5th November 1916 On this day:  1st Bedfords moved in to Support and 1st Cheshires in reserve. Retaliation Fire   236th London Brigade Royal Field Artillery report Fairly quiet day. Some minenwerfers (mortars) were fired and the Batteries only fired in retaliation. War Diaries Naval Action - 5th November 1916   The Naval Action on the 5th November 1916 was fought between a Royal Navy submarine and a dreadnought squadron of the Imperial German Navy. It took place in the months after the Battle of Jutland and is significant as it signalled a major shift in German naval policy. Background On the 2nd November 1916, the German U-boat U-30 suffered a mechanical failure while patrolling off the Norwegian coast. She sent a distress signal which was answered by U-20 returning from patrol around Ireland. They met and both U-boats set off for the Danish coast where they were to be met off the Bovsberg Light. The British meanwhile had intercepted this wireless traffic and dispatched a destroyer force to intercept them, but were unsuccessful. However, on the 4th November, both U-boats went aground during the evening fog. The German Admiralty were concerned that the Danes would intern the two U-boats or that the British would find them. They were also mindful of the reputation of U-20 and her skipper who were responsible for the sinking of the ocean Lusitania. Admiral Scheer dispatched a salvage group, with a cover force comprising destroyers of the 4th Half-Flotilla and the battlecruiser SMS Moltke. These were followed by four dreadnoughts of 3rd Battle Squadron (SMS König, Grosser Kurfürst, Kronprinz and Markgraf). This move was also detected by the British, who alerted the submarine HMS J1, which was on patrol in the area. On the evening of 5 November, J1 encountered the Battle squadron and was in a position to attack. Action On the 5th November, J1 was submerged on patrol in the North Sea, 30 miles south-west of Horns Reef. Her skipper, Commander NF Laurence, had been alerted to the approach of the German forces and, at 1150 in heavy seas, he spotted the four dreadnoughts of 3rd Battle Squadron only 2 miles away. Laurence went deeper to manoeuvre into a firing position, but on returning to periscope depth, he found that the dreadnoughts had altered course and were moving away. Surfacing to take advantage of J1's higher surface speed, but risking detection by the Squadron's destroyer escort, Laurence again moved into a firing position and at 1208 dived to launch four torpedoes. Two of these hit, striking Grosser Kurfurst astern and Kronprinz on the bow. Both were damaged, but were able to return to base under their own steam. J1 had not been detected by any of the screening destroyers during her approach and they were unable to make an effective counterattack. Laurence remained submerged until 1430 and on surfacing found the area was clear. The two damaged dreadnoughts were able to return to base, but both were under repair in drydocks for several months. The other German forces were able to return to base without further incident. U-30 was also able to return to base, but U-20 was unrecoverable and was scuttled to avoid capture. Laurence was awarded a Bar to his Distinguished Service Order for this action. Aftermath Following this action, Scheer came under criticism from Pless, the Naval chief of staff, and the Kaiser himself, who felt that risking so many capital ships of the High Seas Fleet and having two dreadnoughts put out of action, for the sake of two U-boats, was inappropriate. However, Scheer defended himself robustly, stating that it was imperative to give the men of the U-boat arm the fullest possible support. He also stated that Germany's naval strategy should be to concentrate all her efforts on the U-boat offensive. Henceforth the main role of the German surface fleet should be to ensure the safety of the U-boat force. It was a major demonstration of the shift in German naval policy to the war on commerce by her U-boat arm. John Doran  Church services  Strong Wind  Root Crops Plentiful  On the Move  In Action  On the March  Working Parties Quelled  Shelling  On the March  Working Parties  Artillery Active  Baths  Training  In Action  Hostile Barrage  Night-time Signalling  Quiet  Training  Reliefs  Reliefs  Working Parties  Enemy Guns Active  Orders for Detachment.  After Orders  On the March  Divine Service.  Aircraft damaged  Aircraft damaged  Aircraft damaged  Aircraft damaged  Aircraft damaged  Aircraft damaged  Aircraft damaged  Aircraft damaged  Aircraft damaged  Relieved 1st Cheshire Regt. in trenches.  Bad Weather Postpones Attack  Distribution of Medal Ribbons  Wire examined  Marched to Franvillers  No.3 Company relieved by No.1 Company  Severe Thunderstorms  G.220 received  Quiet Day  New Naval Squadrons designated  Movement Order cancelled. 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 5th of November 1916? There are:48 items tagged 5th of November 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, 5th of November 1916. Deck Hand Clifford Aubin. H.M. Trawler Cantatrice. Read their Story. Pte Robert James Bates. 3/1st Battalion Hertfordshire Regiment Read their Story. Pte. John Brennan. 7th Btn. Leinster Regiment Read their Story. Pte. Henry John Cooke. 1st Btn East Surrey Regiment Read their Story. Pte. Francis Earl. 27th Australian Infantry Btn. Pte. James Edson. 7th Btn. East Yorkshire Regiment CSM Albert Evans. 8th Battalion South Staffordshire Regiment Pte. Clyde Albert Ford. 18th Battalion Pte. Joseph Foster. 9th Battalion Durham Light Infantry Read their Story. Pte. Charles Frary. 7th Btn. East Yorkshire Regiment Pte. Henry Arthur Hall. 23rd Battalion Duke of Cambridge's Own (Middlesex) Pte. Thomas Hewison. 8th Btn. Durham Light Infantry Read their Story. L/Cpl. John Holton. 1st Btn. Irish Guards Read their Story. Pte. Reginald G. Jopling. 9th Bn. Durham Light Infantry Read their Story. Drvr. D. Mills. 173rd Brigade Royal Field Artillery Read their Story. Pte. Frank Owen. 10th Btn Black Watch Add a name to this list.

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