Timeline
(2760)1915
The year in brief
In winter Austria-Hungary and the Germans struck in the Carpathians, and after the winter battle in Masuria the Russian 10th Army left East Prussia. On 18 March Turkish mines and forts repulsed the Allied fleet at the Dardanelles, and on 25 April Allied troops landed at Gallipoli but took none of their main objectives. In April the Ottoman authorities began deporting the Armenians, and the deportations turned into genocide. On 22 April the Germans released chlorine at Ypres, in the first Western Front attack with a gas meant to kill. On 2 May Mackensen's armies broke through the Russian front at Gorlice. On 7 May U-20 sank the liner Lusitania, and among the almost 1,200 dead were more than a hundred Americans. On 23 May Italy declared war on Austria-Hungary and opened a front from the Stelvio Pass to the Adriatic. By the summer Russia had lost Galicia, the Kingdom of Poland and part of Lithuania, and on 5 September Tsar Nicholas II himself assumed supreme command. The Allied autumn offensive in Champagne and at Loos, launched on 25 September, brought no breakthrough. In October Bulgaria joined the Central Powers; with the Germans and Austrians it conquered Serbia within a few weeks, and the Serbian army retreated through Albania. Entente troops landed at Salonika, and so began the Salonika front. In December the Turks began to besiege the British at Kut, and on 20 December the last troops left the Suvla and Anzac beachheads at Gallipoli.
For Poland it was the year of the Great Retreat of the Russian army, which took in all the Polish lands. In January the 3rd Infantry Regiment of the Polish Legions repulsed the Russians at Rafajłowa. On 22 March Przemyśl capitulated, and about 120,000 men went into Russian captivity. At Gorlice the attackers included the Austro-Hungarian 12th Infantry Division from Kraków, mostly Poles. On 3 June the Central Powers retook Przemyśl, and on 22 June the Austro-Hungarians entered Lviv. In July the 1st Brigade of the Legions under Józef Piłsudski fought at Urzędów. On 5 August German troops entered Warsaw, abandoned by the Russians, ending Russian rule in place since 1815. Before leaving, the Russians removed offices, the university and factory machinery, and a great wave of refugees, known as bezhenstvo, moved east. On 24 August the Germans created the Government General of Warsaw. On 15 November the Polish-language University of Warsaw and the Warsaw Polytechnic were opened.
January
- 02
- End of the Battle of SarikamishIn early January 1915 the Russians encircled the remnants of the Ottoman IX Corps at Sarikamish and took its commander. X Corps escaped over the mountains.
- Russians abandon UrmiaOn 2 January 1915 Russian troops withdrew from Urmia in northern Persia. Thousands of Assyrians and Armenians fled with them; Kurds and Turks took the town.
- 05
- German attack on EdéaOn 5 January 1915 the Germans attacked Edéa and Kopongo in Kamerun to push the Allies back from Yaoundé. Colonel Mayer's French garrison repulsed both attacks.
- Russians leave TabrizOn 5 January 1915 the last Russian troops left Tabriz, capital of Persian Azerbaijan, held since 1909. Most of the Armenians fled with them.
- 08
- Key eventStart of the battle of SoissonsOn 8 January 1915 the French attacked German trenches on the heights above the Aisne north of Soissons. Moroccan tirailleurs took Hill 132 in minutes.
- 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.
- 11
- Romanian loan in LondonIn January 1915 neutral Romania obtained a loan of £5 million in London. The money was to pay for weapons ordered from the Entente powers.
- Last pockets of rebellion in the TransvaalA British chronology records the capture of the last rebels in the Transvaal on 11 January 1915. The details of this event could not be confirmed.
- 13
- End of the battle of Kara UrganIn mid-January 1915 the Russians forced the Ottoman XI Corps to retreat from Kara Urgan. It was the last act of the fighting for Sarikamish.
- War Council decides to attack the DardanellesOn 13 January 1915 the British War Council told the Admiralty to prepare a February naval expedition to the Dardanelles, aimed at Constantinople.
- Burián replaces BerchtoldOn 13 January 1915 Baron István Burián replaced Count Berchtold as Austro-Hungarian foreign minister. Berchtold had to go for being ready to yield to Italy.
- 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.
- 19
- Key eventFirst airship raid on EnglandOn 19 January 1915 the airships L 3 and L 4 bombed Great Yarmouth, King's Lynn and Norfolk villages. Four people died. It was the first airship raid on England.
- Germans capture JasinOn the morning of 19 January 1915 the Jasin garrison, out of ammunition and water, surrendered to Lettow-Vorbeck. 276 Indian and African soldiers were captured.
- 23
- Carpathian offensive beginsOn 23 January 1915 Austria-Hungary and the German South Army struck in the Carpathians to push the Russians back from the passes and relieve besieged Przemyśl.
- Defence of UpingtonOn 24 January 1915 the rebels of Maritz and Kemp, backed by German artillery, attacked Upington. Government troops beat them off after hours of fighting.
- 24
- Battle of Dogger BankOn 24 January 1915 Beatty's battlecruisers intercepted Hipper's squadron in the North Sea. The German cruiser Blücher was sunk; the other Germans escaped.
- Airship PL 19 shot down off LibauAt the end of January 1915 the German airship PL 19, damaged after a raid on Libau, came down in the Baltic. Seven airmen were taken prisoner by the Russians.
- 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.
- Robertson ceases to be BEF quartermaster generalOn 24 January 1915 General William Robertson stepped down as Quartermaster General of the BEF to take over as chief of staff from Murray.
- 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.
- Romania refuses to support SerbiaAccording to the British chronology, on 25 January 1915 Romania rejected an Entente idea to help Serbia with Greece. Bucharest would not act without Bulgaria.
- 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.
- 26
- Turkish march on the Suez CanalAt the end of January 1915 Djemal Pasha's Ottoman army crossed the Sinai desert. On 26 January its troops clashed with the British at Kantara.
- London agreement extended to TurkeyAccording to the British chronology, on 26 January 1915 the Entente agreed the Pact of London's ban on a separate peace also applied to the war with Turkey.
- 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.
- 31
- German gas attack at BolimówOn 31 January 1915 the Germans attacked the Russians at Bolimów, firing 18,000 shells filled with tear gas. In the frost the gas had almost no effect.
- Idrisi takes the Farasan IslandsOn 31 January 1915 the Arab forces of Muhammad al-Idrisi, ruler of Asir, occupied the Farasan Islands in the Red Sea, abandoned by the Turks.
February
- 02
- Turkish advance guards on the Suez CanalOn 2 February 1915 the leading Turkish units approached Ismailia. In a sandstorm they clashed with Indian troops and dug in a few kilometres from the canal.
- Turks enter the Aden ProtectorateOn 2 February 1915 Ottoman troops from Yemen attacked the sultanate of Al-Bayda on the edge of the Aden Protectorate. Local tribes repulsed the attack.
- Entente opposes intervention in AlbaniaAccording to a British chronology, on 2 February 1915 the Entente advised Greece, Serbia and Montenegro not to enter Albania, mindful of Italy's interests.
- 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.
- Uganda–Congo boundary agreementOn 3 February 1915 Britain and Belgium signed an agreement in London that finally confirmed the course of the boundary between Uganda and the Belgian Congo.
- 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.
- Turks withdraw from the Suez CanalOn the morning of 4 February 1915 the Suez Canal's defenders found the main Turkish force had left in the night. Nearly 300 Turks surrendered at Serapeum.
- 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.
- 11
- US note on neutral flagsOn 11 February 1915 the US ambassador in London delivered a note urging the British not to let their ships fly the American flag in the war zone.
- Dacia sails for BremenIn February 1915 the steamer Dacia, bought from a German shipowner by an American, set off across the Atlantic with cotton intended for Bremen.
- 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.
- Anglo-French prize agreementOn 15 February 1915 London and Paris began agreeing a supplement to the prize convention letting one ally's courts seize cargoes from the other's ships.
- 16
- French take OyemOn 16 February 1915 a French column from Gabon took Oyem, abandoned by the Germans. The town lay in New Cameroon, ceded to Germany by France in 1911.
- 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.
- 17
- Austro-Hungarians retake Czernowitz againOn 17 February 1915 Karl Pflanzer-Baltin's Austro-Hungarian troops entered Czernowitz. The second Russian occupation of the Bukovinian capital was over.
- Loss of airships L 3 and L 4On 17 February 1915 engine failure and a snowstorm forced airships L 3 and L 4 down in Denmark. L 3 burned on Fanø; L 4 vanished at sea with four men.
- 19
- Fleet attack on the Dardanelles beginsOn 19 February 1915 British and French ships began shelling the forts at the entrance to the Dardanelles. At dusk some Turkish guns were still firing back.
- 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.
- Start of the battle of PrzasnyszOn 22 February 1915 German divisions began to encircle Przasnysz in northern Mazovia, and the Russians sent fresh Siberian corps against their flank.
- Anti-submarine net barrage in the North ChannelOn 22 February 1915 British drifters began laying nets in the North Channel to close the way for U-boats into the Irish Sea, to Liverpool and Glasgow.
- 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
- Blockade of German East AfricaOn 1 March 1915 Britain declared a blockade of the whole coast of German East Africa, to cut the colony off from supplies and hem in the Königsberg.
- 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
- Russians retake StanisławówOn 4 March 1915 the Russian 9th Army retook Stanisławów, captured by the Austrians two weeks earlier. The town stayed in Russian hands until June.
- 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.
- Sinking of U-8On 4 March 1915 British destroyers destroyed the German submarine U-8 in the Strait of Dover after it had been detected thanks to indicator nets.
- 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.
- 05
- Venizelos offers the Entente the fleet and troopsOn 5 March 1915 Venizelos offered the Entente the Greek fleet and one division for the Dardanelles operation, although the King had not yet agreed.
- Bombardment of Smyrna beginsOn 5 March 1915 Vice-Admiral Richard Peirse's British squadron shelled the forts defending Smyrna, to destroy the defences and clear the gulf of mines.
- 09
- Bombardment of Smyrna endsOn 9 March 1915 an envoy of the governor of Smyrna came to the British admiral. The shelling stopped and a truce was agreed until the morning of 11 March.
- Dimitrios Gounaris becomes prime minister of GreeceOn 9 March 1915 King Constantine I appointed Dimitrios Gounaris prime minister of Greece. He was an opponent of Venizelos and a supporter of neutrality.
- British reply on LemnosOn 9 March 1915 London replied to the Greek request for an explanation of the occupation of the island of Lemnos, citing military necessity.
- 12
- Netherlands warns against misuse of its flagOn 12 March 1915 the Netherlands announced that foreign ships passing themselves off as Dutch in its ports and waters, e.g. under its flag, would be held there.
- London agrees to a Russian ConstantinopleOn 12 March 1915 Britain agreed that Russia would get Constantinople and the Straits after the war. In return it wanted, inter alia, Persia's neutral zone.
- French reprisal decreesIn mid-March 1915 France, following Britain's example, decided to stop goods going to and from Germany and extended its contraband lists.
- Ian Hamilton to command the Mediterranean forceOn 12 March 1915 Kitchener gave General Ian Hamilton command of the land forces that were to support the fleet attacking the Dardanelles.
- 13
- End of the battle of Neuve ChapelleOn 13 March 1915 Haig halted the attack at Neuve Chapelle. The British held the village but did not reach Aubers Ridge. Shells had also run short.
- Franco-Belgian agreement on military serviceOn 13 March 1915 France and Belgium suspended for the war the 1891 convention that had let some young men of both countries defer military service.
- Sinking of the Swedish steamer HannaOn 13 March 1915 the Swedish steamer Hanna sank off Yorkshire. The British held she was torpedoed, but she may have struck a German mine.
- 14
- Sinking of the cruiser DresdenOn 14 March 1915 British ships cornered the cruiser Dresden in Chile's Cumberland Bay. Her crew scuttled the ship, the last German cruiser on the high seas.
- New prime minister of PersiaOn 14 March 1915 Hassan Pirnia, Moshir od-Dowleh, succeeded Mostowfi ol-Mamalek as head of the Persian government. The country still sought to stay neutral.
- 15
- British squadron leaves SmyrnaOn 15 March 1915 the Admiralty recalled Admiral Peirse's squadron from Smyrna. The battleships went to the Dardanelles; smaller ships now blockaded the port.
- First aircraft attack on a merchant shipOn 15 March 1915 a German seaplane dropped bombs on the British steamer Blonde off the Kent coast. None hit, and the ship got away safely.
- 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.
- John Nixon takes command in MesopotamiaOn 18 March 1915 General Sir John Nixon became commander of the British forces in Mesopotamia. Force D was to grow to two divisions.
- Agreement on American cottonIn March 1915 London agreed with American exporters to let through or buy up cotton already contracted. Cotton became contraband only in August.
- 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.
- 21
- Germans retake MemelOn 21 March 1915 the Germans drove the Russians out of Memel after street fighting. In the pursuit, aided by warships, they took about 500 prisoners at Palanga.
- First airship raid on ParisOn the night of 20–21 March 1915 two German airships bombed Paris and its suburbs. Z X, damaged by fire from the ground, crashed on the way back.
- 23
- HMS Manica, the first balloon shipIn March 1915 the Royal Navy commissioned HMS Manica, the first ship fitted to fly an observation balloon. She was to direct gunfire at the Dardanelles.
- Chinese-Japanese agreement on ManchuriaOn 23 March 1915 in Peking the Chinese and Japanese initialled several articles on South Manchuria, a partial accord in the dispute over the 21 Demands.
- 25
- Indian Expeditionary Force F merged into Force EOn 25 March 1915 Indian Expeditionary Force F in Egypt was formally merged into Force E. Its brigades were already leaving for other fronts.
- 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.
- Turkish raid on OdessaOn 3 April 1915 the Turkish cruiser Mecidiye struck a Russian mine off Odessa and sank. Goeben and Breslau, covering the raid, escaped the Black Sea Fleet.
- 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.
- 08
- The Armenian deportations beginOn 8 April 1915 the first convoy of deported Armenians left Zeytun in Cilicia. Deportations ordered by the Ottoman authorities turned into genocide.
- Internment of Prinz Eitel FriedrichOn 8 April 1915 the German auxiliary cruiser Prinz Eitel Friedrich, at Newport News since March, agreed to be interned in the United States.
- 12
- Battle of Shaiba beginsOn 12 April 1915 Turkish troops and the Arab allies of Süleyman Askerî attacked the British camp at Shaiba near Basra. The attacks were repulsed.
- 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.
- Entente offers Smyrna to GreeceOn 12 April 1915 the Entente ministers promised Gounaris's government gains in the vilayet of Aidin if Greece joined the war on Turkey. The prize was Smyrna.
- 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.
- Harcourt promises the dominions a voice on peaceOn 14 April 1915 Colonial Secretary Lewis Harcourt told the House of Commons that the British government would consult the dominions when peace talks came.
- 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.
- 16
- Turks occupy UrmiaOn 16 April 1915 Halil Bey's regular Ottoman troops reached Urmia in northern Persia. Since January the town had been held by Kurds and Turkish volunteers.
- Michael Tighe takes command in East AfricaOn 16 April 1915 General Michael Tighe replaced General Richard Wapshare as commander of the British forces in East Africa.
- 17
- Key eventBritish capture Hill 60On 17 April 1915 the British blew mines under Hill 60 south of Ypres and took it within minutes. Over the following days they beat off counter-attacks.
- 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.
- 22
- Key eventSecond Battle of Ypres beginsOn 22 April 1915 the Germans released a cloud of chlorine at Ypres. Two French divisions broke, and a gap several kilometres wide opened north of the town.
- Key eventBattle of Gravenstafel Ridge beginsOn the night of 22–23 April 1915 Canadians counter-attacked at Ypres to close the gas-attack gap. Of 1,500 men who charged the wood, under 500 were left.
- 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.
- Clash at GibeonIn late April 1915 General McKenzie's mounted troops caught the retreating Germans at Gibeon. A night ambush failed, but in the morning the Germans were routed.
- 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.
- 28
- First attack on KrithiaOn 28 April 1915 the British and French attacked from Helles towards Krithia village and the hill of Achi Baba. Turkish resistance halted the weary troops.
- British treaty with al-IdrisiIn late April 1915 Britain concluded a treaty with Muhammad al-Idrisi, ruler of Asir. Idrisi undertook to fight the Turks in return for arms and protection.
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.
- Torpedoing of the tanker GulflightOn 1 May 1915 U-30 torpedoed the American tanker Gulflight off the Scilly Isles. She did not sink, but two seamen drowned and the master died of heart failure.
- 04
- Italy renounces the Triple AllianceOn 4 May 1915 the Italian ambassador in Vienna delivered a note declaring the alliance with Austria-Hungary void. The government kept the step secret.
- End of the Battle of St. JulienDuring the night of 3–4 May 1915 the British secretly left the tip of the Ypres salient. In the morning the Germans were still shelling empty trenches.
- 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.
- Key eventSinking of the LusitaniaOn 7 May 1915 U-20 torpedoed the British liner Lusitania off Ireland. Within 18 minutes almost 1,200 people died, including more than a hundred Americans.
- 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.
- Japanese ultimatum to ChinaOn 7 May 1915 Japan gave China 51 hours to accept its demands. It set aside most of the far-reaching fifth group for later.
- 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.
- Wilson on the sinking of the LusitaniaAfter the Lusitania was sunk President Wilson long kept silent. On 10 May 1915 in Philadelphia he said that a man could be "too proud to fight".
- China accepts Japan's demandsOn the night of 8–9 May 1915 Yuan Shikai's government accepted the Japanese ultimatum. In China 9 May was named the Day of National Humiliation.
- 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.
- South Africans occupy WindhoekOn 12 May 1915 Botha rode into Windhoek, surrendered without a fight by the town authorities. The capital of German South West Africa passed to the Union.
- 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.
- Resignation of the Salandra governmentOn 13 May 1915 Prime Minister Antonio Salandra and Foreign Minister Sidney Sonnino resigned. Most MPs backed the neutralist Giolitti, the streets backed war.
- 14
- Central Powers take JarosławIn mid-May 1915 the German Guard and the Austro-Hungarian VI Corps took the Russian bridgehead at Jarosław and reached the San. The town suffered from shelling.
- 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.
- Fall of Pimenta de Castro's governmentOn 14 May 1915 the navy and armed civilians rose in Lisbon against the dictatorship of General Pimenta de Castro. His government fell that same day.
- 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.
- 15
- Key eventStart of the Battle of FestubertAt 11.30 p.m. on 15 May 1915 the British 2nd Division and the Garhwal Brigade attacked the Germans at Festubert, the first British night attack of the war.
- João Chagas becomes Prime Minister of PortugalOn 15 May 1915 President Arriaga appointed João Chagas Prime Minister of Portugal. He never took office, as a senator shot him on his way to Lisbon.
- Resignation of Lord FisherOn 15 May 1915 First Sea Lord John Fisher resigned and walked out of the Admiralty. He would no longer share responsibility for the Dardanelles expedition.
- 16
- Battle of the San beginsOn 16 May 1915 the Germans entered Jarosław and began crossing the San. On the river line the Russians were to halt the Central Powers' offensive in Galicia.
- Salandra remains prime ministerOn 16 May 1915 Victor Emmanuel III rejected the resignation of Salandra's government. The neutralists gave way, and on 20 May the Chamber gave it war powers.
- 18
- Battles of Stryj and Drohobycz beginIn mid-May 1915 the South Army came down from the Carpathians to Stryj and Drohobycz. The Russians stood there on a new line and repulsed attack after attack.
- Russian expulsions of Jews from the front zoneOn 18 May 1915 the deadline expired for the Jews of western Kovno province to leave their homes. The Russian army accused them of treason.
- 19
- Russians enter VanOn 19 May 1915 Russian troops entered Van, preceded a day earlier by Armenian volunteers. The city, defended by the Armenians, was free.
- The Puławy Legion at PakosławOn the night of 19–20 May 1915 the Puławy Legion attacked the Germans at Pakosław near Iłża. Of 493 men it lost 42 killed, 60 wounded and 11 missing.
- 23
- End of the Battle of the SanUntil 23 May 1915 the Germans and Austrians held their San bridgeheads against Russian counter-attacks. Mackensen prepared to attack Radymno and Przemyśl.
- Key eventItaly declares war on Austria-HungaryOn 23 May 1915 Italy declared war on Austria-Hungary, its ally in the Triple Alliance. The state of war took effect the following day.
- Luigi Cadorna takes charge of the Italian armyOn 23 May 1915 a decree of King Victor Emmanuel III gave effective direction of the army's operations to the Chief of the General Staff, General Luigi Cadorna.
- 24
- Key eventGerman gas attack at BellewaardeAt dawn on 24 May 1915 the Germans released chlorine at Ypres on a 7 km front, took Mouse Trap Farm and part of Bellewaarde Ridge but did not break through.
- 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
- End of the Second Battle of YpresOn 25 May 1915 the Second Battle of Ypres died down. After five weeks of fighting and gas attacks the Germans had shrunk the salient but not taken Ypres.
- End of the Battle of FestubertOn 25 May 1915 the London 47th Division took a German trench at Festubert and French decided to halt the offensive. Ten days of fighting cost 16,600 men.
- 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.
- Sino-Japanese treatiesOn 25 May 1915 in Peking, China and Japan signed treaties on Shantung and on South Manchuria and eastern Inner Mongolia.
- 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.
- Teófilo Braga becomes President of PortugalAt the end of May 1915 the Portuguese Congress elected the 72-year-old writer and scholar Teófilo Braga president, to complete Manuel de Arriaga's term.
- 29
- Italians formally occupy VlorëThe British chronology says the Italians formally occupied Vlorë on 29 May 1915. They had held it since December 1914; at war, it became their base.
- Resignation of Manuel de ArriagaOn 29 May 1915 Manuel de Arriaga, first elected president of Portugal, resigned before Congress. The May rising's victors saw him as abetting dictatorship.
- 31
- Siege of Garua beginsOn 31 May 1915 British and French troops began bombarding the German fortress of Garua in Kamerun. Heavy guns quickly silenced its artillery.
- Key eventFirst airship raid on LondonIn the night of 31 May – 1 June 1915 the German airship LZ 38 bombed east London. Seven people were killed, including children, and 35 were injured.
- Second Battle of Qurna beginsOn 31 May 1915 Townshend's division attacked Turkish posts north of Qurna in Arab boats across flooded marshes and took them before noon.
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.
- San Marino's alleged war on Austria-HungaryAccording to a British chronology, on 3 June 1915 San Marino declared war on Austria-Hungary. The republic did not do so, however, and was formally neutral.
- 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
- Warneford destroys airship LZ 37On 7 June 1915 British airman Reginald Warneford bombed the airship LZ 37 in mid-air over Ghent. The burning wreck fell on a convent in Sint-Amandsberg.
- 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.
- Allies abandon the march on JaundeOn 7 June 1915 Gen. Dobell, still without news of Aymerich's columns, halted the march on Jaunde. Col. Mayer's troops were to fall back to the Ndupe river.
- 10
- Capitulation of GaruaOn 10 June 1915, after a failed breakout and a mutiny of his African troops, Capt. von Crailsheim gave up Garua unconditionally. The Allies took 37 Germans.
- Battle of Żydaczów beginsOn 10 June 1915 the South Army, thrown back over the Dniester the day before, struck upstream at Żydaczów, into the flank of the Russians advancing on Stryj.
- 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.
- 12
- Battle of Mościska and Lubaczów beginsOn 12 June 1915 Mackensen's troops crossed the San and the Lubaczówka near Sieniawa. The battle that was to open the road to Lviv had begun.
- Battle of Rarańcza beginsOn 12 June 1915 the Legions' Second Brigade took Rarańcza in Bukovina unopposed, but was held up by Russian trenches on the hills above Rokitna in Bessarabia.
- 15
- Battle of Mościska and Lubaczów endsOn 15 June 1915 Mackensen's armies broke the second Russian line at Nahaczów and Oleszyce. Brusilov ordered a retreat to the Gródek line in front of Lviv.
- Battle of Rarańcza endsOn 15 June 1915 XI Corps fell back to the Rokitna and the Second Brigade dug in at Rarańcza, where the uhlans killed in the charge at Rokitna were buried.
- 19
- South Africans advance on OtavifonteinOn 18–19 June 1915 Botha led the Union forces north from around Karibib towards the last Germans at Otavi. On 19 June Brits took Omaruru.
- José de Castro becomes prime minister of PortugalOn 19 June 1915 José de Castro, acting head of Portugal's government since May, took the helm of a new cabinet made up mainly of Afonso Costa's Democrats.
- 22
- Austro-Hungarians retake LvivOn 22 June 1915 troops of the Austro-Hungarian Second Army entered Lviv. After 293 days the Russian occupation of the capital of Galicia came to an end.
- End of the battle of ŻydaczówOn 22 June 1915 the battle of Żydaczów ended. Threatened from the north, the Russians gave up the south bank of the Dniester; the South Army prepared to cross.
- British capture BukobaOn 22–23 June 1915 a British force sailed across Lake Victoria to Bukoba, broke the German defence, destroyed the wireless station and re-embarked.
- 24
- Robert Lansing becomes Secretary of StateOn 24 June 1915 Robert Lansing became US Secretary of State. He replaced William J. Bryan, who resigned in protest at the second Lusitania note.
- British act on exports to the NetherlandsOn 24 June 1915 a British act came into force under which all exports to the Netherlands could be directed solely to the Netherlands Overseas Trust.
- 26
- Montenegrins occupy San Giovanni di MeduaAt the end of June 1915 the Montenegrins occupied the Albanian port of San Giovanni di Medua and then Scutari. Their Entente allies took it badly.
- Dismissal of SukhomlinovOn 26 June 1915 Tsar Nicholas II dismissed the war minister Vladimir Sukhomlinov, blamed for the shell shortage. Alexei Polivanov took his place.
- 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.
- 28
- Start of the fighting for Gully RavineOn 28 June 1915 British troops and Gurkhas at Helles took five lines of Turkish trenches by Gully Ravine. A Scottish brigade alongside lost half its men.
- End of the first advance on YaoundéOn 28 June 1915 German attacks on Col. Mayer's troops, withdrawn to the Kele line, ceased. The failed advance on Yaoundé cost the Allies over 300 casualties.
- Allies take NgaundereOn 28 June 1915 Lt-Col. Webb-Bowen's column fought its way in a storm onto the plateau near Ngaundere in Kamerun. Next day the Allies took the town unopposed.
- 29
- Start of the First Battle of the IsonzoThe British chronology dates the start of the First Battle of the Isonzo to 29 June 1915. Yet the Italians had been attacking on the Soča since 23 June.
- End of the Battle of the Gniła LipaOn 29 June 1915 the Central Powers crossed the Gniła Lipa but met strong resistance. The Russians fell back to the Złota Lipa only on the night of 1–2 July.
July
- 01
- Second Battle of Kraśnik beginsOn 1 July 1915 the Austro-Hungarian Fourth Army advanced between the Vistula and the Bystrzyca towards Lublin. At Kraśnik it met fortified Russian positions.
- South Africans take OtavifonteinOn 1 July 1915 Manie Botha's mounted brigade surprised the Germans near Otavi after a night march and took Otavifontein, the last good water before their line.
- 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.
- Munitions of War ActOn 2 July 1915 the British Munitions of War Act came into force. It banned strikes in the armaments industry and placed factories under state control.
- Ministry of MunitionsFrom 2 July 1915 Lloyd George's Ministry of Munitions, at work for a few weeks, could take control of factories and direct workers to jobs.
- 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.
- 07
- End of the First Battle of the IsonzoOn 7 July 1915 Cadorna halted the attacks on the Isonzo. After two weeks the Italians had won only a strip of the Karst at Sagrado, losing some 15,000 men.
- Sinking of the cruiser AmalfiOn 7 July 1915 the German submarine UB-14, sailing under the Austro-Hungarian flag as U-26, sank the Italian armoured cruiser Amalfi off Venice.
- 11
- Destruction of the cruiser KönigsbergOn 11 July 1915 the British monitors Severn and Mersey, directed from an aircraft, wrecked the cruiser Königsberg in the Rufiji delta. Her crew blew her up.
- Italians occupy PelagosaOn 11 July 1915 Italian sailors landed on the Austrian islet of Pelagosa in the middle of the Adriatic and set up an observation and signal post there.
- 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.
- Second Battle of Przasnysz beginsOn 13 July 1915, after a bombardment of several hours from some 800 guns, Army Group Gallwitz broke the Russian First Army's main defence line at Przasnysz.
- Battles of Masłomęcz and Grabowiec beginOn 13 July 1915 the German Army of the Bug took up positions between Hrubieszów and Grabowiec. The attack on the Russian Thirteenth Army began on 15 July.
- 14
- Borden attends a British Cabinet meetingOn 14 July 1915 Canadian Prime Minister Robert Borden attended a British Cabinet meeting. The London press called it a precedent of the greatest importance.
- 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.
- 17
- Battle of SiennoOn 17 July 1915 Woyrsch's Silesian Landwehr broke the Russian front at Sienno on the west bank of the Vistula. The Russians fell back towards Ivangorod.
- End of the second battle of PrzasnyszBy 17 July 1915 the Germans had pushed the Russian 1st Army back about 30 km from Przasnysz and Ciechanów to fortified bridgeheads on the Narew.
- Women march for the "right to serve"On 17 July 1915 Emmeline Pankhurst led tens of thousands of women through London in a procession demanding work in the munitions factories.
- 18
- Start of the Second Battle of the IsonzoOn 18 July 1915 the Italians struck on the Isonzo for the second time. With much stronger artillery they attacked Monte San Michele and Sei Busi on the Karst.
- Sinking of the cruiser Giuseppe GaribaldiOn 18 July 1915 the Austro-Hungarian submarine U-4 sank the Italian armoured cruiser Giuseppe Garibaldi off Cavtat as it shelled the railway in Dalmatia.
- End of the battles of Masłomęcz and GrabowiecOn 18 July 1915 the Russian Thirteenth Army still held off the Bug Army near Hrubieszów and Grabowiec. It fell back that night as the front broke at Krasnystaw.
- End of the Battle of KrasnystawOn 18 July 1915 the Germans held Krasnystaw and the Wieprz bridgehead despite Russian Guards counter-attacks. At night the Russians fell back near the railway.
- 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.
- 20
- Key eventStart of the Battle of Le LingeOn 20 July 1915 French chasseurs alpins attacked the German positions on the Linge ridge in the Vosges. The first assault collapsed under fire from bunkers.
- Start of the second battle of IvangorodOn 20 July 1915 Woyrsch's troops attacked the last Russian field position before the fortress of Ivangorod (Dęblin). The Austro-Hungarians entered Radom.
- 21
- Central Powers encircle IvangorodOn 21 July 1915 Woyrsch's troops reached Ivangorod. Kövess's Austro-Hungarians closed it off from the west; the Germans prepared to cross the Vistula.
- End of the second battle of IvangorodOn 21 July 1915 the Silesian Landwehr broke the front at Zwoleń. The Russians left Ivangorod's forefield for the Kozienice–Gniewoszów line on the Vistula.
- Fall of the Ain od-Dowleh governmentIn July 1915 the government of Persian prime minister Ain od-Dowleh fell. The Majlis attacked his minister Farmanfarma, and he stood by the British protégé.
- 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.
- East Persian Cordon is formedAt the end of July 1915 the British and Russians began to form a cordon in eastern Persia to stop German missions from getting through to Afghanistan.
- 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
- Benedict XV appeals for peaceOn the first anniversary of the war Benedict XV appealed to the warring peoples and their rulers to end the "horrible slaughter". It went unanswered.
- 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.
- Turks occupy VanIn early August 1915 Ottoman troops returned to Van, abandoned by the Russians, and at Bergri Kurds attacked columns of Armenian refugees.
- 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
- Landing at Suvla BayOn the evening of 6 August 1915 British IX Corps began landing at Suvla Bay on Gallipoli. The Turks had only three battalions there and were caught unawares.
- 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.
- Bernardino Machado elected president of PortugalOn 6 August 1915 Portugal's Congress elected former prime minister Bernardino Machado president. He won only on the third ballot and took office on 5 October.
- 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.
- Japanese-Chinese agreement on customs at TsingtaoOn 6 August 1915 the reopening of the Chinese customs house at Tsingtao was agreed in Peking. The Japanese took over the privileges the Germans had held there.
- 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.
- 09
- Decisive day of the Battle of Sari BairOn 9 August 1915 Major Allanson's Gurkhas broke onto the Sari Bair ridge, but under fire from unknown guns they had to come down. The Anzac offensive failed.
- Takaaki Katō resignsIn August 1915 Foreign Minister Takaaki Katō, author of the Twenty-One Demands on China, left Japan's government over Kanetake Ōura's bribery scandal.
- 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.
- Loss of airship L 12On the night of 9–10 August 1915 guns at Dover hit airship L 12. It came down in the sea, was towed to Ostend and was bombed there by RNAS airmen.
- Ōkuma becomes acting foreign ministerOn 10 August 1915 Japanese Prime Minister Shigenobu Ōkuma reshuffled his cabinet and took the foreign ministry himself. He held it until mid-October.
- 15
- End of the landing at Suvla BayOn 15 August 1915 Hamilton removed Gen. Stopford from command of IX Corps at Suvla. That day the Irish took the summit of the Kiretch Tepe ridge.
- 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.
- Sinking of the ArabicOn 19 August 1915 U-24 torpedoed the liner Arabic off Ireland without warning. 44 people died, Americans among them, setting off a new crisis with the USA.
- Baralong sinks U-27On 19 August 1915 the British Q-ship Baralong sank U-27. Her crew shot the submarine's survivors, which became a notorious affair.
- 21
- Attack on Scimitar HillOn 21 August 1915 the British attacked the hills above Suvla Bay. Twice they took the top of Scimitar Hill, but lost 5,300 men and returned to their positions.
- 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.
- Lifeboats of the Ruel fired onOn 21 August 1915 a German U-boat sank the British steamer Ruel and fired on the lifeboats with the crew. One seaman was killed and the master wounded.
- 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
- Russians abandon OsowiecOn 22 August 1915 the Osowiec garrison, which had held off the Germans for half a year, left on orders and sappers blew up the forts. It was never stormed.
- 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
- 01
- Germany gives way on submarine warfareOn 1 September 1915 Ambassador Bernstorff assured Secretary of State Lansing in writing that German submarines would not sink liners without warning.
- French occupy Ruad islandOn 1 September 1915 French sailors occupied Ruad (Arwad) off the Syrian coast. It became a base for blockading the Ottoman coast and for intelligence.
- 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.
- 08
- Grand Duke Nicholas becomes Viceroy of the CaucasusRemoved as commander-in-chief, Grand Duke Nicholas Nikolaevich became Viceroy of the Caucasus and commander of the Caucasus Army. He left Stavka on 7 September.
- Failed assault on MoraOn 8 September 1915 General Cunliffe's troops stormed Mora mountain in northern Kamerun. The attack broke down a few dozen metres from the German sangars.
- 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.
- Border convention at DidymoteichoIn September 1915 Turkey agreed to cede Didymoteicho and the Maritsa valley with the railway to Dedeagach to Bulgaria. News of the new border reached the West.
- US demands the recall of Ambassador DumbaOn 9 September 1915 the US demanded the recall of Austro-Hungarian ambassador Konstantin Dumba, who had proposed strikes in American munitions plants.
- 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.
- 21
- Bulgaria decides to mobiliseOn 21 September 1915 Radoslavov's government decided to mobilise the army. The British chronology speaks of partial mobilisation, but the decree was general.
- Venizelos asks for 150,000 Entente troopsOn 21 September 1915 Venizelos asked France and Britain for 150,000 troops. They were to replace the Serbs, who could not field them against Bulgaria.
- 22
- Dedeagatch agreementOn 22 September 1915 Sofia announced the terms of its pact with Turkey. Bulgaria got the Maritsa valley and the whole railway to the Aegean port of Dedeagatch.
- Bulgaria announces general mobilisationLate in the evening of 22 September 1915 Tsar Ferdinand signed the decree for general mobilisation. Radoslavov gave assurances of "armed neutrality".
- Order for the second advance on JaundeOn 22 September 1915 Gen. Dobell issued orders for a new advance on Jaunde in Kamerun. The British and French columns were to set off on 6 October.
- 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.
- Key eventThird Battle of Artois beginsOn 25 September 1915 the French Tenth Army again attacked Vimy Ridge. The left wing reached Souchez, but on the rest of the front the attack broke down.
- Key eventSecond Battle of Champagne beginsOn 25 September 1915 two French armies attacked in Champagne. They took the German first line and 14,000 prisoners, but the second position stopped the attack.
- 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.
- Bulgaria begins mobilisationIn late September 1915 hundreds of thousands of reservists poured into Bulgarian barracks. Rifles and uniforms were short, and zeal was lower than in 1912.
- Serbia promises Dojran and Gevgelija to GreeceUnder 25 September 1915 the British chronology records that Serbia promised Greece the Dojran and Gevgelija area. Pašić hoped to win Greek help this way.
- 27
- Constantine agrees to the Salonika expeditionOn 27 September 1915 Venizelos told the British that the King had agreed to Entente troops at Salonika. Officially, Constantine I was to know nothing.
- Explosion of the battleship Benedetto BrinOn 27 September 1915 the Italian battleship Benedetto Brin blew up in the harbour of Brindisi. More than 450 men were killed. Austrian sabotage was suspected.
- 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.
- Dumba recalled from the United StatesOn 28 September 1915 the State Department asked Britain and France for safe conduct for Ambassador Dumba, whom Vienna had finally recalled from Washington.
- Greece rejects the offer of Entente troopsOn 28 September 1915 Athens thanked London for its offer of troops, deeming them unnecessary for now. A day later the Greeks asked for this reply to be ignored.
- 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.
- 03
- First Entente troops sail for SalonikaBy 3 October 1915 the Allies had Greece's written consent to a landing. The first ships carrying Entente troops left Mudros for Salonika.
- E19 attacks the steamer SvioniaOn 3 October 1915 the British submarine E19 stopped and shelled the German steamer Svionia off Rügen. The abandoned ship ran aground on rocks near Sassnitz.
- 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.
- Russia breaks off relations with BulgariaOn 5 October 1915 Sofia rejected the Russian ultimatum. Minister Savinsky announced the break in relations, and the Russian legation staff left Bulgaria.
- Bernardino Machado takes office as presidentOn 5 October 1915, the fifth anniversary of the republic's proclamation, Bernardino Machado was sworn in as President of Portugal, succeeding Teófilo Braga.
- 06
- Key eventCentral Powers attack SerbiaOn 6 October 1915 Mackensen's guns opened fire along the Sava, Danube and Drina, and the first Austro-Hungarian units crossed. The conquest of Serbia began.
- Alexandros Zaimis becomes prime minister of GreeceOn 6 October 1915, a day after Venizelos resigned, Alexandros Zaimis was forming a new government in Athens. Its members opposed war on Serbia's side.
- Constantine gives assurances of Greek neutralityIn early October 1915 King Constantine I assured the British minister that Greece would stay neutral. Mobilisation and the Entente landing were to go on.
- 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.
- 08
- End of the Battle of LoosOn 8 October 1915 the Germans tried to retake Loos and their lost trenches. The Allies repulsed them, and British nomenclature ends the battle that day.
- Greece declares armed neutralityOn 8 October 1915 the Zaimis government told the Greek legations the country would keep armed neutrality. The army stayed mobilised but would not aid Serbia.
- Germans take the Gauala ridgeOn the night of 8/9 October 1915 the besieged Mora mountain garrison took the Gauala ridge, from which the Allies had shelled German positions for a year.
- 09
- Capture of BelgradeOn 9 October 1915 the Serbs left their capital. The Habsburg flag flew over Kalemegdan, the Germans took the royal palace. Belgrade fell after three days.
- 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.
- Lord Derby takes over recruitingIn autumn 1915 Lord Derby, at Kitchener's request, took charge of recruiting for the British Army. He was to save the voluntary system from conscription.
- 13
- Airship raid on TheatrelandOn the evening of 13 October 1915 the airship L 15 bombed London's Theatreland. The raid by five airships killed 71 people and injured 128.
- Britain breaks off relations with BulgariaIn mid-October 1915 Britain broke off diplomatic relations with Bulgaria. The Bulgarian minister left London, and the Bulgarian army moved against Serbia.
- 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.
- Théophile Delcassé resignsOn 13 October 1915 the French foreign minister Théophile Delcassé finally stepped down. He left ill, after the failure of Entente diplomacy in Bulgaria.
- 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
- Third Battle of Artois endsOn 15 October 1915 General d'Urbal ordered the 10th Army to fortify its gains for the winter. The French took Souchez, but Vimy Ridge stayed in German hands.
- Britain declares war on BulgariaOn 15 October 1915 the Foreign Office announced that from 10 p.m. Britain was at war with Bulgaria, an ally of the Central Powers fighting Serbia.
- Montenegro declares war on BulgariaOn 15 October 1915 Montenegro declared a state of war with Bulgaria. King Nicholas I's small monarchy stood by Serbia, now attacked from two sides.
- 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
- France declares war on BulgariaOn 16 October 1915, a day after Britain, France declared a state of war with Bulgaria. Paris faced a cabinet crisis; the Army of the Orient was landing.
- 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.
- 19
- Bulgarians take ŠtipAround 19 October 1915 the Bulgarians advancing down the Bregalnica valley took Štip, opening the Ovče Pole and the road to the Vardar and the Salonika railway.
- Key eventRussia and Italy declare war on BulgariaOn 19 October 1915 Nicholas II's manifesto on war with Bulgaria, "betrayer of the Slav cause", was published. Italy also declared war on Bulgaria that day.
- Japan joins the Pact of LondonOn 19 October 1915 Japan acceded to the Pact of London of 1914. It undertook not to conclude a separate peace with Germany.
- 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.
- McMahon's letter to the Sharif of MeccaOn 24 October 1915 Sir Henry McMahon promised the Sharif of Mecca British recognition of Arab independence. The letter's reservations are still disputed.
- 28
- Wreck of the cruiser ArgyllOn 28 October 1915 the British cruiser Argyll ran onto the Bell Rock at night in a storm, because the lighthouse was unlit. Destroyers saved the whole crew.
- 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.
- 29
- Fall of the Viviani governmentOn 29 October 1915 René Viviani's government fell. After Balkan setbacks and failed offensives he could not reshape his cabinet and gave way to Briand.
- Millerand leaves the Ministry of WarOn 29 October 1915 War Minister Alexandre Millerand, criticised for munitions shortages and deference to Joffre, left office with Viviani's government.
- 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.
- 02
- Asquith on Serbian independenceOn 2 November 1915 Asquith gave the Commons a review of the war. He declared that Serbian independence was one of the essential objects of the Allies.
- Russians occupy QazvinOn 2 November 1915 the British chronology records the Russian occupation of Qazvin. Baratov's corps was moving to the town on the road from Enzeli to Tehran.
- 03
- End of the Third Battle of the IsonzoOn 3 November 1915 the Italians last stormed Podgora and Monte San Michele. Next day the defenders retook their trenches and Cadorna halted the offensive.
- 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.
- Port and Transit Executive CommitteeOn 3 November 1915 Asquith set up a committee with executive powers to clear the congestion in British ports and speed up the turn-round of ships.
- 04
- Attack on Mount BanyoOn 4 November 1915, in fog, four Nigerian companies under Cunliffe attacked the fortified Mount Banyo in Kamerun. At night the Germans threw dynamite at them.
- Kitchener leaves for the DardanellesOn the night of 4/5 November 1915 Lord Kitchener left London to decide the fate of Gallipoli on the spot. Asquith took charge of the War Office.
- Monro and Birdwood receive new commandsOn 4 November 1915 Kitchener gave General Birdwood the command at Gallipoli and moved General Monro, who had advised evacuation, to Salonika.
- 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.
- Zaimis government resignsEarly on 4 November 1915 the Greek parliament voted against the Zaimis government. The prime minister resigned, and the King chose new elections over Venizelos.
- 06
- End of the Second Battle of ChampagneOn 6 November 1915 the last fighting of the Second Battle of Champagne died down. German counter-attacks retook the Butte de Tahure and Hill 199 near Massiges.
- Submarine attack on SollumOn 6 November 1915 the German submarine U-35 sank the Egyptian coastguard cutter Abbas in the bay of Sollum and damaged the Nur al-Bahr.
- Capture of Mount BanyoAt dawn on 6 November 1915 Cunliffe's Nigerians reached the top of Mount Banyo in Kamerun. The German garrison fled at night in a storm, but most were caught.
- Stefanos Skouloudis becomes prime minister of GreeceAfter the fall of the Zaimis government King Constantine gave power to the 76-year-old banker Stefanos Skouloudis. A few days later he dissolved parliament.
- 07
- Sinking of the cruiser UndineOn 7 November 1915 the British submarine E19 torpedoed the light cruiser Undine, escorting a ferry to Sweden, north of Rügen. About 24 men were killed.
- Sinking of the AnconaOn 7 November 1915 a submarine flying the Austro-Hungarian flag shelled and sank the Italian liner Ancona off Sardinia. About 200 died, Americans among them.
- 08
- Serbs repel the Bulgarians at KačanikOn 8–10 November 1915 Serbian divisions repelled the Bulgarians attacking via the Kačanik gorge and Gnjilane towards Kosovo Field, then counter-attacked.
- Reports of an Entente loan to GreeceA British chronology says the Entente lent Greece £1.6 million on 8 November 1915. Other sources point instead to money for Athens being withheld.
- 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.
- Kitchener arrives at the DardanellesOn 10 November 1915 Lord Kitchener held talks at Mudros on the fate of Gallipoli. After seeing the beachheads he leaned towards a partial evacuation.
- Britain introduces licences for shipsFrom 10 November 1915 British ships of 500 tons or more needed a licence to carry cargo between foreign ports. They were to return to serving the home country.
- 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.
- Serbian government leaves PrizrenIn late November 1915 the Serbian government, king and high command left Prizren, the last seat of power in the country, and set out across Albania to Scutari.
- 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.
- Inter-Allied munitions organisationIn November 1915 the Entente munitions ministers agreed in London on a joint munitions bureau. Albert Thomas's idea, however, never got beyond paper.
- 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
- 01
- Bulgarians take PrizrenIn late November 1915 the Bulgarian 3rd Division took Prizren, the last seat of Serbian authority at home, with thousands of prisoners and vast booty.
- Italy announces its accession to the Pact of LondonOn 1 December 1915 Sonnino told the Chamber of Deputies, reopened after six months, that Italy had joined the Pact of London, and pledged help for Serbia.
- 02
- Bulgarians take BitolaIn early December 1915 Bulgarian cavalry entered Bitola, the second city of Serbian Macedonia. Its defenders fell back not to Salonika but to Albania.
- French abandon KrivolakIn early December 1915 the French withdrew from Krivolak and the loop of the Vardar and Crna Reka before the Bulgarians could strike at them.
- 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.
- 05
- Fighting at Demir KapijaOn 5–6 December 1915 the French rearguard held the Vardar gorge at Demir Kapija. The Bulgarians tried to outrun them through the mountains and cut them off.
- Townshend prepares the defence of KutFrom 4–5 December 1915 Townshend's division dug in at Kut. Over 6,000 inhabitants stayed in the town, and supplies were expected to last two months.
- 06
- Austro-Hungarian squadron shells DurrësOn 6 December 1915 the cruiser Helgoland and destroyers sank sailing vessels carrying supplies for the Serbs, some at Durrës. A day earlier Novara raided Medua.
- Capture of PećIn early December 1915 the Austro-Hungarians took Montenegrin Peć, through which the main Serbian forces had retreated, and found nearly 100 hidden guns there.
- British economic pressure on GreeceOn 6 December 1915 Britain placed Greece under export restrictions. Halted supplies and detained ships were meant to force Athens to make concessions.
- Second Chantilly ConferenceOn 6–8 December 1915, at Joffre's headquarters in Chantilly, the Allied commanders agreed on simultaneous offensives on all the main fronts in 1916.
- 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.
- 08
- Order to evacuate Suvla and AnzacOn 8 December 1915 an order from London reached the Dardanelles. The Cabinet had decided to evacuate Suvla and Anzac and to hold Cape Helles for the time being.
- Bulgarians take Debar and OhridIn early December 1915 the Bulgarians took Debar and Ohrid on the western edge of Serbian Macedonia. The last Serbian units were retreating there into Albania.
- 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.
- Germany recalls Boy-Ed and PapenOn 10 December 1915 Bernstorff told Lansing that the Kaiser had recalled the attachés Boy-Ed and Papen. For several days Berlin had first demanded explanations.
- 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.
- Yuan Shikai accepts the throneOn 11 December 1915 China's Council of State announced the vote for monarchy and offered Yuan Shikai the throne. He declined, and accepted it the next day.
- 13
- Clash at Wadi SenabFrom 11 to 13 December 1915 a column from Mersa Matruh twice fought the Senussi. The Senussi forces were driven off, but Lieutenant-Colonel Snow was killed.
- Easing of pressure on GreeceOn 13 December 1915 London partly eased its economic pressure on Greece. Greek ships were released, but supplies of goods to Greece were still restricted.
- 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.
- 15
- Last Entente troops leave MacedoniaIn mid-December 1915 the last Entente troops left Serbian Macedonia. The Bulgarians halted at the Greek border and the Allies fell back towards Salonika.
- Ottoman troops occupy Qasr-e ShirinOn 15 December 1915 Ottoman troops took Qasr-e Shirin on the Persian border. The Turks were coming to help the Germans and Persian émigrés against the Russians.
- Resignation of John FrenchUnder 15 December 1915 a chronology records Field Marshal French's resignation. The government forced him to give up the British command in France after Loos.
- 17
- Sinking of the cruiser BremenOn 17 December 1915 the German light cruiser Bremen struck Russian mines off Windau and sank with the torpedo boat V 191. Some 200–250 sailors died.
- Loss of the airship LZ 39On 17 December 1915 Russian artillery hit the German airship LZ 39 over Rovno. The crew managed to land near Lutsk, but the ship could not be saved.
- 19
- Key eventStart of the evacuation of Suvla and AnzacOn the night of 18/19 December 1915 half of the last garrisons left Suvla and Anzac. Next day the remaining troops staged an ordinary day for the Turks.
- Haig becomes commander of British forces in FranceOn 19 December 1915 General Douglas Haig took over command of the British Expeditionary Force from John French. He was to command it until the end of the war.
- 20
- End of the evacuation of Suvla and AnzacIn the early hours of 20 December 1915 the last troops left Suvla and Anzac. The Turks discovered the withdrawal only after dawn; Allied losses were negligible.
- Italians occupy DurrësIn mid-December 1915 the Italian Savona Brigade reached Durrës in Albania from Vlorë. The port was to cover the supply and evacuation of the Serbian army.
- 22
- Kiggell replaces RobertsonOn 22 December 1915 Gen. Launcelot Kiggell became Chief of the General Staff of the BEF in succession to William Robertson, who was leaving for London.
- Resignation of Archibald MurrayOn 22 December 1915 Gen. Archibald Murray stepped down as Chief of the Imperial General Staff. He left behind a plan to concentrate forces in France.
- 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.
- British blacklistOn 23 December 1915 a British act allowed trade to be banned with firms in neutral countries linked to the enemy. Their names were to be put on a blacklist.
- 25
- Christmas Eve assault on KutOn 24 December 1915 the Turks made their biggest assault on the Kut fort. Fighting lasted into the night; on Christmas Day the defenders held the ruined fort.
- 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.
- 26
- Capture of the gunboat KinganiOn 26 December 1915 the British motor boats Mimi and Toutou caught the German gunboat Kingani on Lake Tanganyika. After 11 minutes her crew surrendered.
- British treaty with Ibn SaudOn 26 December 1915 Percy Cox signed a treaty with Ibn Saud at Darin. London recognised him as ruler of Najd and al-Hasa and took control of his foreign policy.
- 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.
- 30
- Sarrail arrests the Central Powers' consulsAfter an air raid on Salonika on 30 December 1915, Gen. Sarrail had the consuls of Germany, Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria and Turkey arrested and expelled.
- Explosion of the cruiser NatalOn 30 December 1915 the British cruiser Natal blew up in the Cromarty Firth. About 400 people died, including women and children visiting the ship.