Diary October 19, 1918

coastal battery position on the Belgian coast
Allied soldiers visit an abandoned German coastal battery position on the Belgian coast.
World War One Diary for Saturday, October 19, 1918:

Western Front

France: FOCH’S LAST GENERAL DIRECTIVE to his 14 armies.
Britain: Haig visits CIGS and War Cabinet in London, considers ‘enemy was not ready for unconditional surrender’ but urges terms for 1918 armistice to prevent winter recovery by Germany.
Lys: ­Ludendorff directs Rupprecht to hold Hermann Lys position for at least 8 days as Plumer’s Second Army forces river in 6­-mile advance taking Courtrai on October 20.
Flanders: Belgians occupy Zeebrugge and Bruges (King Albert flies in on October 23).
Artois­: 4th Canadian Division liberates Denain in record day’s advance of nearly 7 miles; Prince of Wales attends thanksgiving ceremony.

Southern Fronts

Bulgaria: French (227th Infantry Regiment by rail from Sofia) reach Danube at Lom-Palanka, capture convoy of lighters on October 21; d’Esperey reports first French guns heard on Danube since 1809. Jouinot-Gambetta’s cavalry reach Danube at Vidin (October 21) after 437-mile march in 36 days.

Middle East

Mesopotamia: Germans withdraw all 1200 advisers, planes, guns and transport until October 21.
South Persia: Despite flu (1,453 sick on October 23) British occupy Ahram, but Zair Khidar and Wassmuss have fled; c.1,000 British leave Shiraz on October 20 to relieve Firuzabad from 2,000 tribesmen (October 25) before flu strikes.

Air War

Syria: 2 Australian No 1 Squadron Bristol Fighters destroy German two-seater 25 miles southwest of Aleppo (bombed October 23), and Babannet airfield to north attacked.
Britain: Canadian Western Front ace Quigley (34 victories) dies of flu. First torpedo plane squadron with 20 Sopwith Cuckoos embarked in British carrier Argus.
Western Front: King Albert letter to Curzon praises RAF support in Allied victory of September 28-30.

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