23rd January 1918
Western Front
Germans occupy trenches east of Nieuport (Belgian Coast) after heavy bombardment. French restore position later.
British bomb aerodromes at Courtrai and Ghent.
French raid east of Auberive (Champagne).
Eastern Front
M. Trotsky declares policy of Central Powers to be "a monstrous annexation".
Rioting with much bloodshed in Moscow.
Congress of Soviets meets in Petrograd.
Naval and Overseas Operations
Action between a British submarine and three German submarines reported from Canary Islands.
Political, etc.
Appointment of Sir H. Lawrence to be Chief of the General Staff, France, vice Sir L. Kiggell; other H.Q. appointments announced.
New Army officers to be employed more in staff and higher ranks.
Labour Party Conference meets in Nottingham.
Signor Orlando, Italian Prime Minister, arrives in London.
Leon Trotsky, the Soviet Foreign Minister, decries Central Powers’ demands against Russia to be annexationist. He also accuses Austria-Hungary of simply agreeing to all German demands.
Ship Losses:
Ålesund (Norway) The coaster was torpedoed and sunk in the English Channel 12 nautical miles (22 km) south west by west of St. Catherine's Point, Isle of Wight, United Kingdom (50°28′N 1°33′W) by SM UC-71 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of six of her crew.
Birkhall (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Aegean Sea 4 nautical miles (7.4 km) south east of Cape Kafireas, Euboea, Greece by SM UC-23 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of two of her crew.
Kerbihan (French Navy) The naval trawler struck a mine laid by UC 67 (Karl Neumann) and sank in the Mediterranean between Pomègues and Cap Croisette, Bouches-du-Rhône (43°14′N 5°19′E).
La Drôme (French Navy) The supply ship struck a mine laid by
UC 67 (Karl Neumann) and sank in the Mediterranean Sea off Marseille, Bouches-du-Rhône (43°14′N 5°19′E) by SM UC-67 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of 26 of her 60 crew.
Portaferry (United Kingdom) The coaster ran aground. She broke up on 3 March and was a total loss.
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