Air War
Western Front: Rickenbacker awarded CMH; posthumous award to Texas ‘balloon-buster’ Lieutenant Frank Luke, 29 (killed on September 19 after 14 victories in 8 days, including 3 aircraft and 2 balloons just on September 18). Germans claim 41 Allied aircraft for loss of 13 (including on September 24).
Germany: 4 DH9s of No 110 Squadron lost in raid on Frankfurt (bombed from 17,000ft) to 50 fighters.
Southern Fronts
Serbia: French and Serbs capture vital Bulgar supply centre of Gradsko on the Vardar with 19 guns and 40 locomotives; General Pruneau of 17th Colonial Division ‘My poilus have their clothes in rags and most … are barefooted’ (September 26). Cavalry Brigade Jouinot-Gambetta reaches Babuna Pass and strikes north through mountains for Uskub covering 11 miles on September 26. British XVI Corps cross Bulgar frontier and enter Kosturino. Bulgar deserters try to seize GHQ at Kurstendil and commandeer trains to go home, GHQ moves to Sofia on September 27.
Middle East
Trans-Jordan: 2,750 Anzac soldiers capture Amman with 2,563 PoWs and 10 guns. 400 ALH (78 casualties) storm Semakh rail station south of Lake Galilee with 364 PoWs (including c.150 Germans) and 1 gun. Tiberias surrenders. EEF haul since September 19 are 45,000 PoWs and 260 guns.
Politics
Italy: Government recognizes Yugoslav State.
Home Fronts
Bulgaria: Tsar Ferdinand orders Stamboliski freed to calm mutineers in Sofia; 1,500 casualties as loyal cadets and German 217th Division from Odessa and Varna disperse them.
Britain: ‘Italy’s Day’ in London.
