Southern Fronts
Italian Front: Diaz’s final orders for upcoming offensive stress aim ‘to separate the Austrian forces on the Trentino from those on the Piave’.
Bulgaria: British 26th Division arrives by rail (until October 23) at Mustapha Pasha on Bulgar-Turk frontier west of Adrianople where garrison of only 1 battalion with 2 guns.
Sea War
Irish Sea: Last merchant ship (coaster Saint Bareham, 8 lives lost) sunk by U-boat in British home waters.
Britain: Beatty insists to War Cabinet meeting on German Fleet’s surrender as well as all U-boats and Heligoland.
Air War
Germany: 7 DH9As (No 100 Squadron) lost from daylight Frankfurt raid (4 lost to fighters).
Home Fronts
Germany: Ludendorff approves Scheer UÂ-boat plan, including release of skilled workers from front. Kaiser meets Reichstag at Berlin Bellevue Palace, ISP leader says ‘Crowns are rolling about the floor’.
Austria: German Austrians declare independÂence at Vienna and form National Provincial Assembly (2nd mtg passes fundamental laws October 30).
France: Le Matin ‘s ‘Panorama of the Battle of Liberation’ map posted up in Paris.
Britain: Beaverbrook resigns as Information Minister (ill-health). Labour Minister reports that Special Branch and GHQ Home Forces preparing supply of auxiliary labour. Thomson (Special Branch) writes that working-class morale ‘Probably at its highest point’, but warns of union strike plans.
