1916 opened with the final phase of the evacuation of the Allied troops from Gallipoli, in the Ottoman Empire. The last troops left Cape Helles beach on January 9 without loss of life.

The evacuations were the most successful part of a campaign which proved to be a heavy defeat for Britain. Of the 500,000 Allied troops involved, half were killed in battles or due to disease. The same figures applied to the Turks. The attempt to take over the Dardanelles and Constantinople, thus giving the Russian Navy access from the Black Sea to the Mediterranean, was abandoned.

HMS Cornwallis firing at Turkish positions after the evacuation of Anzac and Suvla. It was the last ship to leave Suvla Bay on December 18-20, 1915. Photo: Imperial War MuseumHMS Cornwallis firing at Turkish positions after the evacuation of Anzac and Suvla. It was the last ship to leave Suvla Bay on December 18-20, 1915. Photo: Imperial War Museum

On February 18, 1916, at 1.30pm, a British steamer arrived in Malta with the last batches of the Maltese Labour Battalion, which had been been employed at Mudros Island during the operations in the Dardanelles. As soon as the vessel was moored, the Governor went on board and inspected the contingent, which was under the command of Major Aspinall, KOMRM.

After having welcomed the contingent, the Governor expressed his appreciation for the excellent work the Maltese had carried out under very trying conditions, as had been communicated to him by the general officer, commanding-in-chief, Mediterranean Expeditionary Force.

Accompanying the contingent was Lieutenant J. Adair, Adjutant, and Sergeant-Major Spiteri, KOMRM. The period of service with the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (Anzac) and elsewhere had ranged from three to six months, with most of the men serving for the entire period, and the Maltese were the last to leave Mudros.

Portuguese soldiers in bayonet training.Portuguese soldiers in bayonet training.

The men were war-worn in appearance, but otherwise they looked well and hearty and were unanimous in expressing their willingness to reengage for further service. The geneal health of the men was good and their behaviour was reported to be very satisfactory. They were pleased with the treatment they had received and with the abundance of provisions.

Their journey to Malta was uneventful, with the weather being fine. At 5.30pm the contingent landed at Customs House where they were warmly welcomed by their relatives and friends with whom they dispersed to their respective homes.

At the end of 1915 and the beginning of 1916, under the pressure of the joint offensive of the Austro-Hungarian, German and Bulgarian troops, the Serbian army, government and National Assembly, as well as a part of the civilian population, was forced to evacuate from Serbia through Montenegro to Albania.

Commenting on this long journey in his official report to Serbian Prime Minister Nikola Pasic, Minister of Defence, General Bozidar Terzic, wrote that on their way through Albania, 243,877 people were killed, taken prisoner or died from hunger or cold weather. The approximate total number of casualties was at least 150,000, including both soldiers and civilians.

German soldiers with gas masks preparing to defend their trench.German soldiers with gas masks preparing to defend their trench.

From January 18 to February 21, 1916, 151,828 Serbian soldiers and civilians were evacuated by Allied ships from the Albanian port of Valona to Corfu. During their stay, a large portion of Serbian soldiers died from exhaustion, food shortage and various diseases. Most of their remains were buried at sea near the island of Vido, a small island at the mouth of Corfu port.

In early March 1916, Lieutenant A. Vella, RAMC, and Dr Joseph Inglott and Dr Victor Mifsud, civil surgeons of the St John Ambulance Brigade, returned to Malta in the hospital ship Formosa on March 10. They had been serving on board Italian hospital ships which had been charged with the humanitarian mission of transporting sick and wounded Serbs from Albania to Italy.

Since the mission was completed the Maltese doctors were recalled to Malta after having rendered valuable assistance. The doctors spoke very highly of the treatment they received at the hands of the Italian authorities during their tour of duty with them.

While sailing from Bombay, India, for Hull, England, which was transporting manganese ore and cottonseed, the Flower Motor Ship Co (Sir M Samuel & Co) Abelia was captured on December 30, 1915, by the German submarine U34 under the command of Captain-lieutenant Claus Rücker, in the central Mediterranean. After the crew had taken to their boats, the merchant ship was sunk by gunfire 152 miles west of Gavdo island.

A French 155mm artillery gun towed by motor tractors on the road from Verdun near Blercourt. Photo: Imperial War MuseumA French 155mm artillery gun towed by motor tractors on the road from Verdun near Blercourt. Photo: Imperial War Museum

Captain David Davis and the crew were picked up and brought to Malta. On the same day, the British merchant ship Persia was torpedoed without warning and sunk by a German submarine 71 miles southeast by south from Cape Martello, Crete. A total of 334 crewmen lost their life, including the master. The survivors were landed at St Paul’s Bay after being picked up the British merchant ship SS Ninichow, and afterwards conveyed by trawler no. 2 to the Custom House.

On January 1, 1916, the British merchant ship Glengyle, while sailing 240 miles east by south from Malta, was torpedoed without warning and sunk by an enemy submarine. Ten crewmen lost their life, and the survivors, including Captain R. Webster, were picked up by a British warship and brought to Malta.

Since there were too few volunteers to fill the ranks, the Military Service Bill was introduced on January 27, 1916, providing for the conscription of single men aged 18 to 41.

During the night of April 26 and 27, the German submarine U-73, under the command of Captain-lieutenant Gustav Sieß, laid a minefield along the Maltese northeast coast. The minefield claimed three warships in 24 hours

Every single man and childless widower between 18 and 41 was offered three choices: Either 1) enlist at once; or 2) attest at once under Derby’s system; or 3) on March 2, 1916, be automatically deemed to have enlisted. In May 1916, the Bill was extended to married men, and in April 1918, the upper age was raised to 50 (or to 56 if need arose). Ireland, which was part of the UK at the time, was excluded from the scheme.

On February 23, following a British request, Portugal interned 36 German and Austro-Hungarian ships in Lisbon. About two weeks later, on March 9, Germany declared war on Portugal, followed by Portugal declaring war on Germany and starting to organise Portuguese troops to go to the Western Front.

The Serbian retreat through the Albanian mountains, 1915.The Serbian retreat through the Albanian mountains, 1915.

On June 9, Portuguese Minister of Finance Afonso Costa and Augusto Soares participated in an Allied economic conference in which the Allies decided that as a condition for peace, Germany would have to return the territories of Alsace-Lorraine to France, which had been occupied since 1871, and Kionga in Portuguese Mozambique to Portugal, which had been occupied since 1894.

On the Western Front, during January 1916, three Maltese officers and men with the British Army at the Western Front were mentioned in despatches, serving with the British Expedionary Force in France. They were Captain Henry W. Parnis, RAMC, attached to the 1st Staffordshire Regiment, Captain Alfred Agius, City of London Regiment (TF) and Lieutenant Arthur Samut, 2nd Wiltshire Regiment.

A German infantry attack during the Battle of Verdun in March 1916.A German infantry attack during the Battle of Verdun in March 1916.

Serbian soldiers in Corfu during WWI.Serbian soldiers in Corfu during WWI.

During the same month, two other Maltese servicemen were also mentioned in despatches. These were Lieutenant-Colonel J.F. Bernard, AOD, Ordnance Officer 2nd Class, who was created a Companion of the Most Distinguished Order of St Michael and St George, and Captain Alfred L.B. Agius, City of London Regiment (TF), who was awarded the Military Cross.

Bernard had previously served in the King’s Own Regiment of Militia, previously known as the Royal Malta Regiment of Militia, and afterwards the Royal Malta Artillery. He was also gazetted a temporary Ordnance Officer 1st class with the temporary rank of colonel.

HMS Russell.HMS Russell.

On February 21, the Germans started the Battle of Verdun. At first, the Germans made rapid gains along the east bank of the Meuse River. However, the German offensive soon stalled, as the French rushed in massive reinforcements to strengthen their defences, under the new command of Henri Petain, who was determined to save Verdun.

On March 6, the Germans renewed their Verdun offensive, this time attacking along the west bank of the Meuse River. By the end of March, the heavily defended hills were partially captured by the Germans. On April 9, the Germans again attacked at Verdun, this time along a 20-mile-wide front on both the east and west banks of the Meuse River. Once again, the attack only yielded partial gains in the face of stiff French resistance.

The Japanese cruiser Tokiwa.The Japanese cruiser Tokiwa.

In early March it was reported that the Japanese fleet had safely arrived in the Mediterranean with a great number of aircraft. A Japanese newspaper, the Jiji Shimpo, had previously reported that Japan was sending a squadron of warships to the Suez Canal, presumably to protect Japanese shipping, and gave the names of the three armed cruisers as the Kasuga, Tokiwa and Chitose.

On April 18, US President Woodrow Wilson threatened to sever diplomatic ties between the US and Germany following the sinking of the passenger ferry Sussex by a U-boat in the English Channel. The attack marked the beginning of a new U-boat campaign around the British Isles. But in response to Wilson, the Germans called off the U-boats.

On April 25, two French seaplanes carried out test flights. The appearance of the first one some time after 10am filled the streets of Valletta as if by magic, while the terraces were also full of people watching the movements of the machine. The graceful hydroplane was flying at a higher altitude than it had on the last occasion, but it remained for some 10 minutes circling over the neighbourhood of Palace Square, thus enabling the multitude to obtain a good view of it.

U-73 at Cattaro naval base. Photo: Internationales Maritimes Museum, HamburgU-73 at Cattaro naval base. Photo: Internationales Maritimes Museum, Hamburg

The hydroplane then rose higher and higher and crossed over Valletta some 15 minutes afterwards, but this one, which appeared to be larger than its consort, made straightaway in the direction of Sliema, flying at a much lower altitude than the first visitor, the whirr of the propeller being distinctly audible.

Enemy submarine activity around Maltese waters led to the loss of several warships and merchant-ships, both by mines and torpedoes. The first loss happened during the night of April 26 and 27, when the German submarine U-73, under the command of Captain-lieutenant Gustav Sieß laid a minefield along the Maltese northeast coast. At nightfall of April 26, the battleship HMS Russell, flagship of Vice Admiral Sydney Freemantle, arrived near Malta but the boom was already closed for the night so it was not allowed to enter harbour. During the night the battleship cruised east of Malta.

Shortly before dawn of April 27, it began to approach Grand Harbour but at 5.52am the battleship hit a mine, which was followed almost immediately by the explosion of a second mine. Both explosions were between mid-ships and the stern.

HMS Russell immediately took a list to starboard and began to sink by the stern. After about 25 minutes it rolled over on her starboard side and sank. Due to quick action a number of HMS Russell’s boats were lowered in the water before the battleship sank. Furthermore, the minesweeper HMS Harrier and two trawlers which were sweeping the approach channel rushed to the scene to rescue survivors.

A total of 625 were rescued but 124 died. Among the dead were Maltese officer’s steward Alfred Coster and the Admiralty civilians Manuel Borg and Oswald Borg.

U-73’s minefield claimed another victim the next day. The sloop HMS Nasturtium arrived off Malta in the evening of April 27, when the boom was already closed. So it stopped near the entrance of the swept channel to await the dawn. However, the ship must have drifted onto the minefield because at 9.58pm it exploded a mine and began to sink with the loss of seven lives. Other vessels patrolling off Malta rushed to the scene and rescued the survivors. One of these was the armed yacht HMS Aegusa which, at 3.17am, hit another mine and sank in a few minutes. The minefield had claimed three warships in 24 hours.

(To be concluded)

Charles Debono is curator of the National War Museum.

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