The Great War (1914-1918) in real time

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Day 1436 of the Great War, July 14th 1918

Macedonian Front

French capture Austrian positions on River Devoli (Albania).

Sinai and Palestine Campaign

Defeat of Turks at passages of Jordan and on Abu Tellul ridges, 510 prisoners.

Aerial operations: Quentin Roosevelt Killed in Aerial Combat

Former President Theodore Roosevelt had been one of the leading advocates for American military preparedness and entry into the war. His offer to lead American volunteers, as he had done during the Spanish-American War, was rebuffed by Wilson, and he remained in the United States. His sons, however, all served as volunteers, three of them in 1st Division. Theodore Jr. commanded a battalion (and later a regiment). Archie was wounded while leading a trench raid in March. Kermit, who had the least military training, first served in the British Army in Mesopotamia. As the British did not want to risk his life, he was assigned to their transport pool before transferring to the AEF and commanding a battery. Quentin, the youngest son, volunteered to serve in an air reserve unit in May 1917, and began service as a combat pilot on June 17th, 1918.

Quentin was very popular with his fellow pilots, but apparently garnered a reputation for recklessness. On July 14, he was killed by machine gun fire from a German plane while over the salient created by the German offensive on the Aisne. The Germans soon found his crashed plane and gave him a full military funeral before informing the Americans through neutral channels (and dropping notes over local American airbases).

Netherlands

Provisional agreement between British and German delegates to Hague re: Prisoners of War.

Naval operations: ship losses

BRANKSOME HALL (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea (68 nautical miles (126 km) north west of Marsa Susa, Libya by SM UB-105 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.

DJEMNAH (France) The passenger ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea of the coast of Libya (33°12′N 23°55′E) by SM UB-105 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of 436 of the 754 people on board.

HAGIOS ZION (Greece) The sailboat was sunk in the Aegean Sea (38°20′N 25°35′E) by SM UC-37 ( Kaiserliche Marine).

MARIA JOSE (Portugal) The sailing vessel was sunk in the Bristol Channel 25 nautical miles (46 km) south west of Lundy Island, Devon, United Kingdom by SM UB-65 ( Kaiserliche Marine).

MAURICE (France) The sailing vessel was sunk in the Atlantic Ocean off Barra Head, Outer Hebrides, United Kingdom by SM U-98 ( Kaiserliche Marine).

SM UC-77 (Kaiserliche Marine) The Type UC II submarine struck a mine and sank in the North Sea off the coast of West Flanders, Belgium.

WAITEMATA (United Kingdom) The collier was torpedoed and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 100 nautical miles (190 km) east by north of Marsa Susa (33°12′N 24°10′E) by SM UB-105 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.

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Day 1437 of the Great War, July 15th 1918

Western Front: Round Five: Ludendorff’s Peace Offensive

Germany’s four offensives on the Western Front have failed to break the Allies. While both sides suffer enormous casualties, the Allies have been better able to replenish their ranks from new recruits and reinforcements from America. German losses have weakened the effectiveness of the elite stormtrooper units while morale generally has fallen as the offensives have failed to bring an end to the war.

Map: Map Of The Western Front July 15 1918



Now Ludendorff rolls the dice one more time. The German commander still sees Flanders as the best location for a decisive battle but instead his men attack further south, on either side of Reims, in the Marne and Champagne sectors. He has assembled 43 infantry divisions for this assault, which has been dubbed both the Friedensturm (Peace Offensive) and Second Battle of the Marne. As with the previous assaults, this one begins with an intense artillery bombardment of the enemy, with the Germans having assembled some 5,000 guns for the purpose.

Then things start to go wrong for the Germans. The French are ready for the German assault, forewarned by deserters. As the German assault troops move up to the trenches from which they are to attack, they are hit by French artillery. This does not stop the German assault, but the French have learned from previous battles, organising a defence in depth that smothers the Germans, preventing them from achieving the kind of gains seen at the start of the previous battles. While some progress is achieved, there is no breakthrough. By the end of the day it looks disturbingly like the Peace Offensive has failed.

Photo: German tanks between Aisne and Marne, 15 July 1918



Austria-Hungary

Field-Marshal Conrad von Hotzendorf (Austria) placed on retired list.

Naval operations: ship losses

BARUNGA (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 150 nautical miles (280 km) west by south of the Bishop Rock, Isles of Scilly (49°00′N 15°00′W) by SM U-108 ( Kaiserliche Marine). All on board survived.

CAP BRENTON (France) The cargo ship was sunk in the Gironde Estuary 14 nautical miles (26 km) south west of the Cordouan Lighthouse by SM UB-103S ( Kaiserliche Marine).

VENDEE (France) The cargo ship was sunk in the Bay of Biscay off Soulac-sur-Mer, Gironde by SM UB-103 ( Kaiserliche Marine).

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Day 1438 of the Great War, July 16th 1918

Western Front: Germans Call Off Their Last Offensive

The German offensive aimed at Rheims had not had the hoped-for result; Ludendorff was “very wad about the paltry outcome.” Attacks east of Rheims were quickly called off, but the Germans attempted to continue from their new bridgehead across the Marne on the 16th. However, their artillery would need to cross the Marne to provide sufficient support, and the French were able to bring reserves west now that the Germans had stopped attacking in Champagne. On the evening of the 16th, Ludendorff called off the offensive. One of his staff officers wrote in his diary: “Fairly depressed mood. Difficult question–what is to happen from now on?” Ludendorff wanted to proceed with Operation Hagen in Flanders, and drove north to meet with Crown Prince Rupprecht the next day. In the meantime, the Germans’ bridges across the Marne came under heavy artillery and aerial bombardment (as had the Austrians’ on the Piave), and they began preparations to abandon their sole gain in the battle.

France

Trial of M. Malvy, former French Minister of Interior, on charge of treason.

Russia: Bolsheviks Kill the Czar and His Family

After his abdication, the Czar and his family remained at his palace at Tsarskoye Selo, under what amounted to lavish house arrest, while the Provisional Government figured out what to do with him. They had no particular interest in charging him for any crimes, and really just wanted him out of the country. However, he was unpopular abroad as well, and both France and Britain refused to take him in. In August 1917, the Romanovs were transferred to Tobolsk in Siberia, with the eventual hope of moving them to Japan. What luxuries they had were forfeit after the Bolsheviks took power; they no longer had any servants, were put on reduced rations, and, at the end of April 1918, were moved to a modest house in Ekaterinburg.

After the Romanovs’ arrival in Ekaterinburg, however, the Bolsheviks’ fortunes in Siberia took a turn for the worse. The first fighting between the Czechs and the Bolsheviks began in mid-May in Chelyabinsk, just over 100 miles to the south. By July, they had linked up with the Czechs across the Urals in Samara, and were advancing north towards Ekaterinburg to prevent the Bolsheviks from making any move on the Trans-Siberian Railway. The local Bolsheviks believed the Czechs were on their way to liberate the Czar and help to reinstall him on his throne, and decided to execute the Romanovs to prevent this. How much involvement the Bolsheviks in Moscow had with this decision is unclear; official Soviet history held that it was a local decision, but Trotsky and others held that it was decided in Moscow. If it was Lenin’s decision, he was very careful to make sure no paper trail was left.

In the wee hours of July 17, the Romanovs were woken by their doctor and summoned down to the basement of the house, on the pretext that they were to be moved out of Ekaterinburg. At around 2AM, the commandant of the house, Yakov Yurovsky, entered with a Cheka squad and read their sentence: “Nikolai Alexandrovich, in view of the fact that your relatives are continuing their attack on Soviet Russia, the Ural Executive Committee has decided to execute you.” After repeating the order, the firing began. Most of the men aimed at Nicholas or Alexandra, and the children were protected from incidental fire by the large number of gems sewn into their clothing. The guns did not use smokeless powder and it soon became too smoky to continue in the confined space, so they soon turned to bayonets to kill the children, then pistol shots to the head when that failed.

Photo: The basement of the Ipatiev house where the Romanov family was killed, the wall has been torn apart in search of bullets and other evidence by investigators following the shooting



The bodies were disposed of two days later, and the execution of the Czar was publicly announced. The fate of the rest of the family was not discussed openly, but the Whites were able to piece together what happened after they captured Ekaterinburg a week later. They were unable to find the bodies, however, so wild speculation continued until glasnost.

Naval operations: ship losses

HMS ANCHUSA (Royal Navy) The ANCHUSA-class sloop was sunk in the Atlantic Ocean north of Ireland by SM U-54 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of 78 of her 93 crew.

FISHERMAN (United Kingdom) The schooner was shelled and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 380 nautical miles (700 km) north west by west of Cabo da Roca, Portugal (40°17′N 18°20′W) by SM U-91 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.

GaRIBALDINO (Regia Marina) The Soldati-class destroyer was rammed and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea off Villefranche-sur-Mer, Alpes-Maritimes, France by the destroyer HMS Cygnet ( Royal Navy).

LYNDIANE (France) The cargo ship was sunk in the Bay of Biscay by SM UB-103 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of four of her fourteen crew. The submarine then rammed a raft with a number of survivors before departing the area, killing many of them. Eight survivors of the sixteen people on board were rescued by Villanil ( Spanish Navy) and some Spanish fishing vessels.

MIEFELD (Norway) The barque was shelled and scuttled in the Atlantic Ocean 82 nautical miles (152 km) south west of the Fastnet Rock (50°44′N 11°21′W) by SM U-55 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.

SOUTHBOROUGH (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the North Sea 5 nautical miles (9.3 km) north by east of Scarborough, Yorkshire by SM UB-110 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of 30 of her crew.

VANLOCK (Sweden) The sailing vessel was shelled and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 140 nautical miles (260 km) west of Tory Island, County Donegal, United Kingdom[75] by SM U-92 ( Kaiserliche Marine).

WAR SWALLOW (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 72 nautical miles (133 km) south west by south of Malta (34°35′N 15°00′E) by SM UB-50 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of seven crew.

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Day 1439 of the Great War, July 17th 1918

Western Front

East of Reims French defeat Germans south of Prunay.

South-west of Reims French retake and lose Montvoison.

South-east of Villers-Bretonneux Australians advance line.

30 German divisions engaged.

United Kingdom

General Pershing, commanding U.S. Army, made G.C.B., and Generals Bliss and March G.C.M.G.

Naval operations: ship losses

RMS CARPATHIA (United Kingdom) The troopship was torpedoed and sunk in the Celtic Sea 170 nautical miles (310 km) west by north of the Bishop Rock, Isles of Scilly (50°25′N 10°49′W) by SM U-55 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of five of the 280 people on board. Survivors were rescued by HMS SNOWDROP( Royal Navy).

HARLSEYWOOD (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed and damaged in the Atlantic Ocean south west of Hartland Point, Devon by SM U-60 ( Kaiserliche Marine). She was beached but was later refloated.

SAINT GEORGES (France) The coaster was torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 15 nautical miles (28 km) south west of Hartland Point (50°47′N 4°38′W) by SM U-60 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.

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Day 1440 of the Great War, July 18th 1918

YouTube (2nd Battle Of The Marne - Turning Point On The Western Front)



Western Front: Allies Go On the Offensive

For some time, Generalissimo Foch had been preparing an attack on the right flank of the German salient stretching south from the Aisne. When the Germans launched their latest offensive on July 15, Pétain tried to cancel the effort and move troops south to meet the German attack, but Foch countermanded the order; the attack would go forward as planned on July 18. Preparations continued at night, and the Germans, who were preoccupied elsewhere, did not suspect a thing. They were taken entirely by surprise when the French and Americans attacked behind a massive creeping barrage at 4:35 AM. Private Francis, in the US 2nd Division, recalled:

I will never forget the sight when our artillery opened up. It was worse than any electrical storm I have ever seen. The whole sky seemed to open up for it became as light as day. This put new life into us and we went over as if we had just hopped off the trucks. It was impossible to hear any one talk, and the artillery kept a continual roar day and night. It seemed like thunder and it didn’t even let up for five minutes.

The infantry was also supported by 500 tanks, mainly quick-moving light French Renault models, although many of them were knocked out during the day.

Map: Allied plan of attack at Soissons for the morning of 18 July 1918. The French Tenth Army would carry out the main attack to cut off the main German supply routes in the Marne Salient with the French Sixth Army attacking south of the Ourcq River in support of the French Tenth Army. The French Fifth Army would attack the eastern flank of the salient near Reims



Along a 27-mile front, stretching from Soissons south to the Marne, the French and Americans would advance up to five miles–in the words of one officer in the 2nd Division, it was “nothing but a hike.” French cavalry was present to exploit the breakthrough, but they could never quite be assembled in time and in the right place to make a difference. Even in the open country beyond the Germans’ lines, a few well-placed machine gunners could quickly stop the advance.

Map: German gains in early 1918



The Allied attack greatly concerned Ludendorff, who had been planning Operation Hagen in Flanders with Crown Prince Rupprecht. He sent what reserves he could to the area, and countermanded the movement of troops and artillery north to Flanders. Apart from that, however, with German reserves running low, he “could only await further developments.” General Lossberg, Chief of Staff of the Fourth Army in Flanders, would write that:

July 18, 1918 was the precise turning point in the conduct of the war. The OHL’s failure to understand that the combat strength of the German army was already severely shattered…finally drove us to the position in which we found ourselves at war’s end.

Germany

Debate in Reichsrat re: "German Course" of Austrian policy.

Japan

Japanese Diplomatic Council approves U.S.'s proposal for intervention in Siberia.

Russia

Following the assassination of Tsar Nicholas II and his family, Soviet Cheka agents execute several relatives of the Romanov family in Alapayevsk. Grand Duke Sergei Mikhailovich is shot, while the rest are thrown down a mining shaft and grenades are dropped in.

Aerial operations: United Kingdom

Aeroplane raid on Kent; no casualties.

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Day 1441 of the Great War, July 19th 1918

Western Front

French and Americans advance on Soissons-Thierry line, taking Vierzy (north of Ourcq) and Neuilly St. Front (south of Ourcq). South of Marne, French retake Montvoison. British capture Meteren (west of Bailleul), taking 300 prisoners.

Honduras

Honduras declares War on Germany.

Naval operations: Tondern raid

The British had occasionally carried out air raids on German Zeppelin bases. Many of them were too far east to be attacked by land-based planes, so any air attack would have to come from the sea. On Christmas 1914, seaplanes had attacked Cuxhaven; the raid did little damage, but was an important morale boost for the British. By 1918, the British had developed the first real aircraft carriers as we would recognize them today, on which wheeled planes could take off and land.

Photo: Sopwith Camels arrayed on the flight deck of HMS FURIOUS, en route for the attack on the German Zeppelin sheds at Tondern, July 1918



After a few failed attempts due to high wind, a force of seven Sopwith Camels took off from the HMS FURIOUS off the Danish coast. Six reached the target of the Zeppelin sheds at Tondern [Tønder], quickly destroying two Zeppelins, the L54 and L60. The Germans, taken by surprise, only managed to take a few pot-shots at the British fliers. The British had expended a large amount of fuel during the raid, however, and three of the pilots decided to land in nearby Denmark rather than risk running out of fuel over the North Sea; they were interned for the remainder of the war. Two of the other pilots made it back to the Furious, but ditched their planes rather than attempt a dangerous landing on the carrier itself; the sixth pilot did not return.

Photo: Wreckage of Zeppelins LZ 99 (L 54) and LZ 108 (L 60) in their hangars



Naval operations: USS SAN DIEGO (ACR-6) sunk

After U-151′s stunning successes off New Jersey, the Germans continued their U-boat campaign off the Eastern Seaboard with the few U-boats they had with sufficient range. In July, the U-156 laid a series of mines off of the southern coast of Long Island. On July 19, the cruiser SAN DIEGO was about 9 miles south of Fire Island, en route to escort a convoy bound for Europe from New York. She was of little military use in the convoy, as she had no real anti-submarine capabilities and would be outmatched against any modern German surface ships. At 11:10 AM, there was an explosion on the port side, below the waterline. She quickly took on a list and sank in twenty-eight minutes. Six men were killed in the sinking; the remainder of the 1250-man crew were quickly rescued.

A local naval air reserve unit, comprised mainly of Yale students, was alerted to the possible presence of a German submarine, and attempted to find the culprit from the air. They thought they found a submarine lurking on the seabed, and dropped some bombs. It turned out to be the wreck of the SAN DIEGO; thankfully they did not hit any of the survivors.

The captain of the SAN DIEGO held that the ship had been torpedoed, and more outlandish theories involved German sabotage, but the most likely culprit has always been a mine from U-156.

Two days later, U-156, by then off the coast of Massachusetts, would shell the town of Orleans on Cape Cod. The attack would cause no damage (the shells falling harmlessly in a marsh and on the beach).

Painting: "The Sinking of USS SAN DIEGO" by Francis Muller



Naval operations: ship losses

ADRIA 1 (Italy) The cargo ship was sunk in the Strait of Sicily (37°10′N 11°12′E) by SM UB-50 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.

AUSTRALIEN (France) The passenger ship was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 26 nautical miles (48 km) north east of Cap Bon, Tunisia by SM UC-54 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of three of her 951 passengers and seventeen of her crew.

EGUSKIA (Spain) The cargo ship was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 70 nautical miles (130 km) north of Bardia, Libya by SM UB-105 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.

JUSTICIA (United Kingdom) The troopship was torpedoed and damaged in the Atlantic Ocean off Malin Head, County Donegal by SM UB-64 ( Kaiserliche Marine). She was taken in tow but was torpedoed and sunk the next day (55°38′N 7°39′W) by SM UB-124 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of ten of her crew.

RANGER (United Kingdom) The auxiliary sailing vessel was scuttled in the Atlantic Ocean 20 nautical miles (37 km) north west of Barra Head, Outer Hebrides by SM UB-64 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.

SM UB-110 (Kaiserliche Marine) The Type UB III submarine was depth charged, rammed and sunk in the North Sea (54°39′N 0°55′E) by HMS Garry ( Royal Navy) with the loss of thirteen of her crew.

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Day 1442 of the Great War, July 20th 1918

Western Front: Fighting Intensifies on the Marne

The French doubled their commitment to the offensive on the 20th, launching attacks on the German bridgehead south of the Marne at Dormans, and on the eastern flank of their large salient south of Rheims. Eventually, essentially all available French reserves were committed to the fighting. Mangin’s forces on the west side of the salient had broken through to open country, but this brought its own problems–recall that the most deadly period of the war was its first few months, before the trenches appeared. They were out of range of their own artillery, few tanks were available (or even usable in the wooded terrain), and air cover was limited. Lt. Clark, with Mangin’s American forces, noted: “Our position was wholly exposed to observation as the Boche had supremacy of the air…the Boche started to shell us out. All they had to do was to direct fire from a balloon on a beautiful target.” Supply problems, the summer heat, and three days of constant fighting also took their toll. Lt. Clark again:

By noontime, [Lt.] Eddie [Blanchard] was going around with his mouth hanging open – an obvious victim of ‘shell shock’…We told him that he ought to go back for a rest but he maintained that he was all right. Early in the afternoon we summoned an ambulance and sent him back to the hospital. Later, we heard that he had died, so we divided up his usable belongings. I think I got his bedding roll.

The Americans took far more casualties in each of the second and third days of fighting than they had in the first.

Nevertheless, the Germans were having the worse of it. What few reserves they had were being thrown into the deadly open warfare as if it were a repeat of Passchendaele, and just one more counterattack would stabilize the line. The three days of fighting so far had also cost them 20,000 PoWs, further losses that could not be replaced. There was one bright spot for the Germans on the night of the 20th; they successfully evacuated their bridgehead south of the Marne, despite French infantry, artillery, and aerial attacks on their positions and river crossings.

That day, Ludendorff finally admitted that his long-planned Operation Hagen, the next offensive in Flanders, would have to be called off, cabling Crown Prince Rupprecht:

In view of the situation of the Army Group Crown Prince Wilhelm [on the Marne] which…will absorb a still great amount of troops, and…the possibility of a British offensive action the Hagen operation will probably never come into fruition.

Aerial operations: United Kingdom

Aeroplane raid on Kent; no damage.

Aerial operations: “Obviously unwarlike”

Following the attack on British seaplanes off the coast on 18 July 1918, Admiral Sir Doveton Sturdee, Commander-in-Chief, The Nore (which covered the southern part of the North Sea) sent a senior officer to the Admiralty to explain his concerned. He followed this up with this letter:

“This is the sixteenth occasion since 31st May, 1918, on which flights of German machines have been reported in this area, and the continual visits of these enemy craft show the great importance they attach to this district: this has been anticipated (vide my former submissions on this subject). On the 20th of July I sent the air officer on my staff to the Admiralty and Air Ministry to explain personally the serious situation of our air defences in this command. I understand that this is now appreciated by the air authorities at the Admiralty and the Air Ministry, so it is hoped that immediate steps will be taken to place our air defences at least on an equality with the probable enemy forces. Recognizing the strategic positions of Westgate and Manston with their proximity to the enemy air bases, the naval Flights at these stations, in order to be efficient in a real war sense, should be superior in number, type, and speed of machines, and staff for maintenance. Then these attacks will be met properly, and our command of the air will be assured; until this happens the enemy will continue their attacks, in the hope of destroying our weak patrols, daily or when the weather conditions allow. The present situation, with the consequent weak patrols, is so obviously unwarlike that it would seem only to require being mentioned to ensure it being rectified.’

The problem was simply one of supply in that the British did not have to capacity to supply aircraft of sufficient quality or quantity at this time, or at least what capacity was available was allocated to other uses. This meant, on this front at least, the Germans enjoyed both technical and numerical superiority.

Some partial help did arrive today at Royal Naval Air Station Killingholme, on the mouth of the Humber which was formally handed over to the US Navy. US pilots have been assisting in the patrol work in the North Sea using British aircraft but it is hoped that the new arrangement will bring more US aircraft into the fray.

Naval operations: ship losses

HMS E34 (Royal Navy) The E-class submarine struck a mine and sank in the Wadden Sea between Texel, North Holland and Vlieland, Friesland, Netherlands with the loss of all 30 crew.

GEMINI (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 7 nautical miles (13 km) north west of the Godrevy Lighthouse, Cornwall (50°17′N 5°36′W) by SM U-60 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of two crew.

HERMES (Denmark) The three-masted schooner was sunk in the North Sea 40 nautical miles (74 km) west of Bergen, Hordaland, Norway by SM U-113 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.

KOSSEIR (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 40 nautical miles (74 km) north east by north of Alexandria, Egypt (31°45′N 30°11′E) by SM UB-51 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of 39 crew.

ORFORDNESS (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 2.5 nautical miles (4.6 km) west by north of Newquay, Cornwall (50°24′N 5°11′W) by SM U-60 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of two crew.

SM UB-124 (Kaiserliche Marine) The Type UB III submarine was depth charged and damaged in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Ireland. She was consequently scuttled with the loss of two of her crew.

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Day 1443 of the Great War, July 21st 1918

Western Front: Allies Recapture Château-Thierry

Although Ludendorff refused to withdraw his beleaguered forces from the salient extending south to the Marne, some local retreats were inevitable to consolidate their positions. On the night of the 20th, The Germans finished withdrawing from the bridgehead over the Marne they had taken earlier in the week, and on the 21st they began pulling back from the north bank of the river. The US 3rd Division crossed the river into Château-Thierry, the site of heavy fighting in early June, to find it nearly abandoned. The 26th “Yankee” Division similarly advanced out of Belleau Wood to find the Germans had already evacuated. Lt. Charles Donnelly passed through the area shortly thereafter, and recalled:

Our recent companions-in-arms, the Yankee Division, had captured the area we had just entered only a few days before; there had not been time enough in which to clean up the battlefield. Dead men and horses littered the fields and putrefaction, aided by the warm weather, was well along. Of all the odors I have experienced, none is as repulsive as the sweetish, nauseating smell of rotting flesh, especially in hot weather. Up to that time I had never smoked but I needed something to help me cope with the stench. A field agent of the Knights of Columbus came by at about that time, giving away tobacco, writing paper and other things soldiers needed. I told him my problem an he gave me some cigars, Prince Albert, and a corncob pipe; I have been a cigar smoker from that day on.

Photo: U.S. field artillery in Château-Thierry



East Africa campaign

Portuguese East Africa: battle between British and Germans at Namirrue (near confluence of Rivers Namirrue and Ligonya).

Unite Kingdom

Appeal of Ministry of Munitions to workers not to strike during critical battle.

Naval operations: United States

German submarine SM U-156 shells the town of Orleans, Massachusetts, sinking 1 tugboat and 4 barges. There were no casualties, but it is the only German attack on the mainland US and the first foreign shelling since 1846.

Two United States Navy seaplanes from Naval Air Station Chatham, Chatham, Massachusetts, attack a surfaced German submarine that is firing at a tug and three barges off Cape Cod, Massachusetts. One bomb strikes the submarine, but is a dud.

Naval operations: ship losses

ANNA (Denmark) The barquentine was sunk in the North Sea 35 nautical miles (65 km) off Bergen, Hordaland, Norway by SM U-113 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.

ARVOR (France) The coaster was sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 27 nautical miles (50 km) north of Ouessant, Finistère (48°55′N 4°09′W) by SM UB-103 ( Kaiserliche Marine).

KONGEN (Norway) The sailing vessel was damaged in the North Sea 70 nautical miles (130 km) south west of Lindesnes, Rogaland by SM UB-113 ( Kaiserliche Marine). She was abandoned by her crew. The derelict was scuttled on 5 August by HMS G1 ( Royal Navy).

LANSFORD (United States) The schooner barge was sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 3 nautical miles (5.6 km) off Orleans, Massachusetts by SM U-156 ( Kaiserliche Marine).

MONGOLIAN (United Kingdom) The passenger ship was torpedoed and sunk in the North Sea 5 nautical miles (9.3 km) south east of Filey, Yorkshire (54°10′N 0°58′W) by SM UC-70 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of 36 lives.

703 (United States) The schooner barge was sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 3 nautical miles (5.6 km) off Orleans, Massachusetts by SM U-156 ( Kaiserliche Marine).

740 (United States) The schooner barge was sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 3 nautical miles (5.6 km) off Orleans, Massachusetts by SM U-156 ( Kaiserliche Marine).

766 (United States) The barge was sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 3 nautical miles (5.6 km) off Orleans, Massachusetts by SM U-156 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.

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Day 1445 of the Great War, July 22nd 1918

Western Front

Allies hold German counter-attacks between Ourcq and Marne, and cross Marne near Dormans at Chassons and Passy. Germans in retreat. General Gouraud re-occupies former positions between the Suippe river and Massiges.

Photo: Ruins of Marfaux captured by the 62nd Division, 21-23 July 1918



Western Front: Hindenburg Admits Total Failure; Ludendorff in Crisis

Although the Allied advance had slowed somewhat and the Allies were suffering extremely high casualties, it was clear that the Germans had been dealt a major defeat. The Kaiser visited Hindenburg & Ludendorff at OHL on July 22; he had hoped to hear good news from the offensive that began on July 15. Instead, Hindenburg told him the truth; the net result of the German offensives since May–and in fact the entire German strategy this year–was “total failure.” The German Army had suffered tremendous losses to gain an untenable salient stretching to the Marne that they were now in the process of losing, at the cost of even more men. The Kaiser was left at a loss by this news, and returned to his headquarters at Spa, in his own words, “a defeated War Lord.”

On the same day, Ludendorff decided that the salient had to be evacuated, at least to the Vesle (a southern tributary of the Aisne). However, he was extremely reluctant to do so, and the order would not go out for two more days. It is around this time that others at OHL began to grow increasingly concerned about Ludendorff’s mental state. Col. Mertz noted that Ludendorff was “visibly distressed” on July 22, and told Mertz that he had had no confidence in the July 15 offensive, reading him an inauspicious passage from that day’s entry in the prayer book of the Moravian Brethren. Two days later, Mertz wrote:

Serious question of Ludendorff’s nervousness and the inconsistency in his work. Decisive for our fate is the answer to the question: “Can we again regain the initiative or is it to remain lost to us?” [He] works himself to the breaking point, concerns himself too much with details. This situation is really serious….The real impression is that [he] has lost all confidence. The Army commanders suffer terribly from this….

Macedonian Front

Allied offensive in Albania checked.

France

Franklin Delano Roosevelt, the US Assistant Secretary of the Navy, arrives in France on a trip to inspect Allied naval administrations.

Austria-Hungary

Dr. von Seidler resigns Austrian Premiership.

United Kingdom

Resignation of Lord Lee as Director-General of Food Production.

Naval operations: ship losses

DELO SOVETOV (Soviet Navy Red Movement) The gunboat was damaged by Czech Legion gunboats and was beached and abandoned on the Volga River.

HMT IJUIN (Royal Navy) The naval trawler was shelled and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea off Alexandria, Egypt (32°42′N 28°25′E) by SM UB-51 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.

L 1 (Royal Navy) The barge was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea (32°37′N 28°39′E) by SM UB-51 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.

ROBERT & RICHARD (United States) The schooner was scuttled in the Atlantic Ocean 60 nautical miles (110 km) south east of Cape Porpoise, Maine by SM U-156 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.

[lordroel]

Day 1446 of the Great War, July 23rd 1918

Western Front

British take Marfaux (south-west of Reims).

French and Americans continue advance north and south of Ourcq, reaching Oulchy la Ville and occupying Bois du Chatelet.

North of Montdidier French occupy Mailly-Raineval, Sauvillers and Aubervillers.

East Africa campaign

Retreat of Germans at Namirrue.

Russia

Appointment of Herr Helfferich (German ex-Minister of Interior) as Ambassador at Moscow.

Siberian Government at Vladivostok reigns; Proclamation of Siberian Government Council.

United Kingdom

Munition workers' strike at Coventry.

Mr. Herbert Hoover (U.S. Food Controller) at Mansion House, London.

King visits Grand Fleet.

Japan: Rice Riots Begin in Japan

The severe economic effects of the war were felt far beyond the front lines. Food prices worldwide were on the rise. In the summer of 1918, rice prices spiked in Japan, partly due to anticipation that the Army would make large purchases to support an expedition to Siberia. The Japanese had had a presence in Vladivostok for several months, and it was widely (and correctly) expected that they would soon increase their presence there, as the other Allies (including the United States) had been calling for.

On July 23, protests against the high price of rice began in a fishing village in Toyama Prefecture, and soon spread to nearby towns. It was mainly led by fishermen’s wives, who attempted to stop the export of rice from Toyama. Fishermen were especially hard hit by sudden price fluctuations while they were away at sea. Over the coming weeks, the protests expanded in scope and spread to urban areas, where they led to strikes, looting of rice supplies, and attacks on police. In Osaka, over 230,000 participated in the protests. The government cracked down on the protests quickly, with police often attacking the rioters with swords; at the same time, they instituted emergency economic measures to stabilize the price of rice. Nevertheless, the events led to the fall of the Japanese government in September.

Naval operations: ship losses

ANNA SOFFIE (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 4 nautical miles (7.4 km) north of Trevose Head, Cornwall by SM U-55 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of a crew member.

HMS MARMORA (Royal Navy) The armed merchant cruiser was sunk in the Atlantic Ocean south of Ireland (50°24′N 8°48′W) by SM UB-64 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of ten of her crew.

MESSIDOR (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 73 nautical miles (135 km) south east by south of Port Mahon, Spain by SM UB-50 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of a crew member.

[lordroel]

Day 1447 of the Great War, July 24th 1918

Western Front

French and Americans advance south of Ourcq towards Fere-en-Tardenois and along Marne in Forest of Fere (between Charteves and Jaulgonne).

Western Front: Foch meets the Allied commanders, calls for them to go on the attack

On the Western Front the tide appears to be turning in favour of the Allies. The German Marne-Champagne offensive has failed and now a French-led counter-attack is recapturing lost ground in the Marne sector. Meanwhile the balance of forces is becoming ever more favourable to the Allies as thousands of US troops continue to arrive in France every day while tanks and aircraft pour out of British and French factories.

Today Allied military leaders meet at Bombon, the headquarters of Foch, the Western Front generalissimo. Foch and Weygand, his chief of staff, greet Haig, Pétain and Pershing, the three Allied commanders. Weygand and Foch argue that the time has come for the Allies to go on the offensive, proposing a rolling series of assaults to push the Germans away from vital railway lines and pave the way for eventual Allied victory.

Haig and Pétain are both wary, fearing that their armies need to lick their wounds further before they can launch major offensives against the enemy. Pershing meanwhile is more keen to attack, but he remains insistent that American units must fight independently and not be incorporated into British or French armies (he had only with reluctance supplied US troops to support the French counterattack on the Marne).

Foch and Weygand are unable for now to bend Haig and Pétain to their will, but they manage to avoid a complete rejection of their proposals. Instead the Allied commanders will bring them to their own staff officers and issue a more considered reply in coming days. Foch remains confident that his fellow commanders will come round to his way of thinking. Soon the Allies will attack and seize the initiative permanently from the enemy.

Map: map included of General Ferdinand Foch’s concept of four operations to squeeze out enemy-held salients on the Marne (1), Somme (2), St Mihiel (3) and Flanders (4). Offensive operations begin with the attack on the Marne



Macedonian Front

Successful French and Italian fighting in Albania.

Austria-Hungary

Dr. von Hussarek, Austrian Premier.

United Kingdom

General Smuts in London re: future of South Africa.

65,000 munition workers in Birmingham go on strike to protest wage disparities. Minister for Labour George Henry Roberts warns that workers who persist in the strike will be called up to fight in the war.

Germany: Largest POW Escape of the War

n September 1917, a new PoW camp opened in Holzminden for British officers; other camps had become overcrowded as the war progressed and more officers were captured from the counterattacks around Passchendaele. Among their number was James Whale, who would later go on to direct Frankenstein and Bride of Frankenstein. The camp commandant quickly acquired a reputation for cruelty; some prisoners were killed, and others (such as the famous Capt. Leefe Robinson) were kept in continuous solitary confinement. Within weeks, many of the officers were planning an escape attempt, digging a long tunnel out of the camp with spoons and whatever tools they could steal. They were aided in the task by three Germans–two men who were bribed (the commandant did not treat his own men well, either), and one woman who was infatuated with one of the prisoners. Those who weren’t digging worked on the ventilation system, or prepared papers and clothes for after the escape.

By July, the tunnel was finally finished, and around 100 of the 700 men in the camp were set to go through the tunnel to freedom in the wee hours of July 24th. Those who had done the majority of the digging went through first. Unfortunately, the tunnel collapsed on the 30th man, who had to be pulled out; the escape attempt ended there. The alarm was raised by a nearby farmer, who noticed his fields being trampled by the escapees. Nineteen of the officers were rounded up and returned to Holzminden, but ten were able to make it safely to the Netherlands. One of them, Col. Rathbone, was proficient enough in German to travel by rail and made out of the country in only five days; the others had to travel by foot and took multiple weeks.

Naval operations: ship losses

KILKIS (Greece) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the North Sea 6 nautical miles (11 km) off the South Gare Lightship ( United Kingdom) (54°42′N 1°01′W) by SM UC-70 ( Kaiserliche Marine).

HMT LOCHIEL (Royal Navy) The naval trawler was either torpedoed or struck a mine and sank in the North Sea (54°36′30″N 0°4′00″W) with the loss of twelve of her crew.

HMS PINCHER (Royal Navy) The Beagle-class destroyer ran aground on the Seven Stones reef and was wrecked.

RUTHERGLEN (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 50 nautical miles (93 km) east south east of Port Mahon, Spain by SM UB-50 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.

[lordroel]

Day 1448 of the Great War, July 25th 1918

Western Front: Allied Advance Continues on the Marne

The Allied attacks on the quickly-shrinking German salient south of the Aisne continued on July 25. The French pushed north towards Fère-en-Tardenois, while the British had some success closer to Rheims in the east. In the meantime, the French and Americans planned more attacks near Soissons in the west. The Germans continued to tenaciously defend the ground they had taken in May and June, which gave the Allies some hope that they might be able to trap some of the German forces in the salient. Ludendorff, however, by this point, had finally been convinced to perform at least a limited withdrawal, and planned a retreat for the coming days of at least five miles back to the vicinity of Fère-en-Tardenois, while preparing lines further north on the Vesle and Aisne.

Revolt of the Czechoslovak Legion

Czecho-Slovaks capture Simbirsk (corn granary on west bank of Volga, 130 miles from Samara).

United Kingdom

Speech of Mr. Lloyd George to Food Controllers of France, Italy and U.S.A.

Mr. Balfour at inauguration of Yugo-Slav National War Aims Committee.

Conference of National Engineering and Allied Trades' Council decides for strike if no settlement before 30 July.

United states

American sugar ration cut to 2 pounds per month on Aug. 1; England has same ration, France 1.5 pounds, Italy 1 pound.

Naval operations: ship losses

ASTA (Denmark) The three-masted auxiliary schooner was shelled and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 600 nautical miles (1,100 km) west north west of the Hebrides, United Kingdom by SM UB-89 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of five of her crew.

INDORE(United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed and damaged in the Atlantic Ocean 20 nautical miles (37 km) north north west of Rathlin Island, County Donegal by SM UB-62 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of two of her crew. She was beached but was later refloated.

MAGELLAN (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 53 nautical miles (98 km) north of Cape Serrat, Tunisia by SM UB-50 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of a crew member.

TIPPECANOE (United States) The cargo ship was sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 550 nautical miles (1,020 km) off Brest, Finistère, France (40°57′N 15°25′W) by SM U-91 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of one of her crew.

[lordroel]

Day 1449 of the Great War, July 26th 1918

YouTube (Ludendorff's Last Swing)



Western Front

General retreat of Germans on Marne toward Epernay.

Partial capture of Buzancy by Scottish Division.

Siberian intervention

French troops join the northern Russian Expeditionary Force at Murmansk.

Russian Civil War: Bolsheviks Deposed in Baku

Bolshevik power in Baku had been tenuous, at best. They had benefited from the ethnic violence in late March that temporarily crushed Azerbaijani political organization, but by late July the main threat was now from the approaching Turkish “Army of Islam.” They were largely cut off from the rest of Russia by the Volunteer Army, the Czechs, and the Komuch to the north, and from Central Asia by the revolts in Turkmenistan; Moscow would be unable to provide any support. The British, however, had no desire to see Baku’s oilfields fall to the Turks, and were willing to provide as much support as Dunsterforce could provide. The Bolsheviks, however, were wary of the British, especially after other Allied interventions on the Russian periphery (in Murmansk and Vladivostok) showed no indication of ending anytime soon.

On July 26, the Baku Soviet voted to invite the British to participate in the defense of Baku. When the Baku Commune (the Bolshevik leadership) refused to cooperate, they were quickly removed from power and detained. A new “Centro-Caspian Dictatorship” was formed by a coalition of Mensheviks, SRs, and Armenian Dashnaks; the first British scouting party would arrive about a week later.

Japan

Japan accepts U.S.'s proposals for joint action in Siberia on behalf of Czecho-Slovaks.

United Kingdom

Government warning to munition workers: after 29 July, alternative is return to work or military service.

Naval operations: ship losses

BLAIRHALL (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the North Sea 3.5 nautical miles (6.5 km) north east of Sunderland, County Durham by SM UC-40 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of a crew member.

BOY JACK (United Kingdom) The fishing smack was scuttled in the North Sea 4 nautical miles (7.4 km) east of the Cross Sands Lightship ( United Kingdom) by SM UB-40 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of three of her crew.

GODESGENAGE (Belgium) The fishing vessel was scuttled in the North Sea off the Cross Sands Lightship by SM UB-40 ( Kaiserliche Marine).

MONASTIR (France) The tanker was torpedoed and damaged in the Strait of Kasos (35°00′N 27°00′E) by UC-74 ( Kaiserliche Marine). She was beached in Poro Bay, Crete. Monastir was later repaired and returned to service.

[lordroel]

Day 1450 of the Great War, July 27th 1918

Western Front

General German retreat north of Marne; cavalry pursue.

Allied troops reach line Bruyeres-Chaumuzy. (Bruyeres three miles west of Fere-en-Tardenois). Chaumuzy on River Ardre, south-west of Reims).

Naval operations: ship losses

ANTONIO S (Italy) The barquentine was shelled and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea (35°27′N 11°09′E) by SM UB-50 ( Kaiserliche Marine).

CHLORIS (United Kingdom) The coaster was torpedoed and sunk in the North Sea 17 nautical miles (31 km) south by east of Flamborough Head, Yorkshire (53°52′N 0°10′E) by SM UB-107 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of three of her crew.

COUNSELLOR (United Kingdom) The fishing smack was scuttled in the North Sea 2.5 nautical miles (4.6 km) north of the Haisborough Lightship ( United Kingdom) by SM UB-40 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.

CRIMDON (Sweden) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the North Sea 2.5 nautical miles (4.6 km) east of the Whitby Lighthouse, Yorkshire[124] by SM UC-40 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of four of her crew.

FEAR NOT (United Kingdom) The fishing smack was scuttled in the North Sea 14 nautical miles (26 km) north north east of the Haisborough Lightship ( United Kingdom) by SM UB-40 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.

I'll TRY (United Kingdom) The fishing smack was scuttled in the North Sea 12 nautical miles (22 km) north north east of the Haisborough Lightship ( United Kingdom) by SM UB-40 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.

JOHN RETTIG (Sweden) The cargo ship was sunk in the North Sea 18 nautical miles (33 km) south of Flamborough Head by SM UB-107 ( Kaiserliche Marine).[128] Her crew survived.

KIRKHAM ABBY (United Kingdom) The cargo liner was torpedoed and sunk in the North Sea 2 nautical miles (3.7 km) off Winterton-on-Sea (52°44′N 1°42′E) by SM UB-40 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of eight lives.

LE BIJOU (United Kingdom) The fishing smack was scuttled in the North Sea 9 nautical miles (17 km) north east of the Haisborough Lightship ( United Kingdom) by SM UB-40 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.

PARAGON (United Kingdom) The fishing smack was scuttled in the North Sea 8 nautical miles (15 km) north east of the Haisborough Lightship ( United Kingdom) by SM UB-40 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.

PASSION FLOWER (United Kingdom) The fishing smack was scuttled in the North Sea 14 nautical miles (26 km) north east of the Haisborough Lightship ( United Kingdom) by SM UB-40 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.

PORTO (Portugal) The barque was scuttled in the Atlantic Ocean 340 nautical miles (630 km) off Cape Sable, Florida (39°18′N 60°40′W) by SM U-140 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.

SUBADAR (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 112 nautical miles (207 km) north by west of the Cabo da Roca, Portugal by SM U-43 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of three crew.

SUCCESS (United Kingdom) The fishing smack was shelld and sunk in the North Sea 7 nautical miles (13 km) north north east of the Haisborough Lightship ( United Kingdom) by SM UB-40 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.

VALOUR (United Kingdom) The fishing smack was scuttled in the North Sea 14 nautical miles (26 km) north north east of the Haisborough Lightship ( United Kingdom) by SM UB-40 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.

[lordroel]

Day 1451 of the Great War, July 28th 1918

Western Front: Allies Capture Fère-en-Tardenois

Ludendorff had finally been convinced to withdraw his forces to behind the Vesle, giving up most of the German gains from the last two months but straightening and shoring up their lines, and preventing the Allies from trapping them in the salient. However, he was determined to make the Allies fight for it, and ordered a stand around Fère-en-Tardenois. The French captured the town on July 28 after a two-day, four-mile advance, but the Germans would put up a determined fight behind the town that would hold up the Allied advance for the next four days until American attacks to the west stretched German reserves too thin. The Allies would suffer more casualties in the resulting fighting, but they could afford the losses far more than the exhausted Germans. Simultaneously, they were also planning their next offensive against the German salient near Amiens, which was brought forward to August 8; this would mostly use British troops who had not been involved in the fighting on the Marne.

Canada

Albert Goodwin, English labour activist active in Canada, is shot and killed while he was on the run for evading conscription. The killing causes widespread labour unrest in British Columbia.

Naval operations: ship losses

FRANCIS ROBERT (United Kingdom) The fishing smack was shelled and sunk in the North Sea 8 nautical miles (15 km) north east of the Haisborough Lightship ( United Kingdom) by SM UB-40 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.

HYPERIA (United Kingdom) The troopship was torpedoed and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 84 nautical miles (156 km) north west by north of Port Said, Egypt (32°21′N 31°25′E) by SM UB-51 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of 65 lives.