Western Front
Unternehmen Michael/Second Battle of the Somme: Battle of Noyon phase. Noyon taken by German forces (see March 18th, 1917 and August 29th, 1918). Germans carry Bapaume in night attack; subsequently their advance, though less rapid than on previous two days, continues on whole front from Ervillers (north of Bapaume) to the Oise. Germans claim 45,000 prisoners since beginning of attack.
General Emile Fayolle takes command south of Somme; 7 French infantry divisions and 1 cavalry division now engaged. Germans oust Third Army from Bapaume. Noyon falls to night assault despite British 18th Division counter-attack. Gaps opening between BEF and French armies and between British XIX Corps (Herbert Watts) and XVIII Corps (Ivor Maxse).
Crisis of the battle: Hubert Gough summons his chief engineer Major-General Peter Grant and directs him to form scratch force (Constantine Carey’s Force until April 2) of 3,000 men with 92 MGs including 500 US rail engineers and hold line east of Amiens. John Pershing offers Philippe Petain 4 US divisions at 2200 hours; 2 relieve French divisions in quiet sectors. Haig, Wilson and Weygand meet at Abbeville.
An improvised battle group of French and British soldiers occupy a hastily prepared defensive position:
https://i0.wp.com/ww2-weapons.com/w...igung.jpg?ssl=1
Thick smoke rises up as British troops burn stores and hutments at Omiecourt during their retreat from the German offensive: © IWM (Q 10796):
https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...621257867980801
German officers cooking their meal in a trench at Roye: © IWM (Q 55244):
https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...845058505494528
Over 100 Royal Flying Corps aircraft ground attack to support BEF Third Army.
British pilot Captain John Lightfoot Trollope is credited with shooting down 7 German aircraft in a single day, the first British pilot to do so.
Eastern Front
Finish Civil War: Carl Mannerheim attacks Tampere (until March 28) against bitter resistance. Karelian Finn ski troops raid into Russia and cut railway to Petrograd (until March 26). Last Red attack on Ahvola (Karelia) just fails on March 26.
Naval and Overseas Operations
A view of the Italian minelayer
Partenope, torpedoed and sunk two days ago by the German submarine
UC-67 north of Tunisia:
https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...574536546865152
Asiatic and Egyptian Theaters
Palestine: British take Es Salt.
Mesopotamia: RFC Commander Colonel Tennant shot down and captured in DH4 at Khan Baghdadi by Euphrates (8 armored cars rescue him on March 28). RFC air liaison essential in British Khan Baghdadi victory, also make 32 ground attacks dropping 6,344lb of bombs (March 26-27).
Political, etc
Belarus: The Belarusian People’s Republic declares its independence from Russia in Minsk.
France: French composer Claude Debussy, associated with Impressionist music, passed away:
https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...876515449864192
United Kingdom: War Cabinet discuss possibility of BEF retreat to Channel ports.
Japan: Sino-Japanese Agreement to resist hostile influences.
United States: Mexican rebels cross the Texas border and raid a ranch, killing two. This is the last major attack by Mexican rebels on U.S. soil.