Nightmares | Balakian’s escape | 15 Apr 1916
Battle of Bait Isa The rains rain, the men sink. There was supposed to be an all-out assault on the Twin Pimples today, in the Continue reading Nightmares | Balakian’s escape | 15 Apr 1916
Battle of Bait Isa The rains rain, the men sink. There was supposed to be an all-out assault on the Twin Pimples today, in the Continue reading Nightmares | Balakian’s escape | 15 Apr 1916
Tanks for the Somme Time to start exploring what General Haig might have been thinking when he decided that bite and hold was not going Continue reading Haig, tanks, & Swinton | 14 April 1916
Africa General van Deventer’s altitude is increasing as he and his horsemen ride through Tanzania. Today they’ve arrived at a boma, a fortified village with Continue reading Indian engineers | HMS Campania | 12 Apr 1916
It’s time for another split day. This is about today at the Battle of Verdun. For everything else today, see this post. Petain’s dirty weekend Continue reading General Petain’s rise | Fort Douaumont’s fall | 25 Feb 1916
Marie We open today with the news that, since Moewe did such a good job slipping the Blockade of Germany, the German Navy is now Continue reading Marie | Nixon | 16 Jan 1916
Erzurum Offensive Yesterday we had a nice bit of tension going. General Yudenich’s slightly complicated plan is working, so far. The Ottomans have committed their Continue reading Kozincan-dag | 14 Jan 1916
Evacuating Cape Helles Liman von Sanders, the German commander of Ottoman forces on the Gallipoli peninsula, is deeply suspicious. The evacuation of Suvla Bay and Continue reading Evacuating Cape Helles | Sheikh Sa’ad | 5 Jan 1916
Fourth Isonzo The Duke of Aosta continues his attempt to move his drinks cabinet six inches closer to Trieste. Again Mount San Michele is attacked Continue reading Working parties | 20 Nov 1915
General Haig would have liked to renew the Battle of Aubers Ridge today, but practical concerns (like not having any shells, and the large numbers Continue reading Second Artois | 10 May 1915
No, not the Cosa Nostra. The Mafia we’re interested in is a small island off the coast of German East Africa. Mafia More specifically, it’s Continue reading Mafia | 08 Jan 1915
At the risk of being Anglo-centric, today is an excellent day to stop and consider what Britain will be doing this year in the war. Continue reading Britain in 1915 | 3 Jan 1915
The new year is a natural time to re-evaluate strategic possibilities; there’ll be plenty of that in the coming days. First, to the Channel, and Continue reading Formidable | 01 Jan 1915
It’s another relatively quiet day, so I’m dipping into my Big Bag of Topics to Pull Out on Relatively Quiet Days. A quick rummage gives Continue reading Trench foot | 27 Nov 1914
We’ve got a relatively minor action on the Western Front; events in the East continue as they were. Lodz The Russians attempt to complete their Continue reading Festubert | 23 Nov 1914
Well, this is it. Today the Prussian Guards are going into action at Ypres to spearhead the offensive. Behind the defenders is the artillery; behind Continue reading Nonneboschen | 11 Nov 1914
The British Official history notes that “The 7th November was misty and marked the definite commencement of winter weather. Henceforth, mud seriously interfered with operations, Continue reading Francis Orme | 07 Nov 1914
Another day full of shells, shells and more shells on the Western Front. The last five days have been full of me writing variations on Continue reading Rats, shells, corpses | 06 Nov 1914
Today is a day of heavy fighting, but also a day of military engineers. There may be a lot of fighting going on, but unlike Continue reading Engineers | 23 Oct 1914
Another day in Flanders. It’s now obvious to all that the German High Command has gone round headquarters with a set of tools, removed all Continue reading Langemarck | 22 Oct 1914
The pendulum is swinging back towards the Germans. Their latest major offensive begins today, from La Bassee, through Armentieres and Messines, to Menin and Roulers, Continue reading Messines | Menin | 19 Oct 1914
Quick recap. The Germans are about to start bombarding Antwerp, and have sent super-heavy guns and lots of men north to destroy the fortress and Continue reading Royal Naval Division | 28 Sep 1914
Some French units to the east of the Aisne continue attacking today, but by and large there’s not much fighting. Digging at the Aisne The Continue reading Digging in on the Aisne | Sep 15 1914
The Allies are determined to stay on the offensive. What could possibly go wrong? Bridges on the Aisne Therefore, the problem now facing them is Continue reading Bridges on the Aisne | Sep 13 1914