Air Operations, Europe

There is a heavy RAF raid on Berlin, the first of 10 such that will occur during 1941. Halifax 4-engined bombers participate in a night raid on Hamburg.

Battle of the Atlantic

The Swedish steamer Buenos Aires (5646t) is sunk by German bombing at Liverpool. Also sunk in the bombing is the British crane Mammoth (1542t).

The Blitz

There is a heavy night raid on Merseyside. In a 4-hour raid 340 bombers of Luftflotte III drop 300 tons of explosives and 64,000 incendiaries. The raid is opened by the pathfinders of KG100 and III/KG26. Also participating in this raid are He-111's of KG27, KG51 and KG55, and the Ju-88's of KG806 and KG76. The main target areas are the docks and the Cammell Laird's Shipyard. Considerable damage is done in the dock area. 2 ships are sunk and several more damaged at their moorings.

In Liverpool the Cotton Exchange, the General Post Office, the Municipal Annex and White Star Building are all set ablaze. West of Mersey, Birkenhead suffers the heaviest casualties where 264 people are killed. 3 hospitals are hit and many civilians are made homeless. 198 people die at Wallasey and 49 more in Liverpool.

Britain, Home Front

Churchill describes the Lend-Lease Act as a 'new Magna Carta'.

Britain, Preparations

British ships start to be 'degaussed' against the new German magnetic mines.

Greek-Albanian Front

Italian forces in Albania launch another offensive along the 130-mile front in an effort to throw the Greek forces back to their own territory.

United States, Politics

President Roosevelt presents an Appropriations Bill for Lend-Lease to Congress for $7,000,000,000. Winston Churchill thanks America: 'The government and people of the United States have in fact written a new Magna Carta.' It passes into law on March 27.