Military

Category

(381)

1917

January

01
- Haig becomes field marshalOn 1 January 1917 Douglas Haig, British commander in France, was made a field marshal. The King called it a New Year's gift from himself and the country.
14
- Explosion of the cruiser TsukubaOn 14 January 1917 the magazine of the Japanese battlecruiser Tsukuba blew up in Yokosuka harbour. The ship sank and more than 150 men were killed.
20
- Hoskins replaces SmutsOn 20 January 1917 General Smuts, called to London, handed over command in East Africa to General Hoskins. The Germans were beyond the Rufiji, but not beaten.
24
- Allied naval conference in LondonOn 23–24 January 1917 the admiralties of Britain, France and Italy met in London on defending Mediterranean shipping. Much was said of the lack of ships.
31
- Key eventGermany declares unrestricted submarine warfareOn 31 January 1917 Germany told the USA that from the next day its U-boats would sink all ships around the British Isles without warning.

February

March

April

May

June

July

August

September

05
- Execution of Reichpietsch and KöbisOn 5 September 1917 at the Wahn range near Cologne the sailors Max Reichpietsch and Albin Köbis, leaders of the peace movement in the fleet, were shot.

October

06
- Pershing promoted to generalOn 6 October 1917 Congress created a wartime rank of general for the Army Chief of Staff and the commander in France. John Pershing received four stars.

November

December