100 Years Ago - Russia, Western Front

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/register/huge-mine-explosions-ldsl0fgd6

june 8, 1917

Huge mine explosions





Today we have dealt the Germans as hard a blow as we have ever struck them. On a front of 17,000 or 18,000 yards we have shattered all his long prepared defences, and the famous Messines Ridge is in our hands. One may regard this as a separate battle, to be called, perhaps, the Battle of Messines. Another one may regard it only as a legitimate development of and step in the Battle of Arras. In any case, it is a great victory.
It would have been difficult to believe that any bombardment could surpass in power and effect that which ushered in the Battle of the Somme a year ago or the Battle of Arras last April, but this morning’s did so. It was terrific beyond words. As we ceased, an almost perfect hush descended, in which one heard the fleeting notes of a distant nightingale. Then to our right the enemy began throwing large-calibre high explosives. Only the first two had passed shrieking overhead, however, when that began which blotted out sound and knowledge of everything else. How many mines went up at once I do not exactly know, but it was nearly a score. Many were made over a year ago, and since then had lain under German feet undiscovered. In all, I believe, over 600 tons of high explosives were fired simultaneously.
It was terrifying as a spectacle, and the earth shook like a house of cards. An officer of our party, worn out, had fallen asleep on the ground in spite of all the noise. He leaped to his feet muttering: “Earthquake, of course; earthquake!” Then, even before the echoes of the awful explosions died, and while the pillars of smoke still towered and grew, all our batteries awoke at once. It was all blinding shimmer and noise and stupefying splendour. Even while the riot and clamour was at its height, the first flush of dawn crept, rosy-red up the sky above Ypres. If ever dawn did indeed come up like thunder, it was this. Then came the greatest miracle of all, for with the rose flush in the sky the whole bird chorus of morning came to life. Never, surely, did birds sing so — blackbird and thrush, lark and black-cap, and willow warbler. Most of the time their voices, of course, were inaudible, but now and again, in the intervals of the shattering noise, their notes pealed up as if each were struck with frenzy and all together strove to shout down the guns.





https://www.thetimes.co.uk/past-six-days/2017-06-07/register/mr-jacob-epstein-and-the-army-70s7mckb2

june 7, 1917

Mr Jacob Epstein and the Army

Before the Law Society Appeal Tribunal yesterday Mr Jacob Epstein, sculptor, applied for exemption. He was represented by Mr Newbolt, KC. It was stated that the appellant was 36, married, with no children, and that he had been refused exemption by the local Tribunal on the ground that a sculptural artist only suffered temporary inconvenience by serving in the Army. Mr Newbold said that his client occupied an exceptional position in the art world, and some members of the Holborn Tribunal were in favour of total exemption. The Tribunal were anxious that he should cover himself by doing some work of national importance in his spare time, and the appellant had been searching about, but found that the classes of work suggested were not suited to his particular genius.
The third Tribunal the appellant came before thought he might “win fresh laurels in the trenches”. Mr Epstein was a sculptor who did all his own work, and had commissions of an exceptional kind. He was quite unlike anyone else in the country, and in regard to national memorials his work was extremely valuable. He hoped to get a commission to design the Kitchener Memorial at St Paul’s. The application for Mr Epstein’s exemption was brought by the authorities of the British Museum, the National Art Collection, the Wallace Collection, &c, on the ground that the question was one of national importance. If a sculptor lost an eye or a hand he would never afterwards be able to do work which no one else could do. The appellant was born in New York, his parents being Poles, and he had studied in Paris. When he settled in England he became naturalized here. In conclusion, counsel urged that it would be a great loss to the world if so great a genius were sent into the Army. The Military Representative said the question was whether or not it was a one-man business. It was decided to allow the appeal, on the ground of the “national interests”, and to grant exemption for three months, with leave to apply again. The Tribunal would give no undertaking to renew the exemption then, saying it would depend on the needs of the Army in the future.
The Chairman (addressing Mr Epstein): Would you like to join the Volunteer Training Corps?
Mr Epstein: I would not mind.
The Chairman: Then you shall.


https://www.thetimes.co.uk/past-six-days/2017-06-06/register/the-struggle-in-the-west-7ng6925jp

june 6, 1917

The struggle in the West

The conflict on the Western front fluctuates spasmodically, and of late the line has undergone few important changes. The attacks and counter-attacks south of Lens, and the rather heavy fighting just south of the Arras-Cambrai road, have not produced notable modifications in the situation. The Western Allies are beginning to feel more acutely the consequences of the paralysis of the Russian campaign, which for the time being enables the enemy to concentrate men and heavy guns in France and Flanders to an extent which could not have been foreseen when the Allies planned their spring operations. Meanwhile, it is noticeable that the area of greatest activity shows a tendency to shift northward. The Somme, the Scarpe, and the little River Souchez have each in turn been the chief centre of interest, but the Flanders front is becoming increasingly prominent in the bulletins. A violent artillery duel has been in progress both east and west of Ypres, though we hear of it chiefly in German statements, and it may have no special significance.
The remarkable development lies in the attacks being made from the air and sea upon German positions on and near the Belgian coast. Squadrons of British naval aeroplanes have repeatedly bombed Zeebrugge and Bruges harbours, and have also attacked the aerodromes in this region. Yesterday there was a heavy naval bombardment of the enemy’s base at Ostend, followed by a naval action, for our harassing forced a German flotilla of destroyers to put to sea. This was chased by Commodore Tyrwhitt, who pursued with his light cruisers and destroyers, which sank a German destroyer by gunfire. Air warfare in the West continually expands in scope, and the German attack on the Thames estuary last evening is a reminder that the enemy are still active in this form of invasion. We congratulate, by the way, the Director of Information on a marked improvement in the speed and frankness with which this latest incident has been communicated to the public. The first bulletin, written while the attack was in progress at 6.30, was in the newspaper offices within little more than an hour and it was followed with unusual promptitude by a reasonably full account of the localities attacked and the damage done.


https://www.thetimes.co.uk/past-six-days/2017-06-05/register/the-united-states-and-the-war-b0j2skfxk

june 5, 1917

The United States and the war

Today ten million citizens of the United States are summoned by their country to register as soldiers in the cause of freedom. The Germans have been working hard to prevent them from answering the call. Demonstrations against the law and its enforcement have been organized and financed, but the result has been to fill “real Americans”, who include many millions of German origin, with disgust at the disloyal movement. The Pan-German League laboured with all its strength against the very conception of international relationships which Americans most highly prize, and which is the ideal aim of President Wilson’s foreign policy. The Balfour Mission has helped to open the eyes of many Americans as to the true significance for mankind of a German victory or a German peace, but the Germans themselves have taught the lesson, and continue to teach it best.
Effective military help, it seems, may be expected earlier than was supposed. That will be a bitter disappointment to the Germans who have been assured that American aid could not reach the Allies until the conflict had been decided, just as they were again and again comforted by assurances that in no circumstances could a British conscript army be trained and equipped in time.
It is now probable, our Washington Correspondent tells us, that General Pershing’s Expeditionary Force will be promptly followed by from 100,000 to 120,000 men of the National Guard. They will be called up for Federal service next month, and as they correspond to our Territorials, and many of them have had the training of service on the Mexican border, they will be fit to sail within a relatively short period. An equal number, it is thought, may be dispatched in the winter, so that when the recruits from the first conscription of 500,000 are ready for the field next year they will come to supplement some 250,000 trained troops who have preceded them under the Stars and Stripes.
The presence of American soldiers at the front will undoubtedly quicken the spirit of all the Allies and further depress the enemy, while it will bring home to all citizens of the Republic with a new vividness their direct concern in the great struggle.


https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/the-king-and-his-brave-subjects-hc7wqbr7k

june 3, 1917

The King and his brave subjects

There has been little or no pageantry connected with this war. Battle pictures, parades, guard mountings are all studies in drab colours, and always the unimpressive khaki note predominates. Much ceremony has gone by the board. But on Saturday there was held one of the most impressive military functions of the last three years, when the King decorated over 300 of his sailor and soldier subjects and 50 relatives of men who have died after winning decorations for valour. Twelve nurses also received the Royal Red Cross.
The chief interest centred in a group of men and women in a block of chairs fronting the dais. It was a quaint gathering, for there were men of every class and from many walks in life. Men who, before the war, had had no thought beyond peaceful employment were gathered here to receive from their King decorations for acts of war which three years ago would have seemed impossible to them. There were men in khaki, men in mufti, men in the kilt, men in naval blue, and civilians, who were to receive their dead relatives’ medals. Near the back row were a dozen nurses, with their white folded kerchiefs fluttering in the breeze above their scarlet cloaks.
In the row behind the note of colour ceased, for all the men and women there wore black. They were mothers, fathers, brothers, widows, and sisters of men who are dead, but who need no printed roll of honour to keep their memory bright. Mr George Cates, father of Second Lieutenant George Cates, VC, late Rifle Brigade, received his son’s decoration. Lieutenant Cates put his foot on a bomb which was about to burst. He gave his own life, but he saved the lives of his comrades. A Scottish mother, Mrs Elizabeth Erskine, took her son’s Victoria Cross from the hands of the King with the sure knowledge that it was well won when Sergeant John Erskine shielded they body of his officer with his own and brought him into safety. It was a widow next, Mrs Lilian Mottershead, whose husband, Sergeant Thomas Mottershead, VC, RFC, died of burns after bringing back his blazing aeroplane and saving the life of his observer.
The line of women in black filed slowly up before his Majesty, and each came away with the medal and many memories.


https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/713-planes-down-in-the-west-vb2lwkmgw

June 2, 1917

713 planes down in the west

Seven hundred and thirteen aeroplanes were brought down on the Western battle front during May, only four less than in April, when the struggle for superiority in the air reached its maximum intensity. In this period the Germans lost 442 machines and the Allies, according to the claims of the enemy, 271. It is impossible to resist the conclusion that the air reports of German Main Headquarters are, like their military communiques, exaggerated, even when they are not quite false. Our General Headquarters in France, the only one of the belligerents which acknowledges its own losses, admits that, during May, 86 British aeroplanes failed to return to their base. Deducting this figure from the German total, it would mean, if it is accurate and does not include, as the enemy’s summary frequently does, machines brought down on the Eastern and Balkan fronts, that the French Air Service has lost 185 aeroplanes, or nearly twice as many as their comrades in the Royal Flying Corps. But taking the figures as they are, they show that the Germans lost 73 more machines Iast month than in April, that our losses were 61 fewer, and that those of the French were 16 more.
The British successes were classified in the daily reports as follows: Destroyed, 19; crashed, two; brought down (which, as in the case of the French, means destroyed), 91; fell, in our lines, nine; brought down by anti-aircraft guns, nine; driven down out of control, 113.
The most interesting item concerning the German Air Service is the complete disappearance from the official reports of Cavalry Captain Baron von Richthofen. This airman was the commander of a squadron which is known at the front as Richthofen’s “Circus”, and he and it have been credited with quite dazzling performances. Richthofen was sprung upon the public on February 15 as the victor in 21 air fights, and between that date and April 30 (on which day he is said to have brought down five enemy machines) he was reported to have accounted for 31 other aeroplanes. Since April 30, however, his name has not appeared once in the German reports. But the name of another Richthofen — a lieutenant — has figured in the reports since May 7, and it is claimed for him that he has brought down 24 machines.