Western Front
Royal Flying Corps destroys 2 German balloons (3 British aircraft lost) and damage 3 more. Arras bombardment renewed. 2 new Sopwith Triplanes of Royal Navy Air Service No 1 Squadron disperse 14 German DFW CVs and shoot 3 down at 16,000ft before they can reconnoiter the BEF lines.
Shoot down of an observation balloon. The observer could jump off by parachute in the picture on the left: https://i0.wp.com/ww2-weapons.com/w...allon.jpg?ssl=1
Somme: British 40th Division (Fourth Army) captures three local objectives (incl on April 24 and 25).
Aisne: Mangin protests at offensive continuing, despite announcements of it being discontinued the day before; ammo supply critical. Tenth Army (Duchene) committed between Hurtebise and Berry-au-Bac.
British officers drinking tea in St. Quentin: © IWM (Q 2085) https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...5881728/photo/1
65,000 German shells have been fired on the city of Rheims since April 1st. French official calls it “abominable vandalism.”
In the ongoing offensives on the Western Front, Allied troops claim to have captured 33,000 German prisoners and 330 artillery guns.
Troops of the Indian Army in the ruins of Caulaincourt, France: © IWM (Q 2080) https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...5145345/photo/1
ritish cavalry passing through Caulaincourt in pursuit of the Germans: © IWM (Q 2074) https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...9876352/photo/1

Naval and Overseas Operations
German submarine SM UC-30, credited with sinking 5 ships, hits a mine and sinks with all hands.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theaters
Mesopotamia: Battle of Istabulat (until April 22). General Cobbe with 7th Division (2,228 casualties) and 76 guns twice attacks Shefhet’s 7,000 Turks (c.2,200 casualties including 700 PoWs) with 31 guns astride railway, taking position and 1 gun. Lieutenant Graham (MG Corps) wins 23rd and last Victoria Cross of the campaign.
Palestine: Chetwode replaces Dobell as GOC (General in command) Eastern Force, Chauvel takes over Desert column.
Cossacks repulse Kurds on Diala (north-west of Kasr-i-Shirin).

Political, etc
Russia: On 20–21 April 1917 massive demonstrations of workers and soldiers erupted against the continuation of war. Demonstrations demanded resignation of Minister of Foreign Affairs Pavel Milyukov. They were soon met by the counter-demonstrations organised in his support. General Lavr Kornilov, commander of the Petrograd military district, wished to suppress the disorders, but premier Georgy Lvov refused to resort to violence. Decree of Russian War Minister Alexandr Guchkov re: Army.
United Kingdom: British government states all doctors must report for military service due to the need to establish hospitals near the frontlines.
“American flag day” in London to celebrate the U.S. entrance into WWI: https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...4768385/photo/1
Spain: In the first meeting of the new Spanish Cabinet, it announces the country will continue to maintain strict neutrality in the war.

__________________
On the kinkometer, my kink measures as a sine wave.

Western Front
No 56 Squadron (SE5s) destroys 4 Albatros fighters (1 credited to Albert Ball) on its first patrol. Despite initial problems with the engine and only one machine gun in front of the pilot (another on the upper wing), the SE5 together with the Sopwith Camel eventually ended the superiority of the German Albatros fighters: https://i2.wp.com/ww2-weapons.com/w...4/SE5.jpg?ssl=1
Artois: Falkenhausen removed from German Sixth Army probably for poor defensive tactics, replaced by O Below (until September 9), Colonel Lossberg already able new CoS, since April 11.
British capture southern part of Trescault (east of Havrincourt Wood, below Bapaume-Cambrai road).
Germans bombard Reims; French repulse German attack on Moronvillers massif.
British gunners rowing ammunition on a pontoon boat up the Scarpe River © IWM (Q 5830): https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...3718272/photo/1

Eastern Front
Baltic Provinces: Hutier made C-in-C German Eighth Army (until December 12), replaces Scholtz. Count Kirchbach takes over Army Detachment D (until December 12).

Southern Front
Macedonia: General Scholtz (from Eighth Army, Eastern Front) replaces Below (see Western Front) in command of German Eleventh and Bulgarian First Armies (Army Group Scholtz) for duration of war.
KG 1 bombs British bivouacs near Yanesh.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theaters
British continue their attack on Turks in retreat from Istabulat on west bank of Tigris and on west bank of Shatt-el-Adhaim.
British artillery getting ready to fire on Ottoman positions south of Samarrah. Note the battery commander using a pole to spot for the guns: https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...5590656/photo/1

Political, etc
Austria-Hungary: Allies reject Prince Sixtus peace approach.
Germany: Germany orders all striking workers to return to work within 24 hours or else they will be conscripted (but a different source has this order already issues for the other day).
Kaiser Wilhelm congratulates his son the Crown Prince for “steelhard” resistance against the French at the Aisne.
France: To conserve food, France orders all restaurants to have one meatless day per week. Butchers will also have to close by 1 pm.
United States: Balfour’s British Military Mission arrives in Washington; French Military Mission arrives New York on April 24. People of Washington D.C. welcome the visit of British Foreign Secretary Balfour: https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...4391937/photo/1
U.S. National Championship for tennis (US Open) will be renamed the National Patriotic Tournament & no trophies will be given.

__________________
On the kinkometer, my kink measures as a sine wave.

Western Front
Artois: Second Battle of the Scarpe 1917 begins (next phase of the Battle of Arras) (until April 24) (see also 9th and May 3rd): 9 British divisions (Third Army) with 2,685 guns (vs 1,329 German pieces), 20 tanks (5 disabled) attack on 9-mile front gaining 1-2 miles north and south of river Scarpe; 63rd (Royal Navy) Division repulses 5 counter-attacks at Gavrelle; 15th Division captures Guemappe. British capture 2,500 PoWs (another source claims only 1000) but lose 10,000 casualties.
Aisne: Poincare urges postponing offensive.
68 Royal Flying Corps fighters on offensive patrol for ground attack’s renewal. An hour-long massive ‘dogfight’ without any fatal casualties. But elsewhere, Ball makes 2 kills. Richthofen’s Jasta 11 scores its 100th victory (of 350 in war, top German unit score).
German soldiers take cover inside the trench from enemy grenades: https://i0.wp.com/ww2-weapons.com/w...raben.jpg?ssl=1
French railway artillery in action near Muizon. © IWM (Q 56898): https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...3893377/photo/1

Naval and Overseas Operations
Atlantic: Battleship New Mexico (BB49) launched at New York Navy Yard. First battleship with turbo-electric drive (completed May 20, 1918).
North Sea: 3 Royal Navy Air Service seaplanes bomb 5 German torpedo boats off Zeebrugge, sink 1.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theaters
British forces capture the city of Samarrah, Mesopotamia (Iraq) and its strategic rail yard from the Ottomans.

Political, etc
France: French government threatens to put German prisoners on board hospital ships if U-boats continue attacking those ships.
United States: “The Butcher Boy,” a short comedy film starring Roscoe Arbuckle and Buster Keaton, is released: https://archive.org/details/busterkeatonthebutcherboy
Diplomatic relations broken off between U.S.A. and Turkey (no state of war followed).

__________________
On the kinkometer, my kink measures as a sine wave.

Western Front
Severe fighting from Croisilles to north of Gavrelle; minor British setbacks. South of Bapaume-Cambrai road minor British advance to St. Quentin Canal near Vendhuil and capture Bithem.
Five of Richthofen’s fighters survive attacks by 20 Royal Flying Corps fighters.
Formation of first German Kampfstaffel or ‘Battle Flight’ special ground attack with MGs and hand grenades in support of infantry attack.
Jagdstaffel 11 members in France. Commander Manfred von Richthofen (Red Baron) is seated in his Albatros © IWM (Q 42283): https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...0389124/photo/1
Royal Field Artillery firing their 18-pounder guns at Monchy-le-Preux. German shelling can be seen in the background © IWM (Q 6294): https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...1994240/photo/1

Southern Front
Salonika: First Battle of Lake Doiran begin (first phase 24th/25th) (see, May 9th). The assault began with a bitter four-day artillery barrage in which the British fired about 100,000 shells. As a result, the earthworks and some wooden structures in the front positions were destroyed. The Bulgarians also opened fire from the batteries between Vardar and Doiran. Vladimir Vazov ordered fire day and night on the Allied positions. The initial several-hour struggle between the British and Bulgarian batteries was followed by a one-hour Bulgarian counter-barrage in which 10,000 shells were fired. British 22nd and 26th Divisions attack on 2 1/2-mile front at 2145 hours but, under 147 Bulgar guns (including German 5.9-inch naval gun battery) and 33 searchlights, never penetrate beyond first line of concrete defences on steep round hills. British losses 3,163; Bulgarian and German 835+ (22 PoWs) soldiers, including in 7 counter-attacks.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theaters
Mesopotamia: General Cobbe occupies Samarra (60 miles north of Baghdad, railway station occupied on April 23), takes 340 sick and wounded Turkish soldiers. Marshall drives 2,000 Turks east over Adhaim taking 160 PoWs but heat halts operations.

Political, etc
Russia: Ukraine demands autonomy.
France: 155mm GPF gun first test fired (at Paris).
300,000 copies of President Wilson’s war address to Congress are printed and will be air-dropped on German trenches on the Western Front.
United Kingdom: British government will insure cargoes of neutral ships from German submarines between Europe and Americas in order to facilitate trade.
United States: Arrival of French Mission (Marshall Joffre and M. Viviani) in New York.
Liberty Loan Act $7 billions ($3 billion for Allies). With wild enthusiasim and waving flags on the Broadway is US going to war: https://i2.wp.com/ww2-weapons.com/w...adway.jpg?ssl=1
Portugal: Sen. Costa (Democrat) becomes Premier in Portugal.

__________________
On the kinkometer, my kink measures as a sine wave.

Western Front
The Victoria Cross is (later) awarded posthumously to Captain Albert Ball of No.56 Squadron, Royal Flying Corps, for his actions during 25 April - 6 May in recognition of his "most conspicuous and consistent bravery" in the skies over France in a Royal Aircraft Factory SE5 (A4850).
German ace Fritz Otto Bernert scores 5 victories in a single day in a span of 20 minutes, despite having a paralyzed left arm.
Workers repairing the Cathedral at Reims, France after German bombardment: https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...7098369/photo/1
The ruined church of Etreillers, France used as a dug-out. © IWM (Q 3119): https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...9483648/photo/1
British officers enjoying lunch among the ruins of Etreillers. © IWM (Q 2084): https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...1297158/photo/1
German “attack” on Hurtebise Farm (Vauclere Plateau, Chemin des Dames) repulsed.

Southern Front
Macedonia: 6 British fighters with 8 bombers encounter KG 1 bomber formation; latter is dispersed (each side loses 1 plane). British bombers proceed to attack designated objective (dumps at Bogdanci).

Naval and Overseas Operations
North Sea: UB-18 (Steinbrinck) sinks Royal Navy sub E22 after latter tries to ram. HMS E22 had been converted into a transport submarine for sea planes: https://i2.wp.com/ww2-weapons.com/w...gzeug.jpg?ssl=1
Channel: German destroyers shell Dunkirk, (night April 24-25), French destroyer Etendard sunk with all hands, but Anglo-French patrols repel them. Others shell Ramsgate (5 civilian casualties) (night April 26-27).

Political, etc
Russia: Russian government prohibits the sale of alcoholic drinks containing more than 1.5% alcohol, except for locally produced wines.
United Kingdom: Second reading of Corn Production Bill carried in House of Commons.
Canada: Canadian government warns that unless new taxes are levied, its debt will reach $1.3 billion.
United States: Government allocates $200 million of yesterday’s Liberty Loan to Britain.
French Deputy Premier Viviani and General Joffre arrive in the United States for a conference to discuss the war.
Portugal: (Also reported for yesterday) Dr. A. Augusto da Costa succeeds Dr. A. J. d'Almeida as Portuguese Premier (see March 15th, 1916 and December 10th, 1917).
China: Provincial military governors meet in Peking and agree war should be declared against Germany.
Chile: Government breaks relations with Germany.
Greece: Court intrigues in Athens cause dissatisfaction.

__________________
On the kinkometer, my kink measures as a sine wave.

Western Front
On the Western Front, British troops repel German advances at Gavrelle and French troops repel attacks against Chemin des Dames.

Southern Front
Salonika: Continued Bulgarian attacks and shelling of Hill 380 (their old front line) and on April 28. Sarrail postpones offensive to West due to bad weather.

Naval and Overseas Operations
Second German destroyer raid on Ramsgate (night 26th/27th) (see March 18th). Two killed, three wounded.
Britain: Admiralty Anti-Submarine Division director urges general convoy system, Jellicoe approves trial convoy from Gibraltar.
Schooner Q-ship (NZ skipper William Edward Sanders wins Victoria Cross) Prize (ex-German ship Else captured in 1914) damages U-93 (11 ships sunk on her first cruise) and captures her captain Edgar von Spiegel plus 2 other crew members, but U-boat gets home. Another source has the fight occurring on 30 April, and gives the details of the fight: HMS Prize was damaged by shellfire. After the 'panic party' had taken to the boats and the ship appeared to be sinking, the U-boat approached to within 80 yards (73m) of her port quarter, whereupon the White Ensign was hoisted and the Prize opened fire.
Within a few minutes the submarine was on fire and her bows rose in the air, whilst the Prize was further damaged. The U-boat disappeared from sight, and was believed to have been sunk by the crew of the Prize and by several of the German crew (including her captain) who had been blown or jumped into the sea.
Neither of the crippled ships had sunk, with the Prize being towed in flames back to Kinsale, while the U-93 struggled back to the Sylt nine days later after a dramatic escape effort through the British mine and destroyer barrages off Dover. Oblt.z.S. Wilhelm Ziegner took command of U-93 after von Spiegel was thought to haved been killed in the battle. U-93 was later sunk on January 7, 1918 by SS Braeneil ramming). And subsequently, the Q-Ship Prize was sunk with all hands by U-48 on August 14, 1917.
‘This is how your money can fight – turn it into U-boats.’ German poster for war loans and in the background a sinking Allied ship: https://i2.wp.com/ww2-weapons.com/w...leihe.jpg?ssl=1

Asiatic and Egyptian Theaters
Mesopotamia: Marshall reconnoiters Ali Ihsan’s Band-i-Adhaim position (dug since April 23). Dust storms and great heat (110°F+) prevent much shelling (until April 29).

Political, etc
Germany: Germany begins calling up men previously exempted by the draft due to their work in vital industries. Women will take their place.
Russia: A small riot occurs in Petrograd, as a crowd attacks a gathering of Lenin’s followers. Several of the rioters, mostly Bolsheviks, are arrested.
France: French Socialists refuse to send representatives to Stockholm Conference on 15 May.
United States: (Listed for yesterday) Dr. Guy Brewster demonstrates his body shield to the New Jersey National Guard and survives 5 bullets shot at him: https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...9161728/photo/1
Preliminary conferences between the U.S. government and the French war mission begin in Washington D.C.
New York celebrates “France Day” for the anniversary of when Lafayette left Bordeaux in 1777 to aid the US.
China: I. M. Pei (the Chinese-American architect) is born in Canton, China.
Mexico: Mexican government warns its German residents to not congregate at the U.S.-Mexican border or else they will face arrest.

__________________
On the kinkometer, my kink measures as a sine wave.

Western Front
Britain claims that in the first 18 days of the Arras offensive, they have captured 18,000 Germans and 250 artillery guns.
A British tractor stuck in the mud while pulling a 6-inch artillery gun. © IWM (Q 6237): https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...4211585/photo/1
French offensive on the Aisne checked.

Naval and Overseas Operations
Australian transport Ballarat torpedoed and sunk; no casualties.
East Africa: NRFF occupies Captain Lincke’s evacuated camp at Likuyu, having crossed that river on April 23.

Political, etc
Russia: Lenin chairs Petrograd City Bolshevik Conference (until May 5). Kronstadt Soviet declares itself virtual republic in support (April 29). Lenin was born in Simbirsk in 1870 with the name Vladimir Ilich Ulyanov: https://i1.wp.com/ww2-weapons.com/w...Lenin.jpg?ssl=1
United Kingdom: Lloyd George speech on U-boat menace.
United States: US London Ambassador wires Washington urging 30 more destroyers for European waters (Navy Secretary orders 32 on June 20).
Guatemala: Guatemala severs diplomatic relations with Germany (see April 23rd, 1918).
Spain: Spanish Note to Germany re: San Fulgencio published.

__________________
On the kinkometer, my kink measures as a sine wave.

Western Front
Battle of Arleux phase of the Battle of Arras begins. Canadian 1st Division (c.1,000 casualties) capture village and 450 PoWs from German 111th Division in 2-hour, 1,000-yard advance despite numerous MG nests in three sunken roads, but, to south, 3 British divisions fail with heavy losses including 475 PoWs.
French advance towards Suippe valley (Champagne).
Royal Flying Corps loses 12 aircraft including 10 on contact patrols.
British troops on busses after capturing Monchy-le-Preux from the Germans. © IWM (Q 6235): https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...7765888/photo/1

Southern Front
Italian aviators drop thousands of translated copies of President Wilson’s war speech over Austro-Hungarian territory.

Naval and Overseas Operations
British imports in March decreased by £5.1 million, in part due to the German submarine warfare.
The tanker S.S. Vacuum is torpedoed; one officer and nine men of U.S. Navy lost, 44 crew overall.

Political, etc
Germany: Interior Minister Reichstag speech claims over 1.6 million tons Allied shipping sunk in first 2 months, urges Germans to hold out.
Russia: Russian workers who were sent to the front as punishment for participating in the revolution are recalled by the Provisional Government.
France: PETAIN APPOINTED CHIEF OF FRENCH GENERAL STAFF; Paris anxious to restore confidence and apply a break to Aisne offensive without sacking Nivelle (Haig still supports); Fayolle to command Centre Army Group.
Henri Philippe Petain (1856-1951): https://i0.wp.com/ww2-weapons.com/w...etain.jpg?ssl=1
Soldier of the British Army Service Corps helping French women with farming. © IWM (Q 3947): https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...3401473/photo/1
United Kingdom: In a speech, Premier Lloyd George states victory is in sight and declares Ireland must be won over.
Turkey: (Listed for yesterday): Talaat Pasha, the Grand Vizier of the Ottoman Empire, states they will not seek territorial annexations after the war.
United States: Conscription decided: United States Congress pass Bill for drafting 500,000 men (see 6th and May 18th).
A mine explosion in Hastings, Colorado results in the deaths of 122 miners.
Children at the City Hall of New York City for an “Americanization rally”: https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...7985025/photo/1

__________________
On the kinkometer, my kink measures as a sine wave.

Western Front
Western Front, General: Richthofen scores 3 victories (50th to 52nd) in 3 sorties, including one SPAD with one by brother Lothar before lunch in mess with father Major Baron Albrecht von Richthofen. Manfred von Richthofen (right) and his younger brother Lothar: https://i1.wp.com/ww2-weapons.com/w...hofen.jpg?ssl=1 Starting later, Lothar achieved an impressive 40 victories. Lothar’s fighting style was much more emotional than his older brother’s and it get him into more trouble, he was wounded in action several times but, unlike Manfred, survived the war.
A crashed British B.E.2e biplane due to engine trouble. © IWM (Q 7231): https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...5070082/photo/1
Artois: British 2nd Division capture trenches south of Oppy.
A wounded Canadian soldier being treated by stretcher bearers and a German prisoner at Arleux: https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...7557376/photo/1
Scottish troops advancing east of Arras. © IWM (Q 2104A): https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...6414976/photo/1
Wounded British soldiers placed on a light railway for transport. © IWM (Q 6225): https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...8927744/photo/1
Aisne: Nivelle abandons Mangin (replaced May 2 by Maistre).
Marne and Champagne: The French army mutiny spreads: 200 men of French 20th Regiment flee to woods from Chalons barracks rather than return to front.

Political, etc
Russia: CoS Alexeiev to War Minister ‘The situation in the Army grows worse every day; information … from all sides indicate that the Army is systematically falling apart’. War Minister’s order No 213 gives all punishment powers to disciplinary courts (officer as presidents, 2 soldiers elected for 6 months) except in action but each army differs.
1000 wounded Russian soldiers march in Petrograd to support the continuation of the war against Germany.
United States: 100 U.S. Congressmen write to Premier Lloyd George urging for Irish Home Rule to be implemented.
The U.S. confectionary “MoonPie” is invented by the Chattanooga Bakery.
British and French Missions visit Washington's tomb.

__________________
On the kinkometer, my kink measures as a sine wave.

Western Front
Western Front, Air: Clashes over front line as German two-seaters strafe British lines. Jasta 11 combined with 2 , 3 and 33 into Jagdgruppe 1 of 20 single-seaters which Royal Flying Corps dub ‘Richthofen’s Circus’ (renamed Jagdgeschwader 1 on July 24). Richthofen goes on leave on May 1 after 21 victories during April.
Royal Flying Corps April losses 316 aircrew and 151 planes (88 to Jasta 11) of which 82 to only 5 German pilots; total German 119 aircrew and 66 aircraft.
German April victories: Kurt Wolff 21; Karl Wolff and Lothar von Richthofen 15 each; Otto Bernert 11; Sebastian Festner 10.
Air combat between British and German fighters over the Western Front: https://i2.wp.com/ww2-weapons.com/w...Flugz.jpg?ssl=1
Damage at Zierikzee (Holland) by unknown airplane. (note: literally unknown to this day. It could have been an off-course Allied plane, or an off-course German plane).
Britain: Royal Navy airship SL 9 destroyed in storm.
British troops advancing forward near Arras. © IWM (Q 2105): https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...7988865/photo/1
The ruined railway station of Arras covered by weeds and grass. © IWM (Q 7781): https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...0171009/photo/1
British military band playing in the ruined town square of Arras. © IWM (Q 6407): https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...1449984/photo/1

Naval and Overseas Operations
ALLIED AND NEUTRAL APRIL SHIPPING LOSSES WORST MONTH OF BOTH WORLD WARS: 873,754t (373 ships). German U-boat history figure 860,334t of which 278,038t (23,037 to Austrians) in Mediterranean; another 113,000t shipping damaged.
Projected since April 17, 50% risk of destruction to homeward bound ships 2 in 11, annual loss rate, one in 4 ships leaving Britain being sunk. Only 1 U-boat lost. British minesweepers suffer almost 1 lost per day. U-boats have attacked 781 ships since February 1: 526 sunk, 37 damaged for loss of 10 U-boats (record of 802 t per U-boat day in Mediterranean), 13 new U-boats commissioned. Lloyd George visits Admiralty and reinforces convoy decision. [ed note: Lloyd George made much of this visit, insisting that he personally ‘forced’ the navy to adopt the convoy system. In reality, the decision to institute it had already been taken, and the assertion here, that he ‘reinforced’ the decision is far more accurate].
North Sea: During April Royal Navy orders 136 Nash Fish towed hydrophones after successful trials. In use with 54 patrol vessel as of 1918 as U-boat encounters.
HMS Tulip, a British Q-ship, is sunk by the German submarine SM U-62, resulting in the deaths of 102 crew.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theaters
Armenia: Mush occupied by Turkish forces (see August 24th, 1916).
Mesopotamia: During April Royal Flying Corps fly record 335 hours.
Battle of Band-i-Adhaim: Marshall’s 5,200 men (692 casualties) and 64 guns vs 6,270 Turks (565 casualties including 365 PoWs) and 39 guns (1 lost). British storm Turkish second line and beyond but lose gains to 6 vs 1 counter-attack in dust storm.

Political, etc
United Kingdom: Jockey Club stops racing after 4 May.
Belgium: Spanish and Dutch individuals take over relief efforts in German-occupied Belgium and France from U.S. representatives.
United States: Suffragist Carrie Chapman Catt demand equal pay if women take over men’s jobs after they are sent to the front.
Six U.S. Red Cross base hospitals are ordered to go to Europe to treat wounded Allied soldiers.
Poland: Polish scheme for Galicia published. [note: said ‘scheme’ involved the forcible removal of Galicia from Austria-Hungary, and adding it to the Polish state. Today, Galicia is split among Poland, the Slovakian Republic, Hungary, and possibly the Ukraine.]

__________________
On the kinkometer, my kink measures as a sine wave.

Hard to imagine the shipping losses for April. Wow!

Western Front
Champagne: French repulse two counter-attacks south of Moronvilliers and raids on May 2.
Artois: Since April 9 BEF has advanced 2-5 miles on 20-mile front, fired 6,466,239 shells, engaged 32 German divisions (16 forced into reserve), taken 18,128 PoWs and 230 guns; 227 mortars; 470 MGs for 83,970 casualties.
Germany: In May Germans give each infantry company 2 Bergmann submachine guns (another 2 in September).
Air War: On the Western Front in April, Britain lost 275 aircraft, while the Germans lost 66, giving rise to the nickname "Bloody April.
From May until July ‘B’ or Black Flight of Royal Navy Air Service No 10 squadron destroys 87 German aircraft. Royal Flying Corps flies 39,500 hours in May (record till March 1918).
In May Germans have 47 seaplanes at Zeebrugge and Ostend, shoot down 6 French flying boats; RNAS send extra 9 seaplanes.

Southern Front
Macedonia: In early May after ineffective and increasingly more costly, bomber operations KG 1 is withdrawn from Hudova and railed to Western Front (RFC belatedly discovers it on May 10).

Naval and Overseas Operations
Eastern Atlantic: HM submarine E54 sinks U-81 off Western Ireland resulting in 31 crew deaths. U-81 was a high-seas submarine with a 10.5-cm (4.1in) deck gun:
Mediterranean: In May numbers reach 28 U-boats in Pola-Cattaro Flotilla. Allies have 858 patrol vessels (89 destroyers) of which 387 available to protect shipping, but only 201 to protect c.3,000 ships per day at sea at anyone time. During May British Admiralty orders 1108 new ASW vessels including 97 destroyers and 60 submarines. Average of 47 U-boats at sea per day.
In May the transport U-boat UC-20 takes 7 Germans to set up radio station (until August) at Misurata (Tripolitania) with Senussi rebels.
North Sea: German seaplane sinks British SS Gena off Suffolk, but latter shoots down escorting seaplane.
The 1st Battlecruiser Squadron of the Royal Navy leaving the Firth of Forth. © IWM (Q 74234): https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...9847681/photo/1
Channel: In May 4 Dover Barrage drifters damaged by its mines. During May record of 13 German mine sweepers mined and sunk (only 12 so lost November 1916-April 1917).

Asiatic and Egyptian Theaters
North-west frontier (India): Mahsud tribesmen attack British convoy; beaten off, British losses 60 killed, 55 wounded.

Political, etc
Russia: Russian Army Conference asks for the abolition of private ownership of land and the distribution of land among the peasants.
Millions of people march in Russian cities to celebrate May Day, the 1st since the February Revolution: https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...4938369/photo/1
France: Early May Nivelle insists 1,000 Renault FT-17 light tanks top priority order.
The ‘Ribot Cable’: French Prime minister asks US to send 4,500 combat aircraft to Western Front during 1918; with trainers, grand total required by June 30, 1918 is 22,625 planes.
United Kingdom: British Admiral Beresford states shipping losses by U-boats are “appalling” and criticizes the government for hiding its full scale.
New schedule of Protected Occupations published.
United States: President Wilson confers with British Foreign Secretary Balfour and French Deputy PM Viviani at the White House to discuss the war situation. Later, French war mission delegates Viviani and Marshal Joffre are greeted by the U.S. Senate with cheers.
President Wilson signs executive order instituting censorship for cables out of the U.S. and telegraph/telephone lines into Mexico.
Poland: Polish Council of State presents demands to Central Powers (see yesterday).

__________________
On the kinkometer, my kink measures as a sine wave.

Western Front
Air: From behind BEF barrage hedge-hopping Nieuport fighters destroy 4 German balloons (7 destroyed similarly on May 7 for 2 Nieuports lost). 40 aircraft dogfight east of Arras in which Captain Ball makes the only kill.
Here, an observer saves himself from a hit balloon by parachute: https://i2.wp.com/ww2-weapons.com/w...allon.jpg?ssl=1
French aeroplanes bomb Trier in reprisal for German air raids against Chalons and Epernay.
In Champagne and Moronvilliers region German trench raids beaten back.

Eastern Front
Alexeiev and Front commanders tell Provisional Government and Petrograd Soviet ‘The Army is on the very brink of ruin’. 2 MILLION DESERTERS IN MARCH AND APRIL.


Naval and Overseas Operations
First United States destroyer flotilla arrives at Queenstown (see June 18th).
Channel: Royal Navy destroyer Derwent sunk by mine (52 lives lost): https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...4497664/photo/1

Political, etc
Austria-Hungary: At breakfast German Admiral Holtzendorff assures Emperor Charles that April U-boat sinkings will be 1 million tons, Empress Zita deplores U-boat war.
Germany: Talaat Pasha visits Kaiser.
United Kingdom: ‘Then called on Carson at Admiralty … still deeply depressed about submarine war’ C P Scott, Editor Manchester Guardian.
Fresh Food Order extending powers of Controller.
Mr. Bonar Law introduces Budget.
Argentina: Argentina receives reparation from Germany for sinking of Monteprotegido.
Greece: M. Zaimis again becomes Premier.

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On the kinkometer, my kink measures as a sine wave.

Western Front
Artois: Third Battle of the Scarpe (until May 4): British attack on 16-mile front east of Arras with 14 divisions; 2,685 guns (vs 1,429 German pieces) and 16 tanks before dawn at 0345 hours with few Third Army gains although Canadians (1,259 casualties) storm Fresnoy, capturing 500 PoWs.
Five Sopwith 1½ Strutters of No.43 Squadron, Royal Flying Corps, carry out machine-gun attacks on German troops massing at Oppy for a counter-attack on the morning of the first day of the Third Battle of the Scarpe, the Arras Offensive. Although the Royal Flying Corps had carried out low flying attacks during the assaults around Vimy, this is regarded as the first true occasion on which the Royal Flying Corps fly close air support sorties.
And the Battle of Bullecourt (until May 17): 6 British-Australian divisions with 12 tanks of Fifth Army break into strongly fortified village 14 miles west of Cambrai and break through Hindenburg Line switch at Queant.
The new British Mark IV tank has been in operation since March 1917 and its 12 mm reinforced armor can no longer be penetrated by armor piercing bullets from the German infantry weapons: https://i2.wp.com/ww2-weapons.com/w...rk-IV.jpg?ssl=1
A British soldier tending to a grave of a fallen soldier near Blangy. © IWM (Q 5289): https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...5912322/photo/1
French Saint-Chamond tank “Teddy” at Conde-sur-Aisne. © IWM (Q 69623): https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...6410497/photo/1
Aisne: French Army mutinies become more widespread, with the Colonial division and 2 French infantry regiments (21st Division) affected (until May 4).
German soldiers training in trenches near Sedan: https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...8707712/photo/1
Barbed wire entanglement of the Siegfriedstellung (Hindenburg Line) near Heninel. © IWM (Q 5286): https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...8537600/photo/1

Political, etc
Russia: First demonstration against Provisional Government, Foreign Minister Miliukov defends policy to Petrograd crowds. Provisional Governments just wins Petrograd Soviet confidence vote (on May 4).
Russian Provisional Government grants citizens the freedoms of association and meeting.
General Alexeiev protests v. "no annexation, etc." propaganda.
France: Anglo-French Paris War Conference (until May 5).
United Kingdom: British government takes control of all shipping in the face of the German U-boat threat.
Members of Imperial War Conference received by King at Windsor.
King George signs a proclamation urging people to lessen their consumption of wheat and be frugal in use of other grains as well.
British Trade Corporation founded with capital of 10 millions.
United States: U.S. government announces it will issue $2 billion worth of “liberty loans" to help finance the war effort; US loans Italy $100 million, France also on May 8 and Russia on May 16.
Brazil: Foreign Minister Müller resigns as German name hampers his neutral policy.
Sweden: Sweden prohibits the exportation of nearly all foodstuffs in order to control food shortages.

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On the kinkometer, my kink measures as a sine wave.

Have to admit. This is one of my favorite threads. Glad you started it and have kept it going GG.