Year 1916

Diary for Thursday, August 10, 1916: Western Front Battle of the Somme: King George visits the front (until August 15), tells Rawlinson of a ‘cabal’ (including Lord French, Churchill and

Diary for Wednesday, August 9, 1916: Southern Fronts Salonika – Local Allied offensive: Allies shell Bulgar line south of lake Doiran, French 17th Colonial Division (15,000) occupies abandoned station and

Diary for Tuesday, August 8, 1916: Eastern Front Brusilov offensive, Pripet: Russian Guard and Third Armies attack towards Kovel, make no gains (until August 9). Guard losses 55,292 men; July

Diary for Monday, August 7, 1916: Western Front Battle of the Somme: German attacks north and northeast of Pozieres. British attack outskirts of Guillemont. Eastern Front Galicia: Lechitski resumes offensive

Diary for Sunday, August 6, 1916: Southern Fronts Isonzo: Main Italian assault at 1600 hours after 9 hours intensest artillery barrage yet against Austrian 58th Division (General Zeidler on leave),

Diary for Saturday, August 5, 1916: African Fronts East Africa – Smuts resumes main advance through Nguru Mountains on Morogoro (Central Railway): 7,000 men and 36 guns against c.2,000 Germans.

Diary for Friday, August 4, 1916: Middle East Sinai – Battle of Romani (until August 5): Turkish troops (Kress) with 30 guns and 38 MGs drive back 2 Australian Light

Diary for Thursday, August 3, 1916: Sea War Britain: First of 17 accident-prone, fast steam-powered K-class large submarines comes into Royal Navy service. North Sea: 4 Royal Navy C-class subma­rines

Diary for Wednesday, August 2, 1916: Sea War Mediterranean: Austrian saboteurs blow up and capsize Italian battleship Leonardo da Vinci in Taranto (248 dead). Italy makes no public announce­ment but

Diary for Tuesday, August 1, 1916: Southern Fronts Macedonia: Allies spread over 170-mile front but not yet ready due to heat, poor roads and supply difficulties. Russian Brigade of 5,000

Diary for Monday, July 31, 1916: Western Front 5 German divisions sent from Western Front to Eastern Front during July. Joffre summons Foch to get him to persuade (vainly) Haig

Diary for Sunday, July 30, 1916: Western Front Battle of the Somme: Very hot, clear day. Joint Franco-British attack north of Somme improves situation on Allied right flank, Guillemont entered

Diary for Saturday, July 29, 1916: Western Front Battle of the Somme: Two failed German attempts to retake Delville Wood. Hand-to-hand fighting north of Pozieres; Germans repulse Australian attack on

Diary for Friday, July 28, 1916: Eastern Front Brusilov Offensive resumes. Pripet: 250,000 Russians (gas shell barrage on part of sector) against 115,000 Austro­-German troops. Lesch and Kaledin partly cross

Diary for Thursday, July 27, 1916: Western Front Battle of the Somme: British advance in Delville Wood, fighting continues near Pozieres and at Longueval. Aisne and Cham­pagne: German diversionary attacks.

Diary for Wednesday, July 26, 1916: African Fronts East Africa: Gold Coast Regiment lands at Mombasa (2nd West Indian Regiment arrives on July 27). Western Desert: British-Italian armoured car raid

Diary for Tuesday, July 25, 1916: Western Front Battle of the Somme: All German troops cleared from Pozieres village. Haig, Foch and Fayolle agree joint attack for July 30. Rawlinson

Diary for Monday, July 24, 1916: African Fronts East Africa: NRFF (1,200 soldiers) defeats Captain Braunschweig’s Southern Detachment at Malangali, drives it towards Iringa. Belgian battalion takes Kasulu. Western Front

Diary for Sunday, July 23, 1916: Western Front Battle of the Somme: Battle of Pozieres Ridge (second phase of Somme battle) begins (until September 3). Anzac Corps captures Pozieres village,

Diary for Saturday, July 22, 1916: Southern Fronts Trentino: Alpini battalion and 154th Regiment night attack and gain footing north of Mt Cimone summit (July 23) dominating Arsiero to south