20th March 1917 On this day: Reliefs   236th London Brigade Royal Field Artillery report C236 Battery first section relieved one section of B104 Battery today from Corps Reserve and took over B235 Battery Wagon Line. War Diaries Hospital ship    HMHS Asturias HMHS Asturias The Asturias was built in 1907 for the Royal Mail Steam Packet Co. and went into service on the Southampton - Buenos Aires run. When war with Germany was declared in 1914 she was requisitioned by the Admiralty and converted into a Hospital Ship. Within a few months she was handed over to the Army and was soon employed making regular crossings to France carrying back the wounded from the Western Front. She had accommodation for 896 patients, but on one occasion due to very heavy casualties at the Front, she transported 2,400 sick and wounded. She served in the Eastern Mediterranean during the Dardanelles Campaign, returning wounded from Gallipoli, Egypt and Salonika to the UK. In March 1917 after landing her wounded at Avonmouth, she was attacked by German submarine and struck by a torpedo which blew off her stern, killing 35 of her crew. She was declared a total loss, but her hulk was put to use as a floating ammunition store at Plymouth for the rest of the war. Remarkably, her hulk was repurchased by Royal Mail Line in 1920 and rebuilt as a Cruise Liner, renamed Arcadian, she operated Mediterranean and West Indies cruises until 1930, and was finally scrapped in 1933. Hospital Ship or Ambulance Service during WW1. Medical Staff strength. Officers:8 Nurses:24 Other:65 Accommodation capacity. Officers: Cots:413 Berths:483 Period of Service as Hospital Ship or Ambulance Transport. Date From:22nd August 1914 Date To:21st March 1917 Ships Crew details: Asturias was torpedoed by UC-66 on the 20th March 1917 with the loss of 35 crew members. John Doran  Musketry and scouting courses Conclusion of Railway Work   6th Battalion Lincolnshire Regiment 20th to 23rd March - HQ, A and C Companies Thievres, B and D Companies St Leger engaged on Railway Construction Work and Specialist Training. Major CH French joined the Battalion on the 22nd March. Railway work ceased on the 23rd March preparatory to move to Orville. war diaries  Sherwoods relieve Leicesters    FIENVILLERS March continued from FIENVILLERS to NEUVILLETTE (HQ, A & D Coys) RANSART (B & C Coys) 18th DLI war diary WO95/2361/1  On Leave  Patrol  Artillery Active  Sulky  Training  Roads  Work Parties  Reliefs  Wet Day  Reliefs Complete  Wet Weather  On the March    In Billets  Award  Training  In Camp  Patrols  On the March  Baths  4th day of advance  More trench salvaging  In Billets  Composite Division Formed  Class of instruction  General clean up and clothes fitting parade.  Orders  Battalion in Camp.  Operational Order 151.  On the Move  Orders  Conference of Company Commanders. Can you add to this factual information? Do you know the whereabouts of a unit on a particular day? Do you have a copy of an official war diary entry? Details of an an incident? The loss of a ship? A letter, postcard, photo or any other interesting snipts? If your information relates only to an individual, eg. enlistment, award of a medal or death, please use this form: Add a story.

Killed, Wounded, Missing, Prisoner and Patient Reports published this day. This section is under construction.

Want to know more about 20th of March 1917? There are:37 items tagged 20th of March 1917 available in our Library   These include information on officers, regimental histories, letters, diary entries, personal accounts and information about actions during the Great War.

Remembering those who died this day, 20th of March 1917. Pte. William Gibson. 24th (Tyneside Irish) Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers Read their Story. Pte. John Charles Lake. 1st Bn. Border Regiment Pte. M. Touhy. 2nd Garrison Btn. Royal Irish Rifles Read their Story. Add a name to this list.

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