The Great War (1914-1918) in real time

Day 1197 of the Great War, November 17th 1917

Western Front

British salient widened on Passchendaele ridge.

Successful raid south of River Scarpe.

Surprise attacks by French south-east of St. Quentin and in Champagne.

Italian Front

Fierce mountain fighting: Germans take Quero and Monte Cornella.

Sinai and Palestine campaign: Battle for Jerusalem Begins

One area of hope for the Allies in an otherwise difficult season came in Palestine. There Edmund Allenby’s Egyptian Expeditionary Force had swept through the Ottoman defenses at Gaza, coming within artillery range of his ultimate prize: Jerusalem. The fall of the holy city would be a grave setback for the Ottoman Empire and a propaganda coup for the British.

The battle for the city started on November 17. British forces captured Jaffa, but failed to break through to Jerusalem itself. Fierce fighting began in the Judean hills, with both sides conscious of their historical suroundings. An Australian cavalrymen wrote about it in his diary:

“All the armies that have sought to take Jerusalem have passed this way, save only that of Joshua. Philistine and Hittite, Babylonian and Assyrian, Egyptian and Roman and Greek, Frankish Knights of the Cross, all have passed this way, and all have watered the hill of Amwas with their blood.”

East Africa campaign

In East Africa British troops pursue enemy and occupy Lutshemi.

Finland: Finnish General Strike

Unlike the rest of the Russian empire, Finland had not suffered overly from the First World War. An autonomous grand duchy, the Finnish remained un-involved and the Russian government did not conscript Finnish men. In July 1917, with the Romanovs gone, the Finnish parliament declared semi-independence, leaving only military and foreign policies in the hands of the Provisional Government.

But social tensions within Finland were reaching a sharp point. The Provisional Government had disbanded Finland’s Social Democrat-ruled parliament and replaced it with one in favor of the middle-class, which naturally Finnish socialists resented. When the Provisional Government fell in November, it left behind a vacuum of power. Food shortages and unemployment caused by the war did not aid the situation.

In November the Finnish workers’ movement called a general strike. Local Red Guards, which had formed out of factory workers like in Russia, clashed with middle-class militias. The political divide reversed itself on the Russia question: now the bourgeoisie wanted independence, while the socialists desired closer ties to the new Bolshevik government. The possibility of a Finnish Civil War was beginning to surface.

United States

President Wilson and the Cabinet approves plan to force German males over the age of 14 residing in the US to register with the government.

France: Georges Clemenceau New French PM

The French government had been plagued by scandals and strife the entire year. Briand’s government resigned in March as a result of disagreements about the Nivelle Offensive; Ribot’s government resigned in September after a scandal in the interior ministry. In mid-November, mathematician Paul Painlevé’s government lost a confidence vote after returning from the Rapallo conference that set up the Supreme War Council. Chosen to replace Painlevé was George Clemenceau, the 76-year-old editor of L’Homme Enchainé. Having not served in government during the war, he was not associated with any wartime failings or scandals. His firm commitment to victory over Germany disappointed those who may have hoped for a negotiated peace (such as Joseph Caillaux, Mme Caillaux’s husband, who had hoped to be named PM himself). The Socialists, longtime enemies of Clemenceau, adamantly refused to support his government, but Clemenceau was able to secure a majority in parliament without them.

Aerial operations: Kite Balloons

The work of Kite Balloon Sections is often completely forgotten about in the annals of the Royal Flying Corps. At this point on the Western Front there are 52 front line squadrons supporting the British Army. However there are also 4 Kite Balloon Wings at the front, one for each army, each Wing has a number of Companies and these are also sub-divided into sections. That said there are no standard sizes for these units. For example,

1 Wing – 4 Companies, 9 Sections

2 Wing – 8 Companies, 17 Sections

3 Wing – 6 Companies, 11 Sections

4 Wing – 2 Companies, 4 Sections

Whilst not as glamorous as the Scout Squadrons, the Kite Balloon Sections carried out important work particularly in artillery registration and enemy battery suppression. They were able to stay in the air for much longer periods than aeroplanes.

The work was also dangerous as the balloons had to be close to the front to get a good view of the enemy. This put the crews in considerable damage not just from enemy aircraft but also from artillery.

This was amply demonstrated today when 39 Kite Balloon Section, part of 8 Company, Second Balloon Wing (supporting the Second Army) suffered 9 casualties when the ground station of its balloon was hit by artillery fire. Those killed were:

3rd Class Air Mechanic Samuel Ackroyd

3rd Class Air Mechanic Harry Booth

1st Class Air Mechanic John McAlpine

Private Thomas Myers

3rd Class Air Mechanic David Urban Parsons

3rd Class Air Mechanic George Peel

1st Class Air Mechanic Herbert E Ponder

3rd Class Air Mechanic John Thomas Spence

3rd Class Air Mechanic James Alfred Waters

Naval operations: second Battle of Heligoland Bight

In the second Battle of Heligoland Bight, a clash between a British and German squadron ends indecisively, with 1 British light cruiser damaged against 1 German minesweeper sunk and 1 light cruiser damaged.

Drawing: HMS 'CALYPSO' at the Second Battle of the Heligoland Bight, 17 November 1917



Naval operations: South-west coast of Ireland

United States Navy destroyers and capture Imperial German Navy U-boat SM "U-58" off the south-west coast of Ireland, the first combat action in which U.S. ships take a submarine (which is then scuttled).

American destroyers had been serving in the waters off of Ireland since May, serving under overall British command; by the end of July, the Americans had 37 destroyers based in Queesntown, mainly on anti-submarine or convoy escort duty. They had yet to sink a single German submarine, however, always a difficult task in the best of times.

Around 4PM on November 17, the USS "FANNING" sighted the periscope of U-58, which was preparing for an attack on the British merchant ship SS Welshman. The FANNING quickly engaged, dropping three depth charges; she was soon joined by the USS "NICHOLSON", which dropped another one. One of the FANNING’S depth charges, damaging the U-boat, which surfaced and attempted to open fire with its deck gun. They were outmatched by the destroyers, however, which scored another hit with their own guns; the resulting damage prevented any hope of the Germans escaping with another dive. The submarine soon surrendered, and the entire crew (save two who were killed in the battle) were taken into captivity. The submarine itself was scuttled by the Germans to make sure it could not fall into the Americans’ hands.

Photo: Sailors from U-58 abandoning ship



Naval operations: ship losses

SMS A50 (Kaiserliche Marine) The A26-class torpedo boat struck a mine and sank in the North Sea with the loss of eighteen of her crew.

ADOLPH ANDRESEN (Denmark) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Bay of Biscay 6 nautical miles (11 km) off Brest, Finistère, France (48°30′N 4°55′W) by SM UC-77 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of a crew member.

USS CHAUNCEY (United States) The Bainbridge-class destroyer collided with ROSE ( United Kingdom and sank in the Atlantic Ocean 110 nautical miles (200 km) west of Gibraltar with the loss of 21 of her 91 crew. Survivors were rescued by Rose.

CLAN MACCORQUODALE (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 165 nautical miles (306 km) north west of Alexandria, Egypt (33°26′N 27°52′E) by SM UB-51 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.

CROXTECH HALL (United Kingdom) The cargo ship struck a mine and sank in the Indian Ocean 25 nautical miles (46 km) west of Bombay, India with the loss of nine of her crew.

LALEN MENDI (Spain) The cargo ship was sunk in the English Channel 5 nautical miles (9.3 km) south of Beachy Head, East Sussex, United Kingdom by SM UB-56 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of five of her crew.

MODEMI (Norway) The cargo ship was sunk in the North Sea 3 nautical miles (5.6 km) off Whitby, Yorkshire, United Kingdom by SM UC-48 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.

SM UC-51 (Kaiserliche Marine) The Type UC II submarine struck a mine and sank in the English Channel (50°08′N 3°42′W) with the loss of all 26 crew.

VICTORIA (United Kingdom) The coaster was torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 14 nautical miles (26 km) west of the Eddystone Lighthouse by a Kaiserliche Marine submarine.

WESTERN COAST (United Kingdom) The collier was torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 10 nautical miles (19 km) west south west of the Eddystone Lighthouse (50°07′N 4°30′W) by SM UB-40 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of seventeen of her crew.

Day 1199 of the Great War, November 19th 1917

Western Front

Hostile raids repulsed by British.

French success at Chaume Wood.

Italian Front

Italians make determined stand in the mountains and defeat Austrians' attacks.

Lower Piave enemy make no progress.

Sinai and Palestine campaign

British advance further in the hills of Judea; arrive within six miles of Jerusalem.

United Kingdom

Mr. Lloyd George on Allied War Council in House of Commons.

Russia: Bolsheviks Issue Call for Immediate Armistice

One of the first things the Bolsheviks did upon seizing power was issuing their Decree on Peace, calling for a “democratic peace” without annexations or indemnities, and an immediate three-month armistice until peace negotiations could begin. This had been communicated to the Germans, who ignored it. By November 19, the Bolsheviks had consolidated their hold on Petrograd, Moscow, and other major cities, and repeated the call for an armistice, and stated their intentions more officially.

They announced that the Sovnarkom had assumed power, and was charged to offer an immediate armistice on all fronts to all belligerent powers. The other Allies, determined to continue fighting, and extremely displeased at the Bolsheviks’ intentions to publish secret treaties and export their revolution abroad, ignored the offer and did not make any, even tacit, recognition of the Sovnarkom as Russia’s government. The most common sentiment in the Allied press was that Lenin and Trotsky were paid German agents.

The Germans were more receptive, but it still remained to be seen whether an armistice offered by Petrograd would be respected by Russia’s generals or armies. The next day, Sovnarkom ordered General Dukhonin, the head of Stavka, to contact the Germans and offer them an immediate armistice. Stavka’s opinions on the war had not changed with the Bolshevik takeover, and Dukhonin delayed as long as he could, claiming he was attempting to determine whether the armistice order was authentic.

Naval operations: ship losses

AMIRAL ZEDU (France) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Irish Sea 22 nautical miles (41 km) south east of Carnsore Point, County Wexford, United Kingdom (52°01′N 6°06′W) by SM UC-77 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of a crew member.

APARIMA (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the English Channel 6 nautical miles (11 km) south west by west of Anvil Point, Dorset (50°29′N 1°55′W) by SM UB-40 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of 57 lives.

CLANGULA Clangla (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 4 nautical miles (7.4 km) south west by west of Hartland Point, Devon by SM UC-77 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of fifteen of her crew.

FARN (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the English Channel 5 nautical miles (9.3 km) east by north of Start Point, Devon by SM UB-31 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.

JUTLAND (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the English Channel 18 nautical miles (33 km) north east by north of Ouessant, Finistère, France (48°46′N 4°55′W) by SM UC-79 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of 26 of her crew.

MINNIE COLES (United Kingdom) The schooner was scuttled in the English Channel 30 nautical miles (56 km) north west by north of the Les Hanois Lighthouse, Guernsey, Channel Islands by SM UB-58 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.

HMT MORCOLOCALA (Royal Navy) The naval trawler struck a mine laid by UC 31 (Kurt Siewert) and sank in the Irish Sea 3 nautical miles (5.6 km) south east by south of the Daunt Rock Lightship ( United Kingdom) with the loss of twelve of her crew.

ROBERT BROWN (United Kingdom) The schooner was scuttled in the Bristol Channel 15 nautical miles (28 km) west north west of Lundy Island, Devon by SM UC-77 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.

SAINT ANDRE (France) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean south west of the Eddystone Lighthouse by SM UB-58 ( Kaiserliche Marine).

Day 1201 of the Great War, November 21st 1917

Western Front: Battle of Cambrai Day 2: German Reinforcements Arrive and Regroup

“THE GREATEST BRITISH VICTORY OF THE WAR,” rang out a newspaper headline in Britain. “A SURPRISE FOR THE GERMANS.” D-Day at the Battle of Cambrai, in Picardy, had indeed been a success. Almost 400 British tanks rolled through the German trenches, creating a six-mile wide, five-mile deep gap in the enemy line. It was the largest breakthrough so far of the war.

But even with a breakthrough, Haig’s battle-plan began to stumble. Some of this was due to bad luck, especially the failure of the cavalry divisions to arrive on the battlefield. The horsemen, finally ready to exploit the breakthrough they had awaited since 1914, got stuck behind a tank which broke a canal bridge. And many tanks had already broken down on the battlefield, or had to be ditched in trenches.

More dangerous was the failure to take several small villages that lay before Cambrai, such as Flequières. There, German cannon positions wreaked havoc on the advancing British tanks. The battle-planners had assumed the tanks could roll through village streets as easily as barbed wire, but German soldiers easily destroyed the landships when they tried to push through the narrow alleyways.

Finally, a fresh German division arrived on the battlefield from the Eastern Front that day, plugging much of the whole of the line. This was a dreadful omen for the Entente: if bringing back one division from the East helped Germany so much, what if the Bolsheviks made peace and the Central Powers could turn all their forces to the west?

Eastern Front

Bolsheviks dismiss General Dukhonin (Commander-in-Chief) for refusing to negotiate an armistice with enemy; Ensign Krilenko Commander-in-Chief.

Italian Front

Strong enemy attacks in mountains between the Brenta and Piave are everywhere repulsed by Italians, except at Mt. Fontana Secca.

Sinai and Palestine campaign

General Allenby's troops storm the Nebi Samwil ridge, five miles north of Jerusalem; fruitless counter-attacks by Turks.

East Africa campaign

Considerable captures of Germans in East Africa by British columns, at Simba and Nevala.

United Kingdom

House of Commons votes 209 to 171 to disenfranchise conscientious objectors to war.

Ukrainian Republic proclaimed and declared member of Russian Federal Republic.

Aerial operations: Zeppelin Resupply Mission to Africa Departs

By the fall of 1917, Lettow-Vorbeck’s forces in German East Africa were running critically low on supplies, having been completely isolated since March 1916. The German Navy decided to attempt to resupply Lettow-Vorbeck by zeppelin. After the first zeppelin chosen was destroyed by in a storm in October, the new L59 replaced it, and was lengthened to 743 feet to carry sufficient hydrogen for the journey. It was to carry 15 tons of supplies, including first aid, ammunition, and machine guns. L59′s journey was intended to be one-way, so everything on board was designed to be of some use to Lettow-Vorbeck’s forces. The envelope could be remade into tents and sleeping bags (sowing machines were included to help with this effort), and the zeppelin’s frame could be used to build structures and a wireless transmitter.

L59 left the southernmost zeppelin station, in Yambol, Bulgaria, on November 21, with a crew of 22 volunteers (after two earlier failed attempts in the previous weeks). It flew south over Turkey, then crossed the Mediterranean, arriving over Sollum before dawn on the 22nd. The journey over the Sahara was quite difficult due the extreme daily swings in air temperature. This made the airship quite difficult to control, nearly crashing at one point. The extreme heat also caused structural damage as the airship expanded, and knocked out the zeppelin’s wireless transmitter.

Just after midnight on November 23, around 50 miles west of Khartoum, they received a faint wireless signal from Germany, ordering them to turn back. While the exact reasons for this message (and even its authenticity) have been disputed, it seems likely that they had learned that Lettow-Vorbeck had been forced south beyond the intended landing zone into terrain unsuitable for landing (or even further, into Mozambique). The zeppelin arrived back in Yambol on November 25, after a ninety-five hour flight, still the longest continuous wartime military flight in history.

Naval operations: ship losses

AROS CASTLE (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 300 nautical miles (560 km) west by south of the Bishop Rock, Isles of Scilly by SM U-90 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of two of her crew.

MAINE (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the English Channel 10 nautical miles (19 km) off Dartmouth, Devon by SM UC-17 ( Kaiserliche Marine).

MAINE (France) The ship was sunk in the English Channel 30 nautical miles (56 km) off Newhaven, East Sussex, United Kingdom by SM UB-56 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.

MOSSOUL (France) The cargo ship was torpedoed and damaged in the Mediterranean Sea (37°04′N 11°30′E) by SM U-63 ( Kaiserliche Marine) and was abandoned. She came ashore on Pantelleria but was a constructive total loss.

SHUYLKILL (United States) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 15 nautical miles (28 km) east of Cape Ténès, Algeria(36°42′N 1°40′E) by SM U-39 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.

SOBRAL (Norway) The cargo ship was captured in the Atlantic Ocean south east of the Azores, Portugal by SM U-151 ( Kaiserliche Marine). She was scuttled the next day (36°10′N 20°40′W).

Day 1203 of the Great War, November 23rd 1917

YouTube (Tank Corps Unleashed - The Battle of Cambrai)



Western Front: Cambrai: Battle Turning into a Stalemate as Tank Losses Mount

What Allied newspapers were heralding as the great breakthrough was quickly turning into another bloody stalemate. Church-bells rang out in Britain on November 3, pealing for victory, but at Cambrai the battle had turned into a life-or-death struggle for Bourlon Wood, where German hold-outs were exacting a heavy toll on advancing troops.

Sixty-two tanks attacked the wood on November 23, but did not break-through. They had lost the element of surprise and the Germans had regained their composure. Many of the tanks had been knocked out or broken down by the end of the day. The cavalry, who had been held back to exploit a gap, were dismounted and to used as infantry “in any numbers,” ordered Haig. General Fielding, one of his corps commanders, replied back: “We shall do our best Sir, but you as a lot of us.”

Elsewhere, three battalions of Irish troops struggled to take the hamlet of Moevres. After a day of fighting street-by-street, the Irishmen had taken three quarters of the village, but a determined set of Germans in a strongpoint south-west of Bourlon Wood had pinned them down.Seeing their plight, a Royal Flying Corps pilot swooped down and fired on the Germans. The pilot put up a fierce fight but was eventually downed and killed by German machine-gunners.

Photo: German concrete work in the making at captured Flesquieres, 23 November 1917. Tanks of the Tank Brigade, 51st Division, in the background



Photo: Tanks of the 1st Tank Brigade (51st Division) parked up close to an unfinished German concrete bunker near Flesquieres, 23 November 1917



A few weeks later, a notice appeared in the “In Memoriam” column of The Times: “To an Unknown Airman, shot down on November 23rd, 1917, whilst attacking a German strongpoint south-west of Bourlon Wood, in an effort to help out a company of the Royal Irish Fusiliers when other help had failed.” The unknown airman was in fact Lieutenant A. Griggs, an American volunteer flying for an Australian squadron.

Photo: Battle of Cambrai. British soldiers examining a German DFW two-seat biplane brought down in front of Flesquieres, 23rd November 1917. Note that German identification cross has been cut off fuselage, 23 November 1917



Eastern Front

Lenin Government issues decree for further disbandment of Russian army.

United States

German residents in the U.S. are barred from entering tall buildings in New York that gives them view of the New York Harbor or the rivers.

Russia: Lenin Fires Stavka Chief

The Bolsheviks were committed to an immediate peace, and had ordered the Russian Chief of Staff, General Dukhonin, to contact German generals to ask for an immediate ceasefire. Dukhonin, who wanted to continue the war and was no friend of the Bolsheviks, temporized for as long as possible, asking for official verification of the order.

Early on November 23, Lenin finally got through to Dukhonin by direct telegram (the same means by which Kornilov and Kerensky had talked past each other before the former’s supposed coup attempt). Dukhonin asked for clarifications: was the proposed armistice just with the Germans, or with the Austrians as well? Was he authorized to negotiate on behalf of the Romanian forces operating on the southern reaches of the Eastern Front? Lenin, knowing that Dukhonin was just stalling for time, again repeated his instructions to immediately contact the Germans. Dukhonin said that such an order could only come from a government that had the support of the army and the people, implying that Lenin and the Sovnarkom did not have such support.

Lenin then promptly sacked Dukhonin, as he was prepared to to do, and replaced him with Nikolai Krylenko, a 32-year-old Ensign (but a committed Bolshevik). Krylenko then duly dispatched the armistice offer to the Germans. Dukhonin remained at Stavka, however, and maintained the backing of many other generals, as well as the other Allied governments–whether such backing meant anything at this point was unclear.

Aerial operations: Rothermere appointed President of the Air Board

Following the slightly premature departure of Lord Cowdray as President of the Air Board on 16 November, the Government today appointed a new President in Lord Rothermere. It is the intention that the new President will also become the new Minister for the Air once the Air Force Bill is passed.

Somewhat bizarrely, Rothermere is the younger brother of Lord Northcliffe, who’s turning down of the job on 16 November led to Lord Cowdray’s departure.

Rothermere has not served in the Government before, nor has he any experience of the air. However he will not be expected to carry out detailed planning and organisation of the new Air Force. His main task will be act a political head of the new service, carry out the amalgamation of the existing air services, and to develop the policies and preocedures to operate the new ministry and service.

The Board in its current form will be relatively short lived as it is due to be replaced by the Air Council specified in the Air Force Bill.

Naval operations: ship losses

SMS A60 (Kaiserliche Marine) The A26-class torpedo boat struck a mine and sank in the North Sea off the coast of Belgium with the loss of seventeen of her crew.

LA BLANCA (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the English Channel 10 nautical miles (19 km) south south east of Berry Head, Devon by SM U-96 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of two of her crew.

LUIGINA (Italy) The sailing vessel was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea east of Sardinia (39°57′N 9°58′E) by SM UC-35 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of all hands.

MARKELLA (Greece) The cargo ship was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea north of Monastagem, Algeria (35°18′N 0°20′W) by SM U-39 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.

OCEAN (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the North Sea 4 nautical miles (7.4 km) east by north of Hartlepool, County Durham by SM UB-21 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.

TROMBETAS (Portugal) The three-masted schooner was scuttled in the Atlantic Ocean 200 nautical miles (370 km) south west of Santa Maria Island, Azores (35°30′N 20°40′W) by SM U-151 ( Kaiserliche Marine).

WESTLANDS (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 10 nautical miles (19 km) north of the Île Vierge, Finistère, France by SM U-53 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.

Day 1205 of the Great War, November 25th 1917

Western Front

String German counter-attacks at Bourlon; enemy regain parts of the village.

French attack in Samogneux district, north of Verdun; they take 800 prisoners.

Eastern Front

In Russian centre (near Baranovichi) the troops continue to fraternise with the enemy.

Italian Front

Heavy mountain fighting between the Brenta and Piave; enemy attacks repulsed.

Fresh Austrian attacks in Albania; on night of 25th-26th enemy force passage of River Osum.

Sinai and Palestine campaign

Mounted troops capture Ain Karim, four miles west of Jerusalem.

British patrols, after crossing Auja river forced back by hostile infantry.

East Africa campaign: Negomano: Lettow-Vorbeck smashes the Portuguese

Germany’s Lettow-Vorbeck is being pressed hard in East Africa. The Germans had sent a Zeppelin airship to bring much needed supplies to him, but it had to turn back after learning that its intended landing site had been overrun by the British. Today the Zeppelin arrives back in Bulgaria.

Lettow-Vorbeck’s supply situation is increasingly critical, with his army (mostly locally recruited Askaris) running low out of guns and ammunition. Shortage of medicine is also a severe problem, particularly of the quinine that prevents the European officers from succumbing to malaria. But today the Germans achieve a victory that will allow them to fight on.

Pressure from the British and South Africans has forced Lettow-Vorbeck to retreat his force across the border into Portuguese Mozambique. The Portuguese have made some preparations for conflict with Lettow-Vorbeck since their declaration of war on Germany last year. However they appear to have gravely underestimated their opponent. Lettow-Vorbeck attacks the Portuguese today at Negomano, smashing their force there and driving them from the field. In the process he captures a large quantity of arms and ammunition, as well as medical supplies.

South Africa’s Deventer is leading the British pursuit of Lettow-Vorbeck. He had hoped that the campaign was coming to an end, but the Germans’ unexpected victory means that the war in Africa will continue.

Russia: Russia Holds Constituent Assembly Elections

Although Lenin had little intention of sharing power with any other parties, the Bolsheviks did nothing to interfere with the long-planned (and long-delayed) elections to the Constituent Assembly on November 25. The Assembly was to draft a new Russian constitution, one that would replace the (now-defunct) Provisional Government with a permanent one. Lenin’s grudging support for the election was due to a number of reasons: they had promised to let it go forward when they took over (and had raised the specter that Kerensky might cancel it as a justification), many Bolshevik moderates supported it, they lacked sufficient authority nationwide to cancel it everywhere, and a sudden cancellation would likely provoke a civil war

The Bolsheviks, although they had hoped their firmly pro-Soviet and anti-war platform would have a broad appeal across the country, were rarely under the delusion that they could win a nationwide election, and the results of the Constituent Assembly bore this out. While they polled quite well in Petrograd and Moscow and among soldiers, the overall results were a massive victory for the Socialist-Revolutionary (SR) party; while figures for the election results vary, most sources agree that the SRs won around 40%, while the Bolsheviks polled under 25%. Of course, the SRs themselves were bitterly divided at this point; Kerensky was an SR, while others supported the Bolshevik takeover. It is unclear whether the SRs elected to the Assembly were pro- or anti-Bolshevik (the lists of candidates having been drawn up far before Kerensky’s downfall), but it seems likely that the anti-Bolshevik SRs had an edge.

Regardless, two things were clear. First, the Bolsheviks did not have a majority of the people behind them. They thus did the best they could to delegitimize the election results and the Constituent Assembly as a whole. Second, no single party or obvious coalition had an overall majority in the Assembly. The SRs (even if they put aside their differences) were short, and the Bolsheviks and their SR allies were short as well. Other parties, including the Ukrainian SRs, the Mensheviks (strongest in the Caucasus), and the right-wing Kadets (strongest in the cities, though well behind the Bolsheviks there), would prevent any obvious anti- (or pro-) Bolshevik coalition from being formed.

Aerial operations: Record Breakers

Today, the Zeppelin L59 returned to its shed after a record breaking 95 hour flight in an (ultimately unsuccessful) attempt to supply Paul von Lettow-Vorbeck’s force in German East Africa.

As it would be impossible to resupply the airship with hydrogen gas upon its arrival in Africa, the plan was that every part of the ship be cannibalized for use by Lettow-Vorbeck’s bush army. For example, the outer envelope would be used for tents, muslin linings would become bandages, the duralumin framework would be used for wireless towers, etc. L59 also carried 15 tons of supplies including machine guns, spares and ammunition, food, medical supplies, a medical team and Iron Cross medals.

The ship set off on 21 November 1917 after a number of aborted attempts. After an uneventful start, the ship met electrical storms over Crete, and was forced to wind in the wireless aerial and could no longer receive messages from the German admiralty. L59 crossed over the African coast at around 0515 on 22 November near Mersa Matruh and, flying set off up the Nile. That afternoon, an engine malfunctioned when a reduction gear housing cracked. The loss of power made radio transmissions impossible, although wireless messages could still be received.

The next morning the ship encountered heat turbulence from the dunes below and the subsequent cooling reduced the buoyancy of the gas causing the ship to lose height and nearly crash. The crew also suffered from headaches, hallucinations and general fatigue in the mid-day heat and freezing cold at night. The ship continued over Sudan, but was eventually turned back on 23 November, with the ship 125 miles due west of Khartoum. THe captain decided to return despite the pleadings of the crew.

The ship returned to base the morning of 25 November 1917, having traveled over 4,200 miles (6,800 km) in 95 hours.

The British later attempted to claim that they had hoodwinked the ship into returning with a false communication that Lettow-Vorbeck had surrendered. This was initially plausible as the British, had broken the German naval wireless code, were aware of the flight and mission. However, Lettow-Vorbeck had actually sent a message to abort the mission. The weak signal was amplified and forwarded by stations in friendly or neutral territories, and eventually reached the German naval command. Lettow-Vorbeck had been unable to hold the flatlands around Mahenge, the planned destination of the airship, and had been forced by British artillery to retreat into jagged mountains where the airship would have no chance of touching down without risking explosion. With no hope of a place to safely land and with every likelihood of her being destroyed or falling into enemy hands, the German command had no choice but to order a return.

Naval operations: ship losses

INIZIATATIVA (Italy) The sailing vessel was torpedoed and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea south of Sicily by SM UC-67 ( Kaiserliche Marine).

KAREMA (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 33 nautical miles (61 km) south east of Cabo de Gata, Andalusia, Spain (36°30′N 1°32′W) by SM U-39 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of three crew.

ORIFLAMME (United Kingdom) The tanker struck a mine laid by UC 63 (Karsten von Heydebreck) and sank in the English Channel 9 nautical miles (17 km) south of the Nab Lightship ( United Kingdom). Her crew survived.

OSTPREUSSEN (United Kingdom) The cargo ship struck a mine laid by UC 11 (Karl Dobberstein) and sank in the North Sea 1.5 nautical miles (2.8 km) east of the Shipwash Lightship ( United Kingdom) with the loss of a crew member.

OVID (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 65 nautical miles (120 km) north east of Suda Bay, Crete, Greece by SM UC-74 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of two of her crew.

Day 1207 of the Great War, November 27th 1917

Western Front

Severe village fighting at Fontaine Notre Dame and Bourlon; British line advanced and 500 prisoners taken; enemy attack west of Moeuvres repulsed.

French success near Hill 344 (Verdun).

Brazil

Brazil concludes agreement with France for the use of 30 interned German ships, to carry food for the Allies.

Russia: Bolshevik Foreign Minister Trotsky Publishes Secret Treaties Made Between Allies and Russia

Outside of Russia, few people understood who the Bolsheviks were or what they wanted. What mattered to policy makers in London and Paris was that Russia, Bolshevik-led or not, remained part of the anti-German alliance and did not make a separate peace, as the 1915 Treaty of London had stipulated.

The Bolsheviks thus quickly became a nightmare. Lenin did not hide his intention to make peace with the Germans, and on November 27 three blindfolded Russian envoys crossed into German lines at Dvinsk with authority from Petrograd to begin armistice negotiations.

The situation became even worse for the allies when Bolshevik Foreign Minister Leon Trotsky published all the secret treaties made between Russia and the western Allies during and before the war. Secret diplomacy had been a staple of European politics for years, and the publication for everyone of secret documents led to great embarrassment for governments. The published notes revealed the Allied plans to give France a free hand in western Germany after the war, to pass Constantinople and the Straits to Russia, to give Italy large tracts of Austria and Turkey, and Romania land from other Balkan states. These documents confirmed allegations that the Allies had less than restoring the sovereignty of small nations in mind. Worse, many of the treaties made between Britain, France, and Russia came at the expense of junior Allied partners like Italy.

“The Government of workmen and peasants abolishes secret diplomacy, with its intrigues, secret cyphers, and lies,” proclaimed Trotsky in Petrograd. “We desire a speedy peace, so that peoples may honourably live and work together. In revealing before the whole world the work of the governing classes as it is expressed in the secret documents of diplomacy, we turn to the workers with that appeal which will always form the basis of our foreign policy: “Proletarians of all countries, unite!”

France: Supreme War Council Appointed

The Supreme Allied War Council, agreed on by the Western Allies after the disaster at Caporetto, had its membership announced on November 27. The French, who would likely be taking the preeminent role (especially as the council was to be based at Versailles), were represented by Ferdinand Foch. The British were to be represented by General Henry Wilson, who had a good relationship with Foch and had a long history of helping to coordinate the British and French armies, especially in the lead-up to the Nivelle Offensive. Lloyd George also hoped that Wilson would serve as a valuable second opinion to counterbalance Haig and Robertson, one that he had sorely lacked during the fighting in Passchendaele.

The Italians would be represented by Cadorna, sidelined since his defeat at Caporetto. With the Italians having suffered tremendous losses and now viewed as being somewhat of a liability, he would have little influence on the council. The Americans, though as of yet having only a small presence in Europe, would be represented by Chief of Staff Tasker Bliss; he would continue in this role in 1918 even after he was automatically retired from his role as US Army Chief of Staff. The Russians, who were simultaneously actively seeking an armistice, were not represented on the Supreme War Council; in fact, one of the council’s first decisions at their first meeting on December 1 was to cease all aid shipments to the Russians. None of the other Allies were represented, generally being considered too small or too distant to have major input on the Western Front.

Aerial operations: Lords Committee Stage for Air Force Bill

The Air Force Bill reached its committee stage in the House of Lords. As in the Commons, the Lords dealt with the Bill by means of a Committee of the Whole House.

In the end though, there was little debate and no further amendments were made. There was some comment about the vagueness of parts of the Bill, but much of this was put down to the speed of passage in wartime and the detail would be worked out in later secondary legislation.

The Bill was then returned to the Commons that afternoon with the amendment detailed on 21 November.

Naval operations: ship losses

ALMOND BRANCH (United Kingdom) The cargo ship torpedoed and sunk in the English Channel 2 nautical miles (3.7 km) south east of Dodman Point, Cornwall (50°12′N 4°45′W) by SM UB-57 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of one crew member.

BJADITELNY (Imperial Russian Navy) The destroyer struck a mine laid by UC 58 (Karl Vesper) and sank in the Baltic Sea off Rauma, Finland.

BLEAMOOR (United Kingdom) The collier was torpedoed and sunk in the English Channel 4 nautical miles (7.4 km) south south east of Berry Head, Devon (50°22′N 3°25′W) by SM UB-80 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of eight of her crew.

BREMIER (United Kingdom) The fishing smack was shelled and sunk in the English Channel 16 nautical miles (30 km) south east of Start Point, Devon by a Kaiserliche Marine submarine.

EASTFIELD (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the English Channel 7 nautical miles (13 km) east south east of Dodman Point (50°14′06″N 4°42′06″W) by SM UB-57 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of a crew member.

GALILEO FERRARIS (Italian Royal Navy) The Pullino-class submarine was beached by a storm at Magnavacca, Italy, on the night of 27-28 November. Refloated in January 1918, she was found to be damaged beyond repair.

GLADYS (United Kingdom) The coaster struck a mine laid by UC 69 (Hugo Thielmann) and sank in the English Channel 3 nautical miles (5.6 km) south west of Cap Gris Nez, Pas-de-Calais, France with the loss of six of her crew.

GROESWEN (United Kingdom) The collier struck a mine laid by UC 11 (Ferdinand Schwartz) and sank in the North Sea 3 nautical miles (5.6 km) north east of the Shipwash Lightship ( United Kingdom) (51°55′N 1°40′E). Her crew survived.

NOTRE DAME DE ROSTRENEN (France) The schooner was shelled and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 59 nautical miles (109 km) west of Ouessant, Finistère (48°36′N 5°50′W) by SM U-101 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.

PREMIER (United Kingdom) The fishing smack was sunk in the English Channel 16 nautical miles (30 km) south east of Start Point by SM U-67 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.

TUNGUE (Portugal) The passenger ship was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 120 nautical miles (220 km) north of Port Said, Egypt by SM UB-51 ( Kaiserliche Marine).

VILLE DE TAHN (France) The cargo ship was sunk in the English Channel 13 nautical miles (24 km) north east of The Lizard, Cornwall by SM UC-64 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.

Day 1209 of the Great War, November 29th 1917

Western Front

Slight British gain west of Bourlon Wood.

Enemy attack Belgian positions near Aschhoop.

Artillery activity in Ypres sector.

Photo: A captured German 15 cm naval gun. Ribecourt, 29 November, 1917



Photo: A tank of 'C' Battalion, Tank Corps, travelling along the Marcoing Road, bringing in a captured German 15 cm naval gun through a wood east of Ribecourt, 29 November 1917



Eastern Front

Cessation of hostilities on Russian front.

Russian artillery in Trotus (Moldavia) valley breaks up enemy operations.

Italian Front

Enemy efforts on the River Piave fail.

United Kingdom

Letter in "Daily Telegraph" from Lord Lansdowne calling for a re-statement of Allies' War Aims.

Russia: Estonia Declares National Sovereignty

The Russian empire was falling apart. With the Bolshevik coup causing chaos in Russia’s cities, the Estonian Diet in Tallinn took the opportunity to declare its Independence from Russia. The wave of joy in Tallinn would be short-lived, however, as the Red Army quickly arrived to quash the Diet government. The Estonian independence movement was driven underground. In February 1918, after the break-down of negotiations between the Bolshevks and the Central Powers, German troops would arrive to occupy the Baltic states, pushing out the Red Army and turning Estonia into a German satellite.

Germany: Germans Embrace Bolshevik Peace Offer

After Dukhonin’s dismissal, his replacement, Krylenko, (who had yet to arrive at Stavka, and was still at the Bolshevik-friendly Northern Front) dispatched representatives across the front lines to seek a ceasefire on November 26. The Germans agreed in principle and sent them back the next day. On November 29, the Germans publicly acknowledged this, with Chancellor Hertling telling the Reichstag that the Bolsheviks’ recent call for peace was a solid basis for the start of negotiations, and that he would enter into peace negotiations with the Russians as soon as representatives sent for this purpose arrived. He also expressed a hope that Poland, Lithuania, and Courland (all currently under the occupation of the Central Powers) would express their right of self-determination under a “constitutional form of government corresponding to their conditions,” a phrase presumably vague enough to allow them to be German puppets.

The Kaiser was even more optimistic for the negotiations with the Bolsheviks, and told Foreign Minister Kühlmann to even attempt to negotiate an alliance with the new Russian government. Such a proposal was entirely unrealistic due to the conditions in Russia and the Bolsheviks’ ideological commitments, and was likely ignored. The Kaiser may have thought that Lenin was far more pro-German than he actually was, or was simply hoping for a miraculous repeat of Prussia’s diplomatic success with the Russians at the close of the Seven Years’ War, as Hitler would hope for near the close of the next war.
Naval operations: Italy

British monitor destroys bridge of boats at Passarella, five miles up the Piave.

Aerial operations: Air Force Bill passed

Yesterday the Air Force Bill returned from the Lords. After a short debate the Lords amendments were accepted and the Bill passed its Third Reading. However, overall the Bill made its passage through Parliament more or less as drafted by the Government with only a number of minor amendments.

Today, the Air Force Bill received royal assent and is now the Air Force Act (though this was subsequently changed to the Air Force (Constitution) Act). Such is the urgency that it only took two weeks from introduction to completion.

Now begins the mammoth task of actually setting up the new service.

Aerial operations: Fate catches up with German fighter pilot Erwin Böhme

Last year German fighter pilot Erwin Böhme accidentally caused the death of his commander, fighter ace Oswald Boelcke, when their aeroplanes collided during a dogfight. The distraught Böhme had to be dissuaded from killing himself.

Since then Böhme has made his reputation as a fighter pilot, notching up an impressive rate of kills. Three days ago he was awarded the Pour la Merité, Germany’s highest award for bravery. This morning he shoots down his 24th enemy aircraft, a British Sopwith Camel. Later in the day he sets off on another patrol over the Ypres salient. Spotting a British aeroplane on a reconnaissance mission, he swoops to attack. Unfortunately he overshoots and the British fliers manage to score enough hits on his Albatross to set its fuel ablaze. Böhme goes down in flames, crashing on the British side of the lines.

The British retrieve Böhme’s charred body and bury him with full military honours. He was 38 years old, almost twice the age of most other fighter pilots.

Naval operations: ship losses

Bob (Norway): The coaster was sunk in the English Channel 8 nautical miles (15 km) south south east of Start Point, Devon, United Kingdom by SM UB-35 with the loss of three of her crew.

HAUGASTOL (Norway): The cargo ship was sunk in the English Channel 10 nautical miles (19 km) south by west of Start Point by SM UB-35. Her crew survived.

HMML 52 (Royal Navy) The motor launch was lost on this date.

PIERRE (France): The sailing vessel was sunk in the Atlantic Ocean north of Cornwall, United Kingdom by SM U-57. Her crew survived.

TEXAS(France): The cargo ship was torpedoed and damaged in the Bay of Biscay off Groix, Morbihan by SM UB-59. She was beached but was later refloated, repaired and returned to service.

SM UB-61 (Kaiserliche Marine): The Type UB III submarine struck a mine and sank in the North Sea (53°52'N 4°58'E) with the loss of all 34 crew.