Western Front
Unternehmen Michael/Second Battle of the Somme: Albert and Bray taken by German forces (see March 17th, 1917 and August 22nd and 27th, 1918). British make stand north of Somme on line Roeux-Ayette-Beaumont Hamel-Albert-Bray, Very heavy fighting south of Somme; Germans capture Lihons, Chaulnes, Roye and Noyon.
British Whippet light tanks first time in action: 12 rout 2 German battalions, helping ANZAC troops to plug Hebuterne-Collincamps gap in Third Army front after 22-mile retreat in 5 days.
The Whippet tanks of the 3rd Battalion Tank Corps move up first time into action near Maillet Mailly on this day:
https://i0.wp.com/ww2-weapons.com/w...nsatz.jpg?ssl=1
DOULLENS CONFERENCE: between Georges Clemenceau, Alfred, Lord Milner, Douglas Haig, Philippe Petain and Ferdinand Foch (all but Haig met at Compiegne at 1700 hours on March 25). "Doullens Agreement" concluded. At Haig’s proposal
FOCH APPOINTED TO CO-ORDINATE ALLIED MOVEMENTS (President Wilson approves on March 29) (see April 14th). [Note: Although labeled “Haig’s” proposal, this was a face-saving formality; the French had been pressing for this decision since before the American involvement, with confusion only about whom should be appointed. The British strongly resisted, and only reluctantly agreed in the face of nearly overwhelming disaster, and in fact, continued for the rest of the war to undercut Foch’s decisions when they perceived such decisions would lead to more British disasters].
Germany claims 45,000 British prisoners captured since the start of the offensive.
The ruins of Albert Cathedral, damaged by German (?) shelling: © IWM (Q 37367):
https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...0194176/photo/1
Foch immediately switches Marie-Eugène Debeney’s First French Army from St Mihiel sector towards Amiens and asks both Haig and Petain to maintain a united front. Petain makes a pessimistic report on his plans to fortify and defend Amiens 20 miles behind front. Foch retorts: ‘We must fight in front of Amiens. We must stop where we are now. As we have not been able to stop the Germans on the Somme, we must not retire a single centimeter!’
British and French military and government leaders meet in Doullens France to coordinate the war effort, and both governments agree General Ferdinand Foch should be appointed “commander-in-chief” of the Allied forces:
https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...6607106/photo/1
British Third Army uses 27 of its 34 Royal Flying Corps squadrons or over 250 aircraft for close support, total 29t (c.1437) bombs and 228,000 rounds by formations of up to 60 aircraft. RFC lose 50 planes (Germans claim 12 for loss of 5) for 10 German claimed. Both sides night bomb. RFC drop record of 1,326 bombs.
A wounded British soldier is carried past defensive positions manned by French soldiers near Roye: © IWM (Q 10824):
https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...0209025/photo/1
German artillery moving forward near Bapaume: © IWM (Q 51465):
https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...5424005/photo/1
A French cavalry patrol near the Amiens-Roye Road during the German offensive: © IWM (Q 10826):
https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...3731329/photo/1
Naval and Overseas Operations
St George’s Channel: Royal Navy
PC-51 depth charges and sinks
U-61, sinker of 36 ships (90,770t) since 1916.
Asiatic and Egyptian Theaters
Palestine: British cavalry advancing towards Amman (east of Jordan).
Mesopotamia: Action of Khan Baghdadi (26th/27th). British carry Turkish positions on Euphrates and claim 3,000 prisoners. A further source claims: H. T. Brooking’s c.11,000 men, 48 guns, 16 planes, 13 armored cars and 300 Ford vans storm 2 Turk trench lines and cut Aleppo road trapping 5,254 PoWs (including Nazim Bey, commander 50th Division), 12 guns and 47 MGs for 159 casualties.
Political, etc
United Kingdom: Churchill cables all factories for increased output and Easter holidays’ deferment (over 1,500 firms do); assures War Cabinet 2,000 guns ready for BEF by April 6. Light, Heating and Power Order, no lighting in public places after 10.30pm.
Japan: Prime Minister of Japan says gravity of situation in Siberia may shortly compel action.