The 4G Blog

<– Part 54 – August 1, 1915  | Part 55 – August 8, 1915 |  Part 56 – August 15, 1915 –>

The Pass of Balmaha, an American merchant vessel, before her capture by the Germans.

An odd bit of news arrived earlier this week. The US ship Pass of Balmaha was reported missing two weeks ago on a cargo trip to England. It would appear that she was boarded by British marines and redirected to a British base for inspection. This included being forced to fly the British flag, which her crew objected to, since that would mark her a hostile vessel. The SMS U-36, a German sub, intercepted her, and the American captain hid the British marines in the hold and raised the Stars and Stripes. The German captain was suspicious, and on boarding her the American crew, resentful of the British meddling, revealed the British marines to the Germans. The Germans in turn redirected her to Germany, though her crew was taken to a neutral country and released. However, the Pass of Balmaha is now the SMS Seeadler, a German commerce raider.

In Italy, the now-called Second Battle of the Isonzo has ended on August 3, since both sides seem to have completely run out of ammunition for all weapons, both handheld and mounted. Although the Italians did not reach all of their goals, they did succeed in taking some ground and are therefore calling it a victory. Nearly 100,000 men are casualties of this latest fight.

August 5 saw German troops capture Warsaw. The Russian Army continues its great retreat.

August 6 saw an enormous series of attacks launched on the Gallipoli peninsula by the British forces at “Lone Pine” in ANZAC Cove (named for a solitary pine tree standing on a ridge at the beginning of the battle), Krithia Vineyard, Suvla Bay, and Sari Bair, with more launched the following day at the “Nek”, an easily-defended mountain pass, and Chunuk Bair. While the Australians have succeeded in reaching and holding objectives at Lone Pine, the remaining battles, though ongoing, seem to be failures due to miscommunication, too much dependence on victories by neighboring units (whose victory depends on their neighbors, leading to an impossible situation), poor planning, and atrocious military tactics (attacking uphill with enemy artillery on either side and insufficient support from one’s own artillery). In fact, one artillery barrage ended seven minutes early, leading to the British troops advancing to a dug-in, alerted, and fortified enemy position for several minutes.

August 8 saw the HMS E11, a famed British sub, sink an Austro-Hungarian warship in the Dardanelles. However, unless the tide turns at Gallipoli, it would appear the British Empire will be defeated in this area. It would appear modern warfare cannot tolerate massive naval landings, which the British have learned against the Germans.

<– Part 53 – July 25, 1915  | Part 54 – August 1, 1915 |  Part 55 – August 8, 1915 –>

On July 26, the Turks achieved their second victory at Manzikert in 850 years with a victory over the heavily outnumbered Russians. The following day, the Russian army launched a counter-attack at Kara Killisse, where the scored a victory on July 31. Otherwise, the Russian forces are in retreat across the sector. Meanwhile, in northern Italy, the second stage of fighting at the Isonzo continues.

The Mariotte, shortly before her last voyage.

July 26 saw another humiliation for the Entente, with the French submarine Mariotte becoming entangled in wires at a minefield inthe Dardanelles, stuck on the surface, and forced to be scuttled. Fortunately for the Entente, though, her captain was able to destroy sensitive documents after the Turkish guns firing on the stricken sub ceased fire when she signaled her surrender.

Across war-stricken Europe, nations are reacting to the United States’ note of last week, declaring that any sinking of an American ship would be regarded as ‘deliberately unfriendly.’ This action is clearly in response to last month’s sinking of the RMS Lusitania. Whether Germany (the clear target of the note) bears heed remains to be seen, although the United States certainly seems to be on the path towards war.

<– Part 52 – July 18, 1915  | Part 53 – July 25, 1915 |  Part 54 – August 1, 1915 –>

The Italian offensive at Isonzo continues, and earlier today the Italians reached an objective in the capture of the Cappuccio Wood.  To the north, German planes of the Fokker model have begun causing difficulties for the Entente, as they are armed with a heavy machine gun and are easily defeating the lightly-armed Allied models. Allied troops on the ground are similarly terrified of them.

HMS E14, the famed British sub under Lieutenant Commander Boyle, is reported to have begun a third tour of the straits of Marmara, having evaded an anti-submarine net that was recently installed there.

On July 21, US president Woodrow Wilson sent notes to the Secretaries of War and Navy with orders to begin preparing a defense plan.

The British Army began avenging her humilation at Lahij with a victory against a small Ottoman contingent. Although not numerically devastating, the disproportionate losses and prisoners on the Ottoman side have breathed a renewed spirit into the British troops in South Arabia.

HMS Tamarisk, another Q-ship. When near the German sub, the Q-ship will reveal her weapons, raise the British war flag, and open fire.

Losses for the Central Powers continued on July 24, when the SMS U-36, while in the process of boarding a Danish liner, was caught unawares by the British Q-ship Prince Charles and destroyed. Q-ships are a relatively recent development by the British, and are standard ships converted into warships but retaining their previous appearance. This seems to have been the first successful Q-ship destruction of a German sub.

In the Adriatic, the Germans have launched the “Pola Flotilla”, an attempt to sink Allied shipping in the Mediterranean.

<– Part 51 – July 11, 1915  | Part 52 – July 18, 1915 |  Part 53 – July 25, 1915 –>

British troops saw a painful (though ultimately minor defeat at Gallipoli on July 12 near Helles. Minor skirmishing continues in the area.

HMS E7, a British sub

On July 17, the British submarine E7 damaged a railroad from the Dardanelles, causing damage to trains and forcing a delay in supplies reaching the Turkish troops.

The Regia Marina had both a victory and a defeat on July 18, as the Austro-Hungarian

SM U-4, an Austro-Hungarian sub

submarine U-4 sunk the cruiser Giusepe Garibaldi, though only 53 off the 573 crewman were lost. However, the Italians shelled several of Austria-Hungary’s naval stations that same day.

Finally, the Italians have launched a second offensive at the Isonzo earlier today; there are reports of severe hand-to-hand fighting following heavy artillery barrages. The Italians outnumber Austrians nearly 4:1, with even more Italian reinforcements approaching.

<– Part 50 – July 4, 1915  | Part 51 – July 11, 1915 |  Part 52 – July 18, 1915 –>

July 5 saw both a British victory and a British defeat. In Gallipoli, the attack at Gully Ravine has achieved its (modest results) and advanced the Entente troops up the peninsula slightly. But in South Arabia, under attack by a superior Ottoman force, with reinforcements delayed by sand and weather, and with the heavily-outnumbered troops exhausted by heat and fighting and the sight of allied Arabs fleeing, the British were forced to withdraw. Although strategically it is not so much a problem, the fall in prestige is insulting.

Two days later, with Austrian reinforcements arriving, the Italian attacks at Isonzo were called off, with only minimal gains across the front, at the lost of nearly 25,000 men on both sides.

On July 9, following their loss at Batavi on the 1st, the German forces in South-West Afrika surrended to the South African forces under Louis Botha. Another German colony has surrendered.

Believing Turkish forces in the area to be minimal, the Russian army launched an attack near Manzikert on July 10, but were surprised to find themselves outnumbered nearly 3:1.

Finally, after many long months of fighting since last October, siege warfare, naval skirmishes, ships transported over land, and more, the German cruiser Königsberg has finally been destroyed in the Rufiji Delta.

Damage to the cruiser.

<– Part 49 – June 27, 1915  | Part 50 – July 4, 1915 |  Part 51 – July 11, 1915 –>

The Russians continue their retreat in Eastern Europe. In the south, Italian assaults at the Isonzo continue, though they appear to be weakening.

On June 28, the British troops massed at the Gully Ravine on Gallipoli stormed out of their trenches towards the Ottoman lines. Though it is too early to know for sure, reports from this week indicate that they may have reached their (modest) objectives.

German colonies in Africa. Togoland, the narrow strip to the West, was defeated last August in 2.5 weeks. Next to it is Kamerun. South is German South-West Africa, which seems destined to fall soon. To the east is German East Africa – the SMS Königsberg is currently beached here, and rumors are swirling the Mimi and Toutou are headed towards her destruction.

June 29 saw a modest fight around the town of Ngaundere in German Kamerun, which the British won. They have occupied the town. Two days later, the Germans had another colonial setback to the south, where South African troops under Louis Botha crushed a German force serving as a delaying action. The path seems open now for a complete German defeat in her South-West colony.

Off the coast of Britain, the “mine mystery” was solved July 2, when the HMS Cottingham captured the German sub UC-2. On boarding, it was discovered that she was a minelayer, and had been placing the mines around the British coast for some time.

<– Part 48 – June 20, 1915  | Part 49 – June 27, 1915 |  Part 50 – July 4, 1915 –>

 Fighting seems to maintain a lull in the Western European front. At Gallipoli, British troops have been spotting massing near Gully Ravine, the Entente’s left flank and the only area that has seen no true progress in the campaign. In Mesopotamia, British troops continue a slow advance, brushing aside Ottoman resistance, while the Suez canal is still heavily defended, with Turkish troops only able to advance along the northern coast.

On June 21, the Battle of Bukoba opened with a British assault against German wireless facilities. It culminated two days later with the destruction of the station, giving the British their first true victory in German East Africa. However, with the station destroyed, the Entente is unable to easily intercept German transmissions. Additionally, reports of widespread looting by the British “irregulars” are a point of embarrassment to the British military staff.

June 22 brought the Central Powers a victory in the east, with German General Mackensen breaking through Russian lines at Lviv, finally halting the Russian offensive in that area. The Austrians themselves re-entered the city earlier today. The 23 brought victory to the Polish Legions at Konary, although both they and the Russians have suffered massive casualties.

Also on June 23, The Italians finally launched an attack across the Isonzo river to the north east against the Austro-Hungarians. Although the Italians enjoy a nearly 2:1 advantage, poor strategy – brief (though heavy) artillery barrages followed by massed frontal uphill assaults are showing little success. In the North, SM U-40, a German submarine, was sunk off the coast of Scotland.

June 26 saw the Austro-Hungarian sub U-10 sink the Italian torpedo boat PN 5 just off the coast of Venice

SM U-10 was originally a German sub before being transferred to the Austro-Hungarian navy for operations in the Mediterranean and Adriatic seas.

<– Part 47 – June 13, 1915  | Part 48 – June 20, 1915 |  Part 49 – June 27, 1915 –>

British defense at Sinai are strengthening, although warships farther north have discovered mine off the east coast of Britain; it’s unknown

HMS Ben-my-Chree (“Woman of my Heart” in Manx) after conversion to seaplane tender. She was previously a passenger steamer for the Isle of Man. From Wikipedia.

where they are from. British warships have been spotted sailing south, presumably to Gallipoli. One of them has recently been converted to a seaplane carrier, allowing planes to depart from the ship as a type of “mobile airstrip.” This technology may not be useful; time will tell.

In German South-West Africa, the three columns of British troops are rapidly advancing and brushing Boer resistance aside. The British commanders have experience with this from previous wars.

Germany has raised the “Pola Flotilla”, a U-boat flotilla stationed in Cattaro, Montenegro, at the entrance to the Adriatic.

On June 15, two British motor launches, “Mimi” and “Toutou” (“Meow” and “BowWow” in French – “Cat” and “Dog” having been rejected) have set sail south as well, perhaps to Africa. They had large guns mounted which were tested in the Thames two days earlier – humorously, after firing one of the guns – improperly mounted to the ship – both the gun and the gunner flew off the deck and into the river.

June 16, 17, and 18 saw the additional shellings of the Italian coast by Austro-Hungarian warships, as well as an Italian steamer being sunk and a signal station obliteratede.

Also on the 17, the frontlines at Gorlice seem to have stabilized on the Eastern Front, with the Western Front seeing the second battle of Artois coming to an end (although the German advance had been halted on month previously).

On June 20, the Russians relaunched their offensive in the Caucasus towards Lake Van.

<– Part 46 – June 6, 1915  | Part 47 – June 13, 1915 |  Part 48 – June 20, 1915 –>

German troops manning the defenses at Garua. From Wikipedia.

The past week has been relatively quiet, although fighting continues on the Western front around Artois, as well as the Eastern at Konary. June 9 saw the natives at Garua, in German Kamerun, begin to mutiny and refuse to man the defenses. The naval guns appear to have weakened the defender’s resolve; at 4pm the following day the Germans surrendered the bounty of supplies and weapons, as the siege had been expected to last much longer than two weeks. Also on the 9th, the Entente continued their shellings of the Austro-Hungarian coast.

June 13 saw the Russians finally reach their initial front line from fall of last year, before the Turkish offensive.

<– Part 45 – May 30, 1915  | Part 46 – June 6, 1915 |  Part 47 – June 13, 1915 –>

In Western Europe, the second battle for Artois continues. This last week saw renewed Allied offenses around the world.

German Trenches at Garua. From Wikipedia.

On May 31, the German fort at Garua was surrounded by Allied soldiers, who entrenched around the fort. The Germans are reported to be well-supplied in anticipation of a lengthy siege, although there have been reports of drooping morale as shelling from naval guns causes casualties among the defenders. There are no reports of British or French casualties at this time.

On June 4, the Allies launched another attack for Krithia at Gallipoli. Although their objectives were scaled down from the original April 25 landing timeline, they failed for the third time to reach them, although they outnumbered the Ottoman defenders nearly 2:1. They also suffered more than twice the casualties, losing 6,500 men to the Turks’ 3,000.  It would seem that frontal attacks from beaches will not be a successful tactic for the Allies, as this failure of June 6 has shown…

The Sphynx, a noted feature of the Gallipoli battlefield. From Wikipedia.

On June 5, in response the Austrian Navy’s shelling of Italian cities on the Adriatic coast, several Allied task forces were sent and commenced their own shellings of Austro-Hungarian cities.

A map of the Gallipoli area. Krithia is located in square 23, near the top of the map.