06-1916

Diary for Friday, June 30, 1916: Sea War North Sea: ­First German 15 inch-gun battleship Bayern joins Fleet (sister Baden likewise February 1917). Germany: Chancellor Bethmann again informs Admiral Scheer […]

Diary for Thursday, June 29, 1916: Eastern Front Austria: Vienna Crown Council attacks CoS Conrad for first time, Emperor orders him to give more info. Air War Mesopotamia: Royal Navy

Diary for Wednesday, June 28, 1916: Southern Fronts Trentino: Italian cavalry reach Pedescala northeast of Arsiero. Isonzo – First major gas attack on Italian Front (until June 29): with help

Diary for Tuesday, June 27, 1916: African Fronts East Africa: British Lake Force (2,000 soldiers, Crewe GOC since June 17) advances south from river Kagera and via Lake Victoria. Major-General

Diary for Monday, June 26, 1916: Air War Western Front: Royal Flying Corps observers engage 161 targets. 5 FE2bs (1 lost) of No 25 Squadron including Capt A W Tedder

Diary for Sunday, June 25, 1916: Southern Fronts Trentino: Italians retake Asiago, Posina and Arslero regained (June 27), as Austrians begin silent and orderly general retreat from salient (night June

Diary for Saturday, June 24, 1916: Western Front Somme – British barrage opens: 2,029 guns fire 1,732,873 shells, but c 1/3 dud, although 109 German guns destroyed or damaged. BEF

Diary for Friday, June 23, 1916: Western Front Verdun – FINAL CRISIS: 30,000 Germans attack at 0600 hours, capture Hills 320 and 321, Thiaumont and Fleury (stormed by Bavarians, French

Diary for Thursday, June 22, 1916: Air War Germany: French bombers attack Karlsruhe (266 civilian casualties). Public outcry for protection across Germany. Western Front­: Royal Flying Corps observers engage 198

Diary for Wednesday, June 21, 1916: Neutrals Spain: German U-boat ­U35 delivers Kaiser letter to King at Cartagena. Mexico: 400 Mexican regulars (38 killed) capture US 10th Cavalry troop (40

Diary for Tuesday, June 20, 1916: Western Front Verdun: Tremendous German barrage begins. New French standard-gauge railway ready. Southern Fronts Trentino: Slight but very cautious Italian advances on Asiago Plateau

Diary for Monday, June 19, 1916: Air War Germany – FRENCH LEAFLET RAID ON BERLIN: Lieutenant Marchal, in special Nieuport monoplane operating from Nancy drops hundreds of leaflets proclaiming war

Diary for Sunday, June 18, 1916: Air War West Front: Oblt Max Immelmann (15 victories) killed, aged 25, in Fokker E III, shot down by Lieutenant McCubbin and Captain Waller,

Diary for Saturday, June 17, 1916: Western Front Verdun: Germans repulsed at Mort Homme-Thiaumont-Hill 320. French gains on Hill 321, Germans repulsed there on June 18 and 19. Eastern Front

Diary for Friday, June 16, 1916: Secret War France: Mata Hari books into Grand Hotel, Paris, takes many military lovers but falls in love with Russian Captain Maslov during August.

Diary for Thursday, June 15, 1916: Western Front Verdun: Germans carry trench on Mort Homme southern slope and contain French 65th Division attack on Caillette Wood. Southern Fronts Trentino: Last

Diary for Wednesday, June 14, 1916: Southern Fronts Isonzo: Italians retake Adria shipyard and hills at Monfalcone, repel Austrian counter-attacks on June 17. Trentino: Italian counter-offensive ordered. Last Archduke Charles

Diary for Tuesday, June 13, 1916: African Fronts East Africa: Pegasus gun slightly wounds Lettow at South Hill HQ against Kondoa Irangi. Lake Nyasa: ­British land and occupy Alt Langenburg.

Diary for Monday, June 12, 1916: Air War Britain: Royal Flying Corps has taken 2,568 aircraft into service and struck off 1,427 in past year or 47.7% wastage. 8,403 aircraft

Diary for Sunday, June 11, 1916: Eastern Front Brusilov Offensive – Galicia: Südarmee’s Battle of the Strypa (until June 30). By now General Tersztyanszki replaces sacked Archduke Joseph Ferdinand in