26th August 1914 On this day: Russian army defeated   The Russian army is defeated at the Battle of Tannenburg and the Battle of the Massurian Lakes 9th Divisional Heavy Battery formed.   The 9th Divisional Heavy Battery is formed at Fort Brockhurst as a 4-gun 4.7in. Battery under the command of Captain Osborne, who is later succeeded by Major Twiss. 32nd Brigade Royal Field Artillery go into action   32nd Brigade Royal Field Artillery have their first taste of action at the Battle of le Cateau. Battle of Rio de Oro   The Battle of Río de Oro was a single-ship action fought in August 1914 during the First World War. The British protected cruiser HMS Highflyer attacked the German auxiliary cruiser SS Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse off the small Spanish Saharan territory of Río de Oro. Under the command of Max Reymann, the German ship SS Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse was originally a passenger liner. Built in 1897 she was part of the German merchant fleet until requisitioned for service at the outbreak of World War I. She was fitted with six 4-inch guns and two 37-millimeter guns. The German vessel set steam for a commerce raiding mission in the Atlantic Ocean. Commanded by Henry T. Buller, the British ship HMS Highflyer was a protected cruiser built in 1898 with eleven 6-inch guns, nine 12-pounder guns, six 3-pounder guns and two torpedo tubes. She had been detached to support the 5th Cruiser Squadron in hunting the German raider. Battle The battle off Rio de Oro on 26 August 1914 began when the German raider Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse was caught by surprise in a harbour, taking on coal from three German and Austrian colliers. Highflyer, badly outgunning the German auxiliary cruiser, first demanded surrender, but the German commander argued that the British had violated Spain's neutrality. The British disregarded this because the Germans had already violated Spain's neutrality by taking over a week to resupply in a neutral port. So a battle began and from 1510 to 1645 the two ships bombarded each other, sometimes dodging the shots. Eventually, Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse exhausted her ammunition and began to flee the battle. Now out of ammunition, running from several larger guns, the crew scuttled their ship and abandoned her to the Atlantic. The German sailors made it to shore and escaped into the Saharan Desert. Aftermath British sources at the time insisted the German auxiliary cruiser was sunk by Highflyer's crew but eventually stories from the surviving German seamen began to circulate, thus ending Britain's claim. Despite whether or not the Germans scuttled their ship or whether the British sank the raider, the British were still responsible for the raider's end. Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse became the first passenger liner to sink during World War I. For years, the wreck of the German commerce raider was identifiable because its starboard side remained above the waterline until the ship was scrapped in 1952. One Briton was killed and six others wounded. German casualties are unknown. John Doran German Cavalry stampede column   At 7.15am the column is stampeded by German cavalry from Le Cateau. 59th Coy RE received the order to withdraw at 2pm.  Ongoing Action  First Australian Casualty WW1  In Action 32nd Brigade RFA in action   32nd Brigade Royal Field Artillery are in action at the Battle of Le Cateau.  On the March    Worse than the Mouth of Hell  Enemy Engaged  Prisoners Taken  Prisoners Taken  Battle Begun  Taken Prisoner  On the Move  On the Move  On the March  Regimental Dinner  In Action  Retirement  In Action  Ongoing Retirement  In Action  Under Fire  In Action  In Action  Aircraft Downed  Duties  Shellfire  Heavy Firing  In Action  In Action  Fighting Withdrawal  Confusion  Engineering Work  Orders  Under Fire  Holding Position  In Action  Orders to stand to arms  In Action  Entrenching  Prisoners 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 26th of August 1914? There are:45 items tagged 26th of August 1914 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, 26th of August 1914. Cpl. Michael Ansboro. 2nd Btn. Lancashire Fusiliers Read their Story. Gnr. William Frederick Archer. Y Bty Royal Horse Artillery Read their Story. Pte. James Baker. 2nd Btn. Suffolk Regiment Read their Story. Pte. Thomas Bottomley. 1st Btn. East Lancashire Regiment Pte. Patrick Brennan. 2nd Btn. Lancashire Fusiliers Read their Story. L/Cpl. Albert Edward Casey. 1st Btn. Royal Warwickshire Regiment Read their Story. L/Cpl. Frank Ernest Herbert Coppin. 1st Battalion Rifle Brigade Read their Story. Sgt. Arthur Frederick Curry. 1st Btn. Somerset Light Infantry Read their Story. Pte. John Willie Gothard. 2nd Btn. Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry Read their Story. L.C.C. Richard James Lobb. HMS Highflyer Read their Story. Lt. Arthur Kirkpatrick Maclean. 2nd Btn. Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders Read their Story. Gnr. John McGrogan. 124 Battery Royal Field Artillery Read their Story. Pte. William John Newman. 1st Btn. Somerset Light Infantry Read their Story. Pte. Thomas Roberts. 1st Battalion Somerset Light Infantry Read their Story. Add a name to this list.

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