The 4G Blog

<– Part 122 – November 19, 1916  | Part 123 – November 26, 1916 |  Part 124 – December 3, 1916 –>

Emperor Franz Joseph

Charles I

The front lines have Monastir have stabilized, a tactical victory for the Allied forces opposing the German advance.

On the morning of November 21, the hospital ship HMHS Britannic, sister ship to Titanic, suffered an explosion and sunk 55 minutes later. However, due to lessons learned a few years ago from Titanic, 1,035 survived, and only 30 died. Many of the casualties were caused by lifeboats drifting into the propellers as they rose out of the water.

That night, the Austrian emperor Franz Joseph died at age 86 of complications from pneumonia. His grand-nephew, Charles I, has succeeded him. Franz Joseph was also king of Hungary, Croatia, and Bohemia, and the former president of the now-defunct German Confederation.

In Romania, German forces entered Craiova November 23, though a minor action at Robanesti delayed the advance. Elsewhere, German forces launched across the Danube in several places, catching the Romanians off-guard, and are advancing towards Bucharest.

In Britain, on November 25, John Jellicoe was promoted and is the new First Lord of the Seas. David Beatty replaces him as commander of the Grand Fleet.

<– Part 121 – November 12, 1916  | Part 122 – November 19, 1916 |  Part 123 – November 26, 1916 –>

Ancre sector 1 July 1916, showing the Hawthorne redoubt (and mine crater) near the top left.

A mine was detonated under the Hawthorne Redoubt November 13 near Ancre, starting the final Allied offensive of the Somme. Using a series of small, focused attacks designed to keep the Germans off-balance, the Allies pushed their advance through yesterday, losing 22,000 men to the German’s 38,000 (plus 7,000 prisoners). With that, both sides are hunkering down and preparing for winter, while the Germans seem to be preparing a fortified, defensive line some dozens of kilometers behind the front lines. And so the Somme campaign has finished, somewhat inconclusively, with 420,000 British, 200,000 French, and 450-500,000 German casualties – over one million men cut down.

The fighting at Crna Bend, part of the Monastir campaign in Macedonia, ended earlier today. The Central Powers withdrew from Monastir yesterday, and the French and Russian forces occupied it today. Tens of thousands of casualties, predominately Bulgarian, German, and Austro-Hungarian, litter the field, where the Central Powers have retreated to defensive positions, and the Allies are too exhausted to continue pressing their advantage.

<– Part 120 – November 5, 1916  | Part 121 – November 12, 1916 |  Part 122 – November 19, 1916 –>

The body of Ali Dinar, Sultan of Darfur

Anglo-Egpytian forces came upon the camp of Ali Dinar, Sultan of Darfur, November 6 and opened fire, then pursued the fleeing forces one mile. The sultan was found dead. Darfur has become part of Sudan, at a total cost (for the campaign) of £500,000.

US President Woodrow Wilson

In the United States, President Woodrow Wilson has been re-elected with the campaign slogan “He kept us out of the war.”

At the Somme, the fighting at the Ancre heights ended yesterday with a British victory, despite problematic weather conditions. At nearby Le Transloy, the German defenders are under intense pressure, but holding – the same condition the German soldiers on the other side of Europe face at the Crna Bend, in Macedonia.

In the German East Africa colony, there are reports that Kibata is under South African attack, with both sides in trenches, much like Europe. At Matamondo, approximately 250 Germans faced around 370 British soldiers are defeated them, killing 32, wounding 50, and capturing the rest, with less than a dozen casualties to show for it.

<– Part 119 – October 29, 1916  | Part 120 – November 5, 1916 |  Part 121 – November 12, 1916 –>

The Italians launched their ninth offensive on the Isonzo October 31 and made some limited gains. However, due to the heavy casualties sustained in this offensive (39,000 to the Austrians’ 33,000), and a total over the last three battles of 75,000 to the Austrians’ 63,000, the offensives have been limited to approximately one week, and this one ended November 4.

The Central Powers renewed offensive in Romania launched November 1, and the Romanians are being forced back. Skirmishing continues at the Crna Bend.

On November 2, a French shell at Verdun caused a huge explosion in Fort Vaux, forcing the Germans to evacuate (an order detected by French wireless). The French were able to retake the fort without a fight, and earlier today reached the front lines of February 24. Both sides are settling into trenches.

At the Somme, fighting at Le Transloy ended indecisively. At the Ancre Heights, the British continue to gain ground.

In North Africa’s Senussi campaign, more prisoners have been taken by the British, who are using motorized vehicles to outmaneuver the tribesmen. To the south, the Anglo-Egyptian Darfur Expedition is pursuing the Sultan, who is in full-flight. The force left earlier today with 150 men, one artillery piece, and four Maxim guns.