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Key dates over October 1914

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Lives lost on this day: 7

27th October 1914 - Pershore takes in Belgians

Rolling casualty count: 303

2nd Batt: Gheluvelt: Remained in reserve until ordered to support an attack by the 6th Infantry Brigade. Having arrived at the rendezvous orders received to return to their bivouac.

3rd Batt: La Quinque Rue: Enemy attack between midnight and 1am chiefly directed at Manchester Regt. Enemy driven off 1:30 am, rest of night quiet. Very heavy shelling during the day.

Norton man recommended for service in the field: Cpl Johnson, who is with the Expeditionary Force, wrote to his wife at Norton saying: ‘You will be glad to hear that may name has been sent to the War Office recommending me for service in the field…but let me tell you I do not deserve it, because I did nothing brave, and what I did do was of necessity. While we were in the tranches at Vailly, we were attacked by the enemy in overwhelming numbers, and forced for a short time to retire from the trenches to another position. I was left with about 7 men in the trenches, and could not get away with the others, on account of the enemy shelling us. It was here and from those shells that I got my slight wound in the leg. As soon as the shelling had ceased I got away with the other men. So you see it was a case of necessity. We were not long out of the trenches, for the enemy retired with loss, and left us to take up our position again.’

The first batch of Belgian refugees arrived in Pershore this evening. A large crowd gave them a hearty reception. The first to take the work of providing for the refugees was Mr Lacey, of Eckington. He recently purchased a house in pershore, and at once placed this at the disposal of the Refugee Committee. The refugees would be housed and maintained at Laugherne House until the war was over. He is providing for 3 families, consisting of 15 persons. Many residents of the town gave or lent Mr Lacey furniture, by which to make the house comfortable. The refugees are of the fisherman class, and at the siege of Ostend they made for the open sea in a small boat, as a means of escape. They drifted in for over 24 hours, and were eventually picked up by a passing vessel and conveyed to Folkestone

Information researched by Sue Redding