25 October 1917
 

Western Front
Verdun: Germans gain footing north of Chaume Wood.
Aisne: Further French advance on Aisne front; Filain captured in closing up to river Aillette and Oise Canal; 160 guns taken since 23rd. By October 26 for 12,000 casualties they take 11,157 PoWs; 200 guns; 222 mortars; 720 MGs.

Eastern Front
Operation Albion: German attempt to consolidate on Verder Peninsula momentarily frustrated. German forces continue to withdraw to the Dvina River near Riga without a fight to shorten their lines. Military threat to Petrograd ends.

Southern Front
Isonzo: Twelfth Battle Of Isonzo, aka, the Battle of Caporetto (until November 9): Austro-German pincers close behind Mt Nero. Lieutenant Rommel’s Wurttemberg Mountain Battalion from Alpenkorps seizes Mts Kuk and Cragonza on Kolovrat Ridge with 3,600 Italian PoWs including 4th Bersaglieri Brigade. Austrian 22nd Division seizes Stol Ridge (night October 25-26). Fourteenth Army now has 30,000 PoWs and 300 guns and Second Isonzo Army (over 1,000 casualties) division takes c.4,000 PoWs and 60 guns on Bainsizza. Cadorna refuses Capello’s advice to retreat to river Torre and possibly Tagliamento after General Montuori says at 2100 hours attack can be held. Italians retreat from Plezzo to south-west of Tolmino and prepare to evacuate Bainsizza Plateau.
An Italian trench unit is captured by Austrians. Italian fighting morale reached its lowest point: https://i0.wp.com/ww2-weapons.com/w...tzung.jpg?ssl=1
A wrecked Italian transport and gun position in the mountains captured by the Germans and Austro-Hungarians. © IWM (Q 60441): https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...852736760274945
Italian troops in retreat: https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...874154273181697
Salonika: British 27th Division (77 casualties) captures three villages east of river Struma taking 106 PoWs and 1 MG but main garrisons escape.

Naval and Overseas Operations
Baltic: Operation Albion: German ships from Moon Sound bombard Kuno Island near Pernau.
Captured German U-boat SM UC-5, being displayed in New York City to encourage buying of war bonds: https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...197479759249409

Political, etc
France: Franco-British convention for Military Service.
Ireland: Sinn Fein convention in Dublin.
Italy: Signor Paolo Boselli, Italian Premier, resigns and his cabinet falls as a result of the Italian disaster at Caporetto (see 29th and June 15th, 1916). Vittorio Orlando succeeds on October 29.
United States: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics show food prices have increased 47% since 1913 due to the war.
Norway: Polar explorer Amundsen returns his three German decorations because of 17 Norwegian sailors’ deaths in North Sea on October 17, 1917.

26 October 1917
 

Western Front
Second Battle of Passchendaele phase of the Third Battle of Ypres begins (see 12th and November 6th and 10th): Franco-British attack east, north-east and north of Ypres. British positions improved from Passchendaele to Poelcapelle.
French capture Draaibank; bad weather.
‘The enemy charged like a wild bull against the iron wall which kept him from our U-boat bases’ (Ludendorff). Main thrusts against Houthulst Forest (French), Poelcapelle, Canadian Corps (426 guns; 1,558 casualties) attacks (at 0530 hours, in rain) and gains 1,000 yds on 2,800-yd front towards Passchendaele, Bercelaere, Gheluvelt (c.3,500 British casualties) and Zandvorde. Canadians gain rising ground southwest of Passchendaele on two spurs.
Canadian gunners in the mud of Passchendaele: https://i2.wp.com/ww2-weapons.com/w...s-mud.jpg?ssl=1
Australian troops on a muddy road marching towards Passchendaele: © IWM (E(AUS) 1222): https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...221451456512000

Eastern Front
Operation Albion: No new developments inland, but see Naval Operations, below.

Southern Front
Isonzo: Twelfth Battle Of Isonzo, aka, the Battle of Caporetto (until November 9): Bainsizza Plateau evacuated. Krauss’ 3 Austrian divisions cross Stol Ridge (6,467ft) and capture Mt Maggiore. After 12-mile advance Rommel captures Mts Mrzli and Matajur (5,414ft) with 2,700 Salerno Brigade PoWs who defy officers to surrender; 2 German divisions 5 miles from Cividale, headquarter of Italian Second Army. Austrian Second Isonzo Army penetrates Italian Bainsizza second line and First Isonzo Army reports Italian retreat on Carso. Germans claim 60,000 PoWs and 500 guns to date. Lloyd George orders CIGS to send 2 British Western Front divisions to Italy.

Naval and Overseas Operations
Baltic: Operation Albion: German squadron bombards Khainash, 40 miles south of Pernau. Transports appear 12 miles further south.

Political, etc
Brazil: Brazil declares war on Germany. President Braz announces the absurd claim that the Germans were caught in plot to invade.

27 October 1917
 

Western Front
Second Battle of Passchendaele phase of the Third Battle of Ypres: French and Belgians advance astride Ypres-Dixmude road, penetrating up to 1 3/4 miles.
Royal Flying Corps and balloons help engage 116 German batteries and over 200 other targets. 2 German airfields bombed. Night bombers strike 7 more and 3 railway stations and other targets (night October 27-28).
German prisoners help a wounded Canadian soldier walk away from the frontlines: https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...605166686908419
Aisne: French progress on Aisne front, occupy Froidmont Farm, fail to cross Canal.
U.S.A. troops and artillery in action in France for first time.

Eastern Front
Operation Albion: Germans retire from Verder Peninsula, having accomplished the destruction of most of the Russwian troops in the area.
Germans again attempt to fraternise with Russians North and Center.

Southern Front
Isonzo: Twelfth Battle Of Isonzo, aka, the Battle of Caporetto (until November 9): Cadorna orders general retreat at 0230 hours, already widely happening on jammed roads. German Alpenkorps and 2 other divisions reach river Torre beyond Cividale. Cadorna accepts Foch’s offer from October 26 of 4 French divisions. Cividale, west of Isonzo in flames and occupied by Germans, who claim 80,000 prisoners to date.
Italian mechanized transport coloumn retreats during the Battle of Caporetto: https://i2.wp.com/ww2-weapons.com/w...retto.jpg?ssl=1
Austro-Hungarian soldier holding two carrier pigeons: https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...846767891943424

Asiatic and Egyptian Theaters
Palestine: Third Battle of Gaza begins (see April 19th and November 7th). 218 British guns shell Gaza (until October 31, Allied naval bombardment from October 29); British cavalry in action in center of Gaza front, 8th Mounted Brigade holds Turkish 3rd Cavalry Division reconnaissance in force north of El Baqqar.
RFC aircraft patrol in pairs to cover Allenby’s concentration, Bristol Fighter destroys German two-seater plane before it can return with vital photos on October 30. Air photography has plotted 131 Turkish batteries.
Arabia: Maulud’s 550 Arabs near Petra repel 4 Turk battalions, cavalry regiment and 10 guns from Maan.

Political, etc
United States: (Listed for yesterday): U.S. War Department approves Ignacy Jan Paderewski’s plans to create an independent Polish legion for service in Europe.
Poland: Polish Regency Council takes office.
Spain: Army brings about fall of Cabinet in Spain.

28 October 1917
 

Western Front
Second Battle of Passchendaele phase of the Third Battle of Ypres: French continue progress in Belgium. Canadian losses since October 26 2,481 soldiers, but 370 German PoWs taken.
Verdun: Germans gain footing from Chaume Wood to Bezonvaux.
Aisne: French attack on Oise-Aisne Canal and German counter-attack both fail. German “attack” in Champagne repulsed.
Lieutenant Gontermann, top-scoring German ‘balloon buster’ (39 victories since April 8; see picture on June 24, 1917), dies when his Jasta 15 Fokker Dr I breaks up in flight; shortly after all German triplanes temporarily grounded. First 5 of 12 fighter Jagdgruppen (36-75 aircraft each) made permanent.
French troops at a captured German war cemetery near Bixschoote: © IWM (Q 78977): https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...209138686660608

Eastern Front
Operation Albion: Germans bring the operation to a close, having accomplished all their objectives.

Southern Front
Isonzo: Twelfth Battle Of Isonzo, aka, the Battle of Caporetto (until November 9): Gorizia retaken by Austro German forces, and continue until eight miles further west.
Italian 2nd and 3rd Armies retreat. Italians retreat from Carnia front.
Germans claims now reach 100,000 prisoners.
Despite rain and snowstorms German 200th Division crosses river Torre at 0400 hours and occupies Udine (now Venetia) 20 hours after Comando Supremo and Second Army headquarters evacuate, latter formation split in two.
Infantry crosses a river in Northern Italy during the Battle of Coporetto: https://i2.wp.com/ww2-weapons.com/w...alien.jpg?ssl=1
Abandoned Italian equipment at Cividale del Friuli, as the Germans and Austro-Hungarian advance continues: © IWM (Q 85982): https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...968845827764224

Asiatic and Egyptian Theaters
Palestine: Third Battle of Gaza: Allied forces continue their bombardment of Turkish positions.

Political, etc
France: French newsreel showing recent advances from the Aisne River to the Chemin des Dames: http://www.iwm.org.uk/embed/?id=106...media_id=379430 [note: won’t play for me, you might have better luck]
Italy: Signor Vittorio Orlando Italian Prime Minister.
United States: U.S. second Liberty Loan: $1,000,000,000 has been subscribed.

29 October 1917
 

Western Front
Second Battle of Passchendaele phase of the Third Battle of Ypres: The destroyed square of Ypres: https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...657119990812672
Dunkirk, Calais, Belfort bombed: 1 of 3 Gotha bombers (2 attack Calais) sent drops 8 bombs between Burnham and Southend. Hit and run raid (11 bombs) against Dover at night October 30-31.

Southern Front
Isonzo: Twelfth Battle Of Isonzo, aka, the Battle of Caporetto (until November 9): Austro-Hungarians drive Italians back along Carnia front. Below orders Tagliamento bridges’ seizure; Italians blow Codroipo bridges prematurely leaving 12,000 men on wrong side, but XXIV Corps holds off pursuit to cross flooding river lower down. Third Army crosses Isonzo. Cadorna issues preliminary orders for retreat to Piave. 3 Italian cavalry brigades charge Austro-German advanced guards west of Udine on October 30. Cadorna communique blames Second Army for collapse.
Blown-up bridges, such as the railway viaduct of Salcano near Gorizia over the Isonzo, present serious obstacles to the advance of the forces of the Central Powers: https://i0.wp.com/ww2-weapons.com/w...sonzo.jpg?ssl=1
German troops after their capture of Udine, Italy: © IWM (Q 60438): https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...595447414607872
Austro-Hungarian troops entering the city of Gorizia, Italy after its capture: https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...611804420038658
Salonika: 8 German fighters shoot down 2 of 5 Royal Flying Corps aircraft after they bomb Cestovo dump (also bombed on November 5).

Naval and Overseas Operations
(Listed for yesterday): US troopship SS Finland is damaged by German submarine SM U-93, resulting in 9 deaths. Ship in Brest, France, for repairs, revealing damage: https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...270814534434816
East Africa: General Northey captures Liwale; Germans driven south-east.
Baltic: German battleship Markgraf mined in Irben Strait, Gulf of Riga. Capital ships subsequently withdrawn back to High Seas Fleet due to mine and British submarine threat (3 battleships attacked).
Eastern Mediterranean: Anglo-French naval bombardment of Gaza resumes (average by 1 cruiser, 4 monitors, 2 gunboats, 2 destroyers).

Asiatic and Egyptian Theaters
Palestine: Third Battle of Gaza: See naval action, above.

Political, etc
Germany: Kaiser Wilhelm tells Austro-Hungarian Emperor “Forward with God,” in the congratulation message for the ongoing offensive against Italy.:
United Kingdom: Parliament's thanks voted to Navy and Army.
Italy: (Listed for yesterday): Eugenio Elia Levi, Italian mathematician known for his work on group theory and other mathematical fields, is killed in action at Caporetto: https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...240612781674498
United States: 2nd Liberty Bond is bought by 9.4 million people, exceeding the $1bn goal, raising $3.8 billion dollars for the U.S. war effort: https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...331208569389057
Propaganda on Germany’s postwar plans for the world, produced by the National Security League, a U.S. nationalist organization: https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...361395587702785
“Coney Island,” short comedy film directed by Roscoe Arbuckle and starring him and Buster Keaton, is released: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipe...R_KEATON.web m

30 October 1917
 

Western Front
Second Battle of Passchendaele phase of the Third Battle of Ypres: British attack in bad weather at Ypres from Poelcapelle to Passchendaele; enter latter but are driven back to outskirts. Five German counter-attacks allegedly repulsed.
Australian troops walking through the ruins of Chateau Wood at the Passchendaele Battle: © IWM (E(AUS) 1220): https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...687297186066432
The wreck of German ace Heinrich Gontermann’s Fokker Dr-I, credited with 39 victories, killed the other day while testing it: https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...990554844418048

Southern Front
Isonzo: Twelfth Battle Of Isonzo, aka, the Battle of Caporetto: Italians fall back towards the River Tagliamento. Italian Navy complete Grado’s evacuation (southwest of river mouth). German 26th Division reaches Tagliamento taking Dignano and 20,000 PoWs.
Disarmed Italian PoWs are hurried into captivity, while German troops advance forward: https://i1.wp.com/ww2-weapons.com/w...rmans.jpg?ssl=1
Foch visits Cadorna’s new Treviso headquarter and tells him ‘You’ve lost only one army, fight hard with the others!’, as first French troops arrive in Italy. General Duchene with Tenth Army headquarters to command 4 divisions (120,000 men).
Devastated terrain around Gorizia, Italy after its capture by the Austro-Hungarian offensive: https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...020757155106817

Asiatic and Egyptian Theaters
Palestine: Third Battle of Gaza: Major-General L. J. Bols succeeds Major-General Sir A. Lynden Bell as C.G.S. in Palestine. Naval bombardment of Gaza continues.

Political, etc
Germany: Count Georg Hertling succeeds Dr. Georg Michaelis as German lmperial Chancellor (see July 14th, 1917 and September 30th, 1918).
United Kingdom: Mr. Balfour on the Balkans.
Italy: Sig. Vittorio Orlando forms new Italian Cabinet.
U.S. offers a $230 million loan to help Italy fend off the Central Powers' offensive.

31 October 1917
 

Western Front
Second Battle of Passchendaele phase of the Third Battle of Ypres: Canadian troops, suffering 2,321 casualties, advance 600 yards around Passchendaele in heavy mud: https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...050953660846080
Wounded Canadian and captured German soldiers receive hot coffee and cookies just a few thousand yards behind the frontlines: https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...066058872119296
Total of 700 Mark IV tanks delivered to BEF by end October. BEF October monthly loss of 119,808 soldiers second worst of 1917. Haig inspects 23rd Division, about to leave for Italy.
Airplane raid on Kent and Dover: no damage. Another raid at night on Kent, Essex and London; 10 killed, 22 injured. First German Gotha incendiary raid: 22 Gothas bomb (183 dropped in Kent), 10 reaching London (83 bombs) cause only 32 civilian casualties as 10lb incendiaries often fail to ignite. 50 defence sorties (2 crash landings) achieve 6 brief sightings; 5 Gotha bombers crash on return (night October 31 – November 1).

Eastern Front
German attempts at fraternisation met with artillery fire.

Southern Front
Isonzo: Twelfth Battle Of Isonzo, aka, the Battle of Caporetto: 2nd and 3rd Italian Armies withdrawn behind River Tagliamento. Germans claim over 180,000 prisoners and 1,500 guns to date.

Naval and Overseas Operations
Baltic: Russian admirals declare ‘the fate of Finland and the approaches to the capital depend primarily on the will of the enemy’; C-in-C Razvozov told on October 30, his post will be elective soon.
Atlantic, North Sea and Mediterranean: During October Allied and neutral shipping losses to U-boats, 159 ships (68 British with 293 lives) worth 448,923t. German figure 466,542t including 144,603t in Mediterranean. 99 homeward convoys have sailed since May. 1,502 steamers (10 lost in convoy); 6 U-boats lost – all to mines.
North Sea and Channel: 10,400 Royal Navy mines laid in Heligoland Bight and Dover Straits until 31 December.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theaters
Palestine: Third Battle of Gaza: The Battle of Beersheba. This battle was part of the British offensive known as the Third Battle of Gaza aimed at breaking the Turkish defensive line that stretched from Gaza to Beersheba. The battle is best known for the charge of the 4th Light Horse Brigade [note: which has nothing to do with the Tennyson poem, “The Charge o the Light Brigade”, which criticized the attack of the 4th and 13th Light Dragoons, 17th Lancers, and the 8th and 11th Hussars {Light Horse Brigade} at the Battle of Balaclava, during the Crimean War, over a half a century earlier] (see 27th and November 7th). British capture Beersheba, with 1,800 Turks and 9 guns, after 24-30 mile march, Another source explands on this: Captain Collins, 25th Welch Fusiliers, wins Victoria Cross for carrying wounded and bayoneted 15 Turks. Colonel Newcombe’s 70 British camelry cut Hebron-Jerusalem telegraph line in diversion. Allenby gains 1,947 PoWs, 15 guns and over 4 MGs for 1,348 casualties.
Australian and NZ troops of the Desert Mounted Corps advance at the opening of the Third Battle of Gaza: https://i1.wp.com/ww2-weapons.com/w...useel.jpg?ssl=1

Political, etc
United Kingdom: Mr. Balfour on the Balkans.
United States: U.S. government bans all Germans from working in New York ports due to the purported threat of sabotage and espionage.

I'm learning so much from this series. :thumbs:

1 November 1917
 

Western Front
Second Battle of Passchendaele phase of the Third Battle of Ypres: Australian Corps of 5 divisions formed.
Aisne: Battle of La Malmaison ends (see October 23rd). Outflanked German Seventh Army retreats from Chemin des Dames until November 2; French reoccupy four villages on heights.
British airmen bomb Kaiserslautern.
A British mounted officer passes by a war cemetery at Roclincourt, France: © IWM (Q 70724): https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...383158325014528
Autochrome photo of French soldiers shooting at aircraft on the Western Front: https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...413350598742016

Southern Front
Isonzo: Twelfth Battle Of Isonzo, aka, the Battle of Caporetto: 60,000 more Italian soldiers are captured in the Central Powers offensive, as the Italians retreat across the Tagliamento River. Italians hold river Tagliamento (up to 3,000y yards wide) line until November 2 to allow time for Carnia and dilatory Fourth Army retreat plus Piave preparations. Austrian 10th Division reaches lower Tagliamento at Latisana. Foch and Robertson visit King at Padua.
In the past 8 days, Austria-Hungary and Germany have taken 120,000 prisoners, 1000 artillery guns, and 1000 square miles from Italy.

Naval and Overseas Operations
In November 139 Allied destroyers on convoy duty including 40 in Mediterranean (11 British ships lost). 381 ships sail in Mediterranean convoys (only 9 lost, or 2.35%). US Navy has over 40 ships at Brest under Admiral Wilson for convoy escort.
Channel: During November 14 British ships lost. Geddes forms Channel Barrage Committee under Rear-Admiral Keyes, Director of Plans.
Baltic: During November thousands of mutinous sailors from Russian Baltic Fleet act as shock troops of the Bolshevik (October) Revolution at Petrograd. German U-boat and auxiliary Equity land supplies in Finland for nationalists.
North Sea: British submarine E.52 sinks UC-63 south of Goodwins. In November Royal Navy lays 960 mines off Flamborough Head (East Coast) against Flanders U-boats.
(Listed for yesterday): German submarine SM UC-16, credited with sinking 42 ships during its career, goes missing, presumed sunk after striking a mine.
Britain: First Lord Geddes says in Parliament 4,500 ships convoyed safely to and from Norway since April. During November HMS Wakeful first of 23 W-class destroyers (ordered December 1916) completed (all finish until October 1918). 16 modified W-class destroyers launched January 1918 to November 11, 1919.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theaters
Palestine: Third Battle of Gaza: Turkish defeat near Gaza; British capture outer defences on a front of 5,000 yards. Bulfin’s XXI Corps (11,000 men, 148 guns) captures Gaza’s outer defences night November 1-2 (over 1000 Turks killed, 550 PoWs, 3 guns and 30 MGs for 2,696 casualties until November 4). In November first 2,000 of 8,000 donkeys (4 coys) begin to help supply the EEF front line.
The British Imperial Camel Corps Brigade outside Beersheba, Ottoman Syria after its capture: © IWM (Q 109727): https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...680107217440768

Political, etc
Russia: (listed for yesterday): Mayor of Petrograd (St. Petersburg, Russia) asks for calm, as flour shipments to the city from the countryside stop, threatening starvation.
(Today): Unrest in Petrograd; Maximalists threaten armed action.
Russian Premier Aleksandr Kerensky states Russia is spent and that the other Allied countries must shoulder the burden of the war.
United Kingdom: Ministry of National Service formed in Great Britain.
The Air Force (Constitution) Bill, 1917, is submitted to Parliament.
Following the disastrous defeat suffered by the Italian Army at Caporetto in October 1917, two British Divisions are dispatched to Italy to assist the Italians. This force is supported by VII Brigade of the Royal Flying Corps, (14th and 51st Wings), consisting of No.34 and No.42 Squadrons (Royal Aircraft Factory RE8s) and Nos. 28, 45 and 66 Squadrons (Sopwith Camels).
Italy: King Victor Emmanuel III meets the Allies: https://i2.wp.com/ww2-weapons.com/w...llies.jpg?ssl=1

Excellent: "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it."
-George Santayana

Those who do remember the past will find new ways to fuck things up.

2 November 1917
 

Western Front
Second Battle of Passchendaele phase of the Third Battle of Ypres: Hostile artillery active east of Ypres.
Australian soldiers crowded in dugout 15 feet underground during the Battle of Passchendaele: © IWM (E(AUS) 1129): https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...803449937166338

Southern Front
Isonzo: Twelfth Battle Of Isonzo, aka, the Battle of Caporetto: Italy reorganises her forces behind the Tagliamento; Germans reach east bank of river.
Austrian 55th (Bosnian) and German 12th (Silesian) Divisions cross river Tagliamento via damaged rail bridge at Cornino and a footbridge at Pinzano during night November 2-3.

Naval and Overseas Operations
Kattegat: Raid by British naval light forces, covered by battlecruisers Glorious and Repulse, on the Kattegat (see April 15th, 1918). Destroyers sink German decoy ship Kronprinz Wilhelm off Kullen Light, and claim the sinking of ten armed patrol craft.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theaters
Palestine: Third Battle of Gaza: British capture positions north of Beersheba.
Turkish troops attack the British during the fighting in Palestine: https://i0.wp.com/ww2-weapons.com/w...tsina.jpg?ssl=1
6 Turkish battalions compel Newcombe’s surrender. Turk Seventh Army counter-attacks DMC 10 miles north of Beersheba until November 7.
Mesopotamia: Battle of Daur: Tigris, British rout Turks near Dur, 85 miles above Baghdad: Cobbe’s 14,500 men (224 casualties) with 58 guns storm Turkish 51st divisions two lines (c.260 casualties) after 19-24-mile night advance.

Political, etc
United Kingdom: Mr. Balfour's letter to Lord Rothschild, giving Government approval to Zionism, published. Jewish-Arab London Rally welcomes the announcement.
United States: U.S. Treasury Department lends another $435 million to Great Britain, putting the total lent to the Allies at $3.566 billion.
China: Lansing-Ishii Agreement: US recognizes Japan’s special interests in China.

3 November 1917
 

Western Front
Second Battle of Passchendaele phase of the Third Battle of Ypres: Skirmishing activity round Ypres.
Aisne: French push forward in region of Corbeny and reach south bank of Ailette river.
First 3 AEF US troops killed (Corporal James Gresham, Privates Merle Hay & Thomas Enright) and 11 made PoWs in German storm company trench raid.
These are the first Ameriican PoWs to fall into German hands: https://i2.wp.com/ww2-weapons.com/w...-POWS.jpg?ssl=1
An Australian soldier besides a fire in a dugout tells his comrades a story. © IWM (E(AUS) 1223): https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...136856449880069

Eastern Front
Baltic Provinces and Western Russia: Germans succeed in provoking fraternization.

Southern Front
Isonzo: Twelfth Battle Of Isonzo, aka, the Battle of Caporetto: Italian troops reorganize their forces at the Tagliamento River after losing 200,000 soldiers as POWs in the Caporetto Battle. German pressure on Tagliamento increases.
West of L. Garda Germans make strong attacks on Italian advanced posts. Cadorna informs Rome he will retreat behind river Piave and hints at separate peace. French (until November 5). Germans refuse any more divisions for Italy.
Arrival of French 64th and 65th Divisions begins west of Lake Garda (see 4th).

Naval and Overseas Operations
Channel: British submarine C.15 sinks UC-65 (top 1917 sinker with 103 ships worth 112,859t) off Dartmouth, last of 6 Royal Navy submarine U-boat kills in 1917.
East Africa: British and Belgian forces make good progress; drive German detachments eastward.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theaters
Palestine: Third Battle of Gaza: The battle comes to a close, but minor operations against Gaza continued.
Royal Horse Artillery in action north of Beersheeba, as Allied forces continue to push Ottoman forces out of southern Palestine: https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...076470019096583

Political, etc
France: Léon Bloy, French novelist, essayist, and poet, passed away: https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...438848539844611
United Kingdom: Text of the Balfour Declaration, where the British government announces support for a homeland for the Jewish people: https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...167050665504769
Italy: Agreement concluded among British, French and Italian Governments for provision of tonnage for the Allied food programme (see November 10th, 1915, January 6th and December 3rd, 1917).
Albania: Tringe Smajli, an Albanian guerrilla fighter who fought against the Ottomans, passed away: https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...106669628690433

4 November 1917
 

Western Front
Second Battle of Passchendaele phase of the Third Battle of Ypres: Raiding on Ypres and Arras fronts.
Verdun: Artillery active north of Chaume Wood.
French consolidate new positions along Chemin des Dames.
French troops advance along the Chemin des Dames, taking 18 square miles from the Germans: https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...805001304862721
More U.S. troops landing in France at St. Nazaire: https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...500513079873536

Eastern Front
Petrograd: Bolshevik Military Revolutionary Committee tells garrison of 155,000 soldiers to ignore orders to go to Front.
German troops on the Eastern Front increase fraternization attempts with the Russians in order to promote surrenders and defections.

Southern Front
Isonzo: Twelfth Battle Of Isonzo, aka, the Battle of Caporetto: Austrians take 10,000 PoWs and 24 guns cut off south of Tolmezzo from Italian XII Corps (Tassoni) until November 5 retreating from Carnia. Italians begin retreat from Tagliamento to Piave (night November 4-5), after Austrian Isonzo armies force crossings.
When crossing this bridge over the Tagliamento, Kaiser Karl I (second from left) was so near to the front line that the advancing Austrian troops had not had time to clear the dead out his path: https://i1.wp.com/ww2-weapons.com/w...mento.jpg?ssl=1
Damaged houses in Monfalcone, Italy after its capture by the Austro-Hungarians: https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...484167667408896
Arrival of British troops in Italy announced (see 3rd and June 30th, 1918).

Political, etc
Russia: General K A Tumanov succeeds M. Aleksandr Verkhovski as Russian Minister of War.
United Kingdom: Mr Lloyd George and M. Paul Painleve leave for Italy.
Spain: The new Prime Minister of Spain Manuel García-Prieto states Spain will continue to be neutral in the war: https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...774799782866944

5 November 1917
 

Western Front
Second Battle of Passchendaele phase of the Third Battle of Ypres: What remains of Remus Wood during the Battle of Passchendaele: © IWM (E(AUS) 1049): https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...153544838500352

Southern Front
Isonzo: Twelfth Battle Of Isonzo, aka, the Battle of Caporetto: Austro-German forces cross Tagliamento north of Pinzano, capture many prisoners (another sources specifies 6,000)
Pressure on Italian left wing intensified.
Retreat of Italian troops down a military road in Venezia after the Battle of Caporetto: https://i1.wp.com/ww2-weapons.com/w...retto.jpg?ssl=1
Column of Italian prisoners taken by the Austro-Hungarians and Germans at the Caporetto Battle: © IWM (Q 60416): https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...866653119438848
At Rapallo conference Italians ask for 15 Allied divisions, but settle for 11. Temporary British C-in-C Italy Lieutenant-General Lord Cavan arrives at Pavia with ADC Prince of Wales, sees Cadorna on November 6 and agrees to concentrate around Mantua not Milan. Most Italian troops stand behind river Livenza to let Fourth Army come down from north.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theaters
Palestine: British carry Turkish line of defenses between Gaza and Beersheba. Kress begins Gaza’s evacuation. Falkenhayn reaches Jerusalem.
Mesopotamia: Sir S. Maude routs Turks at Tekrit. Cobbe (1,801 casualties) storms 6-mile Turkish line aided by 13th Hussars’ 2 charges. 6,000 Turks lose estimated 1,500 (137 PoWs) men and retreat until November 6, destroying SS Julnar.

Political, etc
Russia: Kerensky calls loyal troops from suburbs, closes two Bolshevik newspapers, portrayed as ‘counter revolution’.
United Kingdom: Correspondence of British and German Governments re: alleged misuse of British hospital ships issued as White Paper (Cd. 8692).

6 November 1917
 

Western Front
Second Battle of Passchendaele phase of the Third Battle of Ypres: British attack launched at dawn on Ypres ridge. Passchendaele captured by Canadian forces (see October 26th, 1917 and April 16th, 1918); also Goudberg and Mosselmarkts with 464 PoWs. French I Corps captures Merckem. End of Third Battle of Ypres.
4 Royal Flying Corps Sopwith Camel fighters get lost and come down near Namur and Rheims (1 pilot escapes into Holland after burning plane).
Members of the Chinese military mission touring the ruins of Bapaume, France: © IWM (Q 6344): https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...531051861401600

Eastern Front
Limited fighting on Russian front.

Southern Front
Isonzo: Twelfth Battle Of Isonzo, aka, the Battle of Caporetto: Italians again in retreat; they abandon the Tagliamento; enemy troops reach Maniago.
Renewed German attacks in Trentino.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theaters
Palestine: General Allenby captures Khuweilfesh, 11 miles north of Beersheba. 17,000-strong XX Corps (1,300 casualties) storms central Turkish Sheria position (c.4,000 men + c.40 guns) without prelim barrage, takes over 600 PoWs and 12 guns.
Turks captured at Beersheba: https://i1.wp.com/ww2-weapons.com/w...turks.jpg?ssl=1
Hejaz Railway: Lawrence and c.100 Arabs cross south of Deraa but lose explosives for Tell-el-Shehab rail bridge.
Mesopotamia: Tikrit (Mesopotamia) Occupied by British forces (see 5th).

Political, etc
Russia: Petrograd: 3 Don Cossack regiments decide not to back Kerensky. Bolsheviks seize railway stations, bridges, state bank and telephone exchange. Lenin arrives at Smolny Institute headquarters.
United Kingdom: War aims debate in House of Commons.
Italy: Conference at Rapallo (near Genoa) between Allied statesmen and generals on critical situation in Italy.
United States: U.S. Federal officials consider barring Germans and other enemy aliens from 100 miles of the coastline to prevent spying and espionage.
In Buchanan v. Warley, U.S. Supreme Court rules that Louisville, Kentucky cannot bar Blacks from buying homes in White neighborhoods.
“Rape of Belgium” propaganda piece appearing in the New York Tribune: https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...244140345208832

7 November 1917
 

Western Front
British consolidate new positions at Passchendaele; no German counter-attacks.
Verdun: Germans attack French at Chaume Wood.

Southern Front
Isonzo: Twelfth Battle Of Isonzo, aka, the Battle of Caporetto: Italian troops are again forced into retreat as they abandon defenses on the Tagliamento River. Italians in retreat west from Tagliamento to reach River Livenza. Germans claim many thousand prisoners.

Naval and Overseas Operations
Baltic: Bolshevik cruiser Aurora (retained November 5) lands some of her 522 sailors to seize Nikolai Bridge in Petrograd. Revolution at Petrograd climaxes with searchlight assisted (but inaccurate) shelling of Winter Palace. Minelayer Amur, 2 minesweepers, 2 steamers, and 5 small craft arrive from Kronstadt with 3,800 sailors (c.9,700 in capital) and 950 soldiers. 4 destroyers sail from Helsinki to back Lenin (2 arrive on November 7) despite C-in-C’s protest.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theaters
A claim that the Third Battle of Gaza ends, duplicating a separate claim for an earlier date. Capture of Gaza by General Allenby; the troops push on and reach the Wadi Hesi, eight miles north of Gaza.* British and French warships co-operate off coast.

Political, etc
Russia: The first of “Ten Days that Shook the World”: Maximalist (Bolshevik) revolution begins in Petrograd, known as the Great October Socialist Revolution, due to the Gregorian calendar date of 25 October 1917, then in use in Russia. Russian government troops raid the offices of Bolshevik newspaper Pravda, run by Joseph Stalin, and destroy its printing presses. Bolshevik Red Guards forces under the Military Revolutionary Committee begin the occupation of government buildings on 7 November 1917 (New Style). Kerensky leaves by car to find loyal troops, other ministers in Winter Palace with 1,000 troops surrounded by 18,000 Reds. Red cruiser Aurora signals bombardment from 2210 hours.
The signal for the October Revolution – a shot is fired from the cruiser Aurora: https://i0.wp.com/ww2-weapons.com/w...urora.jpg?ssl=1
Italy: Allied Conference at Rapallo. Inception of Supreme War Council (see 27th).
General Luigi Cadorna relieved of the command of the Italian Armies (see May 23rd, 1915 and November 27th, 1917). Succeeded by General Armando Diaz.
United States: Notes of agreement between U.S. and Japan, concerning their interests in China, published.

8 November 1917
 

Western Front
Two successful British raids near Fresnoy and Armentieres.
‘Lively’ artillery actions along whole front.

Southern Front
Isonzo: Twelfth Battle Of Isonzo, aka, the Battle of Caporetto: Germans force crossing of Livenza river and pursue Italians towards Piave river.
Between Tolmezzo and Gemona, 17,000 Italians are outflanked and surrender.
Italian troops flee across the Livenza River, as the German and Austro-Hungarian armies take more prisoners and land. Italian POWs: https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...922379216621568
At Peschiera British and French urge Cadorna’s removal, King replies already decided and that Piave line will be held. Bulk of Italian Fourth Army (9 divisions) from Dolomites joins First and Third Armies (21 divisions) on Piave line. Austrians occupy Vittorio Veneto and make it the headquarter of the Fourteenth Army on November 9. Austro-Hungarian troops entering the city: © IWM (Q 60453): https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...283974803382273. Marie Fayolle made French C-in-C in place of Denis-Auguste Duchene, arrives on November 21.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theaters
General Allenby follows up his victory in Palestine. 158 Yeomanry (66 casualties) charge and overrun Turkish rearguard taking 11 guns. 52nd Division (702 casualties) storms Sausage Ridge at fifth attempt.
Turks in retreat north on Hebron and Jerusalem. British troops cross the Wadi el Hesi in Palestine in pursuit.
Royal Flying Corps destroy 9 German planes in airfield attacks (until November 9), have ranged 126 targets (November 1-7), drop c.700 bombs (November 7-14) on other targets.
Ruined streets of Gaza after its capture by the Allies from the Ottomans: https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...892169100230663

Political, etc
Russia: Red Guards overrun Winter Palace at 0100 hours. c.1,800 Red sailors arrive by train from Helsinki. During the Bolshevik coup d'état in Petrograd. M. Vladimir Lenin and M. Leon Trotski assume power. Former succeeds M. Aleksandr Kerenski as Premier (actual title: Chairman, Council of People’s commissars); and latter succeeds M. Mikhail Tereshchenko as Foreign Minister (actual title: Commissar for Foreign Affairs)(see 13th, May 16th and August 6th). Military Revolutionary committee cables all fronts to accept revolution or face arrest. Red troops occupy Kremlin in Moscow but Cossacks retake Minsk. Revolutionaries announce "an immediate democratic peace" their first objective.
The Winter Palace has been fallen and the members of the Provisional Government are under arrest. A Red Guard inside the throne-room of the Tsars: https://i1.wp.com/ww2-weapons.com/w...guard.jpg?ssl=1
Congress of Soviets approves Commissars of the People including Alexei Rykov (Interior) and Josef Stalin (National Minorities). Civil Service strike against Reds (strikers arrested and drafted on November 27). Reds seize Yaroslavl, Kazan and Samara on Volga and Vladimir.
Armed Bolshevik sailors posing for the camera: https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...848131600949248
United Kingdom: Arrival in London of U.S. Mission under “Colonel” (Southern Gentleman Title) House.
British news-film "Topical Budget," showing the Polish Legion in France, carrier pigeons, and other news: http://film.iwmcollections.org.uk/record/index/5436
United States: Women win the right to vote in New York State and City in yesterday's election.

9 November 1917
 

Western Front
Heavy air fighting.
Flanders: British Second Army headquarters moves to Italy, Henry Rawlinson replaces Herbert Plumer in command of Flanders sector.

Eastern Front
Four million copies of Bolshevik Peace Decree sent to Front. Kerensky occupies Gatchina (28 miles south of capital) with 600 wavering Cossacks, having reached General Krasnov’s III Cavalry Corps headquarter at Ostrov on November 8.

Southern Front
Isonzo: Twelfth Battle Of Isonzo, aka, the Battle of Caporetto: Italians establish themselves behind the Lower Piave. Rommel fords upper river and with help captures 8,000 Italians and 20 guns at Longarone (night November 9-10). Italian front 75 miles (180 miles on October 24) long, but only 33 divisions available instead of 59. Last 3 Italian divisions cross river until November 10 and bridges blown. Conscript class of 1899 arriving.
Germans continue advance; in Trentino they recapture Asiago.
General Armando Diaz succeeds General Luigi Cardorna. General Armando Diaz: https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...586718307008512
Trentino: Austrians reoccupy Asiago.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theaters
Royal Flying Corps attacks on the main ammunition dump and railhead of the Turkish 8th Army at El Tine in Gaza causes widespread panic amongst the Turkish troops. Their German commander, Von Kressenstein, said, "This did more to break the heart of the 8th Army and to diminish its fighting strength than all the hard fighting that had gone before."
Panic in Turkish Eighth Army headquarters and rear but thirst slows British pursuit. Brigade of Anzac Mounted Division takes 984 PoWs and 210 wagons in 16-mile ride that meets XXI Corps from Gaza.
Much war material collected at Tekrit.

Political, etc
Austria-Hungary: Tsar Ferdinand of Bulgaria visits Trieste.
Russia: Second All-Russian Congress of Soviets recognizes the success of the Bolshevik uprising in Petrograd, Russia. The Council of People’s Commissars, chaired by Lenin, is formed: https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...314425513250818
Lenin and the Revolutionary Military Committee remain in command of Petrograd; Soviets issue appeals for support of army.
Cossack Confederation forming.
Russian soldiers reading on the street leaflets printed by the Bolsheviks: https://i0.wp.com/ww2-weapons.com/w...etter.jpg?ssl=1
Petrograd Telegraph Agency broadcasts Bolshevik peace conditions. German government refuses to publish but German press do it on November 12.
United Kingdom: Lord Mayor's Banquet: important speeches.
Italy: Allied Ministers visit King of Italy on front.
Conference at Rapallo decides on creation of a Supreme Allied War Council for Western Front.
Uruguay: Troops seizes 8 German ships at Montevideo.

10 November 1917
 

Western Front
A couple of claims that the Second Battle of Passchendaele ends, duplicating an earlier claim: English and Canadian troops make successful attacks along ridge north and north-west of Passchendaele. 1st Canadian Division (1,094 casualties) advances 500 yards north along main ridge east of Passchendaele-Westroosebeke highway despite 3 German counter-attacks, over 500 guns opposing and air attacks. Allied advance since July 31 are 4 1/2 miles.
Canadian and German ‘walking wounded’ on their way to a dressing station. They are resting on the devasted ground just outside Passchendaele: https://i1.wp.com/ww2-weapons.com/w...unded.jpg?ssl=1
Verdun: Germans “repulsed” at Chaume Wood by French.

Southern Front
Isonzo: Twelfth Battle Of Isonzo, aka, the Battle of Caporetto: (Listed for yesterday): Italian troops establish defensive lines on the Piave River. Allied reinforcements arrive near the front, but are deployed 60 miles behind the Piave.
(Today): Austro-Hungarian advance checked on Asiago front; Conrad attacks but Italian First Army in skillful withdrawal retains key ground until November 14. On Upper Piave German-Austrian forces capture Belluno.

Naval and Overseas Operations
East Africa: British make good progress in East Africa; British troops occupy Ndonda, in Lukuledi valley. German-aligned northern force in retreat from Mahenge.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theaters
Further advance of General Allenby's forces; Ascalon occupied; fighting near Esdud.

Political, etc
Austria-Hungary: Count Czernin urges Kuehlmann in Germany to accept Bolshevik offer publicly but he declines on November 11.
Germany: German Treasury agrees to provide M 15 million to Bolsheviks via Stockholm.
Russia: Anti-Bolshevik reaction, troops loyal to Kerenski and Provisional Government march on Petrograd. Kerensky occupies Tsarskoe Selo. Street fighting in Moscow until November 15. Arthur Ransome reports in Daily News, ‘It is folly to deny … that the Bolsheviks do hold a majority of the politically active population.’
United Kingdom: Text of Air Force Bill publishes in "Times".
Tanks on parade in the Lord Mayor’s Show in London: © IWM (Q 54190): https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...708019785011200
United States: To save fuel, U.S. government orders that electrical displays for advertising can only be turned on from 7:45 pm to 11 pm.

11 November 1917
 

Western Front
Both the Allies and Germany at Passchendaele (3rd Ypres) each suffered around 250,000 casualties, but the numbers remain disputed. {in particular, most of the estimates of German casualties throughout the war come from British intelligence sources, which are utterly unreliable, and frequently fantastical.}
Flanders: Heavy rain; German artillery active against new positions on Passchendaele ridge.
The village of Passchendaele before and after the battle: https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...097616390057984
Alsace: German raid repulsed at Hartmannsweilerkopf.
MONS CONFERENCE of the OHL: Erich Ludendorff, Georg von Wetzell (principal OHL strategist), Herman von Kuhl (CoS Army Group Rupprecht), and Friedrich von der Schulenberg (CoS Army Group Crown Prince). Ludendorff proposes great offensive on Western Front in ‘New Year’.

Southern Front
Isonzo: Twelfth Battle Of Isonzo, aka, the Battle of Caporetto: Austro-German forces reach the Piave. From Belluno Austrians advance down the Piave towards Feltre; They renew attacks on Asiago Plateau without success. The Battle of Caporetto melds into the First Battle of the Piave (until December 30). Austrians gain small bridgehead at Zenson (night November 12-13) 17 miles from river mouth, 20 miles northeast of Venice and occupy islands in river on November 13. Archduke Eugene moves headquarter from Klagenfurt to Udine.
German and Austro-Hungarian troops begin attacking Italian positions around Monte Grappa in the Venetian Prealps. First 2 British divisions (23rd and 41st) begin arriving in Mantua area, complete November 21.
Unseemable quantities of war material left by the Italians in their hasty escape behind the Piave: https://i1.wp.com/ww2-weapons.com/w...retto.jpg?ssl=1

Naval and Overseas Operations
Eastern Mediterranean: UC-38 (Hans Wendlandt), one of 3 U-boats sent to help Turks since October 31, sinks British monitor M.15 (26 dead) and destroyer Staunch off Gaza, rest of squadron retire to Port Said.
East Africa: Two British columns meet at Ndonda, Germans flee to hills near Portuguese border.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theaters
Turks organize new line of defense covering Jerusalem and Hebron.

Political, etc
Russia: Reports from Petrograd of disorder spreading; Kerenski's forces reach Tsarskoe Selo. Military cadets in Petrograd launch a counterrevolutionary mutiny, known as the Junker mutiny, against the Bolsheviks, but are quickly crushed due to limited support. Bolsheviks crush Cadet ‘Bloody Sunday’ rising in Petrograd and take Krasnoyarsk. Reds control Saratov on Volga.
Troops loyal to Russian Premier Kerensky, mostly Don Cossacks, take Tsarskoye Selo and prepare to attack the Bolsheviks in Petrograd: https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...302943257546752
United States: First of 247 fast, four-funnel flush-decker destroyers launched (until April 11, 1921) USS Little (serves at Queenstown, Ireland 1918).
Queen Liliuokalani, the last monarch of the Kingdom of Hawaii, passed away: https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...393493566517248

12 November 1917
 

One Year Remaining in the Great War: One Year Remaining
Western Front
Concentrated shelling of Ypres and Passchendaele salient by Germans, followed by infantry raid; repulsed by British.
Successful Belgian raid south-east of Nieuport.
German raids near Reims repulsed; they bomb Calais.
French ground crew loading a bomb on a Farman HF.20 aircraft: © IWM (Q 113742): https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...439884993056769

Eastern Front
12,000 Bolsheviks (esp sailors) halt Kerensky’s 700 Cossacks and 1 armored train near Pulkovo Observatory; they retreat to Gatchina. Kerensky narrowly escapes.

Southern Front
First Battle of the Piave (until December 30): Great efforts by Austrians to force the Piave lines guarding Venice; they cross main stream at Zenson and Grisolera; further north they occupy islands in the river. Overall, Italian forces hold off Austro-Hungarian and German forces on the Piave River, as heavy artillery fire is exchanged.
3 French divisions move from Brescia to Vicenza nearer front, 46th and 47th Divisons of Chasseurs d’Alpin arrive (since November 5).
Royal Flyinig Corps Nos 28 (Sopwith Camel) and 34 (RE8) Squadrons reach Milan (plus No 14, left France on November 7, No 66 Squadron follows on November 17), No 42 Squadron leaves November 26-27, No 45 on December 11-12). They become operational between November 28 and December 21.

Naval and Overseas Operations
The M.15, the monitor sunk yesterday by UC-38: https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...409700675899392

Asiatic and Egyptian Theaters
Palestine: Falkenhayn drives back Australian Mounted Divusion 4 miles with 5,000 Turks (10,000 rallied at Ramleh on November 10). British troops drive Turks from Wadi Sugheir; take many prisoners and guns. Turks seek refuge behind Wadi Surar, eight miles south of Jaffa.
Dismounted Australian mounted infantrymen open fire on Turk troops during the fighting in Palestine: https://i0.wp.com/ww2-weapons.com/w...stina.jpg?ssl=1
Hejaz Railway: Lawrence mines troop train at Minifer, captures 60 rifles.
Australian Imperial Force light horse and horse artillery advancing on the Philistine Plain, Palestine: https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...741870384799745

Political, etc
Russia: Fighting in Moscow and Petrograd between Bolsheviks and followers of Kerenski.
United Kingdom: M. Eleftherios Venizelos arrives in London.

More really great photos from a long ago time.

13 November 1917
 

And today, we get a really helpful map! (Check the Southern Front section)
Western Front
Germans bomb Calais (earlier raids on October 20, 21 and 24).

Southern Front
First Battle of the Piave (until December 30): German and Austro-Hungarian forces cross the Piave River 23 miles from Venice. Austrian 1st Mountain Brigade enters Primolano, Brenta valley, takes Mt Tonderica on November 15. Italians forced off Gallio heights but hold Mt Sisemol.
Map showing the extent of Italy’s retreat in the ongoing Austro-Hungarian and German offensive: https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...085395840237568
Italy: General Herbert Plumer arrives at Mantua to take over as British C-in-C (appointment November 10) 423 Italian battalions (33 divisions) with 3,500 guns vs 736 Austro-German battalions (55 divisions) and 4,500 guns.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theaters
Palestine: Action of El Mughar. Allenby attacks towards Junction Station of Jerusalem railway with 25,000 men and 136 guns against 9000 Turks with c.60 guns. 800 Yeomanry (130 casualties) charge and storm EI Mughar Ridge and village, take over 1,000 PoWs, 2 guns and 14 Mgs.
British officers examine an abandoned Turkish field gun in Palestine: https://i0.wp.com/ww2-weapons.com/w...stina.jpg?ssl=1

Political, etc
Russia: Kerenski's forces defeated by Bolsheviki near Petrograd (see 8th and 15th).
Lenin appeals to Party to seize whole country. Reds control Smolensk after defeating Cossacks and also capture Tashkent on November 14.
France: Paul Painlevé Ministry defeated 186-279 on vote of confidence in Chamber, resigns on November 14.
United Kingdom: Russians in London repudiate Leninists.
Trevelyan Thomson reassures War Cabinet no German link with pacifists, boredom main motivation.
Serbia: Entente legation to the US reports that up to a quarter of the Serbian population may have died due to combat, disease, and starvation during the war.
United States: President Wilson: “What I am opposed to is not the feeling of pacifists, but their stupidity.”

14 November 1917
 

Western Front
Flanders: British consolidate northwest of Passchendaele. German attacks north of Menin Road and northeast of Passchendaele on November 15. Relief of Canadian Corps begins until November 20; after 15,654 battle casualties since c. October 18.
Artillery active in French sector.

Southern Front
First Battle of the Piave (until December 30): Franz Conrad and Alfred Krauss’ Austrians armies link up at Fonzaso.
Column of Italian soldiers who had been captured during the Battle of Caporetto: https://i2.wp.com/ww2-weapons.com/w...ngene.jpg?ssl=1
Salonika: British begin 50-mile Stavros light railway, with 4,000 Turkish PoWs in batches from Cyprus, to replace uncertain shipping service from Salonika (completed May 1918).

Asiatic and Egyptian Theaters
Palestine: General Allenby continues advance in Palestine; Jerusalem railway reached.

Political, etc
Russia: Civil strife and much confusion in Petrograd, following the defeat of Kerenski. Kerensky’s troops change sides, but he escapes disguised as sailor, hides in forest cottage near Luga for 40 days.
France: M. Jean-Louis Barthou, French Foreign Minister, resigns (see 13th and October 23rd). French Premier Paul Painlevé: https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...130680431902720
United Kingdom: In House of Commons, Mr. Lloyd George explains Allied War Council.
United States: James W. Gerard, former U.S. ambassador to Germany, urges, “We should ‘hog-tie’ every disloyal German-American…hang every traitor to a lamppost…”

15 November 1917
 

Western Front
Flanders: German “attacks” north of Menin road and north-east of Passchendaele repulsed.
Canadian stretcher-bearers carrying a wounded man near Passchendaele: © IWM (CO 2202): https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...402467229196288
US Army Engineer Corps testing a dazzle camouflage suit: https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...509421930786822
In the past 16 months, Britain claims to have captured 131,731 prisoners of war, (on all fronts), along with 705 artillery guns.

Eastern Front
Southern Russia: Mikhail Alexeiev arrives at Don Cossack capital Novocherkask, but Alexei Kaledin says Cossacks unwilling to fight so he moves to Kuban Cossack capital Ekaterinodar.

Southern Front
First Battle of the Piave (until December 30): German 117th Division gets 4 battalions across near Ponte di Piave (night November 15-16) but wiped out by 3 Italian brigades who take 600 PoWs (until November 16); first Italian success since Caporetto. Italians give ground both sides of the Brenta; von Below and Boroevic cease crossing attempts, although 41st Hungarian Division crosses river delta and captures Cava Zuccherina, 16 miles of lagoon from Venice.
On Lower Piave resistance maintained. Allied reinforcements arrive daily.
Town of Castello Tesino, Italy after its capture by the Austro-Hungarian offensive: https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...462860643356672
Italian troops carrying supplies up the Alps in the battle to hold against the Austro-Hungarian and German offensive: https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...826520867885059

Naval and Overseas Operations
Japanese Government unable to comply with request of British Government that two Japanese battlecruisers should join the Grand Fleet in the North Sea (see February 8th, 1916, and April 17th, 1917).
East Africa: Further actions on Makonde Plateau. Germans and allies driven from Chivata; make for Portuguese territory.
George Giffard’s 1/2nd KAR takes Chiwata with 606 PoWs and liberate 67 British PoWs after Paul von Lettow’s evacuation.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theaters
Palestine: General Edmund Allenby advances to within three miles of Jaffa. Anzac Mounted Division occupies Ramleh and Ludd. Yeomanry charge against Turkish rearguard at entry to Judean Hills. Since 31 October over 9,000 prisoners taken.
Turkish cavalrymen retreat through Palestine pursued by British troops: https://i1.wp.com/ww2-weapons.com/w...stina.jpg?ssl=1

Political, etc
Germany: German Socialists urge Germany to seek peace with the Bolshevik government in Petrograd.
Russia: Georgian Nobility declares its property national.
Bolsheviks in power in Petrograd. Bitter fighting in Moscow, by counter-revolutionaries kills over 4,000.
After several days of street fighting, Moscow falls to the Bolsheviks: https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...766107857903617
Bolsheviks issue the “Declaration of the Rights of Peoples of Russia,” promising equal rights, self-determination of minorities, and abolishment of state and religious privileges and restrictions: https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Decl...les_of_Russi a
France: M. Georges Clemenceau accepts office and forms a new Minsstry. Himself Prime Minister and Minister of War, M. Stephen Pichon Foreign Minister.
Georges Clemenceau agrees to become the new Prime Minister of France: https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...796322122280960
United Kingdom: British Premier Lloyd George makes public the plans for a Supreme War Council of the Allies to coordinate the militaries of Britain, France, and Italy. British Government give further pledge in house of Commons that restitution of Alsace-Lorraine is a War Aim (see February 15th).
United States: 33 of the arrested “Silent Sentinels,” women suffragists who had been protesting at the White House, are brutally beaten and tortured by prison guards in a “Night of Terror”: https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...569807371620352

16 November 1917
 

Western Front
Flanders: Intense fighting round Passchendaele. Good air work by Allies behind battle front.

Southern Front
First Battle of the Piave (until December 30): Strong Austro-German onslaughts on whole Italian front. Italians give ground between Brenta and Piave, are driven from Mt. Prassolan, and retreat to Mt. Grappa. They hold on Lower Piave.

Naval and Overseas Operations
North Sea: Royal Navy K1 steam submarine has to be sunk after colliding with K4 in Grand Fleet sweep.
Adriatic: 2 old Austrian battleships and 14 torpedo boats shell Italian Cortellazzo coast guns near Piave mouth. Italian 15-inch gun monitor Alfredo Cappellini wrecked off Ancona.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theaters
Palestine: Jaffa taken by NZ Mounted Brigade; Australian Mounted Division takes Latrun. Turkish Eighth Army retires behind river Auja to north.
A patrol of German lancers in Palestine: https://i1.wp.com/ww2-weapons.com/w...stina.jpg?ssl=1

Political, etc
France: M. Charles-Célestin Jonnart succeeds M. Albert Métin as French Minister for Blockade [First Minister: formerly Blockade was under an Under-Secretary.] (see 23rd and August 17th).
Clemenceau appoints Georges Leygues Marine Minister for duration of war.
United Kingdom: Lord Weetman Cowdray resigns Chairmanship of Air Board. Harold Harmsworth, Lord Rothermere, succeeds on November 26.
M. Elftherios Venizelos welcomed at Mansion House.
United States: Enemy alien registration required, 600,000 affected, expelled from Washington and barred from military places (over 200,000 investigated).
Brazil: War law especially against domestic German interests. State of siege in capital and six states, c.700 aliens (mainly German reservists) arrested.
Sweden: Bolshevik Vorovski in Stockholm telegrams Berlin ‘Please fulfill your promise immediately’ (ie more funds for peace talks).

17 November 1917
 

Western Front
British salient widened on Passchendaele ridge.
Successful raid south of River Scarpe.
Surprise attacks by French south-east of St. Quentin and in Champagne.

Eastern Front
Wounded soldiers from various Central Powers nations at a Hungarian hospital: © IWM (Q 54221): https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...529930629935104

Southern Front
First Battle of the Piave (until December 30): Fierce mountain fighting: Germans take Quero and Monte Cornella. The Italians flood parts of the Piave valley to hold off the offensive.

Naval and Overseas Operations
North Sea: Second Battle of Heligoland Bight: Vice-Admiral T Napier’s battlecruisers Glorious, Courageous and Repulse, 8 cruisers and 10 destroyers chase 4 German light cruisers, which were covering and smokescreening minesweepers, for 2 hours and firing 147 15-inch shells until battleships Kaiser and Kaiserin appear and dense fog intervenes. Germans suffer 7 hits, Admiral Reuter’s flagship cruiser Königsberg (31 casualties) hit by Repulse; Pillau hit by Courageous. Royal Navy ships suffer 5 hits including cruisers Caledon and Calypso hit (Captain H L Edwards killed). A claim that one German mine-sweeper is sunk, but I can’t verify that. It might refer to the German torpedo boat A-50, which struck a mine and sank this day.
East Atlantic: First US Navy U-boat kill: convoy escort destroyers Fanning and Nicholson sink U-58 off Milford Haven.
East Africa: British troops pursue Germans and occupy Lutshemi. KAR and Nigerians troops (last 38 casualties) win fight at Lutshemi despite 2 disabled guns. Lettow at Newala picks his force to invade Portuguese East Africa.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theaters
Palestine: New Zealand Mounted Rifles capture the port of Jaffa and the nearby town of Tel Aviv, Palestine. The Jewish residents had by expelled by the Ottomans in April. This leads to:
Battle of Nebi Samwil begins (see 24th): The battle was the first attempt by the forces of the British Empire to capture Jerusalem. The village of Nebi Samwil (now spelled Nabi Samwil), also known as the "Tomb of Samuel", was part of the Ottoman defenses in front of Jerusalem and its capture was considered vital to the eventual capture of the city. The British attacking force consisted of three divisions, two infantry and one mounted. Despite these losses in earlier defeats, the majority of the Ottoman armies had managed to withdraw relativity intact, but they had been split with no way for the 7th and 8th Armies to support one another if or when they were attacked. Further the Ottoman Seventh Army on the British right was cut off from the Palestinian rail network and all their supplies would have to be brought in by road.
The British Imperial Camel Corps marching into the recently captured city of Beersheba, Palestine: © IWM (Q 13157): https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...469557843316737

Political, etc
Russia: Pro-Soviet Captain Modest V Ivanov made assistant Navy Minister. Lenin saw him on November 14. Supreme Naval Board formed on November 20.
Five Pro-Socialist Cooperation Bolshevik leaders leave Central committee after Lenin speech. Trotsky takes over empty Foreign Ministry. Tsaritsyn (later Stalingrad) goes Bolshevik.
United Kingdom: Children cheer as King George V visit the dockyards at Greenock: © IWM (Q 54484): https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...127240682868736
United States: Film The Zeppelin’s Last Raid showing.
President Wilson and the Cabinet approves plan to force German males over the age of 14 residing in the US to register with the government.
China: Chinese Premier Duan Qirui (pictured) resigns due to disagreements within the Peking government on how to deal with Sun Yat-sen’s rebel government in the south: https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...182622016929793

Interesting the section on the Battle of Nebi Samwil. You know, each theatre of the war could almost be a lifetime study on it's own. Interesting ... very interesting. Thanks!

18 November 1917
 

Today includes a note that might interest PF (see Political, etc, for France)
Western Front
Artillery very active on both sides; German raids north-west of St. Quentin.

Southern Front
First Battle of the Piave (until December 30): Italians driven from fortified positions on Mt. Tomba, but offer strong resistance. 1100 Italians are taken prisoner. Alfred Krauss’ Austrian troops and German Jaeger Division attack Mt Grappa sector until November 22 between rivers Brenta and Piave, take 1,286 PoWs.
Austro-Hungarians attack in southern Albania and attempt to cross River Voyusa, 12 miles north of Valona, attack Italians on November 22 and force river Osum on night November 25-26.
An Italian 30.5 cm gun with a unique (and comparatively primitive) gun carriage captured by the Austro-Hungarians: https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...560238918103045

Naval and Overseas Operations
Mediterranean: British Q-ship sloop Candytuft sunk in Mediterranean by SM U-39, 9 killed.
Baltic: UC-57 strikes a mine in the Gulf of Finland and sinks.
North Sea: British P57 rams and sinks UC-47 with all hands (sank 52 ships worth 65,884t in 1917) off Flamborough Head.
East Africa: A force of 262 Germans and 700 Askaris surrdeners to British, 18 miles south-east of Chivata.
The German crew of U-58 surrendering, in yesterday’s action: https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...620527281713152

Asiatic and Egyptian Theaters
General Sir Frederick Stanley Maude, Commander-in-Chief in Mesopotamia, dies at Baghdad of cholera (see August 28th, 1916): succeeded by Lieut.-General Sir William Raine Marshall.
Burial of General Sir Frederick Maude at Baghdad: https://i2.wp.com/ww2-weapons.com/w...Maude.jpg?ssl=1
Lieutenant General Sir Frederick Stanley Maude: https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...908633666969600
Battle of Nebi Samwil (until November 24): Allenby resumes operations against Jerusalem with 14,500 men and 18 guns vs c.5,900 Turks with 50 guns. British enter Judean Hills as winter rains begin on November 19. Falkenhayn moves headquarter from Jerusalem to Nablus.

Political, etc
Russia: Petrograd completely held by Bolsheviks. Rumours current that Russia will shortly withdraw from war.
France: Auguste Rodin, French sculptor known for works such as “The Thinker,” passed away: https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...590380725907456
https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...590380725907456
United Kingdom: John Jellicoe memo to War Cabinet ‘… our naval policy is necessarily governed by the adequacy of our destroyer forces’.

19 November 1917
 

Western Front
Hostile raids repulsed by British.
French success at Chaume Wood.
Cambrai: British Tank Corps, moved up by train, begins to move to start line (night November 19-20).
British tanks loaded on trains on their way to Cambrai: https://i2.wp.com/ww2-weapons.com/w...mbrai.jpg?ssl=1
Lorraine: Captain George Patton joins US Tank Corps.

Eastern Front
Western Russia: Bolshevik armored train retakes Minsk.

Southern Front
First Battle of the Piave (until December 30): Italians make determined stand in the mountains and defeat Austrians' attacks. Lower Piave Austro-Germans make no progress. Some sources mark this as the end of the Battle of Caporetto.
Italy suffered 10,000 killed in action, 30,000 wounded, and 265,000 captured during the recently-concluded Battle of Caporetto.

Naval and Overseas Operations
The wreck of HMS Candytuft: https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...969032537899015
A British merchantman accidentally rams the U.S. destroyer USS Chauncey and sinks it, resulting in 21 deaths. The USS Chauncey: https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...203073786740736

Asiatic and Egyptian Theaters
Battle of Nebi Samwil (until November 24): British advance further in the hills of Judea; arrive within six miles of Jerusalem.

Political, etc
Russia: Georgian National Council meets.
Bolsheviks issue offer to the nations for immediate armistice on all fronts for the purpose of discussing a democratic peace.
HM Ambassador Buchanan’s diary ‘At the moment force alone counts’.
United Kingdom: Mr. Lloyd George on Allied War Council in House of Commons.
Italy: Government successfully asks Britain and France for 300,000 rifles; 4,000 MGs, 640 guns and 40 tanks.
United States: U.S. War Department recommends that all government contractors should limit work hours to 8 hours a day.
India: Indira Nehru (Indira Gandhi, future Prime Minister of India) is born in Allahabad to Jawaharlal Nehru (1st Prime Minister of India) and Kamala Nehru.

20 November 1917
 

Western Front
Battle of Cambrai 1917 begins (until December 3rd), world’s first massed tank attack. Reinforced British Third Army (Byng) with 19 divisions and entire Tank Corps led by Brigade-General Elles in tank Hilda launch surprise attack without prelim shelling on Siegfriedstellung (Hindenburg Line). 389 tanks (originally 486; the tanks of this era were notoriously subject to breakdowns) and and 1000 artillery guns in support. 179 tanks lost by the end of the first day, 65 by to gunfire; tanks debouch from assembly points at 0620 hours, flatten German wire, rout front line infantry and open breach nearly 6 miles wide and up to 4,000 yards deep. They capture 4,200 PoWs; 123 guns and 281 MGs for 4,000 casualties.
Tank Battle Drill with 4 of 5 infantry assault divisors works as trained, but 51st Highland Div halt before key central Flesquieres sector (39 tanks lost, Unteroffizier Krueger’s gun knocks out 7 of them) and cavalry fail to get up in time. German 107th Infantry Division (from Eastern Front) is detraining at Cambrai when British attack. Germans blow up St Quentin Canal crossings.
During the battle, Royal Flying Corps aircraft conduct low level attacks on anti-tank guns, troop concentrations and strongpoints, paving the way for advancing British tanks and infantry. The German Air Service also conducts low flying attacks against British troops. Royal Flying Corps concentrates 289 aircraft in 15 squadrons to support Third Army and first mass tank thrust against only 78 German planes. 4 Squadrons (13 aircraft lost or wrecked, 13 damaged by ground fire) fly ground attack 45 minutes after assault and 20 Sopwith Camels (4 lost) and Pups attack 4 of 6 targeted airfields. Air observers fail to report German batteries at Flesquieres, one pilot in error reports village captured before 1100 hours.
Britsih tanks advance during the beginning of the Battle of Cambrai. On the left is an overrun German field gun: https://i0.wp.com/ww2-weapons.com/w...mbrai.jpg?ssl=1
Men of the Royal Irish Rifles heading to the front near Cambrai: https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...296188103143424
Lorraine: US 1st Division relieved from first trench stint (83 casualties total).
Germany: Kuhl memo to Ludendorff on an offensive in Flanders.

Southern Front
First Battle of the Piave (until December 30): Failure of Central Powers’ attacks along whole front, however Austrians take Mt Fontanasecca at start of weeklong fighting. Along the coast the Italian navy and British monitors co-operate with land forces.
Italy: The last two French divisions (23rd and 24th) arrive (until November 22). Foch leaves for Paris on November 23.

Naval and Overseas Operations
East Africa: Giffard’s 1/2nd KAR takes 127 PoWs at another camp. 900 Portuguese arrive at Ngomano. Lettow dismantles Newala radio station and begins march south to river Rovuma.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theaters
Battle of Nebi Samwil (until November 24): Turks stubbornly defend road to Jerusalem. 75th Division storms 3 ridges aided by mist, gets 5 miles north of Jerusalem on November 21, but Yeomanry Division expelled from Zeitun Ridge.

Political, etc
Russia: Bolsheviks declare Ukrainian People’s Republic.
France: M. Georges Clemenceau makes statement of policy.
United Kingdom: Conference between U.S. Mission, War Cabinet and Heads of Departments re: America's co-operation in War.
United States: Starting today, all German males over age 14 living in the US must register with the government. They are also barred around sites of military importance.

Oh No! No new entry for the day. Maybe the troops are wandering around the battlefield looking for a turkey to have for dinner tomorrow. :D

Nah, just forced updates taking all the time I had for the updates; then of course, prep for Chessiecon had me running around like a turkey with my head cut off.

I have time this mornign, though, before I head out for the convention.

21 November 1917
 

Western Front
Battle of Cambrai: British advance to Cambrai resumed and with 12 tanks captures Cantaing (300 PoWs) and Tadpole Copse; 2 tanks and 6th Division recapture Noyelles. At Fontaine-Notre Dame they are only 2 1/2 miles from Cambrai, but tiredness, fuel and ammo shortages telling. German 20th Division recaptures Moeuvres on north flank.
British reserves are waiting in the trenches: https://i2.wp.com/ww2-weapons.com/w...nders.jpg?ssl=1
German aircraft strafe BEF 62nd Division as it advances on Bourlon Wood (and on November 22).
A Lewis gun hanging from a wire as a makeshift anti-aircraft gun: © IWM (Q 6335): https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...643551594401793
British advance at Cambrai slows as German reinforcements strengthens defenses at Bourlon Ridge.
Aisne: French storm salient on Craonne Plateau south of Juvincourt, beat off counter-attack on November 22.

Eastern Front
Armistice pourparlers begun by Russian Bolshevik Government with Central Powers (see 8th, 27th and 30th).

Southern Front
First Battle of the Piave (until December 30): Strong Austro-German attacks in mountains between the Brenta and Piave are everywhere repulsed by Italians, except at Mt. Fontana Secca.
Salonika: Local Top German fighter pilot Lieutenant Eschwege (20 victories), ‘Eagle of the Aegean’ killed by explosive-packed balloon (3 British balloons attacked since October 28).
German zeppelin L-59 leaves Yambol, Bulgaria in an attempt to resupply German forces under von Lettow-Vorbeck in German East Africa (Tanzania): https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...931621774413824

Naval and Overseas Operations
Channel: Dover Straits deep minefield (Varne-Cap Gris Nez) partially laid with night illumination and 80-100 patrol vessels, but 21 U-boats get through until December 8.
Mediterranean: Allied naval conference in Rome (Weymss, Bon, Calthorpe, Revel): British offer 1,200 mines and minelayers; French offer to send submarines to Upper Adriatic; Otranto Barrage to be reinforced.
East Africa: Considerable captures of Germans in East Africa by British columns, at Simba and Nevala.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theaters
Battle of Nebi Samwil (until November 24): General Allenby's troops storm the Nebi Samwil ridge, five miles north of Jerusalem; fruitless counter-attacks by Turks.

Political, etc
Germany: German Reichstag considers a bill for a 15 billion mark ($3.75 billion) loan to fund the war effort.
Russia: Bolsheviks radio C-in-C General Nikolai Dukhonin to negotiate armistice. Trotsky tells Petrograd Soviet ‘We make a formal offer to commence peace negotiations and to conclude an armistice’. Bolsheviks dismiss General Dukhonin (Commander-in-Chief) for refusing to negotiate an armistice with enemy.
Ukrainian Republic proclaimed and declared member of Russian Federal Republic.
Allied embassies in Petrograd refuse to meet with Bolshevik Foreign Minister Leon Trotsky, diplomatically isolating the revolutionary government.
United Kingdom: Disenfranchisement of Conscientious Objectors passed in Commons, 209 to 171.
Canada: American armored cars at a Victory Loan parade in Toronto, Canada: https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...022234716852224

22 November 1917
 

Western Front
Battle of Cambrai: All gains on British front consolidated, except at Fontaine Notre Dame, which Germans retake.
19 Royal Flying Corps pilots (8 aircraft lost or wrecked) attack German columns and positions; 3 German fighters shot down.
Unsuccessful German counter-attack south of Juvincourt.
French refugees from Cantaing leaving the front, while British cavalry go the other way towards it: © IWM (Q 6308): https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...299047510585344

Eastern Front
Lenin authorizes troops at front to negotiate peace with the enemy.

Southern Front
First Battle of the Piave (until December 30): Crisis day in key Mt Grappa sector as Austro-Germans storm onto Mt.Tomba (3,176 ft), but Laderchi’s IX Corps’ final effort drives them off (one Italian regiment reduced to 400 soldiers) and reserves consolidate on November 23. Fighting in mountains continues.
Lower Piave Austro-Germans make no progress. Austrian mountain troops storm Mt Pertica from Monte Baldo Alpini battalion, but Alpenkorps and Austrian 50th Division fail to hold gains to east until November 23.
German troops move through a village in northern Italy to the front: https://i1.wp.com/ww2-weapons.com/w...alien.jpg?ssl=1
A damaged church in Ponte di Piave, Italy after its capture by the Austro-Hungarians and Germans: https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...375857749647360
Albania: Austrian attacks in Albania on Italian line between rivers Osum and Voyusa.
Salonika: 150 Bulgars raid British line at the Mamelon (night November 23-24), Lake Doiran sector, causing 27 casualties.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theaters
Battle of Nebi Samwil (until November 24): Turks fail three times to regain Nebi Samwil Hill (2,942 ft) from 75th Division but it and 52nd Division fail at El Jib Height on November 24.
Aden: British troops capture Turkish post of Jabir, 15 miles from Aden.

Political, etc
Germany: Germany announces extension of the "barred zone" for shipping; Dutch indignation.
Teoberto Maler, German archaeologist known for his work on the Mayans, passed away. His photograph of Chichen Itza in 1892: https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...359471946076162
Russia: Nikolai Krylenko replaces Nikolai Dukhonin as Russian Commander-in-Chief.
United Kingdom: U.S. Mission under Colonel House leaves London for Paris.
Andrew Huxley, (future Nobel Prize-winning physiologist and biophysicist) half-brother to (future author) Aldous Huxley, is born in Hampstead, London.

23 November 1917
 

Western Front
Battle of Cambrai: Further advance on German positions west of Cambrai; British attack Bourlon Wood. British 40th Division attack, with 62 tanks (16 lost, 5 to German anti-aircraft guns) and 432 guns vs 200 German guns, reaches crest but fails to reach village.
German truck (lorry) -mounted flak guns stiffen defence of Fontaine. 50 Royal Flying Corps aircraft (15 wrecked) support BEF ground attack, but Richthofen now in command of sector and shoots down DH5 in Bourion Wood. 3 RFC day bomber squadrons attack six targets.
British Mark IV tank passing by captured German artillery guns at the Battle of Cambrai: © IWM (Q 6336): https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...662699208273920
Ypres: British attack in the night and advance on line south-east of Ypres.
Julian Byng promoted to General.
British troops cheering King Albert I of Belgium goodbye after his visit to the frontlines: https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...389666757332993

Naval and Overseas Operations
East Africa: German airship L-59 reaches East Africa, but turns back west of Khartoum during 95-hour-non-stop flight due to British message in German cipher from Newala radio station. Returns to base after record 4,200-mile flight.
L-59 was in August 1917 the first one of a new class of Zeppelins which represented the latest design techniques and established a pattern that was to persist for almost a year: https://i0.wp.com/ww2-weapons.com/w...f-L59.jpg?ssl=1

Political, etc
Russia: Lenin Government issues decree for demobilization of Russian army, starting with those who reached the age of conscription in 1899.
Trotsky begins publishing Allied secret treaties in Izvestia.
All class distinctions and civil ranks abolished.
France: M. Albert Lebrun succeeds M. Charles Jonnart as French Minister for Blockade (see 16th).
United Kingdom: Lord Robert Cecil on Bolsheviks.
Ship-building Council appointed. Church bells ring for ‘Cambrai victory’.
United States: German residents in the U.S. are barred from entering tall buildings in New York that gives them view of the New York Harbor or the rivers.

24 November 1917
 

Western Front
Battle of Cambrai: Heavy back-and-forth fighting continues at the Battle of Cambrai, where villages near Bourlon Wood change hands several times between the British and Germans: Moeuvres, Queant, Bullecourt, and Banteux. British fail to storm Bourlon Hill, but Colonel Wade with party hold part of village until November 26. British recover Fontaine-Notre-Dame; renewed attacks on November 25-27 are fruitless. Haig letter laments severe shortage of infantrymen.
Successful French minor attack on Verdun front.

Southern Front
First Battle of the Piave (until December 30): Austrian assaults fail on Asiago Plateau; also attempts to cross Lower Piave. Emperor Charles ends attacks in Asiago sector, Conrad’s losses 15,030 (nearly 7,000 sick) since November 10.
General Sir Herbert Plumer assumes formal command of British forces in Italy.
Emperors Charles (far left) and Wilhelm II, hoping to knock Italy out of the war: https://i0.wp.com/ww2-weapons.com/w...alien.jpg?ssl=1

Asiatic and Egyptian Theaters
Battle of Nebi Samwil: Battle of Nebi Samwil (Palestine) ends (see 17th.). Anzac Mounted Division gains but loses 2 bridgeheads north of river Auja until November 25. Turkish losses are 437 soldiers.
Lt.-Gen. Sir W. R. Marshall succeeds Sir S. Maude in Mesopotamia (see 18 November).

Political, etc
Russia: Bolsheviks bury those who died in the taking of Moscow in the Kremlin walls: https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...738226229145600
The Bolsheviks release the details to the public of the Sykes-Picot Agreement, which splits Ottoman lands between the French and British: https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...753317813030912
France: French newsreel showing French soldiers in northern Italy to reinforce the line against Austria-Hungary: http://film.iwmcollections.org.uk/record/index/45429 (sucks that these keep coming up for me as “content unavailable”, but YMMV).
Turkey: Ain ed Douleh succeeds Ala es Sultaneh as Persian Prime Minister (see June 6th, 1917 and January 19th, 1918).

25 November 1917
 

Western Front
Battle of Cambrai: String German counter-attacks at Bourlon; yhey regain parts of the village. British 40th Division loss now 4,000 men since November 23, only 12 tanks in action.
Verdun: French attack in Samogneux district, north of Verdun; they take 800 prisoners.

Eastern Front
In Russian centre (near Baranovichi) the troops continue to fraternise with the enemy.
At Orsha railway junction anti-Bolshevik troops going for Moscow are stopped.
After the ceasefire offer of the Russian revolutionary government, lively exchange trade begins between the trenches: https://i0.wp.com/ww2-weapons.com/w...-1917.jpg?ssl=1

Southern Front
First Battle of the Piave (until December 30): Heavy mountain fighting between the Brenta and Piave; more attacks repulsed by Italians.
German airship L-59 returns to Yambol from flight to East Africa.
Fresh Austrian attacks in Albania; on night of 25th-26th they force passage of River Osum.

Naval and Overseas Operations
Mozambique: German operations in Portuguese East Africa, begin (see December 1st, 1917 and September 29th, 1918). German force under Colonel von Lettow-Vorbeck effects passage of the Rovuma and defeats Portuguese force at Ngomano. Crossing is 1 mile from Portuguese fort with 2,000 troops; 3,000 porters and 1 gun in action until November 26. His attack takes the fort, 700 Portuguese, 6 MGs, 30 horses with 6 days’ rations.
At the Battle of Ngomano in Portuguese East Africa (Mozambique), German forces under von Lettow-Vorbeck defeat the Portuguese: https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...479323561590784

Asiatic and Egyptian Theaters
Mounted troops capture Ain Karim, four miles west of Jerusalem.
British patrols, after crossing Auja river forced back by hostile infantry.

Political, etc
Austria-Hungary: 100,000 workers march in Budapest for peace and Russian Revolution.
Russia: Constituent Assembly elections (until November 27): Bolsheviks win only 25% of vote, ie 9.8 million of 36 million with 225 delegates to 420 Socialists (20.75 million votes). An oft-repeated claims that these are the last free elections till 1989. Much more important is this interpretation: Russian Constituent Assembly election, the first free election in Russian history, is held, with the Socialist-Revolutionary Party winning 40% of the votes. Bolsheviks win 24%.
United States: A church in Milwaukee, Wisconsin is targeted with a bomb by anarchists. While the bomb was being inspected at the police department, it explodes, resulting in 11 deaths.

26 November 1917
 

Western Front
Battle of Cambrai: 12 DH4 bombers of No 49 Squadron fly first Western Front raid on railhead east of Cambrai, but other units switched to routine strategic targets until November 29.
Heavy shelling about Ypres.
British carrier pigeons returning from the frontlines with messages: https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...752359464529920

Eastern Front
Russian Armies at the front experience desertions due to the lack of food, as the revolution cause disruptions in the supply lines.

Southern Front
First Battle of the Piave (until December 30): Sharp Austro-Hungarian attack repulsed in Brenta valley, two miles east of San Marino. Austrian Edelweiss Division (only 2,000 strong by November 27) fails to capture Col della Berretta against 2 Italian brigades, Alpini Val Brenta battalion and 60th Bersaglieri. Mt Pertica changes hands seven times and is left fire-swept with both sides below summit.
Austrians secretly withdraw Zenson bridgehead until December 2.
PoWs collection point for Italians at Tolmein: https://i1.wp.com/ww2-weapons.com/w...al-KG.jpg?ssl=1

Naval and Overseas Operations
Germany: Navy extends U-boat barred zone to 720 miles from Irish coast and area around Azores and Cape Verde Islands (effective from January 11, 1918). In Mediterranean 20-mile wide neutral corridor to Greece closed.

Political, etc
United Kingdom: Lord Rothermere appointed President of the Air Council.
Increase of pay to both Navy and Army announced.

27 November 1917
 

Western Front
Battle of Cambrai: Severe village fighting at Fontaine, Notre Dame, and Bourlon; British line advanced at first, and 500 prisoners taken; German “attack” west of Moeuvres repulsed. Exhausted British disengage at Cambrai after Guards Division (with 32 tanks) driven back in Bourlon and Fontaine sectors. Ludendorff and Rupprecht confer at Le Cateau as 20 fresh German divisions mass under Marwitz near Cambrai: ‘There never has been such an opportunity for a smashing counterstrike’, says Ludendorff who insists all must be ready before November 30 as Cambrai is a vital rail center.
At Cambrai, a British tank by artillery and destroyed: https://i2.wp.com/ww2-weapons.com/w...-tank.jpg?ssl=1
Members of Supreme War Council appointed - General Sir H. H. Wilson, General F. Foch, General Cadorna and General Bliss (see 7th).
Canadian soldier at the Western Front washing his hair with shampoo in a ditch: https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...176768499134464

Eastern Front
First meeting of Russian and German delegates behind German lines to arrange for armistice (see 21st and 30th).

Naval and Overseas Operations
East Africa: Unconditional surrender near Nevala (East Africa) of Mahenge force, under Colonel Tafel, consisting of over 3,500 German and native troops (according to another source, only 215 Germans and 1,100 followers).
Baltic: Russian destroyer Bditelni mined and sunk off Aaland Islands by UC-78 minefield.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theaters
Palestine: 15,800 Turks with c.120 guns gain ground from Yeomanry and 54th Divisions until reserves stabilize line on November 30.

Political, etc
Russia: Armistice delegates return with German consent in principle. Next meeting December 1, 1917.
Trotsky warns Russia may be driven to separate armistice if Allies do not negotiate. George Buchanan to British Foreign Office ‘Every day that we keep Russia in the war against her will does but embitter her people against us.’
France: British Premier Lloyd George and Greek Premier Eleftherios Venizelos arrive in Paris for a inter-Allied War Council.
United Kingdom: War Office sanctions doubled Tank Corps establishment of 18,462 (originally requested April 13, 1917).
Brazil: Brazil concludes agreement with France for the use of 30 interned German ships, to carry food for the Allies.