Western Front
In February German Army now has 15 assault battalions and 2 coys of
Stosstruppen (given title of Grenadier, and Guard insignia in March). Each German infantry coy to have 3 Bergmann sub-machine guns.
BEF forms 1st Tank Brigade (2nd on February 15; 3rd on April 24), Central Workshops and Stores already begun on January 7.
57th Division (on February 6) and 59th Division (on February 21) join BEF.
The Sopwith Triplane enters service with No.1 (Naval) Squadron, Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS).
Flanders: German infantry wearing winter white battle dress unsuccessfully raid British positions near Wytschaete. Severe frost on this and several succeeding nights. This week temperature falls below zero °F.
Somme: Unsuccessful German trench raid near Grandcourt. British trench raiders seize 56 PoWs near Gueudecourt.
Occupied France: During February German senior commanders and staffs, attend tactical School at Solesmes to learn new defence methods (school at Sedan opens in March).
Eastern Front
Baltic Provinces: Russian forces west of Riga are able to check German advances through the use of armored cars.
Galicia: 15 miles south of Halicz (Galicia) Germans in white overalls break through Russian lines but are ejected by counter-attack.
Asiatic and Egyptian Theaters
Mesopotamia: Near Kut, east of the Tigris-Hai junction, British capture all but last line of Turkish trenches, taking 166 prisoners, and repulsing a strong counter-attack.
Naval and Overseas Operations
German unrestricted submarine warfare begins (see January 31st): 105 U-boats in service (42 under repair, 51 lost to date – High Seas Fleet 49, Flanders 23, Baltic 2, Adriatic 24 including Austrian, Constantinople 3). 51 more U-boats ordered. Maximum of 44 at sea on anyone day. Royal Navy C-in-C Ireland has 10 Q-ships operational in home waters and Bermuda.
Dutch
S.S. Gamma attacked and sunk by German submarine. Dutch Government request an explanation.
Britain: 4 new seaplane stations cover Southwestern Approaches. Over 600 neutral ships refuse to sail.
North Sea: HM Special Service Smack I’ll Try (ex- G & E) scores two hits on U-boats. In February dreadnought battleship Queen Elizabeth becomes Beatty’s Grand Fleet flagship.
Aegean: During February Royal Navy Air Service forms seaplane base for 4 planes at Suda Bay, Crete, to patrol against U-boats.
Political, etc.
Austria-Hungary: Austria-Hungary also announces it will also intensify its naval actions in the Mediterranean.
Germany: German Chancellor von Bethmann-Hollweg: “We stake everything and we shall be victorious.”
United Kingdom: Prince Edward, Prince of Wales, inspecting the North Staffordshire Regiment near Beaussart:
http://imgur.com/W44q7mX* © IWM (Q 4776)
United States: U.S. closes New York City harbor to all shipping upon receiving news of the German note. Other neutral nations’ ports do the same.
Stock prices at Wall Street tumble due to the German resumption of unrestricted submarine warfare. 2 million shares change hands.
The press of U.S.A. takes bellicose view of the German decision to resume unrestricted submarine warfare.
Norway: Norway reiterates the announcement forbidding foreign submarines to use her waters.