A mob of soldiers vandalized the German Club in Sydney, Australia by throwing stones and breaking every facade window of the club. Police broke up the mob shortly after, arresting one soldier and charging him with malicious damage and riotous behaviour.[2]
Fourth Battle of the Isonzo – Cold winter began interfering with supplies to the front lines, forcing the battle between Italy and Austria-Hungary to wane to minor skirmishes throughout the rest of the month. Italian forces suffered 49,500 casualties including 7,500 dead, while Austro-Hungarian forces had 32,100 casualties including 4,000 dead.[9]
Battle for Lake Tanganyika – Lieutenant Job Rosenthal, commander of the German warship Kingani, on patrol in Lake Tanganyika was caught on shore while gathering intelligence on Allied defenses on the lake port of Kalemie, Belgian Congo. He was able to smuggle out a letter warning command in German East Africa of mounting Allied action around the African lake but it took months to reach his superiors.[10]
British Indian forces under Major-General Charles Townshend arrived at Kut, located on the Tigris in what is now eastern Iraq. Since the Battle of Ctesiphon weeks earlier, the army had been reduced to a third of its strength and 400 miles deep into Ottoman territory.[16]
High winds toppled the Owen's electric light tower in San Jose, California, which was already structurally weak from another wind storm in February. Fortunately, there were no injuries from the collapse the debris was hauled away at a cost of $4,000 for the city.[18][19]
Kosovo Offensive – The Central Powers captured Debar in Serbia (now part of North Macedonia), officially ending the offensive. The Serbian army lost 30,000 soldiers, 199 guns, 150 vehicles and various other equipment. The remaining Serbian army was transported to the Greek island of Corfu where thousands more died from exhaustion and other health complications related to the retreat.[20]
Born:Johnny Lombardi, Canadian television personality, best known for promoting multicultural community TV programming, recipient of the Order of Canada, in Toronto (d. 2002)
Costa Rica held mid-term parliamentary elections, with the Republican Party of Costa Rica receiving two-thirds of the vote, in which just over half of the eligible electorate voted.[23]
French submarine Fresnel was scuttled after running aground on the Bojana river that fed into the Adriatic Sea. Austro-Hungarian naval destroyer Warasdiner completed the destruction of the ship and took the French crew prisoner.[24]
Laurel Run mine fire – An underground coal mine fire near the communities of Laurel Run and Georgetown, in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania started when a miner accidentally left a carbide lamp hanging from a timber support before leaving for the weekend, causing it to ignite. Workers returning the following week discovered the fire and tried to extinguish it by blocking off its air supply by pouring sand in the area and filling the openings of the mine with concrete. However, the fire persisted and spread, continuing to burn well into the 21st-century.[29]
Gallipoli campaign – Allied forces began to withdraw from Gallipoli in gradual waves in order to not tip off the Ottomans.[31] In many cases, rifles were rigged to self-fire to disguise the departure, based on a design put forth by Australian soldier William Scurry.[32]
Siege of Kut – Major-General Charles Townshend chose the 6th Division of the British Indian Army to make a stand against an Ottoman force of 11,000 men at Kut 100 miles south of Baghdad rather than retreat further south to Basra, allowing the Ottomans to reinforce their siege while making it harder for the British to send reinforcements.[33]
Battle of Kosturino – The Bulgarian army launched a bayonet attack on British defenders at Kosturino using the cover of fog. Both British and French soldiers regrouped to repel the attack.[34]
U.S. President Woodrow Wilson delivered his State of the Union Address to the 64th United States Congress. While the United States was still neutral during World War I, Wilson emphasized the larger role the country could play on the international stage: "The moral is, that the states of America are not hostile rivals but cooperating friends, and that their growing sense of community or interest, alike in matters political and in matters economic, is likely to give them a new significance as factors in international affairs and in the political history of the world."[35]
The German Club in Sydney, Australia applied to renew its licensing to reopen after repairs were made to damages caused by a mob of soldiers on-leave at the start of the month, but the licensing court refused to entertain renewals until after the war, resulting in the club eventually shutting down.[37]
Battle of Kosturino – The Bulgarians broke through the British-French lines and captured 10 artillery guns.[38]
Siege of Mora – British soldiers burned an African village that had been supplying food supplies to German defenders at Mora in Kamerun in a means to starve German troops and force them to surrender.[39]
Canadian medical soldier John McCrae published his war poem "In Flanders Fields" anonymously in Punch after it had been rejected by The Spectator, but Punch attributed the poem to McCrea in its year-end index.[40]
The French tested the Breton-Prétot machine on the former battlefield of Souain, France. The machine was designed to maneuver over trenches and shell craters while cutting through barbed wire.[44]
Russian naval destroyers sank two Ottoman gunboats in the Black Sea while they were on a salvaging mission to recover German U-boat SM U-13 in what became known as the Battle of Kirpen Island.[47][48]
Senussi campaign – An Allied armored column on patrol in the Sahara were attacked by 300 Senussi tribesmen. With superior firepower and reinforcements from artillery and an Australian cavalry repelled the attack, killing 80 Senussi soldiers. Allied casualties were light.[52]
Battle of Kosturino – British and French forces retreat over the Greece border, ending the battle. The British suffered 1,209 casualties while the French sustained 1,804. Bulgarian casualties were estimated to be higher but no firm estimates could be obtained. Even so, the captured Serbian territory allowed the Central Powers to run a direct rail line from Berlin to Constantinople.[54]
Senussi campaign – A British column pursued but failed to capture retreating Senussi that attacked them the previous day, returning to the garrison in Matruh with casualties of 25 dead and 65 wounded. The Senussi suffered a further 17 killed and 30 wounded during the pursuit.[55]
German pilot Theodor Mallinckrodt made the initial short flight of the world's first practical all-metal aircraft, the Junkers J 1 at Döberitz, Germany.[57][58]
The Thunder Bay Amateur Hockey Association was established, becoming Hockey Northwestern Ontario in 1999 as the sports organizations became more regional.[62]
Ship manufacturer Öresundsvarvet was established in Landskrona, Sweden. Their first ship was launched in 1918. After decades as leading manufacturer of oil tankers, the company declined in the 1970s and the last ship was launched in 1982.[66]
Greek Liberal Party leader Eleftherios Venizelos and his caucus boycotted the legislative election held in Greece following Greek monarch King Constantine calling for new elections. The Liberal Party, which won a majority in legislative elections held in May, publicly opposed Constantine's advocacy that Greece remain neutral during World War I. As a result, only conservative parties ran and were elected to a majority of the seats in the legislature. Continual conflict between the Greek Liberals and the monarchy led to a crisis later in 1916 known as the National Schism.[74]
The Germans launched a gas attack against the British near Ypres, Belgium, using a mix of chlorine and phosgene. Around 1,069 British troops were gassed, mostly from the 49th Infantry Division.[75]
Captain M.M. Bell-Irving of the No.1 Squadron, Royal Flying Corps, achieved the first aerial victory by a Canadian when he shot down a German aircraft.[77]
Due process for decisions or acts affecting a large number of people equally are impractical and therefore unnecessary, therefore upholding a decision by the Colorado Supreme Court to dismiss a suit against a property tax increase.[80]
Battle of Hartmannswillerkopf – The battle for domination of the Hartmannswillerkopf peak in the Vosges mountain of the Alsace region ended indecisively. The cost of the campaign was enormous for both sides, with 30,000 recorded casualties (the majority for the French side).[88]
Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition – The shipwrecked expedition party of the polar exploration ship Endurance began their second march to Paulet Island off the main coast of Antarctica. Despite the warmer summer months, the melting snow caused men and lifeboats to sink, making the trek slow-going.[85]
The first edition of The All British newspaper was published in Perth to promote anti-German sentiments and other far-right conservative views of the All-British Association.[98]
Senussi campaign – The main body of Senussi clashed with two Allied columns in the Sahara Desert resulting in a major defeat but not the knockout blow the Allies hoped for against the insurgency. About 300 Senussi tribesmen were killed and another 20 were captured. The Allies had 13 men killed and another 51 wounded.[100]
Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition – Expedition leader Ernest Shackleton faced rebellion in his ranks when ship carpenter Harry McNish refused to work, citing Ship's Articles had expired since the polar exploration ship Endurance sank in November and that he was no longer under orders. Shackleton was able to get the carpenter back in line, but the insubordination cost McNish the Polar Medal which he was not awarded based on Shackleton's recommendation.[85]
Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition – Due to deteriorating ice conditions, expedition leader Ernest Shackleton called off the march to Paulet Island and ordered the party to set up a new camp on the open ice. It was now two months since they abandoned the Endurance and the camp would be home for another three months.[121]
British armored cruiserHMS Natal capsized at anchor in the Cromarty Firth as the result of an internal explosion in her ammunition stores, killing 390 sailors and some civilians.[125]
Senussi Campaign – An Allied desert column completed a two-day reconnaissance in the Egyptian interior. A camp of Bedouin warriors evacuated in disorder when the column was spotted, leaving behind 80 destroyed tents and 100 camels and 600 sheep. The loss of food and shelter forced local Bedouin into acquiescence.[127]
^Paice, Edward (2008). Tip & Run: The Untold Tragedy of the Great War in Africa. Phoenix. p. 147. ISBN978-0-7538-2349-1.
^"Boisterous Soldiers. City Scenes". The Sydney Morning Herald. NSW: National Library of Australia. 2 December 1915. p. 10. Retrieved 16 December 2015.
^"35th Battalion". First World War, 1914-1918 units. Australian War Memorial. Retrieved 16 October 2010.
^"42nd Battalion". First World War, 1914–1918 units. Australian War Memorial. Retrieved 10 January 2014.
^Becke, Major A. F. (1936). Order of Battle of Divisions Part 2A. The Territorial Force Mounted Divisions and the 1st-Line Territorial Force Divisions (42-56). London: His Majesty's Stationery Office. pp. 10–11. ISBN1-871167-12-4.
^Perry, F.W. (1993). Order of Battle of Divisions Part 5B. Indian Army Divisions. Newport: Ray Westlake Military Books. pp. 85, 130. ISBN1-871167-23-X.
^日本国有鉄道停車場一覧 [JNR Station Directory]. Japan: Japanese National Railways. 1985. p. 130. ISBN4-533-00503-9.
^Butt, R.V.J. (1995). The Directory of Railway Stations. Yeovil: Patrick Stephens Ltd. p. 98. ISBN1-85260-508-1. R508.
^Schindler, John R. (2001). Isonzo: The Forgotten Sacrifice of the Great War. Praeger. ISBN0275972046. OCLC44681903.
^(Portland) Oregon Daily Journal. December 3, 1915. "Four Colleges Form Coast Conference at Very Secret Session"
^Although most reference works, including Wlaschin (2006) p. 188 and Gänzl (2001) p. 869, give December 23 as the date of the Broadway premiere, Everett (2008) p. 20 gives December 22.
^Wilcox, R. (2006). Battles on the Tigris. Pen & Sword.
^Macmunn, G; Falls, C. (1996) [1928 HMSO]. Military Operations: Egypt and Palestine, From the Outbreak of War with Germany to June 1917. Vol. I. Nashville, TN: Battery Press. pp. 107–108. ISBN0-89839-241-1.
^Falls, C. (1996) [1933]. Military Operations Macedonia: From the Outbreak of War to the Spring of 1917. History of the Great War Based on Official Documents by Direction of the Historical Section of the Committee of Imperial Defence. Vol. I (Imperial War Museum and Battery Press ed.). London: HMSO. pp. 68–69. ISBN0-89839-242-X.
^Damis, Fritz (1929). "Auf Dem Moraberge – Erinnerungen an Die Kämpfe Der 3. (German soldiers' collective account of the siege)". Kompagnie der Ehemaligen Kaiserlichen Schutztruppe für Kamerun. Berlin.
^Prescott, John F. (1985). In Flanders Fields: The Story of John McCrae. Erin, Ontario: Boston Mills Press. p. 96,105. ISBN0-919783-07-4.
^Paxman, Jon (2014). Classical Music 1600–2000: A Chronology. London: Omnibus. ISBN978-1-84449-773-7.
^Shimbun, Shinano Mainichi (2011). 長野県鉄道全駅 増補改訂版 [Nagano Prefecture All Railway Stations] (in Japanese) (revised ed.). Shinano Mainichi Shinbun Publishing. pp. 134–146. ISBN9784784071647.
^Gougaud, lain (1987). L'Aube de la Gloire, Les Autos-Mitrailleuses et les Chars Français pendant la Grande Guerre (in French). Musée des Blindés. p. 111. ISBN2-904255-02-8.
^Halpern, Paul G., A Naval History of World War I, Routledge New York (1994), ISBN1-85728-498-4, p. 237.
^Bernd Langensiepen, Ahmet Güleryüz, The Ottoman Steam Navy, 1828–1923, Naval Institute Press, Annapolis, Maryland, 1995, ISBN1-55750-659-0, pp. 163–164
^Edmonds, J. E. (1993) [1932]. Military Operations France and Belgium, 1916: Sir Douglas Haig's Command to the 1st July: Battle of the Somme. History of the Great War Based on Official Documents by Direction of the Historical Section of the Committee of Imperial Defence. Vol. I (Imperial War Museum & Battery Press ed.). London: Macmillan. pp. 159–161. ISBN978-0-89839-185-5.
^De Groot, Gerard (1988). Douglas Haig 1861–1928. London: Unwin Hyman. pp. 208–220. ISBN978-0044401926.
^Bean, Charles (1941). "Appendix 5: Australians in Mesopotamia"(PDF). The Australian Imperial Force in France During the Main German Offensive, 1918. Official History of Australia in the War of 1914–1918. Vol. V (8th ed.). Sydney: Angus & Robertson. pp. 705–706. OCLC220898057.
^Halpern, Paul G. (2004). The Battle of the Otranto Straits: Controlling the Gateway to the Adriatic in World War I. Bloomington, Indiana: Indiana University Press. pp. 7–8. ISBN0-253-34379-8.
^Cron, Hermann (2002). Imperial German Army 1914–18: Organisation, Structure, Orders-of-Battle [first published: 1937]. Helion & Co. pp. 395–96. ISBN1-874622-70-1.
^Haddow, G.W.; Peter M. Grosz (1962). The German Giants: The Story of the R-planes 1914–1919. London: Putnam. p. 167.
^Calonder, Felix Lutwig; Collins, Sir William Job; Hise, Charles Richard Van; Hicks, Frederick Charles (1919). "World's Court League". A League of Nations.
^"NCGE – About Us". NCGE. National Council for Geographic Education. Retrieved 23 February 2016.
