 |
 |
Navigation :: WarChron |
Today's
Date is
|
|
| |
|
WarChron - March 1916 - Russian Operations Black Sea - Battle of Lake Naroch |
|
|
|
|
|
 |
The Year 1916
In North Persia, the Russians occupied Kermanshah.
On 28 February, in the Black Sea, Russian destroyers Pronzitelniya and Bespokozhnyi destroyed seventeen loaded Turkish sailing ships at Giresun. They later encountered the Breslau off Sinope, but lost her in the darkness.
On 29 February, the first elements of a Russian Brigade disembarked at Dalny in France, with the rest arriving by 17 March.
On 1 March, in North Persia, the Russians advanced west of Kermanshah.
At Petrograd, U.S. Ambassador G.T. Marye resigned and was soon replaced by D.R. Francis, former Governor of Missouri and Secretary of the Interior. He knew little or nothing about Russia or the Russian people.
On 2 March, on the Western Front, in an effort to relieve pressure on the French at Verdun, General Kuropatkin's Russian 5th Army began a campaign between Lake Drisvaty and Lake Naroch, feeling out the disposition and strength of German forces. An early thaw between these lakes was turning the ground into a morass, swollen rivers turned roads to mud and slush.
On the Caucasian Front, in a raging blizzard the Russians captured Bitlis in Armenia.
On 3 March, the Tsar left Stavka for Tsarskoe Selo and stayed there until the 15th.
On 3-6 March, on the Caucasian Front, with the support of warships off Atina, the Russians carried out an amphibious operation, landing 2,100 troops which made a pincer attack and quickly took the town. A similar operation was carried out at Meparvi on the 5th, with another landing taking place west of Rize on the 6th, as they moved forward along the coast.
On 4 March, on the Caucasian Front, the Russians continued their advance east of Trabizond. During March, the Turkish 2nd Army was formed at Bitlis.
On 7 March, on the Caucasian Front, the Russians captured Rize, 70 km east of Trabizond. In North Persia, the Russians took Cola, and occupied Sennah on the 8th.
On 9 March, the Tsar granted Rodzianko an audience. Rodzianko addressed the problems of intrigues, the absence of a firm policy, the contempt of public opinion and widespread abuses by the authorities. The Tsar listened but took no action.
|
|
|
The Year 1916
On 9 March, in the Black Sea, Russian warships, supported by three seaplane carriers, bombarded the port at Varna. German submarine U.33 torpedoed and sank the Russian torpedo boat destroyer Puchkin off Varna, with some of its crew being rescued by a second vessel. During March, German submarines carried out mine laying operations off Sevastopol.
On 11 March, in North Persia, Russian Cossacks led by General N.N. Baratov opened attacks in the Kermanshah sector in an effort to divert Turkish troops from Mesopotamia.
On 12 March, the Tsar ordered Rasputin deported from Petrograd to Tobolsk in Siberia. Several days later the Empress had the Tsar's order countermanded. She had become ever more dependent on Rasputin's “healing powers” and advice.
On the Allied Western Front, opening of an Inter-Allied Conference in Paris to discuss plans for future operations.
On 13 March, on the Caucasian Front, the Russians defeated the Turks near Kalopotamos River, east of Trabizond.
On 14 March, on the Northern Front, there was heavy artillery action in the Riga sector.
The Tsar signed an imperial sanction to bring the case of Sukhomlinov before the State Duma to examine the question of criminal prosecution. Sukhomlinov was placed under house arrest. His wife was allowed to remain at liberty.
On 15 March, on the Western Front, General V.V. Smirnov, Commander of the Russian 2nd Army, became quite ill, and was temporarily replaced by 4th Army commander General A.F. Ragoza.
At Stavka, the Tsar received a letter from the Empress expressing severe doubts about Interior Minister Khvostov, fearing his persecution of Rasputin. She suggested that he be removed and wrote, “Am so wretched that we (I), through Grigory (Rasputin) had recommended Khvostov to you.”
On 16 March, on the Western Front, in the Lake Naroch area, the German 10th Army and Russian 2nd Army engaged in heavy artillery duels.
On 17 March, on the Caucasian Front, the Russians continued their advance west of Erzerum. |
|
|
The Year 1916
On 18 March, on the Western Front, opening of the first Battle of Lake Naroch. The Russian offensive was brought about by French pressure on Stavka for relief at Verdun. The Russian 12th Army demonstrated south of Riga against the German 8th Army. The Russian 5th Army prepared to attack at the Jakobstadt bridgehead from Postavy to Lake Drisvyati against von Scholtz's Germans. The Russian 1st Army was to demonstrate south Lake Drisvyati, while the 2nd Army advanced with strong infantry attacks between Lake Naroch and Vishniev. The overall objective of the offensive was to bring Vilna and Kovno within striking distance.
The Russian 2nd Army was composed of the I, XXVII, I Siberian, VII Cavalry, XXXIV, IV Siberian, V, XXXVI, III Siberian, with the III Caucasian and XXIV Corps in Reserve. The 2nd Army had had too little time to prepare and was not yet fully grouped. Their heavy guns came up late. They were constantly short of shells. Their telephone communications were only set up early on the 18th. Continual fog prevented aircraft from carrying out much artillery observation, only one aircraft was fitted with a wireless. Artillery was not effective, and reserves were not committed in time. The Russians suffered 78,000 casualties in fighting that lasted until 14 April.
The Tsar had charged an Imperial Commission to investigate General Sukhomlinov's responsibility for the munitions crisis and incompetence of the military administration departments. Today it reported that the former War Minister should be brought before a court martial. The Tsar approved the decision and removed Sukhomlinov's name from the Council of the Empire list.
The Tsar dismissed A.N. Khovstov as Minister of the Interior along with his police director S.P. Beletskiy because of their investigation of Rasputin's activities and a plot to have him murdered. The Tsar appointed ultra-reactionary B.V. Shturmer to take over as Interior Minister.
On 19 March, on the Southwest Front in Bukowina, there were some Russian successes northwest of Uscieczko on the Dniester River.
In Northern Persia, Isfahan was occupied by Russian troops.
On 20 March, on the Western Front, the Russians made small gains in the Lake Naroch area, suffering heavy casualties.
On 21 March, on the Northern Front, the Russian 5th Army commenced its offensive in the Jakobstadt sector. Heavy fighting continued all along the Lake Naroch front. The ground had turned mud and slush. Thick fog forced all reconnaissance flights to be grounded. The 5th Army offensive lasted only five days before being called off.
|
|
|
|
|
© WARCHRON 2007
|
|
|
