Diary August 8, 1914

retreating Belgian troops
Retreating Belgian troops. The machine guns were towed by dogs.

World War One Diary for Saturday, August 8, 1914:

WESTERN FRONT
France: In accordance with a prewar strategic blueprint for war against Germany known as Plan XVII, France’s Army of Alsace under General Paul Pau advances against the German-held city of Mulhouse in Alsace, heralding a series of battles along the French and Belgian borders. French take Mulhouse for 8 hours.
Belgium: Belgian Army retreats towards river Dyle. First Liege fort (Barchon) surrenders. Main French concentration towards frontiers begins using 2500 trains until August 14.

HOME FRONTS
Britain: Field Marshal Sir Herbert Kitchener, the recently appointed secretary of war, calls for 100,000 volunteers to join the British Army. He later poses for a recruitment poster, which depicts him pointing an accusing figure at the viewer and stating ‘Your Country Needs You.’ The message first appears on September 5; 175,000 volunteer over the next week.

SEA WAR
Aegean: German ships ‘Goeben’ and ‘Breslau’ coal east of Naxos.
North Sea: U-15 (Pohle) misses battleship ‘Monarch’ with torpedo. 4 U-boats sent to attack Channel warships (until August 11), but heavy seas force 2 back and others sight only destroyer patrols.

AIR WAR
First French casualty during reconnaissance mission: observer wiped out by anti-aircraft fire.
First 3 anti-aircraft guns ready to defend London.

AFRICAN FRONTS
German Cameroons: Chief Rudolf Manga Bell hanged at Duala.
East Africa: German Governor Schnee leaves Dar-es­-Salaam by train for Morogoro, 140 miles inland. Old British cruiser ‘Astraea’ shells Dar-es-Salaam radio station and boarding party disables 2 German ships. Brief local truce.

POLITICS
Montenegro: Government breaks relations with Germany, latter in state of war with former.

NEUTRALS
Norway, Denmark, Sweden and Venezuela declare neutrality.

Oval@3x 2

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