100 Years Ago Today

[Sailor Steve]

March 25, 1917

Air War:
0820 German ace Manfred von Richthofen, flying a Halberstadt D.II, shoots down Nieuport 17 A6689 for victory number 31. Lt Christopher Guy Gilbert is taken prisoner.

"An enemy squadron had passed over our lines. I went up, overtaking their last machine. After only a very few shots, the enemy's propeller stopped turning. The adversary landed near Tilloy, upsetting his plane. I observed after some moments the plane began to burn."
-Manfred von Richthofen

"Escort to 11 Squadron FEs on photo op. I was surrounded and cut off by Richthofen's squadron over Douai and shot down; petrol tank hit, controls shot away. Nieuport 15A crashed and burnt, totally destroyed."
-Christophr Gilbert, upon repatriation in 1918

Gilbert also reported that there should have been five Nieuports escorting the FE.2s, but that the other four had all turned back or never taken off due to engine problems.

0920 German pilot Paul Hoppe, in an Albatros D.III, shoots down a Sopwith 1½ Strutter for victory number 2.

0920 German pilot Edmund Nathanael, in an Albatrtos D.III, shoots down 1½ Strutter for victory number 4.

0925 German pilot Heinrich Gontermann, in an Albatros D.III, shoots down a 1½ Strutter for victory number 6.

0925 Edmund Nathanial shoots down a second 1½ Strutter for victory number 5.

Note: 70 squadron RFC lost 5 1½ Strutters this day. Impossible to determine who shot down which plane.

1700 Indian RFC pilot Edward Dawson Atkinson, flying a Nieuport 17, destroys an observation balloon for victory number 1.

1700 Canadian RFC pilot William Avery Bishop, in Nieuport 17 A306, shoots down an Albatros D.II for victory number 1. No details available.

German pilot Paul Aue, in an Albatros D.II, shoots down Nieuport 23 3418 for victory number 4. Caporal Joseph Trincot of Escadrille N.57 is listed as Missing.

German pilot Karl Deilmann, in an Albatros D.II, shoots down a Sopwith Strutter Strutter for victory number 1. This is the fifth Strutter mentioned above.

German ace Friedrich Mallinckrodt, in an Albatros D.III, shoots down Sopwith Pup A630 for victory number 6. 2nd Lt N.A. Phillips is killed.

French ace Jacques Ortoli, in a Nieuport, or possibly a SPAD VII, shoots down a German two-seater and an "Enemy Aircraft" for victories 7 and 8.



Irish Sea:
Otto Steinbrinck, in UC-65, sinks four vessels north of St George's Channel:
British freighter SS Adenwen, 3,798 tons, en route from Cienfuegos via Queenstown to Liverpool with a load of sugar; torpedoed, 10 casualties. Two years earlier Adenwen survived an unsuccessful scuttling attempt by Otto Weddigen in U-29.
British barque Brandon, 130 tons, carrying a load of slate from Portmadoc to Waterford; scuttled. All four crew lost.
French schooner Fringante, 124 tons, en route from Troon to Treguier with a load of coal; scuttled.
Greek freighter SS Poseidon, 2,589 tons, travelling with a load of iron ore from Les Falaises to Barrow.
Steinbrinck's score is now 145 ships and 132,603 tons.



Wales:
His Majesty's Trawler Evangel, 197 tons, hits a mine laid off Milford Haven by Kurt Ramien in UC-48, bringing his score to 24 vessels and 40,665 tons.



English Channel:
Hans Howaldt, in UB-40, sinks a small French fishing fleet in the Seine Estuary.
Etoile de la Mer, 43 tons.
Felix Faure, 37 tons.
Louise, 45 tons.
Marie Louise, 34 tons.
Saint Joseph, 35 tons.
Howaldt's score is now 18 vessels and 6,592 tons.

Erwin Waßner, in UC-69, scuttles two vessels off Beachy Head:
British sailing vessel Huntleys, 186 tons, travelling from Bristol to Dieppe with a load of pitch.
British Schooner Mary Annie, 154 tons, en route from Glasgow to Tréport with a load of coal.
Waßner's score is now 35 ships and 31,272 tons.



North Sea:
Raimund Weisbach, in U-81, scuttles three Norwegian freighters east of the Shetland Islands:
SS C. Sundt, 1,105 tons, carrying a general cargo from Göteborg to Hull.
SS Garant, 735 tons, travelling from Christiania to Aberdeen with a load of wood pulp.
SS Laly, 1,880 tons, en route from Fredrikstad to London with a load of timber.
In all three cases none of the lifeboats are recovered, and all three crews perish.
Weisbach's score is now 29 ships and 76,903 tons.

Johannes Lohs starts his career in U-75 with the sinking of four ships off northern Scotland:
British trawler Industria, 133 tons; scuttled.
British trawler Median, 214 tons; scuttled.
British trawler Rosslyn, 113 tons, deck gun.
Norwegian freighter SS Marshall, 1,123 tons, bound from Tyne for Tromsø with coal and passengers.

Reinhard von Rabenau, in UC-77, scuttles British trawler Prince of Wales, 158 tons, off Girdleness, Scotland. His score is now 2 vessels and 1,596 tons.



Bay of Biscay:
Gustav Buch, in UC-36, scuttles three vessels near Groix Island, near Lorient:
British freighter SS Baynaen, 3,227 tons, travelling from Tegal to Nantes with a load of sugar.
French fishing vessel Etoile Polaire, 33 tons.
French brigantine Leontine, 201 tons.
Buch's score is now 10 vessels and 11,589 tons.



Mediterranean Sea:
Otto Schultze, in U-63, sinks British freighter SS Vellore, 4,926 tons, en route from Tyne and Malta to Alexandria with a load of coal. His score is now 20 ships and 55,456 tons.

Robert Moraht, in U-64, sinks two ships just off Catania, Sicily:
British freighter SS Berbera, 4,352 tons, heading from Bombay to Marseille with a mixed cargo of grain, cotton and manganese ore.
Italian sailing vessel Immacolata, 137 tons.
Moraht's score is now 15 ships and 48,820 tons.

Karl Neumann, in UC-67, torpedoes British freighter SS Queen Eugenie, 4,359 tons, carrying a general cargo from New York to Calcutta. His score is now 23 ships and 21,116 tons.

[Jimbuna]

26th March 1917

Western Front

British take Lagnicourt (six miles north-east of Bapaume); French repulse several attacks south of St. Quentin, throw back enemy beyond Barisis-Sevais line, and take village of Coucy-le-Chateau.

Eastern Front

Russians attacked south-west of Baranovichi (centre), retire on east bank of Shchara, losing 300 prisoners.

Southern Front

French take trenches west of Monastir and 2,000 prisoners.

Austrians occupy Italian advanced trenches south of the Vipacco (Carso).

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

First Battle of Gaza. General Murray attacks; thick fog; Gaza surrounded, but not penetrated.

Political, etc.

Enlistment for U.S. Navy to be increased to maximum of 87,000.

Mr. Bonar Law appeals to engineers on strike at Barrow to resume work.

Bread rises to 1s. per 4-lb. loaf, and new standard of flour applied to bakers.

Russian War Minister warns that the “foe is at the gate,” pointing to the buildup of German troops threatening Petrograd (St. Petersburg).

Ship Losses:

Ceres (Germany) The cargo ship ran aground off Terschelling, Friesland, Netherlands. She was declared a total loss on 4 April.
Cerne (United Kingdom) The cargo ship struck a mine and sank in the Thames Estuary. Her crew survived.
Ledbury (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 90 nautical miles (170 km) north by east of Benghazi, Libya by SM UB-43 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of three of her crew.
L. Rahmanich (Egypt) The sailing vessel was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea between Alexandria and Port Said by SM U-63 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
HMS Myrmidon (Royal Navy) The Myrmidon-class destroyer collided with Hamborn ( United Kingdom and sank in the English Channel off Dungeness, Kent with the loss of a crew member. Survivors were rescued by HMS Mermaid ( Royal Navy) and Tambour ( United Kingdom).
Norma (Sweden) The cargo ship was sunk in the English Channel[335] 9 nautical miles (17 km) north of Île Vierge by SM UC-69 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.

[Sailor Steve]

March 26, 1917

Air War:
Lithuania-born Russian pilot Grigory Eduardovich Suk, flying Nieuport 11 1127, shoots down Hansa-Brandenburg C.I 67.24 for victory number 3. Sources disagree on this number, with The Aeordrome calling it number 1 and Wiki number 2. The '3' number comes from Russian Aces of World War 1, by Victor Kulikov.



North Atlantic Ocean:
Russian schooner Ernest Sophia, 179 tons, departs Bristol for Iceland with a load of salt and is not heard from again.



English Channel:
Erwin Waßner, commanding UC-69, sinks Swedish freighter SS Norma, 1,443 tons, bound from Dakar for Dunkerque with a load of ground nuts. His score is now 36 ships and 32,715 tons.

British destroyer HMS Myrmidon, 360 tons, is lost in a collision with British freighter SS Hamborn.



North Sea:
Norweagian fishing vessel SS Admiralen, 79 tons, departs Alesund to hunt seals in the Arctic and is not heard from again. 12 lives lost.



Wadden Sea:
German freighter SS Ceres, 2,009 tons en route from Rotterdam to Stockholm with a load of coal, is wrecked at Ameland, off the Dutch coast.



Mediterranean Sea:
Otto Schultze, in U-63, sinks Egyptian sailing vessel L. Rahmanich, 79 tons, between Alexandria and Port Said, raising his score to 21 ships and 55,535 tonss.

Hans von Mellenthin, in UB-43, sinks British freighter SS Ledbury, 2,046 tons, carrying a load of wheat from Karachi to Britain; northeast of Benghazi. His score is now 18 ships and 36,777 tons.



Durban, South Africa:
The crew of monitor HMS Severn are moved from the camp where they have been living to their ship. While the dockyard workers are still refitting the ship the crew are employed preparing the mess decks and quarters for use.

[Jimbuna]

27th March 1917

Western Front

British attack north-east of Bapaume and occupy villages north-east of Peronne.

French reach Forest of St. Gobain and, north of Soissons, the Aisne-Oise Canal.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

After two days' fighting, British take 950 Turkish prisoners near Gaza, including several Generals and whole 53rd Divisional Staff. Obliged to fall back, mainly through water difficulties.

Political, etc.

French Chamber votes for calling up of 1918 class in April.

Blockade debate in House of Commons.

The Cabinet offers President Wilson a plan of action for war, which will have 10,000 regular troops as the first U.S. units to go to France.

France prohibits all foreign imports unless a special permit is received from the Minister of Finance.

Russian proclamation in favour of self-determination and peace.

Grand dukes and royal princes of Russia formally pledge their support to the new government and turn over crown lands to the state.

Ship Losses:

Aasta (Norway) The cargo ship was sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 3 nautical miles (5.6 km) south west of Ar Men, Finistère, France by SM UC-69 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Don Benito (United Kingdom) The collier collided with Ultonia ( United Kingdom) and sank in the Atlantic Ocean (49°35′N 6°44′W).
Galatia (United Kingdom) The fishing vessel was scuttled in the North Sea 30 nautical miles (56 km) south south west of Buchan Ness, Aberdeenshire by SM UC-77 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Glenogle (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 207 nautical miles (383 km) south west of the Fastnet Rock (48°20′N 12°00′W) by SM U-24 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Grib (Norway) The cargo ship was sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 7 nautical miles (13 km) west of Ar Men by SM UC-69 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Holgate (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 10 nautical miles (19 km) north west of the Skellig Islands, County Kerry by SM U-57 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Kelvinhead (United Kingdom) The cargo ship struck a mine laid by UC 65 (Otto Steinbrinck) and sank in Liverpool Bay 0.75 nautical miles (1.39 km) west south west of the Liverpool Bar Lightship. Her crew survived.
Neath (United Kingdom) The auxiliary barque was torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 28 nautical miles (52 km) south by east of the Fastnet Rock by SM U-66 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived, but her captain was taken as a prisoner of war.
Nova (Norway) The cargo ship was sunk in the North Sea 18 nautical miles (33 km) off Girdle Ness by SM UC-77 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Sandvik (Norway) The coaster was sunk in the North Sea 7 nautical miles (13 km) off Tod Head, Aberdeenshire by SM UC-77 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Thracia (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Bay of Biscay 12 nautical miles (22 km) north of Belle Île, Morbihan, France (47°31′N 3°17′W) by SM UC-69 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of 36 of her crew.
62 (French Navy) The gunboat was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea west of Bizerte, Algeria by SM UC-37 ( Kaiserliche Marine).

[Sailor Steve]

March 27, 1917

Ireland:
Carl-Siegfried von Georg, commanding U-57, sinks British freighter SS Holgate, 2,604 tons, bound from Almeria for Barrow with a load of iron ore; northwest of the Skelligs. His score is now 31 ships and 32,684 tons.



Irish Sea:
British freighter SS Kelvinhead, 3.063 tons, hits a mine laid by Otto Steinbrinck in UC-65 near the Mersey Bar Lightship off Liverpool. His score is now 146 ships and 135,666 tons.



Celtic Sea:
Walter Remy, in U-24, sinks British freighter SS Glenogle, 7,682 tons, en route from London to Yokohama with a general cargo. His score is now 6 ships and 14,338 tons.

Thorwald von Bothmer, in U-66, sinks British auxiliary motor barque Neath, 5,548 tons, carrying a load of sugar from Mauritius to Le Havre. His score is now 23 ships and 62,413 tons.



North Sea:
On March 23rd German destroyers V44, G86 and G87 shelled Dutch freighter SS Amstelstromm, 1,413 tons, travelling from Amsterdam to London with a load of margarine. The crew abandoned ship. Four days later, on the 27th, Erich von Rohrscheidt, in UB-10, finds Amstelstromm drifting "derelict and badly damaged" near the Noord Hinder Lightship. He sinks the wreck with a torpedo. This is his first sinking.

Reinhard von Rabenau, in UC-77, sinks three vessels off northeast Scotland:
British fishing vessel Galatia, 150 tons.
Norwegian freighter SS Nova, 1,034 tons, carrying a load of coal from Blyth to Sarpsborg.
Norwegian freighter SS Sandvik, 591 tons, travelling from Goole to Göteborg with a general cargo.
Von Rabenau's score is now 5 ships and 3,371 tons.



Bay of Biscay:
Erwin Waßner, in UC-69, sinks three ships near Armen Rock:
Norwegian freighter SS Aasta, 1,146 tons, en route from Pomaron to Swansea with a load of copper pyrite.
Norwegian freighter SS Grib, 1,474 tons, carrying a load of cork from Lisbon to Hull.
British freighter SS Thracia, 2,891 tons, travelling from Bilbao to Ardrossan with a load of iron ore.
Waßner's score is now 39 ships and 38,226 tons.



Tunisia:
Otto Launberg, in UC-37, sinks French gunboat Nr. 62, off Bizerta. His score is now 14 vessels and 25,919 tons.

[Jimbuna]

28th March 1917

Western Front

French repulse enemy in Maisons de Champagne, but lose a few trenches. They recapture Hill 304 (Verdun).

British established along Bapume-Cambrai road beyond Beaumetz.

Ground gained round Croiselles-Arras.

German long-range gun shells Soissons.

Eastern Front

Germans report that spring thaw prevents fighting on large scale.

Russian attacks on Magyaros Ridge (Moldavia) fail.

Southern Front

Unsuccessful Austrian attacks in the Carso.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

Turks claim battle at Gaza as a victory.

Political, etc.

All members of Romanov family have taken oath of fidelity to Provisional Government.

Export of wheat from Argentina prohibited.

Electoral reform debate in House of Commons; Mr. Asquith announces his conversion to women's suffrage.

Ship Losses:

Antonietta R. (Italy) The sailing vessel was sunk in the Tyrrhenian Sea off Capo Palinuro, Calabria by SM U-34 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Ardglass (United Kingdom) The coaster was scuttled in the Irish Sea 4 nautical miles (7.4 km) east of the South Arklow Lightship ( United Kingdom) (52°14′N 5°51′W) by SM UC-65 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Cannizaro (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 145 nautical miles (269 km) south west of the Fastnet Rock (49°00′N 10°00′W) by SM U-24 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Carlo T (Italy) The sailing vessel was sunk in the Tyrrhenian Sea off Capo Palinuro by SM U-34 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Dagali (Norway) The coaster was sunk in the Irish Sea 5 nautical miles (9.3 km) north east of the South Arklow Lightship ( United Kingdom) by SM UC-65 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Expedient (United Kingdom) The trawler was scuttled in the North Sea by SM UC-75 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of all nine crew.
Gafsa (United Kingdom) The tanker was torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 10 nautical miles (19 km) south east of the Old Head of Kinsale, County Cork by SM U-57 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of seven crew.
Giuseppina (Italy) The sailing vessel was sunk in the Tyrrhenian Sea off Capo Palinuro by SM U-34 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Giuseppina Rosa (Italy) The brigantine was scuttled in the Tyrrhenian Sea by SM U-34 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Harvest Home (Isle of Man) The schooner was shelled and sunk in the Irish Sea 4 nautical miles (7.4 km) north east of the South Arklow Lightship ( United Kingdom) by SM UC-65 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Hero (United Kingdom) The tug struck a mine laid by UC 40 (Gustav Deuerlich) and sank in the North Sea off the mouth of the River Wear with the loss of a crew member.
Katina (Greece) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Bay of Biscay 10 nautical miles (19 km) north west of the Île d'Yeu, Vendée, France (46°47′N 2°28′W) by SM UC-69 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Laima (Russia) The schooner was sunk in the Irish Sea 10 nautical miles (19 km) south east of the Codling Lightship by SM UC-65 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
La Maria (Italy) The sailing vessel was sunk in the Tyrrhenian Sea by SM U-34 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Moulmein (United Kingdom) The trawler was scuttled in the North Sea 25 nautical miles (46 km) north east of the Longstone Lighthouse, Northumberland by SM UC-77 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Oakwell (United Kingdom) The coaster was torpedoed and sunk in the North Sea 3 nautical miles (5.6 km) north east of Robin Hood's Bay, Yorkshire by SM UB-22 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of four crew.
Pietro Lofaro (Italy) The sailing vessel was sunk in the Tyrrhenian Sea off Capo Palinuro by SM U-34 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Raffaele (Italy) The sailing vessel was sunk in the Tyrrhenian Sea off Capo Palinuro by SM U-34 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Ruby (United Kingdom) The coaster struck a mine laid by UC 44 (Kurt Tebbenjohanns) and sank in the North Sea 2.5 nautical miles (4.6 km) off Auskerry Orkney Islands with the loss of six of her crew.
South Arklow Lightship (United Kingdom) The lightship was scuttled in the Irish Sea 1.5 nautical miles (2.8 km) west of Hook Point, County Waterford by SM UC-65 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Snowdon Ranger (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in St. George's Channel 25 nautical miles (46 km) west of Bardsey Island, Pembrokeshire (52°36′N 5°34′W) by SM UC-65 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of four of her crew.
Tizona (Norway) The cargo ship was sunk in the North sea 34 nautical miles (63 km) north by east of the Longstone Lighthouse by SM UC-77 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Urania (Norway) The barque was sunk in the North Sea 12 nautical miles (22 km) east of Copinsay, Orkney Islands by SM UC-42 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of seven of her crew.
Wychwood (United Kingdom) The collier was torpedoed and sunk in the Irish Sea 4 nautical miles (7.4 km) south south west of the South Arklow Lightship ( United Kingdom) (52°40′N 5°55′W) by SM UC-65 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of three of her crew.

[Sailor Steve]

March 28, 1917

Air War:
1024 German pilot Hans Bethge, flying an Albatros D.III shoots down Nieuport 17 6615 for victory number 4. 2nd Lt H. Welch is killed.

1030 French ace Jean Casale shares a kill with an Adj Bertel, bringing down an "Enemy Aircraft". Victory number 7 for Casale, number 1 for Bertel.

1040 French ace René Doumer, in a Nieuport, shoots down an "Enemy Aircraft" for victory number 7.

1115 French pilot Jean Matton, in a Nieuport, shoot down a German two-seater for victory number 5. Identity of the victims are not confirmed, but Gfr Bernhard Palm and Ltn Walter Schmidt of FAA 203 are killed at about this time.

1715 German pilot Lothar Siegfried von Richthofen, in an Albatros D.III, shoots down FE.2b 7715 for victory number 1. 2nd lt Norman Leslie Knight is wounded and taken prisoner, 2nd Lt Alred George Severs is killed.

French pilot Honoré de Bonald, flying a Nieuport, shoots down an "Enemy Aircraft" for victory number 2.



Ireland:
Carl-Siegfried von Georg, commanding U-57, sinks British freighter SS Gafsa, 3,974 tons, bound from Port Arthur to Britain with a load of fuel oil. His score is now 32 ships and 36,658 tons.



Irish Sea:
Otto Steinbrink, in UC-65, sinks seven ships in the vicinity of the South Arklow Bank:
British freighter SS Ardglass, bound from Port Talbot for Belfast with a load of steel.
Norwegian freighter SS Dagali, 742 tons, travelling in ballast from Hennebont to Glasgow.
British schooner Harvest Home, 103 tons, en route from Wexford to Gariston with a load of timeber; sunk with deck gun.
Russian schooner Laima, 148 tons, sailing in ballast from Galway to Glasson Dock.
British freighter SS Snowdon Range, 4,662 tons, carrying a load of explosives from Philadelphia to Liverpool; torpedoed.
British freighter SS Wychwood, 1,985 tons, en route from Barry to Scapa Flow with a load of coal.
British lightship Guillemot, no tonnage listed, scuttled and sunk with the deck gun. Reason given for sinking a lightship is that it was warning vessels of the U-boat's presence.
Steinbrinck's score is now 153 ships and 144,084 tons.



Celtic Sea:
Walter Remy, in U-24, torpedoes British freighter SS Cannizaro, 6,133 tons, en route from New York to Hull with a government cargo. His score is now 9 ships and 20,471 tons.



North Sea:
Bernhard Putzier, in UB-22, torpedoes British coaster SS Oakwell, 248 tons, carrying a load of glass bottles from Seaham to London, off Robin Hood's Bay. His score is now 15 ships and 6,691 tons.

British tugboat Hero, 66 tons, hits a mine laid off the mouth of the River Wear in Sunderland by Gustav Deuerlich in UC-40. Deuerlich's score is now 2 vesseks abd 1,572 tons.

Otto Tornow, in UC-42, torpedoes Norwegian barque Urania, 1,688 tons, en route from New York to Nyborg with a load of phosphate; 12 miles east of Cpinsay, in the Orkney Islands. His score is now 3 ships and 2,019 tons.

British coaster SS Ruby, 234 tons, carrying a general cargo from Leith to Kirkwall, hits a mine laid off the Orkney Islands by Kurt Tebbenjohanns in UC-44, bringing his score to 14 ships and 11,900 tons.

Johannes Lohs, in UC-75, scuttles British trawler Expedient, 145 tons, raising his score to 5 ships and 1,728 tons. The crew of 9 did not survive the stormy seas.

Reinhard von Rabenau, in UC-77, sinks two ships northeast of the Longstone Lighthouse, Farne islands:
British trawler Moulmein, 151 tons; scuttled.
Norwegian freighter SS Tizona, 1,021 tons, headed from London to Christiania with a load of coke.
Von Rabenau's score is now 7 ships and 4,543 tons.



Bay of Biscay:
Erwin Waßner, in UC-69, torpedoes Greek freighter SS Katina, 2,464 tons, en route from Sfax to Nantes with a load of phosphates, off the Ile d'Yeu. His score is now 40 ships and 40,690 tons.

Norwegian freighter SS Peter Jebsen, 3,525 tons, carrying 4,000 tons of flour from New York to Bordeaux, runs aground off La Palmyre.



Thrhennian Sea:
Johannes Klasing, in U-34, stops and scuttles seven Italian sailing vessels (possibly a fishing fleet) off Cape Palinuro, Italy:
Antoniatta R, 84 tons.
Carlo T, 134 tons.
Giuseppinga, 223 tons.
Giuseppina Rosa, 132 tons.
La Maria, 43 tons.
Pietro Lofaro, 291 tons.
Raffaele, 53 tons.
Klasing's score is now 11 vessels and 5,936 tons.



Canada:
Canadian trawler Triumph, 124 tons, on a fishing trip out of Halifax, Nova Scotia, runs aground off Lawrencetown Head.



Australia:
Australian schooner Endeavour, 12 tons, founders off Barrangarra Creek, losing 6 of her 8 crew.

[Jimbuna]

29th March 1917

Western Front

British take Neuville-Bourjonval (seven miles east of Bapaume) after sharp fighting.

German retreat slackens.

Southern Front

Heavy Austrian attacks in the Carso repulsed.

Political, etc.

Speech by Mr. Bonar Law; 100,000 men needed.

Hamarskjold (Conservative) Ministry in Sweden resigns.

Spanish government suspends all constitutional guarantees in its provinces due to a threat of popular unrest and revolt.

In the Russian Duma, workers, soldiers, and politicians urge Germans and Austro-Hungarians to overthrow their monarchies.

Ship Losses:

Bywell (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the North Sea 3 nautical miles (5.6 km) east of Scarborough, Yorkshire (54°17′N 0°18′W) by SM UB-21 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Conoid (United Kingdom) The schooner was shelled and sunk in the English Channel 3.5 nautical miles (6.5 km) north of the Barfleur Lighthouse, Manche, France by SM UB-40 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Crispin (United Kingdom) The cargo liner was torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 14 nautical miles (26 km) south of Hook Point, Waterford by SM U-57 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of eight crew.
Irma (France) The sailing vessel was sunk in the English Channel off Cap Barfleur, Manche by SM UB-40 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Kathleen Lily (United Kingdom) The coaster was sunk in the North Sea 2 nautical miles (3.7 km) east of Robin Hood's Bay, Yorkshire (54°27′N 0°28′W) by SM UC-30 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of four of her crew.
Lincolnshire (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 8 nautical miles (15 km) south west by south of Hook Point (52°00′N 7°00′W) by SM U-57 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Mascota (United Kingdom) The coaster was torpedoed and sunk in the North Sea 8 nautical miles (15 km) east of Lowestoft, Suffolk by a Kaiserliche Marine torpedo boat with the loss of seven of her fourteen crew. Survivors were taken as prisoners of war.
Morild I (Norway) The cargo ship was scuttled in the Bay of Biscay 3 nautical miles (5.6 km) off Hourtin, Gironde, France by SM UC-69 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Os (Norway) The coaster was sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 2 nautical miles (3.7 km) north west by north of Noup Head, Orkney Islands, United Kingdom by SM U-60 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Schaldis (Belgium) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the North Sea 6 nautical miles (11 km) north north east of Whitby, Yorkshire, United Kingdom by SM UC-75 ( Kaiserliche Marine).

Editorial Cartoon: The U.S. comes out to play ─ Chicago Tribune
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[Sailor Steve]

March 29, 1917

U.S. 7th Aero Squadron formed at Ancón, Panama, to guard the Canal. They will not receive their first aircraft until December.



Ireland:
Carl-Siegfried von Gerog, commanding U-57, sinks two British freighters off Hook Point, near Waterford, on the south coast:
SS Crispin, 3,965 tons, bound from Norfolk and Newport News for Avonmouth with a cargo of horses.
SS Lincolnshire, 3,965 tons, carrying a general cargo from New York to Le Havre.
Von Georg's score is now 34 ships and 44,588 tons.



Irish Sea:
Swedish freighter SS Hermes, 3,325 tons, departs Newport, Wales for Archangelsk and is not heard from again.



English Channel:
Hans Howaldt, in UB-40, sinks two ships just off Cap Barfleur, Normandy:
British schooner Conoid, 165 tons, travelling from Fowey to Rouen with a load of china clay.
French sailboat Irma, 32 tons.
Howaldt's score is now 20 vessels and 6,789 tons.

British freighter SS Zurbaran, 3,044 tons, bound from Bilbao for Cherbourg, is in a collision with French freighter SS Mentor. Zurbaran is grounded, but ends up being written off as a total loss.



North Sea:
Karlgeorg Schuster, in U-60, sinks Norwegian freighter SS Os, 637 tons, en route from Llanelly to Kristiansand with a load of coal and aluminum oxides; off Noup Head, Orkney Islands. His score is now 9 ships and 23,757 tons.

Franz Walther, in UB-21, torpedoes British freighter SS Bywell, 1,522 tons, carrying a load of coal from Shields to Rouen; off Scarborough. His score is now 4 ships and 3,382 tons.

British coaster SS Kathleen Lily, 521 tons, en route from Shields to Rouen with a load of coke, hits a mine laid off Robin Hood's Bay by Otto von Schrader in UC-31. His score is now 17 ships and 12,974 tons.

Johannes Lohs, in UC-75, sinks Belgian freighter SS Schaldis, 1,241 tons, travelling from Dunston to Calais with a load of coal. His score is now 6 ships and 2,969 tons.

German destroyers V67 and G95 sink British freighter SS Mascota, 674 tons, en route from Treport to Newcastle. Seven crewmen are taken prisoner, the other seven lost.



Norway:
Swedish coaster SS Olof, 442 tons, bound from Trondhie for Halmstad with a load of pyrites, sinks following a collision off Kopervik.



Bay of Biscay:
Erwin Waßner, in UC-69, sinks Norwegian freighter SS Morild I, 1,354 tons, carrying a load of pit props from Oporto to Cardiff; off the mouth of the Gironde River. His score is now 41 ships and 42,044 tons.

Norwegian freighter SS Oria, 1,845 tons, carrying a load of coal from Newport, Montreal, Canada to Marseille, hits a mine laid by an unknown ship off Peñas, Spain.

[Jimbuna]

30th March 1917

Western Front

British progressing towards Cambrai, take eight villages.

Infantry in touch with whole German front from Arras to six miles south-west of St. Quentin.

French recapture lost trenches in eastern Champagne.

French infantry and cavalry push German troops out of Château de Coucy and find the medieval castle demolished by German forces.

Political, etc.

French politician Denys Cochin declares France will “war to the bitter end” due to Germany’s destruction of occupied French areas.

French government introduces a bill to provide 300 million francs for agricultural aid, especially in areas affected by the fighting.

German Chancellor von Bethmann-Hollweg declares, “Germany never desired war against the USA and does not desire it today.”

At the German Reichstag, Arthur Zimmermann again admits that his telegram offering alliance with Mexico against the U.S. is genuine.

Russian Provisional Government acknowledges independence of Poland.

Electoral Reform debate in Prussian Parliament.

Ship Losses:

Avanguardia (Italy) The cargo ship was scuttled in the Bay of Biscay 15 nautical miles (28 km) off the Contis les Bains Lighthouse, Pyrenées-Atlantiques by SM UC-69 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Britta (Norway) The cargo ship was scuttled in the Bay of Biscay 14 nautical miles (26 km) north of the Contis les Bains Lighthouse by SM UC-69 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
HMT Christopher (Royal Navy) The naval trawler struck a mine laid by UC 14 (Ulrich Pilzecker) and sank in the North Sea off Southwold, Suffolk (52°26′N 1°48′E) with the loss of five of her crew.
Dee (United Kingdom) The sailing vessel was scuttled in the Pacific Ocean 410 nautical miles (760 km) west by south of Cape Leeuwin, Western Australia by SMS Möwe ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Endymion (United Kingdom) The sailing vessel was sunk in the English Channel by a Kaiserliche Marine submarine with the loss of four of her crew.
Harberton (United Kingdom) The cargo ship struck a mine laid by UC 31 (Otto von Schrader) and sank in the North Sea with the loss of fifteen of her crew.
Michelina Catalano (Italy) The sailing vessel was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea north of Sicily by SM U-52 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Petrel (United Kingdom) The trawler was scuttled in the North Sea 120 nautical miles (220 km) east of Aberdeen (57°00′N 1°30′E) by SM UC-77 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Saint Louis III (French Navy) The naval trawler struck a mine laid by UC 71 (Hans Valentiner) and sank off Saint Valery with the loss of sixteen of her crew.
Sarcelle (France) The sailing vessel struck a mine laid by UC 71 (Hans Valentiner) and sank in the English Channel off Dieppe, Seine-Maritime.
Somme (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the English Channel 20 nautical miles (37 km) east by north of Cap Barfleur, Manche, France (49°48′N 0°41′W) by SM UB-40 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of five of her crew.

[Sailor Steve]

March 30, 1917

Air War:
1145 German pilot Kurt Wolff, flying an Albatros D.III, shoots down Nieuport 17 A273 for victory number 4. Lt William Patrick Garnett is wounded, and dies later.

1415 German pilot Karl Allmenröder, in an Albatros D.III, shoots down Nieuport 17 6780 for victory number 5. Lt D.M.F. Sinclair is taken prisoner. There seems to be some discrepancy concerning the downed aircraft. The Aerodrom sebsite says "Nieuport 17 5680". The Jasta War Chronology also gives the number, but the UK Serials website says '6780' was a BE.2! UK Serials does have 'A6780' as a Nieuport 23.

German ace Hans-Joachim Buddecke, flying a Halberstadt D.II out of Smyrna with FA-6, shoots down Farman F.27 N3024 and Nieuport 12 9203 for victories 11 and 12.

German ace Rudolf von Eschwge, flying an Albatros D.III for Bulgaria on the Macedonian front, shoots down Sopwith 1½ Strutter N5223 for victory number 6.

Irish RFC pilot Robert Gregory, in Neiuport 17 A6680, shoots down a Halberstadt for victory number 4.



St. George's Channel:
Carl-Siegfried von Georg, in U-57, attacks British Q-ship HMS Lady Patricia, 1,372 tons, with his deck gun. The damaged ship makes port safely.



English Channel:
Max Viebeg, in UB-32, attacks British Q-ship HMS Penshurst, 1,191 tons, with his deck gun. The damaged ship makes port safely. This is the second failed attack on Penshurst.

Hans Howaldt, in UB-40, sinks British freighter SS Somme, 1,828 tons, en route from Newport, Wales to Rouen with a load of coal. His score is now 21 ships and 8,617 tons.

Otto Steinbrinck, in UC-65, shells British Q-ship HMS Peveril. The damaged ship makes port safely, but 9 crew are lost, some of them while acting as a "panic party", pretending to abandon ship.

Three vessels hit mines laid by Hans Valentiner in UC-71 off Saint-Valery-en-Caux, near Dieppe:
British freighter SS Edernian, 3,588 tons, travelling in ballast from Le Havre to Cardiff. The damaged ship makes port safely.
French Navy drifter Saint Louis III, 97 tons; sunk.
French sailing vessel Sarcelle, 49 tons; sunk.
Valentiner's score is now 33 vessels and 18,135 tons.

On March 29th French freighter SS Mentor, 1,565 tons, carrying a load of wine from Algiers to Rouen was invonlved in a collision with British freighter SS Zurbaran. Zurbaran was beached but written off. Mentor was damaged, but sinks on the 30th while trying to reach a safe port.



North Sea:
His Majesty's Trawler Christopher, 316 tons, hits a mine laid by Ulrich Pilzecker and UC-14 off Southwold. this is Pilzecker's first sinking.

British freighter SS Harberton.1,443 tons, carrying a load of coal from Blyth to London, its a mine laid by Otto von Schrader in UC-31. His score is now 18 ships and 14,407 tons.

Otto von Schrader, in UC-31, scuttles Danish freigher SS Helga, 839 tons, en route from Hull to Copenhagen with a load of coal. His score is now 18 ships and 14,407 tons.

Reinhard von Rabenau, in UC-77, scuttles British trawler Petrel, 151 tons, bringing his total to 8 vessels and 4,694 tons.

German minesweeper M-15 is sunk by a mine off the west coast of Denmark.



Bay of Biscay:
Erwin Waßner, in UC-69, sinks two ships off Bayonne, France, just north of the Spanish border:
Italian freighter SS Avanguardia, 2,703 tons, bound from Bougie for Cardiff with a load of ore; scuttled.
Norwegian freighter SS Britta, 2,061 tons, carrying a load of coal from Bilbao to Middlesbrough.
Waßner's score is now 43 ships and 46,808 tons.



Tyrhennian Sea:
Hans Walther, in U-52, sinks Italian sailing vessel Michelina Catalano, bringing his total to 19 ships and 39,935 tons.



German East Africa:
HMFM Trent cruises from Zanzibar to Dar-es-Salaam, but finds the tide running so strong that she has to anchor outside. She remains there all day.

Durban, South Africa:
1000 Sixteen days after leaving the floating drydock, British monitor HMS Severn steams out of Durban harbour for steam trials and testing the two 6" guns.



Argentina:
American schooner Lucinda Sutton, 1,331 tons, travelling from Paranaguá, Brazil to Bahia Blanca, Argentina, is wrecked near the Bahia Blanca lightship.

[Jimbuna]

31st March 1917

Western Front

British advance north-east of St. Quentin.

Eight villages along the Hindenburg Line fall to British troops. French forces also gain north of Soissons.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

British occupy Deli Abbas (River Diala).

Naval

HMHS Gloucester Castle sinking after it was torpedoed by German U-boat UB-32. 3 crew are killed.


Political, etc.

Order limiting output of beer in United Kingdom issued.

Social Democrats in the German Reichstag declare that a republic is inevitable, causing cries of “treason” in the chamber.

Ship Losses:

Boaz (United Kingdom) The ketch was scuttled in the English Channel 15 nautical miles (28 km) north of Cap Barfleur, Manche, France by SM UB-32 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Braefield (United Kingdom) The coaster was sunk in St. George's Channel off Milford Haven, Pembrokeshire by SM U-57 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of all ten crew.
Brodness (United Kingdom) The Blue Star Line refrigerated cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Tyrrhenian Sea 5 nautical miles (9.3 km) west north west of Anzio, Lazio, Italy (41°28′N 12°26′E) by SM UC-38 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Farmand (Norway) The cargo ship was sunk in the Bay of Biscay 6 nautical miles (11 km) north of Punta Galea, Biscay, Spain by SM UC-69 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
HMT Forward III (Royal Navy) The naval trawler struck a mine laid by UC 6 (Werner von Zerboni di Sposetti) and sank in the North Sea south of the Shipwash Lightship ( United Kingdom) (51°57′30″N 1°48′30″E) with the loss of ten of her crew.
Galatee (France) The cargo ship was torpedoed and damaged in the Mediterranean Sea east of Cape Corbelin, Algeria (36°53′N 5°01′E) by SM UC-37 ( Kaiserliche Marine). She was beached at Sidi Kralem but was later refloated.
Gippeswic (United Kingdom) The ketch was scuttled in the English Channel 15 nautical miles (28 km) north of Barfleur, Manche by SM UB-32 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
HMHS Gloucester Castle (Royal Navy) The hospital ship was torpedoed and damaged in the English Channel off the Isle of Wight by SM UB-32 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of three crew. She was subsequently repaired and returned to service.
Hestia (Netherlands) The tanker was sunk in the North Sea 31 nautical miles (57 km) west of the Maas Lightship ( Netherlands) by SM UB-23 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Lisbeth (Norway) The cargo ship was sunk in the North Sea north east of the Noord Hinder Lightship ( Netherlands) by SM UB-23 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Primrose (United Kingdom) The schooner was shelled and sunk in the English Channel 35 nautical miles (65 km) south west of Start Point, Devon by SM UC-71 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of a crew member.

MERCHANT SHIPPING
British, Allied and Neutral ships lost to enemy submarines, mines and cruisers etc in the month - 366 ships of 596,000 tons gross. (Lloyd's War Losses).

[Sailor Steve]

March 31, 1917

Air War:
0730 Canadian RFC pilot William Bishop, flying Nieuport 23 A6769, shoots down an Albatros D.II for victory number 2.

0750 German pilot Kurt Wolff, in an Albatros D.III, shoots down FE.2b 7691 for victory number 5. Lt Leslie Arthur Trew Strange is take prisoner and 2nd Lt William Gerard Talbot Clifton is wounded, dying later in a German field hospital.

0900 German pilot Adolf von Tutschek, in Albatros D.II 2004/16, shoots down an unidentified Nieuport for victory number 2.

1100 French ace René Dorme, in a Nieuport, shoots down an AEG two-seater for victory number 18.

German ace Otto Brauneck, in an Albatros D.III, shoots down an observation balloon for victory number 7.



St. George's Channel:
Carl-siegfried von Georg, in U-57, sinks British coaster SS Braefield, 427 tons, travelling in ballast from Cork to Cardiff. All 10 crew lost, ship posted as Missing. His score is now 35 ships and 45,015 tons.



Cornwall:
British coaster SS Glenno, 187 tons, carrying a load of flour from Barry to Falmouth, springs a leak and sinks. No casualties.



English Channel:
Wilhelm von Fircks, in U-59, torpedoes British freighter SS Valacia, 6,526 tons, en route from London to Portland, Maine with a general cargo. The damaged ship is towed into port.

Max Viebeg, in UB-32, sinks two British ships and damages two more in the area between the Isle of Wight and Cap Barfleur:
Ketch Boaz, 111 tons, travelling in ballast from Quistreham to Poole; scuttled.
Ketch Gippeswic, 116 tons, travelling in ballast from Caen to Poole; scuttled.
Hospital ship Gloucester Castle, 7,999 tons, torpedoed but grounded and later repaired.
Freighter SS Queen Louise, 4,879 tons, carrying steel billets and locomotives from Philadelphia to Dunkerque; torpedoed but survived.
Viebeg's score is now 9 ships and 1,922 tons.

Hans Valentiner, in UC-71, uses his deck gun to sink British schooner Primrose, 113 tons, travelling in Ballast from Granville to Fowey. His score is now 34 ships and 18,248 tons.



North Sea:
Franz Walther, in UB-21, takes Norwegian frieghter SS Norden, 776 tons, carrying a general cargo from Rotterdam to Christiania, as a prize; off the Dutch island of Terschelling. His score is now 5 ships and 4,158 tons.

Hans Ewald Niemer, in UB-23, starts his career with the sinking of two ships off the Dutch coast:
Dutch motor tanker MV Hestia, 989 tons, travelling in ballast from Rotterdam to London; sunk with deck gun.
Norwegian freighter SS Lisbeth, 1,621 tons, travelling in ballast from Rotterdam to Swansea.
Niemer's opening score is 2 ships and 2,580 tons.

His Majesty's Drifter Forward III, 89 tons, hits a mine laid off the Shipwash lightship by Werner von Zerboni di Sposetti in UC-6, bringing his score to 3 ships and 2,185 tons.

British sloop HMS Carnation, 1,210 tons, hits a mine laid at Strosay Forth by Otto Tornow in UC-42. The damaged ship is later repaired.

British schooner Enterprise, 168 tons, carrying a load of coal from Boston, Lincolnshire to Valéry Sur Somme, is wrecked at Haisbrorough Sands, off Norfolk.

Norwegian freighter SS Feistein, 2,991 tons, en route from Philadelphia to Rotterdam with a load of wheat, hits a mine laid by an unknown ship near the Terschelling lightship.



Bay of Biscay:
Erwin Waßner, in UC-69, sinks Norwegian freighter SS Farmand, 1,387 tons, hauling a load of coal from Cardiff to Lisbon. His score is now 44 ships and 48,195 tons.



Tyrhennian Sea:
Alfred Klatt, in UC-38, sinks British freighter SS Brodness, 5,736 tons, travelling in ballast from Genoa to Port Said. near Anzio, Italy. His score is now 16 ships and 16,381 tons.



Adriatic Sea:
Friedrich Fähndrich, in Austro-Hungarian submarine U-30, sets out from Cattaro, Montenegro (modern Kotor) and is not heard from again.



Mediterranean Sea:
Otto Launburg, in UC-37, torpedoes French freighter SS Galatee, 3,062 tons, carrying a load of phosphate from Susa to Oran, off Cape Corbelin, near Algiers. The sinking ship is grounded at Sidi Kralem, then refloated and towed to Algiers.



German East Africa:
HMFM Trent, after spending the night anchored off Dar-es-Salaam, if finally able to proceed into the harbor.



Indian Ocean:
German raider SMS Wolf stops and scuttles British barque Dee, 1,169 tons, 400 miles southwest of Cape Leeuwin, Australia.



United States:
American schooner Allentown, 744 tons, travelling from New York to San Juan, Puerto Rico, sinks following a collision off New York Harbor.

[Jimbuna]

1st April 1917

Western Front

British capture Savy (four miles west of St. Quentin) and Savy Wood.

French drive back Germans to Vauxaillon (north-east of Soissons).

A German bombardment of Reims begins.

Southern Front

Bulgar-Germans bombard Monastir (asphyxiating shells).

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

Russians progress towards Khanikan (85 miles north-east of Baghdad).

Turks retreat towards Kasr-i-Shirin (Persia).

British occupy Kizil-Robat (26 miles south-west of Khanikan) on Diala river.

Naval

U.S. armed cargo ship Aztec is torpedoed by the German submarine SM U-46, resulting in 28 crew deaths.

Political, etc.

British Government decide to interfere in Barrow strike. They adhere to principle of an independent Poland.

Thousands of pacifists, carrying tulips, march to Washington D.C. to protest against the U.S. entering the war.

Russian government announces it will abolish the death penalty and will replace it with penal servitude.

Ship Losses:

Aztec (United States) The cargo ship was sunk in the Atlantic Ocean off Ouessant, Finistère, France (48°20′N 6°00′W) by SM U-46 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of 28 crew.
Bergenhus (Denmark) The passenger ship was sunk in the North Sea 130 nautical miles (240 km) east of the Farne Islands, Northumberland, United Kingdom by SM UC-40 ( Kaiserliche Marine).There were no casualties.
Camilla (Norway) The cargo ship was sunk in the North Sea 150 nautical miles (280 km) west of Skudesnes, Rogaland (56°32′N 3°59′E) by SM UB-35 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of eight of her crew.
Consul Persson (Norway) The cargo ship was sunk in the North Sea (58°21′N 2°55′E) by SM U-54 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Eastern Belle (United Kingdom) The ketch was scuttled in the English Channel 30 nautical miles (56 km) south west of St. Catherine's Point, Isle of Wight by SM UC-72 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Endymion (United Kingdom) The ketch was shelled and sunk in the English Channel off Start Point, Devon by SM UB-32 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of four crew.
Ester (Denmark) The cargo ship was sunk in the North Sea (56°32′N 4°18′E) by SM UB-35 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Fjelland (Norway) The coaster was sunk in the North Sea 50 nautical miles (93 km) south west by west of Utsire, Rogaland (58°20′N 5°50′E) by SM U-54 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of a crew member.
Jolie Brise (France) The fishing vessel was sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 20 nautical miles (37 km) off Audierne, Finistère by SM UB-36 ( Kaiserliche Marine)
Kasenga (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 2 nautical miles (3.7 km) off Cape Palos, Spain by an enemy submarine.
Maria Santissima D. Grazie (Italy) The sailing vessel was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea off Sicily by SM U-65 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Maria T. (Italy) The sailing vessel was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea off Sicily by SM U-65 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Providence de Dieu (France) The fishing vessel was sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 20 nautical miles (37 km) off Audierne by SM UB-36 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Silvia (United Kingdom) The schooner was scuttled in the English Channel 15 nautical miles (28 km) south south east of the Owers Lightship ( United Kingdom) (50°19′N 0°28′W) by SM UB-39 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Warren (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Tyrrhenian Sea 20 nautical miles (37 km) south west of Civitavecchia, Lazio, Italy (41°51′N 11°22′E) by SM UC-38 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of three of her crew. Her captain was taken as a prisoner of war.
Zambesi (United Kingdom) The collier was torpedoed and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 15 nautical miles (28 km) north by west of Alexandria, Egypt (31°26′N 29°49′E) by SM U-63 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of three crew.

[Sailor Steve]

April 1, 1917


Air War:
No. 100 Squadron RFC moves to Izel-le-Hameau and adds four BE.2es to their Roster.

1050 German ace Otto Bernert, flying an Albatros D.III, destroys a British observation balloon for victory number 10.

1145 German ace Werner Voss, in an Albatros D.III, shoots down BE.2e 2561 for victory number 23. Cpt Arthur Meredith Wynne is wounded, but crashes on his own side of the lines. Lt Adrian Somerset Mackenzie is killed.

German 6-victory ace Alfred Mohr in Albatros D.III2012/16, is shot down and killed By Lts H.D..Baker and D. Gordon of No. 12 Squadron.



Celtic Sea:
Leo Hillebrand, commanding U-46, sinks American freighter SS Aztec, 3,727 tons, bound from New York for Le Havre with a mixed cargo of copper, steel, lumber, machinery and chemicals; west of Ushant. There are 28 casualties. Hillebrand's score is now 21 ships and 38,077 tons.



English Channel:
Max Viebeg, in UB-32, sinks British ketch Endymion, 73 tons, with his deck gun, bringing his score to 10 vessels and 1,995 tons.

Heinrich Küstner, in UB-39, scuttles British schooner Silvia, 164 tons, carrying a load of china clay from Par to Rouen; near the Owers lightship. His score is now 47 vessels and 49,061 tons.

Ernst Voigt, in UC-72, stops and scuttles British ketch Eastern Belle, 97 tons, travelling from Portsmouth to Cherbourg with a load of pitch, off St. Catherine's Point. His score is now 41 vessels and 13,168 tons.



North Sea:
Volkhard von Bothmer, in U-54, sinks two ships:
Norwegian freighter SS Consul Persson, 1,835 tons, en route from Kirkenes to Middlesbrough with a load of ore.
Norwegian coaster SS Fjelland, 387 tons, carrying a load of iced herring from Hisken to Hull.
Von Bothmer's score is now 8 ships and 23,073 tons.

Rudolf Gebeschus, in UB-35, sinks two ships:
Norwegian freighter SS Camilla, 2,273 tons, travelling from Baltimore to Rotterdam with a load of wheat.
Danish freighter SS Ester, 1,210 tons, en route from Methil to Aarhus with a load of coal.
Gebeschus' score is now 3 ships and 4,504 tons.

Gustav Deuerlich, in UC-40, stops and scuttles Danish passenger/cargo ship SS Bergenhus, 1,017 tons, carrying passengers and a general cargo from London and Shields to Copenhagen. His score is now 3 ships and 2,586 tons.



France:
Harald von Keyserlingk, in UB-36, sinks two French fishing boats off Audierne:
Joie Brise, 18 tons.
Providence de Dieu, 15 tons.
Von Keyserlingk's score is now 3 vessels and 276 tons.



Tyrhennian Sea:
Alfred Klatt, in UC-38, sinks British freighter SS Warren, 3,709 tons, en route from Karachi to La Spezia with a load of grain plus general cargo. His score is now 17 ships and 20.090 tons.



Aegean Sea:
Fritz Wernicke, in UB-42, scuttles Italian sailing vessel Flora, 122 tons, travelling in ballast from Symi to Mytilene; north of the island of Thilos. His score is now 4 vessels and 3,894 tons.



Mediterranean Sea:
Otto Schultze, in U-63, sinks British freighter SS Zambesi, 3,759 tons, carrying a load of coal from Tyne to Port Said. His score is now 22 ships and 59,294 tons.



Hermann von Fischel, in U-65, sinks two Italian sailing vessels off Sicily:
Maria T, 45 tons.
Maria Santissima D. Grazie, 35 tons.
Von Fischel's score is now 10 ships and 26,322 tons.