- At Ypres the commander of the German XXVI Corps decides that there are too few gas cylinders available for immediate use, and thus calls off further offensive operations for the time being until additional gas cylinders can be installed. Though occasional British and French counterattacks occur (accomplishing nothing), a pause ensues in the 2nd Battle of Ypres.
- The northern end of the Eastern Front has been comparatively quiet over the past few months, in contrast to the Winter Battle of the Masurian Lakes just to the south and the terrible fighting in the Carpathians beyond. Falkenhayn, however, has issued orders for OberOst to conduct diversionary operations prior to 11th Army's attack at Gorlice-Tarnow, and Ludendorff has decided that the most substantial of these operations is to occur here. Three cavalry divisions - 3rd, 6th, and Bavarian - are to spearhead the advance, supported by 6th, 36th, and 78th Reserve Division. These forces have been formed into Army Group Lauenstein, named for its commander, General Otto von Lauenstein. Their objective is the conquest of Courland, a sparsely populated region west of Riga and north of the Niemen River. Here, with an almost complete lack of infrastructure, the front has been sparsely held by both sides, and the Russian defence is anchored around strong-points scattered about ten miles apart. The lack of defence in depth gives space for cavalry to operate, and when the German advance begins today both 3rd and Bavarian Cavalry Divisions in particular are able to make rapid progress into the gaps in the Russian line.
- General Ivanov of South-West Front submits his plan to Russian army headquarters today for a resumption of offensive operations in the Carpathians. He intends to insert 11th Army between 8th and 9th Armies, and advance along the line Turka-Nagy-Verecke. Grand Duke Nicholas insists on several changes to Ivanov's plan, including the deploying of XXXIII Corps closer to the front. Ivanov complies, and states that the attack will be scheduled to begin May 3rd. As it turns out, a day too late.
- The negotiations that led to the Treaty of London between Italy, Britain, France, and Russia, as well as the signing ceremony yesterday, were undertaken in secret. However, the French delegation in particular has leaked like a sieve, news of the agreement spreading from cabinet members to friends and journalists - indeed, the dressmaker to the wife of President Poincaré is even in on the secret. Thus it is little surprise that the French newspaper Le Temps announces today that 'the London negotiations have virtually terminated in an accord.' Nothing like giving the enemy four weeks' notice of an impending declaration of war.
Meanwhile, reverberations from the Treaty of London ripple across Europe. In Serbia the national parliament debates rumours of the agreement amidst concerns that Serbia's allies have sold out its interests in yielding to Italy's territorial demands along the Adriatic coast. The most Premier Nikola Pašić can say is that he has no information on the matter, which hardly reassures the parliamentary deputies, and criticism mounts that he has failed to defend Serbian interests.
- On the Austro-Hungarian side of the frontier with Italy, construction begins on the defensive line along the Isonzo River, which will be much-utilized in the years to come.
- On the Asiatic shore of the Dardanelles, the French evacuation from Kum Kale is completed before daybreak. French casualties for the two days of fighting amount to 780, and while Ottoman losses were greater, the landing did not otherwise impact the course of the fighting on Gallipoli. At Cape Helles, General Hunter-Weston had hoped that the French reinforcements ordered yesterday by General Hamilton to land at X Beach would arrive before noon today, allowing for a general advance towards the village of Krithia and the heights at Achi Baba, which was supposed to have been captured on the first day of the operation. However, a shortage of steamboats delay the landing, which in turn forces a postponement of the advance until tomorrow.
As the Gallipoli operation is already significantly behind schedule, General Hamilton concludes that reinforcements will be necessary to secure control of the peninsula. Late this evening he sends a message to Lord Kitchener asking for 42nd (East Lancashire) Division, currently in Egypt defending the Suez Canal, to be reassigned to his command, which the Secretary of War enthusiastically endorses. On the other side, German General Liman Sanders, commander of the Ottoman 5th Army tasked with defending Gallipoli, has been rushing forces to meet the Entente landings. By this evening all of the Ottoman forces that had been defending the beaches near Bulair on the northern end of the peninsula have been sent southwards. Reinforcements are also en route from the Asiatic side of the Dardanelles, and two fresh divisions - 15th and 16th - have departed Constantinople for the front. Closer to the front than Entente reinforcements, and able to arrive without having to co-ordinate shipping, the Ottomans are able to get new forces to the lines on Gallipoli faster than the British and French.
- After a reconnaissance of Qurna and conferring with officers there, General Townshend reports to General Nixon that the latter's original plan for an attack north of Qurna via a tactical outflanking maneouver was not feasible due to the flooded terrain. Instead, Townshend suggests advance through Ahwaz, which would force the Ottomans out of their position to avoid encirclement. Such an operation, however, would require traversing Persian territory, which does not endear it to Nixon.
Showing posts with label Winter Bs. in Carpathians. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Winter Bs. in Carpathians. Show all posts
Monday, April 27, 2015
Friday, April 10, 2015
April 10th, 1915
- General Dubail reports to Joffre today that, in line with the Commander-in-Chief's instructions of the 8th, he intends to make four concentrated attacks on the St.-Mihiel salient in the coming days. Two will be aimed at the western face of the salient: one on a four-kilometre front near Maizeray, and the other on the heights immediately south of Les Éparges. Two further assaults will be directed towards the southern face of the salient, both near its centre.
- In March, Austria-Hungary agreed to surrender the province of Trentino to Italy after the war, if Italy were to remain neutral. However, given the ongoing Austro-Hungarian defeats, highlighted by the surrender of Przemysl, such a concession is no longer sufficient for the Italian government. Believing the Dual Monarchy to be gravely weakened and in no position to negotiate, the Italians raise their demands today, requesting the entirety of South Tirol, the Adriatic coast from the present border to Trieste, with the latter declared a free city, several Dalmatian islands, and a declaration from Austria-Hungary that Italy would henceforth have a free hand in Albania. Given how long it took the Austro-Hungarian government to come around to the idea of handing over Trentino, it is hardly to be expected that they would submit to such escalated demands.
- Given the growing diplomatic crisis with Italy, coupled with Conrad's continued unwillingness to countenance territorial concessions, Falkenhayn sends a telegram to Chancellor Bethmann-Hollweg, warning him of the attitude of the Austro-Hungarian chief of staff and makes the following request:
- In northern German Kamerun, a German attack along the Benue River forces the Emir of Yola in northern Nigeria to flee his capital and threatens British influence in the region. Frederick Lugard, the colonial governor in Nigeria, calls for the capture of the town of Garua in German Kamerun as a means of restoring British prestige.
- In March, Austria-Hungary agreed to surrender the province of Trentino to Italy after the war, if Italy were to remain neutral. However, given the ongoing Austro-Hungarian defeats, highlighted by the surrender of Przemysl, such a concession is no longer sufficient for the Italian government. Believing the Dual Monarchy to be gravely weakened and in no position to negotiate, the Italians raise their demands today, requesting the entirety of South Tirol, the Adriatic coast from the present border to Trieste, with the latter declared a free city, several Dalmatian islands, and a declaration from Austria-Hungary that Italy would henceforth have a free hand in Albania. Given how long it took the Austro-Hungarian government to come around to the idea of handing over Trentino, it is hardly to be expected that they would submit to such escalated demands.
- Given the growing diplomatic crisis with Italy, coupled with Conrad's continued unwillingness to countenance territorial concessions, Falkenhayn sends a telegram to Chancellor Bethmann-Hollweg, warning him of the attitude of the Austro-Hungarian chief of staff and makes the following request:
Exert utmost pressure in Vienna in order to effect acceptance of Italian demands even if excessive. At the same time, announce Germany's willingness to give greater military assistance in the East and if necessary to cede Prussian territory.- In the central Carpathians the German Beskid Corps is now wholly in the front line, having relieved four Austro-Hungarian divisions, giving Conrad a substantial reserve for the first time in several weeks. The counterattack of the German divisions over the past week have disrupted the Russian offensive in the Carpathians and inflicted forty thousand casualties on the enemy. As a result, General Ivanov of South-West Front orders a halt to the attacks of 3rd and 8th Armies today, stating that the arrival of German reinforcements have tipped the balance. Instead, he intends to wait for the arrival of III Caucasian Corps before resuming the attack.
- In northern German Kamerun, a German attack along the Benue River forces the Emir of Yola in northern Nigeria to flee his capital and threatens British influence in the region. Frederick Lugard, the colonial governor in Nigeria, calls for the capture of the town of Garua in German Kamerun as a means of restoring British prestige.
Tuesday, April 07, 2015
April 7th, 1915
- Unaware that Falkenhayn is contemplating a major German operation in the Gorlice-Tarnow region, Conrad today writes the German chief of staff with a new proposal for the Eastern Front. He calls for the deployment of significant additional German forces in both East Prussia and East Galicia, from which they will launch simultaneous pincer offensives into Russian Poland, aiming to force a wholesale Russian withdrawal east of the Vistula-San-Dniester line. It is a proposal whose audaciousness is matched only by its insanity. The Winter Battle of the Masurian Lakes, undertaken by two entire German armies, had shown that an advance on the scale envisioned by Conrad was simply not possible; it would always be vulnerable to counterattacks on its eastern flank. Once again Conrad is seeking to impose his ambition on the battlefield without regard to such mere details as reality. Needless to say, Falkenhayn gives Conrad's suggestion the attention it deserves.
- Two days earlier, as the German 25th and 35th Reserve Divisions were successfully counterattacking between Lupkow and the Laborcza valley, 4th Division, the last of Beskid Corps' units to arrive, had entered the line west of the Laborcza valley. Attacking together, the three German divisions have continued to advance northwards, retaking ground lost by the Austro-Hungarian during the fighting of the prior weeks. The German success places the wider Austro-Hungarian line in the Carpathians on a more secure footing.
On the Russian side, news of the advance of Beskid Corps has yet to filter back to General Ivanov, commander of South-West Front. Instead his outlook on the fighting in the Carpathians is buoyed by the news from Grand Duke Nicholas that III Caucasian Corps is to be transferred to his command, and is en route to Lemberg.
- Since the failure of the Entente naval assault on the Dardanelles on March 18th, the Ottomans and Germans have worked to repair the fortifications and augment the minefields, while the completion of repairs to the battlecruiser Goeben adds another element to the defense of the straits. The situation has sufficiently improved for Admiral Souchon to write today that the only way the Entente could conquer the straits was by landing an army of 200 000 men, which he thought clearly out of the question.
As Souchon muses on the size of the force needed to capture the Straits, the British and French are assembling precisely such an army. The process of doing so, however, has been complicated by transportation problems. The ships carrying the British 29th Division from England were loaded haphazardly, which would have made it impossible to unload the force in a combat situation (i.e. the combat equipment of one battalion would be on a different ship from the battalion's soldiers, etc.). Thus the division had to be initially diverted to Alexandria to be unloaded and reloaded, a process that has taken several weeks. Today, the first transports carrying 29th Division depart the Egyptian port, bound for Mudros on Lemnos where the Entente expedition is gathering.
- Two days earlier, as the German 25th and 35th Reserve Divisions were successfully counterattacking between Lupkow and the Laborcza valley, 4th Division, the last of Beskid Corps' units to arrive, had entered the line west of the Laborcza valley. Attacking together, the three German divisions have continued to advance northwards, retaking ground lost by the Austro-Hungarian during the fighting of the prior weeks. The German success places the wider Austro-Hungarian line in the Carpathians on a more secure footing.
On the Russian side, news of the advance of Beskid Corps has yet to filter back to General Ivanov, commander of South-West Front. Instead his outlook on the fighting in the Carpathians is buoyed by the news from Grand Duke Nicholas that III Caucasian Corps is to be transferred to his command, and is en route to Lemberg.
- Since the failure of the Entente naval assault on the Dardanelles on March 18th, the Ottomans and Germans have worked to repair the fortifications and augment the minefields, while the completion of repairs to the battlecruiser Goeben adds another element to the defense of the straits. The situation has sufficiently improved for Admiral Souchon to write today that the only way the Entente could conquer the straits was by landing an army of 200 000 men, which he thought clearly out of the question.
As Souchon muses on the size of the force needed to capture the Straits, the British and French are assembling precisely such an army. The process of doing so, however, has been complicated by transportation problems. The ships carrying the British 29th Division from England were loaded haphazardly, which would have made it impossible to unload the force in a combat situation (i.e. the combat equipment of one battalion would be on a different ship from the battalion's soldiers, etc.). Thus the division had to be initially diverted to Alexandria to be unloaded and reloaded, a process that has taken several weeks. Today, the first transports carrying 29th Division depart the Egyptian port, bound for Mudros on Lemnos where the Entente expedition is gathering.
Sunday, April 05, 2015
April 5th, 1915
- Today the French VIII and XXXI Corps advance against the southern face of the St.-Mihiel salient, advancing on the left flank of XII Corps. With this attack, covering almost the whole line from St.-Mihiel east to the Moselle River, the French hope to draw German reserves southwards as the main offensive is launched simultaneously against the western face of the salient. Here the French attacks are directed against the northern end of the salient, aiming to drive through the German lines towards the Woëvre plain, compelling the evacuation of the German positions to the south. A key objective is the hill of Les Éparges, from which the Germans can overlook the main French to the north towards the Woëvre plain.
The morning sees heavy rain and poor visibility, which postpones the attack until conditions improve in the afternoon. After a preliminary artillery bombardment commencing at 11am, the infantry advance starting at 215pm. Everywhere the attack is a shambles, primarily due to inadequate artillery support. With insufficient time to plan the bombardment, many German positions have not been struck, while the rolling terrain has hindered artillery observers. Further, the soil, saturated from days of rain, absorbed numerous shells before they could detonate. Nowhere have the French secured any ground of significance.
- Conrad writes to Falkenhayn today, reemphasizing yet again the difficult situation faced by the Austro-Hungarian army in the Carpathians. Further, Conrad argues, another reverse there would only encourage both Italy and Romania to enter the war, and that should this occur, Austria-Hungary would need to withdraw ten divisions from the Carpathians to meet this three (seven against Italy and three against Romania). He seeks assurances from Falkenhayn that these divisions will be replaced by German units should their withdrawal be necessary.
- Unbeknownst to Conrad, Falkenhayn is considering his own arrangements: General Cramon, the German military attache at Austro-Hungarian army headquarters, inquires of Colonial Johann Straub, head of the Austro-Hungarian Railroad Office, of the rail situation in the Gorlice-Tarnow region. Straub informs Cramon that it would be possible to send one hundred trains into the area, each of one hundred and eight cars, of which forty would haul supplies and sixty available to carry soldiers. This suggests a German force of four corps could be deployed there in about eight days.
- Meanwhile, in the Carpathians themselves, Austro-Hungarian fortunes are beginning to turn thanks to the arrive of German reinforcements. By this morning 25th and 35th Reserve Divisions of the German Beskid Corps are now in the line between Lupkow and the Laborczra valley, and launch a counterattack on the Russian lines, aided by the Austro-Hungarian 2nd Division. By late afternoon, they have advanced and seized the heights of Javirska and Kobila.
- Admiral Fisher once again writes to Churchill of his unease with the ongoing Dardanelles operation, which has only been heightened by the losses of March 18th: 'You are just simply eaten up with the Dardanelles and cannot think of anything else. Damn the Dardanelles! They will be our grave!' The fuse continues to burn . . .
- As British regular forces scattered throughout the Empire are called home in the first months of the war for service in France, the necessity arises for replacements for essential defense tasks. In some circumstances, the Colonial Office turns to the dominions for aid. Today, the first half of No. 6 Company, Royal Canadian Garrison Artillery, arrives at St. Lucia in the British Windward islands to man the half dozen artillery pieces defending the island.
The morning sees heavy rain and poor visibility, which postpones the attack until conditions improve in the afternoon. After a preliminary artillery bombardment commencing at 11am, the infantry advance starting at 215pm. Everywhere the attack is a shambles, primarily due to inadequate artillery support. With insufficient time to plan the bombardment, many German positions have not been struck, while the rolling terrain has hindered artillery observers. Further, the soil, saturated from days of rain, absorbed numerous shells before they could detonate. Nowhere have the French secured any ground of significance.
- Conrad writes to Falkenhayn today, reemphasizing yet again the difficult situation faced by the Austro-Hungarian army in the Carpathians. Further, Conrad argues, another reverse there would only encourage both Italy and Romania to enter the war, and that should this occur, Austria-Hungary would need to withdraw ten divisions from the Carpathians to meet this three (seven against Italy and three against Romania). He seeks assurances from Falkenhayn that these divisions will be replaced by German units should their withdrawal be necessary.
- Unbeknownst to Conrad, Falkenhayn is considering his own arrangements: General Cramon, the German military attache at Austro-Hungarian army headquarters, inquires of Colonial Johann Straub, head of the Austro-Hungarian Railroad Office, of the rail situation in the Gorlice-Tarnow region. Straub informs Cramon that it would be possible to send one hundred trains into the area, each of one hundred and eight cars, of which forty would haul supplies and sixty available to carry soldiers. This suggests a German force of four corps could be deployed there in about eight days.
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| The attack of the German Beskid Corps, Apr. 2nd to 5th, 1915. |
- Admiral Fisher once again writes to Churchill of his unease with the ongoing Dardanelles operation, which has only been heightened by the losses of March 18th: 'You are just simply eaten up with the Dardanelles and cannot think of anything else. Damn the Dardanelles! They will be our grave!' The fuse continues to burn . . .
- As British regular forces scattered throughout the Empire are called home in the first months of the war for service in France, the necessity arises for replacements for essential defense tasks. In some circumstances, the Colonial Office turns to the dominions for aid. Today, the first half of No. 6 Company, Royal Canadian Garrison Artillery, arrives at St. Lucia in the British Windward islands to man the half dozen artillery pieces defending the island.
Saturday, April 04, 2015
April 4th, 1915
- West of Verdun the French 3rd Army launches a diversionary attack against Vauquois in support of the French offensive against the St.-Mihiel salient.
- Concerned with the possibility that an Italian attack on Austria-Hungary might induce the latter to seek a separate peace with Russia, Falkenhayn has invited Conrad to Berlin for discussions today. On the issue of a separate peace, Falkenhayn is reassured that Austria-Hungary would not approach the Russians without first communicating with the Germans and asking for their participation. The two chiefs of staff also discuss the situation in the Carpathians and, despite the repeated requests of Conrad, Falkenhayn is unwilling to commit to the deployment of additional German forces to reinforce that front. The most Falkenhayn is willing to say to Conrad is that the question remains open as to whether the newly-raised Germans divisions can be most profitably employed in the West, the East, or against Serbia.
Nevertheless, the deteriorating military position of Austria-Hungary, combined with the possibility of Italy and Romania joining the ranks of Germany's enemies, has Falkenhayn contemplating whether a more substantial German commitment to the Eastern Front is necessary to prop up their faltering ally. The German Chief of Staff still views a campaign in the Carpathians as foolhardy, and has no intention of sending German divisions to that front as Conrad desires. Falkenhayn is, however, more open to the possibility of a German offensive elsewhere on the Eastern Front. Today he asks General August von Cramon, the German military attache at Conrad's headquarters, to make inquiries regarding the condition of the railways between the Vistula River and the Carpathians, especially near the town of Gorlice. Falkenhayn emphasizes the importance of discretion, not to keep the Russians from learning about his inquiry, but rather the Austro-Hungarians: if German forces need to be shifted east for a major offensive, he intends this to be German-led operation, and does not want Conrad either interfering or demanding redeployments to the Carpathians. Such is the nature of coalition politics between Germany and Austria-Hungary.
- In the central Carpathians the retreat of the centre and right of the Austro-Hungarian 2nd Army is completed today. Despite heavy pressure from the Russians, the Austro-Hungarians are able to establish themselves in their new defensive positions without significant mishaps.
At the far eastern end of the mountain range, the Russian 9th Army has been attacking the Austro-Hungarian force under General Pflanzer-Baltin for several weeks, attempting to cross the Dniester River. The Russian objective is the city of Czernowitz, the capture of which may induce the Romanians to adopt a more positive line towards the Entente. Though the Austro-Hungarian defenders have been outnumbered, they have been able to prevent a Russian breakthrough. Today a Russian attack forces back the right wing of XI Corps, but the timely intervention of 93rd Division not only halts the enemy advance but succeeds in recovering the lost positions by nightfall.
- Concerned with the possibility that an Italian attack on Austria-Hungary might induce the latter to seek a separate peace with Russia, Falkenhayn has invited Conrad to Berlin for discussions today. On the issue of a separate peace, Falkenhayn is reassured that Austria-Hungary would not approach the Russians without first communicating with the Germans and asking for their participation. The two chiefs of staff also discuss the situation in the Carpathians and, despite the repeated requests of Conrad, Falkenhayn is unwilling to commit to the deployment of additional German forces to reinforce that front. The most Falkenhayn is willing to say to Conrad is that the question remains open as to whether the newly-raised Germans divisions can be most profitably employed in the West, the East, or against Serbia.
Nevertheless, the deteriorating military position of Austria-Hungary, combined with the possibility of Italy and Romania joining the ranks of Germany's enemies, has Falkenhayn contemplating whether a more substantial German commitment to the Eastern Front is necessary to prop up their faltering ally. The German Chief of Staff still views a campaign in the Carpathians as foolhardy, and has no intention of sending German divisions to that front as Conrad desires. Falkenhayn is, however, more open to the possibility of a German offensive elsewhere on the Eastern Front. Today he asks General August von Cramon, the German military attache at Conrad's headquarters, to make inquiries regarding the condition of the railways between the Vistula River and the Carpathians, especially near the town of Gorlice. Falkenhayn emphasizes the importance of discretion, not to keep the Russians from learning about his inquiry, but rather the Austro-Hungarians: if German forces need to be shifted east for a major offensive, he intends this to be German-led operation, and does not want Conrad either interfering or demanding redeployments to the Carpathians. Such is the nature of coalition politics between Germany and Austria-Hungary.
- In the central Carpathians the retreat of the centre and right of the Austro-Hungarian 2nd Army is completed today. Despite heavy pressure from the Russians, the Austro-Hungarians are able to establish themselves in their new defensive positions without significant mishaps.
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| The position of the Austro-Hungarian 2nd Army after its retreat of April 2nd to 4th, 1915. |
At the far eastern end of the mountain range, the Russian 9th Army has been attacking the Austro-Hungarian force under General Pflanzer-Baltin for several weeks, attempting to cross the Dniester River. The Russian objective is the city of Czernowitz, the capture of which may induce the Romanians to adopt a more positive line towards the Entente. Though the Austro-Hungarian defenders have been outnumbered, they have been able to prevent a Russian breakthrough. Today a Russian attack forces back the right wing of XI Corps, but the timely intervention of 93rd Division not only halts the enemy advance but succeeds in recovering the lost positions by nightfall.
Thursday, April 02, 2015
April 2nd, 1915
- The German liaison officer at Austro-Hungarian army headquarters forwards a report to Falkenhayn today regarding the views of Conrad on the overall strategic and political situation. In addition to reemphasizing Conrad's opposition to Italian concessions, he notes that the Austro-Hungarian chief of staff believes that if Italy enters the war, the best course of action might be a peace settlement with Russia in order to concentrate on the Italian foe. In part this reflects Conrad's desire to punish Italy for their perceived treachery during the July Crisis, but it also signals the first time Conrad has publicly mused about peace with Russia. Given the ongoing disaster in the Carpathians, the report is deeply troubling to Falkenhayn, as it appears to raise the possibility of Austria-Hungary signing a separate peace with Russia, regardless of the views of Germany, if it feels such a move is the only means of avoiding the disintegration of the Dual Monarchy. Whatever the fighting quality of the Austro-Hungarian army, Germany can ill-afford to have its only ally to abandon the war against Russia.
- Meanwhile in the Carpathians themselves, the retreat of the Austro-Hungarian 2nd Army has also forced the eastern wing of 3rd Army back, lest a gap open between the two. The German commander of Südarmee adds his voice to the criticism of 2nd Army commander, who in turn offers to resign. Conrad refuses the offer, perhaps recognizing (even if only subconsciously) the extent to which he has contributed to the predictament 2nd Army finds itself in.
Behind the eastern wing of 3rd Army, however, the lead elements of the German Beskid Corps - two regiments of 50th Reserve Brigade of 25th Reserve Division - begin to arrive. General Georg von der Marwitz, commander of Beskid Corps and formerly a cavalry commander on the Western Front in 1914, confers with the head of the Austro-Hungarian 3rd Army, and it is decided to use the German formation to counterattack the advancing Russians, with whatever assistance the battered Austro-Hungarian X Corps can provide.
- Meanwhile in the Carpathians themselves, the retreat of the Austro-Hungarian 2nd Army has also forced the eastern wing of 3rd Army back, lest a gap open between the two. The German commander of Südarmee adds his voice to the criticism of 2nd Army commander, who in turn offers to resign. Conrad refuses the offer, perhaps recognizing (even if only subconsciously) the extent to which he has contributed to the predictament 2nd Army finds itself in.
Behind the eastern wing of 3rd Army, however, the lead elements of the German Beskid Corps - two regiments of 50th Reserve Brigade of 25th Reserve Division - begin to arrive. General Georg von der Marwitz, commander of Beskid Corps and formerly a cavalry commander on the Western Front in 1914, confers with the head of the Austro-Hungarian 3rd Army, and it is decided to use the German formation to counterattack the advancing Russians, with whatever assistance the battered Austro-Hungarian X Corps can provide.
Wednesday, April 01, 2015
April 1st, 1915
- The German industrialist Walther Rathenau resigns today as head of Kriegsrohstoffsamt (KRA), the government agency overseeing the allocation of raw materials in the German war economy. While the resignation is in part a reflection that the KRA is now fully functioning, and he is able to ensure the appointment of his hand-picked successor, Major Joseph Koeth, as his replacement, Rathenau has also been dogged by criticism of the KRA, both that he has utilized his position to benefit his own corporation (AEG) and more generally has prioritized large firms over small ones, while the KRA has been accused of facilitating profiteering. The range of criticisms reflects ongoing tensions within the German war economy, balanced between profits and patriotism.
- Over the first months of the war, the aerial combat that has occurred has been undertaken by pilots firing pistols or observers firing light guns. Such methods leave much to be desired, and make the shooting down of an aircraft a relatively rare event. Mounting machine guns facing forward would allow the pilot to aim and fire while still flying his aircraft, though at the expense of shooting off his own propeller. Both sides have been striving to develop a mechanism that would allow a machine-gun to fire through a propeller with no success.
One alternative, however, is to protect the propeller itself so that it is not damaged when hit by a bullet, and for several months French pilot Roland Garros, along with his mechanic Jules Hue, have been developing an armoured propeller that would allow a Hotchkiss machine gun to fire forward in his Morane-Saulnier Type L aircraft. He has been assigned to the squadron MS26 at Dunkirk, and today, flying his specially-modified Moraine, which includes channeled deflectors, Garros shoots down his first German aircraft using his forward-firing machine gun.
- In the Carpathians the situation continues to deteriorate for the Austro-Hungarian 2nd Army; this morning the Russians force the right wing of XVIII Corps to fall back into the Wetlinka valley. At 2pm the commander of 2nd Army concludes that the only way to avoid disaster is to retreat behind the main crest of the mountains, yielding to the Russians the Uszok Pass but taking up new defensive positions to the south. Not surprisingly, both 3rd Army to the west and Conrad at army headquarters objects, but the reality on the ground is that 2nd Army cannot hold its current position, and further attempts to do so would court disaster.
- Meanwhile the Chiefs of Staff of the German and Austro-Hungarian armies are also concerned regarding the diplomatic situation with Italy. While Falkenhayn continues to urge his counterpart to pressure the Austro-Hungarian Foreign Ministry to offer concessions, Conrad rejects the suggestion. In his opinion, giving territory to Italy now will only whet Italy's appetite, and increase, not decrease, the likelihood of an Italian attack in the long run.
- As the small German caravan makes its way across the desert towards Djidda, the reassurances of the Ottoman escorts given the previous evening are shown to be false. Instead of a few dozen robbers, Emden's landing party is suddenly attacked just after dawn by several hundred Arabs, firing from all sides. The Germans shelter behind their camels, which become the primary target as several continue to stand, while most of their Ottoman escorts flee the battlefield. The machine guns they are able to employ, however, goes some way towards evening the odds. Under cover of machine gun fire, the Germans charge the Arabs, who initially scatter. Attempting to regroup, First Officer Mücke orders the caravan to reform and move towards the sea, where at least one flank would be covered. The Arabs, however, will not be so easily dissuaded from the attack, and as soon as the caravan moves again it comes under fire, and the rear guard has to frequently halt and set up their machine gun to disperse the attackers. When the Arabs briefly cease firing to parley, the Germans entrench, using everything from camel saddles to sacks of rice, and Mücke refuses the Arabs' demand to hand over all guns, ammunition, camels, food, and water in exchange for safe passage. Firing continues into the evening, and by nightfall Seaman Rademacher and Lieutenant Schmidt have been killed, and another seaman wounded.
- Over the first months of the war, the aerial combat that has occurred has been undertaken by pilots firing pistols or observers firing light guns. Such methods leave much to be desired, and make the shooting down of an aircraft a relatively rare event. Mounting machine guns facing forward would allow the pilot to aim and fire while still flying his aircraft, though at the expense of shooting off his own propeller. Both sides have been striving to develop a mechanism that would allow a machine-gun to fire through a propeller with no success.
One alternative, however, is to protect the propeller itself so that it is not damaged when hit by a bullet, and for several months French pilot Roland Garros, along with his mechanic Jules Hue, have been developing an armoured propeller that would allow a Hotchkiss machine gun to fire forward in his Morane-Saulnier Type L aircraft. He has been assigned to the squadron MS26 at Dunkirk, and today, flying his specially-modified Moraine, which includes channeled deflectors, Garros shoots down his first German aircraft using his forward-firing machine gun.
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| The French Morane-Saulnier Type L aircraft. |
- In the Carpathians the situation continues to deteriorate for the Austro-Hungarian 2nd Army; this morning the Russians force the right wing of XVIII Corps to fall back into the Wetlinka valley. At 2pm the commander of 2nd Army concludes that the only way to avoid disaster is to retreat behind the main crest of the mountains, yielding to the Russians the Uszok Pass but taking up new defensive positions to the south. Not surprisingly, both 3rd Army to the west and Conrad at army headquarters objects, but the reality on the ground is that 2nd Army cannot hold its current position, and further attempts to do so would court disaster.
- Meanwhile the Chiefs of Staff of the German and Austro-Hungarian armies are also concerned regarding the diplomatic situation with Italy. While Falkenhayn continues to urge his counterpart to pressure the Austro-Hungarian Foreign Ministry to offer concessions, Conrad rejects the suggestion. In his opinion, giving territory to Italy now will only whet Italy's appetite, and increase, not decrease, the likelihood of an Italian attack in the long run.
- As the small German caravan makes its way across the desert towards Djidda, the reassurances of the Ottoman escorts given the previous evening are shown to be false. Instead of a few dozen robbers, Emden's landing party is suddenly attacked just after dawn by several hundred Arabs, firing from all sides. The Germans shelter behind their camels, which become the primary target as several continue to stand, while most of their Ottoman escorts flee the battlefield. The machine guns they are able to employ, however, goes some way towards evening the odds. Under cover of machine gun fire, the Germans charge the Arabs, who initially scatter. Attempting to regroup, First Officer Mücke orders the caravan to reform and move towards the sea, where at least one flank would be covered. The Arabs, however, will not be so easily dissuaded from the attack, and as soon as the caravan moves again it comes under fire, and the rear guard has to frequently halt and set up their machine gun to disperse the attackers. When the Arabs briefly cease firing to parley, the Germans entrench, using everything from camel saddles to sacks of rice, and Mücke refuses the Arabs' demand to hand over all guns, ammunition, camels, food, and water in exchange for safe passage. Firing continues into the evening, and by nightfall Seaman Rademacher and Lieutenant Schmidt have been killed, and another seaman wounded.
Tuesday, March 31, 2015
March 31st, 1915
- After the directive of the 29th regarding the defensive of current positions, today OHL issues a second directive regarding the training of reserves which emphasizes the importance of offensive training. To do so, successful operations, such as the Battle of Soissons, are to be studied in detail, while training camps are to be established which include mock fortified positions on which units can practice assaults. The directive also states that the mission of the first line in an attack is to break through the enemy line; it will be the responsibility of subsequent waves of infantry to exploit the breakthrough.
- The Russian air force has lagged behind its opponents in innovation, with one very notable exception: the Il'ia Muromets bomber, a creation of the young and very talented designer Igor Sikorskii. This massive aircraft was an unparalleled marvel of technical engineering; propelled by four engines, it is capable of carrying a crew of three for a five-hour flight with two machine-guns and a half-ton of bombs. In a reconnaissance flight conducted today, one Muromets flies 533 kilometres at between 3200 and 3600 metres altitude.
Perhaps not surprising given the Russian war performance to date, the Muromets has been criminally underappreciated by army headquarters, including a ban on further production issued in October 1914. Only by circumventing the army was Sikorskii able to have a squadron of Muromets formed under the patronage of the owner of the Russko-Baltiiskii aircraft company, allowing for the true value of the Muromets to be demonstrated.
- In the Carpathians, the main Russian attack over the past two days has fallen on the centre and right of the Austro-Hungarian 2nd Army. Crucially, they have broken through the front of XIX Corps, forcing 41st and 37th Honved Divisions to fall back (the former having suffered 60% casualties, the latter reduced to two thousand riflemen). The situation of 2nd Army is perilous - only fifteen hundred reserves remain available to plug holes in the line - and its commander orders preliminary planning for a withdrawal southwards out of the Carpathians if necessary.
- When Emden's landing party stops at a watering hole at 11am this morning, they are met by an Ottoman patrol of eighteen sent from Djidda to escort them the remaining distance to the town. At 4pm they depart, the path carrying them away from the sea and through numberless flat sand drifts topped with grass. After nightfall, a group of Bedouins, numbering about twelve or fifteen, are sighted in the distance before disappearing, which the Ottoman escort takes for robbers. This causes little concern to the Germans, given that their party numbers fifty and carries with them four machine guns.
- Munitions production in Canada has been hindered by the lack of a pre-war armaments industry which could have been expanded once hostilities began. To circumvent this limitation, a shell committee has been established by Sam Hughes, the minister of militia, to place orders not for complete shells, but rather individual components, allowing manufacturers to focus on those components which they already have some skill in producing. The result is that by today 155 factories employing 25 000 are engaged in shell production in Canada.
- The Russian air force has lagged behind its opponents in innovation, with one very notable exception: the Il'ia Muromets bomber, a creation of the young and very talented designer Igor Sikorskii. This massive aircraft was an unparalleled marvel of technical engineering; propelled by four engines, it is capable of carrying a crew of three for a five-hour flight with two machine-guns and a half-ton of bombs. In a reconnaissance flight conducted today, one Muromets flies 533 kilometres at between 3200 and 3600 metres altitude.
Perhaps not surprising given the Russian war performance to date, the Muromets has been criminally underappreciated by army headquarters, including a ban on further production issued in October 1914. Only by circumventing the army was Sikorskii able to have a squadron of Muromets formed under the patronage of the owner of the Russko-Baltiiskii aircraft company, allowing for the true value of the Muromets to be demonstrated.
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| The Russian Il'ya Muromets bomber. |
- In the Carpathians, the main Russian attack over the past two days has fallen on the centre and right of the Austro-Hungarian 2nd Army. Crucially, they have broken through the front of XIX Corps, forcing 41st and 37th Honved Divisions to fall back (the former having suffered 60% casualties, the latter reduced to two thousand riflemen). The situation of 2nd Army is perilous - only fifteen hundred reserves remain available to plug holes in the line - and its commander orders preliminary planning for a withdrawal southwards out of the Carpathians if necessary.
- When Emden's landing party stops at a watering hole at 11am this morning, they are met by an Ottoman patrol of eighteen sent from Djidda to escort them the remaining distance to the town. At 4pm they depart, the path carrying them away from the sea and through numberless flat sand drifts topped with grass. After nightfall, a group of Bedouins, numbering about twelve or fifteen, are sighted in the distance before disappearing, which the Ottoman escort takes for robbers. This causes little concern to the Germans, given that their party numbers fifty and carries with them four machine guns.
- Munitions production in Canada has been hindered by the lack of a pre-war armaments industry which could have been expanded once hostilities began. To circumvent this limitation, a shell committee has been established by Sam Hughes, the minister of militia, to place orders not for complete shells, but rather individual components, allowing manufacturers to focus on those components which they already have some skill in producing. The result is that by today 155 factories employing 25 000 are engaged in shell production in Canada.
Saturday, March 28, 2015
March 28th, 1915
- In the first month of the German campaign of unrestricted submarine warfare, twenty-five merchant ships have been sunk, sixteen of which had been torpedoed without warning. These numbers, however, have to be placed in the context of the overall flow of merchant traffic - over the same month over four thousand vessels had sailed into and out of British ports.
Today a twenty-sixth vessel is sunk, the 5000-ton British cargo and passenger liner Falaba. In the St. George's Channel off the Irish coast, it is halted by U-28, and its captain is given ten minutes to abandon ship. During this period, extended on request to twenty-three minutes, Falaba's wireless continued to broadcast signals requesting assistance. When an armed British trawler appears, U-28 puts a torpedo into Falaba, which rapidly sinks. One hundred and four lives are lost, including an American passenger, who becomes the first American citizen to die at sea as the result of the attack of a German submarine. The response of the American government is to ask the German ambassador for clarification regarding details of the sinking; a muted reaction reflecting that only a single American life was lost. The Germans, however, can hardly count on such forbearance in the future.
- The situation of the Austro-Hungarian 2nd Army continues to deteriorate in the Carpathians, as on its left wing 32nd and 13th Landwehr Division are forced to retreat when the Russians seize the Manilow Heights.
- Today the Russian Black Sea Squadron, consisting of five pre-dreadnoughts, two cruisers, and ten destroyers, appears off the mouth of the Bosphorus and ineffectively bombards the Ottoman forts guarding the strait. The attack is little more than a token gesture, and naturally comes too late for the British and French on the other side of the Dardanelles, who have already decided to abandon a purely naval operation in favour of a combined assault.
- After a visit to the Sheikh of Leet, First Officer Mücke has been able to collect ninety camels for his party, and this evening depart Leet for Djidda. The camels are used mainly to carry supplies, especially water, given the desert through which they will travel.
Today a twenty-sixth vessel is sunk, the 5000-ton British cargo and passenger liner Falaba. In the St. George's Channel off the Irish coast, it is halted by U-28, and its captain is given ten minutes to abandon ship. During this period, extended on request to twenty-three minutes, Falaba's wireless continued to broadcast signals requesting assistance. When an armed British trawler appears, U-28 puts a torpedo into Falaba, which rapidly sinks. One hundred and four lives are lost, including an American passenger, who becomes the first American citizen to die at sea as the result of the attack of a German submarine. The response of the American government is to ask the German ambassador for clarification regarding details of the sinking; a muted reaction reflecting that only a single American life was lost. The Germans, however, can hardly count on such forbearance in the future.
- The situation of the Austro-Hungarian 2nd Army continues to deteriorate in the Carpathians, as on its left wing 32nd and 13th Landwehr Division are forced to retreat when the Russians seize the Manilow Heights.
- Today the Russian Black Sea Squadron, consisting of five pre-dreadnoughts, two cruisers, and ten destroyers, appears off the mouth of the Bosphorus and ineffectively bombards the Ottoman forts guarding the strait. The attack is little more than a token gesture, and naturally comes too late for the British and French on the other side of the Dardanelles, who have already decided to abandon a purely naval operation in favour of a combined assault.
- After a visit to the Sheikh of Leet, First Officer Mücke has been able to collect ninety camels for his party, and this evening depart Leet for Djidda. The camels are used mainly to carry supplies, especially water, given the desert through which they will travel.
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| Emden's landing party moving through the Arabian desert. |
Friday, March 27, 2015
March 27th, 1915
- The continuing deterioration of the Austro-Hungarian position in the Carpathians in the face of the Russian offensive prompts an agreement between the Austro-Hungarians and Germans to form a new German corps for insertion into the line. Beskid Corps, as it is to be named, is to consist of 35th Reserve Division from central Poland, 4th Division from Südarmee, and 25th Reserve Division from 9th Army, and the latter, entraining today, is the first to begin its transfer to the Carpathians.
- General Sanders has begun work on reorganizing the defence of Gallipoli, pulling two Ottoman divisions away from the beaches to form a reserve which can respond to enemy landings at various points. He also orders the construction of roads to facilitate the movement of his reserves and the improvement of defensive positions along the beaches, including trenches and barbed wire. Sanders, however, is painfully aware that this work will take time, and fears an Entente attack before his force is ready; as he writes today, 'If the English will only leave me alone for eight days.' He has no idea just how obliging the British intend to be.
- This morning the landing party of the German light cruiser Emden suffers its first casualty since it began its journey in November. Seaman Keil had contracted a severe case of typhus at Hodeida, and his condition deteriorated after the sinking of one of the zambuks and the loss of the party's medical supplies. He dies at 3am in Leet, and is given a burial at sea with full naval honours.
Wednesday, March 25, 2015
March 25th, 1915
- The Dutch merchant ship Medea is halted by a U-boat today, and after searching the vessel it is sunk by the Germans. This is the first time a neutral ship has been sunk by a submarine after being searched since the commencement of unrestricted submarine warfare.
- For two weeks the German XV Corps on the southeastern face of the Ypres salient has been waiting for the right wind and weather conditions to conduct its planned gas attack, but on no day has the wind blown from the east or southeast, resulting in continual delays. Today the German 4th Army orders that the gas cylinders be moved to the front held by XXVI Reserve Corps and 46th Reserve Division (of XXIII Reserve Corps) between Poelcappelle and Steenstraat on the northeastern face of the Ypres salient, in the hope that a favourable wind from the northeast is more likely to occur.
- The Russian offensive in the Carpathians expands westward overnight, as a sharp attack breaks through the Austro-Hungarian 28th Division on the inner wings of 3rd and 4th Armies, resulting in III Corps falling back to Zboro. Further, the commander of 2nd Army warns Conrad that his soldiers are reaching the end of their endurance, and V and XVIII Corps in particular are at the breaking point. To complicate matters, he reports that the intensity of the combat requires the commitment of all reserves as soon as they arrive at the front, preventing the accumulation of any substantial force that could go over onto the attack and wrest the initiative from the Russians.
Meanwhile, in response to Conrad's request of yesterday for German aid, Falkenhayn instead insists that Conrad pressure the Austro-Hungarian Foreign Ministry to conclude negotiations with Italy over territorial concessions that would keep the latter out of the war. Falkenhayn fears that if the Italians become fully aware of the growing crisis in the Carpathians, they will be tempted to seize the opportunity to attack a crippled Austria-Hungary.
- Though the Mesopotamian expedition was launched initially only to guard the oil pipeline leading to the vital terminal at Abadan, the occupation of the region around Basra has inevitably raised the issue of the permanent annexation of Ottoman territory. In particular, the British recognition of Russia's claim to Constantinople has opened the issue of the postwar dismemberment of the Ottoman Empire, and voices within the India Office are especially strong in favour of Mesopotamian annexations. Prime Minister Asquith himself remains hesitant; as he explains in a letter to his friend and confidant Venetia Stanley today, 'taking on Mesopotamia, for instance, means spending millions in irrigation & development with no immediate or early return; keeping up quite a large army white & coloured in an unfamiliar country; tackling every kind of tangled administrative question, worse than we have ever had in India, with a hornet's nest of Arab tribes, and even if all that were set right having a perpetual menace to our flank in Kurdistan.' However, he feels the pressure of immediate wartime necessities pushing the government in the direction of annexation, and that '[Sir Edward] Grey and I are the only two men who doubt and distrust any such settlement.'
- For two weeks the German XV Corps on the southeastern face of the Ypres salient has been waiting for the right wind and weather conditions to conduct its planned gas attack, but on no day has the wind blown from the east or southeast, resulting in continual delays. Today the German 4th Army orders that the gas cylinders be moved to the front held by XXVI Reserve Corps and 46th Reserve Division (of XXIII Reserve Corps) between Poelcappelle and Steenstraat on the northeastern face of the Ypres salient, in the hope that a favourable wind from the northeast is more likely to occur.
- The Russian offensive in the Carpathians expands westward overnight, as a sharp attack breaks through the Austro-Hungarian 28th Division on the inner wings of 3rd and 4th Armies, resulting in III Corps falling back to Zboro. Further, the commander of 2nd Army warns Conrad that his soldiers are reaching the end of their endurance, and V and XVIII Corps in particular are at the breaking point. To complicate matters, he reports that the intensity of the combat requires the commitment of all reserves as soon as they arrive at the front, preventing the accumulation of any substantial force that could go over onto the attack and wrest the initiative from the Russians.
Meanwhile, in response to Conrad's request of yesterday for German aid, Falkenhayn instead insists that Conrad pressure the Austro-Hungarian Foreign Ministry to conclude negotiations with Italy over territorial concessions that would keep the latter out of the war. Falkenhayn fears that if the Italians become fully aware of the growing crisis in the Carpathians, they will be tempted to seize the opportunity to attack a crippled Austria-Hungary.
- Though the Mesopotamian expedition was launched initially only to guard the oil pipeline leading to the vital terminal at Abadan, the occupation of the region around Basra has inevitably raised the issue of the permanent annexation of Ottoman territory. In particular, the British recognition of Russia's claim to Constantinople has opened the issue of the postwar dismemberment of the Ottoman Empire, and voices within the India Office are especially strong in favour of Mesopotamian annexations. Prime Minister Asquith himself remains hesitant; as he explains in a letter to his friend and confidant Venetia Stanley today, 'taking on Mesopotamia, for instance, means spending millions in irrigation & development with no immediate or early return; keeping up quite a large army white & coloured in an unfamiliar country; tackling every kind of tangled administrative question, worse than we have ever had in India, with a hornet's nest of Arab tribes, and even if all that were set right having a perpetual menace to our flank in Kurdistan.' However, he feels the pressure of immediate wartime necessities pushing the government in the direction of annexation, and that '[Sir Edward] Grey and I are the only two men who doubt and distrust any such settlement.'
Tuesday, March 24, 2015
March 24th, 1915
- Joffre today informs General Dubail of the Provisional Group of the East that I, II, and XII Corps, along with a cavalry corps, will be transferred to his command to participate in the forthcoming offensive against the St.-Mihiel salient.
- In the Carpathians Conrad plans to shift forces from 2nd and 3rd Armies eastward to General Pflanzer-Baltin's command for a major offensive. However, the Russians have plans of their own, and General Ivanov aims to break the Austro-Hungarian lines in the central Carpathians, attacking the inner wings of the Austro-Hungarian 2nd and 3rd Armies and advancing towards the rail junction of Homonna. The Russians have ben the first off the mark, and in heavy fighting over the past few days have inflicted sharp defeats on the enemy, and in particular have secured a large bulge in the line by pushing back the Austro-Hungarian XVII Corps. Far from transferring forces eastward, 2nd and 3rd Army have found themselves in desperate fighting to prevent a Russian breakthrough, and Conrad has to send reinforcements from southern Poland to prop up his sagging line in the Carpathians. Undaunted, however, Conrad believes that the Russian attacks offer the opportunity to defeat the enemy outside of their strong defensive positions. Despite his ongoing optimism, a more accurate assessment of the situation is reflected in his request to Falkenhayn today of two or three German divisions to aid in the Carpathian fighting.
- As the Entente mission at the Dardanelles shifts from a naval to an amphibious operation, the bombardment to date has also served to highlight to the Ottoman government the weaknesses of their defences along the straits, especially the Gallipoli peninsula which forms the northern shore. In an effort to reorganize its defence, Enver Pasha today appoints General Otto Liman von Sanders, head of the German military mission to Constantinople, to command Ottoman forces on Gallipoli. The task before Sanders is substantial - though 80 000 soldiers garrison Gallipoli, they lack sufficient guns, ammunition, and even clothing and footwear, and are strung out along the 150 mile coastline of the peninsula.
- After departing Coonfidah six days ago, Emden's landing party has had an uneventful voyage to Leet, at which they arrive today. The town lays at the northern tip of the coral reefs of the Farisan Bank, and with clear water to the north English warships would be once again able to impose a close blockade. To avoid potential capture, the party must now advance overland, and preparations begin to assemble a caravan.
- In the Carpathians Conrad plans to shift forces from 2nd and 3rd Armies eastward to General Pflanzer-Baltin's command for a major offensive. However, the Russians have plans of their own, and General Ivanov aims to break the Austro-Hungarian lines in the central Carpathians, attacking the inner wings of the Austro-Hungarian 2nd and 3rd Armies and advancing towards the rail junction of Homonna. The Russians have ben the first off the mark, and in heavy fighting over the past few days have inflicted sharp defeats on the enemy, and in particular have secured a large bulge in the line by pushing back the Austro-Hungarian XVII Corps. Far from transferring forces eastward, 2nd and 3rd Army have found themselves in desperate fighting to prevent a Russian breakthrough, and Conrad has to send reinforcements from southern Poland to prop up his sagging line in the Carpathians. Undaunted, however, Conrad believes that the Russian attacks offer the opportunity to defeat the enemy outside of their strong defensive positions. Despite his ongoing optimism, a more accurate assessment of the situation is reflected in his request to Falkenhayn today of two or three German divisions to aid in the Carpathian fighting.
- As the Entente mission at the Dardanelles shifts from a naval to an amphibious operation, the bombardment to date has also served to highlight to the Ottoman government the weaknesses of their defences along the straits, especially the Gallipoli peninsula which forms the northern shore. In an effort to reorganize its defence, Enver Pasha today appoints General Otto Liman von Sanders, head of the German military mission to Constantinople, to command Ottoman forces on Gallipoli. The task before Sanders is substantial - though 80 000 soldiers garrison Gallipoli, they lack sufficient guns, ammunition, and even clothing and footwear, and are strung out along the 150 mile coastline of the peninsula.
- After departing Coonfidah six days ago, Emden's landing party has had an uneventful voyage to Leet, at which they arrive today. The town lays at the northern tip of the coral reefs of the Farisan Bank, and with clear water to the north English warships would be once again able to impose a close blockade. To avoid potential capture, the party must now advance overland, and preparations begin to assemble a caravan.
Monday, March 23, 2015
March 23rd, 1915
- In the Vosges the French 1st Chasseur Brigade attacks German positions on Hartmannswillerkopf, and are able to capture the first two enemy lines on the Siberloch flank of the mountain.
- In the aftermath of the fall of Przemysl, Falkenhayn had written to Conrad expressing his belief that the best chance for success in the east lay in an offensive against Serbia. As this would necessitate Austria-Hungary standing on the defensive in the Carpathians, Conrad strongly objects in his reply of today. He fears that any failure against Serbia would be the final nail in the coffin of the Dual Monarchy's prestige, while he believes that a resumption of the offensive in the Carpathians can still achieve success. Conrad is not going to allow devastating failure to stop him from trying again.
- Admiral Robeck signals the Admiralty this morning of his intention to abandon a purely naval assault on the Dardanelles. Instead, he proposes to launch a combined naval and army attack on the straits and Gallipoli peninsula on or after April 14th, when General Hamilton has stated his forces will be prepared to land.
The news from Robeck comes as a surprise to Churchill, who had expected the attack of the 18th to be merely the first stage of an ongoing operation. The losses incurred in that attack, while unfortunate, are acceptable given the ability to dispatch reinforcements and the significance of the objective. The First Lord intends to overrule Robeck and order an immediate resumption of a naval-only operation, and summons a meeting of the senior leadership of the Royal Navy, including Admiral Fisher. The collected admirals, however, insist that Robeck, as the senior commander on the spot, is best-suited to judge the proper course of action, and if he advises that a landing is necessary, then the Admiralty should agree. For Fisher in particular, who has long loathed the Dardanelles operation and feared the consequences of heavy losses, Robeck's message is a godsend, providing the justification needed to abandon the naval assault and shift to an operation on which the major burden will fall on the army. All morning Churchill argues with Fisher and the admirals, and as a last resort the First Lord appeals to Asquith. The Prime Minister responds, however, that while he may personally sympathize with Churchill's position, he does not feel it proper to overrule the professional advice of the admirals.
At a Cabinet meeting this afternoon, Churchill mournfully announces that the naval operation against the Dardanelles is to be abandoned, replaced by a joint operation in which the focus shall be on an amphibious operation by forces under General Hamilton's command. Kitchener declares that the army will see the operation through to a successful conclusion, and the matter is settled. Afterwards Churchill informs Robeck that his plan has been approved. Entente operations at the Dardanelles will henceforth be directed by Hamilton and the army leadership, with the navy relegated to the role of providing fire support.
- Over the past few months the relationship between the Senussi in the Sahara and the Ottoman Empire has improved, given that the former has enthusiastically answered the call to jihad issued by the latter. Money and equipment has been smuggled in on Greek merchant ships, while today Nuri Efendi, younger brother of Enver Pasha and a veteran of the 1912 fighting in Libya against Italy, lands at Sollum near the Libyan-Egyptian frontier with fifty Ottoman officers to aid the Senussi.
- In the aftermath of the fall of Przemysl, Falkenhayn had written to Conrad expressing his belief that the best chance for success in the east lay in an offensive against Serbia. As this would necessitate Austria-Hungary standing on the defensive in the Carpathians, Conrad strongly objects in his reply of today. He fears that any failure against Serbia would be the final nail in the coffin of the Dual Monarchy's prestige, while he believes that a resumption of the offensive in the Carpathians can still achieve success. Conrad is not going to allow devastating failure to stop him from trying again.
- Admiral Robeck signals the Admiralty this morning of his intention to abandon a purely naval assault on the Dardanelles. Instead, he proposes to launch a combined naval and army attack on the straits and Gallipoli peninsula on or after April 14th, when General Hamilton has stated his forces will be prepared to land.
The news from Robeck comes as a surprise to Churchill, who had expected the attack of the 18th to be merely the first stage of an ongoing operation. The losses incurred in that attack, while unfortunate, are acceptable given the ability to dispatch reinforcements and the significance of the objective. The First Lord intends to overrule Robeck and order an immediate resumption of a naval-only operation, and summons a meeting of the senior leadership of the Royal Navy, including Admiral Fisher. The collected admirals, however, insist that Robeck, as the senior commander on the spot, is best-suited to judge the proper course of action, and if he advises that a landing is necessary, then the Admiralty should agree. For Fisher in particular, who has long loathed the Dardanelles operation and feared the consequences of heavy losses, Robeck's message is a godsend, providing the justification needed to abandon the naval assault and shift to an operation on which the major burden will fall on the army. All morning Churchill argues with Fisher and the admirals, and as a last resort the First Lord appeals to Asquith. The Prime Minister responds, however, that while he may personally sympathize with Churchill's position, he does not feel it proper to overrule the professional advice of the admirals.
At a Cabinet meeting this afternoon, Churchill mournfully announces that the naval operation against the Dardanelles is to be abandoned, replaced by a joint operation in which the focus shall be on an amphibious operation by forces under General Hamilton's command. Kitchener declares that the army will see the operation through to a successful conclusion, and the matter is settled. Afterwards Churchill informs Robeck that his plan has been approved. Entente operations at the Dardanelles will henceforth be directed by Hamilton and the army leadership, with the navy relegated to the role of providing fire support.
- Over the past few months the relationship between the Senussi in the Sahara and the Ottoman Empire has improved, given that the former has enthusiastically answered the call to jihad issued by the latter. Money and equipment has been smuggled in on Greek merchant ships, while today Nuri Efendi, younger brother of Enver Pasha and a veteran of the 1912 fighting in Libya against Italy, lands at Sollum near the Libyan-Egyptian frontier with fifty Ottoman officers to aid the Senussi.
Sunday, March 22, 2015
March 22nd, 1915
- In Britain the ongoing shortage of artillery shells leads Prime Minister Asquith to appoint a committee to plan for the formation of a new committee on munitions. Beyond this reflecting the inanity of bureaucratic processes and the deliberate (to put it charitably) decision-making process of the Prime Minister, it also illustrates the growing marginalization of the War Office with respect to munitions production. The new committee is to be under Cabinet, not the War Office, and David Lloyd George, but not Kitchener, was invited to attend its first meeting. The growing belief in government circles is that however lustrous Kitchener's image is among the British public, his contempt for politicians and the normal procedures of administration has left the War Office in bureaucratic chaos.
- Overnight the Austro-Hungarian artillery at Przemysl fire off their remaining ammunition, and this morning are destroyed. At 6am, the last of the fortifications are reduced to rubble, and at 7am an automobile carrying two staff officers depart Przemysl to negotiate the surrender of the garrison. As white flags flutter over the remnants of the defences, the first Russian detachments enter Austro-Hungarian lines by 9am.
As a result of the surrender of Przemysl, 9 generals, 93 staff officers, 2500 other officers, and 117 000 men march into Russian captivity. The rank-and-file of the Austro-Hungarian garrison has suffered terribly over the past months, their rations reduced to almost nothing. The Russians, however, cannot help but notice that the senior Austro-Hungarian officers have a well-fed look about them.
The fall of Przemysl is undoubtedly a significant disaster for Austria-Hungary, it constituting one more military embarassment in a war that has gone completely off the rails for the Dual Monarchy. The fortress' surrender also formally ends the efforts undertaken by the army over the past few months to break through the Russian lines to relieve the garrison. Conrad's tunnel vision regarding the relief of Przemysl blinded him to the realities of attempting to conduct major offensive operations in mountainous terrain in the midst of terrible winter conditions. The Winter Battles of the Carpathians have been a shattering debacle far beyond the mere failure to reach Przemysl. Over the past few months, the Austro-Hungarian army has suffered 800 000 casualties, three-quarters as a result of sickness and exposure; the efforts to relieve the fortress squandered far more men than the besieged garrison itself contained. In the end, Conrad's offensive has resulted in the worst of both worlds: not only has Przemysl been lost, but the catastrophic losses further cripples the fighting capacity of the field army. It is one of Conrad's greatest failures in a war marked by them.
- Senior Entente commanders in the eastern Mediterranean meet today in the wardroom of Queen Elizabeth to plot the next move after the rebuff of the 18th. For several days Admiral Robeck has continued to ruminate on the losses suffered in that day's bombardment, and opens the conference by declaring his opinion that the Dardanelles cannot be forced by warships alone. Instead, the only way the minefields could be swept would be if the mobile batteries were destroyed and the enemy shore occupied by landing forces. This declaration finds support from General Sir Ian Hamilton, who had been dispatched by Kitchener to command the various British forces assembling in the eastern Mediterranean and had arrived on the 17th. His reaction to the failure of the 18th was that the army would now have to play a central part in the operation, and after communication with Kitchener had been informed by the latter that if large scale landing operations were necessary, then so be it. With Hamilton's support, Robeck is able to carry the room, and the conference unanimously resolves that the naval attack should be postponed until the landing operation was ready to commence. As the forces under Hamilton's command are scattered across the Mediterranean, he advises the admirals that it will be about three weeks before he is ready to move.
Keyes is absent from the meeting, attempting to reorganize the minesweeper fleet, and when he learns of the decision he works to change Robeck's mind. Keyes is convinced that the Ottomans are tottering, and that one more push will shatter the defenders and open the way to Constantinople. Robeck, however, still fearing additional warship losses more than anything else, refuses to budge.
- Overnight the Austro-Hungarian artillery at Przemysl fire off their remaining ammunition, and this morning are destroyed. At 6am, the last of the fortifications are reduced to rubble, and at 7am an automobile carrying two staff officers depart Przemysl to negotiate the surrender of the garrison. As white flags flutter over the remnants of the defences, the first Russian detachments enter Austro-Hungarian lines by 9am.
As a result of the surrender of Przemysl, 9 generals, 93 staff officers, 2500 other officers, and 117 000 men march into Russian captivity. The rank-and-file of the Austro-Hungarian garrison has suffered terribly over the past months, their rations reduced to almost nothing. The Russians, however, cannot help but notice that the senior Austro-Hungarian officers have a well-fed look about them.
The fall of Przemysl is undoubtedly a significant disaster for Austria-Hungary, it constituting one more military embarassment in a war that has gone completely off the rails for the Dual Monarchy. The fortress' surrender also formally ends the efforts undertaken by the army over the past few months to break through the Russian lines to relieve the garrison. Conrad's tunnel vision regarding the relief of Przemysl blinded him to the realities of attempting to conduct major offensive operations in mountainous terrain in the midst of terrible winter conditions. The Winter Battles of the Carpathians have been a shattering debacle far beyond the mere failure to reach Przemysl. Over the past few months, the Austro-Hungarian army has suffered 800 000 casualties, three-quarters as a result of sickness and exposure; the efforts to relieve the fortress squandered far more men than the besieged garrison itself contained. In the end, Conrad's offensive has resulted in the worst of both worlds: not only has Przemysl been lost, but the catastrophic losses further cripples the fighting capacity of the field army. It is one of Conrad's greatest failures in a war marked by them.
- Senior Entente commanders in the eastern Mediterranean meet today in the wardroom of Queen Elizabeth to plot the next move after the rebuff of the 18th. For several days Admiral Robeck has continued to ruminate on the losses suffered in that day's bombardment, and opens the conference by declaring his opinion that the Dardanelles cannot be forced by warships alone. Instead, the only way the minefields could be swept would be if the mobile batteries were destroyed and the enemy shore occupied by landing forces. This declaration finds support from General Sir Ian Hamilton, who had been dispatched by Kitchener to command the various British forces assembling in the eastern Mediterranean and had arrived on the 17th. His reaction to the failure of the 18th was that the army would now have to play a central part in the operation, and after communication with Kitchener had been informed by the latter that if large scale landing operations were necessary, then so be it. With Hamilton's support, Robeck is able to carry the room, and the conference unanimously resolves that the naval attack should be postponed until the landing operation was ready to commence. As the forces under Hamilton's command are scattered across the Mediterranean, he advises the admirals that it will be about three weeks before he is ready to move.
Keyes is absent from the meeting, attempting to reorganize the minesweeper fleet, and when he learns of the decision he works to change Robeck's mind. Keyes is convinced that the Ottomans are tottering, and that one more push will shatter the defenders and open the way to Constantinople. Robeck, however, still fearing additional warship losses more than anything else, refuses to budge.
Thursday, March 19, 2015
March 19th, 1915
- In Champagne a German attack on the high ground north of Le Mesnil largely fails to make any progress, the German infantry getting no further than the barbed wire strung before the French trenches. Only south of Ripont are the Germans able to seize a stretch of the first French trench, primarily through liberal use of grenades.
- OHL issues orders today to the Chief of the Military Railways regarding the assembly of units for the anticipated major offensive on the Western Front. Beginning on March 23rd, the following are to be gradually assembled: Guard Corps in Schlettstadt-Colmar, XXXXI Reserve Corps near Aulnoye-Busogny-Hirson, Bavarian II Corps near Douai-Cambrai, and III Corps near Mons.
- At Przemysl the garrison attempts a sortie, hoping to break through the Russian lines and allow for escape. The attack is largely recognized to be a forlorn hope, given the weakened state of the half-starved garrison, and indeed it has been impossible to hide from the Russians the preparations for the attempt. When the Austro-Hungarians advance, they are decimated by Russian artillery, and the 23rd Honved Division suffers 68% casualties in being driven back into the defensive lines. Within Przemysl itself, preliminary steps towards surrender begin with the burning of all paper money, worth approximately $125 000 US dollars.
- Grand Duke Nicholas, Commander-in-Chief of the Russian army, decides today to call off Russian attacks against East Prussia, as while the Russians have recovered after defeat in the Winter Battle of Masurian Lakes, they have been unable to penetrate German defensive positions. Instead, he decides that the Russians should concentrate on the Carpathians, given that Russian units covering Przemysl will be freed for future operations given the imminent fall of the fortress.
- This morning the weather has taken a turn for the worse at the Dardanelles, with high winds and lowered visibility. The conditions make a resumption of the Entente attack of yesterday impossible. As to whether the attack should be resumed, the view in London at least is to continue: the War Council sends a message to Admiral Robeck authorizing him to 'continue the naval operations against the Dardanelles if he thought fit.' Though Churchill desires further attacks, and in fact is sending reinforcements for the lost warships, the decision is left in the hands of the senior commander on the spot. Robeck, for his part, is conflicted: Keyes, his chief of staff, argues that the Ottomans are on the brink of collapse, but he can't shake the fear of losing more warships for reasons unknown.
- OHL issues orders today to the Chief of the Military Railways regarding the assembly of units for the anticipated major offensive on the Western Front. Beginning on March 23rd, the following are to be gradually assembled: Guard Corps in Schlettstadt-Colmar, XXXXI Reserve Corps near Aulnoye-Busogny-Hirson, Bavarian II Corps near Douai-Cambrai, and III Corps near Mons.
- At Przemysl the garrison attempts a sortie, hoping to break through the Russian lines and allow for escape. The attack is largely recognized to be a forlorn hope, given the weakened state of the half-starved garrison, and indeed it has been impossible to hide from the Russians the preparations for the attempt. When the Austro-Hungarians advance, they are decimated by Russian artillery, and the 23rd Honved Division suffers 68% casualties in being driven back into the defensive lines. Within Przemysl itself, preliminary steps towards surrender begin with the burning of all paper money, worth approximately $125 000 US dollars.
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| A section of the Austro-Hungarian defensive lines around Przemysl. |
- Grand Duke Nicholas, Commander-in-Chief of the Russian army, decides today to call off Russian attacks against East Prussia, as while the Russians have recovered after defeat in the Winter Battle of Masurian Lakes, they have been unable to penetrate German defensive positions. Instead, he decides that the Russians should concentrate on the Carpathians, given that Russian units covering Przemysl will be freed for future operations given the imminent fall of the fortress.
- This morning the weather has taken a turn for the worse at the Dardanelles, with high winds and lowered visibility. The conditions make a resumption of the Entente attack of yesterday impossible. As to whether the attack should be resumed, the view in London at least is to continue: the War Council sends a message to Admiral Robeck authorizing him to 'continue the naval operations against the Dardanelles if he thought fit.' Though Churchill desires further attacks, and in fact is sending reinforcements for the lost warships, the decision is left in the hands of the senior commander on the spot. Robeck, for his part, is conflicted: Keyes, his chief of staff, argues that the Ottomans are on the brink of collapse, but he can't shake the fear of losing more warships for reasons unknown.
Wednesday, March 18, 2015
March 18th, 1915
- As the offensive in Champagne prepares to wind down, Joffre still sees much to be praised about the fighting, though it has not resulted in the desired breakthrough. Writing to General de Langle of 4th Army today, the French commander in chief praises the 'offensive capacity, warrior spirit, spirit of sacrifice, and devotion to country' shown by the soldiers of 4th Army - undoubtedly small comfort to the thousands who have lost their lives here over the past two months.
- After a twenty-four hours' delay, the offensive by the Austro-Hungarian 4th Army begins, attacking towards Gorlice, Sekowa, and Staszkowka. Predictably, the Austro-Hungarian infantry gets nowhere. Further east Südarmee has been attacking since the 7th, but, having secured only minimal gains, abandons the offensive today. Finally, even further east the Russians abandon their attacks against Pflanzer-Baltin's force, giving the latter a momentary respite to reorganize.
- The morning dawns clear and bright at the Dardanelles, ideal weather for the Entente naval attack. The British and French warships, led into battle for the first time by Admiral Robeck, left their anchorage at Mudros Bay on Lemnos overnight, and this morning the dreadnought Queen Elizabeth, the battlecruiser Invincible, and sixteen pre-dreadnoughts sail in formation towards the entrance to the straits. Robeck's plan (which is for all intents and purposes Carden's plan) is to bombard the Ottoman forts protecting the Narrows from long-range, following by moving up the straits to destroy the mobile batteries. Once those are suppressed, the minesweepers will go to work, clearing a path nine hundred yards across, allowing the warships to close up to and finish the destruction of the forts at the Narrows. If all goes according to plan, the British and French expect to be in the Sea of Marmara by tomorrow. Of course, the war to date is hardly known for operations going according to plan . . .
At 11am, Queen Elizabeth, Invincible, and the pre-dreadnoughts Agamemnon and Lord Nelson arrive in position fourteen thousand yards downstream from the Narrows, and twenty-five minutes later they open fire, Queen Elizabeth bombarding the Chanak forts on the Asiatic shore and the other three firing upon the forts at Kilid Bahr on the opposite shore. By 1150am the forts have been struck repeatedly, and a large explosion is seen at Chanak. Robeck judges the time right for the next phase of his plan, and orders the French pre-dreadnoughts Gaulois, Charlemagne, Bouvet, and Suffren to pass through the lead ships and close to within ten thousand yards. For the next two hours a fierce artillery duel rages in the straits. One lucky Ottoman 14-inch shell strikes Gaulois at the waterline, forcing it to retreat as it takes on water. Generally, however, the Ottomans are taking the brunt of the punishment - some guns are buried, - telephone lines to spotters have been destroyed, etc. - and the result is rate of fire from the remaining guns is declining. Other than Gaulois, meanwhile, the British and French warships, protected by thick armour, have taken only superficial damage.
- At 154pm Robeck orders the French warships to withdraw, intending to replace them with four British pre-dreadnoughts held in reserve, and Suffren leads the other two French ships in a turn to starboard, taking them out of action through a bay on the Asian shore. Just as they pass abreast of Queen Elizabeth, Bouvet is rocked by a major explosion. Still moving forward, it rolls over, capsizes, and sinks, all within sixty seconds. Six hundred and forty sailors are lost, and only sixty-six rescued. The sudden disappearance of Bouvet shocks everyone, and no one understands how it could have been sunk so quickly. At first, both sides believe its magazine had detonated, which encourages the Ottomans to continue their bombardment. In reality, Bouvet struck a mine, one of twenty laid at night on March 8th, a minefield completely unknown to the Entente commanders, and into which Bouvet had stumbled.
The loss of Bouvet does not deter Robeck, and the bombardment continues for another two hours. At 4pm Keyes calls for the minesweepers. Four pass upstream of Queen Elizabeth, but after sweeping three mines they are driven away by Ottoman gunfire.
The situation quickly worsened for the Entente. At 411pm Inflexible wanders into the same unknown minefield that sank Bouvet, and a mine blows a hole in its bow and drowns twenty-nine sailors. Badly damaged, Inflexible limps away, its forward deck almost level with the sea. Fifteen minutes later the pre-dreadnought Irresistible strikes a mine, flooding both engine rooms and leaving it dead in the water. Not realizing what had happened, its captain signals that it has struck a mine. As it drifts slowly towards the Asian shore, the destroyer Wear comes alongside and takes off its crew.
At this point Robeck calls off the day's fighting. The losses are bad enough, but worse is that neither Robeck nor anyone else in the fleet knows what sunk the warships. In such circumstances it was felt only prudent to withdraw and regroup. Moreover, when the pre-dreadnought Ocean attempts to salvage Irresistible by taking it in tow, it too strikes a mine. Despite the best efforts of Keyes to organize their rescue, both ships sink after sundown.
By this evening a day that had started with such promise has ended in sudden and inexplicable disaster. Robeck is greatly depressed by the day's results - not only has he lost three pre-dreadnoughts, but Inflexible, counted on to fight Goeben should the later sortie, will need to go to Malta for repairs, and Gaulois ended up having to beach itself to avoid sinking. The Admiral is convinced that once news reached London, he shall be immediately relieved of command. Keyes, who has a better understanding of Churchill's mind, recognizes that the most likely response of the First Lord is to send reinforcements and encourage further attacks, and does what he can to reassure Robeck.
On the Ottoman side, only eight large guns had been put out of action, and only 118 soldiers had been killed or wounded. Of far greater importance, however, was that the Ottomans had fired off half of their supply of ammunition - there was great concern that if the British and French came again, it would be only a matter of time until the ammunition supply was exhausted, at which point the mines could be swept and the straits cleared into the Sea of Marmara. Overnight the Ottomans prepare for what they believe to be a certain resumption of the Entente attack.
- This morning the surviving zambuk carrying Emden's landing party returns to the wreck of the other zambuk. Fortunately, though submerged it is resting on the coral reef, and the German sailors are able to dive and recover two machine guns, a few pistols, and some of the ammunition. The rest of the supplies on the zambuk - including their only medical supplies - are lost.
A stiff breeze during the day allows the remaining zambuk, despite being overloaded, to reach the town of Coonfidah by evening. Here they find a larger zambuk, which they are able to charter for the next stage of their journey.
- In Mesopotamia Indian Expeditionary Force has been reinforced by 30th Brigade, and as such it is decided to reorganize the force as an army corps, under the command of Lieutenant-General Sir John Nixon.
- After a twenty-four hours' delay, the offensive by the Austro-Hungarian 4th Army begins, attacking towards Gorlice, Sekowa, and Staszkowka. Predictably, the Austro-Hungarian infantry gets nowhere. Further east Südarmee has been attacking since the 7th, but, having secured only minimal gains, abandons the offensive today. Finally, even further east the Russians abandon their attacks against Pflanzer-Baltin's force, giving the latter a momentary respite to reorganize.
- The morning dawns clear and bright at the Dardanelles, ideal weather for the Entente naval attack. The British and French warships, led into battle for the first time by Admiral Robeck, left their anchorage at Mudros Bay on Lemnos overnight, and this morning the dreadnought Queen Elizabeth, the battlecruiser Invincible, and sixteen pre-dreadnoughts sail in formation towards the entrance to the straits. Robeck's plan (which is for all intents and purposes Carden's plan) is to bombard the Ottoman forts protecting the Narrows from long-range, following by moving up the straits to destroy the mobile batteries. Once those are suppressed, the minesweepers will go to work, clearing a path nine hundred yards across, allowing the warships to close up to and finish the destruction of the forts at the Narrows. If all goes according to plan, the British and French expect to be in the Sea of Marmara by tomorrow. Of course, the war to date is hardly known for operations going according to plan . . .
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| The naval attack on the Dardanelles, March 18th, 1915. |
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| British pre-dreadnoughts approaching the Dardanelles, as seen from Agamemnon, March 18th, 1915. |
At 11am, Queen Elizabeth, Invincible, and the pre-dreadnoughts Agamemnon and Lord Nelson arrive in position fourteen thousand yards downstream from the Narrows, and twenty-five minutes later they open fire, Queen Elizabeth bombarding the Chanak forts on the Asiatic shore and the other three firing upon the forts at Kilid Bahr on the opposite shore. By 1150am the forts have been struck repeatedly, and a large explosion is seen at Chanak. Robeck judges the time right for the next phase of his plan, and orders the French pre-dreadnoughts Gaulois, Charlemagne, Bouvet, and Suffren to pass through the lead ships and close to within ten thousand yards. For the next two hours a fierce artillery duel rages in the straits. One lucky Ottoman 14-inch shell strikes Gaulois at the waterline, forcing it to retreat as it takes on water. Generally, however, the Ottomans are taking the brunt of the punishment - some guns are buried, - telephone lines to spotters have been destroyed, etc. - and the result is rate of fire from the remaining guns is declining. Other than Gaulois, meanwhile, the British and French warships, protected by thick armour, have taken only superficial damage.
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| The British pre-dreadnought Prince George is targeted by a salvo of three Ottoman shells, one of which strikes home, March 18th, 1915. |
- At 154pm Robeck orders the French warships to withdraw, intending to replace them with four British pre-dreadnoughts held in reserve, and Suffren leads the other two French ships in a turn to starboard, taking them out of action through a bay on the Asian shore. Just as they pass abreast of Queen Elizabeth, Bouvet is rocked by a major explosion. Still moving forward, it rolls over, capsizes, and sinks, all within sixty seconds. Six hundred and forty sailors are lost, and only sixty-six rescued. The sudden disappearance of Bouvet shocks everyone, and no one understands how it could have been sunk so quickly. At first, both sides believe its magazine had detonated, which encourages the Ottomans to continue their bombardment. In reality, Bouvet struck a mine, one of twenty laid at night on March 8th, a minefield completely unknown to the Entente commanders, and into which Bouvet had stumbled.
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| Above, the French pre-dreadnought Bouvet immediately after it strikes a mine. Below, moments later, Bouvet capsizes and is keel-up as it sinks, March 18th, 1915. |
The situation quickly worsened for the Entente. At 411pm Inflexible wanders into the same unknown minefield that sank Bouvet, and a mine blows a hole in its bow and drowns twenty-nine sailors. Badly damaged, Inflexible limps away, its forward deck almost level with the sea. Fifteen minutes later the pre-dreadnought Irresistible strikes a mine, flooding both engine rooms and leaving it dead in the water. Not realizing what had happened, its captain signals that it has struck a mine. As it drifts slowly towards the Asian shore, the destroyer Wear comes alongside and takes off its crew.
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| The British pre-dreadnought floundering after striking a mine, March 18th, 1915. |
At this point Robeck calls off the day's fighting. The losses are bad enough, but worse is that neither Robeck nor anyone else in the fleet knows what sunk the warships. In such circumstances it was felt only prudent to withdraw and regroup. Moreover, when the pre-dreadnought Ocean attempts to salvage Irresistible by taking it in tow, it too strikes a mine. Despite the best efforts of Keyes to organize their rescue, both ships sink after sundown.
By this evening a day that had started with such promise has ended in sudden and inexplicable disaster. Robeck is greatly depressed by the day's results - not only has he lost three pre-dreadnoughts, but Inflexible, counted on to fight Goeben should the later sortie, will need to go to Malta for repairs, and Gaulois ended up having to beach itself to avoid sinking. The Admiral is convinced that once news reached London, he shall be immediately relieved of command. Keyes, who has a better understanding of Churchill's mind, recognizes that the most likely response of the First Lord is to send reinforcements and encourage further attacks, and does what he can to reassure Robeck.
On the Ottoman side, only eight large guns had been put out of action, and only 118 soldiers had been killed or wounded. Of far greater importance, however, was that the Ottomans had fired off half of their supply of ammunition - there was great concern that if the British and French came again, it would be only a matter of time until the ammunition supply was exhausted, at which point the mines could be swept and the straits cleared into the Sea of Marmara. Overnight the Ottomans prepare for what they believe to be a certain resumption of the Entente attack.
- This morning the surviving zambuk carrying Emden's landing party returns to the wreck of the other zambuk. Fortunately, though submerged it is resting on the coral reef, and the German sailors are able to dive and recover two machine guns, a few pistols, and some of the ammunition. The rest of the supplies on the zambuk - including their only medical supplies - are lost.
A stiff breeze during the day allows the remaining zambuk, despite being overloaded, to reach the town of Coonfidah by evening. Here they find a larger zambuk, which they are able to charter for the next stage of their journey.
- In Mesopotamia Indian Expeditionary Force has been reinforced by 30th Brigade, and as such it is decided to reorganize the force as an army corps, under the command of Lieutenant-General Sir John Nixon.
Saturday, March 14, 2015
March 14th, 1915
- In Champagne the commander of the French XVI Corps reports to General de Langle that his force has made a small 'crack' in the German line, but that efforts to enlarge the breach have been thwarted by murderous flanking fire. De Langle's response is to alter the direction of the assaults and order their continuation.
- After several hours of artillery preparation and the detonation of several mines, French infantry assault German positions held by XVI Corps today on the Bolante Plateau and west of Boureuilles in the Argonne.
- Though the fighting continues in Champagne, Joffre is already looking forward to future operations. Near the German border is the French Provisional Army of the East, which includes 1st and 3rd Armys and Army Detachments Vosges and Lorraine, and is commanded by General Auguste Dubail. Today Joffre instructs Dubail to commence preparations for an offensive against both flanks of the St. Mihiel salient, for which he will provide three corps and a cavalry division as reinforcements.
- In the central Carpathians all available reserves of the Austro-Hungarian 2nd Army are rushed to prop up the reeling XIX Corps and prevent a Russian breakthrough. With nothing left to send to the aid of the corps advancing on Baligrod, 2nd Army commander calls off the offensive. Over the past fourteen days, 2nd Army has lost 33% of its strength, numbering 51 086 men. Even Conrad now acknowledges that his winter offensives to relieve Przemysl have failed, and that the garrison cannot be relieved before it is starved into surrender. This, of course, does not deter Conrad from planning further offensives in the Carpathians, as he informs Falkenhayn today.
- In the early morning hours a determined effort is made to sweep the minefields in the Dardanelles. First the pre-dreadnought Cornwallis enters the straits and bombards the searchlights and mobile batteries, followed by the light cruiser Amethyst and four destroyers at 2am. An hour later, seven trawlers, with crews that now included naval volunteers, enter the Dardanelles, intending to sail in, turn, and sweep on their way out. Despite the ongoing shore bombardment, they are quickly illuminated by Ottoman searchlights, and by the time they reach the point to turn and begin sweeping, they are under intense fire. Two trawlers had their sweeping gear blown away, a third had its captain and deck crew all killed, and two more collided and drifted down the straits, entangled and seemingly the target of every Ottoman gun in range. The two remaining trawlers manage to sweep several mines, but it is a meagre return, especially considering that Amethyst takes a large shell to its mess deck, killing twenty-four and injuring thirty-six.
Assessing the results in the daylight hours, Admiral Carden concludes that the only way for the minesweeping operation to succeed is if a smothering naval bombardment can first obliterate the Ottoman guns. To do this requires the fleet to sail into the Dardanelles in daylight, and planning begins for such an attack in four days' time.
- At 5pm the two zambuks carrying Emden's landing party departs from Yabana, just north of Hodeida, with both ships flying the German naval pennant. Aware that a blockade line to the north is maintained by several English gunboats, First Officer Mücke orders the zambuks to part ways, to avoid both being captured together.
- At dawn this morning, the armoured cruiser Kent and the light cruiser Glasgow round Cumberland Point on Más á Tierra. Before them is the German light cruiser Dresden, at anchor and still waiting for its collier. When Dresden trains its guns on the British warships, Glasgow opens fire. Within four minutes, having already been struck at its waterline, the Germans raise the white flag. A steam launch departs Dresden carrying Lieutenant William Canaris (yes, that Canaris) to register a complaint to the captain of Glasgow that the German warship was in Chilean waters and thus under Chilean protection. The response of Glasgow's captain is, in the finest traditions of the service, that unless Dresden surrenders immediately, he will blow it out of the water, neutrality be damned. The German response is to scuttle their ship and escape to shore, singing the German anthem as Dresden keels over. Thus sinks the last survivor of the German East Asiatic Squadron, and it is fitting that Glasgow, who escaped from the squadron's greatest triumph, is present at its final demise.
- After several hours of artillery preparation and the detonation of several mines, French infantry assault German positions held by XVI Corps today on the Bolante Plateau and west of Boureuilles in the Argonne.
- Though the fighting continues in Champagne, Joffre is already looking forward to future operations. Near the German border is the French Provisional Army of the East, which includes 1st and 3rd Armys and Army Detachments Vosges and Lorraine, and is commanded by General Auguste Dubail. Today Joffre instructs Dubail to commence preparations for an offensive against both flanks of the St. Mihiel salient, for which he will provide three corps and a cavalry division as reinforcements.
- In the central Carpathians all available reserves of the Austro-Hungarian 2nd Army are rushed to prop up the reeling XIX Corps and prevent a Russian breakthrough. With nothing left to send to the aid of the corps advancing on Baligrod, 2nd Army commander calls off the offensive. Over the past fourteen days, 2nd Army has lost 33% of its strength, numbering 51 086 men. Even Conrad now acknowledges that his winter offensives to relieve Przemysl have failed, and that the garrison cannot be relieved before it is starved into surrender. This, of course, does not deter Conrad from planning further offensives in the Carpathians, as he informs Falkenhayn today.
- In the early morning hours a determined effort is made to sweep the minefields in the Dardanelles. First the pre-dreadnought Cornwallis enters the straits and bombards the searchlights and mobile batteries, followed by the light cruiser Amethyst and four destroyers at 2am. An hour later, seven trawlers, with crews that now included naval volunteers, enter the Dardanelles, intending to sail in, turn, and sweep on their way out. Despite the ongoing shore bombardment, they are quickly illuminated by Ottoman searchlights, and by the time they reach the point to turn and begin sweeping, they are under intense fire. Two trawlers had their sweeping gear blown away, a third had its captain and deck crew all killed, and two more collided and drifted down the straits, entangled and seemingly the target of every Ottoman gun in range. The two remaining trawlers manage to sweep several mines, but it is a meagre return, especially considering that Amethyst takes a large shell to its mess deck, killing twenty-four and injuring thirty-six.
Assessing the results in the daylight hours, Admiral Carden concludes that the only way for the minesweeping operation to succeed is if a smothering naval bombardment can first obliterate the Ottoman guns. To do this requires the fleet to sail into the Dardanelles in daylight, and planning begins for such an attack in four days' time.
- At 5pm the two zambuks carrying Emden's landing party departs from Yabana, just north of Hodeida, with both ships flying the German naval pennant. Aware that a blockade line to the north is maintained by several English gunboats, First Officer Mücke orders the zambuks to part ways, to avoid both being captured together.
- At dawn this morning, the armoured cruiser Kent and the light cruiser Glasgow round Cumberland Point on Más á Tierra. Before them is the German light cruiser Dresden, at anchor and still waiting for its collier. When Dresden trains its guns on the British warships, Glasgow opens fire. Within four minutes, having already been struck at its waterline, the Germans raise the white flag. A steam launch departs Dresden carrying Lieutenant William Canaris (yes, that Canaris) to register a complaint to the captain of Glasgow that the German warship was in Chilean waters and thus under Chilean protection. The response of Glasgow's captain is, in the finest traditions of the service, that unless Dresden surrenders immediately, he will blow it out of the water, neutrality be damned. The German response is to scuttle their ship and escape to shore, singing the German anthem as Dresden keels over. Thus sinks the last survivor of the German East Asiatic Squadron, and it is fitting that Glasgow, who escaped from the squadron's greatest triumph, is present at its final demise.
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| The German light cruiser Dresden, scuttled today at Más á Tierra. |
Friday, March 13, 2015
March 13th, 1915
- Today the Swedish merchant ship Hanna, carrying coal from the Tyne to Las Palmas, is sunk by a German U-boat off of Scarborough, the first neutral vessel sunk by torpedo without warning since the Germans began unconditional submarine warfare last month.
- At Neuve Chapelle the British decide to call off their offensive in the face of stiffening resistance. For 13 000 casualties, including 4000 from the Indian Corps, the British have recaptured the village of Neuve Chapelle and advanced the line approximately a thousand yards along a three thousand yard stretch of the front. Though the initial attack on the 10th was an immediate success, it has not led to any strategic advantage whatsoever - Aubers Ridge remains beyond the reach of the British.
In explaining the failure to exploit the initial breakthrough, a lack of artillery shells is highlighted, this despite the British firing one-sixth of their entire munitions stockpile on the Western Front in just three days. This reflects the growing awareness that artillery is the master of the deadlocked battlefield in France and Belgium. In analyzing the battle afterwards, Haig concludes that the thirty-five minute artillery bombardment was insufficient, lengthier bombardments necessary to thoroughly pulverize the enemy, and that attacks must be launched on a longer stretch of the front to prevent the enemy from concentrating their reserves at a single threatened point. Unfortunately for the British, these are the absolute worst lessons Haig could of drawn from the battle. The initial success was due precisely to the fact that the short-but-intensive bombardment both severely damaged German positions while catching them by surprise, while the concentration of the attacking force against a single point allowed for sufficient numerical superiority to overwhelm the defenders. The lessons Haig draws from Neuve Chapelle will feature prominently in British operations to come, culminating in just over a year's time in the Battle of the Somme.
The Battle of Neuve Chapelle does at least demonstrate that the British have some ability in planning and executing offensive operations in the context of trench warfare. Joffre is pleased to see his British allies willing to go over on to the attack, though he is disdainful of the failed followup operations. For the British, the battle also reinforces the belief that this will be a long war. As Brigadier-General John Chateris, Haig's intelligence officer at 1st Army, comments afterwards, 'I am afraid that England will have to accustom herself to far greater losses than those of Neuve Chapelle before we finally crush the German Army.' More prophetic words were hardly ever spoken during the war.
- Today Falkenhayn receives a second proposal for an offensive operation on the Western Front, this one composed by the Chief of Staff of 1st Army. It argues that an attack in Artois will only push the British backwards, and otherwise will have no strategic consequences. Instead, the focus should be on finding that stretch of the front where the odds of a successful breakthrough are greatest, and 1st Army's conclusion is that the line on its left wing and the adjoining right wing of 7th Army along the Aisne River is ideal for this purpose. The plan calls for four corps to cross the Aisne on a twenty kilometre from east of Soisson, with four corps and a cavalry corps following on to widen the breach, after which the offensive would continue in the direction of Paris. In favour of 1st Army's proposal was that it would required fewer corps and less artillery to execute. On a tactical level, the plan is very promising, but the question is whether the tactical success of a breakthrough along the Aisne can be converted into a decisive strategic victory.
- In the central Carpathians, a Russian attack this afternoon breaks through the line held by the Austro-Hungarian XIX Corps on the left wing of 2nd Army. This corps, part of the stalled drive on Baligrod, now finds itself fighting a desperate defensive battle. To the east, meanwhile, four Russian cavalry divisions and a rifle brigade drives back several Austro-Hungarian divisions in the centre of General Pflanzer-Baltin's line.
With the Austro-Hungarian offensive faltering, the garrison commander at Przemysl, General Hermann Kusmanek, is informed by radio today that 2nd Army may not be able to drive through Lisko to relieve the fortress by the 18th as hoped. It is left to Kusmanek's discretion whether part of garrison should sortie and attempt to break through to Austro-Hungarian lines before the food supply is exhausted.
- Off the Dardanelles Admiral Carden replies to Churchill's message of the 11th, agreeing that the time has come for a more sustained effort and informing the First Lord that a major effort will be undertaken overnight. Carden himself, however, is increasing ill, as Keyes notes today - the strain of the operation, combined with the pressure for results from London, is taking its toll.
- At Neuve Chapelle the British decide to call off their offensive in the face of stiffening resistance. For 13 000 casualties, including 4000 from the Indian Corps, the British have recaptured the village of Neuve Chapelle and advanced the line approximately a thousand yards along a three thousand yard stretch of the front. Though the initial attack on the 10th was an immediate success, it has not led to any strategic advantage whatsoever - Aubers Ridge remains beyond the reach of the British.
In explaining the failure to exploit the initial breakthrough, a lack of artillery shells is highlighted, this despite the British firing one-sixth of their entire munitions stockpile on the Western Front in just three days. This reflects the growing awareness that artillery is the master of the deadlocked battlefield in France and Belgium. In analyzing the battle afterwards, Haig concludes that the thirty-five minute artillery bombardment was insufficient, lengthier bombardments necessary to thoroughly pulverize the enemy, and that attacks must be launched on a longer stretch of the front to prevent the enemy from concentrating their reserves at a single threatened point. Unfortunately for the British, these are the absolute worst lessons Haig could of drawn from the battle. The initial success was due precisely to the fact that the short-but-intensive bombardment both severely damaged German positions while catching them by surprise, while the concentration of the attacking force against a single point allowed for sufficient numerical superiority to overwhelm the defenders. The lessons Haig draws from Neuve Chapelle will feature prominently in British operations to come, culminating in just over a year's time in the Battle of the Somme.
The Battle of Neuve Chapelle does at least demonstrate that the British have some ability in planning and executing offensive operations in the context of trench warfare. Joffre is pleased to see his British allies willing to go over on to the attack, though he is disdainful of the failed followup operations. For the British, the battle also reinforces the belief that this will be a long war. As Brigadier-General John Chateris, Haig's intelligence officer at 1st Army, comments afterwards, 'I am afraid that England will have to accustom herself to far greater losses than those of Neuve Chapelle before we finally crush the German Army.' More prophetic words were hardly ever spoken during the war.
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| Soldiers of the Northumberland Hussars in the second line of trenches, north of Neuve Chapelle, March 13th, 1915. |
- Today Falkenhayn receives a second proposal for an offensive operation on the Western Front, this one composed by the Chief of Staff of 1st Army. It argues that an attack in Artois will only push the British backwards, and otherwise will have no strategic consequences. Instead, the focus should be on finding that stretch of the front where the odds of a successful breakthrough are greatest, and 1st Army's conclusion is that the line on its left wing and the adjoining right wing of 7th Army along the Aisne River is ideal for this purpose. The plan calls for four corps to cross the Aisne on a twenty kilometre from east of Soisson, with four corps and a cavalry corps following on to widen the breach, after which the offensive would continue in the direction of Paris. In favour of 1st Army's proposal was that it would required fewer corps and less artillery to execute. On a tactical level, the plan is very promising, but the question is whether the tactical success of a breakthrough along the Aisne can be converted into a decisive strategic victory.
- In the central Carpathians, a Russian attack this afternoon breaks through the line held by the Austro-Hungarian XIX Corps on the left wing of 2nd Army. This corps, part of the stalled drive on Baligrod, now finds itself fighting a desperate defensive battle. To the east, meanwhile, four Russian cavalry divisions and a rifle brigade drives back several Austro-Hungarian divisions in the centre of General Pflanzer-Baltin's line.
With the Austro-Hungarian offensive faltering, the garrison commander at Przemysl, General Hermann Kusmanek, is informed by radio today that 2nd Army may not be able to drive through Lisko to relieve the fortress by the 18th as hoped. It is left to Kusmanek's discretion whether part of garrison should sortie and attempt to break through to Austro-Hungarian lines before the food supply is exhausted.
- Off the Dardanelles Admiral Carden replies to Churchill's message of the 11th, agreeing that the time has come for a more sustained effort and informing the First Lord that a major effort will be undertaken overnight. Carden himself, however, is increasing ill, as Keyes notes today - the strain of the operation, combined with the pressure for results from London, is taking its toll.
Thursday, March 12, 2015
March 12th, 1915
- At 6am, a major German counterattack is launched against the British line at Neuve Chapelle which is able to retake a portion of the trenches northeast of the village that was lost in the initial British attack two days ago. However, a lack of artillery impairs the German ability to hold the new line, and an attack by the British 7th and 8th Divisions at noon manage to regain the lost ground. By 8pm, the headquarters of the German 6th Army concludes that further attacks to recover Neuve Chapelle will be fruitless, and decides to entrench on the present line. For the British, the German counterattacks are sufficiently disruptive and damaging that, despite being able to retake the lost ground, they are unable to push further towards Aubers Ridge.
- Today the French XVI Corps begins its assault in the Champagne, joined by other elements of 4th Army. Despite the concentration of infantry and the focus on a maximum effort, the attack is little more successful than those earlier in the battle.
- The second advance towards Prasnysz by the German forces under General Gallwitz is called off today north of the town, as Russian counterattacks have checked German momentum.
- In the central Carpathians, General Brusilov continues the counterattack against the left wing of the Austro-Hungarian 2nd Army, and today 34th Division is forced back. The commander of the Austro-Hungarian 2nd Army, meanwhile, is concerned about a Russian breakthrough that would undue what little has been accomplished to date, and rushes his reserves to XIX Corps in front of Lupkow. Further east, the grinding Austro-Hungarian advance towards Baligrod continues - the village of Rabe and the Manilowa Heights are seized today.
- This afternoon a small English gunboat thoroughly searches Isa Bay, from which Emden's landing party is rumoured to be sailing from tomorrow. In truth, Mücke's deception has worked, as his party prepares to sail on the fourteenth.
- The British and French commanders of Entente forces invading German Kamerun agree to a plan of campaign, in which their forces are expected to reach the line Dume-Lomie-Akoafim-Ntem River by the end of March. The plan, however, bears little resemblance to the actual position of French columns in the south and west, and assumes a level of co-ordination utterly impossible given the terrain of the colony.
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| British dead at Neuve Chapelle, March 12th, 1915. |
- The second advance towards Prasnysz by the German forces under General Gallwitz is called off today north of the town, as Russian counterattacks have checked German momentum.
- In the central Carpathians, General Brusilov continues the counterattack against the left wing of the Austro-Hungarian 2nd Army, and today 34th Division is forced back. The commander of the Austro-Hungarian 2nd Army, meanwhile, is concerned about a Russian breakthrough that would undue what little has been accomplished to date, and rushes his reserves to XIX Corps in front of Lupkow. Further east, the grinding Austro-Hungarian advance towards Baligrod continues - the village of Rabe and the Manilowa Heights are seized today.
- This afternoon a small English gunboat thoroughly searches Isa Bay, from which Emden's landing party is rumoured to be sailing from tomorrow. In truth, Mücke's deception has worked, as his party prepares to sail on the fourteenth.
- The British and French commanders of Entente forces invading German Kamerun agree to a plan of campaign, in which their forces are expected to reach the line Dume-Lomie-Akoafim-Ntem River by the end of March. The plan, however, bears little resemblance to the actual position of French columns in the south and west, and assumes a level of co-ordination utterly impossible given the terrain of the colony.
Wednesday, March 11, 2015
March 11th, 1915
- In direct response to the German declaration of a war zone around Britain and the commencement of unrestricted submarine warfare, the British declare a total blockade of Germany today. Henceforth, Entente navies would prevent all cargoes, not just contraband, from reaching German ports.
- The Zeppelins belonging to the German army are today authorized to conduct aerial bombardments of London.
- In Canada, recruiting for a second contingent began even while the first was still training on Salisbury Plain. Today, Lord Kitchener informs the Canadian government that the transportation of the first elements of the second contingent across the Atlantic will commence in late April.
- Overnight, German forces have constructed a new defensive line across the breach open yesterday at Neuve Chapelle, while also deploying additional artillery batteries. In the morning mist the new positions go unseen, such that when a British attack is launched at 7am, it runs into a hail of machine gun and artillery fire from elements of the German 14th Division. A second attack in the evening is similarly dispatched as further German reinforcements, this time from 6th Bavarian Division, arrive on the battlefield.
- In Champagne the major assault of the French XVI Corps is scheduled to begin tomorrow, and this evening its commander issues his final orders to his subordinates. He instructs that every soldier is to participate in the advance, with none left to occupy trenches, and that every piece of ground seized is to be immediately consolidated and used as a launching pad for further attacks.
- The results of the reorganization of the German army, to incorporate the newest cohort of recruits while creating a large reserve of experienced divisions, are not as promising as Falkenhayn had originally hoped. Instead of the anticipated twenty-four new divisions, it is now apparent that, due to losses and other requirements, only fourteen new divisions can be created. This is less than the force envisioned in 6th Army's proposed operation for an offensive north of the Somme. Despite this setback, Falkenhayn remains committed to undertaking an attack in the West - writing today to Colonel Seeckt, 11th Army's Chief of Staff, he emphasizes that he still plans to force a return to a war of movement on the Western Front through a major breakthrough that culminates in victory over the Entente.
- Since the beginning of March, the German 10th Army has been gradually falling back towards the line it held prior to the Winter Battle of the Masurian Lakes, as the position it had won in the battle had been rendered untenable due to Russian pressure on the flanks. It has been cautiously followed by the Russian 10th Army, but two days ago the Germans turned the tables on their pursuers, and after several furious days of fighting the Russians have been halted. The Germans are thus able to assume defensive positions and stalemate returns to the front. Despite the victory last month at Masurian Lakes, in terms of territory the Germans find themselves right back where they started.
- After four days of fighting the offensive of the Austro-Hungarian 4th Army has stalled, unable to maintain the early momentum towards Gorlize and Staszkowka, at a cost of six thousand casualties.
Meanwhile, the garrison of the besieged fortress of Przemysl reports today that after the slaughter of all horses and a thorough search for all available food it will be able to hold out until March 24th, at which point surrender will be necessary to avoid starvation. The winter battles in the Carpathians are approaching their climax; the Austro-Hungarians must break through immediately if Przemysl is to be relieved before it falls.
The Russians, however, have other ideas. General Brusilov has been concerned that the advance of the left wing of the Austro-Hungarian 2nd Army, particularly near Lupkow, threatens the flank of the Russian forces facing 3rd Army to the west. To negate this possibility, Russian forces attack today near Lupkow, and the Austro-Hungarian 29th Division is forced to yield the ground it had conquered over the past few days.
- At the Dardanelles the minesweepers are sent into the straits unescorted tonight, hoping to catch the Ottomans by surprise. The result was about what one would expect, as Keyes related:
- The landing party of the German light cruiser Emden arrives today back at Hodeida, from which it had departed a month earlier. Intending to continue their journey by sea, they must secure new vessels, as Choising, the merchant ship upon which they had crossed the Indian Ocean, had been sent away upon their arrival at Hodeida. As there are no steamships to be had, First Officer Mücke acquires two zambuks, small sailboats fourteen meters long and four meters wide, used along the Arabian coast. The party intends to sail from Yabana, a small bay north of Hodeida, on the fourteenth, while to deflect unwanted attention Mücke spreads the rumour that they will instead sail from Isa Bay on the thirteenth.
- The Zeppelins belonging to the German army are today authorized to conduct aerial bombardments of London.
- In Canada, recruiting for a second contingent began even while the first was still training on Salisbury Plain. Today, Lord Kitchener informs the Canadian government that the transportation of the first elements of the second contingent across the Atlantic will commence in late April.
- Overnight, German forces have constructed a new defensive line across the breach open yesterday at Neuve Chapelle, while also deploying additional artillery batteries. In the morning mist the new positions go unseen, such that when a British attack is launched at 7am, it runs into a hail of machine gun and artillery fire from elements of the German 14th Division. A second attack in the evening is similarly dispatched as further German reinforcements, this time from 6th Bavarian Division, arrive on the battlefield.
- In Champagne the major assault of the French XVI Corps is scheduled to begin tomorrow, and this evening its commander issues his final orders to his subordinates. He instructs that every soldier is to participate in the advance, with none left to occupy trenches, and that every piece of ground seized is to be immediately consolidated and used as a launching pad for further attacks.
- The results of the reorganization of the German army, to incorporate the newest cohort of recruits while creating a large reserve of experienced divisions, are not as promising as Falkenhayn had originally hoped. Instead of the anticipated twenty-four new divisions, it is now apparent that, due to losses and other requirements, only fourteen new divisions can be created. This is less than the force envisioned in 6th Army's proposed operation for an offensive north of the Somme. Despite this setback, Falkenhayn remains committed to undertaking an attack in the West - writing today to Colonel Seeckt, 11th Army's Chief of Staff, he emphasizes that he still plans to force a return to a war of movement on the Western Front through a major breakthrough that culminates in victory over the Entente.
- Since the beginning of March, the German 10th Army has been gradually falling back towards the line it held prior to the Winter Battle of the Masurian Lakes, as the position it had won in the battle had been rendered untenable due to Russian pressure on the flanks. It has been cautiously followed by the Russian 10th Army, but two days ago the Germans turned the tables on their pursuers, and after several furious days of fighting the Russians have been halted. The Germans are thus able to assume defensive positions and stalemate returns to the front. Despite the victory last month at Masurian Lakes, in terms of territory the Germans find themselves right back where they started.
- After four days of fighting the offensive of the Austro-Hungarian 4th Army has stalled, unable to maintain the early momentum towards Gorlize and Staszkowka, at a cost of six thousand casualties.
Meanwhile, the garrison of the besieged fortress of Przemysl reports today that after the slaughter of all horses and a thorough search for all available food it will be able to hold out until March 24th, at which point surrender will be necessary to avoid starvation. The winter battles in the Carpathians are approaching their climax; the Austro-Hungarians must break through immediately if Przemysl is to be relieved before it falls.
The Russians, however, have other ideas. General Brusilov has been concerned that the advance of the left wing of the Austro-Hungarian 2nd Army, particularly near Lupkow, threatens the flank of the Russian forces facing 3rd Army to the west. To negate this possibility, Russian forces attack today near Lupkow, and the Austro-Hungarian 29th Division is forced to yield the ground it had conquered over the past few days.
- At the Dardanelles the minesweepers are sent into the straits unescorted tonight, hoping to catch the Ottomans by surprise. The result was about what one would expect, as Keyes related:
The less said about that night the better. To put it briefly, the sweepers turned tail and fled as soon as they were fired upon. I was furious and told the officers . . . that it did not matter if we lost all seven sweepers, there were twenty-eight more, and the mines had got to be swept up. How could they talk about being stopped by heavy fire if they were not hit?- At the Admiralty, Churchill has received reports of Ottoman ammunition shortages at the Dardanelles, and sends orders to Carden to abandon his methodical attempts to bombardment the forts and sweep the minefields, and instead press forward with maximum force. In Churchill's views, any losses that may occur would be amply compensated by the strategic consequences of victory at the Dardanelles.
- The landing party of the German light cruiser Emden arrives today back at Hodeida, from which it had departed a month earlier. Intending to continue their journey by sea, they must secure new vessels, as Choising, the merchant ship upon which they had crossed the Indian Ocean, had been sent away upon their arrival at Hodeida. As there are no steamships to be had, First Officer Mücke acquires two zambuks, small sailboats fourteen meters long and four meters wide, used along the Arabian coast. The party intends to sail from Yabana, a small bay north of Hodeida, on the fourteenth, while to deflect unwanted attention Mücke spreads the rumour that they will instead sail from Isa Bay on the thirteenth.
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