Year 1916

Diary for Friday, September 8, 1916: Western Front Germany: Hindenburg and Ludendorff in first visit to Western Front, hold meeting at Cambrai to develop new tactical doctrine of defence – […]

Diary for Thursday, September 7, 1916: African Fronts Actions near Kisaki (until September 8): c.2,600 Germans with 22 MGs beat 1,700 South Africans troops, forcing retreat and halt (until September

Diary for Wednesday, September 6, 1916: Air War Western Front: Flight-Sergant McCudden (DH2 pilot in 29 Squadron) scores first of 57 victories in I Anzac Corps Ypres sector. Royal Flying

Diary for Tuesday, September 5, 1916: Western Front Battle of the Somme: British capture Falfemont Farm and link with French I Corps across Combles ravine (its attack to southeast fails

Diary for Monday, September 4, 1916: Western Front Battle of the Somme: Vain British attack on Falfemont Farm. Haig congratulates Rawlinson for finally capturing Guillemont. French VII Corps improves newly

Diary for Sunday, September 3, 1916: Western Front Battle of the Somme: Fourth major joint Allied push to aid Rumania. At 1200 hours French Sixth Army attacks north of Somme,

Diary for Saturday, September 2, 1916: Air War Britain: Combined raid on London by 12 Navy and 4 Army Zeppelins thwarted by adverse weather, navigational and technical problems; c. 16t

Diary for Friday, September 1, 1916: Western Front Battle of the Somme: 4 German counter­-attacks fail at High Wood (and on September 3, 8 and 15) but they recapture East

Diary for Thursday, August 31, 1916: Sea War Allied shipping losses 205,000t (British 23 ships worth 43,354t with 8 lives lost). Total including 77 ships (129,368t) to U-boats in Mediterranean.

Diary for Wednesday, August 30, 1916: Air War Western Front: No 24 Squadron encounters first time 3 Albatros DI Destroyer-Scouts (Jasta 1). Macedonia: Allied air raid on Buk bridges northeast

Diary for Tuesday, August 29, 1916: Western Front Germany: FALKENHAYN (German CoS) DISMISSED BY KAISER, REPLACED BY FM HIN­DENBURG WITH GENERAL LUDENDORFF (1st QMG) AS HIS ASSISTANT. Battle of the

Diary for Monday, August 28, 1916: Western Front Battle of the Somme: Army Group Crown Prince Rupprecht created for duration. General Gallwitz in command of German Second Army records that

Diary for Sunday, August 27, 1916: Eastern Front RUMANIA INVADES HUNGARIAN TRANSYLVANIA (Austria-Hungary) via eight major passes, a month earlier than Falkenhayn expected; Kaiser’s reaction ‘The war is lost’. Brusilov

Diary for Saturday, August 26, 1916: African Fronts East Africa: Rhodesians and Baluchis occupy Morogoro on Central Railway (Smuts enters August 27), 115 miles east of Dar-es-Salaam; 28,000 British oxen

Diary for Friday, August 25, 1916: Western Front Battle of the Somme: British secure Delville Wood and repulse attacks south of Thiepval. Champagne: German attack west of Tahure repulsed. Ypres:

Diary for Thursday, August 24, 1916: Western Front Battle of the Somme: British GHQ letter to General Rawlinson (Fourth Army) emphasizes it is vital to secure Ginchy, Guillemont and Falfemont

Diary for Wednesday, August 23, 1916: Air War Western Front: Germans form first regular fighter squadron Jasta 1 (Captain Martin Zander), Boelcke’s Jasta 2 (August 30), both and two more

Diary for Tuesday, August 22, 1916: Eastern Front Galicia: Turk 19th (arrived August 13) and 20th Divisions (Gallipoli veterans) take over 12-mile sector between Suedarmee German divisions. Western Front Battle

Diary for Monday, August 21, 1916: Sea War North Sea: Royal Navy submarine E54 torpedoes and sinks German mine-laying sub UC10 at Schouwen Bank. Western Front Battle of the Somme:

Diary for Sunday, August 20, 1916: Sea War Mediterranean: U35 (Arnauld) returns to Cattaro after record-breaking 25-day cruise (since July 26) sinkings with 900 shells and 4 torpedoes: 54 ships