Diary April 14, 1916

Diary for Friday, April 14, 1916:

Eastern Front

Western Russia – First Battle of Lake Naroch ends: Russian losses 122,000 (including 12,000 frostbite deaths), German 20,000.
STAVKA planning conference with Tsar at Mogilev: Brusilov offers to attack in summer with minimum reinforcements. Main offensive to be 15 June by Evert’s Western Front west of Minsk.

Middle East

Mesopotamia, Kut: ­Townshend reports 29 April as extreme supply limit, civilians’ grain finished. Arab Bureau confer with Lake in HQ ship at Hanna.
Armenia­: Lyakov’s 20,000 men and 30 guns take Turk Kara-dere position, are 8 miles east of Trebizond on April 16.

African Fronts

East Africa: Rainfall at Moshi (­until April 30) 17.86 ins – sometimes 4 ins per day.

Sea War

Black Sea: Battlecruiser Goeben (4 x 88m AA guns since end 1915) first bombed from air by unsuccessful Russian air raid on Stenia Creek.

Air War

Turk Fronts: 4 Royal Navy Air Service Short floatplanes from Mudros bomb Zoitunlik explosives factory and hangars at Constantinople and Adrianople rail station.

Politics

Austro-German Berlin talks on Poland deadlocked (until following day).

Neutrals

USA: Cabinet approves Wilson’s Sussex note to Germany (send April 18), demands U-boat commanders punishment and future guaran­tees.

Home Fronts

Russia: Secret Police head reports revolutionary spirit among 2,000 at Petrograd Military Drivers School.
Turkey: Currency unification law.