Western Front
Kaiserschlacht: Unternehmung Georgette, known in the west as
Battles of the Lys or the
German Lys Offensive: Local fighting to slight British advantage in Albert, Robecq and Wytschaete sectors. Near Villers Brettoneux and on Ancre river, some German concentrations are dispersed.
Austrian troops reported to be arriving in Belgium.
DH4 bombs Zeebrugge harbor mole (night April 22-23) as diversion for Royal Navy Zeebrugge Raid.
French Prime Minister Georges Clemenceau visiting the front and inspecting the British 33rd Division at Cassel: © IWM (Q 6550):
https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...692707970723846
French colonial troops moving up to the front near Domart: © IWM (Q 10950):
https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...723921884631046
British artillery officer using the shoulder of another soldier to act as a support for his telescope: © IWM (Q 6539):
https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...008277282836480
The remains of von Richthofen’s downed triplane on display:
https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...053578538504192
Naval and Overseas Operations
Νorth Sea: Zeebrugge Raid: St George’s Day Raid by British Dover Patrol: 3 old cruiser blockships; 9 monitors; 5 cruisers; 7 flotilla leaders, 44 destroyers on Zeebruge and Ostend (night April 22-23) (2 blockships miss). Zeebrugge Raid lasts 1 hour and costs 588 Royal Navy casualties mainly from 900-strong landing party that tries tο storm harbor mole. Obsolescent submarine
C.3 destroys viaduct linking mole to mainland; 24 CMBs and 60 Minelayers lay flanking smokescreen; 8 Victoria Cross won (King invests them on July 31) and 209 other decorations. Destroyer
North Star (35 casualties) sunk, probably by torpedo from Mole, and German destroyer probably torpedoed on inside. Germans dredge in 24 hours 60-feet wide channel round blockships, canal fully open within 3 weeks; coastal submarine
UB-16 uses it on April 24, larger boats diverted to Ostend, but raid a great British morale booster at home and in France.
The state of the entrance to the German destroyer and submarine base Zebrugge after the British raid:
https://i2.wp.com/ww2-weapons.com/w...-Raid.jpg?ssl=1
Adriatic: Destroyer action (night April 22-23) as 4 Austrian ships chased from West of Valona back to Cattaro by 5 British (Hornet suffers 32 casualties) and 1 French.
Political, etc
Germany: "Das neue Europa" publishes estimate of German losses up to 31 July 1917 as exceeding 5,000,000.
Lithuania: United Diets of Baltic Provinces request German Government to form them into a monarchy under King of Prussia.
United Kingdom: Mr. Bonar Law introduces the Budget.
India: Baluchistan: India Office announces unconditional surrender of Khotran Tribe.
Japan: Baron Goto Shinpei appointed Japanese Minister for Foreign Affairs (see 21st, and September 28th).
Denmark: Denmark conducts its Parliamentary election, which is the first election Danish women are eligible to vote. The Venstre (Left) Party wins the most seats.
Netherlands: Severe tension reported between Holland and Germany.
Armenia: The Trans-Caucasian Council decide to declare independence (night 22nd/23rd) lace September 20th, 1917 and May 6th and 26th, 1918). The Transcaucasian Democratic Federative Republic (based in modern-day Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia) declares its independence from Russia. and reopens negotiations with the Turks.