Western Front
General d’Esperey (Northern Army Group) vainly asks Nivelle to let him attack retreating Germans (and on March 6 again), asks for tanks on March 9.
Aisne: French advance between rivers Oisne and Aisne, south of Mouvron.
German withdrawal on the Ancre and Somme front still continues. British troops advance two-thirds of a mile on a two-mile front.
Somme: British 8th Division (1,137 casualties) captures Bouchavesnes with 217 PoWs and repels six counter-attacks.
Verdun: German 28th Division attack on a 2-mile line, penetrates Caurieres Wood, and manages to capture 572 French prisoners. French artillery checks further advances.
French troops transporting a 240 mm heavy artillery gun near Beaurieux:
http://imgur.com/0cLcJTA* © IWM (Q 78287)
Naval aeroplanes bomb Brebach (Saarbrucken).
Eastern Front
Germany: Hoffmann diary ‘
The Russian Army is deteriorating.’
Romania: Romanians troops bombard near Calieni, but lose Magyaros Ridge on March 8 and fail to regain it on March 10 and 28.
Russia: Another Russian gas attack near Krevo (south-east of Vilna).
Southern Front
Isonzo: Italians form Gorizia Defence Command (3 corps) for Mt Kuk to Mt Santo sector under General Capello, Second Army reduced to IV Corps because of this.
Austrian attack east of Gorizia repulsed. Italians occupy heights in Costabella Mountains. Fighting in the Dolomites.
Political, etc.
Russia: Food riots in Petrograd (and on March 6 and 7).
France: Tubercular Ex-Soldiers Flag Day.
United Kingdom: War Office decides to form 9 tank battalions (total of 1,000 tanks).
Belgium: Flemish deputation received by German Chancellor.
United States: US Secretary of the Navy Daniels announces he will immediately exercise emergency powers to commandeer private shipyards to produce warships.
China: Chinese Cabinet decides to cut off ties with Germany, but President Li Yuanhong rejects the Cabinet’s decision.