Western Front
Somme: On February 26 and 27 British troops capture villages of La Barque, southwest of Bapaume, and Ligny; in past week gains on 11-mile front (south of Gommeccourt to east of Gueudecourt) to maximum depth of 3 miles.
Flanders: Successful British trench raid east of Armentieres.
Eastern Front
Near Jakobeny the Germans take several Russian positions on high ground and 1,300 prisoners.
Southern Front
Macedonia: Salonika:
KG 1 raids British Summerhill camp north of Salonika (376 casualties). Raiders intercepted by fighters of Nos 17 and 47 Squadrons; 1 Halberstadt escort fighter forced down and pilot taken PoW. Most of 47 Squadrons fighters damaged.
Asiatic and Egyptian Theaters
Mesopotamia: British cavalry reconnaissance Aziziyeh (until February 28) 50 miles west of Kut but supply shortage forces them back to river. Turkish losses since February 23 including 4,300 PoWs; 39 guns; 22 mortars and 11 MGs. Maude cables C-in-C India asking further advance approval after necessary supply pause till March 5.
Naval and Overseas Operations
US Cruiser
USS Des Moines is sent to the Ottoman Empire to carry supplies & rescue American refugees. Germany refuses to give safe conduct.
Royal Navy purchases the
HMS Nairana from Australia to be converted into a seaplane carrier:
http://imgur.com/WRzp1MF
Political, etc.
Germany: von Bethmann-Hollweg hails U-boat success and justifies breaking agreement with USA, saying it was conditional on America insisting on Great Britain respecting international law concerning "Freedom of the Seas".
Russia: Re-opening of Duma.
France: Calais Agreement: Lloyd George and French War committee (Briand and Lyautey) agree on Nivelle-Haig plan of operations. British agree (Haig reluctantly) that general conduct of imminent campaign should only be in hands of the French C-in-C subject to Haig’s usual right of appeal to London.
United Kingdom: British government seeks 2000 U.S.-made tractors to help support food production in Britain.
United States: President Wilson states that he considers sinking of Laconia the "overt act" for which he was waiting (see 25th and April 6th).
Wilson thanks Balfour for ‘
information of such inestimable value’ (Zimmermann telegram).
John M Browning demonstrates his new short recoil, water-cooled machine-gun. In a very short space of time the US Browning M1917 machine-gun was ordered into production in large numbers.
https://i1.wp.com/ww2-weapons.com/w...wning-M1917.jpg
Standard Oil Company seeks $150 million from the Allies for destroying Romanian oil fields during their retreat from the Central Powers.
Sweden: Train carrying invalided captured Russian soldiers, sent home by Germany through Sweden, suffers a crash, resulting in 50+ deaths.