Showing posts with label Erzurum Offensive. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Erzurum Offensive. Show all posts

Monday, February 16, 2026

Wednesday, February 16, 1916. Russian Army blunders, Lomond established, Kermit Roosevelt Jr. born.

The Imperial Russian Army, which had been seeing success after success against the Ottomans, entered Erzurum, but botched it, allowing the retreating Ottoman Third Army to set up a new defense line less than 10 km away from the city. Losses were heavy on both sides.

Lomond, Alberta was established.

Kermit Roosevelt Jr. was born to was born to Kermit Roosevelt Sr., son of U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt, and Belle Wyatt Roosevelt (née Willard) in Buenos Aires.  He's later work for the OSS and CIA.

Kermit Jr, Theodore Roosevelt, and Richard Derby.

A member of the greatest dynastic American family, he died in 2000.  His father exhibited the occasionally tragic aspect of the family, dying by suicide in 1943 in Alaska.

Anyway you look at it, the Roosevelts stand apart as an American political family, although they have chosen to remain outside of politics since the 1940s.  Never tainted while in office, and highly self sacrificing, their family remains admirable to this very day.  The Adams family may rate a close second (or first?), followed by the Bush family, and perhaps the Kennedy family.  The Trump family stands a chance of being the polar opposite.

Dương Văn Minh, the last President of South Vietnam, was born in French Cochinchina.  A soldier by training and profession, he'd live until 2001.  He spent much of his post Vietnam War exile in France, but immigrated to Pasadena California to be near his daughter in his old age.  He was extremely quiet in exile, and did not produce a memoir.

A gas explosion destroyed Mexia Texas' opera house and damaged a half-block of buildings, killing nine and injuring eight.

Last edition:

Tuesday, February 15, 1916. Chivalry in Africa.

Sunday, February 15, 2026

Tuesday, February 15, 1916. Chivalry in Africa.

Allied commander Brigadier General Frederick Hugh Cunliffe sent a message to German commander Captain Ernst von Rabe at the mountain fortress near Mora in Kamerun (now modern-day Cameroon), offering terms of surrender that included all African native soldiers to be allowed safe passage back to their home villages and all German troops interned in England. 

Rabe accepted the terms with an additional offer all the native soldiers be paid for their military service.

Ottoman forces around Erzurum were evacuated.

British forces were forced off of "the Bluff" in Belgium.  The Germans, however, sustained inordinate casualties in the effort.

Followers of putative Vietnamese Emperor Phan Xích Long attempted to break him out of his prison in Saigon. They failed.

Airborne reconnaissance located the new location of the Senussis.

Last edition:

Monday, February 14, 1916. Russians take Ft. Fafet, Australians mutiny, Petra Herrera murdered, Vietnamese rebel.

Saturday, February 14, 2026

Monday, February 14, 1916. Russians take Ft. Fafet, Australians mutiny, Petra Herrera murdered, Vietnamese rebel.

The Russians captured Ft. Tafet.

Australian troops mutinied against conditions at Casula Camp in New South Wales.

Mexican revolutionary Petra Herrera, who fought both as a soldier and worked as a spy, was shot dead by drunken revolutionaries in a bar.

She's started off as a Villista who disguised herself as a man, and then later became an acknowledged female combatant, and later a spy.

Vietnamese rebels rose up in Saigon.

Last edition:

Saturday, February 12, 1916. Russians advance against the Ottomans.

Thursday, February 12, 2026

Saturday, February 12, 1916. Russians advance against the Ottomans.

Russian forces captured Fort Kara-gobek at Erzurum.

British forces failed to take Salaita Hill in what is now Kenya in the first large scale battle of the East Africa Campaign.

The Aurora was free of ice, but only temporarily.




Apparently a Casper Knights of Columbus event was a big success, but what was surprising is that it was held at the Masonic hall.


Last edition:

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Wednesday, February 11, 2026

Friday, February 11, 1916. Bandelier National Monument established.

The Bandelier National Monument near Los Alamos in Sandoval and Los Alamos counties, New Mexico was established by President Wilson.

Bill Carlisle was still at large.


And there was a shakeup in the Department of War. . . the actual one not the Hegseth nom de guerre one that's our current Department of Defense.

The Russians advanced to artillery range around Erzurum.

Senussi's withdrew near Bahariya after being spotted by aircraft.

High water, Roosevelt Dam, Arizona.  February 11, 1916.



Last edition:

Thursday, February 10, 1916. Battle of Dogger Bank.