24th May 1915 On this day:  Reorganisation   Battle of Festubert    15th London Battery fired eighteen rounds on Rue D’Ouvert and ninety nine rounds on Dogwheel House. 16th London Battery fired eighty three rounds on J.3, and twenty eight rounds later at the same objective. 17th London Battery fired on objectives within their zone at irregular intervals. War Diaries The Battle of Bellewaarde Ridge   At 0245 on 24 May (Whit Monday), a ferocious German artillery bombardment slammed down on British V Corps front. The clamour of shells, machine-guns and rifle fire was accompanied by a simultaneous discharge of chlorine gas on almost the entire length of the Cameronians in reserve dugouts, the Bluff, Ypres, March 1915 British line. German infantry assaulted in its wake. Although the favourable wind had alerted the British trench garrison to the likelihood of a gas attack the proximity of the opposing trenches and speed of the enemy assault meant many defenders failed to don their respirators quickly enough and large numbers were overcome. But the British defence rallied and the attackers were repelled by small arms fire, except in the north, where Mouse Trap Farm was immediately overrun, and in the south where (by 1000) German infantry broke into the British line north and south of Bellewaarde Lake. The centre of the line between these gaps held fast all day. Heroic efforts were made to retrieve the situation at Mouse Trap Farm before it was decided, that evening, to withdraw to a more defensible line. The German break-in around Bellewaarde Lake prompted the commitment of Corps reserve troops, but their arrival took time and the depleted front line battalions had to wait until the early evening before the weakened 84th Brigade was able to attack and turn the enemy out of Witte Poort Farm. Following the belated arrival of 80th Brigade a joint night counter-attack was made after 2300; this assault, in bright moonlight, was a disaster and both 84th and 80th Brigades suffered heavy casualties. In the early hours of the morning the battle quietened. The following day saw a reduction in shelling and no attempts by the Germans to renew the offensive.  Into Port   entrenched   Trench Map   Operational Report Attack on Bridoux Road   Lt. Millar proceeded this morning to the Cameronians Aid Post - Bois Grenier to meet Lt. Robertson to be instructed in medical work in the trenches of that Regiment. Lt. Ford proceeded also this morning to take over temporary medical charge of the Cameronians in relief of Lt. Robertson proceeding to England on leave on urgent affairs. Attack made on the Bridoux Road by 148 Infantry Brigade at 8 p.m. Precautionary measures taken by this Field Ambulance A Bearers subdivision under Capt. Browne, Lt. Hampson and Sgt. Carter proceeded to Advanced Post at 7.15 pm. Sgt. Matthews, motor cyclist, proceeds also in order to keep up communication with this headquarters. The whole remained at Advanced Post all night and wounded would have been collected from dug-outs in communication trench. War diary RAMC 19th Field Ambulance, Erquinghem-Lys  GOC praises conduct of 1st Bn Herts Bombardment of Ancona 1915    The Bombardment of Ancona was a naval engagement of the Adriatic Campaign of World War I between the navies of Italy and Austria-Hungary. Forces of the Imperial and Royal Navy attacked and bombarded military and civilian targets all across Ancona in central Italy and several other nearby islands and communities in response to Italy's declaration of war on Austria-Hungary. When Italy declared war against Austria-Hungary on 23 May 1915, the Austrian fleet was quick to react, the navy launched several attacks on the Marche region of Italy. That day, the destroyer SMS Dinara and torpedo boat TB 53T bombarded the port of Ancona. The destroyer SMS Lika, on a reconnaissance mission between Palagruža and Cape Gargano, shelled the semaphore and radio station at Vieste. Defending those waters at the time was the Italian destroyer Turbine. A small duel commenced with Lika coming out as the victor damaging the enemy destroyer. The next day on May 24, the majority of the Austrian fleet at Pula steamed for the Adriatic coast of Italy. This included the dreadnoughts SMS Viribus Unitis, Tegetthoff, SMS Prinz Eugen and eight pre-dreadnoughts. Other Austro-Hungarian ships were already in enemy waters or proceeding to the Ancona coast themselves. The fleet bombarded several of the Italian coastal cities and other targets in and around the Province of Ancona, especially damaging the city of Ancona. SMS Tegetthoff and the destroyer SMS Velebit shelled the Italian airship Città di Ferrara off Ancona. The pre-dreadnought SMS Radetzky and two torpedo boats bombarded Potenza Picena, then returned to Pula naval base. The pre-dreadnought SMS Zrínyi—along with two more torpedo boats—bombarded Senigallia, destroying a train and damaging a railway station and a bridge, before returning to Pula. The torpedo boat SMS TB 3 was unsuccessfully bombed by an Italian flying boat. Austrian light cruiser SMS Admiral Spaun bombarded the Italian signal station at Cretaccio Island, while SMS Sankt Georg—with two torpedo boats—shelled Rimini, damaging a freight train. The destroyer SMS Streiter attacked the signal station near Torre di Mileto. The light cruiser SMS Novara, a destroyer and two torpedo boats entered Corsini Channel and shelled an Italian torpedo boat station, another semaphore station and few batteries of coastal artillery. The light cruiser SMS Helgoland—supported by four destroyers—ran into the Italian destroyer Turbine, in a pitched battle south of Pelagosa. The destroyer SMS Tatra shelled the railway embankment near Manfredonia while the destroyer SMS Csepel shelled the Manfredonia railway station. Finally Austro-Hungarian flying boats dropped ordnance on Venice and seaplane hangars at Chiaravalle. Heavy damage was inflicted by the Austrian navy and 63 people, both Italian military and civilian personnel, died in Ancona alone. Austrian casualties were minimal if any. The war in the Adriatic Sea continued, culminating in a large British blockade to try stop the attacking Austro-Hungarian fleet. The "Otranto Barrage" would be raided by the Austro-Hungarians, several times throughout the war. John Doran Germans attack Ypres   On 24th May the Germans launched a fresh bombardment and infantry attack on Ypres and the Monmouths again found themselves in the front line, this time at the infamous "Hellfire Corner". This marked the last serious attempt of the enemy to push through in the 2nd Battle of Ypres. At about 8 p.m. a Highland Battalion relieved the Monmouthshire's.  4th Northumberlands endure gas attack  Gas  9th Durhams suffer gas  Gas attack  7th Northumberlands in Action  Inspection  Gunfire at Ypres  In Support  Gas  Reliefs  Reliefs  German attack  Gas casualties  Heavy firing  Gas attack  Holding the line  Zeppelin in the air  Enemy occupy farm  Counter attack  15 pounder support  Attempts to force enemy out  Air reconnaissance  Into attack  GOC visit  Foreward movement  Brigade in position  Enemy breakthrough  On the Move  Brigade moves forward  Holding the line  Germans on the move  Zeppelin under observation  Zeppelin being followed  Reliefs Complete  On the Move  Gas  Orders  Training  Very Hot Day  At Rest  On the March On the Move   At 3:50am Orders received from 4th Division for the Brigade to be prepared to move at once if ordered. Enemy using gas. 03:55 4th 6th and 7th Battalions Northumberland Fusiliers, the other two Battalions of the Brigade being detached, were ordered to get ready to march at once. 04:10 Orders received from 4th Division to direct the three Battalions of the Brigade to march at once via Reigersburg Sq. H6B to Canal bank at No 2 Bridge. Commanding officers to ride on and report to G.O.C. 10th Brigade for orders. 04:15 Orders issued in accordance with above. 05:00 7th Battalion moved off via dug outs in B27d to Reigersburg and joined 4th Battalion there. 6th Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers followed 7th Battalion and arrived 06:35. 06:35 4th Battalion received orders to move to canal bank. 06:45 message sent to 10th Brigade to say that both 6th and 7th Battalions had arrived at Reigersburg. Both Battalions remained in dug outs along the railway line H6B. 10:30 O.C. 7th Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers received orders from 10th Brigade to proceed to Canal Bank. 13:30 O.C. 6th Battalions Northumberland Fusiliers received orders from 10th Brigade to proceed to Canal Bank. H.Q. remained at Reigersburg Chateau until 21:30 when they returned to Hopital Farm. 149th Brigade war diary  Attack  On the March  In Billets  Advance  Inspection  In the Trenches  Intermittent Shelling  Aircraft damaged  Instruction  On the Move  Blankets  Much Shelling at Night  Instruction  Gas  Officers join  Bank Holiday  Quiet  On the Move  Usual Routine 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? 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Want to know more about 24th of May 1915? There are:72 items tagged 24th of May 1915 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, 24th of May 1915. Pte. Arthur Surtees Adamson. 2nd Btn. A Coy. Northumberland Fusiliers Petty Officer Antram. H.M.S. Patuca. Read their Story. Rflmn. Frank McDonald Archer. 8th (Post Office Rifles) Battalion London Regiment Read their Story. Pte. Patrick Ashe. 2nd Btn. Royal Dublin Fusiliers Read their Story. Pte. George Frederick Atkin. 2nd Btn. Northumberland Fusiliers Pte. Jeremiah Barnes. 2nd Btn. Royal Dublin Fusiliers Read their Story. Pte. Robert Bell. 2nd Btn. Northumberland Fusiliers Pte. John Bennett. 2nd Btn. Northumberland Fusiliers Pte. Stanley Birlinson. 2nd Btn. Northumberland Fusiliers Pte. Peter Boland. 2nd Btn. Royal Dublin Fusiliers Read their Story. Pte. Patrick Bolger. 2nd Btn. Royal Dublin Fusiliers Read their Story. Pte. John Boyce. 2nd Btn. Royal Dublin Fusiliers Read their Story. Pte. Neville Bell Bradford. 2nd Btn. Northumberland Fusiliers Pte. John Robert Brown. 2nd Btn. Northumberland Fusiliers James Summers Calvert. 1st/5th Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers Read their Story. Pte. Edward Carroll. 2nd Btn. Northumberland Fusiliers Pte. Edward Carroll. 2nd Btn Northumberland Fusiliers Read their Story. Pte. James Collins. 2nd Btn Read their Story. L/Cpl. George Collinson. 2nd Btn. Northumberland Fusiliers Pte. John Condon. 2nd Btn. Royal Irish Regiment Read their Story. Pte. John Cooke. 2nd Btn. Northumberland Fusiliers Sgt. Arthur Herbert Dickins. 5th Battalion Read their Story. Pte. Samuel Drydale. 2nd Btn. Northumberland Fusiliers Pte. Joseph Dunne. 2nd Btn. Royal Dublin Fusiliers Pte. John Fenton. 2nd Btn. Northumberland Fusiliers Read their Story. Pte. William Dodds Gardner. 4th Battalion, B Company Northumberland Fusiliers Read their Story. Capt. Francis Octavius Grenfell. VC. 9th Btn. Queens Royal Lancers Read their Story. Pte. William Griffin. 2nd Btn. Royal Dublin Fusiliers Read their Story. Pte. William Griffin. 2nd Btn. Royal Dublin Fusiliers Read their Story. Mjr. C. W. Hines. 7th Btn. Durham Light Infantry Sgt. Joseph Hussey. B Sqdn. Queens 9th Royal Lancers Read their Story. Pte. Stephen Joyce. 2nd Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers Read their Story. Pte. William Kavanagh. 2nd Btn. Royal Irish Regiment James William McCoy. 2nd Btn. Northumberland Fusiliers Read their Story. Pte. John Murphy. 2nd Btn. Royal Irish Regiment Read their Story. Pte. John Nolan. 2nd Battalion Royal Irish Regiment Read their Story. Pte. Michael Scully. 2nd Btn. Royal Dublin Fusiliers Read their Story. Pte. John Smith. 7th Battalion Black Watch Read their Story. Lt. Daniel Pike Stephenson. 1st Btn. Cheshire Regiment Read their Story. Pte. Henry Tull. 1st Battalion, X Company. Essex Regiment Pte. Henry Tull. 1st Btn. Essex Regiment Read their Story. Pte. George Ernest Wadge. 3rd Battalion Royal Fusiliers Read their Story. Pte. Charles W. Whitfield. 5th Btn. Durham Light Infantry Pte. David Williams. 1st Btn. Royal Welsh Fusiliers Read their Story. Pte. Herbert Williams. 3rd Battalion Royal Fusiliers Able Sea. Henry John Wilson. HMS Euryalus Read their Story. Able.Sea. Henry John Wilson. HMS Euryalus Read their Story. Add a name to this list.

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