7 January

Great War events that took place on 7 January.

1915 (Thursday)

Western Front	French occupy Burnhaupt-le-Haut (Alsace).
Eastern Front	Heavy German attacks on the lower Ravka river repulsed.
Political	British Note with "preliminary observations" in reply to American Note of 29 December 1914 on interference with neutral trade.^[a]

1916 (Friday)

Eastern Front	Russians storm Chartorysk.
Southern Front	▶ Sir Ian Hamilton's despatch on Suvla Bay published.	▶ Embarkation of French and English at Seddul-Bahr (Dardanelles) begins, after repulse of a Turkish attack.
Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres	General Aylmer defeats Turks at Sheikh-Saad.
Political	▶ Count Bernstorff presents a memorandum on submarine policy to USA Government.	▶ Great Britain arranges to ration Holland.

1917 (Sunday)

Eastern Front	▶ Russians gain more ground south of Lake Babit.	▶ Russo-Romanian front broken north-west of Focsani.
Political	Close of Rome Conference.

1918 (Monday)

Western Front	▶ Germans raid British post near Flesquières (Cambrai).	▶ Another raid near Ypres repulsed.	▶ French repulse enemy attempts at Béthincourt (Meuse).
Eastern Front	Leon Trotsky and Russian peace delegates return to Brest-Litovsk and negotiations continue.^[b]
Naval and Overseas Operations	East Africa: British column from Fort Johnston engages enemy force and drives it northwards.
Political	▶ Lord Reading is appointed High Commissioner to the USA.^[c]	▶ Naval mutiny in Lisbon arrested.

Notes

↑ The Note admits that a belligerent Power should interfere with neutral trade only when its national safety demands it, but holds that this does not exclude the right to interfere with contraband destined for the enemy. It is further admitted that foodstuffs should not be detained without a presumption that they are intended for the armed forces of the enemy, but it is added that Britain can give no unconditional undertaking to observe this principle in view of the methods of warfare followed by the Central Powers. The Note insists on the necessity, under modern conditions, of bringing ships into port for examination. It is pointed out that Britain's policy has been forced upon her by the growing danger that neutral countries will become bases of military supplies for the enemy.
↑ Russo-German peace negotiations at Brest-Litovsk. Leon Trotski is defiant and demands free, independent Russia, and threatens general rising of the people if it is not granted. Germans consent to continue negotiations.
↑ The Earl of Reading appointed British High Commissioner and Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary on Special Mission; to have full authority over all British Missions in USA in connection with the War. Lord Northcliffe remains in London as Chairman of London Headquarters of British Mission to U.S.

Sources: Various material contemporary with the war have been used to compile The Great War On This Day and its associated Compendium.

On This Day pages are styled as timelines and have been transcribed from two out-of-copyright sources: Chronology of the War (1918-1920), and History of the Great War – Principle Events 1914-1918 (1922). The spelling of place-names is a particularly convoluted subject. Some names were spelt differently depending on source, others have changed over time for various political or geographical reasons. In general, spelling of place names are original to British use at the time of, and shortly after, the war. Some typos have been altered or corrected for consistency. Similar events between these sources have been amalgamated; as a result the date and wording may differ to their original texts.

Compendium entries form the central hub of (a) An index-like collection of places, people, ships, battles, political events, etc., and (b) Words and phrases of the Armed Forces of Great Britain during the Great War. The majority of these have been transcribed from Chronology of the War (1918-1920) and Soldier and Sailor Words and Phrases (1925) respectively, the later which is reflected in the language used and some may seem derogatory by today's standards.

Images come from scans or photographs of original sources, Wikimedia Commons, and the Imperial War Museum's online collections under the IWM Non-Commercial Licence. Attribution is given separately to the latter and does not come under the general licence of this site. Please be aware that some images, although very few, may depict distressing scenes.

Advisory note: The information in these sources may not accurately represent updated histories, present-day spellings, or geographical borders. It is also written from a British perspective, and words such as "enemy" are used extensively. For further details and a full list of sources, click here.

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[1] The Note admits that a belligerent Power should interfere with neutral trade only when its national safety demands it, but holds that this does not exclude the right to interfere with contraband destined for the enemy. It is further admitted that foodstuffs should not be detained without a presumption that they are intended for the armed forces of the enemy, but it is added that Britain can give no unconditional undertaking to observe this principle in view of the methods of warfare followed by the Central Powers. The Note insists on the necessity, under modern conditions, of bringing ships into port for examination. It is pointed out that Britain's policy has been forced upon her by the growing danger that neutral countries will become bases of military supplies for the enemy.

[2] Russo-German peace negotiations at Brest-Litovsk. Leon Trotski is defiant and demands free, independent Russia, and threatens general rising of the people if it is not granted. Germans consent to continue negotiations.

[3] The Earl of Reading appointed British High Commissioner and Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary on Special Mission; to have full authority over all British Missions in USA in connection with the War. Lord Northcliffe remains in London as Chairman of London Headquarters of British Mission to U.S.

[a]

[b]

[c]