Battle of the Atlantic

• The British anti-submarine trawler Lady Lillian is sunk by German bombing 150 miles southwest of Bloody Foreland.
• U-106 sinks the Dutch steamer Almkerk (6810t) off the coast of West Africa. The entire crew of 66 survive. Some are picked up by the British steamer Martand, the rest make it in lifeboats to French Guinea.
• In an attack on Convoy HX-112 U-99 sinks the Norwegian tankers Ferm (6593t) and Beduin (8136t) southwest of Iceland. All 35 of the crew of the Ferm are picked up by the British corvette Bluebell. 4 crewmen are lost from the Beduin; 20 survivors are picked up by the British steam trawler River Ayr, 10 by the Icelandic trawler Hilmir. Also sunk by U-99 are the British tanker Venetia (5728t), the Canadian steamer J. B. White and the Swedish steamer Korshamm (6673t). The entire crew of the Venetia is rescued by the British corvette Bluebell. 2 are lost from the Canadian steamer and 26 from the Swedish steamer.
• After attacking Convoy HX-112 Kretschmer's U-99 is depth charged by the British destroyer Walker. Damage to the ship is too great to continue so she is scuttled in the early hours of March 17 southeast of Iceland. 3 of the crew have been killed but there are 40 survivors. During the same convoy action Schepke's U-100 suffers the same fate. The ship is rammed by the destroyer Vanoc and depth charged by the Walker. 38 are killed with 6 survivors. These sinkings, combined with the loss of Prien 10 days previously, are a severe blow to the morale of U-boat crews as well as a serious military loss because of their unusual ability. The sinking of U-100 is symbolic as being achieved with the aid of new radar equipment which had located the U-boat on the surface from the Vanoc. Kretschmer is captured after his ship is sunk.
• The Norwegian steamer Elna E. (1174t) sinks on a mine 18 miles southwest of Lundy Island with the loss of 1 crewman.

The Blitz

Bristol is heavily bombed. Despite it being a foggy night over most of Britain 184 bombers of Luftflotte III make it through to Bristol. 55 tons of high explosives, numerous parachute mines and 11,000 incendiaries are dropped starting about 150 fires. Most of the damage is in the city center. Districts suffering the most damage are Eastville, Fishponds and Whitehall.

Bristol was the fifth most heavily bombed British city during the war.

Damage in Bristol

German Raiders

The assault of Allied shipping continues by the German battlecruisers Scharnhorst and Gneisenau while the British fleet searches for them. The British steamer Sardinian Prince (3491t) is sunk by the Scharnhorst, the entire crew made prisoners. Also sunk by the Scharnhorst are the Dutch steamer Mangkai (8298t) with some of the crew taken prisioner, the British steamer Silverfir (4347t) with the loss of 1, and the British steamer Demeterton (5251t) with the entire crew taken prisoner. Ships sunk by the Gneisenau include the British steamer Empire Industry (3721t) with the entire crew made prisoners, the Norwegian steamer Granli (1577t) with the entire crew being rescued, and the independent steamer Chilean Reefer (1739t) with the loss of 9 of her crew.

Germany, Home Front

• In a speech in Berlin Hitler says: 'England will fall. Eternal providence does not let those be victorious who are ready to shed the blood of men merely for the attainment of their own ends.'
• The German luxury line Bremen is set on fire and destroyed while camouflaged in Bremerhaven awaiting use as a troopship. Initially believed to be the work of raiders, the arsonist is later said to have been a young boy avenging a punishment.

Greek-Albanian Front

The Italian offensive is called off. In the past few days they have incurred 12,000 casualties and taken absolutely no ground. However, the Greeks have been compelled by the Italian offensive to do nothing to strengthen their forces elsewhere which face the German threat.

Italian East Africa

A small British force arriving by sea from Aden in 2 light cruisers, 2 destroyers and 7 other vessels lands and captures the port of Berbera in British Somaliland which has been occupied by the Italians. The capture takes only a little time and immediately afterward they begin to advance inland or westwards towards the Ethiopian border. There are also British gains in the battle around Keren. The 5th Indian Div, which has been unable to advance on the first day, now takes the Dologorodoc position south of the Keren road. The next 5 days are dominated by Italian efforts to mount conterattacks.