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JUNE 1914
POLITICAL
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NAVAL
& MARITIME (including
transporting troops, and
landings)
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Sunday
28th - The
Archduke Franz Ferdinand
assassinated at Sarajevo.
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JULY 1914
POLITICAL
|
NAVAL
& MARITIME
|
WEDNESDAY
1st JULY
Sunday
5th - The Kaiser
receives at Potsdam special envoy
from Austrian Emperor and promises
"the full support of Germany" in
the event of Austrian action
against Serbia. He consults his
military and naval advisers
before, leaving for a cruise in
northern waters.
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MONDAY
6th JULY
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MONDAY
13th JULY
Tuesday
14th - Council of
Austro-Hungarian Ministers finally
determine on action against
Serbia.
Sunday
19th - Council of
Austro-Hungarian Ministers approve
of draft ultimatum to Serbia.
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MONDAY
20th JULY
Thursday
23rd -
Austro-Hungarian Government send
ultimatum to Serbia (see 25th).
Friday
24th - German
Government submit note to Entente
Governments approving Austrian
ultimatum to Serbia (see 23rd).
24th - British
Foreign Minister (Sir E. Grey)
initiates proposals for an
international conference in order
to avert war (see 27th and 28th).
24th - Belgian
Government declare that, in the
event of war, Belgium will uphold
her neutrality "whatever the
consequences" (see 31st).
Saturday
25th - Serbian
Government order Mobilisation (see
23rd).
25th -
Austria-Hungary severs diplomatic
relations with Serbia.
Austro-Hungarian Minister leaves
Belgrade (see 26th).
25th - Serbian
Government transferred from
Belgrade to Nish (see November
3rd, 1915).
Sunday
26th -
Austro-Hungarian Government order
Partial Mobilisation as against Serbia (see 28th and 31st).
26th - Montenegrin
Government order Mobilisation (see
August 5th).
26th - The Kaiser
returns from the Baltic to Berlin
(see 5th).
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ROYAL NAVY
26th - British
Admiralty countermand orders for
dispersal of Fleets (see 28th).
HMS "Dreadnought", battleship,
in 1906 (Maritime Quest)
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MONDAY
27th JULY
27th - French and
Italian Governments accept British
proposals for an international
conference (see 24th).
Tuesday
28th -
Austria-Hungary declares war on
Serbia (see 25th and 26th).
28th - German
Government reject British
proposals for an international
conference (see 24th and 27th).
Wednesday
29th - Russian
Government order Partial
Mobilisation as against Austria.
(Evening) - Russian Minister for
War orders General Mobilisation
without the knowledge of the Tsar
(see 30th and 31st).
29th - Hostilities
commence between Austria-Hungary
and Serbia: Belgrade bombarded by
Austrian artillery (see 25th, and
December 2nd).
29th - German
Government make proposals to
secure British neutrality (see
30th).
29th - British War
Office send out telegrams ordering
"Precautionary Period" (2.10
p.m.).
Thursday
30th - The Tsar signs
order at 4 p.m. for mobilisation
of Russian army (see 20th and
31st).
30th - British
Government reject German proposals
for British neutrality (see 20th).
Friday
31st - Belgian
Government order Mobilisation (see
24th).
31st - Russian
Government order General
Mobilisation (gee 29th and 30th).
31st -
Austro-Hungarian Government order
General Mobilisation (see 26th and
28th).
31st - German
Government send ultimatum to
Russia (presented at midnight,
August 1st) (see August 1st).
31st - State of
"Kriegsgefahr" proclaimed in
Germany (see August 1st).
31st - Turkish
Government order Mobilisation (to
commence August 3rd) (see October
29th).
31st - London Stock
Exchange closed (see January 4th,
1915).
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GERMAN NAVY
27th - German High
Seas Fleet recalled from Norway to
war bases.
S.M.S. "Derfflinger",
battlecruiser (Maritime Quest)
ROYAL NAVY
28th - British Fleets
ordered to war bases (see 26th).
29th - British
Admiralty send "Warning Telegram"
to the Fleets.
ROYAL AUSTRALIAN NAVY
30th - Australian
Government place Australian Navy
at disposal of British. Admiralty.
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AUGUST 1914
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POLITICAL
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WESTERN
EUROPE
|
EASTERN
& SOUTHERN EUROPE
|
ASIA &
AFRICA
|
NAVAL
& MARITIME
|
SATURDAY
1st AUGUST
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DIPLOMACY
1st - German
Government order General
Mobilisation and declare war on
Russia (see July 31st).
1st - French
Government order General
Mobilisation.
Sunday
2nd -
German Government send ultimatum
to Belgium demanding passage
through Belgian territory (see
3rd, and July 24th).
BRITAIN
2nd -
Moratorium proclaimed in Great
Britain (see November 4).
GERMANY
2nd - General von
Moltke (Chief of the Great General
Staff since 1906) appointed Chief
of the General Staff of the German
Field Armies (see September 14th).
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WESTERN FRONT
Sunday
2nd -
German troops cross
frontier of Luxembourg
(see November 20th, 1918).
2nd -
Hostilities commence on French
frontier.
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EASTERN FRONT
1st - Hostilities
commence on Polish frontier.
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ROYAL
NAVY
1st -
British Government order Naval
Mobilisation.
2nd -
British Government guarantee naval
protection of French coasts
against German aggression by way
of the North Sea or English
Channel.
BALTIC
2nd -
Libau bombarded by German cruiser
"Augsburg" (see November 17th).
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MONDAY
3rd AUGUST
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DIPLOMACY
3rd - Belgian
Government refuse German demands
(see 2nd and 4th).
3rd - British
Government guarantee armed support
to Belgium should Germany violate
Belgian neutrality.
3rd - Germany
declares war on France.
3rd - British
Government order General
Mobilisation.
3rd - Italy declares
neutrality.
Tuesday
4th - British
Government send ultimatum to
Germany. Great Britain declares
war on Germany at 11 p.m.
(midnight 4th-5th by Central
European time).
4th - Belgium severs
diplomatic relations with Germany
(see 2nd and 3rd). Germany
declares war on Belgium.
4th - Secret Alliance
between Germany and Turkey signed
at Berlin.
Wednesday
5th - Montenegro
declares war on Austria-Hungary
(see July 26th).
Thursday
6th - Austria-Hungary
declares war on Russia.
(Declaration presented at St.
Petersburg).
6th - Serbia declares
war on Germany (see July 28th).
Saturday
8th - Montenegro
severs diplomatic relations with
Germany. "State of War" commences
between Montenegro and Germany
(see 5th).
8th - Swiss
Government order Mobilisation.
9th - Belgian
Government proposal for
neutralisation of African free
trade zone formulated (see 22nd).
BRITAIN
5th - First meeting
of British War Council (Formed to
exercise the functions of the
Committee of Imperial Defence, but
with additional executive powers.)
(see
May 14th, 1915).
6th - Field-Marshal
Earl Kitchener succeeds Mr.
Asquith as Secretary of State for
War, Great Britain. (Mr. Asquith
held the appointment from March
31st, 1914) (See June 5th, 1916.)
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WESTERN FRONT
Tuesday
4th - German troops
cross Belgian frontier and attack
Liege (see 3rd and 7th, and
November 26th, 1918).
4th - Staff of
British Expeditionary Force
appointed: — Commander-in-Chief:
Field-Marshal Sir John French (see
December 15th, 1915); Chief of
General Staff: Lieut.-General
Sir Archibald Murray (see January
24th. 1915); Adjutant-General:
Lieut.-General Sir Nevil Macready
(see February 21st, 1916);
Quartermaster-General:
Lieut.-General Sir William
Robertson (see January 24th,
1915).
Thursday
6th - "Battle of
the Frontiers" (General
name covering all operations of
the French armies up to the Battle
of the Marne) begins in France.
Friday
7th - City of Liege
occupied by German forces (see 4th
and 10th).
7th - French troops
cross the frontier of Alsace (see
2nd).
Saturday
8th - Mulhouse
(Alsace) occupied by French forces
(see 7th and 11th).
AVIATION
4th - Two German
airships pass over Brussels by
night (first hostile act in the
air).
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EASTERN FRONT
3rd - The Grand Duke
Nicholas appointed
Commander-in-Chief Russian armies
(see 14th).
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WEST AFRICA
8th - British forces
cross frontier
of Togoland and occupy Lome (see
13th and 20th).
Escape of
"Karlsrühe" and "Emden" (Corbett,
Vol 1, pp50)
S.M.S. Prinz
Eitel Frederich in civilian service (Photo Ships)
HMS Amphion (Navy
Photos/Bruce Constable)
S.M.S. Goeben
(Photo Ships)
Dar Es Salaam Harbour
(shows operations on 28 November
1914)
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CONTRABAND CONTROL
4th - British
Government issue Proclamation
specifying articles to be treated
as contraband (see 20th, and
September 21st).
BRITISH TROOP
MOVEMENTS
7th - First units of
British Expeditionary Force land
in France (see 10th).
ALLIED NAVIES
6th - Naval
Convention between France and
Great Britain concluded in London.
French Admiral to command Allied
Naval Forces in the Mediterranean.
(See November 9th.)
ROYAL NAVY
3rd - British
Government issue Proclamation
authorising requisition of
shipping (by Royal Navy).
4th - British Grand
Fleet constituted under Admiral
Sir John Jellicoe (see November
29th and December 4th. 1916).
CRUISER WARFARE
4th - German armed
merchant cruiser "Kaiser Wilhelm
der Grosse" leaves Bremen (see
26th).
6th - Action between
H.M.S. "Bristol" and German
cruiser "Karlsruhe" in the West
Indies (see November 4th).
(plan - upper left)
6th - German armed
merchant cruiser "Prinz Eitel
Friedrich" (left) leaves
Tsingtau (see January 28th and
April 8th, 1915).
U-BOAT WARFARE
9th - H.M.S.
"Birmingham" sinks German
submarine "U.-15"
in the North Sea. (First submarine
destroyed.)
MINE WARFARE
5th - Minelaying in
the open sea commenced by the
Germans, east of Southwold (see
October 3rd). German minelayer
"Konigin Luise" sunk.
6th - H.M.S.
"Amphion" sunk by mine off
Yarmouth. (left)
MARITIME AVIATION
9th - British aerial
cross-Channel patrol for the
protection of transports
instituted.
MEDITERRANEAN
4th - German warships
"Goeben" and "Breslau" bombard
Philippeville and Bona
respectively (see 7th and 11th).
7th - Action between
H.M.S. "Gloucester" and the
"Goeben"
(upper left) and "Breslau" off the
coast of Greece (see 4th and
11th).
EAST AFRICA
8th - Hostilities
commence in East Africa (see
15th). H.M.S. "Astraea" bombards
Dar es Salaam (see September 4th,
1916).
(plan - left)
PACIFIC
6th - Admiral von
Spee's squadron, "Scharnhorst"
(flag), "Gneisenau," "Nurnberg"
joined on October l2th and 14th
respectively by "Dresden" and
''Leipzig", leaves Ponape,
Caroline islands (see September
22nd).
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MONDAY
10th AUGUST
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DIPLOMACY
10th - France severs
diplomatic relations with
Austria-Hungary (see 12th).
Wednesday
12th - Great Britain
and France declare war on
Austria-Hungary (see 10th).
Friday
14th - Proclamation
issued by Russian
Commander-in-Chief (The Grand Duke
Nicholas) promising autonomy to
Poland (see April 3rd, 1915).
Saturday
15th - Japanese
Government send ultimatum to
Germany demanding evacuation of
Tsingtau (see 23rd, and September
2nd).
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WESTERN FRONT
Tuesday
11th - Mulhouse
retaken by German forces (see 8th
and 19th).
Friday
14th - Battles of
Morhange and Sarrebourg begin (see
20th)
Sunday
16th - Last forts of
Liege captured by German forces
(16th/17th) (see 4th and 7th).
AVIATION
13th - Four squadrons
Royal Flying Corps fly from Dover
to France. (First units to cross
by air.)
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EASTERN FRONT
SERBIAN FRONT
12th - Austrian
forces cross the Save and seize
Shabatz (see 25th).
13th - Austrian
forces cross River Drina and
begin first invasion of Serbia
(see 25th).
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EAST AFRICA (plan
- below)
15th - German troops
cross frontier of British East
Africa and occupy Taveta (see 8th.
November 2nd, and March 10th,
1916).
The Coast of East
Africa
WEST AFRICA
13th - Allied advance
on Kamina (Togoland) from Lome
begins (see 8th and 26th).
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CONTRABAND CONTROL
11th - French
Government issue first list of
contraband (see 25th and November
6th).
BRITISH TROOP
MOVEMENTS
16th - Landing of
original British Expeditionary
Force (4 Divisions and 1 Cavalry
Division) in France completed
(announced August 18th) (see 7th).
MARITIME AVIATION
10th - British aerial
coast patrol established.
ADRIATIC
15th - Junction of
British and French squadrons effected at
entrance to the Adriatic.
16th - Naval action
in the Southern Adriatic: Austrian
light cruiser "Zenta" sunk by
Allied squadron.
AEGEAN
11th - German
warships "Goeben" and "Breslau"
enter the Dardanelles (see 4th and
7th).
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MONDAY
17th AUGUST
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DIPLOMACY
Saturday
22nd -
Austria-Hungary declares war on
Belgium (see 28th).
22nd - German
Government agree to Belgian
proposal, made through Spanish
Government, re African
free trade zone (see 9th, and
November 20th).
Sunday
23rd - Germany severs
diplomatic relations with Japan
(see 15th).
23rd - Japan declares
war on Germany (see 15th).
BRITAIN
21st - British
Government issue orders for the
raising of the first New Army of
six Divisions (see May 9th, 1915).
BELGIUM
17th - Belgian
Government transferred from
Brussels to Antwerp (see October
7th).
VATICAN
20th - Death of Pope
Pius X (see September 3rd).
PERSIA
18th - Vossuq ed
Doulch, Persian Foreign Minister,
resigns. (Appointed January 11th,
1913.) (See 19th, and August 29th,
1916.)
19th - Ala es
Sultaneh, Persian Prime Minister,
resigns (appointed January 11th,
1913) and is appointed Foreign
Minister (see 18th, and February
20th, 1915). Mustaufi ul Mamalek
appointed Persian Prime Minister
(see March 14th, 1915).
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WESTERN FRONT
Tuesday
18th - Battle of the
Gette, Belgium (18th/19th).
Wednesday
19th - Belgian Army
retreats from the Gette on
Antwerp.
19th - Mulhouse again
taken by French forces (see 11th
and 25th).
Thursday
20th - Brussels
occupied by German forces (see
November 18th, 1918).
20th - Battles of
Morhange and Sarrebourg end
(see 14th).
20th - Longwy
invested by German forces (see
26th).
Friday
21st - German forces
begin attack on Namur (see 25th).
21st - Battle of
Charleroi begins (see 24th).
Saturday
22nd - Battle of the
Ardennes begins (see 24th).
Sunday
23rd - Battle of
Mons (see 24th).
AVIATION
23rd - German airship
"Z.-8"
shot down in the Vosges.
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EASTERN FRONT
20th - Battle of
Gawaiten-Gumbinnen (East Prussia)
(19th/20th).
23rd - Battle of
Tannenberg begins (see
31st).
23rd - First
Battle of Krasnik (Poland)
begins (see 25th).
23rd - General von
Hindenburg takes over command of
German Eighth Army (see September
18th).
SERBIAN FRONT
First Austrian
invasion of Serbia continues.
17th - Battle of the
Tser and the Jadar (Serbia) begins
(see 13th).
21st - Battle of the
Tser and the Jadar ends. Austrian
Armies in Serbia retreat.
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WEST AFRICA
23rd - General C. M.
Dobell appointed to command Allied
land forces operating in the
Cameroons.
(link to
British despatches, RN awards
and casualties)
SOUTH WEST AFRICA
21st - German forces
from German South-West Africa cross frontier
of British South Africa (see
September 19th).
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LAWS OF NAVAL WAR
20th - First British
Order in Council revising
"Declaration of London" issued
(see October 29th).
EMPIRE TROOP
MOVEMENTS
19th - First unit of
Indian Expeditionary Force "C"
(This unit, the 29th Punjabis, was
the first to leave India for any
theatre of war) leaves India for
East Africa (see September 1st).
19th - S.S. "New
York" (above), sunk by
U-24 off Fastnet
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MONDAY
24th AUGUST
|
DIPLOMACY
24th -
Austria-Hungary severs diplomatic
relations with Japan (see 25th).
Tuesday
25th - Japan severs
diplomatic relations with
Austria-Hungary (see 24th). Japan
declares "State of War" with
Austria-Hungary.
Friday
28th -
Austro-Hungarian declaration of
war received by Belgian Government
(see 22nd).
FRANCE
26th - M. Messimy,
French Minister for War (appointed
June 14th, 1914) resigns (see
27th). M. Delcasse succeeds M.
Doumergue as French Foreign
Minister (appointed August 3rd,
1914).
27th - M. Millerand
appointed French Minister for War
(see 26th, and October 29th,
1915).
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WESTERN FRONT
24th - British
army retreats from Mons (see
23rd, and September 5th).
24th - Battle of
Charleroi ends (see 21st).
24th - Battle of the
Ardennes ends (see 22nd).
Tuesday
25th - Namur captured
by German forces (see 21st, and
November 21st, 1918.)
25th - Battle of
the Meuse begins (see
28th).
25th - Battle of
Malines begins (see 27th).
25th - Valenciennes
taken by German forces (see
November 3rd, 1918).
25th - Maubeuge
invested by German forces (see
September 7th).
25th - Battle of
the Mortagne (Vosges) begins
(see September 3rd).
25th - Mulhouse again
retaken by German forces (see
19th, and November 17th, 1918)
Wednesday
26th - Louvain sacked
by German troops.
26th - Battle of
Le Cateau.
26th - Noyon taken by
German forces (see September
21st).
26th - Longwy
capitulates to German forces (see
20th).
26th - Cambrai
occupied by German forces (see
November 20th, 1917, and October
9th, 1918).
26th - Douai occupied
by German forces (see October
17th, 1918).
26th - General
Gallieni appointed Governor of
Paris (see October 30th, 1915).
Thursday
27th - Battle of
Malines ends (see 25th).
27th - Lille occupied
by German cavalry (see September
5th).
27th - Mezieres
occupied by German forces (see
November 10th, 1918).
Friday
28th - Battle of
the Meuse ends (see 25th).
Saturday
29th - Arras
evacuated bv the French forces
(see September 30th).
29th - First Battle
of Guise begins (see 30th).
29th - Sedan taken by
German forces (see November 6th.
1918).
Sunday
30th - Laon, La Fere,
and Roye occupied by German forces
(see March 17th, 1917, and October
13th, 1918).
30th - First Battle
of Guise ends (see 29th, and
November 4th, 1918).
AVIATION
25th -
First use of aircraft for patrol
purposes (over retreating British
forces in France).
30th - First German
aeroplane raid on Paris (see
September 16th, 1918)
|
EASTERN FRONT
Battle
of Tannenberg continues.
25th - First
Battle of Krasnik (Poland) ends
(see 23rd).
26th - First
Battle of Lemberg (Galicia)
begins (see 30th).
26th - Battle of
Zamosc-Komarow begins (see
September 2nd).
30th - First
Battle of Lemberg (Galicia) ends
(see 26th, and September 3rd).
SERBIAN FRONT
25th - Shabatz (see
12th) retaken by Serbian forces.
Last Austrian forces recross the
Drina (see 13th). End of First
Austrian invasion of Serbia (see
September 8th).
AVIATION
29th - German airship
"Z.-5"
brought down by gunfire at Mlawa
(Poland).
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WEST AFRICA
25th - Nigerian
frontier of the Cameroons crossed
by British forces. Affair of Tepe.
Chad frontier crossed by French
forces.
26th - German forces
in Togoland capitulate to the
Allied forces (see 8th, 13th and
31st).
27th - First attack
on Mora (Cameroons) (see September
8th, 1915).
30th - First attack
on Garua (Cameroons) (see April
18th, 1915).
(link to
British despatches, RN awards
and casualties)
|
CONTRABAND CONTROL
25th - French
Government issue new decree
defining contraband (see 11th, and
November 6th).
EMPIRE TROOP
MOVEMENTS
24th - First units of
Indian Expeditionary Force "A"
leave Bombay for France (in first
place for Egypt) (see September
26th).
CRUISER WARFARE
26th - Action between
H.M.S. "Highflyer" and German
armed merchant cruiser "Kaiser
Wilhelm der Grosse" (left Bremen
on August 4th) off the Rio de Oro:
latter sunk (see August 4).
NORTH SEA
28th – Battle of
Heligoland. German light
cruisers "Koln," "Mainz," and
"Ariadne" (below -
Cyberheritage/ Terry Phillips)
sunk by British squadron.
(link to British
despatch, awards and casualties)
BELGIUM
27th - British
Marines landed at Ostend,
accompanied by R.N.A.S. unit.
BALTIC
26th - Naval action
off the Aaland Islands. German
cruiser "Magdeburg " destroyed by
Russian squadron.
PACIFIC
30th – German Samoa
occupied by New Zealand
Expeditionary Force.
|
MONDAY
31st AUGUST
|
DIPLOMACY
31st - Franco-British
Agreement defining provisional
zones in Togoland concluded (see
26th, and December 27th, 1916).
|
WESTERN FRONT
31st - Amiens entered
by German forces (see September
13th).
|
EASTERN FRONT
Battle
of Zamosc-Komarow continues.
31st - Battle of
Tannenberg ends (see 23rd).
|
|
MERCHANT SHIPPING
British, Allied and Neutral
ships lost to enemy submarines,
mines and cruisers etc in the
month - 46 ships of 67,000 tons
gross (Lloyd's War Losses)
|
SEPTEMBER 1914
|
POLITICAL
|
WESTERN
EUROPE
|
EASTERN
& SOUTHERN EUROPE
|
ASIA
& AFRICA
|
NAVAL
& MARITIME
|
TUESDAY
1st SEPTEMBER
|
ALLIES
5th - British,
French, and Russian Governments
sign the "Pact of London."
Decision not to make separate
peace (see April 26th, October
19th, and November 30th, 1915).
FRANCE
2nd - French
Government transferred from Paris
to Bordeaux (see November 18th).
VATICAN
3rd - Benedict XV
elected Pope (see August 20th and
November 5th).
ALBANIA
3rd - Prince William
of Wied leaves Albania (see
October 4th).
|
WESTERN FRONT
1st - Lord Kitchener
visits France to confer with the
British Commander-in-Chief.
1st - Craonne taken
by German forces (see May 4th,
1917). Soissons taken by German
forces (see 13th).
3rd - Battle of
the Mortagne ends (see
August 25th).
4th - Battle of the
Grand Couronne (Nancy) begins (see
12th).
5th - End of the
Retreat from Mons (see
August 24th, 1914, and November
11th, 1918).
5th - Battle of the
Ourcq begins.
5th - German forces
reach Claye, 10 miles from Paris
(nearest point reached during the
war).
5th - Reims taken by
German forces (see 14th).
5th - Lille evacuated
by German forces (see August 27th
and October 12th).
6th - Battle of
the Marne begins (French
date) (see 9th and 10th).
|
EASTERN FRONT
2nd - Battle of
Zamosc-Komarow ends (see
August 26th).
3rd - Lemberg
captured by Russian forces (see
August 20th, 1914, and June 22nd,
1915).
5th - Battle of
the Masurian Lakes begins
(see 15th).
SERBIAN FRONT
6th - Serbian passage
of the Save. Serbian operations in
Syrmia begin (see 11th).
|
EAST AFRICA
1st - General J.
Stewart takes over command of
British forces in East Africa (see
October 31st).
5th - German forces cross frontier
of North Rhodesia. Defence of
Abercorn begins (see 9th).
6th - Affair of
Tsavo.
|
LAWS OF NAVAL WAR
3rd - French
Government inform United States
Government that they will observe
"Declaration of London" subject to
certain modifications.
4th - German
Government agree to observe
"Declaration of London" if other
belligerents conform thereto, and
issue their list of contraband.
EMPIRE TROOP
MOVEMENTS
1st - First unit of
Indian Expeditionary Force "C"
arrives at Mombasa (see August
19th and December 31st).
U-BOAT WARFARE
5th - H.M.S.
"Pathfinder" sunk by submarine in
the North Sea (first British
warship so destroyed).
MINE WARFARE
3rd - H.M.S. "Speedy"
sunk by mine off the Humber.
PACIFIC
2nd - Japanese forces
land in Shantung, China to attack
German Tsingtau (see August 15th,
September 23rd and November 7th).
|
MONDAY
7th SEPTEMBER
|
DIPLOMACY
10th - German and
Austrian representatives expelled
from Egypt (see November 1st).
BRITAIN
13th - British
Government issue orders raising
third New Army of six divisions
(see 11th).
TURKEY
9th - Turkish
Government announce abolition of
"The Capitulations."
|
WESTERN FRONT
7th - Maubeuge
capitulates to German forces (see
August 25th, 1914 and November
8th, 1918).
9th - German retreat
from the Marne begins (see 6th).
10th - Battle of
the Marne ends (British
date) (see 6th).
11th - British
Government issue orders for the
raising of the second New Army of
six divisions (see August 21st and
September 13th).
12th - Battle of the
Grand Couronne (Nancy) ends (see
4th).
12th - Battle of
the Aisne, 1914, begins (see
15th).
13th - Soissons (see
1st, and January 8th, 1915) and
Amiens (see August 31st)
reoccupied by French forces.
|
EASTERN FRONT
Battle
of the Masurian Lakes continues.
7th - Battle of
Tarnavka (Galicia) begins (see
9th).
8th - Second
Battle of Lemberg begins
(see 11th).
9th - Battle of
Tarnavka ends (see 7th).
11th - Second
Battle of Lemberg ends (see
8th). Austrian forces in Galicia
retreat (see October 3rd).
SERBIAN FRONT
8th - Austrian
forces begin second invasion of
Serbia (see August 25th and
December 15th). Battle of the
Drina begins (see 17th).
10th - Semlin
(Syrmia) occupied by Serbian
forces (see 17th).
11th - Serbian
advance in Syrmia abandoned (see
6th and 17th).
|
EGYPT
8th - General Sir
John Maxwell takes over command of
British forces in Egypt (see March
19th, 1916).
EAST AFRICA
9th - Affairs near
Karonga (Nyasaland). First
important fighting.
(link
to British despatch)
9th - Defence of
Abercorn (Rhodesia) ends. German
force retreats (see 5th).
PACIFIC
12th - Affair of
Herbertshohe (German New Guinea)
(see 11th and 17th).
Cameroons
Coast
|
EMPIRE TROOP
MOVEMENTS
9th - First units of
Indian Expeditionary Force "A"
arrive at Suez (see 19th).
CRUISER WARFARE
10th - German light
cruiser "Emden" makes her first
capture in the Indian Ocean, Greek
collier "Pontoporos" (see 22nd,
and October 28th).
WEST AFRICA (Plans
- left and below)
7th - Naval
operations off Duala, German
Cameroons begin in preparation for
attack by Allied military forces
(see 27th). (link to
British despatches, RN awards
and casualties)
Duala and the
Cameroons Estuary (Corbett, Vol 1,
pp276)
PACIFIC
11th - Australian
Expeditionary Force lands on the
Bismarck Archipelago, German New
Guinea.
|
MONDAY
14th SEPTEMBER
|
DIPLOMACY
19th - British and
French Governments guarantee to
Belgium the integrity of her
colonies.
19th - Secret
agreement for mutual support
concluded between Russian and
Rumanian Governments.
GERMANY
14th - General von
Moltke resigns as Chief of the
General Staff of the German Field
Armies, and is succeeded by
General von Falkenhayn (see August
2nd, 1914, and August 29th, 1916).
|
WESTERN FRONT
14th - Reims
evacuated by German forces (see
5th and 19th).
15th - Battle of
the Aisne, 1914, ends (see
12th).
19th - First
bombardment of Reims Cathedral by
German artillery (see 14th).
|
EASTERN FRONT
Retreat
of Austrian forces in Galicia
continues..
15th - Battle of
the Masurian Lakes ends (see
5th).
15th - Czernowitz
(Bukovina) taken by Russian forces
(see October 22nd).
18th - General von
Hindenburg appointed
Commander-in-Chief of German
Armies in Eastern Theatre (see
August 23rd and November 27th).
SERBIAN FRONT
Second
Austrian Invasion of Serbia
17th - Serbian forces
in Syrmia withdrawn. Semlin
evacuated (see 8th).
17th - Battle of the
Drina ends (see 8th).
|
SOUTH WEST AFRICA
19th – Luderitzbucht
occupied by South African forces
(first German territory to be
entered by Union troops.)
SOUTH AFRICA
15th - Rebellion in
South Africa begins (see December
1st and 28th)
PACIFIC
17th - German New
Guinea and surrounding Colonies
capitulate to Australian
Expeditionary Force (see 21st, and
October 11th).(plan
- left)
SS "Cap Trafalgar"(Cyberheritage/
Terry Phillips)
German New Guinea,
with inset of Rabaul (Corbett, Vol
1, pp286)
|
EMPIRE TROOP
MOVEMENTS
19th - First units of
Indian Expeditionary Force "A"
leave Egypt for Marseilles (see
9th).
CRUISER WARFARE
14th - Action between
British armed merchant cruiser
"Carmania" and German armed
merchant cruiser "Cap Trafalgar" (left)
in the South Atlantic: latter
sunk.
(link
to British despatch, awards
and casualties)
ADRIATIC
19th - Cattaro
bombarded by French squadron.
TURKEY
17th - British Naval
Mission leaves Turkey.
17th - Admiral
Souchon, Imperial German navy,
assumes control of Turkish navy.
EAST AFRICA
20th - H.M.S.
"Pegasus" sunk by German light
cruiser "Konigsberg" at Zanzibar
(see October 31st, 1914, and July
11th, 1915).
|
MONDAY
21st SEPTEMBER
|
|
WESTERN FRONT
21st - Noyon retaken
by French forces (see 25th, and
August 26th).
22nd - First
Battle of Picardy begins
(see 26th).
24th - Peronne taken
by German forces (see March 18th,
1917).
25th - Noyon retaken
by German forces (see 21st, and
March 18th, 1917.
26th - First
Battle of Picardy ends (see
22nd).
26th - Bapaume
occupied by German forces (see
March 17th, 1917).
27th - Siege of
Antwerp begins (see October
10th).
27th - First
Battle of Artois begins (see
October 12th).
AVIATION
22nd - First use of
wireless telegraphy from aeroplane
to artillery (by British Royal
Flying Corps)
|
EASTERN FRONT
Retreat
of Austrian forces in Galicia
continues..
21st - Jaroslaw
(Galicia) taken by Russian forces
(see May 14th, 1915).
24th - Przemysl
isolated by Russian forces.
First siege begins (see
October 9th).
24th - Russian
forces begin first invasion of
North Hungary (see October
8th).
25th - Actions on the
Niemen begin (see 29th).
SERBIAN FRONT
Second
Austrian Invasion of Serbia
continues.
|
WEST AFRICA
27th - Duala
(Cameroons) captured by Allied
forces (26th/27th) (see 7th).
(link to
British despatches, RN awards
and casualties)
HMS "Cressy"
(Cyberheritage/
Terry Phillips)
S.M.S. "U.-9"(Photo
Ships)
PACIFIC
21st - German armed
forces in New Guinea surrender to
the Australian Expeditionary Force
(see 17th, and October 11th).
|
CONTRABAND CONTROL
21st - British
Proclamation issued adding to list
of contraband (see August 4th and
December 23rd).
EMPIRE TROOP
MOVEMENTS
26th - First units of
Indian Expeditionary Force "A"
land at Marseilles (see 19th, and
October 19th).
CRUISER WARFARE
22nd - German light
cruiser "Emden" bombards Madras
(see 10th, and October 28th).
U-BOAT WARFARE
22nd - H.M.S.
"Aboukir," "Hogue," and "Cressy" (left)
sunk by German submarine "U.-9"
(left)
NAVAL AVIATION
22nd - First British
air raid on Germany: Dusseldorf
and Cologne airship sheds attacked
(see October 8th).
(link to British
despatch)
PACIFIC
22nd - Admiral von
Spee's squadron bombards Papeete
in Tahiti (see August 6th and
November 1st).
23rd - British force
joins Japanese army before
Tsingtau. Force landed September
22nd; in action September 24th
(see 2nd, and November 7th).
(link to British
despatch)
|
MONDAY
28th SEPTEMBER
|
|
WESTERN FRONT
Continuing:
Siege of Antwerp.
First Battle of
Artois.
28th - Malines taken
by German forces.
30th - Arras
reoccupied by French forces (see
August 29th).
AVIATION
28th - Distinctive
markings on German aircraft first
reported (see November 12th).
|
EASTERN FRONT
Continuing:
Retreat
of Austrian forces in Galicia..
First
siege of Przemysl by Russian
forces.
First Russian invasion of North
Hungary.
29th - German
offensive on the Niemen abandoned
(see 25th).
SERBIAN FRONT
Second
Austrian Invasion of Serbia
continues.
|
MESOPOTAMIA
28th - Lieut.-General
Sir A. Barrett appointed
Commander-designate of Indian
Expeditionary Force "D" for
Mesopotamia (see November 13th).
|
MERCHANT SHIPPING
British, Allied and Neutral
ships lost to enemy submarines,
mines and cruisers etc in the
month - 37 ships of 99,000 tons
gross (Lloyd's War Losses)
|
OCTOBER 1914
|
POLITICAL
|
WESTERN
EUROPE
|
EASTERN
& SOUTHERN EUROPE
|
ASIA
& AFRICA
|
NAVAL
& MARITIME
|
THURSDAY
1st OCTOBER
|
ALBANIA
4th - Provisional
Government under Essad Pasha set
up in Albania at Durazzo (see
February 24th, 1916).
|
WESTERN FRONT
Continuing:
Siege of Antwerp.
First Battle of
Artois.
2nd -
Termonde (Belgium) taken by German
forces.
3rd - British army
begins to leave the Aisne and to
move northwards (see 19th).
3rd - Ypres occupied
by German cavalry (see 13th).
4th - Lens and
Bailleul occupied by German forces
(see 14th, and September 3rd,
1918, and August 30th, 1918).
|
EASTERN FRONT
Continuing:
First
siege of Przemysl by Russian
forces.
First Russian invasion of North
Hungary.
3rd - Retreat of
Austro-Hungarian forces in Galicia
ends (see September 11th).
3rd -
Maramaros-Sziget taken by Russian
forces (see 7th).
4th -
Austro-Hungarian counter-offensive
in Galicia begins (see 3rd).
SERBIAN FRONT
Second
Austrian Invasion of Serbia
continues.
|
PALESTINE FRONT
2nd - Indian
Expeditionary Force "E" formed in
Egypt from details of Indian
Expeditionary Force "A" (see
August 24th, 1914, and March 25th,
1915).
|
EMPIRE TROOP
MOVEMENTS
3rd - First
contingents of Canadian and
Newfoundland Expeditionary Forces
leave for England (see 15th).
MINE WARFARE
3rd - Minelaying in
the open sea, between the Goodwins
and Ostend, commenced by British
(see August 5th).
BELGIUM
3rd - First units of
British Royal Naval Division,
Marine Brigade, arrive at Antwerp
(3rd/4th).
|
MONDAY
5th OCTOBER
|
BELGIUM
7th - Belgian
Government transferred from
Antwerp to Ostend (see August 17th
and October 12th and 13th).
RUMANIA
10th - King Charles
of Rumania dies, and is succeeded
by his son Ferdinand.
|
WESTERN FRONT
First Battle of
Artois continues.
7th - Evacuation of
Antwerp begun.
8th - General Foch
appointed to command Allied forces
(less Belgians) defending the
Flanders coast (see May 15th,
1917).
9th - Merville,
Estaires, Armentieres, and
Hazebrouck taken by German forces
(see 10th, 11th and 17th).
9th (date
approximate) - Menin occupied by
German forces (see October 15th,
1918).
9th - Last forts of
Antwerp taken by German forces
(see 10th, and September 27th).
10th - Antwerp
capitulates to German
forces (see 9th, and September
27th, 1914, and November 19th,
1918).
10th - Hazebrouck and
Estaires captured by British
forces (see 9th).
10th - Battle of
La Bassée begins (see
November 2nd).
11th - Merville
retaken by British forces (see
9th, and April 11th, 1918).
AVIATION
8th - Second British
air raid on Germany (Dusseldorf
and Cologne airship sheds
attacked) (see September 22nd).
|
EASTERN FRONT
7th -
Maramaros-Sziget retaken by
Austrian forces (see 3rd).
8th - First
Russian invasion of North
Hungary ends (see September
24th and November 15th).
9th - First
German offensive against Warsaw.
Battles of Warsaw and Ivangorod
begin (see 19th and 20th).
9th - Przemysl
relieved by advancing Austrian
forces (see 4th). End of
First siege (see September 24th
and November 10th).
SERBIAN FRONT
Second Austrian
Invasion of Serbia continues.
|
|
U-BOAT WARFARE
11th - Russian
cruiser "Pallada" sunk by German
submarine off Hango in the Baltic.
BELGIUM
6th - Units of
British 7th Division disembark at
Ostend and Zeebrugge to co-operate
with Belgian army (see 12th).
(link to British
despatch)
PANAMA CANAL
10th - Protocol
signed by United States of America
and Panama as to use of Panama
Canal by ships of belligerent
Powers.
PACIFIC
7th - Japanese naval
forces occupy Yap Island (German).
11th - German gunboat
"Komet" (below as HMAS "Una" -
Australian War Memorial) captured
by H.M.A.S. "Nusa" near Talassia,
Neu Pommern. Last act of
hostilities in Australasian
waters. Also last episode in
conquest of German Pacific
possessions.
|
MONDAY
12th OCTOBER
|
BELGIUM
13th - Belgian
Government set up at Havre (see
7th, and November 21st, 1918).
ITALY
16th - Marquis di San
Giuliano, Italian Foreign Minister
(appointed March 24th, 1914) dies
(see November 3rd).
|
WESTERN FRONT
Battle
of La Bassée continues.
12th - Battle of
Messines, 1914, begins (see
November 2nd).
12th - First
Battle of Artois ends (see
September 27th).
12th - Ostend and
Zeebrugge evacuated by Belgian
forces (see 6th and 15th).
12th - Lille
capitulates to German forces (see
September 5th, 1914, and October
17th, 1918).
12th - Ghent
evacuated by Belgian forces and
occupied by German forces (see
November 10th, 1918).
13th - Battle of
Armentieres begins (see
November 2nd).
13th - Ypres
reoccupied by Allied forces
retreating from Ghent (see 3rd and
19th).
14th - Bailleul
occupied by British forces (see
4th, and April 15th, 1918).
14th - Bruges
occupied by German forces (see
October 19th, 1918).
15th - Belgian coast-line
reached by German forces (see
October 20th, 1918).
15th -
Zeebrugge and
Ostend occupied by German forces
(see 12th, and October 17th and
19th, 1918).
16th - Battle of
the Yser begins (Belgian
date) (see November 10th).
17th - Armentieres
recaptured by Allied Forces (see
9th, and April 11th, 1918).
18th - Roulers taken
by German forces (see October
14th, 1918).
|
EASTERN FRONT
Battles of Warsaw
and Ivangorod
continues.
13th - Battle of
Chyrow (Galicia) begins (see
November 2nd).
SERBIAN FRONT
Second Austrian
Invasion of Serbia continues.
|
WEST AFRICA
14th - Yabasi
(Cameroons) captured by Allied
forces.
Operations in the
Baltic (Corbett, Vol 3, pp61)
HM S/M "E.-1" (Navy Photos)
|
EMPIRE TROOP
MOVEMENTS
15th - First units of
Canadian and Newfoundland
Expeditionary Forces land in
England (see 3rd, and February
9th, 1915).
16th - Indian
Expeditionary Force "B" leaves
India for East Africa (see 31st).
16th - First units of
Indian Expeditionary Force "D"
leave India for the Persian Gulf
(see 23rd).
16th - New Zealand
Expeditionary Force leaves New
Zealand for France (see December
1st).
17th - First units of
Australian Imperial Force embark
for France (see December 1st).
U-BOAT WARFARE
13th - First
appearance of a German submarine
on the Southampton-Havre
troop-transport route reported.
15th - H.M.S. "Hawke"
sunk by German submarine in North
Sea.
17th - German
submarines attempt raid on Scapa
Flow (see 18th).
18th - Grand Fleet
withdraws from Scapa Flow to West
of Scotland (see 17th, and
November 3rd).
NORTH SEA
17th - Action by
H.M.S. "Undaunted" and destroyers
with four German destroyers off
Dutch coast; latter all sunk.
BELGIAN COAST
18th - First
bombardment of Ostend by British
warships (see 15th). (for
Belgium coast, 1914-18, link
to British despatches, awards
and casualties)
BALTIC (plan
- left)
17th - First British
submarines, "E.-l"
(left)
and "E.-9", enter the Baltic.
PACIFIC
18th - Japanese light
cruiser "Takachiho" sunk by German
destroyer off Tsingtau.
|
MONDAY
19th OCTOBER
|
BRITAIN
25th - General Sir C.
Douglas, Chief of the Imperial
General Staff, Great Britain
(appointed April 6, 1914), dies
(see 26th).
UNITED STATES
22nd - United States
Government issue Circular Note to
belligerent Governments stating
that they will insist on existing
rules of International Law (see
July 28th, 1916).
|
WESTERN FRONT
Continuing:
Battle
of La Bassée.
Battle
of Messines.
Battle of
Armentieres.
Battle
of the Yser.
19th - Battles of
Ypres, 1914, begin (see
31st, and November 22nd).
19th - Transfer of
British army from the Aisne to
Flanders completed (see 3rd).
19th - First Indian
units reach the Flanders front
(see September 26th, and November
10th, 1915).
21st - Battle of
Langemarck, 1914 (Ypres) begins
(see 24th).
24th - Battle of
Langemarck, 1914 (Ypres), ends
(see 21st).
|
EASTERN FRONT
Battle
of Chyrow (Galicia) continues.
19th - Battle of
Warsaw ends (see 9th).
20th - Battle of
Ivangorod ends (see 9th).
22nd - Czernowitz
(Bukovina) reoccupied by Austrian
forces (see 28th, and September
15th).
SERBIAN FRONT
Second Austrian
Invasion of Serbia continues.
|
|
EMPIRE TROOP
MOVEMENTS
23rd - Advanced
troops of Indian Expeditionary
Force "D" arrive at the Bahrein
Islands, Persian Gulf (see 16th
and November 6th).
U-BOAT WARFARE
20th - First
merchant vessel sunk by German
submarine
in North Sea, British S.S.
"Glitra" (see February 19th and
March 13th and 28th, 1915).
|
MONDAY
26th OCTOBER
|
DIPLOMACY
29th - Turkey
commences hostilities against
Russia (see July 31st, and
November 2nd and 5th).
30th -
Allied Governments present
ultimatum to Turkey (see 29th).
30th -
Great Britain and France sever
diplomatic relations with Turkey.
British and French Ambassadors
demand passports (see 31st, and
November 5th).
31st - British
Government issue orders for
hostilities to commence against
Turkey (see 30th, and November 1st
and 5th).
31st - Lord Kitchener
sends to Sherif of Mecca
conditional guarantee of Arabian
independence (see July 14th,
1915).
BRITAIN
26th - General Sir J.
Wolfe Murray appointed Chief of
the Imperial General Staff, Great
Britain (see 25th, and September
25th, 1915).
ITALY
30th -
Italian Cabinet resign. New
Cabinet formed. Signor Salandra
remains Premier (previously
appointed March 24th, 1914) (see
May 13th, 1915).
|
WESTERN FRONT
Continuing:
Battle
of La Bassée.
Battle
of Messines.
Battle of
Armentieres.
Battle
of the Yser.
Battles
of Ypres, 1914:
29th - Battle of
Gheluvelt (Ypres) begins (see
31st).
31st - Critical day
of Battles of Ypres, 1914: British
line broken and restored (see
19th, and November 11th). Battle
of Gheluvelt ends (see 29th).
|
EASTERN FRONT
Battle
of Chyrow (Galicia) continues.
28th - Czernowitz
(Bukovina) reoccupied by Russian
forces (see 22nd, and February
17th, 1915).
30th -
Stanislau (Galicia) taken by
Russian forces (see February 19th,
1915).
SERBIAN FRONT
Second Austrian
Invasion of Serbia continues:
30th -
Serbian forces begin retreat from
the line of the Drina (see
November 30th).
|
WEST AFRICA
26th - German forces
begin an unprovoked invasion of
Angola (Portuguese West Africa)
(see December 4th).
26th - Edea
(Cameroons) occupied by French
forces.
(link to
British despatches, RN awards
and casualties)
EAST AFRICA
31st - General
Stewart succeeded in command of
British forces in East Africa by
General Aitken (see September 1st
and December 4th).
Delta of the
Rufigi River
HMS "Audacious" (Maritime Quest)
|
CONTRABAND CONTROL
29th - New British
Order in Council revises list of
contraband and modifies
"Declaration of London" of 1909
(see August 20th, 1914, and July
7th, 1916).
ROYAL NAVY
29th - Prince Louis
of Battenberg, First Sea Lord,
Great Britain, appointed December
9th, 1912, resigns (see 30th).
30th -
Lord Fisher appointed First Sea
Lord, Great Britain (see 29th, and
May 15th, 1915).
EMPIRE TROOP
MOVEMENTS
31st - First units of
Indian Expeditionary Force "B"
arrive at Mombasa (see 16th, and
December 31st).
CRUISER WARFARE
28th -
German cruiser "Emden" raids
Penang Roads and sinks Russian
cruiser "Zhemchug" (see September
10th and November 9th).
31st - German light
cruiser "Konigsberg" located in
Rufiji River (see July 11, 1915).
(plan - left)
U-BOAT
WARFARE
31st - H.M.S.
"Hermes" sunk by German submarine
in Straits of Dover.
MINE
WARFARE
27th - H.M.S.
"Audacious" (left, sinking) sunk
by mine off coast of Donegal.
NORTH SEA
30th -
British hospital ship "Rohilla"
wrecked off Whitby.
BLACK SEA
29th - Turkish
warships bombard Odessa,
Sevastopol, and Theodosia.
MERCHANT SHIPPING
British, Allied and Neutral
ships lost to enemy submarines,
mines and cruisers etc in the
month - 36 ships of 92,000 tons
gross (Lloyd's War Losses)
|
NOVEMBER 1914
|
POLITICAL
|
WESTERN
EUROPE
|
EASTERN
& SOUTHERN EUROPE
|
ASIA
& AFRICA
|
NAVAL
& MARITIME
|
SUNDAY
1st NOVEMBER
|
DIPLOMACY
1st - Great Britain
and Turkey commence hostilities
(see 5th, and October 30th and
31st).
EGYPT
1st - Martial law
proclaimed in Egypt (see September
10th and December 18th).
|
WESTERN FRONT
Continuing:
Battle
of La Bassée.
Battle of
Armentieres.
Battle
of the Yser.
Battles
of Ypres, 1914.
1st - Messines taken
by German forces (see June 7th,
1917).
|
EASTERN FRONT
Battle
of Chyrow (Galicia) continues.
SERBIAN FRONT
Continuing:
Second Austrian
Invasion of Serbia.
Serbian retreat
from the line of the Drina.
|
HMS "Good Hope"(Photo Ships)
|
PACIFIC
1st – Battle of
Coronel. H.M.S. "Good Hope"
(left) and "Monmouth" sunk
by Admiral von Spee's Squadron
(see September 22nd and December
8th).
(link
to battle summary and
casualties)
|
MONDAY
2nd NOVEMBER
|
DIPLOMACY
2nd - Russia declares
war on Turkey (see October 29th).
2nd - "State of War"
commences between Serbia and
Turkey.
5th - Great Britain
and France formally declare war on
Turkey (see 1st and 11th, and
October 31st).
5th - Great Britain
annexes Cyprus.
6th - Turkey severs
diplomatic relations with Belgium.
BRITAIN
4th - Moratorium in
Great Britain ends (see August
2nd).
BELGIUM
5th - Belgian
Government reject Papal mediation
(see July 30th, 1915).
ITALY
3rd - Baron Sonnino
appointed Italian Foreign Minister
(see October 16th and 30th, 1914,
and May 13th, 1915).
INDIA
2nd - Government of
India announce immunity of the
Mussulman Holy Places during
hostilities with Turkey.
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WESTERN FRONT
Continuing:
Battle
of the Yser
Battles
of Ypres, 1914
2nd - Battles of
Messines and Armentieres end (see
October 12th and 13th).
2nd - Battle of
La Bassée ends (see October
10th).
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EASTERN FRONT
2nd - Battle of
Chyrow ends (see October
13th).
SERBIAN FRONT
Continuing:
Second Austrian
Invasion of Serbia.
Serbian retreat
from the line of the Drina.
|
CAUCASUS FRONT
4th - Russian forces
cross frontier
of Turkey-in-Asia and seize Azap
(Armenia).
6th - Keupri-Keui
(Armenia) taken by Russian forces
(see 14th).
Lower Mesopotamia to
the Head of the Persian Gulf
(Corbett, Vol 1, pp394)
EAST AFRICA
2nd - British force
begins attack on Tanga (German
East Africa) (see 5th).
3rd - Northern
frontier of German East Africa
first crossed by British troops.
(Affair of Longido.) (See August
15th.)
5th - Attack on Tanga
ends. British force repulsed (see
2nd, and Julv 7th, 1916).
CHINA
7th - Tsingtau
capitulates to Japanese forces
(see September 2nd and 23rd, 1914,
and August 6th, 1915).
(link to British
despatch)
The
Dardanelles, (Corbett,
Vol 2,
Plan No 4 (9.5Mb))
|
CONTRABAND CONTROL
6th - French
Government issue declaration
modifying list of contraband (see
August 25th, 1914, and January
3rd, 1915).
EMPIRE TROOP
MOVEMENTS
2nd - First units of
Indian Expeditionary Force "F"
leave India for Egypt (see 16th).
6th - Advanced troops
of Indian Expeditionary Force "D"
effect landing in Mesopotamia at
Fao (see 22nd, and October 23rd).
(plan - left)
CRUISER WARFARE
4th - German cruiser
"Karlsruhe" sunk in the Atlantic
by internal explosion (see August
6th).
U-BOAT WARFARE
3rd - Grand Fleet
ordered back to Scapa Flow (see
October 18th, 1914, and November
21st, 1918).
MINE WARFARE
4th - German cruiser
"Yorck" sunk by mine off the
German coast.
NORTH SEA
2nd - British
Admiralty declare the North Sea a
military zone.
BRITISH COASTAL RAID
3rd - First German
naval raid on British coast near
Gorleston and Yarmouth.
DARDANELLES
(plan - left and below)
3rd - Allied
squadrons bombard forts at
entrance of the Dardanelles (see
December 13th).
6th - British
submarine "B.-11"
proceeds two miles up the
Dardanelles. First warship to
enter Straits. (See December
13th). (link to British
despatches, RN awards and
casualties)
Dardanelles
Approaches
PACIFIC
2nd - Austrian
cruiser "Kaiserin Elizabeth" sunk
in Tsingtau harbour.
|
MONDAY
9th NOVEMBER
|
TURKEY
11th - The Sheikh ul
Islam issues Fatwa declaring Jehad
(Holy War) against all the Allies
(see 2nd, 5th, and 14th).
14th - Sultan of
Turkey as Khalif proclaims Jehad
against those making war on Turkey
or her allies (see 11th).
JAPAN
14th - Japanese
Cabinet decide against despatch of
troops or warships to Europe (see
February 8th, 1916, and April
17th, 1917).
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WESTERN FRONT
Battles
of Ypres, 1914 continues.
10th - Battle of
the Yser ends (French date)
(see October 16th).
10th - Dixmude
stormed by German forces (see
September 29th, 1918).
11th - Battle of
Nonneboschen (Ypres). Attack by
German Guard repulsed (see 22nd,
and October 19th and 31st).
14th - Field-Marshal
Earl Roberts
dies in France.
AVIATION
12th - Orders issued
for all British aeroplanes on
Western front to bear
distinguishing marks (see
September 28th).
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EASTERN FRONT
10th - Przemysl
again isolated by Russian forces
(see October 9th). Second Siege
begins (see March 22nd,
1915).
11th (date
approximate) - Memel (East
Prussia) occupied by Russian
forces (see February 17th, 1915).
15th - Battle of
Cracow begins (see December
2nd).
15th - Second
Russian invasion of North
Hungary begins
(see October 8th and December
12th).
SERBIAN FRONT
Continuing:
Second Austrian
Invasion of Serbia.
Serbian retreat
from the line of the Drina.
|
CAUCASUS FRONT
14th - Keupri-Keui
(Armenia) retaken by Turkish
forces (see 6th).
MESOPOTAMIAN FRONT
13th - Lieut.-General
Sir A. Barrett takes over command
of Indian Expeditionary Force "D"
in Mesopotamia (see September
28th, 1914, and April 9th, 1915).
15th - Affair of
Saihan.
Cocos Islands:
Action between "Sydney" and
"Emden" (Corbett, Vol 1,
pp394)
|
LAWS OF NAVAL WAR
13th - Dutch
Government protest against
modifications of the Declaration
of London (see October 29th).
NAVAL PRIZES
9th - British and
French Governments conclude
convention as to naval "prizes"
(see August 6th, 1914, and January
15th, 1917).
CRUISER WARFARE
9th - German cruiser
"Emden" (below - Great War) destroyed
by H.M.A.S. "Sydney" at the Cocos
Islands (see October 28th).
(link
to British despatch, awards
and casualties) (plan -
left)
9th - German gunboat
"Geier" interned at Honolulu.
U-BOAT WARFARE
11th - H.M.S. "Niger"
sunk by German submarine off Deal.
RED SEA
10th - British force
storms Sheikh Said (Southern
Arabia) and destroys the defences
(10th/11th)
|
MONDAY
16th NOVEMBER
|
DIPLOMACY
20th - British,
Belgian, and French Governments
withdraw proposal for
neutralisation of African free
trade zone in view of altered
situation (see August 22nd).
FRANCE
18th - Re-transfer of
French Government from Bordeaux to
Paris begins (see September 2nd).
|
WESTERN FRONT
22nd - Battles of
Ypres, 1914, end (see
October 19th, 31st, and November
11th, 1914, and April 22nd, 1915).
|
EASTERN FRONT
Continuing:
Second Russian
Siege of Przemysl.
Battle of Cracow.
Second
Russian invasion of North Hungary.
16th - Second
German offensive against Warsaw.
Battle of Lodz begins (see
December 15th).
SERBIAN FRONT
Continuing:
Second Austrian
Invasion of Serbia.
Serbian retreat
from the line of the Drina.
|
CAUCASUS FRONT
22nd - Keupri-Keui
(Armenia) again taken by Russian
forces (see 14th, and December
17th).
MESOPOTAMIAN FRONT
17th - Affair of
Sahil
EAST AFRICA
22nd - War Office
assume control of the British
operations in East Africa.
Lower Mesopotamia
|
EMPIRE TROOP
MOVEMENTS
16th - First units of
Indian Expeditionary Force "F"
land in Egypt (see 2nd, and March
25th, 1915).
MINE WARFARE
17th - German cruiser
"Friedrich Karl" sunk by mine in
the Baltic.
NAVAL AVIATION
21st - British naval
air raid on Friedrichshaven.
BALTIC
17th - Libau (Baltic)
bombarded by German squadron (see
August 2nd).
BLACK SEA
17th – Trebizond
bombarded by Russian squadron (see
April 6th, 1916).
MESOPOTAMIA
(Plans - left and below)
22nd - Basra occupied
by British forces (see 6th).
Formal occupation took place on
the 23rd. (link to
British despatches, RN awards
and casualties)
Operations
near Basra (Corbett,
Vol 1, pp388)
|
MONDAY
23rd NOVEMBER
|
PORTUGAL
23rd - Portuguese
Government announce prospective
co-operation of Portugal with
Great Britain (see August 8th,
1916).
|
WESTERN FRONT
|
EASTERN FRONT
Continuing:
Second Russian
Siege of Przemysl.
Battle of Cracow.
Second
Russian invasion of North Hungary.
Battle
of Lodz.
27th - General von
Hindenburg promoted Field-Marshal
(see September 18th, 1914, and
August 29th, 1916).
SERBIAN FRONT
Continuing:
Second Austrian
Invasion of Serbia .
Serbian retreat
from the line of the Drina.
|
INDIA
28th - Affair of
Miranshah (North-West Frontier of
India) (28th/29th). (First
outbreak on North-West Frontier
caused by German intrigues.)
|
CONTRABAND CONTROL
23rd - Netherlands
Overseas Trust formed (see June
3rd, 1915).
ROYAL NAVY
26th - H.M.S.
"Bulwark" (below in 1904 -
Maritime Quest) destroyed
by internal explosion in Sheerness
harbour.
|
MONDAY
30th NOVEMBER
|
|
WESTERN FRONT
|
EASTERN FRONT
Continuing:
Second Russian
Siege of Przemysl.
Battle of Cracow.
Second
Russian invasion of North Hungary.
Battle
of Lodz.
30th - Battle of
Lowicz-Sanniki begins (see
December 17th).
SERBIAN FRONT
Second Austrian
Invasion of Serbia continues:
30th - Belgrade
evacuated by retreating Serbian
forces (see October 30th).
|
|
MERCHANT SHIPPING
British, Allied and Neutral
ships lost to enemy submarines,
mines and cruisers etc in the
month - 20 ships of 20,000 tons
gross (Lloyd's War Losses)
|
DECEMBER 1914
|
POLITICAL
|
WESTERN
EUROPE
|
EASTERN
& SOUTHERN EUROPE
|
ASIA
& AFRICA
|
NAVAL
& MARITIME
|
TUESDAY
1st DECEMBER
|
DIPLOMACY
3rd - British
Government agree to Japanese
request that Australia should not
occupy German islands north of the
Equator (see 16th).
5th -
Entente demarche
in Athens, Sofia, and
Bukharest to secure help for
Serbia (see 6th, and January 24th,
1915). Serbian Government declare
that Serbia will never make peace
without Allied consent.
6th - Rumanian
Government decline to guarantee
Greece against German attack (see
5th).
|
WESTERN FRONT
|
EASTERN FRONT
Continuing:
Second Russian
Siege of Przemysl.
Second
Russian invasion of North Hungary.
Battle
of Lodz.
Battle
of Lowicz-Sanniki.
1st - Battle of
Limanova-Lapanov begins (see
17th).
2nd - Battle of
Cracow ends (see November
15th).
SERBIAN FRONT
Second Austrian
Invasion of Serbia continues:
2nd - Austrian forces
cross the Danube and occupy
Belgrade (see 15th, and November
30th).
3rd - Battle of the
Kolubara (Serbia) begins (see
6th).
6th - Battle of the
Kolubara ends. Austrian forces
routed by the Serbians and driven
northwards (see 3rd).
|
MESOPOTAMIAN FRONT
4th - First action of
Qurna begins (see 8th).
(link to
British despatches, RN awards
and casualties)
WEST AFRICA
4th - Portuguese
Expeditionary Force leaves Lisbon
for Angola (see October 26th,
1914, and August 8th, 1916).
SOUTH AFRICA
1st - General de Wet,
the leader of South African
rebellion, captured by Union
troops (see 28th, and September
15th).
EAST AFRICA
4th - General
Wapshare succeeds General Aitken
in command of the British forces
in East Africa: latter recalled
(see October 31st and November
5th, 1914, and April 16th, 1915).
|
EMPIRE TROOP
MOVEMENTS
1st - First units of
Australian and New Zealand
Expeditionary Forces arrive at
Suez (see October 10th and 17th,
1914, and February 20th and April
25th, 1915).
|
MONDAY
7th DECEMBER
|
|
|
|
|
|
PORTUGAL
11th - Dr. B. L.
Machado Guimaraes, Portuguese
Premier, resigns (appointed June
23rd, 1914) (see 12th).
12th - Senhor V. H.
d'Azevedo Coutinho appointed
Portuguese Premier (see 11th, and
January 25th, 1915).
VATICAN
7th - British Envoy
(Sir H. Howard) appointed to the
Vatican.
TURKEY
10th - Field-Marshal
von der Goltz leaves Germany to
take over control of the Turkish
Army (see November 24th. 1910, and
April 19th, 1916).
|
WESTERN FRONT
|
EASTERN FRONT
Continuing:
Second Russian
Siege of Przemysl.
Battle
of Lodz.
Battle
of Lowicz-Sanniki.
Battle
of Limanova-Lapanov.
12th - Second
Russian invasion of North
Hungary ends (see November
15th).
SERBIAN FRONT
Second
Austrian Invasion of Serbia
continues.
|
MESOPOTAMIAN FRONT
8th - First action of
Qurna ends (see 4th).
9th - Qurna occupied
by British forces (see 8th).(link to
British despatches, RN awards
and casualties)
|
SOUTH ATLANTIC
8th - Battle of
the Falklands. Admiral von
Spee's squadron destroyed.
"Scharnhorst," (below - Photo
Ships) "Gneisenau,"
"Leipzig," and "Nürnberg" sunk. Admiral
von Spee killed (see November
1st). "Dresden" escapes (see March
14th. 1915).
(link
to British despatch, awards
and casualties)
DARDANELLES
13th - Turkish
battleship "Messoudieh" sunk by
British submarine "B 11" (see
November 6th). (link to British
despatches, RN awards and
casualties)
BLACK SEA
10th - Batum, Georgia
bombarded by the "Goeben" and
"Breslau."
|
MONDAY
14th DECEMBER
|
DIPLOMACY
16th - Japanese
Foreign Minister declares Japan
will not give up German islands
occupied north of the Equator (see
3rd, and February 14th, 1917).
18th - Meeting of
Scandinavian Kings at Malmo.
18th - British
Protectorate over Egypt
proclaimed.
19th - Great Britain
declares adherence to
Franco-Moorish Treaty of 1912.
19th - British
Government declare Khedive Abbas
Hilmi deposed, and proclaim Prince
Hussein Kamel Pasha as Sultan of
Egypt (see October 9th, 1917).
|
WESTERN FRONT
14th - Allied
demonstrations on Flanders front
begin. Attack on Wytschaete.
20th - First
Battle of Champagne begins
(see March 17th, 1915).
20th - British
defence of Givenchy, 1914
(20th/21st).
AVIATION
15th - German airship
sighted off East Coast of England
(first appearance of hostile
aircraft in vicinity of British
Isles (see 21st)
|
EASTERN FRONT
Second Russian
Siege of Przemysl
continues.
15th - Battle of
Lodz ends (see November
16th).
17th - Battle of
Lowicz-Sanniki ends (see
November 30th).
17th - Battle of
Limanova-Lapanov ends (see
1st).
19th - Battle of
the Rawka-Bzura begins.
(This battle had no definite end;
operations subsided into trench
warfare.)
SERBIAN FRONT
15th - Belgrade
occupied by Serbian forces (see
2nd). End of Second Austrian
Invasion of Serbia (see
October 6th and 9th, 1915).
|
CAUCASUS
FRONT
17th - Turkish
Offensive in the Caucasus begins.
Keupri-Keui (Armenia) retaken (see
29th, November 22nd, 1914, and
January 17th, 1916).
The
Raid on the Yorkshire Coast
(Corbett, Vol 2, Plan No 2
(6.4Mb))
Strategical
Plan of the Raid on the Yorkshire
Coast (Corbett, Vol 2,
pp48)
|
CRUISER WARFARE
14th - German armed
merchant cruiser "Cormoran"
(ex-Russian S.S. "Ryasan")
interned at Guam.
BRITISH COASTAL RAID
(Plans - left and below)
16th - Scarborough
and Hartlepool, East coast of
England, bombarded by German
battle cruiser squadron.
(link
to British despatch, awards
and casualties, including
minesweeping operations)
Bombardment of Hartlepool (Corbett,
Vol 2, pp34)
|
MONDAY
21st DECEMBER
|
|
WESTERN FRONT
First
Battle of Champagne continues.
26th - Garibaldi's
Italian Foreign Legion in action
for first time on French front.
AVIATION
21st - First German
air raid on England. Aeroplane
drops bombs in sea near Dover (see
24th, January 19th, 1915, and July
20th and August 5th, 1918).
24th - Second air
raid on England (see 21st). First
bomb dropped on English soil (near
Dover).
|
EASTERN FRONT
Second Russian
Siege of Przemysl
continues..
|
EAST AFRICA
21st - Jasin occupied
by British forces (see January
18th and 19th, 1915).
|
CONTRABAND CONTROL
23rd - British
Proclamation issued containing
revised list of contraband (see
September 21st, 1914, and March
11th, 1915).
NAVAL AVIATION
25th - British
seaplane raid on Cuxhaven.
ADRIATIC
26th - Italian force
lands at Valona (Albania); Italy
notifies Austria of provisional
occupation (see May 29th, 1915).
|
MONDAY
28th DECEMBER
|
DIPLOMACY
30th - Russian
Commander-in-Chief (Grand Duke
Nicholas) suggests a British
expedition against the Turks to
ease Russian situation in the
Caucasus (see January 13th, 1915).
|
WESTERN FRONT
First
Battle of Champagne continues.
|
EASTERN FRONT
Second Russian
Siege of Przemysl
continues.
|
CAUCASUS FRONT
29th - Battle of
Sarikamish begins (see 17th, and
January 2nd, 1915).
SOUTH AFRICA
28th - End of
organised rebellion in South
Africa (see September 15th, 1914,
and January 11th, 1915).
EAST AFRICA
31st - Indian
Expeditionary Force "C" (East
Africa) absorbed into Indian
Expeditionary Force "B" (see
September 1st and October 31st).
|
CONTRABAND CONTROL
29th - British
Government send memorandum to
United States Government in
defence of British blockade
policy.
MERCHANT SHIPPING
British, Allied and Neutral
ships lost to enemy submarines,
mines and cruisers etc in the
month - 26 ships of 49,000 tons
gross. Total since outbreak of
war - 165 ships of 324,000 tons
gross (Lloyd's War Losses)
|