Western Front
The storm breaks: the
Kaiserschlacht, the series of German offensives on the Western Front begins with
Unternehmen Michael. The entire series is often referred to by the British as Operation Michael, with Michael itself (until April 5) often referred to as the
Second Battle of the Somme. And occasionally, this is further broken down and the beginning (until March 23) is referred to as
Battle of St Quentin.
The German offensive on the Western Front (Operation Michael) opens with a massive assault against British forces in Picardy by 56 German Army Divisions, on 50-mile front between Sensee and Oise rivers. The offensive achieves a number of spectacular early successes, shattering the British defensive line.
German main attack against British Fifth Army (Hubert Gough) on 42-mile southern sector from Gouzeaucourt to Barisis, south of La Fere.
German Northern attack on British Third Army (Julian Byng) by 25 divisions of Seventeenth (Otto von Below) and Second (Georg von der Marwitz) Armies.
5 hour German bombardment by record 6,473 guns and 3,532 mortars on 43-mile front vs 2,500 British begins at 0440 hours, shelling 20 miles behind, causing up to 7,500-8,000 casualties. Lavish use of Blue and Green Cross gas shells is expected to paralyze British artillery (2 million gas shells expended by April 6). German stormtroopers attack in dense mist at various points between 0700 and 0930 hours and advance up to 4 1/2 miles; meet fierce battle zone resistance. Germans advance to Crozat Canal southwest of St Quentin. First of Gough’s reserve divisions in evening action. First 9 German tanks in action.
The German A7V tank makes its debut in the offensive, with 9 tanks deployed, but 3 break down before seeing combat. A7V tank at Roye:
https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...455921462333440
On Michael sector of attack 720 German aircraft (326 fighters) vs 579 Royal Flying Corps (261 fighters) in 31 squadrons. Udet designated commander Jasta 11 succeeding Lothar von Richthofen. Total German front line strength 3,668 aircraft. Fog hinders early air operations but 36 RFC squadrons see action by end of day losing 16 planes for 14 claimed crashed kills (Germans admit 11 loss and claim 21 Allied planes). British lose 3 observation balloons. 27 German Schlachtstaffeln (168 ground-attacker planes) attack British Third and Fifth Armies.
During the initial stages of the offensive, the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) is instrumental in gathering intelligence about the timing and composition of the attack and on the first day of the offensive, 250 British aircraft from 27 squadrons strafe and bomb the advancing German Army, disrupting its operations and damaging enemy morale. 50 aircraft are lost overall.
British battle positions penetrated at various points, especially near St. Quentin. The German advance forces 17 Royal Flying Corps Squadrons to evacuate airfields that are in danger of being overrun.
For 39,929 casualties Germans inflict 38,512 casualties (including 21,000 PoWs), take 532 guns, 46 ruined villages and 98.5 square miles of ground more than Allied 1916 Somme offensive in 141 days.
British defenders watch the advancing Germans appear through the mist on the first day of the Michael-Offensive. Fog aided the German attackers:
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Artois: British gas attack at Lens: 3,728 projectors fire 57t phosgene; 700 gassed (150 deaths).
Champagne: German diversionary attack between Maisons de Champagne and Navarin; hand-to-hand fighting in French forward trenches. Mustard gas attack on US 42nd Division.
General Pershing, Commander of the US Expeditionary Force in France, addressing his troops at Condrecourt:
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Naval and Overseas Operations
Destroyer action in North Sea between Allied and German flotillas (see October 17th, 1914).
Dunkirk bombarded by German destroyers, Ostend by British monitors; two destroyer actions, two German vessels (torpedo boats
A 7 &
A 10) sunk.
Mozambique: Official report of fighting 22 February 1918 at Msalu (Portuguese East Africa) and of occupation of Nampula by column from Mozambique.
Asiatic and Egyptian Theaters
Palestine: Passage of the Jordan by British forces (21st/23rd).
Political, etc
Germany: Kaiser Wilhelm: “We are at the decisive moment of the war, and one of the greatest moments in German history.”
United Kingdom: Miners under age 25 lose military service exemption (to recruit 50,000).
Romania: M. Constantine Arian appointed Romanian Foreign Minister (see 12th and November 8th).
United States: Railroad Control Act gives Federal control until 21 months after peace ratification.
Netherlands: Dutch shipping question to the fore.