JANUARY 1916

Baltic Sea

13th January - German light cruiser 'Lubeck' is damaged mid-month in a Russian minefield in the middle of the southern Baltic, between Danzig and the island of Gotland.

FEBRUARY 1916

Baltic Sea

War at Sea - With the northern Baltic frozen, few naval operations are possible over the next two months.

MARCH 1916

By now, the Russians have replaced the men lost in the defeats of 1915, and the French are appealing to the Czar to launch an offensive against the Germans to help relieve the pressure on Verdun. Starting on the 18th, an assault is made in the north in the Battle of Lake Naroch (east of Vilna) by Russian Second Army. Shortly over, the battle ends with 100,000 more Russian casualties for no gains. Now there is a pause as the Russians prepare for a major offensive later in the year, but again events in the west lead to premature attacks being launched in June 1916.

APRIL 1916

The Russian offensive near Lake Naroch in the north peters out.

MAY 1916

Baltic Sea

Submarine Operations - Three belligerent submarines are lost late in the month in varying circumstances, but mainly in the many minefields laid throughout the Baltic.

23rd May - Russian submarine 'SOM' (ex-'Fulton', 1904, 105t, 1-38.1cm tt). In the northern Baltic off the Aaland Islands, the old Russian boat is lost in collision with Swedish steamer 'Angermanland'.

24th May - British submarine 'E-18' (1915, 670t, 5tt, 1-12pdr). On the 24th or sometime after, the first of the British boats are lost in action within the Baltic. Accounts vary. Some sources show 'E-18' sunk off Bornholm in the south by German decoy or Q-ship 'K'. Others that she went on to torpedo and damage German destroyer 'V-100' off Libau, and on her return in late May/early June, was lost in a German minefield, perhaps west of the island of Osel.

27th May - German 'U-10' (1911, 490t, 4-45cm tt). Leaving for patrol on the 27th, 'U-10' goes missing. She is assumed lost on Russian mines off the Gulf of Finland, possibly north of the island of Dago (c 59-30N, 21-00E).

JUNE 1916

Following the Austrian offensive into Italy in May and an Italian appeal for aid, the Russians launch a premature offensive south of the Pripet Marshes aimed at Galicia in what turns out to be their last great action of the Russian Front - the Brusilov Offensive. It is led by Gen Alexei Brusilov with the Southwest Army Group of Eighth, Eleventh, Seventh and Ninth Armies (50 divisions) against four largely Austrian Armies (46 divisions including some German) on a 200 mile front down to the Rumanian border. A surprise attack is launched on the 4th near Dubno to the north and, further south, near the Dniester River. By next day, the flanking Austrian Fourth Army in the north and the Seventh Army in the south are close to collapse. By late June, both Austrian Armies have been routed and the Russians are approaching the passes through the Carpathian Mountains. German divisions are brought from other sectors of the Eastern Front as well as the Western Front (weakening the attack on Verdun) to stop the threatened breakthrough. Austrian divisions are also brought back from the Italian Front thus ending that drive. As the defenses stiffen, the Russians struggle ahead into July, August and through to September, but at heavy cost.

JULY 1916

The great Brusilov Offensive into Galicia continues in the south, but makes limited progress.

AUGUST 1916

Baltic Sea

15th August - German large torpedo boat 'V-162' (coastal defence vessel, 1909, 640t, 2-8.8cm, 2-50cm tt). Dense Russian minefields in the Irben Strait guarding the southern passage into the Gulf of Riga continue to take a toll of warships. Screening minesweeping operations, 'V-162' goes down off Lyserort (57-35N, 21-35E) on the Courland coast.

21st August - Russian destroyer 'DOBROVOLETZ' (1906, 570t, 2-10.2cm, 3-45.7cm tt) is lost six days later in the Irben Straits on a Russian mine while on a laying operation herself.

SEPTEMBER 1916

The Brusilov Offensive into Galicia finally comes to an end. The Russians have helped relieve the pressure on the Allies on both the Western and Italian Fronts, and cost the Austrians and Germans over 600,000 casualties, including 400,000 Austrian prisoners. But the price paid by Russia is too great - one million casualties, broken morale, and a nation ready for revolution.

OCTOBER 1916

Baltic Sea

28th October - Russian torpedo boat 'KAZANETS' (or destroyer, or 'Kazanec', 1905, 580t, 2-11pdr, 3-45.7cm tt). German submarines have concentrated on minelaying in the Gulf of Finland. On the 28th, the old destroyer 'Kazanets' sinks on a mine laid by 'UC-27' off Odensholm at the southern entrance to the Gulf.

NOVEMBER 1916

On the 5th November, German and Austria announce that an independent Polish state will be established. Then on the 21st, Franz-Joseph, Emperor of Austria and King of Hungary dies at the age of 86. He is succeeded by his grand-nephew, Charles I, destined to see the break-up of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in less than two years.

Baltic Sea

7th November - Russian destroyer 'LETUN' (1916, 1,260t, 4-10.2cm, 9-45.7cm tt). German submarine-laid mines in the Gulf of Finland continue to account for Russian ships, one to the successful 'UC-27'. On the 7th, newly completed destroyer 'Letun' is badly damaged north of Reval, laid up and not recommissioned.

10th/11th November - German large torpedo boats 'V-75', 'S-57', V-72', 'G-90', 'S-58', 'S-59', 'V-76' (or destroyers, all 1916, 920t, 3-8.8cm, 6-50cm tt, 24 mines). Ships of the 10th Torpedo boat Flotilla suffer even more heavily from Russian mines - seven out of eleven new vessels lost during an attack on shipping in the Reval area. On the way into the Gulf of Finland, late on the 10th, 'V-75' sinks and the damaged 'S-57' scuttled. An abortive attack is made on Baltic Port, and as they return, 'V-72', 'G-90', 'S-58', 'S-59' and 'V-76' are sunk early on the 11th, although casualties are light (all at c 59-23N, 22-30E).

DECEMBER 1916

Russia - Grigori, Rasputin (the 'vagabond' or 'drunkard'), who exerted such influence over the Czar's wife and thus the Czar, is assassinated by court nobles. This, together with food shortages, the huge casualty lists from the front, and the Czar's unwillingness to liberalize the government, increase tension within Russia and lead to demonstrations and strikes in the early months of 1917.