Year 1917

World War One Diary for Monday, March 26, 1917: Palestine – First Battle of Gaza (until March 27): Dobell’s British Eastern Force (39,000 men and 136 guns against 16,000 Turks […]

World War One Diary for Sunday, March 25, 1917: Air War Western Front: Bishop gains first of 72 victories. Only one of 6 Sopwith two-seater (No 70 Squadron) survive reconnaissance

World War One Diary for Saturday, March 24, 1917: Eastern Front Russia – Russian Army proclaims loyalty to Provisional Government: Junior officer writes ‘There was a gulf between the troops

World War One Diary for Friday, March 23, 1917: Western Front Germans flood Oise valley and La Fare (French near suburbs on March 24). Nivelle confesses to King Albert that

World War One Diary for Thursday, March 22, 1917: Politics Russia: USA as first, Allies and Switzerland recognize Russian Provisional Government. Air War Eastern Front: German aircraft shoots down Russian

World War One Diary for Wednesday, March 21, 1917: Sea War North Sea: US tanker Healdton sunk (20 die) by U-boat in Holland safety zone. Politics USA: French Military Mission

World War One Diary for Tuesday, March 20, 1917: Western Front Aisne: Germans demolish irreplaceable medieval castle of Coucy-le-Chateau, 10 miles north of Soissons, to remove potential observation post. Artois:

World War One Diary for Monday, March 19, 1917: Sea War Mediterranean: U-64 sinks modern French battleship Danton (296 lost) southwest of Sardinia. Kaiser Wilhelm II approves announcement that Allied

World War One Diary for Sunday, March 18, 1917: Middle East Armenia Kemal C-in-C Turk Second Army (Deputy since March 5) in new Army Group Caucasus (Ahmed Izzet Pasha), only

World War One Diary for Saturday, March 17, 1917: African Fronts East Africa: Hoskins asks for 15,000 carriers per month to replace wastage plus 500 American light lorries (200 promised

World War One Diary for Friday, March 16, 1917: Air War France: German airship L39 shot down by French anti-aircraft fire near Compiegne (night March 16-17). Western Front­: Guynemer achieves

World War One Diary for Thursday, March 15, 1917: Politics Russia: TSAR ABDICATES. Miliukov new Russian Foreign Minister. Neutrals Switzerland: Lenin gets news of Revolution, envisages train journey through Germany

World War One Diary for Wednesday, March 14, 1917: Western Front Somme – MAIN GERMAN RETREAT TO THE HINDENBURG LINE begins (until April 5): German Second and First Armies involved.

World War One Diary for Tuesday, March 13, 1917: Western Front Britain: In London Haig and Nivelle sign clarifications of command spheres. Somme: British advance guard now 11 miles from

World War One Diary for Monday, March 12, 1917: Home Fronts Russia: FIRST RUSSIAN REVOLUTION (­until March 15). Whole 17,000 Petrograd garrison joins crowds. Temperature 0°F. Duma prorogued but forms

World War One Diary for Sunday, March 11, 1917: Middle East Mesopotamia: FALL OF BAGHDAD (population over 150,000). British troops enter before 0900 hours, find 600 sick and wounded Turkish

World War One Diary for Saturday, March 10, 1917: Sea War North Sea: Royal Navy submarine G13 sinks UC-43 off Shetlands. Eastern Atlantic: Epic action between NZ Shipping Co SS

World War One Diary for Friday, March 9, 1917: Air War Western Front: Richthofen (petrol tank and engine hit) leads fighters that shoot down 4 of 9 No 40 Squadron’s

World War One Diary for Thursday, March 8, 1917: Air War Germany: Dead of Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin, aged 79, pioneer of giant metal-framed rigid airships (civil and military) since

World War One Diary for Wednesday, March 7, 1917: Air War Occupied Belgium: New German Gotha bomber base of Scheldewindeke operational south of Ghent. Britain: 11 home air defence squadrons