| International
Actions |
Canada and Canadian Forces
National and Overseas Actions |
Other |
| January
Jan. 8 Helles
evacuated, Gallipoli Peninsula
Jan. 16 Capture of Ezerum by the Russians (Trukish Front)
Jan. 13 Austrians take Cettinje, Montenegro.
Jan. 16 Russians begin drive in Caucasus.
Jan. 19 King Nicholas of Montenegro flees. |
January
Jan. 9 Evacuation of British and
ANZAC troops completed at Suvla Bay on the Gallipoli peninsula.
Jan 31 6th Brigade CEF raid on Spanbroekmolen salient.
Jan 31 Canadian troop strength at 50,000 in the field.
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January
Jan. _ Britain asks Canada for
expert timbermen to produce lumber in the United Kingdom.
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| February
Feb. 16 Russians take Erzerum.
Feb. 18 Allied conquest of Cameroons.
Feb. 20 German offensive at Verdun begun. Battle of Verdun
recorded as longest of the war, extends from February 21 to
December 18 1916.
Feb. 26 Germans take Fort Douaumont. |
February
Feb.2 Secret trial of
"land-cruiser" or "land-ship" completed.
Renamed to "tank".
Feb. 8 German diversionary offensives to 19th in preparation for
Verdun offensive.
Feb. 14 Joffre and Haig reach
compromise on actions in Europe at 2nd Chantilly Conference.
Feb. 21 Germans strike at Verdun.
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February
Feb. 3 House and Senate
Chambers and Clock Tower of Canadian Parliament Buildings
destroyed by fire.
Feb. _ British Secretary of State for Colonies requests 1,500
skilled lumbermen from Canada and other colonies. Minister of
Militia authorizes formation of 224th Forestry Battalion.
Feb. _ 1st Canadian Tunnelling Company reaches France.
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| March
Mar. 10 Germany declares war on Portugal.
Mar. 11 5th to 9th Battles of Isonzo between Italy and
Austria-Hungary begin and continue to November 14th.
Mar. 15 Von Tirpitz retires as head of German navy.
Mar. 19 Ispahan in Persia occupied by advancing Russians.
Mar. 24 French channel steamer "Sussex" torpedoed; the United States again protests.
Mar. 26 British naval air raid on Jutland.
Mar. 31 Russian hospital ship " Portugal" sunk. |
March
Mar. 9 Minister of Militia, Sir Sam
Hughes travels to England to set up "Canadian Overseas
Council" (abandoned April 27th).
Mar. 14 Two Austro-Hungarian armies
attack in South Tyrol.
Mar. 27 Actions of St. Eloi Craters to April 16th.
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March
Mar. 9 US Forces (not in the war)
deal with Pancho Villa's raid on Columbus, New Mexico.
Mar. _ 2nd Canadian Tunnelling Company arrives in France.
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| April
Apr. 18 United States sends ultimatum to Germany on " Sussex" case; Germany yields.
Apr. 18 Russians take Trebizond.
Apr. 21 Arrest of Sir Roger
Casement.
Apr. 24 Irish "Easter Rebellion" starts in Ireland.
Apr. 28 General Townshend surrenders British force at
Kut-el-Amara.
Apr. _ British forces in Mesopotamia begin advance on Baghdad. |
April
Apr. 4 First use of steel helmets
by Canadian troops. Canadians under heavy artillery fire.
Apr. 5 Canadian's win back Crater 5 at St. Eloi.
Apr. 12 General Turner releases report on "lesson to be
learnt" from St. Eloi.
Apr. 26 4th Canadian Division formed from existing units in
England.
April 26 Germans explode 2 large mines on 1st Division front.
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April
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| May
May 1 Dublin rebels surrender.
May 5 Germany promises to stop sinkings without warning (i.e
renounces submarine policy).
May 15 Austrian drive in Trentino begun.
May 19 Britain and France conclude Sykes-Picot
Agreement for creation of Arab state.
May 23 British Commons adopt conscription.
May 27 Austrians take Asiago.
May 31 Naval battle off Jutland. |
May
May _ 38th Battalion in Bermuda
relieved by the 163rd Battalion.
May 14 Two Austro-Hungarian armies attack in South Tyrol.
May 28 General Alderson appointed Inspector General Canadian
Forces in England. British Lt.-Gen. Sir Julian Byng replaces
Alderson in the field.
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May
May _ 1600 all ranks of lumbermen
in United Kingdom from Canada.
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| June
June 1-7 German drive on Douaumont-Vaux.
June 2-16 Third battle of Ypres.
June 4–Aug. 15 Russia rallies and makes her third great advance into Austrian lands; Brusiloff captures Bukowina and threatens Hungary.
June 5 Arab revolt against Turks led by T. El Lawrence (Lawrence
of Arabia).
June 6 Lord Kitchener drowned by sinking of cruiser "Hampshire."
June 6 Russians take Lutsk.
June 7 Germans take Fort Vaux.
June 10 Russians take Dubno.
June 13 Shereef of Mecca revolts from Turkey.
June 17 Russians take Czernowitz.
June 25 Russians complete conquest of Bukowina. |
June
June 2 Battle of Mount Sorrel to
June 13th. 4th CMR nearly annihilated. General Mercer killed,
General Williams wounded and taken prisoner.
June 2 Squadron of Fort Gary Horse replaces 2nd King Edward's
Horse in Canadian Cavalry Brigade.
June 4 Four Russian armies drive back Austrians northward from
Rumanian border.
June 6 Germans explode large mines at Hooge.
June 13 Consolidation of new Canadian front lines.
June 19 Franco-British conference on munitions at Boulogne,
France.
June 21 Army Council approves change of Canadian troops to British
made Lee-Enfield rifle.
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June
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| July
July 1 First Battle of the Somme begun.
Greatest number of casualties in British history (60,000).
July 9 German merchant submarine " Deutschland" crosses the Atlantic.
July 11 British take Contalmaison.
July 26 Russians take Erzingam. |
July
July 1 Detached units in the
opening of the Battles of the Somme at Albert until July 13th.
July 14 British forces begin Batle of Bazentin Ridge with Squadron
of CEF Fort Gary Horse.
July 17 Bazentine Ridge.
July 19 Detached units in attack at Fromelles.
July 20 Attacks on High Wood until July 25th.
July 30 Sir Sam Hughes returns to England and remains until at
least September 6th.
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July
July 1 Newfoundlanders at Battle of
Beaumont Hamel as unit of British Army.
July 29 US Marines land in Haiti. American forces not in Great War
at this time.
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| August
Aug. 1-10 Russian advance into Austria checked at Stochod River.
Aug. 4 Roger Casement executed.
Aug. 4 French retake Fleury and Thiaumont.
Aug. 9 Italians take Gorizia.
Aug. 11 Italians take Corso plateau.
Aug. 18 Bulgarians invade Northern Greece.
Aug. 27 Italy declares war on Germany.
Aug. 27 Rumania declare war on Austria.
Aug. 27 Bulgarians enter Greek Macedonia.
Aug. 27 Hindenburg and Ludendorff become head of German Staff.
Aug. 28 Rumania declares war on Austria.
Aug. 29 Hindenburg becomes German chief of staff.
Aug. 30 Rumanians take Kronstadt.
Aug. 31 Germany suspends submarine assaults (until Oct. 15). |
August
Aug. _ New 4th Canadian
Division complete and crosses the Channel.
Aug. 5 Warsaw falls to German
and Austrian forces.
Aug. 12 Canadians repulse German attack on Hill 60 at St. Eloi.
Aug. 14 Canadian Corps hosts King George V and the Prince of Wales
near Kemmel.
Aug. 25 Canadian 4th Division enters the line.
Aug. 27 Italy declares war on Germany.
Aug. 30 Canadian Corps begins relieving ANZAC Corps at Posieres.
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August
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| September
Sept. 2 Rumanians take Hermanstadt.
Sept. 2-8 Bulgarians defeat Rumanians in Dobrudja.
Sept. 6 Russian victory near Halicz.
Sept. 15 First use of British tanks.
Sept. 19 Allies blockade the coast of Greece
Sept. 19-23 Rumanians defeated at Vulcan Pass.
Sept. 26 British take Combles and Thiepval. |
September
Sept. 1 Battle at Posieres Ridge to
September 3rd.
Sept. 3 Detached units at Guillemont. ANZACs final attempt to
capture Mouquet Farm at Fabeck Graben.
Sept. 3 CEF 4th Division with "Frank's Force" formed as
temporary unit of allied forces.
Sept. 9 Detached units at Ginchy.
Sept. 15 Battles at Flers-Courcelette to September 22nd. Tanks
used in battle for the first time.
Sept. 16 7 Raids carried out by CEF to September 17th.
Sept. 18 "Frank's Force" ceases to exist.
Sept. 26 Action at Thiepval Ridge to September 28th.
Sept. 29 General Turner issues orders for capture of Kenora Trench
then Regina Trench.
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September
Sept. Some 30 members Canadian
Pioneer Training Depot with water transportation expertise
discharged from CEF and sent to Mesopotamian Expeditionary Force
(served in Port of Basra and operated barges on the Tigris and
Euphrates). Served for some months after the end of the Great War.
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| October
Oct. 7 German submarine "U-53 " crosses Atlantic to United States coast.
Oct. 8 "U-53" sinks six ships off Massachusetts coast.
Oct. 11-13 Italian advance on the Carso.
Oct. 15 Germany resumes U-Boat attacks.
Oct. 17 Allies take over Greek fleet and land forces.
Oct. 23 Rumanians lose Constanza.
Oct. 24 French retake Fort Douaumont. |
October
Battles at Le Transloy
Ridges and the capture of Eaucourt l'Abbaye until October 18th.
Oct. 1 Battle of Ancre Heights and the capture of Regina Trench to
November 11th (major action delayed 1st week due to rain).
Oct. 8 Piper Richardson, V.C. KIA at Regina Trench.
Oct. 10 Canadian 4th Division arrives on the Somme.
Oct. 13 British attack north of Loos but are unable to hold
ground. Canadian engineers demonstrate skills with 600 home-made
bombs.
Oct. 17 Canadian 1st, 2nd and 3rd Divisions leave Somme for
Arras-Lens area.
Oct. 18 Sir Sam Hughes as Honorary Lt.-Gen. British Army recorded
in London Gazette.
Oct. 21 Battle of Ancre Heights resumes. CEF 4th Division at
Regina Trench.
Oct. 27 "Ministry of Overseas Forces from Canada in the
UK" formed.
Oct. 27 Imperial General Staff asks Canadian Government to proceed
with mobilization of 5th Canadian Division.
Oct. 31 Sir George Perly appointed Minister Overseas Forces.
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October
Oct. 26 First Canadian Railway Troops Battalion arrived at Le Havre.
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| November
Nov. 6 Lloyd George finds War
Cabinet in UK.
Nov. 13 German Peace Note suggesting compromise.
Nov. 15-17 Rumanians defeated in battle of Tirgu-Juil.
Nov. 18 American Peace Note, offends British.
Nov. 18 End of the Battle of the Somme.
Nov. 19 Serbians take Monastir.
Nov. 21 Emperor Francis Joseph dies; Carl succeeds.
Nov. 25 French retake Fort Vaux.
Nov. 28 First German airplane (not Zeppelin) attach on Britain.
Nov. 29 Sir David Beatty succeeds Sir John Jellicoe in command of British fleet. |
November
Nov. 1 Sir Sam Hughes writes to
Prime Minister regarding appointment of Perly.
Nov. 7 Formation of Canadian Forestry Corps through reorganization
completed.
Nov. 9 Prime Minister Borden responds to Sam Hughes and requests
his resignation.
Nov. 9 Resumption of CEF 4th Division action at Regina Trench on
9th and 10th. End of Battle of Ancre Heights.
Nov. 11 Sir Sam Hughes resigns and A. E. Kemp appointed new
Ministerof Militia and Decence.
Nov. 13 Battle of The Ancre and the capture
of Beaumont Hamel (differs from Ancre Heights).
Nov. 16 CEF 4th Division to seize Desire Support Trench and on to
Grandcourt Trench.
Nov. 21 Conference of Corps at British 1st Army H.Q. initiates
Canadian plans for operations at Vimy Ridge in April 1917.
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November
Nov. _ German sub U-20 (sank Lusitanian
1915) drifted ashore in Denmark due to engine. Scuttled
by crew.
Nov. 7 US President Woodrow Wilson secures re-election.
Nov. 29 US occupation of Santa Domingo proclaimed.
Nov. _ Request for 5,000 more skilled lumberman and more to
follow.
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| December
Dec. 2 Entente troops move on Athens.
Dec. 3 Rumanians beaten in battle of Argechu.
Dec. 5 Asquith resigns as premier of Britain.
Dec. 6 Teutonic allies take Bucharest.
Dec. 10 Lloyd George forms ministry.
Dec. 11 Nivelle succeeds Joffre in command of French.
Dec. 15 Brilliant French victory north of Verdun.
Dec. 21 Peace proposals made by United States.
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December
Dec. 1 Maj.-Gen. Turner appointed
GOC Canadians.
Dec. 5 Acting Sub-Militia Council (Perly) disbanded and new HQ
"Overseas Military Forces of Canada" came into being.
Dec. 19 British General Sir John
French replaced by General Sir Douglas Haig.
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December
Dec. 7 Prime Minister David Lloyd
George takes over in Britain.
Dec. 12 Germany suggests compromise peace.
Dec. _ Entente looses minor ally with crushing of Rumania.
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