Western Front
Allied air raids on Metz district.
South of Lens British line is advanced slightly.
Alsace: French repulse attack near Anspach with heavy loss.
South African ace Lieutenant Beauchamp-Proctor scores first of 54 victories.
A Bristol Fighter prepares for a mission on a wintry day:
https://i0.wp.com/ww2-weapons.com/w...y-day.jpg?ssl=1
British soldiers marching through the destroyed village of Metz-en-Couture, France: © IWM (Q 8385):
https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...187165233643521
British soldiers practicing a pantomime of “Cinderella” at Bapaume: © IWM (Q 8378):
https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...247565094588417
Eastern Front
Brest-Litovsk: Ukrainian delegation arrives. Bolsheviks propose moving talks to Stockholm (Central Powers refuse on January 9).
Southern Front
Austrians bomb Treviso and Padua.
British and French troops in Italy successfully carry out raids across the Piave River, capturing Austro-Hungarian and German prisoners.
Asiatic and Egyptian Theaters
Palestine: Royal Flying Corps bomb airfields at El Afule and Jenin (until January 4).
Political, etc
Russia: Sir J. Buchanan, British Ambassador in Petrograd, granted leave of absence (that is, recalled).
France: French novelist Georges Lecomte proposes that the French families should adopt American soldiers for the duration of the war to forge closer ties between the two nations.
United Kingdom: (Listed for yesterday): Edward Burnett Tylor, English anthropologist who founded the subfield of cultural anthropology, passed away:
https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...172051088658432
The first Air Council is formed and Harold Harmsworth, Lord Rothermere is appointed the first Secretary of State for the Air Force (re-titled Secretary of State for Air from March 1918). Hugh Trenchard first Chief of Air Staff.
Man-power Conference between Government and Trades Unions addressed by Sir A. Geddes.
British Labour Party proposes that the national minimum wage, democratic control of industry, reform of national finance, and use of surplus wealth for the common good be instituted after the war.
Spain: King Alfonso of Spain signs a decree dissolving the government. Elections will be held on February 24.