| Day |
Date |
Time |
Action |
| Tuesday |
4 |
0608
|
Goeben
and Breslau bombard Bona and Phillipville |
|
|
1032 |
Admiral Kennedy
intercepts with his British battle cruisers before the declaration of war
|
|
|
day |
Kaiser Wilhelm’s
telegram to Athens:
The
German ships at present in the Mediterranean are about to unite… |
|
|
afternoon |
Goeben
and Breslau steam for Messina |
| Wednesday |
5 |
0745 |
Goeben
arrives Messina (Breslau arrived
earlier) |
|
|
morning |
Greek Premier Venizelos has
meeting with British Chargé, Erskine, and undermines report from Kaiser |
|
|
afternoon |
Souchon signals Athens, asking
for coal |
| Thursday |
6 |
0200 |
Venizelos awoken by German
Minister Quadt to request coal for the German ships |
|
|
day |
The German collier Bogados
loads coal after this is released by Venizelos |
|
|
evening |
Goeben
and Breslau depart Messina |
| Friday |
7 |
0345 |
British Admiral Troubridge,
commanding the 1st Cruiser Sqd, declines to intercept the German ships |
|
|
0651 |
British C-in-C, Medt., Milne,
signals “Urgent. G&B off Matapan. Make enquiries” |
|
|
0730 |
Bogados
departs Piraeus and is observed by British Consul who informs Malta at 7.30
am and the Legation at 1pm that the collier left at daybreak, destination
unknown |
|
|
1305 |
The British light cruiser Dublin
intercepts Goeben signalling
Constantinople |
|
|
? |
Greek Admiral
Condouriotis informed that Goeben
and Breslau “may try to enter
the Dardanelles.” |
|
|
1800 |
Goeben
and Breslau pass Cape Matapan steering north-east |
|
|
evening |
Greek W/T intercept of German
signals, approximate fix obtained |
|
|
evening |
Admiral Mark Kerr, head
of the British Naval Mission in Athens, informs the Russian Minister,
Demidoff, who cables his Admiralty in St Petersburg that Goeben and Breslau are
steering north-east
|
|
|
evening |
The Third Secretary at the
British Legation, Rendel, is roused by Kerr and allegedly sends most
immediate telegram that Goeben
and Breslau have passed the island of Syra proceeding north-east, but
the signal received by Milne has no indication of direction |
| Saturday |
8 |
0100 |
Milne leaves Malta with his
battle cruisers |
|
|
0145 |
Signal send to Milne from the
Admiral Superintendent, Malta — ‘Following from Athens begins: from
strength of signals Goeben
thought to be near Syra.’ NOTE: NO INDICATION OF DIRECTION |
|
|
0245 |
Message to Milne from Athens
from Athens, ‘Bogados is
Austrian, proceeding Salonica.’ |
|
|
0305 |
After being informed by the
Russian Admiralty the British Naval Attaché |
|
|
day |
Goeben
and Breslau in Aegean |
|
|
1258 |
Signal
to Milne from London: Adty to C-in-C (1200) 371. Commence
hostilities at once against Austria. |
|
|
1450 |
Signal
to Milne from London: Adty to C-in-C (1345) 372. Negative my
telegram hostilities against Austria. Acknowledge. Urgent. |
|
|
1719? |
Signal
to Milne from London: Adty to C-in-C (1610) 373. With reference to
the cancellation of telegram notifying war on Austria, situation is
critical. |
|
|
1815 |
Signal
to London from Milne: C-in-C to Adty (1720) 409. In view of Adty
tel 371, I am not following Goeben
into Aegean Sea. [It was on this
telegram that the War Room duty officer has written, at 2 a.m. on 9
August, “Apparently after 371 was sent out from Admiralty, another one
cancelling it was sent soon after, so no doubt a further reply from C-in-C
will soon arrive.”] |
| Sunday |
9 |
0115 |
Signal
received in London: WAR ROOM, from NAVAL ATTACHE, ST PETERSBURG:
Russian Admiralty informed from Athens Goeben
and Breslau passed Matapan
morning of the 7th August steering to North East. |
|
|
0115 |
Signal
received in Foreign Office, London: BUCHANAN TO FO, no. 247,
following from naval attaché: Russian Admiralty informed from Athens Goeben and Breslau
passed Matapan morning of the 7th August steering to the North East.
MINUTE. Repeated to Athens and Cple/Tel. sent to Athens to get information
as to movements. |
|
|
0115 |
Signal
from Foreign Office to British Legation Athens: GREY TO ERSKINE:
Following received yesterday from St Petersburg: ‘Russian Admiralty
informed informed from Athens, Goeben,
Breslau, passed Matapan morning of Aug 7, steering to North East.’ [Adm
Kerr told me this morning it was he who had given this information to M.
Demidoff. GWR 9.viii.14] |
|
|
0520 |
Signal
from British Legation Athens to Foreign Office: ERSKINE TO GREY,
no. 140, 9 August, sent from Athens 11.45 a.m. Petersburg tel no. 247.
Information is correct. I am in constant communication with Intelligence
Officer, Malta respecting movements of German ships...Goeben
was believed to be near Syra evening of August 7. Greek Government think
she may contemplate going into Black Sea... |
|
|
1145 |
Signal
from Foreign Office to British Legation Athens: GREY TO ERSKINE,
no. 113, 9 August (sent 1155) Ask Greek Government to let you know
whatever news may reach them as to movements of German ship Goeben
and her consort. [note by Rendel: crossed with all our correspondence on
this subject] |
|
|
1225 |
TELEPHONE
MESSAGES RECEIVED BY CHIEF CENSOR, LONDON The following message has
been intercepted by W O Censor: to Warplume from Metriticicas...informed Goeben
anchored SYRA asked to coal - do not know if demand will be agreed to
following decision of Govt to appropriate all available coal. |
|
|
1250 |
Signal
to Milne from London: ADMIRALTY TO C-IN-C, no. 239, 9 August (1250)
Not at war with Austria. Continue chase of Goeben
which passed Cape Matapan early on 7th steering North East. |
|
|
1400 |
Signal
from British Ambassador, St Petersburg to Foreign Office: BUCHANAN
TO FO, no. 253, urgent, following from Naval Attaché: Russian Admiralty
just received telegram from Athens dated 8th stating that Goeben
was then coaling at Syra. [init. LO, EAC 9.viii; GRC no date] |
|
|
1600 |
Letter
from British Under-Secretary NICOLSON TO Foreign Minister GREY:
Count Benckendorff has communicated to me the following telegrams....It
appears to the Russian Government that Goeben is proceeding to the Dardanelles. |
|
|
1600 |
Signal
from Foreign Office, London to British Embassy, Paris: TO BERTIE, 9
August, no 348 Ottoman Govt to allow the Austrian fleet through the
Straits into the Black Sea. Should this fleet be joined by German and
perhaps by Turkish ships, the Russian Black Sea fleet would be
outnumbered.... |
|
|
1650 |
WAR
ROOM, from ADMIRALTY PARIS Minister of Russian Navy warns that the Goeben
coaled 8th August Syra (sent to CinC, Medt) also received wire from Naval
Attaché St Petersburg “Russian Admiralty just received telegram from
Athens dated 8th stating that Goeben
was then coaling at Syra.” |
|
|
1700 |
BUCHANAN’S TELEGRAM 253
(above) RECEIVED IN ADMIRALTY WAR ROOM |
|
|
1710 |
Signal
from Ambassador RODD in Rome to Foreign Office: no. 200, 9 August
1914 (sent 1310) Press telegrams (published) on sixth instant reported
Austrian fleet having left Pola but these are not to be relied on. Russian
and French Naval Attachés had reason to believe that it has descended to
lower Adriatic to facilitate escape of German cruisers from Messina and
subsequently returned North. [init. LO 9 Aug., GRC, EAC 10 Aug.]
|
|
|
1710 |
Signal
to Milne from London: ADMIRALTY TO C-IN-C, no. 240, 9 August
Russian Embassy Paris report Goeben
coaled Syra Eighth August |
|
|
|
British
Foreign Minister GREY TO British Chargé BEAUMONT in Constantinople,
no. 350, 9 August 1914 (sent 1730) You should urgently represent to the
Porte that they should not let vessels of war pass through the Straits and
that, if vessels of war enter the Straits, they should either be disarmed
or sent back. You should join your French and Russian colleagues in making
this representation. |
|
|
2100 |
BEAUMONT TO GREY, no.
499, 9 August Grand Vizier tells me that additional mines had been laid in
the Dardanelles at the request of the Russian Ambassador...In any case
their is no question of Turkish connivance and if the Austrian fleet comes
through the Dardanelles it will be at their own risk and peril...
|
|
|
midnight |
Milne passes Matapan |
| Monday |
10 |
dawn |
Goeben
and Breslau depart Denusa |
|
|
0830 |
Capt Dumas arrives Admiralty,
London and is told Goeben passed
Syra on way to Constantinople |
|
|
1030 |
Signal
to Milne from London: ADMIRALTY TO C-IN-C, no. 380, 10 August Two
more light cruisers to join in search of Goeben
which is of paramount importance. |
