- As the Belgians continue their retreat to the Yser River, tonight the British 7th Division is at Roulers, with the British 3rd Cavalry Division to the south covering its movement towards Ypres. Meanwhile, this morning the British III Corps completes its assembly at Hazebrouck, and begins its advance at 1030am. Though its objective is a line running north from Armentières, the corps encounters serious German opposition by elements of two cavalry divisions at the village of Meteren. It is not until nightfall that the village is captured, the Germans retreating in good order while inflicting 708 casualties on the British. Just to the north, the British Cavalry Corps clears German defenders off of Mont Noir.
On the German side, XIX Corps marches through Lille today on its way to the front, while the four reserve corps of 4th Army are detraining at Brussels.
- The offensive by General Mudra's XVI Corps in the Argonne west of Verdun has made only painfully slow progress. Despite the use of new weaponry such as Minenwerfers and hand grenades, it is only today that the first line of French trenches has been taken. The inability of new technology to immediately transform the battlefield is a theme that will recur in the years to come.
- In an effort to prod General Ivanov to attack, Grand Duke Nicholas reassigns 2nd and 5th armies to General Ruzski of North-West Front. All this accomplishes in practice is to divide command of the operation, and over the prior two months the Russians have shown themselves singularly incapable of co-ordinating the efforts of separate commanders.
- In South Africa, in response to Maritz's declaration of rebellion, Christian de Wet, C. F. Beyers, and J. C. G. Kemp renew contact with each other, and discuss joining Maritz's revolt.
- At the Admiralty, First Lord Churchill discusses the continued pursuit of the German East Asiatic Squadron with the First Sea Lord, Prince Louis of Battenberg. Their understanding is that Craddock will concentrate his ships at the Falklands Islands, and approve the formation of a second squadron. They also conclude that Craddock understands that if his squadron is not strong enough to engage the German East Asiatic Squadron by itself, he will endeavour to shadow them until reinforcements arrive. This is a crucial misunderstanding by the First Lord and First Sea Lord. Craddock had been given orders on September 14th to destroy the German cruisers, a directive that had never been countermanded and which Craddock felt bound to obey regardless of the strength of the warships under his command.
Showing posts with label Lille. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Lille. Show all posts
Monday, October 13, 2014
Sunday, October 12, 2014
October 12th, 1914
- Finding the town abandoned by Entente forces, Ghent is occupied early this morning by General Beseler's III Reserve Corps. To the west, the Belgian army continues its retreat to the Yser, while the French Marine Brigade's objective is Dixmude. The British 3rd Cavalry Division continues to cover the movement of 7th Division, the latter arriving at Thielt this evening, the two having been ordered to link up with the rest of the British Expeditionary Force at Ypres.
- East of Béthune, General Smith-Dorrien's II Corps moves through a thick early morning fog, finding clustered in farmyards and along hedgerows the French cavalrymen they are to relieve. As the fog lifts late morning the British soldiers continue a cautious advance in the direction of La Bassée and Lille. They are opposed by the German 1st and 2nd Cavalry Corps, who harass the British with sniper fire and inflict significant casualties. The pace of the advance is slower than planned, and II Corps is also being pulled southward - a German attack last night forced French defenders back south of the line Béthune-La Bassée, forcing Smith-Dorrien to deploy a brigade south of the canal connecting the two towns and adjusted the line of march to be eastward instead of northeast in order to maintain contact with the French XIX Corps.
- To the north, the British III Corps spends the day assembling at Hazebrouck, but the transportation problems that have plagued its redeployment continue - buses ordered to assist in bringing up the last forces from St. Omer do not arrive until midday. As a result, the corps is not able to begin its advance, intended to sweep north of Lille, today as originally ordered.
- At Lille, the German artillery bombardment continues until 445am, at which point XIX Corps attacks. The French territorials offer spirited resistance, and it is only in the evening that 181st Regiment forces its way into the city itself. The situation now hopeless, the French garrison surrenders, and 4500 soldiers march into German captivity. The capture of Lille is a significant achievement, not only in advancing the front, but in subtracting the substantial manufacturing capacity of the city from the French war effort.
- In Poland, General Mackensen's XVII Corps, on the left of 9th Army, marches towards Warsaw in an effort to aggressively secure the army's flank. The Russians fall back before Mackensen's advance, with the 2nd Army retreating to Warsaw itself. This sparks talk of the Germans occupying Warsaw, which ignores the distinct numerical superiority of the Russians throughout Poland.
- In the early hours of the morning, the German light cruiser Dresden arrives at Easter Island, completing its voyage from the Atlantic. Later in the day, the German East Asiatic Squadron arrives as well. The island is nominally a possession of Chile, but in practice is governed by the British subject Percy Edmonds, manager of the island's sheep and cattle ranch. The island has no wireless and its only contact with the outside world is a Chilean supply vessel that arrives only twice a year. As a result, Edmonds has no idea that the greatest war in human history is raging across the world, and thus is happy to supply the Germans with fresh meat and vegetables. He also gladly accepts payment in checks payable by a German bank in Valparaíso.
- In London a Cabinet Committee on Munitions has been formed and meets for the first time today, and include amongst its members Lord Kitchener, David Lloyd George, and Winston Churchill. The purpose of the committee is to examine the supply of munitions for the army, on the assumption that the war will be lengthy.
- East of Béthune, General Smith-Dorrien's II Corps moves through a thick early morning fog, finding clustered in farmyards and along hedgerows the French cavalrymen they are to relieve. As the fog lifts late morning the British soldiers continue a cautious advance in the direction of La Bassée and Lille. They are opposed by the German 1st and 2nd Cavalry Corps, who harass the British with sniper fire and inflict significant casualties. The pace of the advance is slower than planned, and II Corps is also being pulled southward - a German attack last night forced French defenders back south of the line Béthune-La Bassée, forcing Smith-Dorrien to deploy a brigade south of the canal connecting the two towns and adjusted the line of march to be eastward instead of northeast in order to maintain contact with the French XIX Corps.
- To the north, the British III Corps spends the day assembling at Hazebrouck, but the transportation problems that have plagued its redeployment continue - buses ordered to assist in bringing up the last forces from St. Omer do not arrive until midday. As a result, the corps is not able to begin its advance, intended to sweep north of Lille, today as originally ordered.
- At Lille, the German artillery bombardment continues until 445am, at which point XIX Corps attacks. The French territorials offer spirited resistance, and it is only in the evening that 181st Regiment forces its way into the city itself. The situation now hopeless, the French garrison surrenders, and 4500 soldiers march into German captivity. The capture of Lille is a significant achievement, not only in advancing the front, but in subtracting the substantial manufacturing capacity of the city from the French war effort.
- In Poland, General Mackensen's XVII Corps, on the left of 9th Army, marches towards Warsaw in an effort to aggressively secure the army's flank. The Russians fall back before Mackensen's advance, with the 2nd Army retreating to Warsaw itself. This sparks talk of the Germans occupying Warsaw, which ignores the distinct numerical superiority of the Russians throughout Poland.
- In the early hours of the morning, the German light cruiser Dresden arrives at Easter Island, completing its voyage from the Atlantic. Later in the day, the German East Asiatic Squadron arrives as well. The island is nominally a possession of Chile, but in practice is governed by the British subject Percy Edmonds, manager of the island's sheep and cattle ranch. The island has no wireless and its only contact with the outside world is a Chilean supply vessel that arrives only twice a year. As a result, Edmonds has no idea that the greatest war in human history is raging across the world, and thus is happy to supply the Germans with fresh meat and vegetables. He also gladly accepts payment in checks payable by a German bank in Valparaíso.
- In London a Cabinet Committee on Munitions has been formed and meets for the first time today, and include amongst its members Lord Kitchener, David Lloyd George, and Winston Churchill. The purpose of the committee is to examine the supply of munitions for the army, on the assumption that the war will be lengthy.
Saturday, October 11, 2014
October 11th, 1914
- When General Pau reported to Joffre King Albert's thoughts on the Belgians retiring past Calais, the French Commander-in-Chief was appalled. He desperately wants the Belgians to take up position along the Entente front line, in order to cover part of the gap that remains north of Arras. Joffre's concerns, however, are for naught - the Belgian king has had a change of heart. He feels it is essential both for the Belgian war effort and the morale of the Belgian army for them to hold on to at least a small portion of Belgian territory, to emphasize that they are still an active participant, not only helping their allies but defending their homeland. Albert thus orders the Belgian army today to retire to the Yser River between Dixmude to the south and Nieuport and the Channel coast to the north.
- Aware now that the bulk of the Belgian army has escaped Antwerp, General Beseler's III Reserve Corps is ordered westward, advancing to Ostend via Ghent and Bruges. By this afternoon, advance German units are approaching Ghent, prompting the Entente forces defending the town to fall back. The British are the last to retire from Ghent at 10pm this evening. The British 3rd Cavalry Division, meanwhile, is in the vicinity of Thourout clearing the route for the Entente forces.
- Today the German 179th Infantry Division of XIX Corps approaches the city of Lille, one of the largest cities in France and a key industrial centre. It is garrisoned by a territorial brigade, and it had been hoped by Joffre that the ongoing effort to outflank the Germans at and north of Arras would link up with the city. However, the Germans have arrived in strength first. XIX Corps has been marching for a week, departing from the vicinity of Rheims with Lille as its objective. At 9pm, a note is sent to the garrison commander at Lille demanding the city's surrender. When no response is received, an artillery bombardment begins at 930pm.
- The British II Corps has reached Béthune, its first objective, and have deployed north-to-south. Tomorrow they are to relieve the French cavalry divisions screening them and advance northeast to a line running roughly between Estaires and la Bassée. The two British cavalry divisions of the Cavalry Corps are both operating to the north of II Corps, and, having swept aside advance patrols of the German IV Cavalry Corps, entered Hazebrouck. Further, since yesterday III Corps has been detraining at St. Omer, though delays on the railway result in part of 4th Division not having arrived today. Nevertheless, 19th Brigade is ordered forward to Hazebrouck thirteen miles to the east to cover the arrival of the rest of III Corps.
- Along the Vistula River, though still opposed to a general advance, permits individual corps to secure bridgeheads across the Vistula River. The efforts are generally a debacle - though two bridgeheads are gained, German and Austro-Hungarian artillery fire inflicts substantial casualties and the survivors are unable to exploit their crossings. 5th Army is particular inept - they had no bridging equipment immediately at hand, so soldiers attempted to cross in rafts and barges in the face of machine-gun fire. When bridging equipment finally did arrive, the bridge they erected floated away. Finally, they were unable to counter enemy artillery fire, as the army staff had forgotten where they had left their field mortars. Overall, the crossings themselves posed no great threat to the German 9th Army and Austro-Hungarian 1st Army.
- In response to Martiz's declaration of rebellion, Defense Minister Smuts today declares martial law. This forces the critical choice on the Boers of South Africa - do they rise with Maritz, or under the compulsion of martial law aid in his suppression.
- Though the Admiralty has yet to respond to his message of October 8th, Rear-Admiral Craddock sends another dispatch today, recommending the creation of a second squadron to cover the South Atlantic. This would allow Craddock to take the full strength of his squadron in pursuit of the German East Asiatic Squadron, without fearing that the Germans could slip past him and wreck havoc in the Atlantic.
- Aware now that the bulk of the Belgian army has escaped Antwerp, General Beseler's III Reserve Corps is ordered westward, advancing to Ostend via Ghent and Bruges. By this afternoon, advance German units are approaching Ghent, prompting the Entente forces defending the town to fall back. The British are the last to retire from Ghent at 10pm this evening. The British 3rd Cavalry Division, meanwhile, is in the vicinity of Thourout clearing the route for the Entente forces.
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| The Entente retreat to the Yser, October 10th to 15th, 1914. |
- Today the German 179th Infantry Division of XIX Corps approaches the city of Lille, one of the largest cities in France and a key industrial centre. It is garrisoned by a territorial brigade, and it had been hoped by Joffre that the ongoing effort to outflank the Germans at and north of Arras would link up with the city. However, the Germans have arrived in strength first. XIX Corps has been marching for a week, departing from the vicinity of Rheims with Lille as its objective. At 9pm, a note is sent to the garrison commander at Lille demanding the city's surrender. When no response is received, an artillery bombardment begins at 930pm.
- The British II Corps has reached Béthune, its first objective, and have deployed north-to-south. Tomorrow they are to relieve the French cavalry divisions screening them and advance northeast to a line running roughly between Estaires and la Bassée. The two British cavalry divisions of the Cavalry Corps are both operating to the north of II Corps, and, having swept aside advance patrols of the German IV Cavalry Corps, entered Hazebrouck. Further, since yesterday III Corps has been detraining at St. Omer, though delays on the railway result in part of 4th Division not having arrived today. Nevertheless, 19th Brigade is ordered forward to Hazebrouck thirteen miles to the east to cover the arrival of the rest of III Corps.
- Along the Vistula River, though still opposed to a general advance, permits individual corps to secure bridgeheads across the Vistula River. The efforts are generally a debacle - though two bridgeheads are gained, German and Austro-Hungarian artillery fire inflicts substantial casualties and the survivors are unable to exploit their crossings. 5th Army is particular inept - they had no bridging equipment immediately at hand, so soldiers attempted to cross in rafts and barges in the face of machine-gun fire. When bridging equipment finally did arrive, the bridge they erected floated away. Finally, they were unable to counter enemy artillery fire, as the army staff had forgotten where they had left their field mortars. Overall, the crossings themselves posed no great threat to the German 9th Army and Austro-Hungarian 1st Army.
- In response to Martiz's declaration of rebellion, Defense Minister Smuts today declares martial law. This forces the critical choice on the Boers of South Africa - do they rise with Maritz, or under the compulsion of martial law aid in his suppression.
- Though the Admiralty has yet to respond to his message of October 8th, Rear-Admiral Craddock sends another dispatch today, recommending the creation of a second squadron to cover the South Atlantic. This would allow Craddock to take the full strength of his squadron in pursuit of the German East Asiatic Squadron, without fearing that the Germans could slip past him and wreck havoc in the Atlantic.
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