Sea War
North Sea: LAST GERMAN HIGH SEAS FLEET SORTIE (until April 24). Vain bid from 0500 hours, initially undetected (Scheer eliminates radio traffic), to attack British Norwegian convoys (81 ships off Forth nowhere near Norwegian waters). Hipper finds nothing, sends back battlecruiser Moltke with engine trouble (40 miles southwest of Stavanger). Distress signal (April 24) alerts Room 40 and Grand Fleet’s 35 capital ships (including 4 US battleships) plus 111 cruisers and destroyers put to sea from Rosyth in record 1 1/2 hours. Battleship Oldenburg takes Moltke in tow but she is torpedoed by British submarine E42 on April 25 before she and whole fleet of 17 battleships re-enter harbour.
Western Front
Britain: Special Haig dispatch reports 102 German divisions engaged since March 21.
SommeÂ: Heavy German attacks at Albert and between Somme and Avre. US 1st Division enters line opposite Cantigny (west of Montdidier) between French IX and VI Corps.
Politics
Guatemala: Government declares war on Germany.
Austria: Hungarian Prime Minister Dr Werkerle says Emperor’s peace letter had German agreement.
Britain: MajÂor-General Tom Bridges military adviser to Lord Reading in USA.
