Eastern Front
Baltic Provinces: Battle of the Aa: Russian advance between Tirul marsh and River Aa.
Romania: In Romania, the Central Power armies make new advances and now hold a 50-mile front along the Siret River, and cross River Putna north and south-east of Focsani.
Asiatic and Egyptian Theaters
Arabia: Battle of Kut, 1917, begins (second report of the beginning) (see December 13th, 1916 and continues until February 23rd or 24th, 1917): 3rd Indian Division (700 casualties) with 70 guns storms Turk front line in Khadairi Bend and holds against counter-attacks.
Sinai: Action of Rafah. Chetwode’s Desert Column (486 casualties) storms Turkish border defences, Turk losses include 1,635 PoWs and 4 guns. Eight British Tank Mk I land at Alexandria. Last Turkish troops in Sinai recross the frontier (see January 26th, 1915).
Naval and Overseas Operations
Mediterranean: Battleship
H.M.S. Cornwallis (15 lives lost) sunk by submarine
U-32, commanded by Kurt Hartwig 60 miles southeast of Malta.
http://imgur.com/1Jh607V
S. S. Lesbian (Ellerman Liner) sunk.
Atlantic: Raider
SMS Seeadler sinks first victim and another British ship (January 10) south of the Azores.
Political, etc.
Germany: After final council of war (at Pless) a Kaiser order is issued: ‘I command that UNRESTRICTED U-BOAT WARFARE BE INSTITUTED WITH THE UTMOST ENERGY ON FEBRUARY 1.’ von Bethmann-Hollweg says ‘U-boat warfare is the last card’. (Austria backs decision on January 20).
Sick Benefit Association of Berlin concludes that large number of prevailing illnesses are due to inadequate nourishment.
Russia: Nikolai Golitsyn is chosen as the new (and last) Prime Minister of Imperial Russia:
http://imgur.com/XI5HvgB
Switzerland: Switzerland announces it will be cutting rail services across the country due to shortage of coal.