October 1917

October

• 02

  • Sinking of HMS DrakeOn 2 October 1917 the German U-79 torpedoed the armoured cruiser Drake off the coast of Ireland. The ship capsized in a bay of Rathlin Island. 18 men died.
• 03

  • End of the Battle of Polygon WoodOn 3 October 1917 near Ypres the last German attempt to retake ground at Polygon Wood failed. Plumer was finishing preparations for the attack on Broodseinde.
• 04

  • Key eventBattle of BroodseindeOn 4 October 1917 the Anzacs took the Broodseinde ridge near Ypres, colliding in no man's land with attacking Germans. They took thousands of prisoners.
• 05

  • Peru breaks off relations with GermanyOn 5 October 1917 the Peruvian Congress backed breaking off relations with Germany, which for months had refused compensation for the sunken barque Lorton.
• 06

  • Pershing promoted to generalOn 6 October 1917 Congress created a wartime rank of general for the Army Chief of Staff and the commander in France. John Pershing received four stars.
• 07

  • Uruguay breaks off relations with GermanyEarly on 7 October 1917 the Uruguayan parliament authorised a break in relations with Germany. President Viera signed the decree the same day.
• 09

  • Key eventBattle of PoelcappelleOn 9 October 1917, after a night march through mud, the British attacked at Ypres towards Passchendaele and were repulsed. Guards and French reached Houthulst.
  • Death of Sultan Hussein KamelOn 9 October 1917 Sultan Hussein Kamel of Egypt died in Cairo. The throne passed to his half-brother Ahmed Fuad, chosen by the British a few weeks earlier.
• 11

  • Operation Albion beginsOn 11 October 1917 a German force with ten dreadnoughts and 19 transports sailed from Libau for the islands at the mouth of the Gulf of Riga.
• 12

  • Key eventFirst Battle of PasschendaeleOn 12 October 1917 Anzacs advanced in the rain on Passchendaele. By evening they were back on their old lines, and 845 New Zealanders were dead.
  • Germans take SaaremaaOn 12 October 1917 the Germans landed on Saaremaa and cut off the causeway to Muhu. By 16 October they held the whole island and over 10,000 prisoners.
  • Union government in CanadaOn 12 October 1917 Borden announced a coalition government of Conservatives and pro-conscription Liberals. The next day the first call-up was proclaimed.
• 15

  • Regency Council is appointedOn 15 October 1917 Berlin and Vienna approved the regents of the Kingdom of Poland, Archbishop Kakowski, Prince Lubomirski and Józef Ostrowski.
  • Key eventExecution of Mata HariOn 15 October 1917 Mata Hari, a Dutch dancer convicted of spying for Germany, was shot at Vincennes. The evidence of her guilt is disputed to this day.
  • Britain recognises the Polish National CommitteeOn 15 October 1917 Britain recognised the Paris-based Polish National Committee as the official Polish organisation, the second Entente power after France.
• 16

  • Battle of Mahiwa beginsOn 16 October 1917 Lettow-Vorbeck struck the Nigerian Brigade at Mahiwa. Two of its battalions were surrounded and a third, sent to help, was driven back.
• 17

  • Attack on the Norwegian convoyOn 17 October 1917 the German cruisers Brummer and Bremse smashed a convoy from Norway east of Shetland. Two British destroyers and 9 ships were sunk.
  • Sinking of the battleship SlavaAt Moon Sound the dreadnought König crippled the Russian battleship Slava. Drawing too much water for the shallow channel, she was blown up by her crew.
  • Hospital ship Goorkha damagedOn 17 October 1917 the British hospital ship Goorkha struck a mine off Malta. All 360-odd people on board survived and the ship was towed into port.
• 18

  • Germans take Muhu and HiiumaaOn 18 October 1917 the Germans took the island of Muhu and about 5,000 prisoners there. The same day they landed on Hiiumaa in greater strength.
• 19

  • Battle of Mahiwa endsOn 19 October 1917 the fighting at Mahiwa died down. The British lost about 2,700 men; the victorious Lettow-Vorbeck could not replace his losses or ammunition.
  • The Silent RaidOn the night of 19 October 1917 eleven airships set out for England. A bomb fell on Piccadilly Circus, and a gale carried four of them over France.
• 20

  • End of Operation AlbionOn 20 October 1917 the Germans finished taking the islands at the mouth of the Gulf of Riga, with over 20,000 prisoners. The Russian fleet withdrew north.
• 21

  • Turks repulsed at PetraOn 21 October 1917 Turks from Ma'an attacked Arab regulars in Wadi Musa near Petra. They broke into the first line, but in the evening had to withdraw.
• 23

  • Battle of La Malmaison beginsAt 5.15 a.m. on 23 October 1917 the French Sixth Army attacked the western end of the Chemin des Dames. Zouaves took Fort La Malmaison; Chavignon fell too.
  • Barthou becomes foreign ministerOn 23 October 1917 Louis Barthou replaced Alexandre Ribot at the head of French diplomacy. Ribot was brought down by a dispute over German peace feelers.
• 24

  • Key eventBattle of Caporetto beginsOn 24 October 1917, after a gas bombardment, Germans and Austrians struck on the upper Isonzo. By evening they had broken the Italian front and taken Caporetto.
• 25

  • Boselli resignsOn 25 October 1917, the day after the front was broken at Caporetto, the Chamber of Deputies refused confidence to Paolo Boselli's government. The cabinet fell.
• 26

  • Key eventBrazil declares war on GermanyOn 26 October 1917 the Brazilian Congress recognised that Germany had imposed a state of war on Brazil. The immediate cause was the sinking of the Macau.
  • Key eventStart of the Second Battle of PasschendaeleOn 26 October 1917 the Canadians attacked the Passchendaele ridge in rain. After hard fighting they took the Bellevue spur, where the New Zealanders had failed.
• 27

  • Third Battle of Gaza beginsOn 27 October 1917 the British began shelling Gaza. That day the Turks struck yeomanry outposts at El Buqqar, but did not see through Allenby's plan.
  • Regency Council takes officeOn 27 October 1917 the regents took their oath in Warsaw cathedral and took up office at the Royal Castle. The September patent came into force.
• 28

  • Fall of Gorizia and UdineOn 28 October 1917 the Austrians retook Gorizia and the Germans took Udine, the Italian headquarters. The Italian army fell back behind the Tagliamento.
• 29

  • Orlando becomes prime minister of ItalyOn 29 October 1917, during the retreat from Caporetto, Vittorio Emanuele Orlando formed a new Italian government. Sonnino remained foreign minister.
• 30

  • Italy recognises the Polish National CommitteeOn 30 October 1917, amid the Caporetto disaster, Italy recognised the Polish National Committee in Paris. Konstanty Skirmunt became its representative in Rome.
• 31

  • Key eventThe charge at BeershebaOn 31 October 1917 the British took Beersheba. At dusk two regiments of the Australian Light Horse galloped into the town and saved its wells.