Western Front
Third Battle of Ypres: Little to no activity today, due to continued heavy rains.
Operation Hush, the British plan to land on the Belgian coast, is cancelled, as the 3rd Battle of Ypres fails to make sufficient gains.
Australian troops at Passchendaele trying to dry themselves in front of a fire after returning from the frontlines: © IWM (E(AUS) 943):
https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...215720419901440
England: Special, 1066: Duke William of Normandy (later King William of England, aka William I, William the Bastard) kills King Harold in the
Battle of Hastings, following the last successful invasion of England in history.
Eastern Front
Riga: Operation Albion: Tserel and Arensburg in flames. Russians guarding Irbek Strait cut off on Sworbe Peninsula. German warships land detachments on Islands of Runo and Abro. Germans advance along it and bar escape to Moon island on October 15, secure island on October 16 with 10,000 PoWs and 50 guns.
Southern Front
Salonika: British 27th Division (47 casualties) recaptures Homondos (night October 13-14) village with 153 Bulgars (79 killed) and 3 MGs and occupies two villages to cover taking up of ‘winter line’ in Struma valley.
Isonzo: Badoglio moved to XXVII Corps in path of imminent Austro-German offensive.
Bulgarian PoWs, captured by British soldiers with tropical uniforms:
https://i0.wp.com/ww2-weapons.com/w...-PoWs.jpg?ssl=1
Naval and Overseas Operations
Baltic: Operation Albion: Russian T.B.D.'s repel German effort to force passage of Moon Sound (Oesel Island). 4 German battleships silence Zorel battery on south point of Oesel (Russians blow up the four 12-inch guns). 13 German destroyers enter Soelo Sound and, covered by battleship, sink Russian destroyer
Grom (of 4, plus one gunboat engaged).
North Sea/Atlantic: British minesweeper
Bregonia and merchant cruiser
Champagne sunk, 56 lost.
Political, etc
Russia: Russian government passes a resolution to set aside party differences to focus on defense against the German offensive approaching Petrograd.
Ukraine declares itself an autonomous nation and claims participation in future Peace Conference.
United Kingdom: (Listed for yesterday): Premier Lloyd George at a speech in London promises reprisals against German air raids.
More drastic measures taken in Great Britain to compete with growing shortages of foodstuffs, petrol and coal.
United States: American Bible Society predicts that Japan after the war will desert the Allies, form an alliance with Germany, and attack the U.S. [Note: this is the neutralist report. It leaves out majority of the tract that is rampant with racism and xenophobia. Whole bunch of “yellow peril” stuff.]
Uruguay: Uruguay wins the 2nd title at the 1917 South American Championship (Association Football: the Championship tournament is now known as the Copa América).