31st March 1915
Eastern Front
Germans bombard Libau.
Severe fighting in the Carpathians.
Austria-Hungarian troops advance 35 miles into the Russian province of Bessarabia towards Khotyn on the Dniester River.
Political, etc.
Thomas Scott, secretary of the British Mercantile Marine Service Assoc., urges the arming of merchant ships to protect them from submarines.
Home Secretary appoints a Committee of enquiry into the recruiting of men from retail trades.
King George V of Britain offers to give up drinking for the duration of the war to serve as an example for the country.
U.S. orders Ambassador Page to protest the British decision to impose a blockade against Germany.
General Alexander von Kluck is seriously wounded in the leg while inspecting the trenches.
Ship Losses:
Emma ( France): The cargo ship was sunk in the English Channel 12 nautical miles (22 km) south of Beachy Head, East Sussex, United Kingdom by
SM U-37 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of nineteen of her 21 crew. The survivors were rescued by a Royal Navy destroyer.
Nor ( Norway): The sailing vessel was sunk in the North Sea off Sunderland, County Durham, United Kingdom (56°13′N 4°25′E) by
SM U-10 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
The four Montenegrin sailing vessels
Buona Forte, Fiore I, Hailie and
Indaverdi were taken as prizes off the coast of Montenegro by the commander of
k.u.k. U12, Egon Lerch.
MERCHANT SHIPPING
British, Allied and Neutral ships lost to enemy submarines, mines and cruisers etc in the month - 34 ships of 87,000 tons gross (Lloyd's War Losses).