<– Part 16 – November 15, 1914  | Part 17 – November 22, 1914 |  Part 18 – November 29, 1914 –>

The Eastern Front, highlighting the battle of Lodz

The Austro-Hungarian army reached the Kolubara river in Serbia on November 16 and began its assault of the Serbian forces. After several days of fighting, and establishing several beachheads, the Serbian army was pushed back and, due to a failure by the Austrian commander to pursue, they did so in an orderly retreat.

In the Caucasus, the Russian forces under Bergmann halted their offensive. As they were recoiling by Turkish counter-attacks, reinforcements on the night of 16-17 November strengthened the Russian line and pushed the Ottomans back in several places. Fighting continued for 2 more days. The Russian Caucasus Army has suffered severe casualties – 40,000 of their 100,000-man force, compared to just 14,000 of the Turks 118,000.

At Khenifra, French reinforcements arrived November 17 and relieved the besieged garrison, forcing the Zaian tribal forces to flee.

A rainstorm slowed the British assault of Basra on November 19, but after maneuvering artillery into place, the British opened fire on the mud fort, causing its collapse. The Turkish forces retreated, and the Brits entered Basra November 21.

Fighting also came to an end at Ypres, on the Western Front, on November 22, after a reshuffling of Allied troops and reinforcements. The German attacks had essentially ceased on the 17th, and several divisions were sent east to halt the Russians.

At Lodz, chaotic fighting between the German and Russian forces has been further complicated by severe winter conditions. A series of pockets, breakouts, salients, and frontal assaults have been affected by slowed supply lines and attempts merely to survive the freezing temperatures. It appears the Germans may have the upper hand at this point, although conflicting reports about German prisoners captured make it difficult to ascertain with any certainty.