Western Front
During the first week of April, the Royal Flying Corps loses 75 aircraft in combat over the Western Front. The aircraft and tactics of the German Jagdstaffeln (Fighter Squadrons) are shown to be greatly superior to those of the Royal Flying Corps and its French and Belgian allies. By the end of the month the British air services lose 150 aircraft and 316 aircrew in what would become known as 'Bloody April'. The French and Belgian air services lose an additional 200 aircraft.
Another source says: Only the exploits of Collishaw, Dallas, Little and the Sopwith Triplanes of RNAS ‘Black Flight’ hold promise the tide will eventually turn. Royal Flying Corps has 754 aircraft (41 squadrons) in France.
BEF establishment strength 1,893,874 men (including 139,353 Anzacs and 130,255 Canadians).
Somme: British Fourth Army capture Savy with Savy Wood 4 miles west of St Quentin, and begin an indiscriminate bombardment of the area. French President Poincare visits liberated area.
British troops manning a 9.2-inch howitzer to bombard German positions near Arras, France: © IWM (Q 6460)
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Aisne: French push back Germans to Vauxaillon northeast of Soissons.
Champagne: Germans shell Reims (25,000 shells in one week).
Southern Front
Bulgar-Germans bombard Monastir (asphyxiating shells).
Naval and Overseas Operations
Atlantic: APRIL SHIPPING LOSSES (373 Allied ships) REACH RECORD MONTHLY TOTAL OF 545,200t (world-wide losses 873,754t). Now 120 German U-boats in service. In April British Aircraft join seaplanes on anti-U-boat patrols.
USA: 600,000t German merchant shipping (interned since 1914-1915) seized by US.
U.S. armed cargo ship
Aztec is torpedoed by the German submarine SM
U-46, resulting in 28 crew deaths.
Mediterranean: In April Japanese 2nd Detached Squadron (Rear-Admiral K Sato), cruiser
Akashi and 8 wartime-built destroyers arrive (c.April 17), based at Malta (made public by lord R Cecil on May 24). Cruiser
Idzumo arrives with 4 more destroyers in August, 2 Royal Navy destroyers turned over in June.
Adriatic: Austrian
U-30 lost by unknown cause in Otranto Straits (or following day).
Baltic: In April Bolsheviks claim 1,400 members aboard 22 ships.
Asiatic and Egyptian Theaters
Russians progress towards Khanikan (85 miles north-east of Baghdad).
Turks retreat towards Kasr-i-Shirin (Persia).
British and Russian cavalry officers at Kizil Robat, Mesopotamia, which fell unopposed: © IWM (Q 25199)
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Political, etc
France: Paul Langevin tests his first quartz transmitter for detecting submarines in laboratory tanks, it kills fish in its path.
United Kingdom: British Government decide to interfere in Barrow strike.
They adhere to principle of an independent Poland.
United States: Thousands of pacifists, carrying tulips, march to Washington D.C. to protest against the U.S. entering the war.
Scott Joplin, African American composer and pianist known as “King of Ragtime Writers,” passed away:
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