Serbian soldiers c1914. Image courtesy Wikimedia Commons.
Serbian forces begin their retreat from Belgrade, which rapidly falls to the Austro-Hungarians.
The Battle of Lowicz-Sanniki begins in Poland. The German Ninth Army, under the command of General August von Mackensen, and the Russian First Army led by General Alexander Litvinov, commence battle.
HMAS Una, October 1914. Image courtesy Australian War Memorial.
HMAS Una leaves Sydney for New Guinea with two aircraft and their pilots aboard, becoming the first Australian warship to carry aircraft. HMAS Una is the recommissioned German gunboat SMS Komet, captured near Rabaul in October by HMAS Nusa. The transported aircraft are not employed; German forces surrender before Una arrives in New Guinea.
The New York Stock Exchange resumes bond trading after a hiatus of almost four months. With the outbreak of war large numbers of foreign investors had begun to sell their holdings, forcing the NYSE to cease trading on 31 July 1914. (It was not until the terrorist attacks in New York and Washington on September 11, 2001 that the exchange again ceased trading for an extended period of time. On this occasion trading was suspended for three days.)
Fighting begins at Miranshah on the North-West Frontier of India. A raid by 2,000 tribesmen from Khost is defeated by the North Waziristan Militia.
General Hindenberg 1914. Image courtesy Wikimedia.
General Paul von Hindenburg is promoted to Field-Marshal, the highest rank in the German Army. Acknowledging his army’s success in the Warsaw campaign, von Hindenburg proclaims: “Over 60,000 prisoners, 150 guns and about 200 machine guns have fallen into our hands, but the enemy is not yet annihilated.”
HMS Bulwark explodes off Sheerness, 26 November 1914. Image courtesy Imperial War Museum.
HMS Bulwark is destroyed by an internal explosion off Sheerness in the Thames estuary while loading ammunition. There are only 14 survivors from the crew of 750; two would die later from their injuries. In terms of loss of life, this incident remains the second most catastrophic accidental explosion in UK history. It is exceeded only by the explosion of the Vanguard at Scapa Flow in 1917.
Joseph McCullough was born in Belfast in about 1889, the third son of William McCullough, a builder, and his wife Isabella.
When WWI broke out Joseph was living in the family home in Hill Street in Orange, and working as a labourer. He enlisted in November 1914 and embarked from Sydney in February the following year. Joseph served as a private in the 13th Battalion, 2nd Reinforcements in Gallipoli.
Private McCullough was officially reported missing in action on 2 June 1915; his mother was not advised of this until 16 August 1915, over two months later. A Court of Inquiry held in April 1916 revised his status to “Killed in action on 3 May 1915”. Joseph has no known grave. He is copmmemorated on Panel 38 of Memorial Lone Pine Memorial, Gallipoli Peninsula, Turkey.
Joseph was the 10th person from Orange to die in WWI; he died the same day as William Daniel McCarthy.
The following tribute appeared on p. 6 of the Sydney Morning Herald on 1 June 1916. It was inserted by W and K McCullough.
He once was dead, the very same
Who made the worlds, a work of power,
Who now upholds the mighty frame,
And keeps it till the final hour.
HMAT Kyarra sailing down the Brisbane River, November 1914. Image courtesy Australian War Memorial.
The Australian Hospital Ship HMAT Kyarra A55 leaves Brisbane carrying a contingent of Queensland nurses of the Australian Army Nursing Service. The ship proceeds to Sydney, where more nurses embark.