24 October 1915

Negotin during WWI.
Image in public domain.

• The Coo-ees host a recruiting meeting at Cook Park
• The Serbian town of Negotin is taken by Bulgarian forces

23 October 1915

The German Imperial Navy cruiser SMS Prinz Adalbert pre 1914. Image courtesy Bain News Service, New York.

•  The Coo-ee March arrives in Orange amid pouring rain. The Mayor welcomes them at an official reception at the Town Hall, followed by a sumptuous banquet at Wade Park. The “grand continental” is cancelled, however a break in the weather allows for a shorter concert. Hitchen’s March to the Sea – The Reception in Orange
• Bernard Ambrose Coyte enlists and joins the Coo-ee March. Bernard is commemorated on the Centenary of WWI in Orange Honour Roll; he would be killed in action in France on 18 September 1918.
• The British submarine E-8 intercepts the German cruiser Prinz Adalbert in the Baltic Sea. E-8 fires a series of torpedoes that detonate the ship’s ammunition magazine. The massive explosion destroys the cruiser, which sinks immediately. 672 crew perish; only three sailors survive. This is the greatest single loss of life for the German Baltic forces during the war.
• The German submarine U-35 torpedoes the hospital ship TSS Marquette transporting the 1st NZ Stationary Hospital to Salonika. 167 of the 741 people aboard drown, including ten nurses from the New Zealand Army Nursing Service. A Survivor’s Account

22 October 1915

• Residents of Mullion Creek farewell Francis David Roy White and present him with a wristlet watch. Mullion Creek
• The Leader publishes the order of the Coo-ee March Procession
• Bulgarian forces capture Kumanovo and Skopje (Uskub) in Macedonia

21 October 1915

Vera Deakin, 1918. Image courtesy Australian War Memorial.

• The Australian Red Cross Missing and Wounded Enquiry Bureau is established in Cairo by Vera Deakin, youngest daughter of former Prime Minister Alfred Deakin.The Bureau aimed to relieve the anxiety of anxious family and friends in Australia by investigating the fate of Australian service personnel who had who been posted as wounded or missing.Volunteers scoured official reports and took eye-witness accounts from soldiers in hospitals and camps to find out as much information as possible regarding a soldier’s fate. The Bureau’s replies to families often contained graphic descriptions and verbatim quotes from straight-talking soldiers. During the war the Bureau replied to 400,000 enquiries, resulting in the creation of approximately 32,000 individual case files. These files were digitised in 2002; to preserve the fragile original documents and to provide greater public access to this valuable and unique information. Vera Deakin was awarded an OBE in 1919 for her services as head of the Bureau.
• Bulgarian forces capture Veles in Serbia

20 October 1915

• The Leader reports that ‘Banjo’ Paterson has been appointed as a remount officer in Egypt. Personal
• The Leader publishes “A Chatty Letter” from Private William Garvey
• General Sir Charles Monro, in London, receives instructions to proceed to the Near East to assume command of the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force
• Mrs Purdie’s sewing group has prepared a shipment of 130 garments for the month of September for Belgians in need. Belgian Sewing Class

19 October 1915

Serbian refugees 1914-1915.
Image in public domain.

• Ishtip in Serbia is taken by Bulgarian forces
• Italy declares war on Bulgaria
• Russia declares war on Bulgaria

18 October 1915

Image courtesy Leader

• Orange Recruiting Association secretary, Henry Leary, invites the townspeople of Orange to a “grand continental” in Wade Park on 23 October to entertain the Coo-ee marchers
• Edward Ryan of Millthorpe is killed in action. Millthorpe News
• The Leader reports that the Coo-ees received the “finest reception to date” as they passed through Wongarbon. The Gilgandra March
• The Coo-ee’s numbers swell to 75 at Wellington. Hitchen’s Coo-ees
• The Patriotic War Fund in Orange now stands at almost £13,000
• The Leader publishes “An Interesting Letter from Keith McClymont” describing camp life in Egypt

17 October 1915

Sir Ian Hamilton, Cape Helles, 1915.
Image courtesy Australian War Memorial.

• Troops at Anzac send the following message to the recently recalled Sir Ian Hamilton:

Anzac greatly regrets your departure, and, in wishing you good-bye, all ranks offer you personally their very best wishes

• Sir Ian issues his farewell order:

Please let all ranks at Anzac know how deeply their message has touched me. To an old soldier like myself no worldly honour can equal the goodwill of the heroes of Anzac

• General Sir William Birdwood takes over temporary command of Mediterranean Expeditionary Force from Sir Ian Hamilton
• The Austrian assault at Belgrade is hampered by the Austrian army’s inability to transport their heavy guns across the Danube; the bridges are unable to support the guns’ weight

16 October 1915

• Charles Alexander enlists. Charles is commemorated on the Centenary of WWI in Orange Honour Roll; he would die of wounds in France on 13 October 1917.
• France declares war on Bulgaria
• Allied forces begin a naval blockade of the Aegean coast of Bulgaria

15 October 1915

• The London Gazette announces the award of the Victoria Cross to John Patrick Hamilton
• A meeting is held at the Orange Town Hall to discuss arrangements for the Coo-ee’s reception in Orange. It is agreed that picture theatres and other amusement facilities will close when the Coo-ees arrive in the hope of increasing recruitment. Meeting at Town Hall
• The Leader reports that the Coo-ees have been enthusiastically received in Dubbo. The Recruits at Dubbo
• Great Britain declares war on Bulgaria
• Montenegro declares war on Bulgaria