Western Front
Manfred von Richthofen (future Red Baron) earns his 5th aerial victory, making him a flying ace.
Battle of the Somme: French troops advance on a 5 km front, taking Bovent, outskirts of Ablaincourt, most of Chaulnes wood, and 1200 prisoners.
A different source, more details: In the south French Sixth Army resumes offensive (until October 21); woods captured northwest of Chaulnes and ground gained toward 3 villages with 1,400 PoWs on 3 1/2-mile frontage.
Eastern Front
Tsar’s order officially ends Brusilov Offensive.
Transylvania: Austro-German advance continues; Averescu takes over Second Army which halts in Predeal Pass (3,415 ft).
Southern Front
Eighth Battle of the Isonzo: Italians attack at 1450 hours in pouring rain, capturing in Austrian first line 5,034 PoWs, Hills 86 and 95, Mt Sober (east of Gorizia), Nova Vas village and Hill 144 (Carso). Futurist architect Antonio Sant’ Elia killed, aged 28.
Battle of the Carso commences; whole of Austro-Hungarian first line, Hill 208 and Nova Villa taken by Italians. 5,034 prisoners.
General Otto van Below made Army Group commander for Macedonia (until April 22, 1917; headquarters at Uskub = Skopje) to stiffen Bulgars, requests reinforcements (October 20); 6 battalions (3 Jäger) and 48 guns sent from Western and Eastern Fronts, formed into Division Hippel by mid-November. Another 6 battalions follow from Western Front.
Struma front, Seres railway cut by British, Bulgarians falling back to hills.
Serbs gain footing in Brod (Cherna front).
Asiatic and Egyptian Theaters
Mesopotamia: New C-in-C India Monro (appointed October 1) at Basra, visits Tigris Front, cables GIGS (October 19) that forward positions easy to maintain.
Arabia: Feisal’s 7,000 Arabs retreat southwest from Bir Abbas to Hamra before Turkish advance from Medina (actually just 80 camel-men).
Sheikh Ahmed es Senussi leaves Baharia Oasis for Siwa.
Political, etc.
United States: 5-year-old Mart Payne, picking cotton in Comanche County, Oklahoma:
http://imgur.com/BhHFKVK
The very first PGA Championship is held at the Siwanoy Country Club in Bronxville, New York.
Greece: Allied ultimatum for Greek Fleet’s surrender by noon (October 11) plus all but 3 coast batteries and Piraeus-Larissa railway, accepted on October 11.
Professor Lambros forms new Greek Ministry (see 3rd, September 29th, 1916 and May 3rd, 1917).
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