16th January 1916 On this day:  Reliefs Batteries Fire   6th County of London Brigade RFA report the 2nd & 3rd London Batteries registered their new zones. The 2nd London Battery now fired on Observation Point at G.33.b.10.9. At frequent intervals throughout the day, the enemy shelled our front line trenches from M.5.b.8.2. to M.5.a.4.4. The 15th London Battery retaliated on front line trenches causing the enemy to cease firing. From 0800 to 1030 the enemy shelled front line trenches just north of Chalk Pit to half way down the copse. The 16th London Battery fired on front line communication trenches opposite. There were 4 balloons up opposite the Loos sector during the day. They appeared to have been towed along the sector. War Diaries Naval Action   The Action of 16 January 1916 was a single ship action of World War I. It was fought between a German auxiliary cruiser and a British merchant ship off the Portuguese islands of Madeira in the Atlantic Ocean. Background The most successful of German commerce raiders during the war, SMS Möwe was commanded by Korventtenkapitän Nikolaus zu Dohna-Schlodien and was assigned to duty in the Atlantic. Möwe was originally a freighter launched in 1914 until converted in 1915. She displaced 9,800 tons and was armed with four 150-milimeter guns, one 105-millimeter gun and two torpedo tubes. Her opponent was the one gun merchant ship, SS Clan Mactavish of Great Britain laden with fur, meat and cotton. Action Möwe was steaming approximately 120 miles south of Madeira on 16 January 1916, with the merchant steamer SS Appam, a vessel previously captured by the Germans. They had installed a prize crew and transferred several dozen prisoners of war. At sunset, lookouts aboard Möwe sighted smoke on the horizon, a sure indication of a ship. Immediately, Kapitän Dohna-Schlodien ordered Appam to remain behind while he went to investigate. Several minutes later, at about 2100, Möwe came within a distance to where her lookouts could make out that the smoke had originated from a large merchant ship, later identified as the 5,816 gross ton Clan Mactavish of the Clan Line company. By the time Möwe came within close range, it was dark, so the Germans approached cautiously. Using a signal lamp, Dohna-Schlodien requested the steamer's name but the British responded by asking that the Germans first identify themselves. Dohna-Schlodien signaled that his ship was the SS Author, sailing from Liverpool to Natal. Möwe reportedly looked very similar to Author, which was sunk by the Germans a few weeks earlier. Clan Mactavish then signaled her name and that they were returning to Britain from Australia. This was the end for the merchantman, now identified as enemy, Kapitän Dohna-Schlodien crossed the steamer's bow and ordered her to halt, a signal which certainly shocked the unsuspecting Britons. Instead of stopping, the British altered course and increased speed, hoping to outrun the raider. Warning shots were fired, but they were ignored so a chase began. The one gun of the British ship, mounted on her stern, was manned and opened fire on the chasing Germans, but the shots were not well directed. Some splashed into the water near the auxiliary cruiser, but ultimately none struck the German vessel and they therefore suffered no damage or casualties in the engagement. The German sailors responded to the British with counter battery fire from their 150-millimeter guns, and for several moments the two vessels fought. Clan Mactavish fired at the pursuing Mowe, and during this she sent distress calls out which were received by the armoured cruiser HMS Essex. However, the telegraphist aboard the cruiser failed to inform his superiors of the action so no help was sent. Eventually, after taking several hits topside, the one gun Clan Mactavish began to burn and her captain signaled Möwe that they were surrendering. Möwe then maneuvered in for boarding. All of the German rounds were hits with the exception of the warning shots. The steamer was quickly seized, prisoners removed and charges set for scuttling. Within moments of boarding, the explosives laid in Clan Mactavish were detonated and she sank to the bottom of the ocean. Eighteen British sailors were killed in battle or just after and five others were wounded. The commander of Clan Mactavish was a Royal Navy captain and her gun was manned by two navy sailors, all three were captured among dozens of civilians. At this point, the Germans now held a total of over 500 Allied prisoners of war on Möwe and SS Appam. Aftermath After destroying the steamer the Germans reunited with Appam and set a westward course, thus avoiding any possibility of encountering the British cruisers in the area. Two of the cruisers were just over 100 miles from the battle area that night and could have been moved to a position of intercepting the Germans had the telegraphist aboard Essex responded. Möwe went on to sink several more Allied ships before returning home. Upon arrival, Kapitän Dohna-Schlodien received an Iron Cross second class. During her second cruise, Möwe defeated another one gun steamer in an action in the mid-Atlantic in March 1917. John Doran  Reliefs  Accidental Shooting  Honours  On the Move  Organisation  Trench Work  Visit  Reorganisation  Enemy Active  Patrols  Reliefs  On the March  Working Parties & Training  Building Huts and Railways  Church Parade  In Billets  Church Parade  Church Parade  Exchange of Fire  Baths  Training  Working Party  Quiet  A Military Cross Awarded  Patrols  Nothing of importance occurred on our front  Hostile Fire  Working parties, supporting Royal Engineers  Right Sub-Section Loos Sector.  Patrols  Reliefs  Church Parades.  Reorganisation  Working Party  Killed by a Souvenir  Church Parade held Can you add to this factual information? Do you know the whereabouts of a unit on a particular day? Do you have a copy of an official war diary entry? Details of an an incident? The loss of a ship? A letter, postcard, photo or any other interesting snipts? If your information relates only to an individual, eg. enlistment, award of a medal or death, please use this form: Add a story.

Killed, Wounded, Missing, Prisoner and Patient Reports published this day. This section is under construction.

Want to know more about 16th of January 1916? There are:38 items tagged 16th of January 1916 available in our Library   These include information on officers, regimental histories, letters, diary entries, personal accounts and information about actions during the Great War.

Remembering those who died this day, 16th of January 1916. L/Cpl. David Mulholland. 9th Btn. Royal Irish Rifles Add a name to this list.

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