Western Front
Richthofen (petrol tank and engine hit) leads fighters that shoot down 4 of 9 No 40 Squadron’s FE8s. The Royal Aircraft Factory F. E. 8 was a single-seat fighter with a monosoupape Gnome pusher engine.
https://i0.wp.com/ww2-weapons.com/w...2017/03/FE8.jpg
French repulse attacks in Champagne and north of Bois des Caurieres. French troops made advances in the Champagne front yesterday and today, taking 170 German prisoners.
Germany claims that during February, it lost 24 airplanes across all fronts, while the Allies lost 91 airplanes.
Asiatic and Theaters
Mesopotamia:Gertrude Bell letter to father ‘
That’s the end of the German dream of domination in the Near [Middle] East … their place is not going to be in the sun’. Captain Reid’s 100 men cross river Diyala and repel six Turkish attacks (Reid gains Victoria Cross). South of Tigris Turks forced back to inner line.
Asia Minor: Russians attack retreating Turks near Sivas.
Persia: Turkish XIII Corps reaches Karind. Russian scouts advance south-west from Sakis; Sinnah (Persian Kurdistan) captured. Russians invite Persian Government to repossess reoccupied towns, Baratov reoccupies Kermanshah (March 11) and Karind (March 17).
Political, etc
Germany: Ludendorff warns War Minister and Chancellor home front having an ‘
unhealthy influence upon the moral of the Army’.
Alfred Zimmermann: “[Germany]
is prepared to place herself at the head of an alliance of states for the maintenance of the world’s peace.”
Russia: Food problem at Petrograd becomes urgent. Around 200,000 protesters flood the streets of Petrograd, demanding the end to the war and overthrow of the Tsar.
France: GQG, persuaded by Estienne, orders 1,000 Renault FT-17 light tanks. Prototype tested on March 14, order approved April 10.
World shortage of wheat foreshadowed by French Chamber.
United Kingdom: British loan of £40,000,000 to Romania.
Lord Devenport sanctions maximum food prices.
Due to food shortages, Britain conducts negotiations with Canada to buy its entire surplus wheat crop for 1917.
Canada: Canada bans women and children from traveling on ships that would pass through areas where submarines are active.
Netherlands: Dutch authorities officially notified by Germany that safety is guaranteed for shipping along a strip of North Sea from Holland to Norway.