Kizzia Mildmay

A look at the major events of the conflict during September 1916

September 1^st
Bulgaria declare war on Romania

The British and Russian Governments conclude the “Sykes-Picot” agreement for the eventual partition of Asia Minor.

September 2^nd
Fourteen Zeppelins raid England, dropping bombs from Gravesend, ast of London, to Peterborough. One Zepplin, Shutte-Lanz S.L. 11, is shot down over London by a British airplane.

September 3^rd
The British advance at Guillemont and the French capture Foret.

At the same time the Battle of Delville Wood ends with a tactical victory for the Allies. It should be noted that the South African Infantry Brigade (in which my Great-Grandfather served) sent in just over 3,000 men and 2,536 of them died there. The words of a German officer describe the place best:

… Delville Wood had disintegrated into a shattered wasteland of shattered trees, charred and burning stumps, craters thick with mud and blood, and corpses, corpses everywhere. In places they were piled four deep. Worst of all was the lowing of the wounded. It sounded like a cattle ring at the spring fair….

By Ed. H.W. Wilson – Official British Military drawing. First published in “The Great War” Ed. H.W. Wilson, 1917, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=7863782

September 4^th
Dar-es-Salaam in German East Africa is surrendered to British forces.

September 5^th
British troops capture Leuze Wood during the Battle of Guillemont.

September 6^th
The Battle of Guillemont ends.

September 7^th
The Battle of Kisaki takes place between German and South African forces near the town of Kisaki during the East African campaign.

September 8^th
The Battle of Kisaki ends in a German victory.

September 9^th
British troops fighting on the Somme capture the German held village of Ginchy, which is important strategically.

September 10^th
French and Serbian forces break out of Thessaloniki and advance north on the Macedonian Front.

September 11^th
Greek Prime Minister Alexandros Zaimis resigns.

September 12^th
The Battle of Kajmakcalan between Serbian and Bulgarian soldiers begins in the foothills of Mount Kajmakcalan on the Macedonian Front.

Bulgarian troops on the slopes of Mount Kajmakcalan http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_THHAOkJ84L4/S6qguhMm3uI/AAAAAAAAAP4/ qEbDRjq1Pfg/s1600/Bulgarian+troops+on+Kajmakcalan+1916.jpg

September 14^th
Italian and Austro-Hungarian forces fight each other again along the Isonzo River beginning the Seventh Battle of the Isonzo.

September 15^th
During the Battle of Flers-Courcelette the British Fourth Army launch a large scale offensive on the Somme, including the first use of British armoured tanks. This battle signifies the start of the third stage of the Somme Offensive.

First tanks in battle at Flers-Courcelette http://worldoftanks.com/dcont/fb/image/battle_fiers_courciette_684.png

September 16^th
Nikolaos Kalogeropoulos replaces Alexandros Zaimis as the Prime Minister of Greece.

September 18^th
End of the Seventh Battle of Izonzo. Italian troops under the command of Field Marshall Luigi Cadorna succeed in wearing away the Austro-Hungarian resources (both manpower and artillery).

September 19^th
Belgian forces capture Tabora, the capital city of German East Africa.

Allied forces begin a naval blockade of the Greek Macedonian Coast between the rivers Struma and Mesta.

September 20^th
The Brusilov Offensive ends with a decisive Russian victory.

September 22^nd
The Battle of Flers-Courcelette ends. The strategic objective of a full breakthrough is not achieved but key tactical gains – the capture of the villages of Martinpuich, Corcelette and Flers – have been made.

Martinpuich Church after the Battle http://www.centenaryww1orange.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Courcelette.jpg

September 23^rd
Twelve Zeppelins bomb London and the East Cost. Two Zeppelins are brought down by the English.

September 24^th
French aircraft bomb the Krupp munitions works at Essen in Germany.

September 25^th
The Battle of Morval begins with an attack by the British Fourth Army on the German held villages of Morval, Gueudecourt and Lesboeufs.

September 26^th
The Battle of Thiepval Ridge begins with the aim of building on the Fourth Army attack on Morval, twenty four hours earlier.

September 28^th
The Allies achieve victory at both the Battles of Morval and Thiepval Ridge.

September 29^th
Eleftherios Venizelos and Admiral Condouriotis announce the formation of a new Greek Provisional Government in Crete, in opposition to the Government in Athens.

September 30^th
Serbian forces capture the eastern and western peaks of Mount Kajmakcalan and the Battle of Kajmakcalan ends.