Diary August 10, 1918

German soldiers plunder supply trains
Signs of disintegration appear when poorly fed German soldiers plunder supply trains.
World War One Diary for Saturday, August 10, 1918:

Western Front

France: Total Allied PoW haul since August 8: 24,000, plus over 400 guns. US First Army operational under Pershing; Colonel Hugh A Drum CoS. AEF combat strength 822,358. Churchill (flew to France on August 8) at BEF GHQ Shell conference.
Amiens: Montdidier garrison surrounded and captured by French First Army in 7-mile-advance. 7 new German divisions arrive, drunken Bavarians shout at 38th Division ‘What do you war-prolongers want ?’. Rawlinson asks Haig ‘Are you commanding the British Army or is Marshal Foch?’ and gets Amiens thrust ended; he has 85 tanks (30 knocked out) in action (38 on August 11, 6 on August 12).
Oise: French Third Army (7 divisions) drives 3-4 miles northeast into German Eighteenth Army flank below Montdidier in Second Battle of Lassigny (until August 22).

Eastern Front

USSR: Lenin orders anti-German screen troops to Volga despite Trotsky’s doubts (still 37 German divisions in east). Anglo-French Moscow consuls arrested in reprisal for Archangel landings.
East Siberia: Czechs and 400 Cossacks repulse 5,000 Reds in Stepanovka-Kraevsk area.

Sea War

Western Atlantic: U-boat gas attack on US Coast Guard station and lighthouse, Smith Island, NC.
North Sea: Harwich Force (4 cruisers and 13 destroyers) off Western Frisian Islands launches 6 CMBs to attack German minesweepers across minefields, but all lost to German seaplane attacks (1 lost), other aim of trapping Zeppelin achieved.

Air War

Western Front: RAF Amiens offensive bombing switches to railways as well, 90 extra fighters bring strength to 480, but Peronne station raid costs 6 of 52 aircraft involved (Peronne attacked 3 times, August 11). Captain FMF West in FK 8 of No 8 Squadron RAF wins Victoria Cross on tank contact patrol. Oblt Erich Lowenhardt (53 victories) killed in mid-air collision (Germany’s third ranking ace), one of 15 aircraft lost (38 Allied planes claimed). Captain A Yuille (Sopwith Camel, No 151 Squadron) shoots down first Giant bomber behind British lines near Talmas (night August 10-11).

Oval@3x 2

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