Showing posts with label Turkey. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Turkey. Show all posts
Monday, 22 December 2014
December 22
The Battle of Sarikamish begins. Forces of the Ottoman Empire attack Russian troops in the Caucasus. They aim to retake Kars and Batum, lost in the Russo-Turkish War of 1877-78.
Tuesday, 18 November 2014
November 18
With the German advance on Paris effectively halted, the French Government begins to move back to the capital.
British Naval losses to date are declared as 3,884 killed, wounded or missing. The figures exclude the loss of HMS Good Hope.
The Russian Black Sea Fleet engages the Trukish battleships the Yavuz Sultan Selim (formerly the SMS Goeben) and the Midilli (formerly the SMS Breslau).
The 26th Brigade RFA enjoys a quiet day near the Ypres-Menin road.
British Naval losses to date are declared as 3,884 killed, wounded or missing. The figures exclude the loss of HMS Good Hope.
The Russian Black Sea Fleet engages the Trukish battleships the Yavuz Sultan Selim (formerly the SMS Goeben) and the Midilli (formerly the SMS Breslau).
The 26th Brigade RFA enjoys a quiet day near the Ypres-Menin road.
Wednesday, 5 November 2014
November 5
German forces in German East Africa succeed in repelling the Allied attack in the Battle of Tanga.
Britain and France declare war on Turkey, "owing to hostile acts committed by Turkish forces under German officers."
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| The Battle of Tanga by Martin Frost |
Britain and France declare war on Turkey, "owing to hostile acts committed by Turkish forces under German officers."
Tuesday, 4 November 2014
November 4
The Russian advance into Turkish territory in the Caucasus reaches Anzap, allowing the Russians to advance into Armenia within days.
The SMS Yorck, returning to port following the bombardment of Great Yarmouth (see 3 November), accidentally steams into a German defensive minefield in heavy fog. The ship sinks quickly with heavy loss of life.
Punch publishes "The Excursionist", depicting Kaiser Wilhelm as a "tripper", desperate to go somewhere and anywhere. Note how his suitcase has labels identifying his conquests so far, and the exact location of the ticket office has been censored. Although Punch suggests all the Kaiser's preferred destinations would not fall ("Line blocked"), Warsaw was occupied by the Germans in due course.
In Belgium, the 26th Brigade RFA, is ordered to economise on ammunition, and its war diary records "very little fired all day."
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| The Russian invasion of the Ottoman Empire |
The SMS Yorck, returning to port following the bombardment of Great Yarmouth (see 3 November), accidentally steams into a German defensive minefield in heavy fog. The ship sinks quickly with heavy loss of life.
Punch publishes "The Excursionist", depicting Kaiser Wilhelm as a "tripper", desperate to go somewhere and anywhere. Note how his suitcase has labels identifying his conquests so far, and the exact location of the ticket office has been censored. Although Punch suggests all the Kaiser's preferred destinations would not fall ("Line blocked"), Warsaw was occupied by the Germans in due course.
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| THE EXCURSIONIST |
TRIPPER WILHELM "First Class to Paris"
CLERK "Line blocked"
WILHELM "Then make it Warsaw"
CLERK "Line blocked"
WILHELM "Well, what about Calais?"
CLERK "Line blocked"
WILHELM "Hang it! I must go somewhere! I promised my people I would"
In Belgium, the 26th Brigade RFA, is ordered to economise on ammunition, and its war diary records "very little fired all day."
Sunday, 2 November 2014
November 2
The Battle of Messines comes to an end with neither British or German forces able to force a victory. The Battle of Armentieres also ends.Russia declares war on Turkey.
Members of the Indian Expeditionary Force B, led by Major General Aitken, begin landing at Tanga, German East Africa.
The 26th Brigade RFA remains in action, entrenched near the Ypres-Menin road.
Wednesday, 29 October 2014
October 29
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| Prince Louis of Battenberg |
Prince Louis of Battenberg resigns as First Sea Lord. His letter to the First Lord of the Admiralty (Winston Churchill) is dated 28 October, to which Churchill replies (on 29th) accepting his resignation. In this letter Churchill stated, "I cannot further oppose the wish, you have during the last few weeks expressed to me, to be released from the burden of responsibility which you have borne thus far with so much honour and success."
The 26th Brigade, RFA was again in action all day. The Germans attacked the British trenches at 5.30am, with the batteries firing against the German batteries.The Germans were eventually driven back near Poezehoer.
Saturday, 16 August 2014
August 16 - Gunner Croft Goes to War
For the first time in this digest, one of my relatives appears, as he is called up and goes to war. 19721 Gunner Edward Croft was attached to the 26th Brigade, Royal Field Artillery.
According to the Brigade's War Diary, preserved in the National Archives [WO 95/1250/1], the Brigade mobilised at Aldershot between 5-11 August. I do not know when Edward was actually called up, presumably from the Reserves, but at the latest he would have been in barracks by the 11th.
On August 16 the Brigade proceeded to Southampton. The 26th Brigade probably travelled to Aldershot Station (on the London & South Western Railway's system) and thence to the docks. At 5.30pm they embarked on the SS Cardiganshire for France. The Brigade formed part of the British Expeditionary Force.
In the widening war, Serbian forces face Austro-Hungarian forces at the Battle of Cer, which ends in victory for the Serbs.
In Turkey, the Goeben and the Breslau (see August 12) having now reached Constantinople, both vessels were transferred to the Turkish Navy, becoming respectively the Yavuz Sultan Selim and the Midilli, though they retained their German crews.
In Africa, On August 16, 1914, Lake Nyasa was the scene of a brief naval battle when the British gunboat SS Gwendolen, commanded by Captain Rhoades, received orders to, "sink, burn, or destroy" the German Empire's only gunboat on the lake, the Hermann von Wissmann, commanded by Captain Berndt. Rhoades's crew found the Hermann von Wissmann in a bay near Sphinxhaven, in German East African territorial waters. Gwendolen disabled the German boat with a single cannon shot from about 2,000 yards. This brief conflict was hailed by The Times as Britain's first naval victory of the war.
According to the Brigade's War Diary, preserved in the National Archives [WO 95/1250/1], the Brigade mobilised at Aldershot between 5-11 August. I do not know when Edward was actually called up, presumably from the Reserves, but at the latest he would have been in barracks by the 11th.
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| Cavalry joining a boat train for the Continent. A scene possibly taken at Aldershot |
On August 16 the Brigade proceeded to Southampton. The 26th Brigade probably travelled to Aldershot Station (on the London & South Western Railway's system) and thence to the docks. At 5.30pm they embarked on the SS Cardiganshire for France. The Brigade formed part of the British Expeditionary Force.
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| The troopship SS Cardiganshire, which transported Edward Croft and the 26th Brigade, RFA from Southampton to Boulogne |
In the widening war, Serbian forces face Austro-Hungarian forces at the Battle of Cer, which ends in victory for the Serbs.
In Turkey, the Goeben and the Breslau (see August 12) having now reached Constantinople, both vessels were transferred to the Turkish Navy, becoming respectively the Yavuz Sultan Selim and the Midilli, though they retained their German crews.
In Africa, On August 16, 1914, Lake Nyasa was the scene of a brief naval battle when the British gunboat SS Gwendolen, commanded by Captain Rhoades, received orders to, "sink, burn, or destroy" the German Empire's only gunboat on the lake, the Hermann von Wissmann, commanded by Captain Berndt. Rhoades's crew found the Hermann von Wissmann in a bay near Sphinxhaven, in German East African territorial waters. Gwendolen disabled the German boat with a single cannon shot from about 2,000 yards. This brief conflict was hailed by The Times as Britain's first naval victory of the war.
Tuesday, 12 August 2014
August 12 - Bravo, Belgium!
Britain and France declare war on Austria-Hungary.
Serbia is invaded by Austria-Hungary.
The Battle of Haelen, between Liege and Brussels, ends as a tactical victory for the Belgians.
Following the transfer of her coal supplies to the SMS Konigsberg, the SS City of Winchester is sunk (see also August 6).
The German cruisers, Goeben and Breslau, which formed the German Mediterranean Division, enter the Dardanelles having evaded ships of the French and British navies since the outbreak of war. You can read more on the pursuit of the Goeben.
Punch publishes one of the most famous cartoons of the First World War, and an all-time classic. Drawn by F. H. Townsend, it illustrates brilliantly Belgium's plucky defence of her country. Germany is depicted as a villainous old bully, armed with his big stick and string of sausages; whilst Belgium is the defiant youngster (a version of David, to Germany's Goliath), guarding his territory, and bringing out all our sympathy for our valiant ally. The ideas drawn in this cartoon have been used and borrowed endlessly. In July 1933, Punch copied this cartoon with little Austria before the same farm gate, and a bullying Hitler waving the same old stick. But they forgot the sausages.
Serbia is invaded by Austria-Hungary.
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| The First Austria-Hungarian invasion of Serbia begins today |
The Battle of Haelen, between Liege and Brussels, ends as a tactical victory for the Belgians.
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| German troops marching through Liege |
Following the transfer of her coal supplies to the SMS Konigsberg, the SS City of Winchester is sunk (see also August 6).
The German cruisers, Goeben and Breslau, which formed the German Mediterranean Division, enter the Dardanelles having evaded ships of the French and British navies since the outbreak of war. You can read more on the pursuit of the Goeben.
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| SMS Goeben |
Punch publishes one of the most famous cartoons of the First World War, and an all-time classic. Drawn by F. H. Townsend, it illustrates brilliantly Belgium's plucky defence of her country. Germany is depicted as a villainous old bully, armed with his big stick and string of sausages; whilst Belgium is the defiant youngster (a version of David, to Germany's Goliath), guarding his territory, and bringing out all our sympathy for our valiant ally. The ideas drawn in this cartoon have been used and borrowed endlessly. In July 1933, Punch copied this cartoon with little Austria before the same farm gate, and a bullying Hitler waving the same old stick. But they forgot the sausages.
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| BRAVO, BELGIUM! |
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