Diary September 5, 1914

Western Front

France: FIRST BATTLE OF THE MARNE (until September 10) begins with the Battle of the Ourcq: Maunoury (8 divisions) surprise midday attack on Kluck’s IV Reserve Corps (Gronau) near Monthyon. GERMANS REACH CLAYE, 10 MILES FROM PARIS. German infantry storms 4 Maubeuge forts.
The 13 days long 200-mile BEF RETREAT FROM MONS ENDS. GOG reopens at Chaltillon-sur-Seine, Joffre visits Sir J French at Melun and secures BEF participation.
French nationalist poet and publisher Lieutenant Charles-Pierre Peguy of 276th Infantry regiment of Sixth Army killed, aged 41.

Eastern Front

East Prussia: BATTLE OF MASURIAN LAKES until September 15.
Poland: Russian Fifth Army defeats Austrian II Corps (Fourth Army) at Tomashov.

Home Fronts

Britain: ‘Your Country Needs You’ recruiting poster first published in London Opinion weekly magazine; 174,901 enlist during week. Thomas Hardy poem ‘Men Who March Away’ composed.

Sea War

North Sea: British cruiser Pathfinder (259 sailors lost) sunk off Firth of Forth by U21 (Hersing), first warship victim of a submarine in open sea.

African Fronts

North Rhodesia: c. 116 Germans repulsed from Abercorn and retreat on September 9. Belgian battalion arrives between September 22 and 25. Over 4,800 British troops in East Africa with 5,000­-strong carrier corps ready by September 11.
Lake Nyasa­: Armed steamer Gwendolen captures German port of Old Langenburg.

Air War

Britain: First night patrol over London by British plane: Lts Grahame-White and Gates, in RNAS Farman.
Western Front: BEF Corps commanders assigned RFC squadrons each with one radio plane.
Eastern Front: ­Russian gunfire brings down Zeppelin L5 near Lemberg and crew of 30 is captured next day.

Politics

Britain: LONDON AGREEMENT PLEDGES ALLIES TO NO SEPARATE PEACE.
Austria: ­Foreign Ministry official ‘… afraid of the humiliating necessity of the Germans having to save us’.

Neutrals

Switzerland: Lenin and his family arrive in Berne.