Western Front
Kaiserschlacht: Unternehmung Georgette, known in the west as
Battles of the Lys or the
German Lys Offensive: Battle of Hazebrouck (see 15th).
Battle of Bailleul begins (see 15th): British re-occupy Neuve Eglise and repel further attack, but loses it on April 14 again.
Germans gain less than 1/2 mile vs British 34th and 59th Divisons. Ludendorff sacks II Bavarian Corps commander.
Continuous fighting round Wulverghem, Bailleul and Meteren, and at Festubert. Lys river front remains firm.
British soldiers at an improvised field kitchen. There is a lot of discouragement among British troops and desertions are coming. A Brit reported: ‘
It is not the bar to get in the doubt that the Germans will take the channel ports’:
https://i1.wp.com/ww2-weapons.com/w...ueche.jpg?ssl=1
Along the Meuse river, Americans north-west of Toul are twice attacked.
Long-range gun shells Paris by night.
German bombers raid Paris, causing around 100 casualties. Aftermath of the raid:
https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...710325936238593
Zeppelin Works near Friedrichshafen burnt out.
Portuguese soldiers heading to the front near Merville: © IWM (Q 360):
https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...438579622490113
British and Portuguese troops digging a trench through the town of Noeux-les-Mines, France:
https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...740532743229442
Eastern Front
Finish Civil War: Helsingfors captured by German forces (12th/14th) (see 3rd and 4th). Finnish Government announce that all German troops landed in Finland had been dispatched at their request.
Germans take Helsinki for 200 casualties, German troops in the city:
https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...408351751712768
White Western Army occupies Pori and its railway with Rauma on April 17.
Kuban: White Volunteer Army repulsed from Ekaterinodar, Lavr Kornilov killed by Bolshevik shell:
https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...773228588609536 . Anton Denikin succeeds and orders retreat north back to Don.
Asiatic and Egyptian Theaters
Sir A. A. Barrett's Gazette on Mahsud operations of 1917 published.
Palestine: Colonel Sir Ronald Storrs, the Military Governor of Jerusalem, and the men of the 1st Egyptian Infantry Battalion at the Mosque of Omar: © IWM (Q 12651):
https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...378136925294593
Armenia: Turks occupy Batum.
Political, etc
Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania: United Diets of Baltic Provinces adopt resolution to form themselves into a separate State within the German Empire.
Ireland: Irish Convention Report published.
South Africa: Mr. Hertzog's “seditious” speech, demanding separation.
Turkey: Transcaucasian Council break off peace negotiations with Turks.
Serbia: National Assembly of Yugo-Slavs, Croats and Slovenes at Agram take oath of solidarity.