Łukasz Skowroń
Author
(1516)1915
January
- 08
- Turks take TabrizOn 8 January 1915 Kurdish and Turkish units entered Tabriz, abandoned by the Russians. The occupation of the capital of Persian Azerbaijan lasted three weeks.
- Battle of Kara Urgan beginsIn early January 1915 the Ottoman XI Corps attacked the Russians at Kara Urgan, on the road from Erzurum to Sarikamish. Then Enver Pasha left the front.
- Rubber agreementOn 8 January 1915 London agreed to ship rubber to the USA in return for guarantees from American factories that neither it nor its products would reach Germany.
- 14
- End of the Battle of SoissonsOn 14 January 1915 the French, driven off the heights at Crouy by a German counter-attack, fell back across the flooded Aisne, losing over 5,000 prisoners.
- Capture of SwakopmundIn mid-January 1915 Union of South Africa forces took Swakopmund, the main port of German South West Africa, without a fight.
- 24
- Murray leaves the BEF staffOn 24 January 1915 John French sent the BEF chief of staff, General Archibald Murray, on sick leave. The next day he demanded his resignation.
- British offer to GreeceOn 24 January 1915 London promised Greece gains in Asia Minor in return for helping Serbia. Venizelos at once proposed to the King ceding Kavala to Bulgaria.
- 25
- Robertson becomes chief of staff of the BEFOn 25 January 1915 General William Robertson became Chief of the General Staff of the BEF. The government blocked Henry Wilson, French's favourite.
- Pimenta de Castro becomes prime minister of PortugalOn 25 January 1915, after an officers' protest, President Arriaga gave the Portuguese government to General Pimenta de Castro, who ruled without parliament.
- 28
- Final decision to attack the DardanellesOn 28 January 1915 the British War Council finally approved a naval attack on the Dardanelles. Admiral Fisher tried to walk out but gave way.
- Sinking of the sailing ship William P. FryeOn 28 January 1915 the German auxiliary cruiser Prinz Eitel Friedrich sank the American barque William P. Frye, the first US ship lost in this war.
- 29
- U-21 shells Walney IslandOn 29 January 1915 the German submarine U-21 shelled Walney Island near Barrow-in-Furness. It was the first U-boat foray into the Irish Sea.
- Greece refuses to help SerbiaAccording to the British chronology, on 29 January 1915 Greece refused to intervene for Serbia. Without Romania, the king and the staff saw war as too risky.
- 30
- Russians retake TabrizOn 30 January 1915 General Chernozubov's troops, after fighting at Sufian, entered Tabriz again. The Turkish and Kurdish occupation had lasted three weeks.
- Admiralty advises neutral flagsAt the end of January 1915 the Admiralty advised British ships to fly neutral flags, or no flag at all, in the waters around the British Isles.
February
- 03
- Fighting begins on the Suez CanalBefore dawn on 3 February 1915 the Turks tried to cross the Suez Canal on pontoons near Tussum. Indians, Egyptians and warships beat off the attack.
- German loan for BulgariaAccording to the British chronology, on 3 February 1915 Bulgaria negotiated £3 million in Germany. Athens and the Entente capitals took it as a bad sign.
- 04
- Winter Battle of Masuria beginsThe British chronology dates the start of the Winter Battle of Masuria to 4 February 1915. The Germans were still massing; the attack began on 7 February.
- Germany declares a war zone around the British IslesOn 4 February 1915 Germany declared the waters around the British Isles a war zone. From 18 February U-boats were to destroy enemy merchant ships there.
- 15
- Entente urges Greece to help SerbiaOn 15 February 1915 the British and French ministers urged Greece to help Serbia, promising divisions at Salonika. Venizelos refused at once.
- Mutiny in SingaporeOn 15 February 1915 part of the Indian 5th Light Infantry mutinied in Singapore. More than 30 soldiers and civilians were killed before it was put down.
- 16
- A British division for the DardanellesOn 16 February 1915 British ministers chose to send the 29th Division to Lemnos to support the fleet at the Dardanelles. Three days later Kitchener backed out.
- Trading with the enemy ban extendedOn 16 February 1915 a proclamation by George V extended the trading with the enemy ban to German-occupied lands and treated captured colonies as Allied soil.
- 19
- Austrians take StanisławówThe British chronicle records the Austrian capture of Stanisławów on 19 February 1915. Other sources say they entered a day later and held it for two weeks.
- Torpedoing of the tanker BelridgeOn 19 February 1915 a German submarine torpedoed the Norwegian tanker Belridge in the Strait of Dover. The damaged ship managed to reach port.
- 20
- Australians and New Zealanders for the DardanellesOn 20 February 1915 Kitchener ordered General Birdwood's 30,000 or so Australians and New Zealanders to prepare for operations at the Dardanelles.
- New Persian foreign ministerAccording to a British chronology, on 20 February 1915 Mo'aven od-Dowleh replaced Ala al-Saltaneh as Persian foreign minister. Persia barely kept neutral.
- 22
- End of the Second Battle of the Masurian LakesOn 22 February 1915 the Germans declared the winter battle in Masuria over. The Russian 10th Army left East Prussia, but most of its corps escaped.
- Northern Force advances on WindhoekIn late February 1915 Botha's troops moved out of Swakopmund up the Swakop valley. The march across the Namib on the colonial capital, Windhoek, began.
- Bread cards in GermanyOn 22 February 1915 Berliners received their first bread cards, 2 kilograms a week per person. Cut off by the blockade, Germany began rationing food.
- 27
- End of the battle of PrzasnyszOn 27 February 1915 Russian Siberian corps retook Przasnysz, captured by the Germans three days earlier. Gallwitz ordered a retreat towards the border.
- French seize the DaciaOn 27 February 1915 the French auxiliary cruiser Europe stopped the American steamer Dacia with cotton at the mouth of the Channel and took her to Brest.
March
- 01
- Austrians bombard AntivariOn the night of 1–2 March 1915 Austro-Hungarian warships raided Antivari. They wrecked the pier and food stores and sank the King of Montenegro's yacht.
- Anglo-French declaration against German tradeOn 1 March 1915 London and Paris, in reprisal for the German war zone, announced they would stop ships carrying goods to or from Germany.
- 04
- France sends a corps to the DardanellesIn early March 1915 General d'Amade's Orient Expeditionary Corps, a French division for the Dardanelles, sailed from ports in France and North Africa.
- Russia demands ConstantinopleOn 4 March 1915 Sergey Sazonov asked Britain and France to agree that Constantinople and the Straits would be annexed to Russia after the war.
- 17
- France lays claim to Syria and CiliciaIn mid-March 1915 France demanded Syria and Cilicia for itself after the war. It was the price of its consent to Russian rule over Constantinople.
- Hamilton takes command at the DardanellesOn 17 March 1915 General Ian Hamilton reached Tenedos and conferred with Admiral de Robeck. The fleet still wanted to try to force the Straits on its own.
- End of the First Battle of ChampagneOn 17 March 1915 the French broke off their offensive in Champagne. After three months of fighting they had gained a strip 2–3 km deep, losing over 90,000 men.
- 18
- Fleet attack in the Dardanelles repulsedOn 18 March 1915 the Allies attacked the forts at the Dardanelles Narrows. Bouvet, Irresistible and Ocean sank on Turkish mines and the fleet withdrew.
- Russians take MemelOn 18 March 1915 Russian militia units entered Memel from Courland. They took hostages and plundered the town and the surrounding villages.
- 20
- Skirmish at JakalswaterOn 20 March 1915 Botha's troops attacked the Germans at Riet, Pforte and Jakalswater. They took key wells on the edge of the Namib and over 200 prisoners.
- Britain promises Lemnos to GreeceOn 20 March 1915 London guaranteed that after the war Turkey would cede to Greece the island of Lemnos, where the Allies had set up their Dardanelles base.
- 25
- Liman von Sanders takes command at the DardanellesAt the end of March 1915 Enver Pasha gave General Otto Liman von Sanders the new 5th Army, tasked with defending the Dardanelles and the Gallipoli peninsula.
- Sinking of the Dutch steamer MedeaOn 25 March 1915 the German U-28 stopped the Dutch steamer Medea, carrying oranges for London, in the Channel, searched her and sank her by gunfire.
April
- 03
- Municipal self-government law for the Kingdom of PolandIn spring 1915 Tsar Nicholas II approved a law giving the towns of the Kingdom of Poland elected councils. The Russians never managed to put it into effect.
- Completion of the barrage in the Strait of DoverIn early April 1915 the barrage of mines and nets in the Strait of Dover came into full operation. The Germans soon forbade their U-boats this route.
- 12
- First advance on JaundeIn April 1915 Col. Mayer's columns set out from Edea towards Jaunde, the capital of German Kamerun. On 14 April they fought their way across the Kele river.
- Paris agrees to a Russian ConstantinopleIn April 1915 France was the last to agree that Russia should receive Constantinople and the Straits after the war, on condition that its own plans were met.
- 14
- Germany accuses the French of using gasOn 14 April 1915 a German communiqué accused the French of using bombs with "asphyxiating" gas near Verdun. There were more such accusations in those days.
- End of the battle of ShaibaOn 14 April 1915 British and Indian troops took the Turkish trenches by Barjisiyah wood. The Turks fled Basra and their commander Süleyman Askerî shot himself.
- Greece rejects the Smyrna offerOn 14 April 1915 Greece answered the Smyrna offer with conditions. It would fight Turkey if the Entente guaranteed its borders. The Entente refused.
- Japan reveals German peace feelersAccording to the British chronology, on 14 April 1915 Japan informed London of German attempts to persuade it to make a separate peace.
- 17
- Allies advance on GaruaIn April 1915 Col. Cunliffe brought reinforcements and a naval gun to Garua. The Allies began to tighten the ring around the German fortress in Kamerun.
- Skirmish at Hafiz KorIn mid-April 1915 Mohmand tribesmen invaded British Indian territory near Shabkadar. Troops from Peshawar drove them back at Hafiz Kor.
- 25
- Key eventAllies land at GallipoliOn 25 April 1915 British, Australian, New Zealand and French troops landed at the Dardanelles. The Turks put up fierce resistance.
- Russians bombard the Bosporus againOn 25 April 1915, the day of the Gallipoli landings, the Russian Black Sea Fleet shelled the Bosporus forts to tie down Turkish forces near Constantinople.
- 26
- Italy signs the Treaty of LondonOn 26 April 1915 Italy signed a secret pact with the Entente in London. In return for lands on the Adriatic it pledged to enter the war within a month.
- Internment of the Kronprinz WilhelmOn 26 April 1915 the German auxiliary cruiser Kronprinz Wilhelm, the last Kaiserliche Marine raider then at large on the oceans, was interned at Newport News.
- Sinking of the cruiser Léon GambettaDuring the night of 26–27 April 1915 the Austro-Hungarian submarine U-5 sank the French cruiser Léon Gambetta at the mouth of the Adriatic. 684 men died.
- Fall of the Moshir od-Dowleh governmentAccording to the British chronology, on 26 April 1915 Persian premier Moshir od-Dowleh and foreign minister Mo'aven od-Dowleh resigned under Entente pressure.
May
- 01
- Key eventStart of the Battle of GorliceOn 1 May 1915 German and Austro-Hungarian guns began shelling the Russians at Gorlice, and on 2 May Mackensen's army attacked and broke through the front.
- Battle of DilmanOn 1 May 1915 at Dilman in Persian Azerbaijan, Russians and Armenian volunteers under Nazarbekian repulsed Halil Bey's corps. The Turks withdrew at night.
- 07
- Germans occupy LibauOn 7 May 1915, supported by the fleet, the Germans entered Libau, a naval port in Courland. The Russian garrison withdrew, blowing up forts and depots.
- Grey promises Serbia Bosnia and HerzegovinaAccording to the British chronology, on 7 May 1915 Sir Edward Grey assured Serbia's envoy that after victory Serbia would get Bosnia-Herzegovina and the sea.
- 08
- Key eventBattle of Frezenberg Ridge beginsOn 8 May 1915, after a hurricane bombardment, the Germans broke the British front on Frezenberg Ridge near Ypres. The last reserves closed the gap at night.
- End of the Second Battle of KrithiaOn 8 May 1915 New Zealanders, Australians and French renewed the attack on Krithia. Thousands of killed and wounded bought gains measured in hundreds of metres.
- Battle of Sanok and Rzeszów beginsOn 8 May 1915 the Russians, driven from the Wisłoka, tried to halt the Central Powers' pursuit on the Wisłok. They were to die in their positions, not retreat.
- 09
- Key eventBritish attack Aubers RidgeOn 9 May 1915 the British First Army attacked Aubers Ridge to support the French in Artois. Machine-gun fire stopped the attack in no man's land.
- Key eventSecond Battle of Artois beginsOn 9 May 1915 the French Tenth Army attacked near Arras. Pétain's corps reached Vimy Ridge in two hours, but without reserves it could not hold it.
- First New Army division crosses to FranceOn 9–12 May 1915 the 9th (Scottish) Division crossed to France, the first division of Kitchener's volunteer New Armies to reach the front.
- 13
- Battle of Frezenberg Ridge endsOn 13 May 1915 the Germans made their last attack at Ypres in the Battle of Frezenberg Ridge. Dismounted cavalry and British infantry held the front.
- Sinking of the battleship GoliathOn the night of 12/13 May 1915 the Turkish destroyer Muavenet-i Milliye crept into the Dardanelles and torpedoed the British battleship Goliath. About 570 died.
- 14
- Last meeting of the War CouncilOn 14 May 1915 the British War Council discussed the deadlock at Gallipoli. Kitchener blamed the navy and Fisher snapped. It was the council's last meeting.
- End of the battle of Sanok and RzeszówIn mid-May 1915 the Russians withdrew from western Galicia behind the San. The Central Powers took Sanok and Rzeszów and 130,000–140,000 prisoners.
- 24
- Fighting to retake Przemyśl beginsOn 24 May 1915 Mackensen's army struck at Radymno to cut Przemyśl off from the east. The Russians lost Radymno and thousands of men as prisoners.
- Battle of the Stryj beginsOn 24 May 1915 the South Army began shelling Russian positions before Stryj. Linsingen massed his forces for one blow, but the infantry stuck in the wire.
- Italians cross the Austrian borderOn 24 May 1915 Italian troops crossed the border of Austria-Hungary along almost its whole length. The Austrians fell back behind the Soča, blowing up bridges.
- Germany breaks off relations with ItalyOn 24 May 1915 Germany broke off diplomatic relations with Italy, which had declared war on Austria-Hungary. Yet Berlin and Rome did not go to war.
- Russians retake UrmiaOn 24 May 1915 the Russians returned to Urmia, left a few days earlier by the Turks and Kurds. An occupation tragic for the Christians was over.
- Allied declaration on the Armenian massacresOn 24 May 1915 France, Britain and Russia called the massacres of Armenians crimes "against humanity" and threatened Ottoman ministers with punishment.
- 25
- Sinking of the battleship TriumphOn 25 May 1915 Otto Hersing's German U-21 torpedoed the British battleship Triumph off Gaba Tepe. She sank before the eyes of the ANZAC troops.
- Italian fleet begins operations in the AdriaticOn 25 May 1915 Italian sailors took the Austrian post at Porto Buso. The day before, the Austro-Hungarian fleet had shelled Ancona and the Italian coast.
- Asquith's coalition governmentOn 25 May 1915 Herbert Asquith formed a government with the Conservatives and Labour. Purely Liberal rule ended; Lloyd George took the Ministry of Munitions.
- 26
- Italy declares a blockade of the Austro-Hungarian coastOn 26 May 1915 Italy declared a blockade of the whole Austro-Hungarian coast and of neutral Albania. Neutral ships were given time to leave the zone.
- British squadron assembles at MaltaFour British battleships withdrawn from the Dardanelles assembled at Malta. On 26 May 1915 Rear-Admiral Cecil Thursby led them out to Italy.
- 27
- British squadron joins the Italian fleetOn 27 May 1915 Rear-Admiral Thursby's four British battleships entered Taranto and joined the Italian fleet. The light cruisers were sent to Brindisi.
- Sinking of the battleship MajesticOn the morning of 27 May 1915 U-21 torpedoed the British battleship Majestic off Cape Helles. It was the second battleship Hersing had sunk in three days.
- Churchill leaves the AdmiraltyAt the end of May 1915 Winston Churchill ceased to be First Lord of the Admiralty. Blamed for the Dardanelles, he became Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster.
- Explosion of the minelayer Princess IreneOn 27 May 1915 the minelayer Princess Irene blew up on the Medway off Sheerness. About 350 people died, including several dozen dockyard workers.
- 28
- Arthur Balfour becomes First Lord of the AdmiraltyIn late May 1915 the former prime minister Arthur Balfour replaced Churchill at the Admiralty. He was the only Conservative with real influence on the war.
- Henry Jackson becomes First Sea LordAt the end of May 1915 Admiral Henry Jackson, a wireless pioneer and planner of overseas expeditions, succeeded Fisher as professional head of the Royal Navy.
June
- 03
- The Central Powers retake PrzemyślEarly on 3 June 1915 German and Austro-Hungarian troops entered Przemyśl, abandoned by the Russians. Russian rule in the town had lasted 73 days.
- British take AmaraOn 3 June 1915 a few British launches carrying Townshend sailed up the Tigris to Amara. Over a thousand Turkish soldiers surrendered to a handful of sailors.
- First Allied conference on economic warfareOn 3 June 1915 delegates of France, Britain, Russia and Italy met in Paris to agree jointly on the struggle against contraband flowing to Germany.
- End of the battles of Stryi and DrohobyczBy 3 June 1915 the Russians had fallen back from Stryi and Drohobycz to the Dniester. The oil basin was free, but they still held a bridgehead on the river.
- 07
- Kyakhta agreementOn 7 June 1915 Russia, China and Mongolia signed an agreement at Kyakhta. Outer Mongolia was granted autonomy but had to recognise Chinese suzerainty.
- First meeting of the Dardanelles CommitteeOn 7 June 1915 the Dardanelles Committee met for the first time. Kitchener persuaded it to send Hamilton three New Army divisions and new warships.
- 11
- End of the Battle of PrzemyślA British chronology ends the Battle of Przemyśl on 11 June 1915. After the fortress fell, the front halted at Mościska and Mackensen prepared to hit Lviv.
- End of the Battle of the StryiOn 11 June 1915 the South Army, earlier pushed back over the Dniester, attacked again near Żydaczów. The British chronology ends the Stryi battle that day.
- 27
- British advance up the EuphratesOn 27 June 1915 Gen. Gorringe's flotilla and brigade crossed the Hammar Lake and set off up the Euphrates towards Nasiriyah. The first obstacle was a dam.
- Battle of the Gniła Lipa beginsOn 27 June 1915, after several days of fighting at Bóbrka and Bukaczowce, the Russians fell back to the Gniła Lipa. The Austrians took Halicz unopposed.
July
- 02
- End of the fighting for Gully RavineOn 2 July 1915 the Turks attacked across open ground to retake lost trenches above Gully Ravine at Helles. British batteries and a destroyer broke the attack.
- Naval battle off GotlandOn 2 July 1915 Russian cruisers forced the German minelayer Albatross to run aground on Gotland. Off Rozewie the E9 torpedoed the Prinz Adalbert.
- 04
- Turks capture LahejOn 4 July 1915 Ottoman troops from Yemen broke into Lahej near Aden. An exhausted British column fell back, and the Sultan was mortally wounded.
- Serbs in central AlbaniaThe British chronology records the Serbian capture of Durrës on 4 July 1915. In reality they held Tirana and Elbasan, but did not enter Esad's city.
- 13
- Central Powers' great offensive in the east beginsOn 13 July 1915 the Germans struck from East Prussia towards the Narew. An offensive began that was to drive the Russians out of the Kingdom of Poland.
- Battle of the Narew and Biebrza beginsOn 13 July 1915 Gallwitz's and Scholtz's armies attacked the Russian front between the Vistula and Biebrza, aiming at the Narew crossings and Warsaw's rear.
- 14
- Sharif of Mecca opens talks with the BritishOn 14 July 1915 a letter was sent from Mecca to Cairo in which Sharif Hussein demanded recognition of Arab independence. So began the McMahon correspondence.
- Start of the battle of ŠiauliaiOn 14 July 1915 the German Niemen Army crossed the Venta in Courland and attacked the Russian 5th Army. An offensive began on the northern wing of the front.
- 19
- End of the second battle of KraśnikOn the night of 18–19 July 1915 the Russians abandoned their positions at Kraśnik and Urzędów and fell back closer to Lublin. As they left, they burned Urzędów.
- Battles of Hrubieszów and Wojsławice beginOn 19 July 1915 the Russians fell back to a new line running west from Hrubieszów. The Army of the Bug followed them and stopped before more trenches.
- 25
- British capture NasiriyahOn 25 July 1915 General Gorringe's troops entered Nasiriyah, abandoned by the Turks at night after a lost battle. The whole Basra vilayet was in British hands.
- Britain promises Mytilene to GreeceAccording to the British chronology, on 25 July 1915 London assured Greece that after the war Turkey would give up Lesbos, where the British had a base.
- 29
- Entente warns MontenegroAt the end of July 1915 the Entente ministers in Cetinje declared that their governments did not recognise Montenegro's occupation of Scutari and north Albania.
- Battle of Biskupice beginsOn 29 July 1915 the German 11th Army broke the Russian front at Biskupice and reached the Lublin–Chełm railway at Trawniki. The Russians began to retreat.
- 30
- Battles of Hrubieszów and Wojsławice endOn 30 July 1915 the Russian 13th Army began to retreat from Hrubieszów. After twelve days of fighting the Bug Army reached Strzelce and Leszczany.
- End of the Battle of BiskupiceOn 30 July 1915, after their defeat at Biskupice, the Russians fell back all along the front between the Vistula and the Bug. The Austro-Hungarians took Lublin.
- Start of the Battle of KupiškisOn 30 July 1915 the Russian 5th Army struck at Kupiškis in Lithuania, into the gap between Niemen Army cavalry corps due to set off for Vilna and Dvinsk.
August
- 05
- Key eventGermans occupy WarsawOn 5 August 1915 troops of the German Ninth Army entered Warsaw, abandoned by the Russians overnight. Russian rule, in place since 1815, came to an end.
- Central Powers take IvangorodOn 5 August 1915 Vienna announced the capture of Ivangorod. A day earlier the Austro-Hungarians had entered forts the Russians left on the Vistula's left bank.
- Prize court upholds the seizure of the DaciaOn 5 August 1915 the French Prize Council declared the seizure of the steamer Dacia valid. The change of flag from German to American had not saved the ship.
- 06
- Battle of Sari Bair beginsOn 6 August 1915 Australians took the Turkish trenches at Lone Pine, and after dark columns from Anzac set off up the gullies towards the Sari Bair heights.
- Bulgaria takes out a loan from German banksOn 6 August 1915 the Bulgarian finance minister announced that a German-Austrian consortium was taking up the first part of the 1914 loan and making an advance.
- 08
- British occupy BushehrOn 8 August 1915 the British occupied the Persian port of Bushehr and took over its administration, in reply to the July Tangestani attack on the Residency.
- Sinking of the battleship Barbaros HayreddinOn 8 August 1915 the British submarine E11 torpedoed the Turkish battleship Barbaros Hayreddin in the Sea of Marmara, off Bulair. About 250 men died.
- Start of the German attack on the Gulf of RigaOn 8 August 1915 German minesweepers began sweeping mines in the Irbe Strait. They lost two ships, and in the afternoon Admiral Schmidt broke off the attack.
- 10
- End of the Battle of Sari BairAt dawn on 10 August 1915 the Turks under Mustafa Kemal retook Chunuk Bair and drove the British off the Sari Bair ridge. The Anzac offensive was over.
- End of the Second Battle of the IsonzoThe Austro-Hungarian official history ends the Second Battle of the Isonzo on 10 August 1915. After Italy's 3 August order, the Karst fighting went on a week.
- 15
- Entente offers Serbia territorial gainsOn 15 August 1915 the envoys of Russia, Britain and France promised Serbia Bosnia, Syrmia, Bačka and part of Dalmatia in return for concessions in Macedonia.
- National Registration DayOn Sunday 15 August 1915 Britons aged 15–65 filled in national register forms. About 29 million of them were distributed.
- 19
- E1 torpedoes the battlecruiser MoltkeOn 19 August 1915 the British submarine E1 torpedoed the German battlecruiser Moltke in the Baltic. The ship did not sink, but was out of service for a month.
- Attack on the submarine E13On 19 August 1915 German torpedo boats shelled the British submarine E13, aground in Danish waters in the Sound. Fifteen British sailors were killed.
- 21
- Key eventItaly declares war on TurkeyOn 20 August 1915 the Italian ambassador handed the grand vizier a declaration of war. From 21 August Italy was at war with the Ottoman Empire.
- End of the German attack on the Gulf of RigaOn 21 August 1915 German ships left the Irbe Strait. They had broken into the Gulf of Riga but neither destroyed the battleship Slava nor mined Moon Sound.
- 22
- Venizelos becomes Prime Minister of Greece againOn 22 August 1915, over two months after winning the election, Eleftherios Venizelos was sworn in before King Constantine I and again headed the government.
- The POW after the Germans enter WarsawOn 22 August 1915 the POW's Warsaw Battalion, 330 volunteers, left to join the 1st Brigade. Piłsudski stopped further enlistment and kept the POW underground.
September
- 05
- Key eventNicholas II takes supreme commandOn 5 September 1915 Nicholas II arrived at the Stavka in Mogilev and took command of the army. Grand Duke Nicholas left; Alekseyev became chief of staff.
- Second skirmish at Hafiz KorOn 5 September 1915 British and Indian troops routed thousands of Mohmands at Shabkadar and Hafiz Kor. It was the largest battle on the frontier since 1897.
- 09
- Start of the Battle of DvinskOn 9 September 1915 the right wing of the German Niemen Army set off for Dvinsk, to reach the Dvina and cover the attack on Vilna from the north.
- Start of the Battle of VilnaOn 9 September 1915 the German 10th Army struck north of Vilna, into the gap between two Russian armies. General Garnier's cavalry pushed into the breach.
- Renewed attack on BushehrOn 9 September 1915 several hundred Tangistanis attacked the British lines at Bushehr. They were repulsed after hours of fighting that saw a cavalry charge.
- 16
- Germans take PinskIn mid-September 1915 the German Army of the Bug took Pinsk in Polesia. The Russians fell back behind the Yaselda and the Ogiński Canal into the Pripet marshes.
- Battle of Tarnopol endsOn 16 September 1915 Ivanov ended his counter-offensive and pulled back to the Seret. The Russians had halted the Austro-Hungarian offensive in East Galicia.
- 23
- Greece announces mobilisationOn 23 September 1915 King Constantine I signed the decree mobilising the Greek army. Venizelos was preparing for war; the King wanted armed neutrality.
- Agreement with the Netherlands Overseas TrustOn 23 September 1915 London and the Netherlands Overseas Trust agreed import limits on fodder, fats, oils and wool. The Netherlands was put on British rations.
- 25
- Key eventBattle of Loos beginsOn 25 September 1915 the British attacked at Loos behind chlorine gas, taking the village, Hill 70 and the Hohenzollern Redoubt, but reserves were too far back.
- James Wolfe Murray dismissedOn 25 September 1915 Gen. James Wolfe Murray ceased to be Chief of the Imperial General Staff. For almost a year he had remained in Kitchener's shadow.
- 28
- British win at KutOn 28 September 1915 Townshend's division skirted the marshes by night and took the Turkish redoubts at Es Sinn. That night the Turks fell back up the Tigris.
- Subsidy for PersiaOn 28 September 1915 Britain and Russia agreed to Persia's request for a monthly subsidy. The money was to keep the Tehran government on the Entente side.
October
- 02
- End of the battle of VilnaOn 2 October 1915 the front east of Vilna settled between Lakes Drysviaty and Naroch and Smorgon. The German attempt to outflank the Russians had failed.
- Venizelos asks for an Allied landing at SalonikaOn 2 October 1915 Venizelos asked France and Britain to send troops to Salonika at once. A day earlier he had ordered the ships bound there to turn back.
- 05
- Key eventEntente landing at SalonikaOn 5 October 1915 the French 156th Division and British 10th Division began landing at Salonika to save Serbia, but that day Venizelos's government fell.
- Venizelos resigns againOn 5 October 1915 King Constantine I refused to back Venizelos's policy, although Parliament had given him a vote of confidence. The premier resigned again.
- 07
- Crossing of the Sava and the DanubeOn 7 October 1915 the Germans and Austrians crossed the Sava and the Danube at several points from Progar to Ram. The Serbs failed to throw them back.
- British occupy BirjandOn 7 October 1915 Indian troops of the East Persia Cordon reached Birjand, where their sector met the Russian one. Lt-Col. Dale set up his headquarters there.
- 09
- Third skirmish at Hafiz KorIn early October 1915 troops from Peshawar again routed the Mohmands at Hafiz Kor. Armoured cars were used in combat in India for the first time.
- Hunger in Warsaw and ŁódźOn 9 October 1915 the German police president in Warsaw issued rules on cards for bread and flour. Warsaw and Łódź had been living in want for months.
- 11
- Fighting between Bulgaria and Serbia beginsOn 11 October 1915 the first shots were fired on the Bulgarian-Serbian frontier. Bulgaria had not yet declared war, but its armies were ready to attack.
- Capture of SmederevoOn 11 October 1915 the German 25th Reserve Division took Smederevo on the Danube. The British chronology credits the Austrians, but the Germans took the town.
- 13
- First clashes between the French and the BulgariansIn mid-October 1915 the French moved from Salonika up the Vardar into Serbia. They first fought the Bulgarians on 21 October near Strumica station.
- Kikujirō Ishii becomes foreign ministerOn 13 October 1915 Kikujirō Ishii, ambassador in Paris, became Japan's foreign minister. A supporter of closer ties with the Entente, he took over from Ōkuma.
- 15
- Romania refuses to help SerbiaAccording to the British chronology, on 15 October 1915 Romania refused to help Serbia. Brătianu would not fight without a large Entente army in the Balkans.
- Bulgarians take VranjeIn mid-October 1915 the Bulgarian Second Army reached Vranje on the South Morava and cut the Niš–Salonika railway, Serbia's main route to the Allies.
- Charles Monro to succeed HamiltonOn 15 October 1915 Kitchener informed General Ian Hamilton that the government was recalling him from Gallipoli. His successor was to be General Charles Monro.
- 16
- Britain offers Cyprus to GreeceOn 16 October 1915 London offered to cede Cyprus to Greece. The only condition was that the Greek army be sent at once to help Serbia.
- Blockade of Bulgaria's Aegean coastAt 6 a.m. on 16 October 1915 the Entente fleet began a blockade of Bulgaria's Aegean coast. Neutral ships were given 48 hours to leave.
- 21
- Bombardment of DedeagachOn 21 October 1915 British, French and Russian ships shelled the Bulgarian port of Dedeagach and the coast to Porto Lagos, wrecking barracks and rolling stock.
- Bulgarians take VelesAround 20 October 1915 Bulgarian cavalry took Veles on the Vardar. The Salonika–Skopje railway was cut and the Serbs were cut off from the French.
- 22
- Bulgarians take Kumanovo and SkopjeOn 22 October 1915 the Bulgarian 3rd Division entered Skopje, two days after taking Kumanovo. Serbia lost the most important road junction in its south.
- Austro-Hungarians take ŠabacThe British chronology records the capture of Šabac under 22 October 1915. Austro-Hungarian Landsturm had entered the town unopposed on 20 October.
- Legions capture KukleOn 22 October 1915 Rydz-Śmigły's legionaries took the village of Kukle in Volhynia, helping to close the gap a Russian attack had torn in the Styr front.
- 24
- Bulgarians take NegotinOn 24 October 1915 the Bulgarians took Negotin on the lower Timok. Two days later they met the Austrians on the Danube, opening the river route to Turkey.
- Fighting begins at KrivolakIn late October 1915 the French 57th Division reached Krivolak on the Vardar, 30 km from Veles. It met the Bulgarians there but never reached the Serbs.
- 28
- Bryan Mahon takes command of British forces in the BalkansOn 28 October 1915 Gen. Bryan Mahon became commander of the British forces in the Balkans. His Irishmen in Salonika were only preparing to move into Serbia.
- Charles Monro takes command at GallipoliOn 28 October 1915 General Charles Monro took command of the Gallipoli forces on Imbros. Three days later he advised London to evacuate the peninsula.
- 30
- Second clash at KrivolakAt the end of October 1915 the Bulgarians attacked the French bridgehead on the Kara Hodjali heights above the Vardar. After a grenade fight they were repulsed.
- Aristide Briand becomes prime minister of FranceOn 30 October 1915 France had a new government. Aristide Briand became prime minister and foreign minister and brought veteran politicians into his cabinet.
- Joseph Gallieni becomes minister of warOn 30 October 1915 General Joseph Gallieni, defender of Paris in 1914, became minister of war in Briand's government. He accepted the post very reluctantly.
- Last meeting of the Dardanelles CommitteeOn 30 October 1915 the Dardanelles Committee met for the last time. Under pressure from Joffre it agreed to support the French in Macedonia.
November
- 01
- Capture of KragujevacOn 1 November 1915 the Germans and Austrians entered Kragujevac. The Serbs left without a fight, having blown up the country's only arsenal the day before.
- End of the Battle of DvinskOn 1 November 1915 the German attack on Dvinsk petered out. The Russians kept the town and Dvina bridgeheads; the front froze there for over two years.
- 03
- Serbian government leaves KraljevoOn 3 November 1915, as Kragujevac fell, Pašić's government and the Supreme Command left Kraljevo for Raška. It had left Niš, the wartime capital, a week before.
- First meeting of the War CommitteeOn 3 November 1915 the British government's new War Committee met. It did not decide on evacuating Gallipoli and sent Kitchener to the Dardanelles.
- 05
- Bulgarians take NišOn 5 November 1915 the Bulgarian First Army entered Niš, Serbia's wartime capital. The Central Powers won the railway to Sofia and Constantinople.
- Battle of Kačanik beginsIn early November 1915 the Bulgarians advanced through the Kačanik gorge towards the Field of Kosovo to cut the Serbs' last road south. The Serbs resisted.
- 10
- Start of the Fourth Battle of the IsonzoOn 10 November 1915, after a short, concentrated bombardment, the Italians again attacked Gorizia and Monte San Michele. By evening almost all were repulsed.
- Indian Corps leaves FranceOn 10 November 1915 the Indian Corps was finally relieved on the front in France. Its two infantry divisions set off via Marseilles for Mesopotamia.
- Requisitioning of ships to carry foodOn 10 November 1915 the Board of Trade was empowered to direct ships to carry grain. A committee for the carriage of foodstuffs was to increase wheat supplies.
- Legions capture Polish HillOn 10 November 1915 the Second Brigade and Austro-Hungarian troops took the Russian positions at Kostiuchnówka. The Germans named the hill Polish Hill.
- 17
- Anglo-French conference in ParisOn 17 November 1915 British and French ministers in Paris discussed Greece and Salonika, rejected Kitchener's plan and agreed to a joint war council.
- Sinking of the hospital ship AngliaOn 17 November 1915 the hospital ship Anglia, carrying wounded from France, struck a mine laid by UC-5 off Folkestone. Between about 130 and over 160 died.
- 22
- Battle of Ctesiphon beginsOn 22 November 1915 Townshend's division took the first Turkish trench line at Ctesiphon, but a counter-attack stopped it before the second. Losses were huge.
- Smith-Dorrien appointed to command in East AfricaOn 22 November 1915 London chose Gen. Horace Smith-Dorrien to lead the expedition against German East Africa. Illness prevented him from taking up the post.
- 23
- Capture of Mitrovica and PristinaOn 23 November 1915 Germans entered Pristina and Austro-Hungarians Mitrovica. Trapped on the Field of Kosovo, the Serbs began retreating to the Adriatic.
- British abandon SollumOn 23 November 1915 the Egyptian garrison left Sollum and sailed to Mersa Matruh, where the Western Frontier Force was gathering to fight the Senussi order.
- Entente note to GreeceOn 23 November 1915 four Entente envoys demanded assurance that Greece would not disarm their troops. They promised to return seized land and pay damages.
- 24
- Greece accepts the Entente demandsOn 24 November 1915 Skouloudis's government replied to the Entente note. It gave assurances that Greek troops would not disarm or intern Allied soldiers.
- Agreement with Danish merchantsIn November 1915 Danish merchants and industrialists guaranteed London that imported goods would not reach Germany. In return the blockade was to spare them.
- 25
- Retreat from CtesiphonOn the evening of 25 November 1915 Townshend pulled his bled-white division back from Ctesiphon to Lajj. The march on Baghdad was over; the retreat led to Kut.
- Monro becomes commander-in-chief in the MediterraneanAt the end of November 1915 Gen. Monro took command of the British forces in the eastern Mediterranean, and Gen. Birdwood of the Dardanelles Army.
- 30
- Serbian retreat through Albania beginsIn late November 1915 the beaten Serbian army, with the king, government and crowds of refugees, set off across the snowy mountains of Montenegro and Albania.
- Italy accedes to the Pact of LondonOn 30 November 1915 Italy openly acceded to the Pact of London. In London the five Entente powers pledged that none would conclude a separate peace.
December
- 03
- British reach KutOn 3 December 1915 Townshend's exhausted division entered Kut after the retreat from Ctesiphon. Townshend decided to defend the town and await relief.
- Joffre becomes commander-in-chief of the French armiesOn 3 December 1915 a decree was published making Joffre commander of all French armies, including at Salonika and the Dardanelles, but not in North Africa.
- Serbian government in ScutariIn early December 1915 the Serbian government and high command began working in Scutari, a town held by Montenegro, where the remnants of the army gathered.
- 07
- Key eventSiege of Kut beginsOn 7 December 1915 Ottoman troops began to surround Kut, where Townshend's division stood at bay. Nureddin called on the British to surrender.
- Fighting at KosturinoOn 7 December 1915, in thick fog, the Bulgarians broke the front of the British 10th Division at Kosturino. The British retreat from Serbian Macedonia began.
- Reports of a French agreement with the Netherlands Overseas TrustThe British chronology states that on 7 December 1915 France concluded an agreement with the Netherlands Overseas Trust. Other sources do not confirm this.
- 10
- End of the Fourth Battle of the IsonzoThe British chronology ends the Fourth Battle of the Isonzo on 10 December 1915. A day earlier the last major Italian attack on Monte San Michele had collapsed.
- Castelnau becomes Joffre's chief of staffOn 10 December 1915 General Noël de Castelnau, who had led the Champagne offensive, became chief of staff and deputy to Joffre, the French commander-in-chief.
- 11
- Bulgarians take Dojran and GevgelijaOn 11–12 December 1915 the French and British withdrew into Greece and the Bulgarians entered Dojran and Gevgelija. The pursuit stopped at the border.
- Greece rejects the Entente demandOn 11 December 1915 Athens replied to the Allies. The Greeks kept Salonika and Fort Kara Burun but promised not to hinder the Allied defence of the city.
- 14
- Russians take HamadanOn 14 December 1915 Baratov's corps took Hamadan. Persian gendarmes and volunteers, routed at the Sultan Bulagh pass, gave up the town without further fighting.
- Bulgarian-Greek neutral zoneIn mid-December 1915 Bulgaria and Greece agreed on a neutral strip along the border. Both sides' troops were to pull back two kilometres to avoid clashes.
- 23
- British boats on Lake TanganyikaOn 23 December 1915 the British motor boats Mimi and Toutou, brought from England across half of Africa by rail, tractor and river, took to Lake Tanganyika.
- William Robertson becomes Chief of the Imperial General StaffOn 23 December 1915 General William Robertson became Chief of the Imperial General Staff, on condition that he, not Kitchener, advised the cabinet on strategy.
- 25
- Clash at Wadi MajidOn Christmas Day 1915 the Western Frontier Force attacked the Senussi camp near Mersa Matruh and drove the order's forces out of Wadi Majid.
- Farmanfarma becomes prime minister of PersiaAt the end of December 1915 Prince Abdol-Hossein Mirza Farmanfarma of the Qajar dynasty, long tied to the British, became prime minister of Persia.
- 29
- Austro-Hungarian raid on DurrësOn 29 December 1915 the cruiser Helgoland and five destroyers raided Durrës. Two destroyers sank on mines and the rest barely escaped pursuit.
- Draft rules for an inter-allied war councilUnder 29 December 1915 a British chronology records the adoption of draft rules for an allied war council. Briand struck a permanent secretariat out of them.
- Möwe sails on her first cruiseOn 29 December 1915 the auxiliary cruiser Möwe, disguised as a freighter, put to sea from Wilhelmshaven to lay mines and sink Allied ships.