Western Front
12-20 March: This period is marked by greatly intensified air operations on the part of the Luftstreitkräfte (the German Army Air Corps), enabling it to gain air superiority on the Somme sector. Over the Somme, 730 German aircraft, including 326 fighters, are opposed by 579 Royal Flying Corps aircraft, which include 261 fighters.
Daylight air-raid by British on Coblenz.
Western Front: Richthofen’s 64th victory in Jasta 11, clash with 9 Bristol Fighters of No 62 Squadron (4 lost). Next day (March 13) Richthofen’s c.35 fighters destroy 4 aircraft but lose 3 Fokkers and 1 Albatros (including Lothar von Richthofen wounded in crash).
A Fokker Dr.I from von Richthofen’s unit taxis under horse-power on the airfield:
https://i1.wp.com/ww2-weapons.com/w...aerke.jpg?ssl=1
Britain: Zeppelin raid on Yorkshire; Hull bombed, one woman killed. Woman dies of shock, another wounded when Navy Zeppelins
L-61,
L-62 and
L-63 bomb Hull; dense cloud prevents attack on Midlands objectives, 2 of 3 Giant bombers divert to Boulogne;
L-42 (Dietrich) drops 21 bombs on West Hartlepool docks (47 casualties, night Mach 13-14).
The French Ministry of War after it was bombarded by German aeroplanes:
https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...162981155655681
“Repulse” of big German trench raid on Portuguese near Laventie.
Eastern Front
Finish Civil War: German troops land at Aabo (Finland), and advance inland.
Red offensive in Karelia ends, Whites 11,700 men strong
Ukraine: Linsingen occupies Odessa, Austro-German row over precedence. Austrians capture 3 Russian midget submarines at Reni, river Duna.
Siberia: Sino-Japanese volunteers fight Reds at Blagoveschensk.
Southern Front
Salonika: Royal Flying Corps derail Bulgarian train near Porna, shoot German plane into Lake Tahinos (March 13), bomb Drama airfield hitting 4 hangars (March 22, more raids follow).
Macedonia: 3,000 Russians riot at internment camp near Vertikop, French cavalry unit restores order with sabers. Greek 1st (Larissa) Division (12,000 men with 16 guns) begins move to Struma valley, enters British sector line from March 26; 13th (Chalcis) Division replaces 1st Division in Naresh training area.
Naval and Overseas Operations
Mozambique: German-aligned forces driven from Poluvu.
Asiatic and Egyptian Theaters
Mesopotamia: Erzerum retaken by Turkish forces (see February 16th, 1916).
Palestine: British advance three miles on 7-miles of coastal sector, taking 5 villages and 112 PoWs.
Political, etc
Romania: General General Alexandru Averescu, Romanian Premier and Foreign Minister, resigns (see 21st, and February 9th).