Diary October 3, 1918

frontline with view from German trenches
The frontline with view from German trenches.
World War One Diary for Thursday, October 3, 1918:

Western Front

Somme and Cambrai – BATTLE OF BEAUREVOIR LINE (until October 5): British Fourth and Third Armies attack on 8-mile front including tanks and 2nd Cavalry Division, capture Le Catelet and 350 guns.
Meuse and Argonne: Gallwitz stalls US advance, after 7-mile gain, on Apremont-Brieulles line.
Champagne: French take Challerange. US 2nd Division storms key Blanc Mont Ridge (15 miles northeast of Reims) until October 4 to aid Gouraud’s hitherto stalled advance for 5 miles (until October 10) taking c.2,000 PoWs for 6,300 casualties.

Southern Fronts

Germany: Hindenburg writes to Chancel­lor ‘As a result of the collapse of the Macedonian Front … there is no longer a prospect of forcing peace on the enemy’.
Serbia­: 19,000 Bulgars surrender to Italian 35th Division and French 11th Colonial Division at Sop; 7,000 Bulgars surrender to Serbs who drive back Austrian 9th Division.
Italian Front: British raid on Northern Asiago sector, heavy fighting and 500 Austrian PoWs on October 11.

Middle East

Syria: Allenby visits Damascus and meets Feisal for first time, tells him France will be protecting power in Syria, but he can set up military administration Aqaba-Damascus east of Jordan. An exhausted and disillusioned Lawrence asks for leave and departs for Cairo on October 4.

Sea War

North Sea: Royal Navy submarine L11 torpedoes and sinks German destroyer S-33.

Politics

Germany: Prince Max of Baden (Kaiser’s second cousin) becomes last Imperial Chancellor, also replaces Hintze as Foreign Minister; Hindenburg urges peace at his first council.
Bulgaria: TSAR FERDINAND ABDICATES in favour of son Boris, who signs decree demobilizing Army and issues peaceful manifesto on October 6. Ferdinand’s train told to leave Austrian territory on October 5, leaves for Coburg on October 6.
Rumania: Provisional National Council forms National Council of Unity (France recognizes on October 12).

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