The following events occurred in October 1916:
October 1 1916 (Sunday) Battle of Le Transloy – The British Fourth Army launched its final offensive in the Battle of the Somme with an attack to capture the German-held commune of Le Transloy, France. Battle of the Ancre Heights – The British Reserve Army attacked German defenses along the Ancre River in northeastern France in a continuation of the Battle of Thiepval Ridge. The 2nd Canadian Division attacked and briefly held the strategically important German line named Regina Trench that ran northwest of the village of Le Sars, France. Flămânda Offensive – Romanian forces crossed the Danube River and established a bridgehead at Flămânda (then part of Macedonia). Eleven German Navy Zeppelins raided England, but most failed to reach their targets, with only one British soldier reported as a casualty. Royal Flying Corps Second Lieutenant W. J. Tempest in a Royal aircraft shot down airship L 31 outside London, killing its entire crew, including the famed airship commander Heinrich Mathy who leaped to his death from the burning Zeppelin. The Royal Flying Corps established the No. 75 Squadron. Dublin Mean Time, which was 25 minutes behind Greenwich Mean Time, was made the same as British time at 2:00 a.m. under terms of the Time Ireland Act for Ireland. The Perth Amboy Technical High School opened in Perth Amboy, New Jersey. The London Underground extended the Bakerloo line with a new tube station at Kensal Green. Born: Tibor Reich, Hungarian-British designer, known for his celebrated textile designs including deep texture weaves in the 1950s, in Budapest (d. 1996) Died: James Paul Clarke, American politician, 18th Governor of Arkansas (b. 1854); Ivan Dumbadze, Russian army officer, military and civil head of Yalta, Major-General of Svita for Nicholas II of Russia (b. 1851) Died: Galusha Pennypacker, American army officer, youngest general appointed to the Union Army during the American Civil War, recipient of the Medal of Honor for action at the Second Battle of Fort Fisher (b. 1844); Alexander Russell Webb, American diplomat, United States Ambassador to the Philippines in 1887 when he converted to Islam, author of The Three Lectures (b. 1846)
October 2 1916 (Monday)
Battle of the Ancre Heights – British forces assaulted the German north side of Schwaben Redoubt, a strategically important defensive landmark on the Ancre River in France. Meanwhile, the Germans wrested control of the Regina Trench back from Canadian forces. Flămânda Offensive – The Austro-Hungarian Navy contested the Romanian bridgehead on the Danube River. Romanian torpedo boats SMS Bodrog and SMS Körös engaged by the enemy ships but coast batteries disabled the Badrog while Körös was forced by enemy fire to the shore where it ran aground. The Zoological Society of San Diego was founded by physician Harry M. Wegeforth to address the issue of abandoned exotic animals from the Panama–California Exposition. Efforts to secure and care for these animals led to the establishment of the San Diego Zoo in Balboa Park, San Diego in 1922. The Gotha G.I aircraft was retired by the Imperial German Navy as its design was outdated and newer Allied planes were faster and more maneuverable. Schenley High School opened to students in Pittsburgh. The school building is now listed in the National Register of Historic Places. Born: Bob Powell, American comic book artist, best known for the Mars Attacks trading card series and artwork for Sheena, Queen of the Jungle and Mr. Mystic, in Buffalo, New York (d. 1967) Died: Benjamin Kidd, British sociologist, author of Social Evolution (b. 1858)