March 18th, 1941 (TUESDAY)
UNITED KINGDOM: London: Lord Woolton says that Britain should be ready for much greater restrictions and that she would have to go back to days of simpler living. He declares that the greatest need was in the animal protein group - bacon, eggs, cheese, and meat. he was greatly concerned about the shortage of some of these commodities, particularly of cheese. He says that England was so short of cheese that, if he week to ration it, the people would have a cube of one inch, per person, per week.RAF Bomber Command: 2 Group: 23 Blenheims from Nos. 21, 105 and 110 Squadrons attack Wilhelmshaven. Alternative targets of the harbour at Bremerhaven and oil tanks at Rotterdam were also attacked.
Later this evening 51 Blenheims are despatched to Wilhelmshaven of which 31 claim to bomb the target. Secondary attacks are also aimed at Ostend, Rotterdam, Waalhaven, De Kooy, barges in the Maas, searchlights at Enkhuisen and Emden. One aircraft FTR.
Submarine HMS Thorn launched.
GERMANY: Berlin: The Germans announce that the British have lost 3,784 aircraft between June 23, 1940 and end of February 1941.
U-464 laid down.
ALBANIA: Despite the official decision to discontinue their offensive, the Italians launch seven separate attacks south of the Vojussa river. (Mike Yaklich)
TANGIER INTERNATIONAL ZONE: Spain annexes Tangier. The international zone had been established in 1923 and 1924 by the Tangier Convention between France, Spain and the U.K. providing for permanent neutralization of the area and government by an international commission. International administration was restored on 11 October 1945.
EGYPT: C-in-C Middle East reports to War Office:
Night 16-17th FAA attacked shipping in Valona and Durazzo. Three certain hits including one on cruiser or destroyer, and two possible hits claimed.
C-in-C Middle East also reports to the Admiralty outlining the impossibility of sending naval forces to operate out of Yugoslavian ports to attack the Adriatic coast of Italy. They have insufficient forces as they must be used to cover the transfer of troops to Greece and even so the Yugoslav ports are wide open to air attack from aircraft based on the Italian mainland.
EAST AFRICA: GENERAL RAIMONDO LORENZINI, technically only the commander of the 2nd Colonial Brigade, but also the de facto tactical commander for the most important sector of the defenses of Keren (Italian East Africa) is killed. He had previously been placed in command of the four colonial brigades, including his own, which had defended Agordat. Lorenzini was killed while personally leading one of several (unsuccessful) counterattacks (they eventually numbered seven in a five-day period) aimed at recapturing the key position of Fort Dologorodoc, whose fall proved the turning point in the 57-day British/Commonwealth battle to take Keren and the precipitous pass leading up to it. Lorenzini, considered one of the best and brightest of the younger generation of colonial commanders, had previously fought in the original conquest of Ethiopia, and his brigade had been heavily involved in the tough fight for Tug Argan pass during the Italian capture of British Somalia in August 1940. (Michael F. Yaklich)
U.S.A.: Destroyers USS Cowie and Knight laid down.
ATLANTIC OCEAN: At 0400, Medjerda, a straggler from Convoy SL-68, was hit by one torpedo from U-105 north of the Cape Verde Islands, broke in two and sank within 30 seconds. The master, 51 crewmembers and two gunners were lost.