The First World War

[Ennath]

August 26, 1914
Western Front, France The British rearguard, Smith-Dorrien’s II Corps, has become separated from Haig’s I Corps during the retreat from Mons and pauses at Le Cateau for rest. Beginning at 6:00 AM, the Germans pound the position with artillery. Seven hours later, they attack into a deadly British cannonade. Though greatly outnumbered and with some units totally surrounded, the British hold their ground in the largest British battle since Waterloo, temporarily halting Kluck’s advance. The French abandon the Alsace-Lorraine offensive and fall back on St. Die.
Joseph Gallieni, 65 years old, is appointed military governor of Paris, which he has been urging the defense of. The question now is how to talk Joffre out of some troops for the city’s defense. When Paris requests three corps, Joffre denounces what he considers government interference in the conduct of the war.
War Crimes In retaliation for some sniping by Belgian partisans, the Germans raze Louvain. The havoc lasts three days. 248 people are killed, up to 40,000 deported, and 2100 buildings destroyed, some holding priceless medieval manuscripts.
Eastern Front, East Prussia The German plan at Tannenberg is to envelop and destroy Samsonov’s Russian 2nd Army. Mackensen’s corps will attack the Russian right, Scholz’s corps the center and Francois’s the left. As Mackensen launches his attack, the Russians assume he is retreating before Rennenkampf, giving the Germans an advantage. By the end of the day, Mackensen has fulfilled his objectives and Scholz has driven back the center. Soldau falls to German attack. Francois does less well. The Russian commander perceives that his army is in danger of being enveloped. Grand Duke Nicholas visits Zhilinsky and orders him to support Samsonov. Instead, not seeing the danger, he sends half of Rennenkampf’s army to invest Königsberg and the other half to pursue the retreating Germans; there is no sense of urgency. Ludendorff receives a call from OHL apprising him that Moltke has authorized the dispatch of three corps and a cavalry detachment from the Western Front as reinforcements.
Eastern Front, Poland Conrad has been advancing his 1st and 4th Armies (Dankl and Auffenberg) northward, anticipating a major battle with the Russians above Lemberg and meeting slight resistance. Unaware of this advance Grand Duke Nicholas has sent Russian 5th Army (Plehve) westward across Auffenberg’s path. The armies join in battle without any knowledge of each other’s strength in a battle around Zamosc-Komarow. Meanwhile, Russian 3rd Army routs Austrian 3rd Army twelve miles to the south, but comes to a halt at Grila Lipa; the Russians fail to pursue effectively. Russian 8th Army is coming into play along the Austrian right flank. Salza is relieved at Russian 4th Army and replaced by General Evert.
Serbian Front The Austrians evacuate Novi Pazar.
Togoland The colony is surrendered unconditionally.
Baltic Sea The German light cruiser Magdeburg runs aground near the Odensholm lighthouse. Attempts to refloat her fail and the Russian cruisers Bogatyr and Pallada arrive to destroy her with gunfire. While abandoning ship, the code books are thrown overboard per standard procedure, but these are not weighted properly and are soon recovered by Russian divers. Sent to London, these will prove of great value to Allied intelligence.

August 26, 1915
North Sea British aircraft sink a U-Boat off Ostend.
Eastern Front The Germans occupy the fort of Olita on the Niemen. Brusilov’s 8th Army attacks at Tarnopol in the south, taking 7000 Austrian prisoners. Austrian troops being gathered for the coming Serbian campaign have to be diverted to this sector.
India The rebellious Bunerwal tribesmen are defeated at Surkhabi.

August 26, 1916
War at Sea The auxiliary cruiser Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse is sunk while coaling at Rio de Oro by the 2nd class cruiser Highflyer. In its two years of cruising, it has sunk just 3 ships, of 10,683 tons.
Eastern Front The Russians make slight progress toward Halicz.
Macedonia The Serbs face Bulgarian counterattacks near Kukuruz.

August 26, 1917
Western Front, Ypres The British gain east of Hargicourt.
Western Front, Elsewhere The French at the Meuse reach the outskirts of Beaumont. 2nd Army has taken all its objectives.
Eastern Front The Austro-Germans renew attacks east of Czernowitz, taking 1000 prisoners.
Italian Front Practically the whole of the Bainsizza Plateau is in Italian hands. An attack at Jenelik fails.

August 26, 1918
Western Front As ordered by Haig, British 1st Army attacks on the River Scarpe, sending the Canadian Corps in the lead, capturing Monchy-le-Preux, reaching the outskirts of Roeux, and menacing the rear of the German troops facing Byng’s army. During the night, Ludendorff issues orders for a general, if limited, withdrawal to a line from Peronne through Ham to Noyon.
Finland The government disclaims any intention of supporting a German move against the Murmansk Railway.
Russia British air reconnaissance flying from Qazvin reports that the Turks have assembled 12,500 troops for an assault on the Russian and British defenses at Baku. The assault begins a little after 10:00 AM at Volchi Vorota, a volcano northeast of the city where the defenders have dug in. Deterred only by rifle and machine gun fire, the Turks manage to take the hill by 1:00, but British counterattacks later drive them from Binagadi Hill, previously abandoned by Armenian troops. The British reinforce their positions at Balajari railroad station, the initial goal of the Turkish attack that falls short due to heavy losses. Although outnumbered 10-1, the British hold, losing 95 casualties.
Sizeable infantry forces finally reach Archangelsk, though they are Category B troops, full of age, wounds and war weariness. They are sent up the Dvina or the rail line.
Denikin takes Novorossisk, opening a port for Allied supplies.

August 26, 1920
Russia The Soviets, in full occupation of Kazakhstan, abolish the Alash Autonomy.

August 26, 1921
Germany Center Party leader Matthias Erzberger, an armistice negotiator, is shot in Baden.

[squigg58]

Originally Posted by Ennath

August 26, 1915
North Sea British aircraft sink a U-Boat off Ostend.

I seem to recall that we had a short debate (post #257 onwards) about the first submarine to be sunk by an aircraft.

I think we now have the answer!

From the London Gazette, 13th September 1915:

Citation for the award of the Distinguished Service Order

Squadron-Commander Arthur Wellesley Bigsworth, R.N.

For his services in destroying single-handed a German submarine on the morning of August 26th, 1915, by bombs dropped from an aeroplane. Squadron-Commander Bigsworth was under heavy fire from the shore batteries and from the submarine whilst manoeuvring for position. Nevertheless, displaying great coolness, he descended to 500 feet, and after several attempts was able to get a good line for dropping the bombs with full effect.

As a Flight Commander, Bigsworth, in an Avro 504B, had attacked attacked Zeppelin LZ39 on 17 May 1915. He managed to cripple the airship by dropping four bombs through five of her gas cells, although the airship managed to regain its base. He was awarded the DSO for his actions.

[deepsepia]

Is this Squadron Commander Bigsworth the namesake of "Biggles"? ( whose proper name is "Bigglesworth" -- quite similar )

[squigg58]

Originally Posted by deepsepia

Is this Squadron Commander Bigsworth the namesake of "Biggles"? ( whose proper name is "Bigglesworth" -- quite similar )

When I was reading up about the attack on the U-boat (yet to find out which one it was!), I did find several references to Bigsworth being the inspiration for Biggles. It's claimed that Bigsworth met Capt W.E. Johns at the Air Ministry where he worked after the war.

However, I did find a more complete (and in my opinion, credible) reference which said that Johns stated that he didn't base the character of Biggles on any single person. Instead, Biggles was based on an amalgam of a number of pilots ... including himself!

As a bit of trivia; in September 1918, W.E Johns was shot down by the German ace, Ernst Udet who was commanding Jasta 4 of JG1 (previously Richtofen's unit, which was then being led by Hermann Göring).

[Mal Hombre]

WE Johns was a bomber pilot and after the war enlisted TE Lawrence into the RAF,under the name Aircraftman Ross.He also edited two flying magazines,One of which featured a article by one "Captain Goering"...

[Blackgate]

Just one very minor correction to make: the German raider 'Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse' was sunk on Aug 26th 1914 not 1916. None of the converted liners lasted that long; they were just too difficult to keep supplied with coal.

The depth of research you're putting into this - especially the events on the Eastern Front - is staggering.

Thanks and regards,

Jon

[Ennath]

August 27, 1914
Western Front The British fall back from St. Quentin. The Germans occupy Lille and Mezieres. A British force of mixed soldiers and marines occupies Ostend. Maubeuge is isolated and invested.
Eastern Front, East Prussia At 4:00 AM Francois’s corps begins so fierce a bombardment of Russian I Corps that the Russians quit the field and Usdau falls without the commitment of a single German soldier. Zhilinsky finally realizes that his 2nd Army is in peril; his orders to Rennenkampf to move to its assistance are obeyed only in shadow.
Eastern Front, Poland Russian forces on Galicia take Halicz.
France Viviani’s government is reorganized. Millerand becomes Minister of War and Delcassé Minister of Foreign Affairs.

August 27, 1915
Western Front The French in Alsace capture some trenches near Sondernach.
Eastern Front Gallwitz’s army takes Bialystok. Despite the opposition of Hindenburg and Ludendorff, who would like to strengthen the eastern armies in the hope of annihilating the main Russian armies, Falkenhayn orders redeployment of one of Mackensen’s divisions to the Danube. He plans further such redeployments from the Eastern Front, believing that a major Allied offensive in France is planned for September. He also believes that the Russians, having lost almost a million men and great quantities of war materiel, have no hope of mounting an offensive in the near future. The Russian line in East Galicia is broken on the Zlota Lipa.
Italian Front 2nd Army fails to take the peak at Rombon.
Serbian Front Montenegrin troops repulse Austrian attacks at Grahovo.
Dardanelles Attacks are resumed on Hill 60.
Diplomatic Relations The Germans assure the United States that submarines are now forbidden to attack merchantmen without warning and that “full satisfaction” will be given for the sinking of the Arabic. They ask in return that the Americans pressure the Allies to relax the food blockade.

August 27, 1916
Western Front, Verdun A German effort at Fleury is repulsed.
Allied Planning Joffre presses Haig for another July 1 scale attack. Haig is reluctant and says he cannot launch a major attack before mid September. Joffre responds “That’s too late. That’s death.” But he has no choice except to accept the delay. He complains bitterly and openly that the British “as usual” are not doing as they promised.
Macedonia The Serbs gain ground near Vetrenik.
Diplomatic Relations Rumania declares war on Austria-Hungary.
Rumanian Front The Rumanian army consists of 620,000 men in 24 divisions; training is fair, but command and equipment leave much to be desired. Most of the troops are illiterate and ill-suited for a high technology war. Rumanian armies invade Transylvania. Torpedo boats of the Rumanian Danube Flotilla attempt a surprise attack on the Austrian Danube Flotilla, but sink only a coal barge.
German Command Falkenhayn is surprised by the Rumanian invasion, having felt certain that no such move would occur until late September, following the harvest, and is astonished – another mistake to be held against him, in the opinion of the kaiser, who frets “The war is lost.” The kaiser has staunchly supported Falkenhayn, but Chancellor Bethmann-Hollweg has been urging his dismissal. The chancellor, now convinced that Germany cannot win the war, wants Falkenhayn replaced by commanders who have the needed credibility and stature with the public to win acceptance of a peace settlement negotiated on the basis of the status quo now prevailing on the Eastern and Western Fronts – namely Hindenburg and Ludendorff.
Greece Venizelists demonstrate in Athens. Venizelos announces his opposition to the Crown’s policies. King Constantine, he says, is the victim of malicious advisors, and he urges a policy of benevolent neutrality toward the Allies.

August 27, 1917
Western Front, Ypres The British gain 200 yards of muddy soup at Ypres.
Western Front, Elsewhere The French at Verdun repulse a counterattack.
Russia At the Russian National Conference, Kornilov appeals for measures to restore discipline in the army. There is a major explosion at an ammunition depot at Kazan, blamed on German agents.
Diplomatic Relations President Wilson responds to Pope Benedict’s peace appeal. Wilson declares that there can be no return to the prewar status nor a peace settlement so long as the current German government remains in power.

August 27, 1918
Western Front The British capture Cherisy and Trones Wood. South of the Somme, the British advance toward Peronne. French troops occupy Roye.

August 27, 1928
Diplomatic Relations The Kellogg-Briand Pact is signed. By its terms, all signatories, including the USA, Britain, France, Germany, Italy, and Japan, agree to renounce aggressive war. It marks the height of interwar optimism. There is, however, no provision for enforcement.

[Ennath]

August 28, 1910
Montenegro The Principality is proclaimed a Kingdom.

August 28, 1914
Western Front The Germans take Fort Manonviller at Avricourt. British cavalry fight a successful action near La Fere. The British abandon their base at Amiens. Longwy finally falls to the Germans after a three and a half week siege. Foch takes command of a new 9th Army, with troops taken from 3rd and 4th Armies.
Eastern Front, East Prussia Once again, Francois begins the day with a heavy artillery barrage. Ignoring Ludendorff’s orders to relieve Scholz’s troops in the center, Francois pushes due east against Samsonov’s left. By afternoon, Mackensen is driving hard against the Russian right and Below leads a force into a gap at Allenstein to join the attack on the Russian center. With his flanks turned and sensing disaster, Samsonov telegraphs General Zhilinsky, commander of Northwest Front, that he is taking personal command of the battle. He mounts up and rides with his staff to the front.
Eastern Front, Poland Russian 5th Army’s left is driven back and Plehve is in danger of envelopment. Russian troops defeat the Austrians at Lutzow.
North Sea Battle of Heligoland Bight. The Royal Navy has been eager to engage the Germans at sea and Commodores Reginald Tyrwhitt and Roger Keyes have devised a plan to lure German destroyer patrols into an attack by Tyrwhitt’s two light cruisers and two destroyer flotillas and Keyes’ submarines. Unknown to these two, Admiral David Beatty, commanding the Battlecruiser Squadron, has received Jellicoe’s permission to join them with 1st Light Cruiser Squadron. The Germans have learned of the operation and lure Tyrwhitt into a confrontation with a large force of cruisers at Heligoland Bight. Tyrwhitt calls for assistance and is amazed when Beatty’s force comes to the rescue. The combined British force sinks three German light cruisers (Mainz, Köln and Ariadne) and a destroyer (V187) and inflicts 1200 casualties. The British have the cruiser Arethusa heavily damaged. The battle evokes joy within the Royal Navy but also apprises the Admiralty of weaknesses in planning, communications and organization. The effect on the Kaiser is dramatic. He now requires that his consent should be received before risking the fleet. Tirpitz protests.

August 28, 1915
Italian Front The Italians in the Trentino capture Monte Cista. Four days of attacks begin in the Mrzli sector; all fail.
Dardanelles The Australians capture some of the Turkish positions on Hill 60, but the Turks cling to the vital northern face overlooking Suvla Bay.
India The Bunerwals suffer a second defeat at Malandri Pass.

August 28, 1916
Western Front, Somme British troops take most of Delville Wood.
Western Front, Verdun The French gain southeast of Thiaumont. More German attacks on Fleury fail.
Rumanian Front The Austrians abandon Kronstadt. Austrian monitors bombard Rumanian positions on the Danube.
Macedonia Serbian troops progress along the Cherna River.
British Command General Frederick Maude succeeds Sir Percy Lake as commander in chief in Mesopotamia. The new commander begins work immediately on restoring morale and strengthening his forces with reinforcements, equipment, and hospital facilities.
German Command Kaiser Wilhelm II accepts the resignation of Falkenhayn as chief of the General Staff and names Hindenburg, hastily recalled from the East with Ludendorff for consultation, as his replacement. The kaiser reassigns Falkenhayn, who wishes to continue in military service to his country, as commander of the German and Austrian forces opposing Rumania.
Diplomatic Relations Germany declares war on Rumania. Italy declares war on Germany.

August 28, 1917
Italian Front An Austrian counterattack on the Bainsizza Plateau breaks down.
Rumanian Front The Germans attack in the Marasesti region. Defection of a Russian division opens a gap enabling the Germans to penetrate to Vainitza, but a Rumanian force blocks further exploitation. There is heavy fighting in the Ocna valley as the Rumanians resist stubbornly.
Baltic Sea German seaplanes attack Russian shipping in the Gulf of Riga, with little success.
Russia The Russian National Conference closes.
Black Sea A second commando raid on the Anatolian coast fails under heavy Turkish fire.

[Ennath]

August 29, 1914
Western Front Allied forces continue to fight stiff rearguard actions as the Germans push on through Amiens, La Fere and Rethel. Lanrezac attacks at St. Quentin, but is repulsed. Bülow moves against Lanrezac’s right, where Louis Franchet D’Esperey not only halts the German advance, but counterattacks successfully at Guise. Nevertheless, 5th Army remains in danger because 4th Army and the BEF are already a day’s march to his rear, exposing his flanks. .Joffre visits General French, urging him to come to Lanrezac’s assistance by rejoining the battle, but French insists that his men need several days’ rest. At 10:00, Joffre orders Lanrezac to blow up the bridges over the Oise and withdraw. The Germans open a heavy bombardment of Maubeuge.
Eastern Front, Poland Austrian 3rd Army attacks Russian 3rd and 8th Armies with inadequate artillery preparation, against superior numbers.
Cameroon A British attack on Garua is repulsed.
Pacific New Zealand troops occupy German Samoa with little resistance.

August 29, 1915
Eastern Front The Germans approach Grodno. Lipsk is captured. The Germans establish a Dvina bridgehead at Friedrichstadt. Gallwitz’s army is exhausted by now, having taken 30% casualties.
Dardanelles The attacks at Hill 60 are broken off.
Mesopotamia With Baghdad as his final goal, General Nixon has concentrated his forces at Al Amarah under Sir Charles Townshend. Townshend receives orders directing him to “destroy and disperse the enemy and so to occupy Kut, thereby consolidating our control of the Basra vilayet.”
India Swat tribesmen are repulsed at Sandaki.

August 29, 1916
Eastern Front The Russians take Mount Pantyr, near Jablonica Pass. The Germans fall back on Halicz.
Rumanian Front Rumanian troops occupy Kronstadt, Petrozseny, and Kezdi-Vasarhely.
Greece Military partisans of Eleutherios Venizelos in Salonika, instigated by General Sarrail, stage a coup, forcing officers loyal to King Constantine to leave the city and setting up the “National Defense” movement as an ally of the Entente powers. At the same time, an Allied fleet anchors at Salamis to put further pressure on Constantine. Both King George V and Tsar Nicholas II object to such blatant interference in Greece’s internal affairs.
German Command Hindenburg is officially installed as chief of the General Staff. His long time Eastern Front partner, Erich Ludendorff, becomes First Quartermaster General and, at Hindenburg’s insistence, shares equal authority and responsibility with the chief. In fact, the authority is all Ludendorff’s as Hindenburg is increasingly indolent. The German public welcomes the change in military leadership.
The Duo are replaced at Ober Ost by Prince Leopold of Bavaria, but the real power remains in the hands of Max Hoffmann, who remains as chief of staff.

August 29, 1917
Western Front, Ypres Plumer submits his plans to Haig.He recommends shifting the main focus to the south to take advantage of control of Messines Ridge, advancing in a series of short thrusts at six-day intervals, each having the objective of taking about 1500 yards, so as to maintain artillery coverage and discourage counterattacks, and employing artillery in its greatest concentrations yet – one gun per 5.2 yards. The infantry density is also increased, with each attacking corps responsible for only 1000 yards of front.
Poland The Polish State Council resigns.
Rumanian Front Rumanian attacks at Marasesti are repulsed.
Canada The Military Service Act is passed, instituting conscription if the premier feels it necessary. The battle over the bill has created a rift between English and French Canadians.

August 29, 1918
Western Front British troops recapture Bapaume. The French retake Noyon and cross the Ailette.
Albania The Austrian offensive is checked.

[Ennath]

August 30, 1914
Western Front German troops occupy Laon. Kluck faces a dilemma. His 1st Army has driven the BEF from its front; for the time being – as Kluck sees it – the British are out of the picture. On his right some clashes have occurred with French troops (part of Maunoury’s 6th Army, formerly the Army of Lorraine, but in Kluck’s opinion scattered and unimportant elements) Bülow, on his left, has called for help.
France Paris is bombed for the first time; a Taube monoplane drops three bombs and leaflets urging surrender. Two people are killed by the bombs. Gallieni advises the government to leave the capital.
French Command Ruffey is replaced at 3rd Army by Maurice Sarrail, a radical republican with many friends in the government and the support of Joffre, but only modest talents.
German Command OHL moves to Luxembourg City.
War Crimes Perhaps as a result of widespread outrage following reports of the destruction of Louvain in worldwide newspapers, the Germans end the sack, but continue to blame the victims.
Eastern Front, East Prussia After Below breaks through at Allenstein, Russian 2nd Army is virtually surrounded. Some corps flounder, lost in forests and marshes. Samsonov, also lost and realizing his army has suffered a disaster, goes off alone into a pine thicket and shoots himself. The Battle of Tannenberg has brought cost the Russians 125,000 casualties and 500 guns. German casualties have been about 15,000. Aside from its strategic significance, the German victory is a tremendous psychological coup; Allied confidence in Russia plummets, while the German nation is roused to such a pitch of enthusiasm that the true significance of the developing Marne battle in France will be largely overlooked.
Eastern Front, Poland Plehve escapes encirclement, pulling back with the loss of 40% of his strength. Austrian 3rd Army loses 20,000 men and are forced into retreat by a Russian attack at the Grila Lipa River. Austrian 2nd Army finally arrives, just in time to join the retreat.
Serbian Front The Austrians are recovering from the repulse of their first invasion and are preparing a second.
Caucasus Armenian rebels seize the city of Zeitun and hold it until December 1.
Cameroon The British occupy Nsanakong, but a German counterattack drives them out again with heavy loss.

August 30, 1915
Italian Front The Italians take Monte Maronia in the Julian Alps.
Eastern Front The Russians defeat an Austrian force on the Styrpa in southern Galicia, taking 4000 prisoners.
Diplomatic Relations The British agree to concessions to American trade with regards to the blockade.
War at Sea U-Boats are given orders not to sink merchant ships or passenger liners without first giving warning and providing time for the crews and passengers to disembark. These orders endanger the U-Boats since they deprive them of their chief weapons – stealth and surprise.

August 30, 1916
Albania Italian troops occupy Tepelini.
Diplomatic Relations Turkey declares war on Rumania.

August 30, 1917
Palestine The British advance their lines some 600 yards southwest of Gaza.
Rumanian Front Further German attacks are stopped.

August 30, 1918
Western Front Australian troops cross the Somme west of Peronne, taking Clery. The British attack toward Cambrai; on the Lys front, they reoccupy Bailleul.
Russia Dora Kaplan, a disgruntled Social Revolutionary attempts to assassinate Lenin in Moscow.