Tuesday October 29th, 1918
Brigade Field Day. Attacking wood and Selvigny.
Training for War
The Battalion is preparing to go back into battle. Therefore pomp and ceremony is abandoned in favour of training. Meanwhile, all the Central Powers are discussing peace terms with President Wilson and the Allies.
German Navy’s Last Punt
The only ‘traditional’ naval battle (between battleships) during WWI was the inconclusive Battle of Jutland in May/June 1916. Despite this the British Navy played a key role in the war – running blockades against the Central Powers and managing convoys to protect against German U-boats. By contrast, for the past two years the battleships of the German Imperial Fleet had been kicking their heels in harbour with nothing much to do.
All this (nearly) changed in October 1918 when the German Navy’s high command, shocked by the peace negotiations, decided to launch a last-ditch assault upon the Royal Navy. However many of its sailors, concerned by the preparations for what they saw as a meaningless suicide campaign, became involved in acts of sabotage. Consequently by October 29th, the German Navy’s commanders were forced to abandon their plans.
When the fleet returned to port, in Kiel, hundreds of the mutineers were arrested. This triggered a wave of protests, increasingly involving workers as well as servicemen.
Analysis of the servicemen’s demand (Kiel’s own fourteen points) has led many to believe that the revolt was more anti-war and anti-military, than politically motivated. However by November 5th, the red flag will fly over the dockyards of Kiel and over the next four days, the revolutionaries will take Hamburg, Bremen, Lubeck and Berlin.
The photograph shows armed German sailors, who have placed themselves under the workers and soldiers council, patrolling the streets of Berlin on a motor lorry, 10 November 1918.*
As such, the Kiel Mutiny is the beginning of the German revolution and will, within days, lead to Kaiser’s abdication.
9th Battalion War Diary – 29th October 1918 – Elincourt
Divisional Commander’s Inspection cancelled, training instead.
References & Further Reading
¹ ‘Kiel Mutiny‘ on Wikipedia
² Kiel Mutiny, by Mark Jones, International Encyclopedia of WWI
³ ‘German sailors begin to mutiny‘ on History.com
* Q 88207, copyright Imperial War Museums