Western Front
German attack north-west of Le Quesnoy repulsed.
Aisne: French Fifth Army attacks on 7 1/2-mile front northwest of Chateau Porcien (west of Rethel), major bombing of Seraincourt to northwest on October 28. Germans give way on Serre-Oise salient; French pursue.
Meuse and Argonne: US 78th Division (c.5,000 casualties) captures Grandpre after fighting since October 25. Americans take Bois Belleu (east bank of Meuse).
Western Front, Air: The Victoria Cross is awarded to Major W.G. Barker, a Canadian of No.201 Squadron, Royal Air Force, for destroying four enemy aircraft during a dogfight over Foret de Mormal in France in a Sopwith Snipe (E8102). He had, in his Sopwith Snipe of No 201 Squadron single-handedly battled 5 formations totaling c.60 aircraft over Mormal Forest. His victory over these 4 brings his total victories to 50; he received 3 wounds, and crash-landed behind British lines.
American troops near Le Nefour launching phosphorus bombs to create a smokescreen: © IWM (Q 70743):
https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...778597967982593
The Prince of Wales at Lille, France after the city's recapture from the Germans:
https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...808807350218753
A British soldier with two refugee children at Tournai: © IWM (Q 9625):
https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...854119074889729
The ruins of Lens almost a month after it was recaptured from the Germans: © IWM (Q 49082):
https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...110780159086593
Southern Front
Italy: Third Battle of the Piave (aka Battle of
Vittorio Veneto): Austrian counter-attacks recapture Mt Pertica (briefly), Istrice and Valderoa (600 PoWs). After wading across from 0645 hours Italians and British form 3 bridgeheads over Piave up to 2 1/2 miles deep, taking 7,800 PoWs and 74 guns. Austrian guns destroy 3 bridges by 0800 hours but parts of 2 Austrian divisions refuse to counter-attack. Eighth and Twelfth Armies rely on swimmers (82 Caimani di Piave) and air supply as 5 new bridges short-lived, only allowing 17 battalions to cross (night October 27-28).
Lord Cavan commands 10th Italian Army.
Six R.E.8s drop 5,000 rounds by parachute to forward British troops. Nine Sopwith Camel fighters destroy 3 Austrian balloons. Austrians bomb Allied Piave bridges without success.
A lonely British soldier guards a group of Austro-Hungarian prisoners of war on the Piave:
https://i0.wp.com/ww2-weapons.com/w...uK-KG.jpg?ssl=1
Italian anti-air guns mounted on a railcar at the Battle of Vittorio Veneto:
https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...140984378159104
Serbia: Serbs drive Austro-Hungrians back north of Kraguyevats.
Asiatic and Egyptian Theaters
Syria: British cavalry seize Muslimie junction (north of Aleppo, on Baghdad railway).
Mesopotamia: British main body in touch with Turks on Lower Zab. Turks fall back to hills covering Shergat.
Political, etc
Austria-Hungary: Emperor Charles cables Kaiser ‘
My people are neither capable nor willing to continue the war … I have made the unalterable decision to ask for a separate peace and an immediate armistice’. Austro-Hungarian Government submit further Note to President Wilson asking for immediate armistice "without awaiting the result of other negotiations") (see 4th and 18th).
Austrian Government ask Italy for an armistice (see 4th and November 3rd).
Germany: German Government acknowledges President Wilson's Note of October 23rd.
German General Erich Ludendorff, who was forced to resign after an order sponsored by him and von Hindenburg ordering German soldiers to “fight to the finish” was leaked, which caused outrage among the war-weary German populace:
https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...080578855030784
France: Colonel House arrives in Paris as U.S. special representative.
United Kingdom: British landowner Cecil Chubb donates Stonehenge to the British government:
https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...823899903049730
United States: Barbers in Cincinnati wearing masks to prevent the spread of the Spanish flu:
https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...884291975102469