New Zealand troops have secured German Samoafor the Empire!
The thread has been languishing a bit; so: on Aug. 28th, the First Battle of the Heligoland Bight. Elements of Britain’s Royal Navy, shooting-up elements – patrolling near German North Sea coast – of the German Navy. Several German ships sunk, no British ones; far more German casualties, than British. Britannia rules the waves, and all that jazz…
There seem to have been a number of set-to’s, and it’s not all bad - despite the continued retreat, the Germans have been held up and serious losses have by and large been avoided. I note with interest that there were a couple of cavalry actions a day or two back, so the idiots who were trumpeting that the machine-gun would render horsepower obsolete can stick that in their pipe and smoke it.
The Austro-Hungarian invasion of Serbia has ended in abject, humiliating failure. The Austro-Hungarians have come up short in weaponry (minimal artillery, caused by Hungarians starving the army for decades), tactics (suicidal bayonet charges), training (poorly trained reservists and militia members make up much of the army), supply (complete bungling), and motivation (many Slavic units would just as soon be fighting for the enemy).
It looks like Germany will be fighting this war pretty much by itself.
I appreciate your positive attitude but it doesn’t seem to have been shared by the commander of BEF. It seems that, just as the French and Belgians were making plans to counter-attack, General French (no relation) announced that the BEF would retreat to the coast prior to evacuation.
This didn’t go down well back home - one shudders to imagine how our allies would have taken it - so a couple of days ago (31 Aug) Kitchener showed up in full field-marshall uniform and had a private talk with French. After an hour’s polite conversation, French emerged to announce that there would be no retreat after all, but a joint counterattack with the French and Belgians.
In more positive news from the British forces, the first Indian troops to fight for the Empire outside India have arrived in Britain.
It’s no small thing - they come from all over the sub-continent; providing an adequate supply of acceptable meat (goat, chiefly) is a real logistical challenge. But it’s an inspiring sight: the Dogras, the Baluchis, Garhwalis, the Deccan Horse, the Secunderabad Cavalry, Pathans, Sikhs, Punjabis, the Jodhpur Lancers - all answering the call of Empire in its hour of need.
Certainly London Society has taken them to its heart:
Nitpick, outside the the Indian Governments area of responsibility in foreign affairs, which extends from the Suez to Japan, all of which Indian troops have served in. Four divisions have been sent, the Lahore and Meerut Divisions and two Cavalry Divisions have been sent. They cannot come soon enough, the Germans are at Paris’s door.
The Americans have found an enemy they can contend with - Mexico. The US forces are determined to remain in Vera Cruz until Mexico holds elections.
The French government has retreated to Bordeaux. Are they planning on abandoning Paris altogether?
Russia is claiming great victories in Galicia and before Konigsberg, but has there been any word from the Austrians and the Germans verifying those claims?
America might not be getting involved, but some Americans are. Rumor has it the J. P. Morgan Jr is trying to work financial dealings with both the French and British governments. Sectretary of State William Jennings Bryan isn’t too happy about it though.
French and British troops making final stand on River Marne before Paris. Fighting intense with heavy losses on both sides. Taxis and buses from Paris used to ferry reinforcements to the front! So far, the French and British are holding.
This is quite an interesting battle, really, and could decide how long the war is. Germany wants this Western war finished so they can concentrate on the Russian threat, so they need to squash this resistance. The French, obviously, want to push the Germans back so they can squeeze them between themselves and the Russians.
This is bizarre! The English are helping defend Paris? Against the Germans? Because some Servian man shot an Austrian Archduke?
I’m glad America is staying out of this. Politically at least, we will be sure to make a killing financially.
Fighting continues on the Marne north of Paris, with the French and British counterattacking northward near Chateau Thierry. Germans retreating in good order.
Meanwhile, further east in Lorraine, near Verdun and Nancy, the French 2nd ARmy are holding off other attacks from the German 6th Army. So far, the French are holding in Lorraine as well.
Mark my words, you will never see the day when a BEF evacuates while the enemy remains undefeated.
Anybody have a body count so far?
They used taxi cabs send men to the front. Talk about desperate. The Allies are doomed.
I mean just look at it.
The Germans have withdrawn from the Marne and Von Kluck’s First Army is stabilising on the Oise River to Verdun.
There are stories of a Russian counter attack at Masurian Lakes. Surely after Tannenburg this must be hopeful.
Also, from P.G. Wodehouse (written before the war):
“Surrey Doing Badly
German Army Lands in England
Surrey 147 for 8 A German Army landed in Essex this afternoon.
Loamshire Handicap. Spring Chicken 1, Salome 2, Yip I Iddy 3. Seven ran.”
Apparently some kind of gap opened up in the German lines and British forces threatened to turn their flanks. If the Brits and French can keep the pressure on the Germans, they may be able to push them all the way back. Surely the Kaiser will come to the negotiating table before this happens so that he can still bargain from a strong position. Surely, he’ll want to stabilize the situation in the west so that he can attend to the Russians. At the very least, any temporary cease fire would break the momentum of the allied counter attack. Otherwise, the Brits will be back in Belgium in a week or two.
With a BEF & French advance on the West and the Russians advancing on the East this could be about over. Where there at least any glorious cavalry charges?