May 1915

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.
• 03

  • John McCrae writes "In Flanders Fields"On 3 May 1915 near Ypres the Canadian doctor John McCrae, a day after a friend's burial, wrote "In Flanders Fields", the poem behind the remembrance poppy.
• 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.
• 05

  • End of the battle of GorliceOn 5 May 1915 the Russian Third Army, shattered at Gorlice and Biecz, was ordered back behind the Wisłoka. Counter-attacks failed and the front broke.
• 06

  • Start of the Second Battle of KrithiaOn 6 May 1915 the Allies at Helles again advanced on Krithia and Achi Baba. Without artillery support the attack stalled after a few hundred metres.
• 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.
• 10

  • Naval convention of Britain, France and ItalyOn 10 May 1915 the Entente and Italy concluded a naval convention in Paris. The Duke of the Abruzzi's fleet was to get British and French help in the Adriatic.
• 11

  • The Germans abandon ŠiauliaiFaced with approaching Russian reinforcements, the Germans withdrew from Šiauliai in Lithuania, taken on 30 April. The British chronology gives 11 May 1915.
• 12

  • The Bryce ReportOn 12 May 1915 Lord Bryce's British committee published its report on German atrocities in Belgium. It became one of the best-known documents of war propaganda.
• 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.
• 21

  • Russian troops land at EnzeliAccording to British sources, in May 1915 Russian troops landed at the Persian port of Enzeli and moved to Qazvin. Baratov's large corps arrived only in autumn.
• 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.
• 30

  • Action at SphinxhavenOn 30 May 1915 a British expedition on Lake Nyasa took the German landing place of Sphinxhaven and finally disabled the steamer Hermann von Wissmann.
• 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.