25th May 1916 On this day: Shelling Reduced   236th London Brigade Royal Field Artillery at Carency report shelling on both sides was much reduced. During the afternoon Divisional Headquarters in Chateau de la Haie was shelled by 4.2 inch guns. During the night of 25th-26th May, the 47th Div Infantry was relieved by 2nd Div Infantry. War Diaries  527 Field Company RE - Arras sector Field Works.    SM U-54 Type U 51 Shipyard Germaniawerft, Kiel (Werk 236) Ordered 23 Aug 1914 Laid down 18 Mar 1915 Launched 22 Feb 1916 Commissioned 25 May 1916 Commanders. 16 May 1916 - 19 May 1917 Freiherr Volkhard von Bothmer. 20 May 1917 - 22 Mar 1918 Kurt Heeseler. 23 Mar 1918 - 11 Nov 1918 Oblt. Hellmuth von Ruckteschell Career 12 patrols. 2 Jul 1916 - 11 Nov 1918 II Flotilla Successes 26 ships sunk with a total of 66,713 tons. 4 ships damaged with a total of 17,847 tons. 1 warship sunk with a total of 1,290 tons. 3 Feb 1917 U 54 Volkhard von Bothmer Tamara 453 nw 4 Feb 1917 U 54 Volkhard von Bothmer Floridian 4,777 br 4 Feb 1917 U 54 Volkhard von Bothmer Palmleaf 5,489 br 5 Feb 1917 U 54 Volkhard von Bothmer Ainsdale (damaged) 1,825 br 5 Feb 1917 U 54 Volkhard von Bothmer Azul 3,074 br 7 Feb 1917 U 54 Volkhard von Bothmer Wallace (damaged) 3,930 br 7 Feb 1917 U 54 Volkhard von Bothmer Saxonian 4,855 br 15 Mar 1917 U 54 Volkhard von Bothmer Eugene Pergeline 2,203 fr 1 Apr 1917 U 54 Volkhard von Bothmer Consul Persson 1,835 nw 1 Apr 1917 U 54 Volkhard von Bothmer Fjelland 387 nw 2 Apr 1917 U 54 Volkhard von Bothmer Havlyst 532 nw 3 Jun 1917 U 54 Kurt Heeseler San Lorenzo (damaged) 9,607 br 7 Jun 1917 U 54 Kurt Heeseler Jonathan Holt 1,523 br 13 Jun 1917 U 54 Kurt Heeseler Darius 3,426 br 23 Jul 1917 U 54 Kurt Heeseler Ashleigh 6,985 br 23 Jul 1917 U 54 Kurt Heeseler Huelva 4,867 br 25 Jul 1917 U 54 Kurt Heeseler Rustington 3,071 br 26 Jul 1917 U 54 Kurt Heeseler Somerset 7,163 br 31 Jul 1917 U 54 Kurt Heeseler Alcides 2,704 nw 16 Sep 1917 U 54 Kurt Heeseler Arabis 3,928 br 17 Sep 1917 U 54 Kurt Heeseler Niemen 1,888 fr 19 Sep 1917 U 54 Kurt Heeseler Marthe Marguerite 588 fr 24 Sep 1917 U 54 Kurt Heeseler Louis Bossert 605 nw 25 Sep 1917 U 54 Kurt Heeseler Marceau 292 fr 30 Apr 1918 U 54 Hellmuth von Ruckteschell Starmount (damaged) 2,485 br 8 May 1918 U 54 Hellmuth von Ruckteschell Dux 1,349 br 8 May 1918 U 54 Hellmuth von Ruckteschell Princess Dagmar 913 br 10 May 1918 U 54 Hellmuth von Ruckteschell Wileysike 2,501 br 16 Jul 1918 U 54 Hellmuth von Ruckteschell Anchusa 1,290 br 27 Sep 1918 U 54 Hellmuth von Ruckteschell En Avant 86 fr 29 Sep 1918 U 54 Hellmuth von Ruckteschell Libourne 1,219 br Fate 24 Nov 1918 - Surrendered to Italy. Broken up at Taranto in May 1919. There was another U 54 in World War Two. That boat was launched from its shipyard on 15 Aug 1939 and commissioned into the Kriegsmarine on 23 Sep 1939. John Doran  Enemy Mining  Regimental and Brigade Drills  Taking a Risk  Orders  Guns in Place  On the Move  The Loss of a Friend  Football  Reliefs  Training  On the Move  Reorganisation  Reliefs commence Requests   "Don’t worry if you don’t get letters from me. I always will write as often as possible but it’s not always possible to get letters off regularly. The weather has been colder the last few days but fortunately the rain keeps away. I am so glad to hear that you are all keeping well. Things go on much the same out here, very little variety and to tell the truth it’s getting rather boring day after day. Of course we have plenty to keep us busy fortunately or I am afraid we should get tired of each others’ company. The war news doesn’t seem to tell us much does it ? Peace seems to occupy quite an important part of the news each day and shows which way the wind is blowing. In the next parcel you send will you please put one towel and some cocoa, coffee or tea cubes. Some cake would be acceptable too." Pte. Harry Davison, 26th Royal Fusiliers in a letter to his wife Olive.  Anti Gas school    Shelling  Trench Work  Reliefs  Orders  Moves  Moves  Working Parties  First DSO for 36th Div  Under Shellfire  At Rest  Reliefs  Orders  Aircraft damaged  Aircraft damaged  Training  Preparations  Open Day  German Patrol Fired At  On the Move Working Parties    7th Buffs finish Digging cable trench for heavy artillery Bronfay Farm Billon Wood. 7th Buffs war diary WO95/2049  Corps. Commanders inspected the Brigade  Inspection  Parties practiced for raid.  On the Move  Working Parties 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 25th of May 1916? There are:43 items tagged 25th of May 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, 25th of May 1916. Pte. Albert Thomas Hayden. 1st Btn. Royal Berkshire Regiment Pte. John James O'Hare. 5th Btn. Northumberland Fusiliers Read their Story. Pte. John James O'Hare. 1/5th Btn. Northumberland Fusiliers Pte. John James O'Hare. 5th Btn. Northumberland Fusiliers Read their Story. Pte. James Routledge Preston. 13th Battalion East Yorkshire Regiment Read their Story. Add a name to this list.

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