100 Years Ago Today

[Jimbuna]

18th March 1917

Western Front

British occupy Chaulnes and Peronne and advance on 45-mile front from Chaulnes to Arras.

Great air activity.

French occupy Noyon, Nesle, Guiscard, etc., and advance on 40-mile front.

Zeppelin brought down at Compiegne.

Germans launch heavy attack against Avocourt-Mort Homme sector (Verdun).

Ramsgate, etc., shelled: no casualties.

Southern Front

After five days' fighting French capture 1,200 Bulgarians, a mile of trenches north-east, and village of Svegovo, north of Monastir.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

Russians enter Van (Armenia).

Naval and Overseas Operations

German destroyers fire on Kent coast towns (Ramsgate, etc.): no casualties.

Sinking of three U.S. steamers, 14,600 tons gross shipping, reported.

German crew of the SM UB-6 scuttle their own submarine, after it had run aground in Dutch territory and interned by the Dutch government.

Political, etc.

Russian Press urges loyalty to Allied cause; commission inquires into delinquencies of former ministers; food question, in hands of Zemstva, etc., becomes less acute.

Ship Losses:

HMS Alyssum (Royal Navy) The Arabis-class sloop struck a mine laid by UC 66 (Herbert Pustkuchen) and sank in the Atlantic Ocean south west of Galley Head, County Cork (51°31′N 8°57′W). Her crew survived.
HMT Ameer (Royal Navy) The naval trawler struck a mine and sank in the North Sea off Felixstowe, Suffolk (51°58′45″N 1°28′00″E) with the loss of eight of her crew.
HMS Duchess of Montrose (Royal Navy) The auxiliary minesweeper struck a mine laid by UB 12 (Ernst Steindorff) and sank in the North Sea off Gravelines, Pas-de-Calais, France (51°03′N 2°07′E) with the loss of twelve of her crew.
Entente Cordiale (France) The fishing vessel was scuttled in the Bay of Biscay 18 nautical miles (33 km) south of Les Barges, Vendée by SM UC-70 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Félicité Albert (France) The fishing vessel was scuttled in the Bay of Biscay 10 nautical miles (19 km) south south east of the Île d'Yeu, Vendée (46°30′N 2°14′W) by SM UC-70 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Greypoint (United Kingdom) The coaster was torpedoed and sunk in the English Channel 2 nautical miles (3.7 km) south east by south of Broadstairs, Kent by a Kaiserliche Marine torpedo boat.
Hyacinthe Yvonne (French Navy) The Q-ship was sunk in the Bay of Biscay off La Pallice, Charente-Maritime by SM UC-70 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Illinois (United States) The tanker was scuttled in the English Channel 20 nautical miles (37 km) north of Alderney, Channel Islands by SM UC-21 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.

Joshua Nicholson (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean off Wolf Rock, Cornwall (49°37′N 6°37′W) by SM U-70 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of 26 crew.
Lowlands (United Kingdom) The cargo ship struck a mine and sank in the North Sea off North Foreland, Kent. Her crew survived.
Madone (France) The fishing vessel was scuttled in the Bay of Biscay west by south of Les Barges by SM UC-70 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Marie Louise (France) The fishing vessel was sunk in the English Channel 15 nautical miles (28 km) north north west of Cap de la Hève, Manche (49°45′N 0°05′W) by SM UB-18 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Pola (United Kingdom) The collier was torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 280 nautical miles (520 km) west north west of Ouessant, Finistère, France (48°30′N 12°00′W) by SM U-81 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of fiver of her crew.
Trevose (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 230 nautical miles (430 km) west by north of Ouessant (48°40′N 11°29′W) by SM U-81 ( Kaiserliche Marine). with the loss of two of her crew. Survivors were rescued by Alnwick Castle ( United Kingdom).
SM UB-6 (Kaiserliche Marine) The Type UB I submarine was scuttled at Hellevoetsluis, Zeeland, Netherlands.
Victoria (Sweden) The cargo ship was sunk in the Atlantic Ocean south west of Spain[232] (36°51′N 8°18′W) by SM UC-67 ( Kaiserliche Marine).

[Sailor Steve]

March 18, 1917

Air War:
0935 Italian pilot Luigi Olivari, flying SPAD VII 4688, shoots down a Hansa-Brandenburg C.I for victory number 4. 70a Squadriglia had just recieved two brand-new SPADs three days earlier, and Olivari was assigned to fly one of them.

1000 French pilot Raoul Cesar Robert Pierre Echard, in a Nieuport, shoots down a German two-seater for victory number 1. Likely victims are Gefr Otto Lorenz and Lt Johann Mohr of Schlasta 23b, who are killed about this time.

1630 English RFC pilot James Belgrave, in Sopwith 1½ Strutter A2384 with Lt E.G. Truscott as observer, shoots down a German two-seater for victory number 2.

1715 English RFC pilot Gilbert Green, in BE.12 A4007, shoots down a Friedrichshaven G.II for victory number 5.

1745 Gilbert Green shoots down a second Friedrichshaven bomber for victory number 6

1750 Welsh RFC pilot Franklin Saunders, flying BE.12 6675, shoots down a Friedrichshaven G.II for victory number 2.

1840 German ace Werner Voss, in an Albatros D.III, shoots down BE.2e 5784 for victory number 18. Lt Charles Robert Dougall is wounded in both legs but manages to land safely and is taken prisoner. Observer 2nd Lt Sydney Harryman is also wounded, and dies in a hospital five days later.

1850 Werner Voss scores his second kill of the day, shooting down BE.2d 5770 for number 19. Cpt Guy Stafford Thorne is mortally wounded but manages to land the plane before dying. Observer 2nd Lt Philip Edward Hislop van Baerle is unharmed and taken prisoner.

French pilot Georges Madon, in a Nieuport, shoots down an "Enemy Aircraft" for victory number 8. Possibly Ltn Johannes Ohlrau and Obltn Alfred Weser of FFA 252w, both wounded on this day.

German pilot Friedrich Mallinckrodt, in an Albatros D.III, shoots down a Caudron for victory number 4.

German pilot Ernst Alexander Baron de Payrebrune, seemingly flying a Fokker E.IV, shoots down a Caudron for victory number 1.



Ireland:
British sloop HMS Alyssum, 1,250 tons, hits a mine laid off Galley Head by Herbert Pustkuchen in UC-66. His score is now 74 ships and 99,384 tons.



Celtic Sea:
Otto Wünsche, commanding U-70, sinks British freighter SS Joshua Nicholson, 1,853 tons, bound from London for Alexandria with a general cargo; just off the west end of the Channel. His score is now 54 ships and 80,977 tons.

Raimund Weisbach, in U-81, sinks two British freighters roughtly 250 miles west of Ushant:
SS Pola, 3,061 tons, carrying a load of coal frem Cardiff to an unspecified destination.
SS Trevose, 3,112 tons, en route from Tyne for an unnamed destination with a load of coal.
Weisbach's score is now 22 ships and 60,783 tons.



English Channel:
Claus Lafrenz, in UB-18, sinks French fishing dundee Marie Louise off Cap de la Hève. This is the third vessel with the same name Lafrenz has sunk in two days. His score is now 41 vessels and 37,268 tons.

Reinhold Saltzwedel, in UC-21, captures and scuttles American tanker SS Illinois, 5,225 tons, travelling in ballast from London to Port Arthur. His score is now 59 ships and 82,507 tons.



North Sea:
British auxiliary minesweeper HMAMS Duchess of Montrose, 322 tons, hits a mine laid by Ernst Steindorf in UB-12 off Gravelines, just off the eastern entrance to the Channel. His score is now 2 ships and 624 tons.

Harald von Keyserlingk, in UB-36, takes Norwegian coaster SS Avance, 273 tons, en route from Holland to London, off the Maas Lightship, as a prize. This is his first attack.

UB-6, interned at Hellevoetsluis, the Netherlands, sinks from damage taken running aground on the 12th.



Bay of Biscay:
Werner Fürbringer, in UC-70, stops and scuttles four French fishing craft:
Madone, 31 tons.
Entente Cordiale, 22 tons.
Felicite Albert, 32 tons.
Hyacinthe Yvonne, 43 tons.
Fürbringer's score is now 71 vessels and 54,333 tons.



Portugal:
Karl Neumann, in UC-67, stops Swedish freighter SS Victoria, 1,226 tons, carrying a general cargo plus fruit from Cadiz to Lisbon. His score is now 22 ships and 16,757 tons.

[Jimbuna]

19th March 1917

Western Front

40 more villages in British hands; over 170 taken by Allies in three days.

French advance beyond Ham (Somme) and take Chauny (Oise).

Heavy German attacks between Avocourt Wood and Hill 304 (Verdun) repulsed.

Southern Front

Continued fighting near Monastir.

Germans re-occupy railway station at Poroj, previously entered by British.

Renewed activity in Pass of Tonale, in areas of Pasubio, Asiago, Tolmino, east of Gorizia and on Carso.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

Proclamation by Sir Stanley Maude to people of Baghdad, promising freedom for Arabs.

Capture of Feluja (Euphrates), Deltawa and Sindia.

Naval and Overseas Operations

French battleship "Danton" torpedoed in Mediterranean: 296 lost.

Political, etc.

British Government opens relations with M. Miliukov, but Government not officially recognised.

Committee of Workmen's and Soldiers' Delegates orders resumption of work in Petrograd.

Attempted murder of M. Kerenski.

President Wilson settles U.S. railway strike; eight hours day legalised.

Ship Losses:

Alnwick Castle (United Kingdom) The Union-Castle passenger ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 310 nautical miles (570 km) west of the Bishop Rock, Isles of Scilly (47°38′N 13°24′W) by SM U-81 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of 40 lives.
Angiolina (Italy) The cargo ship was torpedoed and damaged in the Mediterranean Sea off Elba (42°41′N 10°36′E) by SM U-34 ( Kaiserliche Marine). She was beached but was later refloated.
Armoricain (France) The three-masted schooner was shelled and sunk in the English Channel 20 nautical miles (37 km) south west of Dodman Point, Cornwall, United Kingdom(49°53′N 4°43′W) by SM UC-66 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Bergsli (Norway) The cargo ship struck a mine laid by UC 70 (Werner Fürbringer) and sank in the Bay of Biscay off the Chassiron Lighthouse, Charente-Maritime, France with the loss of four of her crew.
Brode (Norway The cargo ship was sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 28 nautical miles (52 km) south south east of Ar Men, Finistère by SM UC-36 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of a crew member.
Charlois (Netherlands) The tanker was sunk in the North Sea (57°21′N 4°33′E) by SM U-59 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of all hands.
Danton (French Navy) The Danton-class battleship was torpedoed and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 30 nautical miles (56 km) off San Pietro Island (38°45′35″N 8°03′30″E) by SM U-64 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of 296 of her 1,102 crew. Survivors were rescued by Massue and various patrol vessels (all French Navy).
Frinton (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 320 nautical miles (590 km) north west of Ouessant, Finistère, France (approximately 48°N 13°W) by SM U-81 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of four of her crew.
Kong Inge (Norway) The coaster was sunk in the Bay of Biscay 4 nautical miles (7.4 km) south west by west of Brest, Finistère, France (47°58′N 4°36′W) by SM UC-36 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Michel (France) The cargo ship struck a mine laid by UC 70 (Werner Fürbringer) and sank in the Bay of Biscay off the Chassiron Lighthouse.
Pollux (Norway) The cargo ship was sunk in the North Sea 60 nautical miles (110 km) north north east of Girdleness, Aberdeenshire, United Kingdom (57°55′N 1°10′W) by SM UC-45 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of sixteen lives.
Rhodora (France) The fishing vessel was scuttled in the English Channel off Boulogne, Pas-de-Calais (50°24′N 1°19′E) by SM UC-17 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
HMT Valpa (Royal Navy) The naval trawler struck a mine and sank in the North Sea off Spurn Head, Yorkshire (53°33′30″N 0°10′00″E) with the loss of three of her crew.

[Sailor Steve]

March 19, 1917

Air War:
0830 English RFC pilot Gilbert Green, flying BE.12 A4007, shoots down an Albatros two-seater for victory number 7.

0910 German pilot Alfred Mohr, in Albatros D.III 2012/16, shoots down a Martinsyde G.100 for victory number 5. This could be Lt J.G. Fair (7503), KIA, or Lt T.W. Jay (7508), POW, both of whom were shot down this day.

0925 German ace Otto Bernert, in an Albatros D.III, shoots down RE.8 A4165 for victory number 8. Capt C.P. Bertie is killed; Lt F.H. Wilson taken prisoner.

0930 German ace Werner Voss, in a Albatros D.III, shoots down RE.8 A4165 for victory number 20. Cpt Elred Wolferstan Bowyer-Bower and 2nd Lt Eric Elgrey are both killed.

0940 German pilot Paul Henning Adalbert Theodor von Osterroht, in Albatros D.III 1958/16, shoots down a Martinsyde G.100 for victory number 1. This coincides with Alfred Mohr above, and it is unsure who shot down whom. Von Osterroht was the pilot for von Richthofen in 1915 when they claimed an uncofirmed kill in a two-seater.

0945 German pilot Georg Schlenker, flying an Albatros D.III, claims a Martinsyde for victory number 5. Since only two Martinsydes were shot down this day, one of the three claims is in error.

1010 German pilot Kurt Schneider, in an Albatros D.III, shoots down SPAD VII A6633 for victory number 2. 2nd Lt S.S.B. Purves is taken prisoner.

1210 Alfred Mohr scores his second kill of the day, shooting down a BE.2c for number 6.

Italian pilot Antonio Chiri, in a Nieuport 11m shoots down a Hansa-Brandenburg C.I for victory number 1.



North Atlantic Ocean:
Raimund Weisbach, commanding U-81, sinks two British freighters 300 miles west of Bishop Rock:
SS Alnwick Castle, 5,900 tons, bound from London for Table Bay, South Africa with passengers and a general cargo. Forty lives lost.
SS Frinton, 4,194 tons, carrying government stores from Cartagena to Tees.
Weisbach's score is now 25 ships and 70,877 tons.



English Channel
Ralph Wenninger, in UC-17, stops French fishing dundee Rhodora, 38 tons, with his deck gun, allows the crew to abandon ship and the scuttles her. His score is now 56 vessels and 47,598 tons.

Herbert Pustkuchen, in UC-66, uses his deck gun to sink French schooner Armoricain, 261 tons, travelling in ballast from Treport to Cardiff. His score is now 75 ships and 99,645 tons.



North Sea:
Wilhelm von Fircks, in U-59, sinks Dutch tanker SS Charlois, 2,786 tons, carrying a load of petroleum from New York to Rotterdam. His score is now 7 ships and 10,869 tons. Lost with all hands, listed as Missing.

Hubert Aust, in UC-45, torpedoes Norwegian freighter SS Pollux, en route from Tyne to Bergen with a load of sulphate, general cargo and passengers. This is his first sinking.



France:
Gustav Buch, in UC-36, sinks two Norwegian freighters off Brest:
SS Kong Inge, 867 tons, en route from Glasgow to Marseille with a general cargo.
SS Brode, 2,363 tons, carrying a load of coal from Cardiff to Gibraltar.
Buch's score is now 5 ships and 6,244 tons.



Bay of Biscay:
Two ships hit mines laid by Werner Fürbringer in UC-70 near Chassiron (southwest of La Rochelle):
Norwegian freighter SS Bergsli, 2,133 tons, carrying a load of coal from Penarth to Blaye.
French freighter SS Michel, 1,773 tons, en route from Newport to Bordeaux.
Fürbringer's score is now 73 ships and 58,238 tons.



Tyrhennian Sea:
Johannes Klasing, in U-34, starts his career by torpedoing Italian freighter SS Angiolina, 3,541 tons, between Elba sn the Italian mainland. The ship is damaged but beacched ad repaired later.



Mediterranean Sea:
Robert Moraht, in U-64, torpedoes French Battleship Danton, 18,300 tons, south of San Pietro Island (southwest of Sardinia), with the loss of 296 lives. His score is now 12 ships and 39,918 tons.



South Africa:
HMFM Trent, carrying troops for Dar-Es-Salaam, is forced to stop when a steering-gear motor fails. Three hours later the motor is repaired and the ship is again underway.

[Jimbuna]

20th March 1917

Western Front

Despite bad weather, British advance towards Cambrai and St. Quentin; 14 villages occupied.

Department of Oise entirely liberated.

French take Tergnier and cross St. Quentin Canal.

Historic ruins of Chateau de Coucy blown up by Germans.

French carry railway junction of Jussy (east of Ham).

German casualties reported at 4,148,163 (to end of February).

Naval and Overseas Operations

British hospital ship "Asturias" torpedoed without warning during night of 20-21 March.

Political, etc.

Ex-Tsar reviews troops, urging loyalty to Government and prosecution of war.

Appointment of Grand Duke Nicholas to supreme command of army annulled.

Casualties at Petrograd 2,500.

Proclamation by Provisional Government.

American Note to General Carranza (Mexico) published.

New French Ministry under M. Ribot.

First meeting of Imperial War Cabinet; Ministry of National Service formed.

Important developments in Board of Trade.

At the House of Commons, former Premier Asquith defends the late Lord Kitchener’s part in the Battle of Gallipoli.

Philipp Scheidemann, leader of the Socialists in the German Reichstag, warns that Prussia must learn from the Tsar’s fate in Russia.

British Imperial Conference, attended by dominion and colonial officials, is inaugurated to discuss the war and the empire’s future.

Ship Losses:

HMHS Asturias (United Kingdom) The hospital ship was damaged in the English Channel 6 nautical miles (11 km) off Start Point, Devon by SM UC-66 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of 35 lives. She was beached and was later salvaged.
Frisk (Norway) The cargo ship was sunk in the North Sea 85 nautical miles (157 km) north east of Coquet Island, Northumberland, United Kingdom by SM UC-50 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of seven of her crew.
Gurre (Denmark) The cargo ship was sunk in the North Sea (58°26′N 1°12′E) by SM U-59 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of 21 crew.
Hazelpark (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the English Channel 3 nautical miles (5.6 km) south by east of Start Point, Devon by SM UC-66 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Paul et Marie (France) The three-masted schooner was shelled and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea north east of Cape Corse, Corsica (43°28′N 9°35′E) by SM U-34 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of six crew.

[Sailor Steve]

March 20, 1917

Air War:
1230 Welsh RFC pilot Franklin Saunders, flying BE.12 6675, shoots down an Albatros two-seater for victory number 3.



Emglish Channel:
Herbert Pustkuchen, commanding UC-66, sinks British freighter SS Hazelpark, 1,964 tons. bound from Tyne for La Rochelle with a load of coal; off Start Point. His score is now 76 ships and 101,609 tons.
Pustkuchen also torpedoes British hospital ship SS Asturias, but the ship is beached and salvaged.



North Sea:
Wilhelm von Fircks, in U-59, sinks Danish freighter SS Gurre, 2,866 tons, carrying a load of oilcake from Galveston via Kirkwall to Aalborg. His score is now 8 ships and 13,735 tons.

Rudolf Seuffer, in UC-50, sinks Norwegian freighter SS Frisk, 1,038 tons, en route from Warkworth to Fredrikstad with a load of coal, northeast of Coquest Island (north of Newcastle). His score is now 7 ships and 6,502 tons.



Ligurian Sea:
Johannes Klasing, in U-34, uses his deck gun to sink French schooner Paul et Marie, 321 tons, en route from Fowey to Livorno with a load of kaolin (china clay); north of Corsica. One of the two lifeboats makes shore safely. The other, with 6 crew members, is not seen again. This is Klasing's first sinking.



Hawaii:
American freighter SS Maui, 631 tons, carrying a load of sugar from Mahukona to Kailua, is wrecked off Kahola.

[Jimbuna]

21st March 1917

Western Front

British advance south-east and east of Peronne; occupy 40 more villages, approaching St. Quentin.

Progress towards Cambrai continues.

French force passage of Somme Canal and progress north of Soissons.

Eastern Front

Germans active near Lida (Beresina), in Galicia and on Romanian front.

Southern Front

Fighting by French, lasting for over a week, frees Monastir from daily bombardment. Enemy makes serious counter-attack but is repulsed.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

Russians continue to pursue Turks from Sakiz (Persia) towards Kermanshah.

Aviation

Prince Friedrich Karl of Prussia’s plane is brought down over France. He is injured & captured by Australian troops.


Political, etc.

President Wilson calls for a special session of Congress on April the 2nd to discuss “grave questions” on Germany and the war.

The Arion Society, a German-American music society, condemns the mayor of New York for urging people to sign a “loyalty” pledge to the U.S.

Ex-Tsar and Tsaritsa deprived of liberty; general political amnesty. Munitions and food problem in Petrograd being satisfactorily dealt with. Proposed eight hours day.

Vote of confidence in French Chamber.

French Military Mission leaves for New York.

Ship Losses:

Avance (United Kingdom) The fishing smack was shelled and sunk in the English Channel 25 nautical miles (46 km) west south west of Portland Bill, Dorset by SM UC-66 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Healdton (United States) The tanker was torpedoed and sunk in the North Sea with the loss of at least seven of her crew.
Hindustan (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 150 nautical miles (280 km) north west of the Fastnet Rock (51°25′N 13°30′W) by SM U-46 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of two crew.
Najade (Norway) The full-rigged ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean off Fair Isle, United Kingdom (59°35′N 2°17′W) by SM U-59 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of all 21 crew.
Rio Sorocaba (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was scuttled in the Atlantic Ocean 10 nautical miles (19 km) south east of the Eddystone Lighthouse (50°04′N 4°13′W) by SM UC-48 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Stanley (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 230 nautical miles (430 km) west by north of the Fastnet Rock (50°50′N 16°00′W) by SM U-24 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of three crew.

[Sailor Steve]

March 21, 1917

Air War:
No. 56 Squadron RFC recieves the first SE.5 in service.

No. 100 Squadron RFC, the first dedicated night-bombing squadron, moves to France, based at Saint Andre-aux-Bois with twelve FE.2bs.

1540 German pilot Karl Allmenröder, flying an Albatros D.III, shoots down BE.2d A2390 for victory number 4. Lt H.W.L. Poole is wounded. AM2 A.J. Ball is also wounded, and later dies.

1730 German ace Manfred von Richthofen, in a Halberstadt D.II, shoots down BE.2e A3154 for victory number 29. The plane crashes on its own side of the lines with pilot F/Sgt Sidney Herbert Quicke dead and 2nd Lt William John Lindsey mortally wounded.



North Atlantic Ocean, far west of Ireland:
Walter Remy, commanding U-24, torpedoes British freighter SS Stanley, 3,987 tons, bound from Newport News for Cherbourg with a load of oats and iron; 230 miles west of Fastnet. His score is now 4 ships and 4,658 tons.

Leo Hillebrand, in U-46, torpedoes British freighter SS Hindustan, 3,692 tons, en route from Beaumont to Queenstown with a load of timber, 150 miles west-northwest of Fastnet. His score is now 18 ships and 29,445 tons.



English Channel:
British freighter SS Huntscape, 2,933 tons, hits a mine laid off Beachy Head by Ralph Wenninger in UC-17. The damaged ship makes port safely.

Kurt Ramien, in UC-48, sinks British freighter SS Rio Sorocaba, 4,307 tons, en route from Port Louis, Mauritius to Le Havre with a load of sugar; off Eddystone. His score is now 21 ships and 33,670 tons.

Herbert Pustkuchen, in UC-66, uses his deck gun to sink British fishing smack Avance, 57 tons, off Portland Bill. His score is now 77 vessels and 101,666 tons.



North Sea:
Wilhelm von Fircks, in U-59, torpedoes Norwegian sailing ship Najade, 1,752 tons, carrying a load of oilcake from Galveston to Denmark; off Fair Isle, between the Orkney and Shetland Islands. His score is now 9 ships and 15,487 tons.

American tanker SS Healdton, 4,489 tons, travelling from Philadelphia to Rotterdam with 2,137,711 gallons of oil, is torpedoed, or possibly mined. Of her crew of 41, 21 survived. They reported that the attacking ship was "undoubtedly" a German submarine, but Uboat.net has no records of any U-boat sinking a ship by that name or in that location. Surviving crew rescued by Dutch trawler Java.
http://www.aukevisser.nl/inter/id753.htm



Denmark:
German minesweepers SMS M-16 and M-26 are both sunk by mines while on sweeping duty off the west coast of Denmark.



German East Africa:
HMFM Trent arrives off Dar-Es-Salaam. At 0832 the ship anchors outside the bay and waits for the shoreside medical officer, who arrives at 1015. The senior medical officer inspects the troops, especially the suspected smallpox case. He grants the ship "pratique", which is permission for a ship to enter a port after certification from a port doctor that said ship has complied with health and quarantine regulations. At 1432 Trent enters the harbor and drops anchor at 1530.



China:
Russian freighter SS Poltava, 3,476 tons, is wrecked off North Saddle Island, near Shanghai.

[Jimbuna]

22nd March 1917

Western Front

Increased enemy resistance on British front from west of St. Quentin to south of Arras.

Heavy snow storms.

French progress north of Tergnier (Oise) and north of Soissons, despite stiffening defence.

Eastern Front

Russians retake lost trenches near Lida (Vilna).

Naval and Overseas Operations

"Moewe" German raider, reported returned to a home port after second cruise in Atlantic, having sunk 111,000 tons of British shipping.

Political, etc.

Ex-Tsar reaches Tsarskoye-Selo.

The United States becomes the first nation to recognize the Provisional Government of Russia.

Great Britain, France and Italy recognise Provisional Government in Russia. Death penalty in latter abolished.

Archangel route in danger zone.

British danger zone in North Sea extended towards Holland and Jutland from 2 April.

13,000 people rally in Madison Square Garden in New York City to demand war against Germany.

Ship Losses:

Attika (Norway) The cargo ship was sunk in the Atlantic Ocean north west of Ireland (54°50′N 12°50′W) by SM U-81 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Efeu (Norway) The sailing vessel was sunk in the English Channel 10 nautical miles (19 km) west south west of Dungeness, Kent, United Kingdom by SM UC-66 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Chorley (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the English Channel 25 nautical miles (46 km) east by south of Start Point, Devon (50°14′N 3°02′W) by SM UC-48 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Curlew (United Kingdom) The fishing smack was scuttled in the English Channel 14 nautical miles (26 km) south of Berry Head, Devon by SM UC-17 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Egenaes (Norway) The coaster was sunk in the North Sea 10 nautical miles (19 km) east of Peterhead, Aberdeenshire, United Kingdom by SM UC-45 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of five of her crew.
Hugin N(orway) The cargo ship was sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 10 nautical miles (19 km) south of Ar Men, Finistère, France by SM UC-36 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Malmanger (Norway) The tanker struck a mine laid by UC 43 (Erwin Sebelin) and sank in the Atlantic Ocean 2 nautical miles (3.7 km) south of Baltimore, County Cork, United Kingdom (51°23′N 9°30′W). Her crew survived.
Providence (United Kingdom) The cargo ship struck a mine laid by UC 48 (Kurt Ramien) and sank in St. George's Channel 1.25 nautical miles (2.32 km) south by west of the Barrels Lightship ( United Kingdom). Her crew survived.
Rio Colorado (United Kingdom) The cargo ship struck a mine laid by UC 50 (Rudolf Seuffer) and sank in the North Sea off the mouth of the River Tyne with the loss of ten of her crew.
Rotorua (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the English Channel 24 nautical miles (44 km) east of Start Point, Devon (50°17′N 3°07′W) by SM UC-17 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of a crew member.
Sirius (Norway) The barque was scuttled in the North Sea (58°40′N 1°50′E) by SM U-57 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of a crew member.
Stuart Prince (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 85 nautical miles (157 km) west by north of Broadhaven, County Cork (55°28′N 11°20′W) by SM U-66 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of twenty crew.
Susanna (Norway) The coaster was scuttled in the North Sea 6 nautical miles (11 km) south east by south of Aberdeen (57°04′N 1°54′W) by SM UC-45 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Svendsholm (Norway) The full-rigged ship was shelled and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean west of the Fastnet Rock (50°34′N 15°45′W) by SM U-24 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.

[Sailor Steve]

March 22, 1917

Air War:
0940 German Ace Renatus Theiller, Flying an Albatros D.III, shoots down a BE.2c for victory number 12.

1745 German pilot Friedrich Mallinckrodt, in an Albatros D.III, shoots down a Caudron for victory number 5.

German pilot Rudolf von Eschwege, flying for Bulgaria on the Macedonian Front, shoots down two-seat Nieuport 12 N3182 for victory number 5. It is somewhere in this time frame that von Eschwege is finally given an Albatros D.III to replace his eindecker, but the exact date seems to be unknown.



North Atlantic Ocean, far west of Ireland:
Walter Remy, commanding U-24, uses his deck gun to sink Norwegian freighter SS Svendsholm, 1,998 tons, travelling in ballast from Londonderry to St. Thomas. His score is now 5 ships and 6,656 tons.



Northwest of Ireland:
Thorwald von Bothmer, in U-66, torpedoes British freighter SS Stuart Prince, 3,597 tons, carrying a general cargo from Manchester to Alexandria; 85 miles northwest of Broad Haven, County Mayo. His score is now 22 ships and 56,865 tons.



West of Northern Ireland:
Raimund Weisbach, in U-81, sinks Norwegian freighter SS Attika, 2,306 tons, travelling in ballast from Barry to Sand Key, Florida. His score is now 26 ships and 73,183 tons.



Ireland:
Norwegian tanker SS Malmanger, 5,672 tons, carrying a load of refined products from New York to Avonmouth, hits a mine laid 2 miles south of Baltimore, Ireland by Erwin Sebelin in UC-43. His score is now 14 ships and 25,223 tons. This is Sebelin's last sinking, as UC-43 herself had been sunk with all hands on March 10.



English Channel:
Ralph Wenninger, in UC-17, sinks two ships:
British fishing vessel Curlew, 51 tons, scuttled 14 miles south of Berry Head.
British freighter SS Rotorua, 11,140 tons, en route from Wellington to London with a general cargo, 24 miles west of Start Point.
Wenninger's score is now 58 ships and 82,078 tons.

Kurt Ramien, in UC-48, sinks British freighter SS Chorley, 3,828 tons, carrying munitions from Norfolk to Le Havre; 25 miles southeast of Start Point.
Meanwhile, British freighter SS Providence, 2,970 tons, en route from Cork to France with a load of hay, hits a mine laid by UC-48 near the Barrels Lightship, in St. George's Channel.
Ramien's score is now 23 ships and 40,468 tons.

Herbert Pustkuchen, in UC-66, sinks Norwegian sailing vessel Efeu, 569 tons, travelling in ballast from Falmouth to Porsgrund; off Dungeness. His score is now 78 ships and 102,235 tons.



North Sea:
Carl-Siegfried von Georg, in U-57, scuttles Norwegian barque Sirius, 1,053 tons, bound from Buenos Aires for Odense with a load of wheat. His score is now 30 ships and 30,080 tons.

Hubert Aust, in UC-45, sinks two Norwegian coasters off the Scottish coast:
SS Eganaes, 399 tons. en route from Haugesund to Hull with a load of herring; 10 miles east of Peterhead.
SS Susanna, 442 tons, also fro Haugesen to Hull with herring.
Aust's score is now 3 ships and 2,037 tons.

British freighter SS Rio Colorado, 3,565 tons, carrying a load of wheat from La Plata to Tyne, hits a mine laid just off the entrance to the River Tyne by Rudolf Seuffer in UC-50. His score is now 8 ships and 10,067 tons.

France:
Gustav Buch, in UC-36, sinks Norwegian freighter SS Hugin, 1,395 tons, carrying a load of coal from Sunderland to Santander; 10 mules south of the Armen Lighthouse, off the Chaussée de l'Île de Sein. His score is now 6 ships and 7,639 tons.

[Jimbuna]

23rd March 1917

Western Front

French success at Artemps (south of St. Quentin).

Oise valley and La Fere flooded by enemy.

New detachments cross Ailette; progress north of Soissons.

Enemy thrown back to Grand Seraucourt.

Some fighting on British front between Arras and Bapume-Cambrai road.

Eastern Front

Russians lose trenches west of Moinesci, near River Trotus (Romanian front).

Germans massing troops on Riga-Dvinsk front seriously menacing Petrograd.

Southern Front

Bombs on Mudros from German airship.

Naval

Britain announces that it will expand its mine zones to cover the mouths of the Weser and Elbe rivers of Germany.

British destroyer HMS Laforey strikes a mine and sinks off Boulogne, France, resulting in the deaths of 59 of her 77 crew.

Political, etc.

Telegram from Mr. Lloyd George to Russian Prime Minister.

President Wilson and the Cabinet meets to discuss preparations for war.

Germany announces that bread rations will be cut by one-fourth starting on April 1st. Meat rations will be increased by 250 grams per week.

Ship Losses:

Achille Adam (United Kingdom) The coaster was scuttled in the English Channel 31 nautical miles (57 km) south east by east of Beachy Head, East Sussex by SM UB-39 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of six of her crew.
Amstelstroom (Netherlands) The cargo ship was shelled and damaged in the North Sea by SMS G86, SMS G87 and SMS V44 (all Kaiserliche Marine). The derelict vessel was sunk on 27 March 20 nautical miles (37 km) east north east of the Noord Hinder Lightship ( Netherlands) by SM UB-10 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Argo (Portugal) The full-rigged ship was scuttled in the Atlantic Ocean (47°46′N 10°45′W) by SM U-46 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Artemis (Greece) The coaster was sunk in the Tyrrhenian Sea off Porto Ercole, Tuscany, Italy (42°22′N 11°22′E) by SM U-34 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Bellatrix (Norway) The cargo ship was sunk in the Tyrrhenian Sea 6 nautical miles (11 km) off Civitavecchia, Lazio, Italy by SM U-34 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Blomwaag (Norway) The coaster was sunk in the North Sea (51°40′N 1°20′E by SM UC-45 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Clan Macmillan (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the English Channel 10 nautical miles (19 km) west of Beachy Head (50°41′N 0°01′W) by SM UB-39 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Eptalofos (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 47 nautical miles (87 km) north west of Malta (36°40′N 13°08′E) by SM U-64 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived, but eight survivors were taken as prisoners of war.
Exchange (United Kingdom) The coaster was shelled and sunk in the English Channel 30 nautical miles (56 km) north west of Cayeux-sur-Mer, Somme, France by SM UB-39 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of eight crew.
HMS Laforey (Royal Navy) The Laforey-class destroyer struck a mine laid by UB 12 (Ernst Steindorff) and sank in the English Channel off Boulogne, Pas de Calais, France (50°55′N 0°27′E) with the loss of 59 of her 77 crew.
Maine (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the English Channel 9.5 nautical miles (17.6 km) south south west of Dartmouth, Devon (50°12′N 3°53′W) by SM UC-17 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Noli (Italy) The cargo ship was sunk in the Tyrrhenian Sea off Civitavecchia (42°11′N 11°37′E) by SM U-34 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Queenborough (United Kingdom) The trawler was shelled and sunk in the North Sea 106 nautical miles (196 km) east of Peterhead, Aberdeenshire (57°28′N 1°32′E) by SM U-86 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her nine crew took to the lifeboats but were not rescued.
Tres Fratres (Netherlands) The trawler was scuttled in the North Sea (57°30′N 6°10′E) by SM U-62 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.

[Sailor Steve]

March 23, 1917

Air War:
Belgian pilot Edmond Thieffry, flying a Nieuport 11, shoots down a German two-seater for victory number 2.

French pilot Jacques Ortoli, in a Nieuport, shoots down an Albatros two-seater for victory number 5.

German pilot Georg Weiner, probably in an Albatros, shoots down a Nieuport for victory number 1.



English Channel:
British destroyer HMS Laforey, 995 tons, hits a mine laid by Ernst Steindorff in UB-12 off Shorham. His score is now 3 ships and 1,619 tons.

Heinrich Küstner, in UB-39, sinks three ships near Beachy Head:
British coaster SS Achille Adam, 460 tons. travelling from Saint Valery to Newhaven.
British freighter SS Clan Macmillan, 4,525 tons, carrying a load of coir matting from Chittagong to Clyde.
British coaster SS Exchange, 279 tons.
Norwegian freighter SS O.A. Knudsen, 3,532 tons, travelling in ballast from London to Port Talbot, is also torpedoed, but makes port safely.
Küstner's score is now 46 ships and 48,897 tons.

Ralph Wenninger, in UC-17, sinks British freighter SS Maine, 3,616 tons, carrying a load of chalk plus general cargo from London to Philadelphia. His score is now 59 ships and 85,694 tons.
British freighter SS Mexico, 5,549 tons, bound from Liverpool for Valparaiso with a general cargo, hits a mine laid by UC-17 off Beachy Head, but the damaged ship makes port safely.

Kurt Ramien, in UC-48, torpedoes British tanker SS J.B. August Kessler, 5,104 tons, travelling in ballast from Rouen to Cardiff. The damaged ship reaches port safely.



North Sea:
Ernst Hashagen, in U-62, scuttles Dutch trawler Tres Fratres, 297 tons, raising his total to 19 ships and 19,738 tons.

Friedrich Crüsemann, in U-86, uses his deck gun to sink British trawler Queensorough, 165 tons. Crew abandons vessel , but lifeboat not recovered. Listed as Missing. This is Crüsemann's first sinking.

Hubert Aust, in UC-45, sinks Norwegian freighter SS Blomwaag, 695 tons, en route from Leith to Flæsland with a load of coal. His score is now 4 ships and 2,733 tons.



Bay of Biscay:
Leo Hillebrand, in U-46, scuttles Portuguese sailing ship Argo, 1,563 tons, travelling from New Orleans to London with an unspecified cargo. His score is now 19 ships and 31,008 tons.



Italy:
Johannes Klasing, in U-34, sinks three Allied ships off Civitavecchia:
Greek freighter SS Artemis, 528 tons, en route from Catania to Saint Louis du Rhône with a load of sulphur.
Norwegian freighter SS Bellatrix, 2,568 tons, carrying a load of coke from Cardiff to Naples.
Italian freighter SS Noli, 1,569 tons, travelling in ballast from Civitavecchia to Genoa.
Klasing's score is now 4 ships and 4,986 tons.



Mediterranean Sea:
Robert Moraht, in U-64, sinks British freighter SS Eptalofos, 4,413 tons, bound from Malta for Jamaica with an unspecified cargo. His score is now 13 ships and 44,331 tons.

[Jimbuna]

24th March 1917

Western Front

British take Roisel east of Peronne.

French occupy right bank of Oise from north of Vaudreuil to suburbs of La Fere and progress on east bank of Ailette Canal.

Eastern Front

Russians armies declare their loyalty to the Provisional Government.

Political, etc.

France protests to neutrals against barbarity and devastation by Germans in evacuated French territory.

Allied ministers return to Athens.

Greek Government demands withdrawal of Italian troops from Epirus.

10,000 people rally at Madison Square Garden in New York City to keep the U.S. out of the war.

Ship Losses:

Alice (United Kingdom) The fishing smack was scuttled in the Atlantic Ocean 12 nautical miles (22 km) south south west of the Eddystone Lighthouse (49°59′N 4°17′W) by SM UC-17 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Boy Walter (United Kingdom) The fishing smack was scuttled in the Atlantic Ocean 15 nautical miles (28 km) south east of the Eddystone Lighthouse by SM UC-17 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Bruyère (France) The schooner was scuttled in the Irish Sea off South Stack, Anglesey, United Kingdom (53°20′N 5°10′W) by SM UC-65 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Emanuela (Italy) The sailing vessel was sunk in the Malta Channel by SM UC-38 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Endeavour (United Kingdom) The fishing smack was scuttled in the Atlantic Ocean 15 nautical miles (28 km) south east of the Eddystone Lighthouse by SM UC-17 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Enigma (United Kingdom) The fishing smack was scuttled in the Atlantic Ocean 15 nautical miles (28 km) south east of the Eddystone Lighthouse by SM UC-17 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Ennistown (United Kingdom) The coaster was scuttled in St. George's Channel 10 nautical miles (19 km) south east of the South Arklow Lightship ( United Kingdom) by SM UC-65 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Fairearn (United Kingdom) The coaster was torpedoed and sunk in the Irish Sea 16 nautical miles (30 km) west north west of South Stack by SM UC-65 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Fulmar (United Kingdom) The cargo ship struck a mine and sank in the Thames Estuary 8 nautical miles (15 km) south west of the Kentish Knock Lightship ( United Kingdom) with the loss of a crew member.
Grenmar (Norway) The cargo ship was sunk in the North Sea 34 nautical miles (63 km) north by east of St Abb's Head, Berwickshire, United Kingdom by SM UC-77 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
H.C.G. (United Kingdom) The fishing smack was scuttled in the Atlantic Ocean 15 nautical miles (28 km) south east of the Eddystone Lighthouse by SM UC-17 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Howe (United Kingdom) The schooner was scuttled in St. George's Channel 4 nautical miles (7.4 km) north east by east of the South Arklow Lightship ( United Kingdom) by SM UC-65 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Korsnaes (Norway) The coaster was scuttled in the Irish Sea 3 nautical miles (5.6 km) west south west of Bardsey Island, Pembrokeshire, United Kingdom by SM UC-65 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
L'Amerique (French Navy) The naval trawler was torpedoed and sunk in the Ras de Sein by SM UC-36 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of all 26 hands.
May Flower (United Kingdom) The fishing smack was scuttled in the Atlantic Ocean 15 nautical miles (28 km) south east of the Eddystone Lighthouse by SM UC-17 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Montreal (France) The cargo ship was torpedoed and damaged in the Atlantic Ocean 77 nautical miles (143 km) off Cape Ortegal, Spain (45°40′N 7°40′W) by SM U-46 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of 22 crew. She sank on 26 March, One survivor was rescued by a Royal Navy patrol boat.
Qui Vive (United Kingdom) The fishing smack was scuttled in the Atlantic Ocean 15 nautical miles (28 km) south east of the Eddystone Lighthouse by SM UC-17 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Reindeer (United Kingdom) The fishing smack was scuttled in the Atlantic Ocean 15 nautical miles (28 km) south east of the Eddystone Lighthouse by SM UC-17 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Satanita (United Kingdom) The fishing smack was scuttled in the Atlantic Ocean 12 nautical miles (22 km) south south west of the Eddystone Lighthouse by SM UC-17 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Tapir (France) The tug struck a mine laid by UC 70 (Werner Fürbringer) and sank in the Bay of Biscay off Groix, Morbihan (47°40′N 3°34′W) with the loss of fifteen of her crew.

[Sailor Steve]

March 24, 1917

Air War:
0855 German pilot Heinrich Gontermann, flying an Albatros D.III, shoots down a Sopwith 1½ Strutter for victory number 5.

0900 German pilot Edmund Nathanael, Gontermann's wingmann, shoots down a 1½ Strutter for victory number 3. 70 Squadron loses two Strutters this day: A957, in which Cpt A.M. Lowrey and Lt G.W.W. Swann are both killed, and A1907, Cpt W.H. Costello and Lt H.F. Whiteside are both taken prisoner.

0900 German 12-victory ace Renatus Theiller is killed while attacking an FE.2b from 70 Squadron. Details unknown.

0945 English pilot Cyril Lowe, in FE.2b with 2nd Lt G. Masters as observer, shoots down an Albatros D.III for victory number 2.

1030 German pilot Reinhold Jörke, in an Albatros, shoots down FE.2b A5472 for victory number 1. Cyril Lowe and G. Masters crash unharmed. There is a discrepancy concerning the serial number of Lowe's plane, with English sources citing A5442 and German sources saying A5472 or A5471.

1030 German pilot Adolf Schulte, in an Albatros D.III, shoots down an FE.2d for victory number 5. Details unknown.

1100 Canadian RNAS pilot Harold Spencer Kerby, flying Sopwith Pup N6177, and 2nd Lt Bromford, in N6164, share a victory over a German seaplane. Number 1 for both.

1100 German ace Karl Schäfer, in an Albatros D.III, shoots down a Sopwith 1½ Strutter for victory number 8. Details unknown.

1145 English RFC pilot Howard Redmayne Harker, flying FE.2d A1954 with 2nd Lt V.D. Fernauld as observer, shoots down an Albatros D.II for victory number 1.

1155 German ace Manfred von Richthofen, in a Halberstadt D.II, shoots down SPAD VII 6706 for victory number 30. Lt Richard Plunkett Baker is wounded and taken prisoner.

I was flying with several of my gentlemen when I observed an enemy squadron passing our Front. Aside from this squadron, two new one-seaters which I did not know were flying nearby. They were extremely fast and handy.

I attacked them and ascertained that my machine was the better one. After a long fight I managed to hit the adversary's tank. The propeller stopped running. The plane had to go down.

As the fight had taken place above the trenches, my adversary tried to escape, but I managed to force him to land behind our lines near Givenchy. The plane turned over in a shell hole, upside down, and was taken by our troops.
- Manfred von Richthofen

1230 German pilot Eduard von Dostler, flying an Albatros D.III with Jasta 34, claims a Caudron G.IV for victory number 3.

1235 German pilot Hans Ritter von Adam, also with Jasta 34, claims a Caudron G.IV for victory number 1.

1240 Eduard von Dostler claims a second Caudron for number 4. The problem with these claims is that the only Caudron squadron operatin in that area, C18, only lost one plane that day. Brig Jean Marquisan and Sgt Jacques Delacharte both killed. The French Air War Chronology says it was probably von Adam.

1500 English pilot Edmund Zink, flying FE.2b 4898 with AM2 J. Walker as observer, shoods down an Albatros D.II for victory number 2.

1610 German ace Werner Voss, in an Albatros D.III, shoots down FE.2b A5485 for victory number 21. Sgt Edward Preston Critchley is wounded but makes it home, AM1 Frank Russel is killed.

1630 German ace Otto Bernert, in an Albatros D.III, shoots down BE.2d 6254 for victory number 9. Lt E.J. Hars is wounded but crashes on his own side of the lines, Sgt J.F. Ridgeway is killed.

1645 Werner Voss scores his second kill of the day, shooting down BE.2d 5679 for number 22. Lt Hugh Norton and 2nd Lt Reginald Alfred William Tillet are both killed.

German ace Rudolf Berthold, flying an Albatross D.III, shoots down a Farman for victory number 9. Cpl Peinaud and Lt Vernes are both killed.

German pilot Erich Löwenhardt, in an Albatros D.III, shoots down f French observation balloon for victory number 1.

German pilot Rudolf Matthaei, in an Albatros D.III, destroys an observation balloon for victory number 1.

French pilot Jacques Ortoli, flying a Nieuport, shoots down an "Enemy Aircraft" for victory number 6.

German pilot Gustav Stenzel commanding Jasta 8 in an Albatros D.III, shoots down a Nieuport for victory number 3.



Irish Sea:
Otto Steinbrinck, commanding UC-65, sinks five small ships near St George's Channel:
French schooner Bruyere, 100 tons, travelling in ballast from Mayport to Blaye.
British freighter SS Ennistown, 689 tons, travelling in ballast from Dublin to Cardiff.
British freighter SS Fairearn, 592 tons, bound from Garston for Cork with a load of coal.
British schooner Howe, 175 tons, carrying a load of coal from Garston to Cork.
Norweagian freighter SS Korsnaes, 732 tons, travelling in ballast from Saint Malo to Liverpool.
Steinbrinck's score is now 141 ships and 125,962 tons.



English Channel:
Ralph Wenninger, in UC-17, stops a British fishing fleet and sinks nine smacks:
Alice, 61 tons.
Boy Walter, 43 tons.
Endeavour, 25 tons.
Enigma, 24 tons.
H.C.G. 24 tons.
May Flower, 38 tons.
Qui Vive, 22 tons.
Reindeer, 28 tons.
Satanita, 30 tons.
Wenninger's score is now 68 vessels and 85,979 tons.

His Majesty's Trawler King's Grey, 338 tons, hits a mine laid by Ernst Voigt in UC-72. The damaged vessel makes port safely.



North Sea:
Reinhard von Rabenau, in UC-77, sinks Norwegian freighter SS Grenmar, 1,438 tons, en route from Blyth to Christiania with a load of coal. This is his first sinking.



France:
Gustav Buch, in U-36, torpedoes French Navy trawler L'Amerique, 489 tons. The small ship breaks apart and sinks in ten seconds, with the loss of all her crew. Listed as Missing. Buch's score is now 7 vessels and 8,128 tons.



Bay of Biscay:
Leo Hillebrand, in U-46, torpedoes French freighter SS Montreal, 3,342 tons, carrying a general cargo from Le Havre to Bordeaux and then the West Indies. Sources vary about casualties, with Wrecksite.eu saying there were none. A note on that site does tell of one French soldier going home on leave to Haiti to visit his parents. Other sources say there were 22 lives lost. One interesting note is that the ship didn't sink immediately, but drifted derelict for two days. On the 26th she was found by a British patrol boat, which discovered one of the ship's boys had been left behind when the rest of the crew abandoned ship. He was taken off by the PB, none the worse for wear. Hillebrand's score is now 20 ships and 34,350 tons.

French tug Tapir, 200 tons, hits a mine laid of Ile de Groix by Werner Fürbringer in UC-70, raising his score to 74 ships and 58,439 tons.



Mediterranean Sea:
Alfred Klatt, in UC-38, sinks Italian sailboat Emanuela, 16 tons, in the Malta Channel. His score is now 15 vessels and 10,645 tons.

[Jimbuna]

25th March 1917

Western Front

Hard fighting south of St. Quentin.

French reach neighbourhood of Coucy-le-Chateau.

395 shells on Reims.

Eastern Front

General Alexeiev, Commander-in-Chief Russian army.

German attack with gas in Dvinsk region repulsed.

Naval and Overseas Operations

French take Ouijan (Morocco).

Dunkirk bombarded from sea.

Aviation

Canadian ace Billy Bishop claims his first victory, shooting down and mortally wounding German Leutnant Theiller.

Political, etc.

French government protests German “acts of barbarism and devastation” in occupied-French territory.

Russian Provisional Government accepts responsibilities of former regime; all decorations (except St. George) abolished.

U.S. Legation at Brussels removed to Havre; Belgian relief work to be undertaken by other neutrals.

U.S. Navy Secretary Daniels announces censorship rules that would prevent the press from criticizing the administration’s policies.

Ship Losses:

Adenwen (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Irish Sea 6 nautical miles (11 km) south east by east of the North Arklow Lightship ( United Kingdom) by UC 65 (Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of ten of her crew.
Baynaen (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Bay of Biscay 20 nautical miles (37 km) north west by west of Belle Île, Morbihan, France (47°34′N 3°40′W) by SM UC-36 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of five of her crew.
Berbera (United Kingdom) The cagro ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 60 nautical miles (110 km) east of Catania, Sicily, Italy (37°32′N 15°08′E) by SM U-64 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of a crew member. Three survivors were taken as prisoners of war.
Brandon (United Kingdom) The barque was scuttled in the Irish Sea by SM UC-65 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her four crew took to the lifeboats but were not rescued.
C. Sundt (Norway) The cargo ship was sunk in the North Sea east of the Shetland Islands, United Kingdom by SM U-81 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her fifteen crew took to the lifeboats but were not rescued.
Etoile de la Mer (France) The fishing vessel was sunk in the Seine Estuary by SM UB-40 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Etoile Polaire (France) The fishing vessel was sunk in the Bay of Biscay 15 nautical miles (28 km) south west of Groix, Morbihan by SM UC-36 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
HMT Evangel (Royal Navy) The naval trawler struck a mine laid by UC 48 (Kurt Ramien) and sank in the Irish Sea off Milford Haven, Pembrokeshire with the loss of fifteen of her crew.
Felix Faure (France) The fishing vessel was sunk in the Seine Estuary by SM UB-40 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Fringante (France) The schooner was scuttled in the Irish Sea by SM UC-65 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Garant (Norway) The coaster was sunk in the North Sea east of the Shetland Islands by SM U-81 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her fourteen crew took to the lifeboats bu were not rescued.
HMT Hilary II (Royal Navy) The naval trawler struck a mine and sank in the North Sea (51°28′30″N 1°24′00″E) with the loss of eight of her crew.
Huntleys (United Kingdom) The sailing vessel was scuttled in the English Channel 28 nautical miles (52 km) south south west of Beachy Head, East Sussex by SM UC-69 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Immacolata (Italy) The sailing vessel was sunk in the Strait of Messina by SM U-64 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Industria (United Kingdom) The trawler was sunk off the coast of Scotland by SM UC-75 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of all nine crew.
Laly (Norway) The cargo ship was scuttled in the North Sea east of the Shetland Islands by SM U-81 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her nineteen crew took to the lifeboats but were not rescued.
Leontine (France) The brigantine was shelled and sunk in the Bay of Biscay 5 nautical miles (9.3 km) south of Groix by SM UC-36 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of six of her crew.
Louise (France) The fishing vessel was sunk in the Seine Estuary by SM UB-40 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Marie Louise (France) The fishing vessel was sunk in the English Channel 9 nautical miles (17 km) north north west of Port-en-Bessin, Calvados by SM UB-40 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Marshall (Norway) The cargo ship was sunk in the North Sea 17 nautical miles (31 km) east of Peterhead, Aberdeenshire, United Kingdom by SM UC-75 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Mary Annie (United Kingdom) The three-masted schooner was scuttled in the English Channel 28 nautical miles (52 km) south south west of Beachy Head by SM UC-69 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Median (United Kingdom) The trawler was scuttled in the North Sea 30 nautical miles (56 km) east by south of Aberdeen by SM UC-75 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Poseidon (Greece) The cargo ship was sunk in the Irish Sea (52°27′N 5°12′W) by SM UC-65 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Prince of Wales (United Kingdom) The trawler was scuttled in the North Sea 17 nautical miles (31 km) east by south of Girdle Ness, Aberdeenshire (57°10′N 1°32′W) by SM UC-77 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Queen Eugenie (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 23 nautical miles (43 km) north north east of the Cani Rocks, Tunisia (37°57′N 9°47′E) by SM UC-67 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of 35 of her crew. Two survivors were taken as prisoners of war.
Roslyn (United Kingdom) The trawler was shelled and sunk in the North Sea 54 nautical miles (100 km) east of Girdle Ness, Aberdeenshire by SM UC-75 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
Saint Joseph (France) The fishing vessel was sunk in the Seine Estuary by SM UB-40 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Vellore (United Kingdom) The collier was torpedoed and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 21 nautical miles (39 km) north west by north of Alexandria, Egypt by SM U-63 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived, but two were taken as prisoners of war.

"Heartfelt Congratulations" (Western Mail cartoon)