25th May 1917 On this day: Relocations   236th London Brigade Royal Field Artillery report all Batteries 236 Brigade (less one section C236 Battery) in new positions tonight and completion of large ammunition dumps at guns now taking place. War Diaries Gotha Daylight Raids   Operation Türkenkreuz, In late 1916 Germany began planning a daylight bombing offensive against Britain using aeroplanes, called Operation Türkenkreuz. In anticipation of the campaign, Kagohl (Kampfgeschwader der Obersten Heeresleitung) 3, nicknamed the "England Geschwader", and consisting of six Kastas (Kampfstaffel) under the command of Hauptmann Ernst Brandenburg was formed. Kagohl 3 initially operated from Sint-Denijs-Westrem and Gontrode in the Ghent area of German-occupied Belgium. Daylight Gotha raids. The squadron received the first Gotha G.IV aircraft in March, and on 25th of May 1917, Kagohl 3 sent 23 Gothas on its first raid on London. Two were forced to turn back over the North Sea due to mechanical difficulties and cloud over London caused the remaining bombers to divert to secondary targets at the Channel port of Folkestone and the nearby Army camp at Shorncliffe. The raid resulted in 95 deaths and 195 injuries, mostly in the Folkestone area. In Shorncliffe, 18 soldiers (16 Canadian and two British) were killed and 90 were wounded. Nine Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS) Sopwith Pups engaged the returning bombers near the Belgian coast, shooting one down. "The worst raid that we in England have experienced yet, took place in broad daylight at 5.30 today, when 16 hostile aircraft hovered over Folkestone, dropping bombs in rapid succession. An awful scene followed. People who were doing their Whitsuntide shopping were killed outright amidst the falling debris of the shops; poor old women, helpless children, babies in arms, all were ruthlessly mutilated, killed and wounded, for a bomb is no respecter of persons. 72 killed and 114 seriously injured." Ethel M Bilbrough of Elmstead Grange, Chislehurst, Kent writing in her diary. John Doran  Appointment  Reorganisation  Letters Home  Trench Work  Recce  Cleaning up  Guns Very Active  In Reserve  Training  Raid on Folkestone  Working Parties  Training  3,000 Rounds Fired    Withdrawal  In Reserve  Reliefs  Relieved  Training  On the Move  Under fire  Enemy Raid Counter-attacked  Special training continues.  On the March  Medal Ribbons Presented  New Area  Company Training  Arrived at Le Havre  Clearing and Sandbagging  Airmen taken PoW by U-Boat  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 1917? There are:32 items tagged 25th of May 1917 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 1917. Pte. Frederick James Harrop. 6th Btn. South Lancashire Regiment Read their Story. Pte. Patrick McNally. Army Veterinary Corps Read their Story. Gnr Charles Perkins. 158th Siege Battery Royal Garrison Artillery Read their Story. Add a name to this list.

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