5 December 1917
 

Western Front
British airmen raid Zweibrucken and Saarbrucken.

Eastern Front
Negotiations at Brest-Litovsk re: Russian Armistice; preliminary suspension of hostilities signed.

Southern Front
First Battle of the Piave (until December 30): Conrad drives towards Foza, but delayed by Bersaglieri and Alpini troops rearguard.
Austro-Hungarian progress at Asiago, storm M. Zomo and Castelgomberto and attack Melette, claiming 11,000 prisoners.
Field marshal Conrad von Hoetzendorf inspecting troops on the Trentino Front: https://i2.wp.com/ww2-weapons.com/w...Tirol.jpg?ssl=1

Naval and Overseas Operations
A claim that the S.S. Apapa (Elder-Dempster) is torpedoed, with a loss of 79 lives. One of the most egregious of British propaganda fabrications; the SS Apapa wasn’t even built until 1927.
Mozambique: Lettow sends Captain Kohl’s 5 coys with the gun east from Nanguari to Mwalia-Medo district, keeping in touch by relay.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theaters
Palestine: First British trains reach Ramleh. Mott’s Detachment occupies Hebron, 17 miles south of Jerusalem.
British take Sakaltutan Pass (on Deli Abbas-Kifri road) and 230 prisoners.

Political, etc
Germany: U-boat office opens in Berlin.
Portugal: Major Paes with 1,500 men overthrow Democratic Government until December 8 after 1,350 casualties. Paes Prime Minister, War and Foreign Minister on December 11 and Provisional President of New Republic on December 28.

6 December 1917
 

Western Front
London and south-east counties raided by 25 airplanes (another soruce claims 19 of 21 German (including 2 Giant) , two brought down; eight killed, 28 injured.
Germany claims the capture of 148 artillery guns over the course of its counter-attacks, and British evacuation of the salient at Cambrai.

Eastern Front
Ukraine: Vladimir Antonov forms Red Southern Front.
Don: French captain from Romania meets Alexei Kaledin at Novocherkask and other White leaders later, reports hopes of new anti-German front exaggerated.

Southern Front
First Battle of the Piave (until December 30): Austro-Hungarians capture Mount Sisemol and 2,000 PoWs; attacks in Val Frenzela frustrated. Italians consolidate new line farther south across Valstagna and Frenzela valleys.
Austro-Hungarian soldiers carrying game caught near the front at Cervignano, Italy: https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...073011164499968

Naval and Overseas Operations
United States Battleship Division, under Rear-Admiral Rodman, joins Grand Fleet at Scapa Flow.
U.S. destroyer Jacob Jones torpedoed and sunk by U-53 off Scillies; 37 survivors.
Channel: U-96 collides with UC-69 (sunk) off Cape Barfleur; the latter sank 50 ships worth 88,138t in 1917.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theaters
The first British soldiers enter the city of Hebron, south of Jerusalem, after it was abandoned by the Ottomans: https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...103218613243904

Political, etc
Truce arranged between Russia, and Bulgaria, Central Powers and Turkey from 7th to 17th. Negotiations suspended.
Austria-Hungary: Count ottokar Czernin tells Hungarian delegation ‘I see no difference between Strassburg and Trieste.’
France: Loire Department strikes end with union officials reinstatement and promise of negotiated wage rises.
Canada: Halifax (N.S.) wrecked: SS*Mont-Blanc, a French cargo ship laden with high explosives bound for Bordeaux, France, collided with the Norwegian vessel SS Imo in the Narrows, at the north-west tip of Halifax Harbor. When a fire on board the French ship ignited her cargo, around 2,000 people were killed by the blast, debris, fires and collapsed buildings, and an estimated 9,000 others were injured. Nearly all structures within an 800-meter (half-mile) radius, including the entire community of Richmond, were obliterated. A pressure wave snapped trees, bent iron rails, demolished buildings, grounded vessels, and scattered fragments of Mont-Blanc for kilometers. A tsunamicreated by the blast wiped out the community of Mi'kmaq First Nations people who had lived in the Tufts Cove area for generations. estimated cost $40 million.
Aftermath of the explosion at Halifax, Nova Scotia: https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...407981733105667
Turkey: Djemal Pasha at Beirut reveals Sykes-Picot Agreement and ‘taunts Hussein’.
Romania: Hostilities between Romania and Central Powers suspended.
United States: Nationalisation of railways in U.S.A. announced.
Manacling of conscientious objectors ends but 142 get life imprisonment (last 31 set free December 1923).
Finland: Finland votes for independence, seeks Swedish recognition on December 29, Bolsheviks recognize on December 31.
Spain: Anglo-Spanish Commercial Agreement.

7 December 1917
 

Western Front
British line improved north of La Vacquerie.
A claim that today, not a few days ago is the end of Battle of Cambrai. British 2-2 1/2 miles in advance of November 20 line in north but have lost almost equal own ground in south.
Captured British tanks Mark IV at Cambrai. These vehicles form the main force of the German tanks in the upcoming spring offensive: https://i2.wp.com/ww2-weapons.com/w...mbrai.jpg?ssl=1
BEF GHQ Intelligence predict German 1918 offensive no later than March 1918.
France: US 42nd ‘Rainbow’ Division arrives (personnel from 26 US states).

Eastern Front
Truce between Russia and Central Powers comes into operation officially (see 2nd and 6th).

Southern Front
First Battle of the Piave (until December 30): Asiago: Italians continue withdrawal to Melette lines.
Austro-Hungarians claim 15,000 prisoners since 4 December.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theaters
Hebron (17 miles south of Jerusalem) captured.

Political, etc
Austria-Hungary: Ministers agree on peace with Russia without gains.
United States: The United States of America declares war on Austria-Hungary.
Minor Allies: Ecuador severs diplomatic relations with Germany.

8 December 1917
 

Western Front
Germans make 225 trench raids against BEF until March 21, 1918 and gain 62 unit identifications.
Small actions west of Graincourt (south-western Cambrai).
Kaiser Wilhelm decorating officers after the Battle of Cambrai: https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...810394755211264
Great artillery activity north-east of Verdun.

Eastern Front
All hostilities on the Eastern front suspended.

Southern Front
First Battle of the Piave (until December 30): German and Austro-Hungarian advance against Italy on the Asiago plateau slows down after Italian troops retreat to new lines. 16,000 Italians had been captured in the recent offensive. French and British join Italian line, latter in Montello district.
150 Allied aircraft over Frenzela valley fighting, Trentino. Italian ace Francesco Baracca scores 3 victories, winning Gold Medal.
Count Francesco Baracca, standing by his SPAD XIII fighter with the prancing horse logo that later became the emblem of*Ferrari: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipe.../FBaracca_1.jpg

Naval and Overseas Operations
Mozambique: Germans capture Portuguese force at Ngoma (River Rovuma).

Asiatic and Egyptian Theaters
Palestine: Advance on Jerusalem begins despite heavy rain, 60th Division takes two villages, 297 PoWs, 3 guns and 12 MGs. British, by cutting Jerusalem-Jericho and Shechem roads, isolate city. Local authorities arrange to surrender. Turkish XX Corps (12,000 soldiers with c.50 guns) evacuates Jerusalem (until December 9.)
Turkish cavalry in a camp near Jerusalem: https://i2.wp.com/ww2-weapons.com/w...salem.jpg?ssl=1

Political, etc
Russia: British Ambassador in Petrograd disclaims wish to interfere in internal affairs.
Russian Bolshevik captain addressing his soldiers at Kronstadt: https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...749961147224064
Japan: 8 family-owned soy businesses in Noda, Japan come together to form the Kikkoman company.
Portugal: Sidonio Pais, Portuguese politician and military officer, completes a successful coup in Lisbon after 3 days of fighting: https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...128736959614976

9 December 1917
 

Eastern Front
Armistice, named the Truce of Focsani, signed between Rumania and Central Powers (see 6th, and November 10th, 1918).

Southern Front
First Battle of the Piave (until December 30): Italians contain Austrian bridgehead on Lower Piave delta, more fighting on December 19. Plumer tells Diaz British will not retreat even if Italians do.
A war memorial at an Austro-Hungarian cemetery in Trient (now Trento, Italy): https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...189144051503104

Naval and Overseas Operations
Italian naval raid on Trieste harbor (night 9th/10th). Austrian coast defense ship Wien sunk.
Convoy escort trawler Ben Lawer rams and sinks coastal submarine UB-18 (sinker of 126 ships worth 128,555t in 1916-17).

Asiatic and Egyptian Theaters
Jerusalem surrenders to British forces (see 11th). Mayor hands keys to Ptes Church and Andrewes (mess cooks), then to GOC 60th Division which storms Mt Scopus. Mott’s Department occupies Bethlehem.
British artillery prepares for action in Palestine: https://i0.wp.com/ww2-weapons.com/w...stina.jpg?ssl=1

Political, etc
Russia: South Russia: Soviet Commissars declare war against Cossack chiefs. Escaped generals, excluding Lavr Kornilov, sent on to Kuban. First White Volunteer Army units, organized by General Mikhail Alexeiev, parade at Novocherkask.
Romania: German soldiers and civilians crowd in Central Powers-occupied Bucharest after the signing of the Focsani Armistice. © IWM (Q 87113): https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...521298186887168
Finland: Removal of Russian troops demanded.

10 December 1917
 

Western Front
Cambrai: German post carried east of Boursies.
Verdun: German attacks on Chaume Wood, etc., checked.
British seaplanes bomb aerodromes near Ghent, and Bruges Docks.

Eastern Front
Bolshevik railway detachments defeat General Kornilov at Tamarovka (north of Kharkov).
Austro-Hungarian officer greeting Russian delegates to negotiate the armistice: https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...551508688965635

Southern Front
Salonika: Clemenceau recalls Sarrail who leaves on December 22.

Naval and Overseas Operations
Italian MAS torpedo boat of the type Grillo (responsible for the overnight sinking of the Austrian coast ship Wien) from the year 1917: https://i0.wp.com/ww2-weapons.com/w...l-MAS.jpg?ssl=1

Asiatic and Egyptian Theaters
Mayor of Jerusalem holding a white flag of truce delivers a letter of surrender of the city to the British forces: https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...566602361634816

Political, etc
Russia: Vladimir Lenin drafts outline peace program for negotiations.
Belgium: Petain visits King Albert, ‘deplores the inefficiency of the British Command. The troops are excellent but they have been clumsily used. The Americans lack discipline and experience’.
Portugal: Dr. S. Cardosa da Paes (also spelled Pais) succeeds Dr. A. A. da Costa as Portuguese Prime Minister (see April 25th, 1917, and May 15th, 1918).
Minor Allies: Panama declares war on Austria-Hungary.

11 December 1917
 

Western Front
American artillery being inspected before they head to the front in Lorraine, France: https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...213357226942465

Eastern Front
Forces from Russian front sent against Don Cossacks.
Emperor Karl of Austria-Hungary inspecting soldiers of the Polish Auxiliary Corps in Bukovina: © IWM (Q 112592): https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...911367041146886

Southern Front
First Battle of the Piave (until December 30): Alfred Krauss with 4 divisions and 460 guns attacks Mt Grappa (‘Sacred Mountain’) sector; German 5th Division storms Mt Spinoncia but can get no farther despite repeated attacks. Austrian 4th Division, arrived from Eastern Front, captures Col della Berretta.
A destroyed a church in San Polo di Piave after its capture by the Austro-Hungarians: https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...926454577582080

Naval and Overseas Operations
East Atlantic: U-155 shells Funchal on the Portuguese island of Madeira.
North Sea: British airship N. S. 5 lost (with crew of five) over the North Sea.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theaters
General Edmund Allenby makes formal entry into Jerusalem (see 9th), with Allied parties including Major TE Lawrence and Lieutenant-Colonel Archibald Wavell (film released in Britain in February 1918): https://i2.wp.com/ww2-weapons.com/w...salem.jpg?ssl=1

Political, etc
Russia: Russian Constituent Assembly meets in Petrograd (see 13th).
France: Georges Clemenceau demands removal of parliament immunity from ex-Prime Minister Joseph Caillaux (arrested December 12) and two other deputies (done December 22-23).
United Kingdom: Mr. Arthur Balfour announces receipt in September of German peace proposals.
Non-Ferrous Metals Bill passed.
Winston Churchill: “The longer Great Britain and America are fighting side by side the closer they will be drawn together. That is a tremendous fact, and it will make amends for what we are now suffering.”
Canada: (Listed for yesterday): Mackenzie Bowell, former Prime Minister of Canada, passed away: https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...881165821042689
Italy: Italy establishes the National Institute of Exchange, which is given a monopoly on foreign bank exchanges in order to reduce currency speculation.
Norway: Nobel Prizes are awarded in Oslo. Peace Prize goes to the Red Cross, Physics goes to Charles Glover Barkla, and Literature goes to Karl Adolph Gjellerup and Henrik Pontoppidan.
Portugal: Dr Machado Guimarães, Portuguese President, deposed.

12 December 1917
 

Western Front
Cambrai: Germans capture small salient between Bullecourt and Queant.
Gotha Bogohl 3 unit loses Commander Captain R Kleine shot down and killed in daylight attack on Allied troops, Lieutenant R Walter replaces.

Eastern Front
Fighting between Cossacks and Bolsheviks at Rostov (River Don), occupy it on December 14. General Kaledin retakes it on December 15 with Alexeiev’s Volunteer Army forcing local Reds to flee to Black Sea Fleet.

Southern Front
First Battle of the Piave (until December 30): Battle on Monte Grappa front between Brenta and Piave; heavy Austro-Hungarian attacks.

Naval and Overseas Operations
North Sea: German destroyers raid British convoy in the North Sea and sink H.M.S. Partridge (see October 17th), and 3 other vessels. Another source says:
4 German destroyers annihilate British Norwegian convoy, sink destroyer Partridge, damage consort Pellew, 6 merchant ships and 4 trawlers in 45 minutes (75 PoWs); 3 covering British cruisers arrive too late. 4 other German destroyers sink 3 convoy stragglers off the Tyne. Admiralty sails Norwegian convoys at longer intervals with stronger escorts.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theaters
British claim to have taken 562 officers and 11,474 men prisoners in Palestine to date.

Political, etc
Germany: General Oskar von Hutier is one of the founders of the successful German stormtroopers tactics: https://i0.wp.com/ww2-weapons.com/w...utier.jpg?ssl=1
Russia: Estonian nobility appeal for German help. General Count Kirchbach takes over German Eighth Army (Hutier to Western Front).
Vladimir Lenin proposes Joseph Stalin, Grigori Sokolnikov and leon Trotsky for Pravda editorial board.
France: French Government decides to bring M. Joseph Caillaux before Court Martial, for “treason”, based on his peace efforts.
Worst civil railway disaster in history, 543 killed at Modane when train jumps tracks.
U.S. troops in France donate $4000 for Christmas gifts to French refugee children settled in their sector.
United Kingdom: Enquiry into the reverse at Cambrai ordered by Government. The Times calls it ‘One of the most ghastly stories in English history’.
Commons votes £550 millions war credit (1917-18 total £ 2,450 millions).
Turkey: Djemal Pasha resigns as Gouverneur-General of Syria and Arabia and as C-in-C Fourth Army, returns to Constantinople.
Minor Allies: Cuba declares war on Austria-Hungary.

13 December 1917
 

Western Front
Moderate fighting on Ypres, Cambrai and Verdun fronts.

Eastern Front
Armistice negotiations on Russian front resumed.

Southern Front
First Battle of the Piave (until December 30): German and Austro-Hungarian launch attacks against Italian troops between the Piave and the Brenta.

Naval and Overseas Operations
(Listed for yesterday): Royal Navy destroyer HMS Wolverine collides with the a sloop off the coast of Ireland and sinks: https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...607230638022657
North Sea: U-75 sunk in mine nets off Terschelling (she had mined HMS Hampshire and drowned Lord Kitchener).
Adriatic: 3 Austrian destroyers sortie against Valona-Otranto route but sight 4 Allied ones and retire (night December 13-14).
Eastern Mediterranean: French ship Paris II sunk at Adalia (Anatolia).

Asiatic and Egyptian Theaters
British line extended north-east of Jerusalem and advanced between latter and Jaffa, capturing 140 Ottoman prisoners.

Political, etc
Russia: Russian Constituent Assembly dispersed by Bolsheviki.
Italy: After Austrian Czernin status quo peace hint from December 5, Prime Minister Orlando tells deputies in secret session Italy will fight on even if armies have to fall back to Sicily.
After the defeat of Caporetto, the Italian propaganda tries with ‘Soldiers Forward’ to highlight the national defense: https://i2.wp.com/ww2-weapons.com/w...retto.jpg?ssl=1

14 December 1917
 

Western Front
British troops collecting mistletoe near Hesdin, France: © IWM (Q 8341): https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...969612707090434
British soldiers sliding on top of a frozen pond near Ypres: © IWM (Q 8369): https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...030024626524161

Eastern Front
Rostov occupied by Bolshevist troops.

Southern Front
First Battle of the Piave (until December 30): Italians surrender Col Caprile (Valstagna, Brenta river); but shell shortage postpones exploitation. Otherwise Austro-Hungarian attacks repulsed.

Naval and Overseas Operations
Ionian Sea: UC-38 (Wendlandt) sinks French cruiser Chateaurenault (10 lives lost, 1162 saved including 985 troops for Salonika) in Gulf of Patras off Cephalonia. UC-38 (also sinker of 36 merchant ships worth 52,525t) then depth charged and sunk by convoy escort destroyers Mameluk and Lansquenet.
Naval Allied Council to be formed (ministers and Chiefs of Naval Staffs).

Political, etc
United Kingdom: Mr. Lloyd George speaks at Gray's Inn on "No halfway house between victory and defeat".
Home Office and MI5 decide not to prosecute in 41 subversion cases. Local butter and margarine rationing begins. In December local tea rationing begins (1 1/2 oz per head per week), affects 17.5 million people.
Turkey: Single members of ‘Society for Finding Employment for Women’ (c.15,000 members) must marry or lose job (those eligible listed in press see February 9, 1918).

15 December 1917
 

Western Front
Flanders: Snow hampers operations. Since 15 June 77 German divisions have been transported to Fourth Army front (from Lille-Armentieres road to coast) and 63 transferred elsewhere.
German troops launch attacks against French lines north of the Aisne to the Meuse, but make little gains.
Verdun: Germans repulsed at Chaume Wood. In December Charles Mangin restored to duty in command of French IX Corps.
Kuhl memo to Ludendorff urges his St George scheme for a Flanders offensive since now fairly certain BEF unable to launch offensive until numerous US troops arrive.

Eastern Front
Armistice signed at Brest-Litovsk between Russian Bolshevik Government and Bulgaria, Central Powers and Turkey, to begin at noon December 17th, and terminate January 14th, 1918 (see 13th and 22nd). Fraternization centres fixed, week’s notice of termination. Germans given police powers in Baltic Provinces.
Fraternisation between Austro-Hungarian and Russian soldiers on the Eastern Front: https://i2.wp.com/ww2-weapons.com/w...sterr.jpg?ssl=1
After six days' fighting, General Alexei Kaledin (Cossacks) enters Rostov; local Bolshevist chiefs flee to Black Sea fleet.

Southern Front
First Battle of the Piave (until December 30): Austro-Hungarian and German forces claim the capture of 3000 Italian troops in their attacks between the Piave and the Brenta.
General Adolphe Guillaumet succeeds General Maurice Surrail at Salonika as Commander-in-Chief.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theaters
British left center in Palestine advanced 1.5 miles on five mile front. EEF losses 18,928 to 25,000 Turkish (12,036 PoWs), 100 guns and over 132 MGs, more than 20 aircraft.
Persia: Around this date mutinies among Nikolai Baratov’s troops at Hamadan.
Turks and Russians to evacuate according to Brest-Litovsk Armistice demarcation agreed at Mosul.

Political, etc
Russia: (Listed for yesterday): Bolshevik Foreign Minister Leon Trotsky gives Russian delegates power to negotiate a peace with the Central Powers if an armistice is signed at Brest Litovsk.
Bolshevist ultimatum to the Ukraine demands free passage for troops.
The Moldavian Democratic Republic is declared by the National Council of Bessarabia, breaking away from Russia.
United States: U.S. Public Information Committee reveals it is spending $1,285,500 for U.S. propaganda in other countries.

16 December 1917
 

Western Front
East of Avion (south of Lens) British position improved.

Eastern Front
The Bolshevik government in Russia signs an armistice with the Central Powers. It will go into effect on the 17th: https://twitter.com/centuryagotoday
German and Russian soldiers together after Russia signs the armistice with the Central Powers: https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...725857407791106

Southern Front
First Battle of the Piave (until December 30): Italians regain some positions in Brenta valley.
Macedonia: Allied aeroplanes bomb depots at Cestovo.

Naval and Overseas Operations
Ionian Sea: A claim that a French destroyer sinks two submarines. The only loss I can track for the Mediterranean for the entire month of December, 1917, is the destruction of UC-38, after it sank the Chateurenault on 14 December.
Bristol Channel: Sloop HMS Arbutus sunk by U-boat.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theaters
General Edmund Allenby made G.C.M.G. (Order of St Michael & St George)

Political, etc
Germany: German poster, which promotes war donations at Christmas 1917: https://i2.wp.com/ww2-weapons.com/w...cht17.jpg?ssl=1
United Kingdom: Lieutenant-Colonel Bernard Freyberg – Victoria Cross – condemns Siegfried Sassoon’s anti-war attitude to Lady Cynthia Asquith.
Portugal: New Portuguese Government declare they will honor all Portuguese engagements.

Arthur C. Clarke, science aficionado, was born.

Indeed, I had missed that; included with today's post, with the disclaimer listed for yesterday. Good spot, jseal.

17 December 1917
 

Western Front
Fighting near the Ypres-Comines Canal.
A British soldier with Christmas pudding in the trenches near Saint-Pol: © IWM (Q 8337): https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...362509700403207
Two Canadian polling officers at the Western Front inspecting a German gas shell. Canada is holding its federal election today: https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...422913554186240
Canadian cavalrymen getting ready to vote for the federal election: https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...424349340037122

Eastern Front
Armistice between Russia and Central Powers begins.

Southern Front
First Battle of the Piave (until December 30): Austro-Hungarians repulsed on Upper Brenta.

Naval and Overseas Operations
Mediterranean: Italian Navy ordered to economize stringently on coal and oil fuel (c.50,000t used per month and national stocks only c.360,000t).
Pacific: 2 US submarines collide in fog; USS F-1 sinks with 19 crew members.
Mozambique: Paul von Lettow with headquarters arrive at Chirumba (Mtarika), Portuguese Nyasa Business Company’s station.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theaters
British Government give the King of the Hejaz (see December 15th, 1916, and February 4th, 1918) written assurance of the future independence of the Arab people.
Yosf Lishansky, Jewish spy working for the British in Ottoman Palestine, is executed by the Ottomans in Damascus: https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...030329157734400

Political, etc
Germany: Count Georg Hertling replies to Mr. Lloyd George's speech of 14 December.
Russia: All Church property to be confiscated, religious teaching abolished.
United Kingdom: (Listed for yesterday): Arthur C. Clarke (future British science fiction writer known for works such as 2001: A Space Odyssey) is born in Minehead, England.
(Listed for yesterday): Former British Prime Minister Asquith states a partnership of nations “with equal rights and reciprocal duties” is necessary to maintain peace after the war.
Lord Rhondda says ‘Food queues must be stopped’, rationing probably inevitable.
No post to neutrals, except to PoWs or under permit.
Don’t waste bread: British appeal for economy in face of the U-boat menace: https://i1.wp.com/ww2-weapons.com/w...bread.jpg?ssl=1
Canada: Unionist Government wins General Election.
Italy: 35,000 people march in Rome to celebrate the British capture of Jerusalem. The Pope says any Christian nation that would aid the Ottomans in retaking the city will be condemned.