The Great War (1914-1918) in real time

Day 1168 of the Great War, October 19th 1917

YouTube (Operation Albion Concludes - Allied Failures In Belgium)



Eastern Front

Germans land on Dago Island.

Germans fail in effort to fraternise on Romanian front.

Russia

Aerial operations: France

US Army 1st Aero Squadron moves to Amanty, Lorraine.

Aerial operations: The cost of intelligence

For once the weather on the Western Front was good and 57 Squadron RFC were sent up to take advantage and carry out photographic reconnaissance of the Ypres area accompanied by some SE5a’s from 84 Squadron. They were in turn attacked by Jasta 27. At this point, C Flight from 56 Squadron RFC led by Captain Geoffrey Hilton Bowman came to their assistance. In the ensuing dogfight, Lieutenant Geoffrey Beville Shone from 56 Squadron was shot down in his SE5a (B588) by Leutnant Helmuth Dilthey from Jasta 27. Shone was badly wounded and later died from his injuries. Jasta 37 also appeared in the area and Leutant Ernst Udet shot down 2nd Lieutenant Stanley Miles Park from 84 Squadron in his SE5a (B546). He was taken prisoner.

Shortly after this, 56 Squadron joined 4 SPADs fighting four 2-seaters, but they were attacked from above by 2 enemy scouts. They cleared west and came back going after two 2-seaters: Lieutenant Reginald Theodore Carlos Hoidge shot down one with a full drum of Lewis and 100 Vickers from 20 yards. Hoidge was then attacked by an Albatros scout which was driven off by Captain Bowman. Hoidge and Lieutenant John Driffield Gilbert then combined to send the other 2-seater down. Hoidge had to drive an Albatros off Lieutenant Gilbert’s tail in process. What then became of Gilbert is unknown but he failed to return from the patrol and was assumed dead.

After all this 57 Squadron escaped unscathed and the photographic mission was successful.

Aerial operations: The Silent Raid

Today, 11 naval Zeppelins (L41, L44, L45, L46, L47, L49, L50, L52, L53, L55, L56) attempted a raid on England.

The targets were various industrial centres in the North of England, and overall, and whilst successful in terms of the damage caused with 36 killed, 55 injured and nearly £55,000 worth of damage, five of the Zeppelins were lost and this turned out to be the last mass Zeppelin raid of the war.

For more detail on the damage caused by the raid see Ian Castle’s excellent website. Here I am going to focus on how the Zeppelins fared, as for all the talk of disaster, what is telling is that the British defences played no part whatsoever in the loss of the Zeppelins and had it not been for the poor weather including winds of up to 50 miles an hour, it is likely that the raid would have been more successful and losses would have been reduced.

L46 came in over the Norfolk coast but soon abandoned the mission and jettisoned the bombs. L46, flying at great height, was taken by the wind over neutral Holland but was unseen by the Dutch defences and reached home safely, the last of the raiders to do so on a direct route.

L41 also came inland over Lincolnshire and eventually reached Birmingham where bombs fell on the Austin plant at Longbridge. Turning for home, L.41 was carried over Northamptonshire, Essex, the Thames estuary, Kent and over to France where, after struggling in the wind for nearly three hours, she finally crossed the Western Front near La Bassée.

L53, came inland over The Wash bombing Bedford, Leighton Buzzard. And targets near Maidstone. L53 passed out to sea between Folkestone and Dover at 2330 but was carried by the winds behind Allied lines in France, L53 finally managed to push across the Western Front near Lunéville at around 0300.

L52 came inland over the Lincolnshire coast at 1930pm. High winds forced the ship south-west and then south dropping bombs at Kensworth and Hertford. The wind continued to carry L52 to the south-east and after crossing Kent the ship went out to sea near Dungeness at 2315. Carried across France, L52 managed to cross the Western Front near St. Dié at about 0530.

L55 also arrived over Lincolnshire and was blown south west and then south east eventually going out to sea near Hastings at about 2225. Once over France, the ship experienced severe engine problems, struggled with navigation and lost the use of the radio. The captain eventually got L55 back over Germany but, running out of fuel, they made an emergency landing at Tiefenort, where a storm wrecked L55 on the ground.

L44 arrived inland over the Norfolk coast at 1845 and headed south dropping bombs along the way. L44 went out to sea over Deal at 2052. Swept across France behind Allied lines, French AA guns opened fire on the ship just 10 miles from the Front Line and it crashed in flames at Chenevières. The entire crew were killed.

L49, came inland at 2000 over north Norfolk coast and proceeded to drop bombs all over he area. Struggling with engine problems and navigation, L49 crossed south-east England with the wind carrying her across France. Having seen L44 shot down, with only two engines working and attacked by a squadron of French aircraft, the captain decided to ditch to avoid being shot down. Once on the ground the crew were prevented from burning L49, leaving the Allies the prize of one the latest Zeppelin designs.

L50 came inland over Norfolk at 1945 and flew south-west dropping bombs along the way. The wind then carried L50 towards the south-east and out to sea. The ship seems to have had serious navigation issues at one point being 150 miles west of the Western Front. Seeing the fate of L44 and L49 the captain, with two engines out of action, decided to crash land and at least deny his ship to the enemy. He hit a wood, which ripped off two of the gondolas causing most of the crew to leap overboard. L50 then soared back up with four men still on board. The uncontrollable airship eventually disappeared over the Mediterranean and no trace of the ship or the four men was ever found.

L45 appeared over the Yorkshire coast at 2020, attempted to attack Sheffield but the ended up over Northampton. After dropping bombs there the ship ended up over London where most of the nights damage was done. The wind then carried L45 over the coast near Hastings at 0100. Blasted across France by the wind, L45 was unable to make headway to the east and eventually, when about 70 miles from the Mediterranean coast, he decided to make an emergency landing near Sisteron and the crew surrendered.

Naval operations: ship losses

AUSTRALDALE(Australia): The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 165 nautical miles (306 km) north north west of Cape Villano, Spain (45°24′N 11°32′W) by SM U-22 with the loss of 27 crew.

BRITANNIA (United Kingdom): The cargo ship was sunk in the English Channel off Portland Bill, Dorset by SM UC-75 with the loss of all 22 crew.

CAMSWAN (United Kingdom): The cargo ship collided with another vessel and sank. Her crew were rescued.

CUPICA (United Kingdom): The auxiliary barque was shelled and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 75 nautical miles (139 km) west by south of the Bishop Rock, Isles of Scilly by SM U-107 and SM UC-79. Her crew survived.

ELDRA (United Kingdom): The barquentine was scuttled in the English Channel 25 nautical miles (46 km) north west of Le Tréport, Seine-Maritime, France by SM UC-77. Her crew survived.

ELSISTON (United Kingdom): The collier was torpedoed and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 150 nautical miles (280 km) east by south of Malta (35°40′N 17°28′E) by SM U-14 (Austro-Hungarian Navy) with the loss of a crew member.

GEMMA (United Kingdom): The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the North Sea 5 nautical miles (9.3 km) north by west of Flamborough Head, Yorkshire by SM UB-21 with the loss of four of her crew.

GOOD HOPE (United Kingdom): The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 125 nautical miles (232 km) east by south of Malta (35°53′N 17°05′E) by SM U-14 (Austro-Hungarian Navy). Her crew survived.

HARPON (France): The cargo ship was damaged in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Río de Oro (24°22′N 15°50′W) by SM U-151. She was beached but was declared a constructive total loss. Her crew survived.

HAZELWOOD (United Kingdom): The cargo ship struck a mine and sank in the English Channel 8 nautical miles (15 km) south by east of Anvil Point, Dorset with the loss of 32 of her crew.

IKOMA MARU (Japan): The cargo ship was sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 30 nautical miles (56 km) off Cap Cantin, Morocco by SM U-35. Her crew survived.

J. L. LUCKENBACH (United States): The ocean liner was torpedoed and damaged in the Atlantic Ocean by SM U-62. She was escorted to Le Havre, Seine-Maritime, France by the destroyer USS Nicholson. Subsequently repaired and returned to service.

MARTHA (Denmark): The barque was shelled and sunk in the North Sea (61°12′N 2°10′W) by SM UB-66. Her ten crew took to the lifeboats but were not rescued.

HMS OREMA (Royal Navy): The armed merchant cruiser was sunk in the Atlantic Ocean (48°00′N 9°20′W) by SM U-62 with the loss of five crew. Three hundred and five survivors were rescued by USS Jacob Jones.

PARKHAVEN (Netherlands): The cargo ship was sunk in the North Sea 15 nautical miles (28 km) off the Noord Hinder Lightship (Netherlands) (52°16′N 2°46′E) by SM U-53.

PERA (United Kingdom): The collier was torpedoed and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 105 nautical miles (194 km) east by north of Marsa Susa, Libya (37°16′N 24°00′E) by SM UB-48 with the loss of a crew member.

RENARD (French Navy): The naval trawler struck a mine and sank in the Atlantic Ocean south east of Ouessant, Finistère (48°28′N 4°58′W) with the loss of eleven of her crew. Survivors were rescued by 260 (French Navy).

SLAVONIC (Russia): The cargo ship struck a mine and sank in the North Sea off Lerwick, Shetland Islands, United Kingdom.

STARO (Norway): The cargo ship was sunk in the Atlantic Ocean (45°00′N 12°07′W) by SM U-22. Her crew survived.

TEESPOOL (United Kingdom): The cargo ship was damaged in the English Channel 3 nautical miles (5.6 km) south east of Dartmouth, Devon by SM UB-38 with the loss of four of her crew. She was beached but was later refloated.

WAIKAWA (United Kingdom): The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the English Channel 4 nautical miles (7.4 km) east north east of Start Point, Devon by SM UB-31. Her crew survived.

WAR CLOVER Cloer (United Kingdom): The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 25 nautical miles (46 km) east north east of Pantellaria, Italy (37°00′N 12°35′E) by SM U-64 with the loss of fourteen crew.

WELLINGTON (United Kingdom): the cargo ship was torpedoed and damaged in the English Channel 5 nautical miles (9.3 km) south south east of Portland Bill by SM UB-40. She was taken in tow by HMT Flo Johnson and beached at Portland. Later repaired and returned to service.

Day 1170 of the Great War, October 21st 1917

Western Front

Germans make strong attack at Bezonvaux (Verdun).

Photo: A tank crashing through barbed wire at the Tank Driving School during the special training for the Battle of Cambrai at Wailly, 21 October 1917



Saarbrucken bombed by British.

Dunkirk bombed by Germans.

Western Front: First Americans Enter the Front Line

Over six months after American entry into the war, and nearly four months after the first American combat troops arrived in France, the first American troops entered front line service on October 21. After extensive training, the 1st Division was deployed that day around Sommerviller in Lorraine. The sector was chosen because it was one of the least active on the front; neither side had attempted major operations here. Furthermore, each American unit was attached to a French unit, hoping that they would be able to learn the lessons of the last three years of war from their French allies.

The 1st Division was comprised of regular Army personnel, plus various graduates of Plattsburgh and various other preparedness camps; among the latter group was Theodore Roosevelt, Jr. Many in both groups thought the pace around Sommerviller a bit too quiet. George C. Marshall, the division’s assistant chief of staff, recalled that “the first thrill of service in the trenches soon passed with a realization of the mud and other discomforts and the dearth of excitement.”

Eastern Front

Russians repel German attempt to land eight miles north of Verder Peninsula (Riga).

Germans land on Russian mainland at Verder.

Germans claim 20,000 prisoners and 100 guns in last nine days' fighting.

Italian Front

Considerable artillery activity on Italian front.

Monastir shelled again.

Aerial operations: Possibilities

Today, Winston Churchill, the Minister of Munitions published a memorandum called “Munitions Possibilities for 1918” in which he set out his suggestions for the direction of the War.

Of the impact of bombing of German territory he wrote:

‘It is not possible to speak of an air offensive as if it were going to finish the war by itself. It is improbable that any terrorization of the civil population which could be achieved by air attack would compel the government of a great nation to surrender….therefore an air offensive should consistently be directed at striking at the bases and communications upon whose structure the fighting power of his armies and his fleets of the sea and air depends…the supreme and direct object of an air offensive is to deprive the German armies on the western front of their capacity for resistance.”

In a later paragraph on the air war, he essentially argued for an independent air service:

“We have greatly suffered and are still suffering in the progress of our means of air warfare from the absence of a proper General Staff studying the possibilities of air warfare, not merely an ancillary service to the special operations of the army and navy, but also as an independent arm co-operating in the general plan. Material developments must necessarily be misguided so long as they do not relate to a definite war plan for the air, which again is combined with the general war plan. In consequence of this many very important points are still in doubt or dispute, on which systematized staff study could have by now given very clear pronouncements. The dominating and immediate interests of the army and the navy have overlain air warfare and prevented many promising lines of investigation from being pursued with the necessary science and authority…”

He accepted impact bombing at present was questionable, but this was due to the fact:

“…that aerial warfare had never yet been practiced except in miniature: that bombing in particular has never been studied as a science: that the hitting of objects from great heights by day or night is worthy of as intense a volume of scientific study as, for instance, is brought to bear upon perfecting the gunnery of the fleet: that much of the unfavorable data accumulated showing the comparative ineffectiveness of bombing consists of results of unscientific action – for instance, dropping bombs singly without proper sighting apparatus or specially trained ‘bomb droppers’ [the equivalent of gun layers] instead of dropping them in regular salvos by specially trained men, so. To straddle the target properly.

On the assumption that these more sanguine views are justly founded, the primary objective off air force becomes plainly apparent, viz., the air bases of the enemy and the consequent destruction of his air lighting forces….If, for instance, our numerical superiority in the air were sufficient at a certain period next year to enable us in the space of 2 or 3 weeks to sacrifice 2,000 or 3,000 aeroplanes, their pilots being either killed or captured, in locating or destroying by bomb or fire, either from a great height or if necessary from quite low down, all or nearly all of the enemy’s hangars, and making unusable all or nearly all his landing grounds, and starting grounds within 50 or 60 miles of his front line, his air force might be definitely beaten, and once beaten, could be kept beaten. Once this result was achieved and real mastery of the air obtained, allsorts of enterprises which are now not possible would become easy…”

Naval operations: ship losses

ANGLO DANE (Denmark): The coaster struck a mine and sank in the North Sea 0.75 nautical miles (1.39 km) off the Bressay Lighthouse, Shetland Islands, United Kingdom with the loss of a crew member.

BUNTY (United Kingdom): The tug struck a mine and sank in the North Sea off Whitby, Yorkshire with the loss of five of her crew.

FLYNDERBORG (Denmark): The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the North Sea 3 nautical miles (5.6 km) south east of the Bressay Lighthouse by SM UC-40. Her crew survived.

GRYFEVALE (United Kingdom): The cargo ship was shelled and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 10 nautical miles (19 km) off Cap Blanc, Mauritania (21°08′N 17°04′W) by SM U-151. Her crew survived.

SMS T66 (Kaiserliche Marine): The S66-class torpedo boat struck a mine and was damaged in the North Sea off the Belgian coast. She was consequently found to be a total loss.

TOM ROPER (United Kingdom): The topsail schooner was scuttled in the English Channel 20 nautical miles (37 km) south south east of Start Point by SM UC-79 with the loss of a crew member.

Day 1172 of the Great War, October 23rd 1917

Western Front

Great French Victory on the Aisne, north-east Soissons; French advance up to two miles on six mile front, capture 8,000 prisoners, 70 guns.

Germans gain footing north-east Hill 344 (Verdun) but driven out.

Germans regain a little ground southern end Houthulst Forest (Ypres).

German attack near Poelcapelle repulsed.

In evening Germans' seventh counter-attack on Ypres front since 22nd repulsed.

Photo: German concrete and armoured machine-gun emplacement smashed by artillery fire in the Battle of Arras. Heninel, 23 October 1917



Photo: Soldier of the South Staffordshire Regiment testing telephone lines at Heninel, 23 October 1917. The low poles are just high enough to form an air-line



Photo: Lewis gun post of the 4th Battalion, Seaforth Highlanders (51st Division) at Wancourt, 23 October 1917



Western Front: Battle of La Malmaison

Since the mutinies of the spring, the French Army had recovered enough to resume offensive operations. Pétain was careful, however, to conduct these operations on a small scale, with limited objectives, where overwhelming firepower could be brought to bear. In August, the French made substantial gains around Verdun, and on October 23, they attacked the Germans along the Chemin des Dames, the site of the disastrous Nivelle Offensive of April.

The French infantry advanced in the dark at 5:15 AM behind an extensive creeping barrage. The previous’ days preliminary bombardment had destroyed most German infantry shelters, making it exceedingly difficult for them to defend or counterattack. Heavy French usage of poison gas also helped suppress the Germans, and was especially helpful in preventing an effective German counter-bombardment, as French gas pooled in the Ailette river valley, where many of the German batteries were located. The French were also assisted by dozens of tanks, though rain beginning at 6AM meant that fewer of them reached the German positions than was hoped.

The French would advance two miles and capture over 8000 prisoners on the first day. While there was no large breakthrough, the French gains did force the Germans to withdraw to behind the Aisne-Oise canal the next week.

Map: Map showing French capture of Malmaison, October 1917



Eastern Front

Attempted German landing eight miles south of Verder repulsed.

North-east of Riga, Germans retire 20 miles in two days, destroying bridges.

Italian Front

Strong hostile concentration towards Upper Isonzo and Bainsizza Plateau; Mt. Rombon to Bainsizza heavily shelled.

Mesopotamia campaign

Turkish troops approaching Smarra (north-west Baghdad) repulsed by British.

Russia: Petrograd: Bolshevik Central Committees Decides on Immediate Uprising

With the parliamentary government fleeing Petrograd, the Bolsheviks decided the time was right to make their move. On October 23 their central committee in the capital declared for immediate armed revolution. Some leaders, including Kamenev, preached caution, but Lenin insisted repeatedly: “We dare not wait, we must not delay.”

Bolshevik party membership had soared to 200,000 across the nation. Military Revolutionary Committees organized in regiments of the Russian army spread the word. While the Provisional Government fled the advancing German army, the Imperial German treasury had poured millions of pounds sterling of gold into Bolshevik hands, as part of a plot to knock Russia out of the war. The oney financed the enormous Bolshevik machine, which included articles in a broadsheet called Pravda, “Turth”, distrusted to soldiers. The Central Commitee’s resolution announced strongly: “An armed uprising is inevitable, and the time is fully ripe”.

Aerial operations: Bonar Law Speaks

The Chancellor of the Exchequer Bonar Law spoke at the Alber Hall this evening in connection with the new economy campaign, Mr.

Bonar Law, after referring to the failure of the German submarine campaign, he went on to speak about the bombing campaign:—

“They have another hope. They hope to win by warfare from the air on defenceless women and children. But they have not succeeded so far, and they will not succeed. To read the papers sometimes, one would think members of Governments were quite different from other people. We are not. We share your feelings and, if you like, we share your prejudices. The Government realises the importance of the air service; not merely now, but for many, many months it has had priority over any other form of supply, as, the result has shown. The members of the Government received a report the other day—I have not asked the permission of the military authorities to make it public, but I do not think it will do any harm, and I will risk it. During last month our air service at the front, among their other activities, dropped about 8,000 bombs behind the German lines. In the same period the Germans dropped about 1,000 bombs behind our lines. In the month of September, again, our air service directed the artillery on something like 8,000 batteries of the enemy, and they directed it against between 700 and 800 of our batteries. I venture to say to you, therefore, that from the point of view of damage inflicted on the enemy what was done against them by us in September far exceeded all the damage that in all their air raids they have inflicted upon the people of England.

But that is not enough. We share your feelings. You know that we cannot prevent these air raids, but it is our business to make them as costly as possible. But I think I know that the people of this country can bear hardships and dangers of death that may come more patiently, and rightly so, if they know that they are not all on one side. 1 wish to be careful in what I say. We are not going to lose our air supremacy on our front in Flanders; we do not intend to tell the enemy what we propose to do ; we do not desire to boast or to raise false anticipations—but I say this, it is a kind of warfare which is detestable, we would avoid it if we could, but our enemy has determined on it ; so be it. It was not we who started poison gas—we should never have done it— but it is not by our enemy, it is by us and our Allies that that weapon is being used most effectively to-day. It is the same here. Let our enemy have patience, and he will find that what he can give us will be returned in full measure, pressed down, and running over.”

Naval operations: ship losses

CAPO DI MONTE (Italy): The cargo ship was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 100 nautical miles (190 km) west of Heraklion, Crete, Greece (34°53′N 19°50′E) by Austro-Hungarian SM U-14.

HMT EARL LENNOX (Royal Navy): The naval trawler struck a mine and sank south of Islay Sound (55°45′N 5°57′W) with the loss of seven crew.

PERIM (United Kingdom) The cargo ship collided with another British merchant ship and sank in the Mediterranean Sea off Barcelona, Spain.

SEISTAN (United Kingdom): The collier was torpedoed and sunk in the North Sea 3.5 nautical miles (6.5 km) north by west of Flamborough Head, Yorkshire (54°09′N 0°08′W) by SM UB-57 with the loss of five of her crew.

TREDEGAR HALL (United Kingdom): The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the North Sea 4.5 nautical miles (8.3 km) east south east of Flamborough Head by SM UB-57 with the loss of three of her crew.

Day 1174 of the Great War, October 25th 1917

Western Front

Germans gain footing north of Chaume Wood (Verdun).

Further French advance on Aisne front; Filain captured; 160 guns taken since 23rd.

Eastern Front

German attempt to consolidate on Verder Peninsula frustrated.

Italian Front

Italians retreat from Plezzo to south-west of Tolmino and prepare to evacuate Bainsizza Plateau.

Germans claim 30,000 prisoners and 300 guns.

Italy

Fall of Boselli Cabinet in Italy.

Ireland: De Valera takes over Sinn Féin

The Sinn Féin party was not involved in the Easter Rising that shook Dublin in 1916. However the British authorities and the pro-British press so associated the party with the Rising that it has seen an influx of new members from those with advanced nationalist positions. These new members include many of those who took part in the Rising, notably Éamon de Valera, the most senior of the surviving rebel commanders, and Constance Markievicz.

Sinn Féin had not hitherto been an explicitly republican party; Arthur Griffith had founded it to advocate for Ireland to be internally self-governing in the same way that Hungary was within the Habsburg Empire. But Sinn Féin’s new members are committed republicans, determined to sever all links with Britain. This has led to some tension within the party between these opposing tendencies.

Today Sinn Féin’s Ard Fheis (party conference) meets. The British authorities had thought of suppressing the conference but let it go ahead, hoping that the party’s divisions would cause it to self-destruct. But the party is able to paper over its tensions. De Valera is elected party president in place of Griffith, but Griffith is chosen as one of his vice-presidents. And the party agrees a compromise between its republican and monarchist wings; for now Sinn Féin is working towards the establishment of an Irish republic, after which the Irish people will be free to choose their own system of government.

Norway: Roald Amundsen Returns German Honors

Major polar exploration efforts had largely ceased shortly after the outbreak of war; the last major effort, Shackleton’s ill-fated expedition to cross Antarctica, left Britain five days after Britain entered the war. Norway was neutral, however, and Roald Amundsen, first to traverse the Northwest Passage and first to reach the South Pole, was preparing a new expedition through the Northeast Passage north of Russia, and possibly reach the North Pole by ship (as Fridtjof Nansen had attempted over twenty years earlier). Amundsen’s new ship, the Maud (named after the Queen of Norway and sister of George V), was christened in June 1917.

Amundsen was widely respected around the world for his feats of exploration, and had received honors from many countries. On October 25, it was widely reported in the press that Amundsen went to the German embassy in Kristiana [Oslo] and officially returned the decorations he had received from Germany, in a “personal protest” against the German surface attack on a Norway-bound convoy the previous week, which had killed 17 Norwegian sailors.

Naval operations: Baltic Sea

German ships from Moon Sound bombard Kuno Island near Pernau (Riga).

Naval operations: ship losses

SMS A32 (Kaiserliche Marine) The A25-class torpedo boat ran aground and sank in the Baltic Sea.

ERVIKEN (Norway): The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 4 nautical miles (7.4 km) south east of Cabo de Gata, Spain by SM U-64 with the loss of a crew member.

EUSTON (United Kingdom): The collier was torpedoed and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 37 nautical miles (69 km) south west of Cape Matapan, Greece (35°33′N 21°48′E) by SM UC-34 with the loss of a crew member.

FANNIE PRESCOTT (United States): The schooner was scuttled in the Atlantic Ocean 50 nautical miles (93 km) south of Cape Cantin, Morocco by SM U-35. Lothar von Arnauld de la Perièr's score is now 182 ships and 395,645 tons.

GEFION (United Kingdom): The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the English Channel 10 nautical miles (19 km) north east of Berry Head, Devon by SM UB-40 with the loss of two of her crew.

NESS (United Kingdom): The cargo ship was shelled and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 10 nautical miles (19 km) south east of Cabo de Gata by SM U-64 with the loss of two of her crew.

SHEAF BLADE (United Kingdom): The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 13 nautical miles (24 km) south east by south of Cabo de Gata by SM U-64 with the loss of two of her crew.

WEARSIDE (United Kingdom): The cargo ship struck a mine and sank in the North Sea 3 nautical miles (5.6 km) off the Sunk Lightship. Her crew survived.

Day 1176 of the Great War, October 27th 1917

Western Front

French progress on Aisne front, occupy Froidmont Farm, fail to cross Canal.

French and Belgians advance astride Ypres-Dixmude road.

U.S.A. troops in action.

Photo: An observation balloon about to ascend. Note the vehicle on the left and the large group of unidentified soldiers around the balloon, 27 October 1917



Eastern Front

Germans retire from Verder Peninsula (Riga).

Germans again attempt to fraternise with Russians North and Centre.

Italian Front: Italians Retreat from the Isonzo

By early on October 27, the Germans and Austrians had completely broken through around Caporetto. The fall of Gran Monte, to the west of the town, along with Rommel’s capture of Mt. Matajur just to the southwest, meant that the way was now open to the plains and the Adriatic below. The Italian forces on the lower Isonzo, which had fought for the last two years to secure a few miles on the far side of the river, now risked being trapped. At 2:30 AM, Cadorna ordered a general retreat back to the Tagliamento, thirty miles to the west. Many soldiers of the Third Army openly wept as they abandoned their hard-fought gains and the graves of hundreds of thousands of fellow soldiers.

Meanwhile, the Second Army was in full retreat from the advancing Germans and Austrians. Most of its troops, those who did not face the initial attack, were still in good order. However, they were largely abandoned by their commanders. The Second Army’s commander had been taken ill only a few days before the attack, while Cadorna put the blame squarely on his soldiers, telling a subordinate, “What could I do? The army was swarming with worms.” His official response to Rome, sent the next day, was little better: “the failure to resist on the part of units of the Second Army, which cravenly withdrew without fighting or ignominiously surrendered to the enemy, has allowed the Austro-German forces to break through…” Cadorna himself left his headquarters in Udine for Treviso, over 60 miles to the west, safely behind the Piave, while leaving the Second Army to retreat over the few bridges over the upper Tagliamento (reserving the others for the Third Army).

The soldiers of the Second Army rightly felt abandoned. One soldier recalled that on hearing that the generals had left:

“Then we’re going too,” someone said, and we all shouted “That’s right, we have had enough of the war, we’re going home.” The lieutenant said, “You’ve gone mad, I’ll shoot you,” but we took his pistol away. We threw our rifles away and started marching to the rear. Soldiers were pouring along the other paths and we told them all we were going home and they should come with us and throw their guns away. I was worried at first, but then I thought I had nothing to lose, I’d have been killed if I’d stayed in the trenches and anything was better than that. And then I felt so angry because I’d put up with everything like a slave till now; I’d never even thought of getting away. But I was happy too, we were all happy, all saying “it’s home or prison, but no more war.”

Cadorna, having lost faith in his own soldiers, and recognizing that he desperately needed help, accepted an offer from Foch for four French divisions to bolster the Italians. Lloyd George, long a proponent of British aid to the Italian front, also ordered two divisions there, though he knew they would not be used for an offensive there as he had hoped.

Sinai and Palestine campaign

British cavalry in action in centre of Gaza front (Palestine).

Spain

Army brings about fall of Cabinet in Spain.

Poland

Polish Regency Council takes office.

Naval operations: ship losses

D.N. LUCKENBACH (United States): The cargo ship was sunk in the Atlantic Ocean (46°34′N 8°34′W) by SM U-93 with the loss of five of her crew.

LADY HELEN (United Kingdom): The coaster was sunk in the North Sea off Robin Hood's Bay, Yorkshire by SM UB-34 with the loss of seven of her crew.

HMT STRYMON (Royal Navy): The naval trawler struck a naval mine and sank in the North Sea off the Shipwash Lightship (51°37′N 0°48′E) with the loss of eleven of her crew.

Day 1178 of the Great War, October 29th 1917

Eastern Front

Enemy attack repulsed in Riga areas, Janinzen to Skuli.

Italian Front: Italians Blow Tagliamento Bridges

The Italians, soundly defeated at Caporetto, hoped to stabilize their lines behind the Tagliamento. However, Cadorna, deeply pessimistic about the quality of his armies, was unconvinced that they could hold the Tagliamento, and on October 29 began issuing orders in preparation for a possible retreat to the Piave, another 25 miles to the west. In an effort to at least delay the Germans and Austrians, the Italians blew most of the bridges over the Tagliamento on October 29. In some cases, this was premature, leaving over 12,000 Italian soldiers on the far bank. Most of these troops were able to conduct a fighting retreat across the river and evaded capture, however.

Further upstream, the first Austrians reached the Tagliamento around Cornino, where they found the last intact bridge across the river, and prepared to seize it by force. The bridge was in two spans, separated by an island in the middle of the river. Within two days, the Austrians had taken the first span, but by this time the Italians had blown the second; this did not deter the Austrians for long, however.

Along the coast, the Italian Navy evacuated as much as they could. On October 30, the Italian Navy finished their evacuation of the seaside town of Grado. When the Austrians entered shortly thereafter, they had retaken all of the territory they had lost along the Isonzo since the Italian declaration of war.

East Africa campaign

General Northey captures Liwale; Germans driven south-east.

Sinai and Palestine campaign

Map: Situation at 18:00 29 October 1917 as known at GHQ EEF



Italy: Vittorio Orlando Becomes Italian Prime Minister

Just as the Germans and Austro-Hungarians launched their offensive at Caporetto the Italian government of Paolo Boselli fell. Now after a short interregnum Vittorio Orlando takes over as prime minister. Orlando is a liberal who has been serving as minister of the interior. He is determined to keep Italy in the war, notwithstanding the currently unfolding military disaster. Unlike his predecessors, however, he is not in awe of Cadorna, the army’s supreme commander. The army’s failures in the face of the enemy offensive has already put Cadorna’s star into the descendant. Faced with a hostile prime minister, it may not be long before the generalissimo is put out to pasture.

Aerial operations: Turkey Shoot

Poor weather today, led to the abandonment of a mass Gotha raid on London and instead three experienced crews were sent off to bomb the sought coast of England. Two turned back due to high winds and poor visibility and bombed Calais instead.

One aircraft did reach England, but with high winds and clouds, it appears that it caused all sorts of panic as at least 10 aircraft were reported by observer posts. Eleven bombs in all were dropped on Rawreth, Rayleigh, Hockley, and Burnham. Some very minor damage was caused, but at the end of it all the only casualty of the raid was a turkey killed in Hockley.

The Gotha flew over Southminster at 2255 and headed out to sea. AA guns at Barton’s Point on the Isle of Sheppey opened fire at around the same time, but as the Gotha was too far away their target must have been the Home Defence aircraft (from 37 and 39 Squadrons) which were up at the time. None of these were able to locate the raider who flew home without mishap.

Aerial operations: “A hero’s death”

Out in Macedonia, 17 and 47 Squadron RFC have continued throughout the autumn to make bombing attacks in an attempt to harass enemy troops. German pilots were for some unknown reason reluctant to contest these attacks too often and raids went unopposed. However, when they could be bothered the consequences were rarely good for the RFC as the Germans had relatively modern Albatrosses and Halberstadts.

Today, five aeroplanes from 47 Squadron raided the Cestovo supply dump. Eight enemy fighters rose to meet them from the nearby aerodrome at Hudova and, in a fiercely contested fight. Second Lieutenant Paul Denys Montague in a BE12 (A4040), and Second Lieutenant John Richard Francis Gubbin with Air-Mechanic TH Bury in an Armstrong-Whitworth FK8, were shot down.

Gubbin was badly wounded and died of his wounds on 20 November 1917. Bury was taken prisoner. Montague was killed but this was only discovered when the Germans dropped a message (as was customary at the time in this theatre):

“On the 29th October, 1917, one of your comrades met with a hero’s death in an air fight. He was buried with due honours and a memorial stone has been put up over his grave, but without an inscription as his name is not known to us. In order that we may make good this deficiency kindly inform us as to his name and the date and place of his birth.”

Naval operations: ship losses

MARNE (France): The coaster was sunk in the English Channel 25 nautical miles (46 km) north east of Barfleur, Manche (50°30′N 1°20′W) by SM UC-63.

NAMUR (United Kingdom): The passenger ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 55 nautical miles (102 km) east by south of Gibraltar (36°00′N 4°15′W) by SM U-35 with the loss of a crew member.

LA EPOCA (Uruguay): The barque was scuttled in the Bay of Biscay 30 nautical miles (56 km) south west of the Cordouan Lighthouse, Gironde, France by SM U-93.