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JANUARY 1916 Serbia - The Serbian retreat across Albania continues. Further north, the Austrians overrun Montenegro, which surrenders on the 17th. NEAR EAST Final Evacuation of Gallipoli - By the 9th, the last Allied troops have been withdrawn from the Cape Helles beaches. Again, as three weeks earlier, without loss. The evacuations are the most successful part of a campaign which has proved a great defeat for Britain. Of the half a million Allied troops involved, half have become casualties of battle and disease; the same figures applying to the Turks. The attempt to force the Dardanelles and take Constantinople is abandoned. Mesopotamia - The first attempt, under Gen Fenton Aylmer, to relieve Gen Townsend at Kut-al-Amara, fails at the Battle of Shaikh Sa'ad. River gunboats and steamers of the Royal Navy continue to play their part. Persia - A small Russian force, commanded by Gen N N Baratov, and supplied from the Caspian Sea, attacks into Persia, aiming for Baghdad. He captures Hamadan in northwest Persia in January. Caucasus - The main Russian offensive into Turkey is launched from Armenia. Here the target is the fortress of Erzurum. The attack starts in mid-month under Gen Nikolai Yudenich. FEBRUARY 1916 Serbia - The last survivors of the Serbian Army, still holding their Austrian POW's, reach the Albanian ports of Durazzo and Valona on the Adriatic. From there they are evacuated, mainly by the French and Italian Navies, to the Greek island of Corfu. The evacuation is over by the 26th, by which time most of Albania has been occupied. The Italians maintain their foothold in the south around Valona. 8th February - French cruiser "AMIRAL CHARNER" (1894, 4,700t, 2-19.4cm & 6-13.86cm). On patrol off the Syrian coast, the French armoured cruiser is torpedoed by Hersing in German "U-21", which also sank British pre-dreadnoughts "Majestic" and "Triumph" off Gallipoli. The old ship goes down rapidly to the west of Beirut and just one survivor is picked up. NEAR EAST Caucasus - The Russian offensive from Armenia continues. On the 16th, and following a 50 mile advance, Gen Yudenich captures Erzurum. MARCH 1916 Italy - As part of the Allied strategy to hold down Austrian forces, Gen Cadorna launches the Fifth Battle of the Isonzo early in the month. By month's end it has petered out with few gains. 1st February - British sloop "PRIMULA" (1916, 1,250t, 2-4.7in). As German submarines hunt for Allied merchant shipping in the Eastern Mediterranean, "U-35" commanded by the top scorer, Cdr von Arnauld de la Perière, torpedoes and sinks "Flower" class fleet sweeping sloop "Primula" south of Cape Matapan, southern Greece. 16th February - German coastal minelayer "UC-12" (1915, 170t, 12 mines). Sailing on another minelaying operation as the Austrian "U-24", "UC-12" is sunk off the southern Italian base of Taranto by the explosion of one of her own mines (40°27N, 17°11E). She is the first of only two German submarines lost in 1916 in the Mediterranean. The next one is not until August. The Italians salvage "UC-12", and in 1917 commission her into the Italian Navy as "X-1". 18th February - French destroyer "RENAUDIN" (1913, 760t, 2-10cm, 4-45cm tt). On a sweep from Brindisi across the Adriatic with other Allied ships, "Renaudin" is hit by a torpedo from "U-6", one of the few Austrian submarines available for operations, and even than mainly in the Adriatic. Cut in two, the destroyer goes down off Durazzo. NEAR EAST Egypt - Gen Murray takes command in Egypt and builds-up his forces throughout most of 1916. He constructs a fortified area to protect the Suez Canal and starts to clear the Sinai Peninsula, building the necessary logistics support - water pipeline, railway, and road into the desert. Persia - The Russians under Gen Baratov continue to advance on Baghdad and capture Karind, not far from the border of Mesopotamia and Persia. The Turks are forced to withdraw a corps of their Sixth Army from Kut-al-Amara. Black Sea 9th February - Russian torpedo boat "LEITENANT PUSHCHIN" (1905, 350t, 2 or 3-45.7cm tt). The Russian Black Sea Fleet continues to maintain its superiority over the Turkish-German forces, and a seaplane attack, covered by dreadnought "Imperatritsa Ekaterina" and battleships, is attempted on Varna. Escorting destroyer "Zadorni", now torpedo boat "Lt Pushchin" is lost on an enemy mine off the Bulgarian port. APRIL 1916 27th April - British battleship "RUSSELL" (1903, 13,300t, 4-12in) & sloop "NASTURTIUM" (1916, 1,250t, 2-4.7in). Sailing from Germany and now heading for Cattaro, the large, 750 ton minelayer "U-73" lays mines off Malta's Grand Harbour. On the 27th, approaching Malta after service in the Aegean, the old battleship "Russell" is sunk with the loss of over 120 men. Later that day, fleet sweeping sloop "Nasturtium", sister-ship to the recently lost "Primula", goes down in the same small field. A naval armed yacht follows them to the bottom next day. NEAR EAST Mesopotamia - Early in the month, the third and final attempt to relieve Kut-al-Amara fails. Gen Townsend has been besieged since December, and surrenders to the Turks on the 29th. Ten thousand mostly Indian troops are taken prisoner. Thus ends the first British campaign to take Baghdad. And also the last of the attempts to reach Kut-al-Amara, which has cost many casualties. For the rest of 1916, Mesopotamia is quiet as the British build-up strength and supplies. The last attempt to supply Kut-al-Amara - Lt Firman RN in command of the river steamer SS "Julnar" with Lt-Cdr Cowley as his second in command, makes the last attempt to carry 270 tons of supplies through to the troops at Kut-al-Amara. Sailing from Fallahiya late on the 24th, they are shortly discovered, come under fire, and although hit, keep going. At midnight, a few miles short of Kut, the "Julnar" is caught in a boom and Firmin killed. She runs aground and the crew are captured, including Lt-Cdr Cowley. The Turks later claim he was killed trying to escape, but having lived in Mesopotamia for much of his life, may have been executed as a claimed subject of the Ottoman Empire. + The VICTORIA CROSS is awarded posthumously to Lt Humphrey Firman RN and Lt-Cdr Charles Cowley RNVR. Black Sea Caucasus - The Russians capture Trebizond (Trabzon) on the Black Sea on the 18th. Support by the Black Sea Fleet includes the new dreadnoughts "Imperatritsa Mariya" and "Imperatritsa Ekaterina". The Fleet's C-in-C, Adm Eberhardt is replaced in July by Vice Adm Kolchak. 25th April - Russian torpedo boat "ZHIVUCHI" (1906, 350t, 1-11pdr, 2-45.7cm tt). The only threat to Russian dominance in the Black Sea comes from the few German U-boats. After being assembled at Pola in mid-1915 and later making the voyage to Turkey, small minelayer "UC-15" mines the approaches to Sevastopol. The old Russian destroyer, now torpedo boat "Zhivuchi", sinks on one of them. MAY 1916 Italy - On the 15th, the Austrians, against German advice, launch an offensive into northern Italy from the Trentino bulge. In the Battle of Asiago, Austrian Gen Conrad is successful at first, having transferred some of his best divisions and 2,000 guns from the Russian front. However, aware of these preparations, Italian Gen Cadorna has moved troops into the area following the end of the Fifth Battle of Isonzo. Austrian Archduke Eugen's Eleventh and Third Armies attack south near Asiago in the mountains, and drive a five miles wedge into the Italians, taking thousands of prisoners. As the Italians withdraw, the Austrians are worn down and brought to a halt. Macedonia - The Bulgarians cross the Greek border, north of Salonika, advance along the Struma River, and occupy Fort Rupel. 13th May - Austrian "U-6" (1910, 240t, 2-45cm tt). Until 1917, only one enemy U-boat is definitely caught by the Otranto barrage - Austrian "U-6" on the night of the 13th May 1916. Trapped in the nets of patrolling British fishing drifter "Calistoga", she surfaces to be shelled by the "Dulcie Doris" and "Evening Star II", and is then scuttled by her crew some 12m ENE of Cape Otranto. Turkish Waters 13th/14th May - British monitor "M-30" (1915, 350t, 2-6in). British forces still blockade the Turkish Gulf of Smyrna, partly with a small naval force occupying Long Island at the entrance to the gulf. The Turks react with shore-based gunfire, and on the night of the 13th or the 14th (sources vary), the small monitor "M-30" is hit and set on fire before sinking. With the airfield also out of action, Long Island is shortly abandoned. JUNE 1916 Italy - By the 10th in the Battle of Asiago, the Austrians have gained 12 miles in one sector, but the attack is brought to an end as the Brusilov Offensive starts on the Russian front. Italian Gen Cadorna begins his counter-offensive, and by months-end, the Austrians have lost nearly all their earlier gains. At a minimum, Italian casualties are 150,000, and Austrian, a further 100,000. 5th June - French destroyer "FANTASSIN" (1911, 450t, 6-65mm, 3-45cm tt) on a submarine hunt is rammed at night by the similar "Mameluk", and the wrecked ship is finished off by gunfire from the older destroyer "Fauconneau". One source places this incident off the island of Fano, south of the Straits of Otranto. 23rd June - Italian armed merchant cruiser "CITTÀ DI MESSINA" & French destroyer "FOURCHE" (1912, 800t, 2-10cm, 4-45cm tt). Later in the month, in the Straits of Otranto, Austrian submarine "U-15" hits and sinks the Italian AMC "Città di Messina". Accompanying destroyer "Fourche" goes into attack with depth-charges, and believing the submarine destroyed, starts to pick up survivors from the Italian ship. Hit herself by another torpedo from "U-15", the Brindisi-based destroyer is cut in half, and goes down to the east of Otranto. NEAR EAST Arabia - The Emir of Nejd, in the interior of Arabia, is already at war with Turkey. Now he encourages the Arabs of Hedjaz and Asir on the Red Sea coast to claim their independence. In June, the Sherif of Mecca starts the revolt and claims Mecca, with his sons leading the Arab armies. British help includes political encouragement, medical aid, naval support in the Red Sea, air attacks on Turkish supply routes, and the secondment of British military personnel, of whom Lawrence of Arabia becomes far and away the most famous. Over the next year, much of Hedjaz and Asir come under Arab control, and frequent attacks disrupt troop movements along the Damascus-Medina railway. Persia - The Turks repulse the Russian advance through Persia into Mesopotamia, northwest of Baghdad. This brings to a virtual end, Russian operations in Persia. JULY 1916 Macedonia - The Allies spend the first few months of 1916 building facilities and reinforcing the defences of Salonika. All this time, Greece has remained neutral, and the five British divisions that have arrived, have been given no clear role and and remain essentially static. By the end of the month, the total Allied force has grown to a quarter of a million men. Apart from the British, these include four French, one large Italian, and six reformed Serbian divisions, and a Russian brigade. French Gen Maurice Sarrail is C-in-C, and has now established a continuous front across northern Greece from the Albanian border to the Aegean, east of Salonika. Mediterranean War at Sea 10th July - Italian destroyer "IMPETUOSO" (1914, 680t, 1-12cm, 4-45cm tt). Protecting the Otranto barrage drifters, the "Impetuoso" is torpedoed and sunk by Austrian submarine "U-17" in the Straits. 14th July - Italian submarine "BALILLA" (1915, 730t, 4-45cm tt, 2-7.6cm). On the night of the 14th, the new "Balilla" is in action with guns and torpedoes with Austrian torpedo boats "Tb65-F" and "Tb66-F". She goes down off the Austrian island of Lissa half-way up the Adriatic. 15th July - British submarine "H-3" (1915, 360t, 4tt). Further south on patrol off the Cattaro naval base, the smaller, but equally new "H-3" is believed lost on mines. NEAR EAST Caucasus - On the 25th, and after numerous halts to re-supply and re-group, the Russians attacking from Armenia, capture Erzingian beyond Erzerum on the edge of the hill country. For the rest of the year they engage in minor battles with the Turkish Second and Third Armies. AUGUST 1916 Italy - Italy declares war on Germany on the 27th. With Italian forces now back to the Isonzo sector, the Sixth Battle of Isonzo or the Battle of Gorizia starts on the 6th/7th. With a three to one superiority, Gen Cadorna advances and captures the city of Gorizia on the 9th, the first real success of the numerous Isonzo battles. He also makes limited gains on the Carso Plateau. Macedonia - To coincide with Rumania's entry into the war, Gen Sarrail is ordered to advance north from Salonika. The Bulgarian Second Army in the eastern Struma River area attacks first from Fort Rupel, and shortly occupies the Greek coastal strip of Kavalla. Mediterranean War at Sea 2nd August - Italian dreadnought "LEONARDO DA VINCI" (1914, 23,000t, 13-30.5cm). Nearly a year after the old battleship "Benedetto Brin" blew up at Brindisi, "Leonardo da Vinci" catches fire, also blows up and capsizes in Taranto harbour with heavy loss of life. Faulty ammunition was suspected, but the cause is put down to Austrian sabotage. As one of the few Italian dreadnoughts, she joins the ranks other Allied dreadnoughts lost by explosion in harbour - the Russian "Imperatritsa Mariya" in 1916, the British "Vanguard" in 1917 and the Japanese "Kawachi" in 1918. 4th August - German coastal submarine "UB-44" (1916, served as Austrian "U-44", 260t, 2-50cmtt, 1-8.8cm). After completing at Pola, "UB-44" is lost. Sailing from Cattaro on the 4th bound for the Dardanelles, she is believed depth-charged and sunk by British drifters "Quarry Knowe" and "Carragill" patrolling the Otranto Barrage (40°12N, 18°46E). The U-boat, only the second and last one to be sunk in the Med in 1916, may have first been caught in mined nets. In some sources, she is shown as missing, fate unknown. The drifter "Quarry Knowe", sometimes listed as two vessels - "Quarry" and "Knowe", is sunk in the May 1917 Austrian raid on the Otranto Barrage. 9th August - British submarine "B-10" (1906, 290t, 2tt), Lt Michell, is one of six "B"-class boats allocated to the British Adriatic Squadron. After a number of unsuccessful patrols in the northern Adriatic, she is lying alongside her depot ship, the Italian armoured cruiser "Marco Polo" in Venice harbour with sister boat "B-8". An attack by Austrian aircraft flying from Trieste and Pola results in damage to both boats, sufficient in the case of "B-10" for her to founder. She is the first submarine sunk by air attack 14th August - British Q-ship "REMEMBRANCE" (or "Lammeroo", collier, 1910, 3,660grt, 2-4in). "Q-ships" also attempt to play their part in the war against the Mediterranean-based German U-boats, but "Remembrance" is sunk in the Aegean by "U-38". 30th August - Italian destroyer "AUDACE" (1914, 800t, 1-12cm, 2-45cm tt), escorting a convoy in the Ionian Sea, is sunk at night in collision with merchantman SS "Brasile". NEAR EAST Egypt - As the British advance continues slowly across the Sinai Peninsula, 15,000 Turks and Germans commanded by Gen Kress von Kressenstein attack at Romani near the coast. Gen Murray fights a skilful defence, and the Turks are forced to retreat. SEPTEMBER 1916 Italy - The Italians attack the Austrians in the Seventh Battle of the Isonzo, concentrating on the Carso Plateau region. Macedonia - French and Serbian troops start a limited offensive from the Salonika area. In hard, mountain fighting, they force their way through the Monastir Gap towards Monastir (Bitola) through into October and November. Mediterranean War at Sea 1st September - British seaplane carrier "Raven II". This German prize, converted in 1915 to carry one to six seaplanes, is damaged at Port Said in a German bombing raid. 15th September - French submarine "FOUCAULT" (c1914, 400t, 1-45cm tt and 6 torpedo collars/cradles) is caught ten miles off Cattaro in the Adriatic by Austrian flying boats L132 and L135 and sunk in the resulting attack. She is the first submarine lost to aircraft at sea. OCTOBER 1916 Italy - Still concentrating on the Carso Plateau region, the Italians fight the Eighth Battle of the Isonzo. Macedonia & Greece - As Allied troops continue to fight their way through the Monastir Gap, problems come to a head between the Allies and neutral Greece with its pro-German King Constantine 1. 17th October - Italian destroyer "NEMBO" (1902, 400t, 4-7.6cm, 2-45cm tt) & Austrian coastal submarine "U-16" (1915, 125t, 2-45cm tt). During a convoy attack, "U-16" torpedoes and sinks destroyer "Nembo" off Valona in Albania, but is herself lost. She may have been rammed and damaged by one of the convoyed ships, Italian steamer "Borminda" (or "Bermida"), and then scuttled, or sunk by the depth charges of the sinking "Nembo". GREEK NAVY - The fleet is taken over by the Allies, and the larger ships demilitarised. Smaller vessels are requisitioned by the French Navy. Black Sea 1st October - German coastal submarine "UB-7" (1915, 130t, 2-45cm tt). After assembly at Pola and sailing for the Dardanelles, "UB-7" is now operating in the Black Sea out of Varna. Along with the other German boats she has little success. Leaving for the Crimea in late September, she is believed to have been bombed and sunk by Russian aircraft off Sevastopol on or around the 1st October (44°30N, 33°15E). Some sources show her mined or lost, cause unknown. 20th October - Russian dreadnought "IMPERATRITSA MARIYA" (1915, 23,000t, 12-30.5cm). Barely challenged by the few German submarines available, the Russian Navy continues to dominate the Black Sea, supporting the Russian army on the Caucasus front and blockading the Bosphorus and the coal-mining areas around Zonguldak. Now it suffers its worst loss of the war and in the process, the Allies lose another dreadnought in harbour. On the 20th, the 30.5cm (12in) magazines of the "Imperatritsa Mariya" explode and she sinks to the bottom at Sevastopol. Russian supremacy at sea, however, carries on well into 1917. 28th or 30th October - Turkish destroyer "GAIRET-I-WATANIJE" (or "Gaireti Vatanye", 1910, 665t, 2-8.8cm, 3-45cmtt) runs aground off Varna and is abandoned. Sources vary on the date of "Gairet-i-Watanije's" loss. NOVEMBER 1916 Italy - Now the Ninth Battle of the Isonzo takes place, with the main effort still in the Carso Plateau region. As usual, the Italians make small gains in exchange for heavy casualties on both sides. Macedonia - The attacking French and Serbian troops break through the Bulgarian First Army, and on the 19th, capture Monastir after a 25 mile advance across difficult, mountainous country. The Bulgarians are nearly destroyed by the Serbs, but saved by blizzards and the arrival of two German divisions. The Allied offensive in Macedonia comes to a halt at Monastir, too late to save Rumania. Meanwhile, to the west, the Italian corps based in southern Albania successfully strikes north against the Austrians, and joins up with the French and Serbians. . Black Sea 6th November - German coastal submarine "UB-45" (1916, 260t, 2-50cm tt, 1-8.8cm). Two more of the few Black Sea U-boats are lost. On the 6th, "UB-45" is sunk on Russian mines laid off the Bulgarian base of Varna (43°12N, 28°09E). 14th/15th November - German coastal minelayer "UC-15" (1915, 170t, 12 mines). A week later, coastal minelayer "UC-15" sails from Constantinople for operations off Sulina, Rumania, at the mouth of the Danube, and disappears without trace. She may have been lost on the 14th or 15th in the area on previously-laid German mines or by the explosion of one of her own (45°05N, 29°50E). DECEMBER 1916 3rd December - British Q-ship "PERUGIA" ("Q-1", cargo ship, 1901, 4,350grt,1-4in) is torpedoed and sunk by German "U-63" in the Gulf of Genoa, northwest coast of Italy. 11th December - Italian pre-dreadnought "REGINA MARGHERITA" (1904, 14,100t, 4-30.5cm). A year after her mines sank the Italian destroyer "Intrepido" in the Adriatic off Valona, German "UC-14" is credited with an even greater success. Leaving Valona for docking in Taranto, the pre-dreadnought "Regine Margherita" hits two of the U-boat's mines and sinks with heavy loss of life, a major disaster for the Italian Navy. 27th December - French battleship "GAULOIS" (1899, 11,100t, 4-30.5cm), under escort and on passage around Greece from Corfu to Salonika, is also lost. Torpedoed and sunk by German "UB-47", she goes down between the islands of Cerigo (or Cythera) and Milo in the southern Aegean. NEAR EAST Egypt/Palestine - By year's end, the British have crossed the Sinai, and after its evacuation by the Turks, entered El Arish on the coastal route to Gaza on the 21st. Maghhaba and its garrison is captured on the 23rd. The British defence of the Suez Canal has now been pushed forward to the eastern edge of the Sinai Peninsula. In the New Year, the battle for Palestine will start. Mesopotamia - With a two to one superiority, British Gen Maude starts to attack north towards Baghdad. Black Sea 7th December - German coastal submarine "UB-46" (1916, 260t, 2-50cm tt, 1-8.8cm). The fourth German U-boat in less than three months is sunk in the Black Sea when "UB-46" is lost on Russian ship-laid mines, 30 miles off the Bosphorus (41°26N, 28°35E). |
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