On This Day - 18 March 1917
Theatre definitions:
Western Front comprises the Franco-German-Belgian front and any
military action in Great Britain, Switzerland, Scandinavia and Holland.
Eastern Front comprises the German-Russian, Austro-Russian and
Austro-Romanian fronts. Southern Front comprises the
Austro-Italian and Balkan (including Bulgaro-Romanian) fronts, and
Dardanelles. Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres comprises
Egypt, Tripoli, the Sudan, Asia Minor (including Transcaucasia), Arabia,
Mesopotamia, Syria, Persia, Afghanistan, Turkestan, China, India, etc.
Naval and Overseas Operations comprises operations on the seas
(except where carried out in combination with troops on land) and in
Colonial and Overseas theatres, America, etc. Political, etc.
comprises political and internal events in all countries, including Notes,
speeches, diplomatic, financial, economic and domestic matters.
Source: Chronology of the War (1914-18, London; copyright expired)
Western Front
British occupy Chaulnes and Peronne and advance on 45-mile front from Chaulnes to Arras.
Great air activity.
French occupy Noyon, Nesle, Guiscard, etc., and advance on 40-mile front.
Zeppelin brought down at Compiegne.
Germans launch heavy attack against Avocourt-Mort Homme sector (Verdun).
Ramsgate, etc., shelled: no casualties.
Southern Front
After five days' fighting French capture 1,200 Bulgarians, a mile of trenches north-east, and village of Svegovo, north of Monastir.
Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres
Russians enter Van (Armenia).
Naval and Overseas Operations
German destroyers fire on Kent coast towns (Ramsgate, etc.): no casualties.
Sinking of three U.S. steamers, 14,600 tons gross shipping, reported.
Political, etc.
Russian Press urges loyalty to Allied cause; commission inquires into delinquencies of former ministers; food question, in hands of Zemstva, etc., becomes less acute.
