Plan B Forum

Eastern Front
Grandpa Wallbank joins the Liverpool Rifles
German retreat near Riga.
Russian victory at Kemmern near Gulf of Riga, co-operation of fleet.

Southern Front
Serbians re-conquer greater part of Kachanik Gorge.
French victory over Bulgarians after three days' fighting from Gradsko to Veles.

Naval and Overseas Operations
Transport "Mercian" attacked by submarine; 103 casualties.

Political, etc.
German mission to Greece.
Greek Chamber dissolved; new elections to be held.
Lord Derby warns unmarried men of compulsion if fail to enlist voluntarily before 30 November.

Kipling's only son John was reported injured, missing in action at the Battle of Loos in 1915. He was 18 years old. His body was never recovered.


“Have you news of my boy Jack?”
Not this tide.
“When d’you think that he’ll come back?”
Not with this wind blowing, and this tide.

“Has any one else had word of him?”
Not this tide.
For what is sunk will hardly swim,
Not with this wind blowing, and this tide.

“Oh, dear, what comfort can I find?”
None this tide,
Nor any tide,
Except he did not shame his kind —
Not even with that wind blowing, and that tide.

Then hold your head up all the more,
This tide,
And every tide;
Because he was the son you bore,
And gave to that wind blowing and that tide!

My Boy Jack, by Rudyard Kipling