The Dawn of the Submarine: U-21 sinks HMS Pathfinder
In 1914 submarines were still a novel idea. Many nations had not utilized them until 1900, Germany not until 1906. Soon their worth would be…
The largest American military operation of the First World War – The Meuse-Argonne Offensive
The Meuse-Argonne Offensive was the largest American military operation of the First World War. Engaging over a million American soldiers throughout the last months of…
Inspiring British Officers of the First World War – A Time of Great Bravery
Thousands of men served as officers in the British army during the First World War. Many of them lost their lives, and the survivors were…
Gigantic Underground Mines – The Biggest Explosions of The First World War
One of the common techniques used in warfare during the First World War was mining. There were various mines planted under trenches, then detonated to…
The Letter That Forced America Into WWI
When the war in Europe was declared, America was determined to stay neutral until a letter forced its hand. It was rather complicated, but Japan,…
Lawrence of Arabia – one of the most mythologised officers in modern military history
Thomas Edward Lawrence is one of the most mythologised officers in modern history. A biography by a journalist, his own writings, and a film about…
Amiens: the beginning of the Hundred Days Offensive – The Allies brought enormous resources to bear
In August 1918, the Allied forces began their final great push of the First World War. Later known as the Hundred Days Offensive, this series…
Battle of WWI merchant raiders: HMS Alcantara v SMS Greif
On February 27, 1916, the Norwegian cargo ship Rena steamed out of Cuxhaven on Germany’s North Sea coast. In peacetime, this would not have been…
The Schneider CA1 Was The First Operational Tank Ever – A First In Military History
The beginning of armored weaponry dates back to the days of the First World War when a stalemate occurred on the Western Front due to…
Henry Johnson, Known as the “Black Death” – America’s First World War Hero
Henry Johnson was a World War I soldier who singlehandedly beat back a German assault while critically wounded. He was a great American hero and…
How 50 German Sailors sailed, marched and rowed home from a tiny island halfway around the world
The Keeling Islands are little more than overgrown coral reefs, but in 1914 they saw the beginning of one the most epic adventure stories of…
How a band of German Pirates Captured 15 Ships During World War 1
On Christmas day, 1916 a Norwegian clipper ship, the Irma, was boarded by the British cruiser, Avenger. There was nothing particularly unusual, the captain spoke…