Congress. At 4:30 PM, Secretary of State Lansing informed some allies in the Senate, and at 6 the details (though not the exact text) of the telegram were given the the Associated Press. The news was on newspapers nationwide on the morning of March 1, and was an immediate sensation. Germany was trying to plot with Mexico and Japan against the United States in the event of war, and offered Mexico the states of Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona in any peace deal. The House of Representatives passed the Armed Ships Bill later that day, as Wilson hoped, by a large margin. However, many others doubted the story, believing it to be a hoax. The AP was sketchy on the details of how it was obtained (for obvious reasons), only saying that “the contents had been fully authenticated.” In the Senate, Republican Henry Cabot Lodge, long-time foe of Wilson, introduced a resolution that Wilson should give a statement on the telegram, giving all the information he could without endangering national security. Lodge, a supporter of the Allies, hoped that this would prevent Wilson from distancing himself from the telegram and leaving Germany blameless. The resolution passed unanimously, and Wilson complied at 8 PM. The President said the telegram was authentic and had been obtained within the last week, though he could not disclose any further information at this time. Despite Wilson vouching for it, many remained skeptical. The pacifist faction in the Senate was unswayed, and was determined to filibuster the Armed Ships Bill regardless. Newspaper: New York Times on March 1st 1917 Naval operations: IrelandErwin Sebelin, commanding UC-43, sinks two Norwegian sailing ships off Old Head of Kinsale: Full-rigged ship MABELLA, 1,637 tons, bound from Galveston for Kolding with a load of oilcake. Barque STORENES, 1,870 tons, carrying a load of maize from Buenos Aires to Queenstown. Sebelin's score is now 8 ships and 8,045 tons. Naval operations: English ChannelClaus Lafrenz, in UB-18, sinks British freighter SS CHATBURN, 1,942 tons, travelling from Sunderland to Rouen with a load of coal. His score is now 35 ships and 35,673 tons. Otto Steinbrinck, in UC-65, has a field day. First he attacks a French fishing fleet off the coast of Berck: GERMAINE, 24 tons, scuttled. BOUT DE ZAN, 13 tons, shelled. Did not sink, but drifted to Dungerness, where she was wrecked. ELISE, 50 tons, shelled. GENERAL RADIGUET, 24 tons, scuttled. HOMOCEA, 58 tons, shelled. British, on loan to France with French crew and French flag. JOSHEP ADOLPHINE, 21 tons, scuttled. NOTRE DAME DE LOURDES, 47 tons, shelled. REINE DES ANGES, 47 tons, shelled. SAINT JOSEPH, 20 tons, scuttled. SAINTE FAMILLE, 25 tons, shelled. SEIGNEUR, 53 tons, shelled. With them is Belgian fishing vessel DIAMOND CROSS, 29 tons, sunk. Steinbrinck also shells and sinks French freighter SS ELRON, 603 tons, travelling from Saint Malo to Dunkerque with an unspecified cargo. Meanwhile British passenger liner SS DRINA, 11,483 tons, carrying passengers and a general cargo from Buenos Aires to Liverpool, hits a mine laid by UC-65 off Skokham Island, Wales. British hospital ship GLENART CASTLE hits a mine laid by UC-65, and Stienbrinck attacks floating crane Sarus, but both ships survive the attacks. Steinbrinck's score is now 136 ships and 123,674 tons. Naval operations: North SeaKurt Wippern, in U-58, sinks Norwegian barque NORMA, 850 tons, carrying a load of oilcake from Savannah to Aarhus, Denmark, with his deck gun off Shetland Island. His score is now 4 ships and 2,426 tons. Thorwald von Bothmer, in U-66, takes two Norwegian freighters: SS GURRE, 1,733 tons, travelling from Narvik and Fredrikshald to hull with a load of Iron ore; sunk. SS LIVINGSTON, carrying a load of ammonium nitrate from Skien to Charente; taken as a prize. Von Bothmer's score is now 21 ships and 53,268 tons. British destroyer HMS PHEASANT, 1,025 tons, hits a mine laid west of the Orkney Islands by Alfred von Glasenapp in U-80. His score is now 5 ships and 21,480 tons. Ernst von Rosenow, in UC-29, stops and scuttles two British trawlers off Longstone: HERBERT INGRAM, 142 tons. REDCAP, 199 tons. Rosenow's score is now 8 vessels and 7,179 tons. Italian freighter SS APOLLONIA, 2,861 tons, hits a mine laid off Flamborough Head by Herbert Breyer in UC-32. His score is now 6 ships and 8,547 tons. This is Breyer's last sinking as UC-32 was sunk on February 23 by one of her own mines. Kurt Bernis, in UC-41, begins his U-Boat career with the sinking of two Allied ships off Longstone: British coaster SS TILLYCORTHIE, 382 tons, bound from Seaham for Peterhead with a load of coal. Norwegian freighter SS ORION, 1,354 tons, carrying a load of iron ore from Narvik to Middlesbrough. Bernis's opening score is 2 ships and 1,736 tons. Naval operations: Mediterranean SeaHermann von Fischel, in U-65, sinks two ships south of Sardinia: Greek freighter SS NICOLAOS, 1,215 tons. Italian brigantine TERESINA, 212 tons; scuttled. Von Fischel's score is now 6 ships and 23,614 tons. Wolfgang Steinbauer, in UB-47, torpedoes British freighter SS EUTERPE, 3,540 tons, off Suda Bay, Crete. The damaged ship manages to make safe port. Naval operations: Algoa Bay, South AfricaHMFM TRENT is employed towing two lighters from Algoa Bay to Durban. The tow starts off easily, but rain and rising seas toward evening make the going tougher.
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lordroel
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Post by lordroel on Mar 2, 2022 4:03:23 GMT
Day 946 of the Great War, March 2nd 1917
YouTube (Conrad Loses His Job - Nivelle's Coup)
Western Front
British lines advanced north-west of Puisieux and north of Warlencourt (Ancre).
Unsuccessful enemy counter-attacks from near Bapaume.
German withdrawal to the Hindenburg Line slows, as they launch limited counterattacks against the British advance.
A large trench raid at Vimy, led by the 4th Canadian Division, fail, resulting in 637 Canadian casualties.
Eastern Front
Fighting continues in southern Bukovina.
Activity round Riga and on Narajowka river (Galicia), where Germans claim success.
Mesopotamian campaign
Turks fall back towards Baghdad, one column from Hamadan and one to Dauletabad.
Russians occupy Hamadan.
United Kingdom
British Major-General Frederick B. Maurice predicts that there will be another winter of war, as the German Army is still capable.
United States
U.S. Congress passes resolution for arming merchant ships.
Kingdom of Poland
State Council, Warsaw, reported organizing national army against Russia, using Polish legions as cadres.
Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire borrows $48 million from Austria-Hungary, on condition that it be used to buy Austro-Hungarian goods.
Austria-Hungary: Conrad Replaced As Austrian Chief of Staff
Despite her territorial conquests, Austria-Hungary was much weaker in 1917 than she had been at the start of the war. Last year’s Brusilov Offensive had essentially broken her armies, making her more dependent on Germany than ever before. Charles, the new emperor, was not pleased with this state of affairs, and wanted to distance himself from Germany as much as possible. In January, he moved army headquarters to Baden (just outside of Vienna) from Teschen (near the Eastern Front and the Germans). Conrad was disappointed by the move, largely for personal reasons. To great scandal, he had married his mistress, the divorcée Gina von Reininghaus, in late 1915, and had lived with her at Teschen, far away from disapproving Vienna society. Among those who disapproved was Charles’ wife, Zita, a devout Catholic.
On March 1, Charles dismissed Conrad, replaced by General Arthur Arz von Straußenburg. The emperor made it clear that Arz would have far less independence than Conrad had had. The next day, as part of a general shakeup and set of reforms in the Army, Conrad was instead given command of Austrian forces in the Tyrol, the site of his last independent offensive.
Naval operations: English Channel
Hans Rose, commanding U-53, stops and scuttles two British sailing vessels off Dungeness:
Ketch-barge GAZELLE, 119 tons, bound from London for Le Havre with a load of pitch.
Brig UTOPIA, 184 tons, carrying a load of pitch from London to Rouen.
Rose's score is now 19 ships and 38,121 tons.
Naval operations: North Sea
Victor Dieckmann, in U-61, sinks Norwegian freighter SS EDVARD GRIEG, 989 tons, en route from Newcastle to Skien with a load of soda. His score is now 10 ships and 9,421 tons.
German freighter SS ERLANGENI, 5,285 tons, is sunk by a mine south of Helgoland, with the loss of 19 lives. Also known as Sperrbrecher-VI.
Naval operations: Mediterranean Sea
Hermann von Fischel, in U-65, sinks Italian sailing vessel SAN VINCENZA F., 52 tons, bringing his score to 7 ships and 23,666 tons.
Naval operations: South Africa
HMFM TRENT is still towing the two lighters from Algoa Bay to Durban. The seas are growing heavier and at 0340 one of the tow ropes breaks. TRENT heaves to and waits for the sun to come up. At 0730 a work party goes aboard the lighter and re-ssecures the ropes. By 1000 weather is mild and the towing easy. After dark the weather begins to pick up again and the lighters begin to pull at the tow ropes again.
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lordroel
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Post by lordroel on Mar 3, 2022 3:57:36 GMT
Day 947 of the Great War, March 3rd 1917
Western Front
British progress north of Puisieux and east of Gommecourt.
German War Minister's announcement re: prisoners under fire.
Eastern Front
Russian gas attack north of Lake Naroch.
German attack south-west of Brzezany (Galicia) and near Voruchin (west of Lutsk).
Macedonian front
Fierce fighting near Monastir; Italian troops in action.
United States/United Kingdom relations
U.S. Ambassador Page and Premier Lloyd George confer to discuss the possible entrance of the U.S. into the war.
Germany: Zimmermann Admits to His Telegram
The revelation of the Zimmermann telegram in the American press on March 1 came as a shock to America. However, it changed few minds instantly. In fact, the fact that its aims were so far reaching (a German alliance with Mexico and Japan, and the Mexican re-annexation of Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona) that many thought it was preposterous and had to be a hoax perpetrated by the British to get the United States to join the war. Even Wilson’s statement that evening that the telegram was authentic would not satisfy everyone, even those in his own party. And it would be difficult to convince any skeptics; some circumstantial evidence could be revealed from the State Department’s own files, but full proof would require disclosing publicly (and thus to the Germans) that their code had been broken.
However, on March 3, all these concerns were swept aside by Zimmermann himself. In a press conference, Zimmermann was asked by William Hale, correspondent for the Hearst newspapers (and a paid German agent himself): “Of course your Excellency will deny this story.” Zimmermann responded simply: “I cannot deny it. It is true.”
Whether Zimmermann thought the Americans would soon release their own proof, or whether he had given up entirely on keeping the United States out of the war, is still unclear.
United States
In U.S. Senate obstructionist minority prevents Vote on President's armed neutrality policy.
Mr. Wilson takes the oath as President of the United States.
Scandinavian liners resume service to the United States, but will not carry passengers due to the threat of U-boats.
Russia: Petrograd Arms Workers Go on Strike
Meeting in the Russian capital a week earlier, Allied diplomats had noticed rumblings of discontent everywhere. The Tsar, however, declined to discuss anything relating to Russian internal affairs. Russian people went on strike and protested an ever-worsening situation. The situation was quickly becoming explosive as Russians declaimed scarcity of food and fuel, rampant inflation, collapse of the transport network, and rising crime and poverty.
A more immediately threatening demonstration broke out on March 3. Workers from the Petrograd Putilov works, the main supplier of munitions and rifles to the Russian Army, went on strike. The British Ambassador’s daughter wrote that evening that “a bread shop in the poorer quarter of town was looted, and the first little band of Cossacks patrolled the Nevsky.” In the next days, other citizens of Petrograd joined in, demanding bread. It would not be long before they also began to demand political change.
Naval operations: North Atlantic Ocean, west of Ireland
Richard Hartmann, commanding U-49, sinks two British freighters 150 miles west of Fastnet:
SS NEWSTEAD, 2,836 tons, bound from Barry for Naples with a load of coal. Fifteen crew members are lost.
SS SAGAMORE, 5,197 tons, carrying a general cargo from Boston to Liverpool. Fifty-two casualties.
Hartmann's score is now 24 ships and 54,002 tons.
Naval operations: Ireland
Otto Wünsche, in U-70, torpedoes British freighter SS KINCARDINE, 4,108 tons, travelling from Cardiff to Genoa with a load of coal; off Tearaght Island. His score is now 43 ships and 59,377 tons.
Naval operations: Scotland
British freighter SS MELDON, 2,514 tons, out of Penarth with a load of coal, hits a mine laid off Gavellock, in the Firth of Lorne, by Otto Dröscher in U-78. His score is now 9 ships and 14,821 tons.
Naval operations: English Channel
Berndt Buß, in U-48, sinks British passenger ship SS CONNAUGHT, 2,646 tons, en route from Le Havre to Southampton carrying only passengers. His score is now 16 ships and 44,053 tons.
Hans Rose, in U-53, uses his deck gun to sink Greek freighter SS THEODOROS PANGALOS, 2,838 tons, at the western end of the Channel. His score is now 20 ships and 40,959 tons.
Naval operations: North Sea
Victor Dieckmann, in U-61, sinks Danish freighter SS ROSBORG, 1,877 tons, travelling from Baltimore to Kirkwall and Aarhus with a load of maize. His score is now 11 ships and 11,298 tons.
His Majesty's Trawler NORTHTHUMBRIA, 211 tons, hits a mine laid off May Island by Ernst Rosenow and UC-29. His score is now 9 ships and 7,390 tons.
Portuguese freighter SS SETUBAL, 1,312 tons, is wrecked at Tol Pedn, Penwith, Cornwal.
Kurt Bernis, in UC-41, sinks Norwegian freighter SS RING, 998 tons, en route from Skien to Charente with a load of ammonium nitrate, off Berwick, Scotland. His score is now 3 ships and 2,734 tons.
Norwegian freighter SS ELFI, 1,120 tons, carrying a load of timber from Bergen to London, hits a mine laid by Bernis off Abbs Head. The damaged ship makes safe port.
Naval operations: Norway
Alfred von Glasenapp, in U-80, stops and scuttles Norwegian sailing vessel HERMES, 785 tons, carrying a load of oilcake from Savannah to Randers; off Udsire (modern Utsira). His score is now 6 ships and 22,265 tons.
Naval operations: Mediterranean Sea
Leading U-Boat ace Walter Forstmann, in U-39, sinks Italian sailing vessel ANNA E., 41 tons, in the Straight of Sicily. His score is now 150 ships and 311,314 tons.
Ernst von Voigt, in UC-35, torpedoes British freighter SS RIVER FORTH, 4,421 tons, en route from Barry to Alexandria with a load of coal plus general cargo. His score is now 6 ships and 24,987 tons.
Otto Launburg, in UC-37, sinks British freighter SS CRAIGENDORAN, 2,789 tons, carrying a load of coal from Barry to Malta, off Cap Sigli, Algeria. His score is now 13 ships and 25,600 tons.
Naval operations: South Africa
HMFM TRENT is still attempting to tow the two lighters from Algoa Bay to Durban. At 0105 hours, in heavy winds and high seas, the tow rope breaks again. The crew of TRENT can only watch as the two lighters drift away in the dark. At 0530 the drifting lighters are spotted. A working party is sent over to re-attach the tow ropes. By 1000 the wind and sea have calmed and the tow is going well. At nightfall there is only a slight swell and occassional rain shower.
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lordroel
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Post by lordroel on Mar 4, 2022 7:47:43 GMT
Day 947 of the Great War, March 4th 1917
Western Front
French coup-de-main between Oise and Aisne, south of Mouvron.
Germans gain footing in Caurieres Wood (Verdun).
At Verdun, German troops attack on a 2-mile line and manage to capture 572 French prisoners. French artillery checks further advances.
Enemy front and support lines captured east of Bouchvesnes (north of Somme).
German withdrawal on the Ancre and Somme front still continues. British troops advance two-thirds of a mile on a two-mile front.
Eastern Front
Russian gas attack near Krevo (south-east of Vilna).
the Sereth Romanians bombard region of Calieni.
Italian Front
Enemy attack in force east of Gorizia driven back with heavy loss.
Austrians massing in Trentino.
Italians occupy heights in Costabella group (Avisio).
Germany
German Foreign Secretary Zimmermann admits that his telegram is authentic: “I cannot deny it. It is true.”
China
Chinese cabinet crisis due to disagreement as to policy with regard to Germany.
United States: “A Little Group of Willful Men” Defeat Armed Ships Bill by Filibuster
Fresh off the revelation of the Zimmermann Telegram, the US House of Representatives passed the Armed Ships Bill, 403-13. The Senate was less overwhelmingly in favor, but it was clear that if the bill came up to a vote, it would be passed decisively. However, ardent pacifist Bob La Follette of Wisconsin was determined not to let that happen, and had twelve allies in the Senate to help him. He had time on his side; the current lame duck session of Congress would end at noon on March 4th, and it would take some time for the bill to be reintroduced and pass through the House again. His daughter Fola would write that it would give “time for the anti-war sentiment…to register on Congress and defeat the measure.” The initial shock of the Zimmermann Telegram would also have worn off by then.
La Follette managed by various parliamentary means to postpone debate on the bill until the morning of March 3. From then on, La Follette’s allies conducted a filibuster, attempting to continue the debate until the current Congress expired. They laid out the case against the Armed Ships Bill, calling it “an unpardonable and perilous mistake” likely to bring the United States into the war. The 78-year-old William Stone of Missouri inveighed against the pro-war camp:
[They seek] to entice our people [into the] maelstrom of war [with] unadulterated mendacity oozing like filth from vindictive inventions, supplemented by the most feckless and ferocious appeals to passion…
and then proceeded to attack the financiers of J.P. Morgan for their role in attempting to bring the United States into the war.
Despite the best efforts of the majority, various Senators in favor of the bill could not be stopped from participating in the debate; ultimately those in favor of the bill spoke twice as its opponents.
The filibuster continued through the night and into the morning of March 4. It being a Sunday, Wilson’s inauguration was conducted in private elsewhere in the Capitol while the debate continued; the public ceremony would be held the next day. In its last hour, it almost turned to violence, with two Senators rushing La Follette with concealed weapons before they were dissuaded. La Follette thundered: “I will continue on this floor until I complete my statement unless somebody carries me off, and I should like to see the man who will do it.” La Follette never got to give a grand speech of his own; the debate, and the old Congress, ended at noon without ceremony.
Wilson was furious that his Armed Ships Bill had been defeated by parliamentary trickery, and told the press:
A little group of willful men, representing no opinion but their own, have rendered the great Government of the United States helpless and contemptible.
Four days later, the Senate adopted its first cloture rule: two-thirds of Senators could vote to shut off debate once every member had been able to speak on the measure for an hour.
Naval operations: English Channel
Berndt Buß, commanding U-48, stops and scuttles British barquentine THE MACBAIN, 291 tons, travelling in ballast from Cherbourg to Fowey. His score is now 17 vessels and 44,344 tons. Buß also attacks British schooner Adelaide, 180 tons, with his deck gun, but the crippled ship is towed into Brixham.
Naval operations: South Africa
HMFM TRENT notes moderate winds and seas, with an occassional rain squall, and towing going well. She is joined by light cruiser HMS HYACINTH.
Naval operations: Mid-Atlantic
On March 1 the German raider SMS WOLF sighted a ship and launched her seaplane Wolfchen to investigate. This turned out to be British freighter SS JUMNA, 4,152 tons. WOLF attempts to fire a warning shot, but the gun is fired before being trained and five German sailors on deck are killed. JUMNA stops and Wolf forces her to act as supply ship. Three days later, on March 4th, JUMNA is sunk.
German raider SMS MOWE captures and scuttles British freighter SS RHODANTHE, 3,060 tons, en route to Cuba to pick up a load of sugar; 300 miles north-northwest of São Vicente, Cape Verde Islands.
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lordroel
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Post by lordroel on Mar 5, 2022 7:24:12 GMT
Day 948 of the Great War, March 5th 1917Western FrontGerman attack west of Pont-a-Mousson fails; attempts to recapture Bouchvesnes repulsed. British progress on Ancre front towards Bapaume Ridge. Photo: Gunners of the Royal Garrison Artillery manning a 6 inch Mark VII gun. Near Pys, March 1917 Italian FrontSharp fighting in the Dolomites. Mesopotamian campaignEngagement with Turkish rearguard at Laj (nine miles south-east of Ctesiphon). Sinai and Palestine campaignTurks abandon strong position west of Shalal (Sinai Peninsula). Austria-Hungary/United States relationsAustrian reply to U.S. memorandum re: new submarine warfare. United StatesPresident Wilson's inaugural address at opening of his second term. Photo: Inauguration of Woodrow Wilson, March 5, 1917 Austria-Hungary: Marshal Arz von Straussenburg is appointed the new Chief of the General Staff of the Austro-Hungarian Army. Aerial operations: Medina“C” Flight of 14 Squadron RFC has been providing support to native forces in Palestine. Since they have based at Rabegh but this is too far from the enemy’s outposts. it was suggested that the Flight should be moved to Yenbo, and with this in view, the fight Commander Major Arthur Justin Ross left for Yenbo on 28 February to make the necessary arrangements for the change of base. In the meantime various advanced landing grounds have been set up. One of these, situated in a small basin with hills surrounding it was used for a reconnaissance today over Medina by two of BE2cs. This is the first reconnaissance over the city. The purpose of the mission was to carry out a reconnaissance of the Turkish dispositions and take photographs. No bombs were dropped on the area in deference to the city’s sacred associations. Three enemy aeroplanes were also seen in the air over Medina, but they made no attempt to attack the British machines, nor did the British attempt to engage. Naval operations: IrelandHans Rose, commanding U-53, sinks Italian freighter SS FEDERICO CONFALONIERI, 4,434 tons, bound from Sgunto for the Clyde River with an unspecified cargo. His score is now 21 ships and 45,393 tons. Kurt Tebbenjohanns, in UC-44, sets fire to Portuguese sailing vessel GAUDIANA, 326 tons, heading for England with a load of wood. His score is now 7 ships and 2,012 tons. Naval operations: North SeaGeorg Gerth, in UC-61, sinks British passenger ship SS COPENHAGEN, 2,570 tons, travelling from Harwich to Hoek van Holland. His score is now 4 ships and 3,592 tons. Naval operations: Malta ChannelOtto Launburg, in UC-37, sinks Italian sailing vessel SALVATORE, bringing his score to 14 ships and 25,719 tons. Naval operations: South AfricaEarly in the morning HMFM TRENT records a strong headwind and rough sea. At 1100 hours it is noted that the towed lighters are shipping water. at 2145 TRENT'S engines are stopped when the lighters star pulling heavily to starboard. At 2320 the forward lighter sinks and the towrope parts. Naval operations: Gulf of AdenGerman auxiliary minelayer SMS ILTIS is laying a minefield when spotted by British sloop HMS ODIN and cruiser HMS FOX. To prevent capture ILTIS is scuttled by her own crew. Naval operations: South Atlantic OceanGerman raider SMS SEEADLER captures and sinks French barque DUPLEIX, 2,206 tons.
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