Warbirds Rising - News of the World for December:

December 1
The Battle of the Arges began along the line of the Arges River in Romania between Austro-German forces of the Central Powers and Romanian forces.
The Greek Government refused the Entente demands of 19 November.
December 2
Russian premier Alexander Trepov announced that the Allies acknowledged Russia's right to Constantinople and the Dardanelles.
December 3
German submarines entered Funchal Harbour in Madeira, sank three ships and bombarded the town.
December 4
Admiral Sir John Jellicoe was appointed as First Sea Lord, replacing Admiral Sir Henry Jackson.
December 5
Prime Minister Herbert Asquith resigned.
December 6
German forces captured Bucharest in Romania.
December 7
David Lloyd George replaced Asquith as British Prime Minister.
December 8
The Allied naval blockade of Greece began.
December 9
The new British War Cabinet was formed replacing the War Committee which had held its last meeting earlier in the month.
December 11
The two month long Battle of Cerna Bend between Bulgarian forces and French and Serbian troops ended in a tactical victory for the Entente powers.
December l2
German, Austro-Hungarian, Bulgarian and Turkish Governments all delivered a Peace Note to their respective United States embassies stating they are ready to negotiate for peace.
December 13
British forces in Mesopotamia began operations to recapture Kut-al-Amara.
December 14
Allied powers sent an ultimatum to Greece demanding the removal of all forces from Thessaly.
December 15
The Greek Government accepted the Allied ultimatum.
December 16
The United Kingdom recognized the Sherif of Mecca as King of Hejaz.
December 17
The Greek Government issued a warrant for the arrest of Eleftherios Venizelos on a charge of high treason.
December 18
The longest battle on the Western Front, the Battle of Verdun ended with huge losses but no tactical or strategic advantage had been gained by either side.
US President Woodrow Wilson issued a Circular Note, asking all belligerents to state their war objectives, as a first step towards peace.
December 19
The British Government instituted National Service.
The British Government formally recognised the Venizelos Government of Greece.
December 20
Count Heinrich Karl Clam-Martinic replaced Ernst von Koerber as Prime Minister of Austria.
December 21
British forces occupied El Arish in their advance across the Sinai.
December 22
The British Government formed new Ministries of Food, Pensions and Shipping.
December 23
The Battle of Magdhaba took place in the Sinai peninsula during the Defense of Egypt section of the Sinai and Palestine Campaign. After a day long battle, Turkish troops surrendered to the British.
December 25
King George V sent a message to the troops on the third Christmas Day of the war.
December 26
An Anglo-French conference met in London to discuss the German and US Peace Notes as well as the campaign in Salonika and the division of forces on the Western Front.
December 27
The German colony of Togoland was divided into British and French administrative zones.
December 29
Two relatives of Tsar Nicolas II, Grand Duke Purishkevich and Prince Felix Yusupov poisoned the confidant of the Tsarina, Father Grigori Yefimovich Novykh (Rasputin) at Yusupov's home in Petrograd. After this attempt at murder failed, the pair shot Rasputin and dropped his body through the ice of the River Neva.
December 30
The Bulgarian Government accepted President Wilson's proposals for peace negotiations.

(From The Great War - Unseen Archives by Robert Hamilton)


"Take the cylinder out of my kidneys,
The connecting rod out of my brain, my brain,
From out of my arse take the camshaft,
And assemble the engine again."