The Great War (1914-1918) in real time

Day 1138 of the Great War, September 19th 1917

Eastern Front

German infantry attack Lemburg (east of Riga) repulsed with loss by Letts.

Italian Front

Fighting dying down on Italian front.

Russia

M. Kerenski tries to limit powers of Extremists.

France

Vote of Confidence in French Government.

United States

343,500 U.S.A. conscripts joined to date.

Austria-Hungary: Károlyi Party Advocates for Peace in Hungary

Emperor Charles had been trying to negotiate a separate peace for some time, but had had little success and, by necessity, had had to keep the negotiations completely secret. Individual politicians were less constrained, however. Count Míhaly Károlyi, leader of a small left-leaning party in the Hungarian Parliament, announced his intent to lead a new ‘peace campaign,’ agitating for a separate peace with the Allies without annexations, and a disentangling of Austria-Hungary’s foreign affairs from Germany’s. He announced on September 19 that he would go to Switzerland in October and meet with politicians from the Allied nations. At home, Károlyi’s party continued to demand universal suffrage; no more than 10% of Hungarian men had the vote at the time.

The timing of Károlyi’s move was appropriate, as people in both Germany and Austria-Hungary were paying close attention to the Pope’s latest peace initiative, which Germany responded to on the 19th and the Austrians two days later. The Austrians embraced the proposal, sending an enthusiastic reply. The Germans, however, pointedly ignored the Pope’s request that Belgium and northern France be evacuated (in exchange for German colonies in Africa) and spent most of their reply praising the Kaiser’s peace-loving ways.

Germany: New Far-Right German Fatherland Party Grows in Strength

On September 2, 1917, a a group of conservative German politicians founded a new political party, the Deutsche Vaterlandspartei. The German Fatherland Party stood for a strong war effort and opposed a negotiated peace with the Allies. Instead it supported the German war aims movement, which wanted extreme German annexations in Europe. Belgium, much of occupied France, and the Baltic states would be either annexed or made client areas of German rule.

The German Fatherland’s Party membership swelled in urban areas throughout autumn, drawing in members from all social classes in different areas of Germany. Supporters hoped for a renewed German war effort on the home front to carry out a victorious war. They also opposed democratic concessions promised by the Kaiser after victory. More than 2,000 local chapters opened in Germany, revealing - forbiddingly - the serious attraction of nationalist far-right politics. To the chagrin of many Germans on the political right, however, Tipritz also allowed Jews to join the movement. While the movement had many supporters it nevertheless failed to catch on in Germany’s working class, Catholics, or liberals, who were increasingly turning against the war as Germany’s home front situation grew bleak.

Aerial operations: Lost

Lieutenant Edgar Golding and Corporal Leonard Sidney Goss in A234, and Lieutenant Cuthbert Archibald Sutcliffe and Lieutenant Thomas Humble in A6655 had taken off from their aerodrome at Lechelle around 1045.

They were part of a four strong training flight to practice formation flying with strict orders not to cross over the lines. Golding had been appointed a flying officer in April 1917 and had joined the squadron after that. Sutcliffe had been a pilot since October 1916 and had joined the Squadron in early 1917.

However instead of stying on the British side of the lines, they flew over lines and passed north of Cambrai to Estourmel. The Western Front was characterised by mostly westerly winds. These were particularly strong today and would likely have blown the light and in the this case slow aircraft towards the German lines.

Whatever the reason, they were spotted by pilots form Jasta 5 who shot them down in quick order. Obleutnant Richard Flashar and Leutnant Rudolf Matthei claimed them.

Both aircraft crashed near Caudry. Golding was killed outright in the crash and the others were taken prisoner, though Goss died shortly afterwards of his wounds.

Naval operations: ship losses

BLANCHE (France): The four-masted barque was torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean (47°00′N 10°30′W) by SM U-151 (Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of eighteen crew.

ETAL MANOR (United Kingdom): The collier was torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 7 nautical miles (13 km) south by west of Hook Point, County Waterford by SM UC-48 (Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of six of her crew.

HYDRA (Denmark): The three-masted schooner was shelled and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean west of the Orkney Islands, United Kingdom (59°33′N 7°37′W) by SM U-94 (Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of all six crew.

MARTHE MARGUERITE (France): The three-masted barque was shelled and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean north west of Cape Finisterre, Spain (46°18′N 11°25′W) by SM U-54 (Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.

SAINT RONALD (United Kingdom): The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 95 nautical miles (176 km) north north west of Tory Island, County Donegal (56°22′N 10°17′W) by SM U-82 (Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of 24 of her crew.

TERESITA (Italy): The sailing vessel was sunk in the Tyrrhenian Sea by SM UC-53 (Kaiserliche Marine).

Day 1140 of the Great War, September 21st 1917

YouTube (British Advance At Passchendaele)



Western Front

Enemy's attacks on Tower Hamlets' ridge (Ypres) repulsed. Prisoners now exceed 3,000.

Eastern Front

After holding enemy here for 18 months, Russians retire north from Jakobstadt (River Dvina).

Italian Front

Second phase of Isonzo battle closed; neither side can hold Mte. S. Gabriele.

Mesopotamian campaign

British bomb and cause surrender of Diwaniya (Euphrates).

East African campaign

German groups broken up west of Kilwa and Lindi; flee south to River Mbemkuru.

Russia

General Alexeiev resigns.

German occupied Baltic's: Courland Declares Independence

Most of Courland (roughly, the parts of modern-day Latvia south of the Dvina) had been occupied by the Germans since August 1915. The fall of Riga in early September 1917 secured the German position there, and emboldened the influential Baltic German minority there. On September 21, the Russians evacuated Jakobstadt [Jēkabpils], their last major bridgehead south of the Dvina.

On the same day, a council of Baltic German nobles proclaimed the independence of Courland and immediately asked for German protection. The next day, they agreed to a plan proposed by Ober Ost that a third of the land in Courland would be given to German war veterans after the war. The Latvian majority was decidedly less enthused about these plans; Latvian troops remained some of the most reliable soldiers in the Russian Army, and there would be no firm push for Latvian independence until after the Bolshevik takeover.

Germany/Austria-Hungary: Germany and Austria Respond Differently to Papal Peace Note

Pope Benedict XV had written a letter to the warring powers in August asking them again to consider peace negotiations. Like Woodrow Wilson and the European pacifist movement, the Pope’s attempt to stop the war did not get far.

It, did, however, reveal the growing rift between Austria-Hungary and Germany in their enthusiasm for the war. The two principal Central Powers sent their replies to the Vatican on September 22, with starkly different wording. The Dual Monarchy’s young and devout new emperor, Karl I, responded thoughtfully: “Guided by a spirit of moderation and consideration, we see in the proposals of your Holiness a suitable basis for initiating negotiations with a view to preparing a peace, just to all and lasting, and we earnestly hope our present enemies may be animated by the same ideals.”

The Germans rejected any negotiations outright, on the other hand. Many Germans were not in the mood to negotiate, and there were even calls for harsher demands on the Entente powers. No Allied power supported the peace negotiations either. Both British and French leaders had affirmed their commitment to fighting until Germany was defeated, and even Wilson now believed Germany had to be beaten, to “deliver the free peoples of the world from the menace and the actual power of a vast military establishment controlled by an irresponsible Government.”

Canada

Canada passes the Wartime Elections Act, which gives the vote to women in the military and to wives, mothers, & sisters of serving soldiers.

Aerial operations: More Menin Road

Following on from yesterday, the British offensive continued around Menin Road Bridge. The weather was significantly improved from yesterday and this resulted in an even wider programme of air support.

The main focus today was on preventing reinforcements reaching the front. Early morning reconnaissances reported that reinforcements were arriving at Roulers and Menin stations.

55 Squadron attacked the station at Roulers, dropping twenty 112lb. bombs on the target. In the evening air reconnaissance reported that troops were pouring in, by rail, to Menin and were being transported by bus to the front. 100 and 101 Squadrons therefore spent the night attacking the town, other detraining centres, and the roads along which the movement of troops had been reported. They dropped fourteen 230-lb. and sixty-eight 25 -lb. bombs and then attacked the troops with their machine-guns. The Squadrons also bombed Menin, Ledeghem, Wervicq, Gheluwe and Roulers.

Two aircraft from 101 Squadron failed to return – Captain Aubrey Cecil Hatfield and 2nd Lieutenant Robert Roy Macgregor in FE2b A5672 and 2nd Lieutenant Archibald Ian Orr-Ewing and Corporal E Marshall in FE2b A856. Both crashed behind enemy lines and the crews were taken prisoner.

Again the toll, particularly on the fighter squadrons was high with (in addition to the above) 10 crew killed, 3 wounded and 7 taken prisoner. 19 Squadron suffered badly in their undergunned SPADVIIs when they ran into Jasta 18 in their Albatross DVs near Dadizeele. Three planes were shot down in short order and their pilots killed

2nd Lieutenant Robert Andersson Inglis (B3557)
2nd Lieutenant Frederick William Kirby (B3533)
2nd Lieutenant William Gordon McRae (B3642)

Oberleutnant Rudolf Berthold and Leutnant Richard Ruege all claimed victories, thought it’s not clear exactly who downed who.

In return, Flight Commander Captain John Leacroft claimed an Albatros out of control, though later German records record no losses.

Naval operations: The SEEADLER’S captain captured

The SEEADLER, a German raiding ship, has preyed on Allied shipping in the Atlantic and Pacific before being accidentally wrecked on the island of Mopelia in the Society Islands. Felix von Luckner, the SEEADLER‘S captain is however determined to continue his war. He leaves Mopelia with five of his men in an open boat, hoping to capture a ship that he can use to continue his raiding.

Pretending to be Norwegians crossing the Pacific for a bet, Luckner is able to obtain supplies from the New Zealand authorities on the island of Atiu. He travels on to the Fijian island of Wakaya (a journey of some 3,700 kilometers in an open boat) but here his luck runs out as the local police see through his Norwegian-sailor ruse. Luckner and his men are arrested and sent off to New Zealand as prisoners-of-war.

Naval operations: ship losses

ALINE MONTREUIL (France) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the English Channel 22 nautical miles (41 km) north of Cap Barfleur, Manche (50°02′N 1°18′W) by SM UB-38 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.

CHRISTINA (Italy) The sailing vessel was sunk in the Tyrrhenian Sea by SM UC-53 ( Kaiserliche Marine).

KOUANF-SI (France) The passenger ship was torpedoed and damaged in the English Channel 6 nautical miles (11 km) south east of The Lizard, Cornwall, United Kingdom by SM UC-48 ( Kaiserliche Marine). She was beached but was later refloated.

RADAAS(Denmark) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the English Channel 18 nautical miles (33 km) west of Portland Bill, Dorset, United Kingdom (50°34′N 3°05′W) by SM UB-40 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of a crew member.

SANTO NICOLA (Italy) The sailing vessel was sunk in the Aegean Sea by SM UC-23 ( Kaiserliche Marine).

SPIRDON (Greece) The sailing vessel was sunk in the Aegean Sea by SM UC-23 ( Kaiserliche Marine).

Day 1142 of the Great War, September 23rd 1917

Russia

Bolsheviks accuse Russian Premier Kerensky of orchestrating the recent coup to crush the proletariat and the soviet council.

Costa Rica/Germany relations

Costa Rica breaks off relations with Germany.

United States: General Bliss New US Army Chief of Staff

The US Army had a strict retirement age of 64; this meant that, on September 22, when the Army’s Chief of Staff, Major General Hugh Scott, reached that age, he had to step down as Chief of Staff. He was replaced that day by Major General Tasker Bliss, who was only a few months younger than Scott. As a result, Bliss’ tenure as Chief of Staff would be short, lasting only until December 31, but these were critical months for the US; the first class of recruits had just been called up, and Bliss would have to oversee the training of these men and their transport to Europe. As for General Scott, he was recalled to active duty immediately by President Wilson and would command at Fort Dix in New Jersey for the remainder of the war. When Bliss reached 64 at the end of the year, he would serve on the Supreme Allied War Council in France.

Aerial operations: Werner Voss killed

Having just returned from leave, early this morning Leutnant Werner Voss from Jasta 10 shot down a DH4 (A76433) from 57 Squadron which was bombing Hooglede. The crew 2nd Lieutenant S L J Bramley and 2nd Lieutenant John Matthew De Lacey were both killed in the crash. It was to be his last confirmed victory.

During the afternoon he met his brothers Otto and Max and posed for a photo. This evening he was on patrol when his wingmate was fired on by Lieutenant Harold A. Hamersley, from 60 Squadron RFC who had mistaken Voss’s Triplane for a Nieuport. Voss attacked and Hmersley went into a spin to escape with his wings and engine holed. His wingmate Lieutenant Robert L. Chidlaw-Roberts, rushed to his aid, but within seconds, Voss shredded his rudder bar and foced him out of the fight too.

At this point, six SE5a’s from B Flight of 56 Squadron moved in to attack. Captain James McCudden and his wingmen attacked from 300 meters above Voss. McCudden came from the right while Lieutenant Arthur Rhys Davids, swooped in from the left. Captain Keith Muspratt (A8944) trailed them down, while Lieutenant Verschoyle Philip Cronyn (A4563) brought up the rear. Lieutenant Charles Hubert Jeffs and Lieutenant Ralph William Young held high as top cover in case Voss climbed. He was now boxed in from above and below, with assailants pouncing from either side. To further worsen Voss’s situation, there was a British fighter patrol beneath him.

At this point, instead of attempting to flee, which may have been impossible in any case given the slow speed of the Fokker against the SE5s. He flicked his triplane about in a flat spin and fired at his attackers in a headon firing pass, holing McCudden’s wings. Voss riddled Cronyn’s SE5 from close range, putting him out of the dogfight. Cronyn had to turn in under his attacker and throw his aircraft into a spin to escape being killed. His wingmates attacked Voss while Cronyn also limped for home.

At this time, Captain Geoffrey Hilton Bowman and Lieutenant Richard Mayberry from 56 Squadron, C Flight arrived. Another C Flight, Lieutenant Reginald Hoidge fought off an Albatross attempting to assist Voss.

The combat now became so chaotic that the surviving pilots later gave widely varying accounts. Muspratt’s engine was holed, lost its coolant to and he glided away with his engine beginning to seize. At some point, a rednosed Albatros D.V made a short-lived attempt to help Voss; Rhys-Davids put a bullet through its engine, and it dropped away.

At another point, Voss was caught in a crossfire by at least five of his attackers but seemed unhurt. At about this point, Maybery withdrew with his aircraft’s upper right-hand longeron holed in several places.

Voss and the six remaining British aces swirled down to 600 meters (2,000 feet). At times, Voss had the altitude advantage over his foes, but did not try to escape the fight. Using the triplane’s superior rate of climb and its ability to slip turn, Voss managed to evade his opponents and return to battle. He continued to flick turn at high speeds and attack those behind him. As Bowman later noted concerning his only shot at Voss:

“To my amazement he kicked on full rudder, without bank, pulled his nose up slightly, gave me a burst while he was skidding sideways and then kicked on opposite rudder before the results of this amazing stunt appeared to have any effect on the controllability of his machine.”

Bowman’s machine was left slowed and ineffectively trailing dark smoke and steam, though he stayed in the fight.

Then, after flying past McCudden in a head-on firing pass, Voss’s Fokker was hit with bullets on the starboard side by Hoidge. Meantime, Rhys Davids had pulled aside to change an ammunition drum; he rejoined combat with a 150 meter (500 foot) height advantage over Voss’s altitude of 450 meters (1,500 feet), and began a long flat dive onto the tail of Voss’ triplane. At point-blank range, he holed the German aircraft end to end with his machine guns before turning. It wandered into his line of flight again, in a gentle westward glide; Rhys Davids again ripped the German plane as its engine quit. The aircraft missed a mid-air collision by inches. The British ace fired again. As the triplane’s glide steepened, Rhys Davids overran him at about 1,000 feet altitude and lost sight of his opponent. From above, Bowman saw the Fokker in what could have been a landing glide, right up until it stalled. It then flipped inverted and nose down, dropping directly to earth. The resulting smash left only the rudder intact.

McCudden, watching from 3,000 feet recalled:

“I saw him go into a fairly steep dive and so I continued to watch, and then saw the triplane hit the ground and disappear into a thousand fragments, for it seemed to me that it literally went into powder.”

McCudden would later write of the fight:

As long as I live I shall never forget my admiration for that German pilot, who single-handed fought seven of us for ten minutes and also put some bullets through all our machines. His flying was wonderful, his courage magnificent, and in my opinion he was the bravest German airman whom it has been my privilege to see fight.

Voss’s identity was not compnformed until the next day, and eventually Rhys Davies was credited with the victory, although as was British practice at the time, his name was not made known to the press.

Naval operations: Haig Cancels Plans for Landings on Belgian Coast

The Western Front ran from Switzerland to the North Sea. Given Britain’s naval power, many had advocated for an attempt to outflank the Germans on the North Sea coast; we’ve already seen Churchill and Lord Fisher’s discussions of their ideas. The chief advocate in 1917 was Admiral Bacon, commanding the Dover Patrol. He had convinced Haig that a landing on the Belgian coast, around Westende just behind the German lines, would have a great chance of success, and would allow the British to secure or at least seriously threaten the ports of Ostend and Zeebrugge, used by the U-boats.

Bacon’s plans were quite detailed and ambitious; the landings would occur at night (under a full moon), and vehicles and even tanks would be landed. Haig wanted to ensure that the landing, codenamed “Operation Hush,” would complement the offensive around Ypres; he wanted to ensure that the Germans around Ypres were already gravely threatened by the time the landings occurred to deliver the knockout blow and even threaten a double envelopment. However, progress at Ypres had been much slower than Haig wanted, and he had already had to postpone the landings from August until early October. In addition, the Germans, clearly suspecting something was in the works, had in July successfully pushed the British beyond the Yser (Operation “Beach Party”), which would make it much more difficult for the British troops along the coast to provide any assistance for the landings.

Plumer’s latest attack on the Menin Road Ridge had been successful, but it was now clear to Haig that any continued progress would be too slow for a landing in early October. Pushing it back by another full moon would be too late in the year given the weather in the North Sea, and pushing it back by less time would make it harder to conduct the landings with enough moonlight. Bacon and Rawlinson argued that the landings should occur regardless of Plumer’s progress, but Haig was adamant, and called off Operation Hush on September 23. Bacon and Rawlinson kept some forces in reserve for the landing for a few more weeks in case Haig changed his mind, but he never did.

Naval operations: ship losses

AGIOS NICLAOS (Greece) The schooner was shelled and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea west of Crete (35°33′N 23°28′E) by SM UC-38 ( Kaiserliche Marine).

ARGIETTA (Italy) The brigantine was scuttled in the Tyrrhenian Sea by SM UC-53 ( Kaiserliche Marine).

GUISEPPINA CONCERTINA (Italy) The sailing vessel was sunk in the Tyrrhenian Sea by SM UC-53 ( Kaiserliche Marine).

GLOIRE (France) The fishing vessel was scuttled in the Atlantic Ocean 240 nautical miles (440 km) off Ouessant, Finistère by SM U-60 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew were rescued by the fishing vessel Algesiras ( France).

HENRY LIPITT (United States) The sailing vessel was scuttled in the Atlantic Ocean 200 nautical miles (370 km) west of Brest, Finistère (48°17′N 10°05′W) by SM U-60 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.

HORNSUND (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the North Sea 2.5 nautical miles (4.6 km) east south east of Scarborough, Yorkshire by SM UC-71 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of a crew member.

IRTHINGTON (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Gulf of Gioja 3 nautical miles (5.6 km) east north east of Cape Vaticano, Italy (40°35′N 15°01′E) by SM UC-53 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.

JEUNE MATHILDE (France) The fishing vessel was scuttled in the Atlantic Ocean 240 nautical miles (440 km) west of Ouessant by SM U-60 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew were rescued by Algesiras ( France).

JOAQUINE (Spain) The sailing vessel was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 8 nautical miles (15 km) off Cadaqués, Girona, Spain by SM UC-27 ( Kaiserliche Marine).

MEDIE (France) The transport ship was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 120 nautical miles (220 km) north west of Cape Bougaroni, Algeria by SM UC-27 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of 250 of the 626 people on board.

NICHOLAOS (Greece) The sailing vessel was sunk in the Aegean Sea by SM UC-23 ( Kaiserliche Marine).

PERSEVRANCE (United Kingdom) The schooner was shelled and sunk in the English Channel 14 nautical miles (26 km) north west by north of Saint-Valery-en-Caux, Seine-Maritime, France by SM UC-47 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.

ROSEHILL (United Kingdom) The collier was torpedoed and damaged in the English Channel 5 nautical miles (9.3 km) south west by south Fowey, Cornwall by SM UB-40 ( Kaiserliche Marine). She was taken in tow but sank in Whitesand Bay (50°19′40″N 4°18′25″W). Her crew survived.

ST. DUNSTAN (United Kingdom) The dredger struck a mine laid by UC 21 (Werner von Zerboni di Sposetti) and sank in the English Channel 12 nautical miles (22 km) north west by west of Portland Bill, Dorset with the loss of two of her crew.

Day 1144 of the Great War, September 25th 1917

Western Front

Germans penetrate between Tower Hamlets ridge and Polygon Wood; repulsed later.

Map: Diagram showing Australian dispositions at Polygon Wood and the German Gegenangriff on 25 September 1917



Photo: Troops of the 10th Battalion, Royal Welch Fusiliers, of the 3rd Division, move into position for the attack on Zonnebeke, 25 September 1917



Caucasus campaign

Russian detachments attack Turks successfully near Ortobo (Bitlis).

Germany

New Fatherland's Party meeting and declaration of von Tirpitz's policy.

Argentina

The Argentine Chamber of Deputies votes 53 to 18 to cut diplomatic ties with Germany over its use of U-boats.

France: Lloyd George Visits France

Lloyd George decided to make a brief visit to France in late September, to discuss grand strategy with his counterpart in France, and to check in on Haig’s progress in Flanders. Lloyd George was never enthusiastic about the offensive around Ypres, but his most promising alternate option, a renewal of the Italian attacks on the Isonzo, had just been foreclosed. Cadorna projected that capturing Mt. San Gabriele and Hermada would cost his armies 150,000 casualties, too steep a cost even for Cadorna, even if it would open the way to Trieste and Ljubljana. Without significant help from the Allies, which did not appear forthcoming, another attack in 1917 seemed impossible, and on the 18th Cadorna cancelled plans for what would have been the Twelfth Battle of the Isonzo.

As a result, Lloyd George was at somewhat of a loss in his discussions with the French on September 25th, in which he played up the prospects of success by Allenby in Palestine, and agreed that the French could withdraw heavy guns from Italy. He also agreed, in principle, that the British could take over more of the line in France, though his generals were less enthusiastic about the prospect. Also discussed at Boulogne was a recent peace feeler to the British from new German Foreign Minister Kühlmann, which proposed the restoration of Belgian neutrality in exchange for a return of Germany’s colonies in Africa and looking the other way while Germany finished off Russia. The French, unsurprisingly, were not receptive to the idea, and it was quickly dismissed.

After meeting with the French premier, Lloyd George continued to meet with Haig at GHQ. Spirits were high after the success on the Menin Road Ridge, and Lloyd George would be present to observe their next attack at Polygon Wood the next day. Despite Lloyd George’s opposition to the Ypres offensive, given the near-unanimous optimism of his commanders, he felt he could not order Haig to call it off, and the offensive would continue into November.

Aerial operations: More Zeppelins

Yesterday afternoon, as the Gotha raids in the South East of England were taking place, 11 Zeppelins set off to raid the North. Shortly after midnight, a group of six Zeppelins arrived. Five other Zeppelins had turned back with various mechanical problems.

L44 struggled with navigation over north and north-east Norfolk due to low cloud and strong winds and failed to drop any bombs. L35 crossed the Lincolnshire coast just after midnight, headed north-west towards the Humber then west. The Zeppelin then turned to attack the Park Gate Iron and Steel Works near Rotherham. Around that time the area got warning of the raid and switched off its lights. The Zeppelin then dropped its bombs hoping to get lucky but in the end, despite a lot of broken windows, little damage was caused. L44 left England around 0405.

L55 arrived at Bridlington around 0015 and flew up the coast with the intention of bombing Hull. IN the end the bombs fell in the sea near Boulby close to the Skinningrove Iron Works. A searchlight then found L55 and the AA gun at Skinningrove opened fire. Turning away, L55 dropped 4 more bombs in the sea before leaving the coast.

L53 appeared over The Wash at 0030 and flew around dropping bombs on any areas of light until 0250. This included an RFC Landing Ground at Gosberton Fen and Ruskington Fen. Little damage was caused.

L46 arrived a little later at Theddlethorpe around 0120. Flying towards the Humber the ship was attracted by lights at the RFC Landing Ground at Cuxwold. At 0235 22 bombs fell in the area but caused little damage. L46 then headed back to the coast, leaving at 0300.

Last of all L41 arrived near Hornsea around 0127, also intending to attack Hull. It took him awhile to get his bearings but around 0240 16 bombs fell on Hull.. Two women were injured and some damage was caused to roofs and windows. By 0253 the Zeppelin was going out to sea.

The RNAS sent up four aircraft and the RFC 32. 2nd Lieutenant William Wallace Cook from 76 Squadron RFC in a BE2e spotted L55 in the searchlight and pursued without luck and later chased L41 firing off four drums of ammunition. However he never got close enough to cause any damage.

The night was not without loss for the RFC however. 2nd Lieutenant Harold James Thornton and 2nd Lieutenant GA Moore from 36 Home Defence Squadron based at Seaton Carew in their FE2b (A2461) failed to return and were assumed to have drowned.

2nd Lieutenant Charles Robert Gaffney from 35 Home Defence Squadron lost consciousness and crashed his BE12 (6182). However, he survived.

Aerial operations: And still they come…

Following on from the Zeppelin raid early this morning and the Gotha raids yesterday, another Gotha raid was attempted on London today.

15 Gothas arrived between 1900 and 1930 and they had all left by 2035. Three of them attacked the south-eastern districts of London, while the other 12 bombed East Kent.
between the North Foreland and Folkestone. The bombs that fell on Kent, injured one solder but otherwise fell harmlessly. In London, however, Six people were killed and twenty injured by bombs, but unfortunately three more were killed and three more injured by anti-aircraft shells.

20 aircraft went up in response but only one caught sight of the bombers. Captain Douglas John Bell MC and 2nd Lieutenant George Gordon Williams from
78 Squadron RFC were up in their Sopwith Strutter when were fired on by one of the Gothas and set off in pursuit. Eventually they got near enough to attack and spend somewhere between 10 and 15 minutes machine gunning the Gotha. The aircraft then dived and disappeared. As the victory could not be confirmed, the crew went uncredited.

German records show that one Gotha failed to return and it was presumed crashed into the sea.

Naval operations: ship losses

BOYNTON (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 5 nautical miles (9.3 km) west north west of Cape Cornwall (50°05′N 5°55′W) by SM UC-47 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of 23 of her crew.

CITY OF SWANSEA (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the English Channel 15 nautical miles (28 km) east north east of Berry Head, Devon by SM UB-40 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of two of her crew.

DINORAH (France) The cargo ship was sunk in the Atlantic Ocean (approximately 46°45′N 12°00′W) by SM UC-63 ( Kaiserliche Marine).

EDOUARD DETAILLE (France) The barque was torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean (46°00′N 9°30′W) by SM U-60 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.

HMT JAMES SECKAR (Royal Navy) The naval trawler was sunk in the Atlantic Ocean (approximately 46°45′N 12°00′W) by SM UC-63 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of sixteen of her crew.

MARCEAU (France) The schooner was sunk in the Atlantic Ocean (46°15′N 9°42′W) by SM U-54 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.

PAOLINA (United States) The barque was sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 100 nautical miles (190 km) north west of Ouessant, Finistère, France (48°37′N 8°45′W) by SM UC-65 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.

UNIONE REPLICAINE (France) The fishing vessel was sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 100 nautical miles (190 km) west north west of Penmarc'h, Finistère (48°05′N 7°14′W) by SM U-90 ( Kaiserliche Marine).

Day 1146 of the Great War, September 27th 1917

Western Front

Seven enemy counter-attacks east of Ypres repulsed.

Italian Front

Pola and Olivi Rock (Austrian submarine base) heavily bombed.

Caucasus campaign

Russians fight Kurds near Oromaru (Van).

East Africa campaign: Lettow-Vorbeck escapes another Allied trap

British Commonwealth forces have overrun the coastal areas of German East Africa. South Africa’s Deventer has been left to command the forces mopping up German resistance. The British authorities in London are keen to bring an end to the East African campaign as soon as possible, so that the men and ships deployed there can be moved elsewhere.

German forces under Lettow-Vorbeck are greatly outnumbered and completely cut off from Europe. They are feeding themselves by living off the land and relying on what they can capture from the enemy for military and medical supplies. The German army here is mostly comprised of Askaris, locally recruited troops, with a small number of European officers who are at perpetual risk of succumbing to malaria should quinine supplies run out.

Nevertheless, Lettow-Vorbeck is determined to fight on. His men are now concentrated in the south of the country and he is contesting Allied advances from the coast. In difficult terrain the Allies have struggled against the Germans, but today they manage to take his main base at Nahungu. However Lettow-Vorbeck and enough of his men escape that they will be able to continue resistance. For the Germans, survival is victory.

Russia

Russian Democratic Congress at Moscow opens.

Arrest of Lenin ordered.

United Kingdom

Premier David Lloyd George sues newspapers for libel for reporting that he left London to flee German air raids.

United States

National War Bonds (5% and 4%), latter free of Income Tax started.

Austria-Hungary: Czech and Austrian Deputies Argue in the Hapsburg Parliament

The hopes of Austria’s national minorities had been raised by the ascension of Emperor Karl to the throne in 1916. Unlike his great-uncle Franz Josef, Karl was young and moderate, and among his first acts was to commute the death sentences of two nationalist leaders to prison time. The new Dual Monarch appointed a liberal college professor, Ernst Seidler, as prime minister and convened Parliament for the first time in three years.

But moderate politics were not enough to save a disintegrating old monarchy. The Hungarians in particular vetoed any negotiations of new borders or re-distributing land to national minorities. Yet even they had their doubts about the war; Hungarian Independence Party leader Count Karolyi had been advising a peace with the Entente.

National politics took a turn for the worst on September 27 when an Austrian deputy criticized Seidler’s gentle handling of the Czechs. After a Czech claim for their ownership of Bohemia, the Austrian deputy, Karl Hermann Wolf, scolded Parliament for behaving “with a goodness, a gentleness, a delicacy, a sweetness in which one can perhaps indulge in highly civilized circles, but which one cannot show towards tigers. In a menagerie one does not work with promises and caresses, but with a whip.”

The Czech deputies were reasonably upset about being called wild beasts and for twenty minutes Wolf could not be heard any more over the commotion. Civil unrest followed in Bohemia and Moravia, and the Austrian army responded by shooting dead twenty-three workers and wounding forty.

Aerial operations: Beyond the Wood

The battle over Polygon Wood continued today. The RFC lost another seven crew.

Meanwhile back in England 186 cadets were taken on at cadet training centres today. Around 1000 have been taken on in September but this is not enough to keep up with the wastage rates nevermind the expansion agreed in July 1917.

At that time the War Cabinet directed the Air Board to consult with the other service departments to prepare a comprehensive plan for the further development of the Royal Flying Corps. As a result the Government decided on an expansion to 200 service squadrons.

The War Office were not entirely blind to the reality of this increase. They calculated that there were 5,841 pilots in training and that of these approximately 4650 would qualify due to wastage (killed, injured, sick or unsuitable for flying).

They further calculated that they would need 5451 to cover the requirements of existing squadrons and the expansion.

This left adeficit of some 800. The prospect of reducing training time from 8 months was not seriously considered as this had been a failure before.

The only real route was to increase the number of pilots under instruction, and where possible use existing military personnel who could bypass the the two month cadetship.

To meet future requirements the War Office estimated they would need 1800 pupils a month, nearly double the current levels. This necessitated an expansion in cadet schools from four to eight, and Schools of Military Aeronautics from four to six.

Naval operations: First Ship Sunk by Air-Dropped Mine

After the capture of Riga, the Germans were preparing to move up the Baltic coast, beginning with the large islands in the mouth of the of the Gulf of Riga (now in present-day Estonia). While the German Navy had yet to move any surface craft into the area, German planes were already bombing the area, including the deployment of a new weapon: the aircraft-laid mine. The Germans had already made extensive use of mines laid by submarines and surface craft, but this was a new addition to their arsenal.

The mines claimed their first victim on September 27, when the Russian destroyer OKHOTNIK, part of the small Russian fleet in the area, hit a mine off the Sworbe peninsula at the entrance to the Gulf of Riga. The ship quickly began to sank, and the sailors apparently rushed for the lifeboats, leaving the officers (who supposedly thought it improper to ask for a place) behind.

Naval operations: ship losses

DEUX JEANNES (France) The fishing vessel was sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 30 nautical miles (56 km) south west of Ouessant, Finistère (48°06′N 5°40′W) by SM U-90 ( Kaiserliche Marine).

GRELTORIA (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the North Sea 3 nautical miles (5.6 km) north west by north of Flamborough Head, Yorkshire by SM UB-34 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.

LIBERTE (France) The fishing vessel was sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 30 nautical miles (56 km) south west of Ouessant (48°06′N 5°40′W) by SM U-90 ( Kaiserliche Marine).

PEUPLES FRERES (France) The fishing vessel was sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 30 nautical miles (56 km) south west Ouessant (48°06′N 5°40′W) by SM U-90 ( Kaiserliche Marine).

SM UC-6 (Kaiserliche Marine) The Type UC I submarine struck a mine and sank in the North Sea off North Foreland, Kent, United Kingdom (51°30′N 1°34′E) with the loss of all sixteen crew.

Day 1148 of the Great War, September 29th 1917

Italian Front

Italians improve position on Bainsizza Plateau, taking 1,400 prisoners.

Mesopotamian campaign: British Victory at Ramadi

The oppressive summer heat had prevented campaigning for several months, and in late September the British were ready to go on the offensive again. Their first target was Ramadi, hoping to push the Turks up the Euphrates as far as possible and capture as many dams as they could to prevent the Turks from attempting to flood Baghdad. The British had tried attacking Ramadi in July, but had failed largely due to the heat. By September, the temperatures had dropped and British logistics improved; much of their water supply was ferried by motorized Ford vans, allowing troops and even horses to operate for longer in the desert.

A cavalry brigade and four armored cars moved around the Turks to the west of Ramadi, and set up astride the possible Turkish line of retreat on the evening of September 28, while the infantry attacked them from the south and south-east. The fighting was intense, and the British took many casualties from Turkish artillery fire, but continued attacks on the morning of the 29th pushed across the Aziziya Canal, the last main Turkish line of defense. By 11AM on September 29th, the entirety of the Turkish force, numbering nearly 3500, had surrendered, and Ramadi was securely in British hands.

Italy

King of Italy returns after visiting French and Belgian fronts.

China/Japan relations: Nishihara Loans; Japan Lends Money to China for War Effort

Chinese Prime Minister Duan Qirui had declared war on Germany in August, joining the Entente. China’s entry into the war had much less to do with fervor than with money: Qirui hoped that his now fellow Allied Power Japan would be willing to cough up more loan money that he could use to finance his private army. Chinese politics in the early 20th century revolved around warlord politics and private armies; Qirui spotted a great chance to improve the position of his clique.

Qirui paid a high political price for these loans after the war. Japan eagerly assumed Chinese debt and attained more and more privileges, including eventually the annexation of former German possessions in Shandong. Japan also secured additional influence in Manchuria, which they looked at as a colonial target. Qirui’s kowtowing to Japanese interests for his own personal gain led him to be targeted by Chinese nationalists after the war.

Aerial operations: United Kingdom

Aeroplane raid on London; 3 machines penetrate defences, 14 killed, 87 injured.

Naval operations: ship losses

BON PREMIER (France) The barque was shelled and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 200 nautical miles (370 km) south west of Ouessant, Finistère (46°06′N 11°25′W) by SM U-60 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.

ELMGARTH (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 50 nautical miles (93 km) north west of Tory Island, County Donegal by SM U-61 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.

EUGENIE Fautrel (France) The barque was shelled and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 200 nautical miles (370 km) south west of Ouessant (46°30′N 9°59′W) by SM U-60 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew were rescued by the fishing vessel Cygne ( France).

KILDONAN (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Irish Sea 2 nautical miles (3.7 km) north north west of the Pendeen Lighthouse, Pembrokeshire (50°11′N 5°42′W) by SM UB-35 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of fourteen of her crew.

PRECEY B. (United Kingdom) The schooner was shelled and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 180 nautical miles (330 km) north by west of Cape Villano, Spain by SM U-60 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.

R 235 (France) The fishing schooner was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea (34°38′N 34°43′E) by SM U-73 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.

SANWEN(United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea off Cape Béar, Spain (42°52′N 4°15′E) by SM U-32 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of two crew.

SWAN RIVER(United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 27 nautical miles (50 km) west of Oran, Algeria (36°07′N 0°54′W) by SM U-39 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.

SM UC-55 (Kaiserliche Marine) The Type UC II submarine was shelled, depth charged and sunk off the Shetland Islands, United Kingdom (60°02′N 1°02′W) by HMS Sylvia and HMS Tirade (both Royal Navy) with the loss of ten of her 27 crew.