November 7

The Siege of Tsingtao ends with the surrender of the German garrison.

German troops during the Siege of Tsingtao

November 6

The 6th Indian (Poona) Division and other troops land in Persia at the beginning of an Allied offensive to protect the Persian oil pipeline.

The German agent Carl Hans Lody, arrested on 2 October in Dublin, is executed at the Tower of London. Lody is the first person to be executed at the Tower for 167 years. His execution took place in the miniature rifle range which is shown to the right of this photograph.

The 26th Brigade RFA marches to Hazebrouck to refit with the 36th Brigade and the 57th Battery. Refitting continues until 12 November.

November 5

German forces in German East Africa succeed in repelling the Allied attack in the Battle of Tanga.

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."

November 4

The Russian advance into Turkish territory in the Caucasus reaches Anzap, allowing the Russians to advance into Armenia within days.

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.

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."

November 3 - Raid on Great Yarmouth

The German Navy raids Great Yarmouth. Little damage is inflicted on the town  as the shelling started after German minelayers offshore were interrupted by British destroyers. One British submarine - HMS D5 - is sunk by a mine as it left harbour to attack the Germans, while one German armoured cruiser is sunk after striking two German mines outside its own home port.

The North Sea is declared a British military area, allowing the Royal Navy to patrol and stop any merchant vessel suspected of carrying cargoes for Germany.

The Battle of Tanga continues. All British forces are ashore and in readiness to attack Tanga.

The 26th Brigade, RFA, remains in action near Veldhoek, Groenenburg and Gheluvelt.`

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.

November 1 - Battle of Coronel

The Battle of Coronel takes place off the coast of Chile. German naval forces led by Vice-Admiral Graf Maximilian von Spee defeat a Royal Navy squadron commanded by Rear-Admiral Sir Christopher Cradock. Neither admiral expects to meet the other in full force. Once the two meet, Cradock understood his orders were to fight to the end.

Spee has an easy victory, destroying two British cruisers (HMS Good Hope and HMS Monmouth) for just three men injured. The total loss of British lives is 1,570, including Rear-Admiral Cradock.

Coronel is the first British naval defeat for more than a century. But the action also cost von Spee half his supply of ammunition, which was impossible to replace.

Rear-Admiral Sir Christopher Cradock

The First Lord of the Admiralty, Winston Churchill, subsequently wrote of Cradock, "Admiral Cradock was an experienced and fearless officer, and we are of opinion that feeling he could not bring the enemy immediately to action as long as he kept with the Canopus, he decided to attack them with his fast ships alone, in the belief that even if he himself were destroyed in the action, he would inflict damage upon them which in the circumstances would be irreparable, and lead to their certain subsequent destruction. This was not an unreasonable hope; and though the Admiralty have no responsibility for Admiral Cradock's decision they consider that it was inspired by the highest devotion, and in harmony with the spirit and traditions of the British Navy."

Shock at the British losses results in more ships being sent to the South Atlantic which in due course avenged Coronel on 8 December. You can read more about the Battle of Coronel on the BBC Website.

Austria-Hungary invades Serbia intending to conquer the nation responsible for the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand. This attempt ends in failure.

The 26th Brigade, RFA remains in action near Zillebeke.