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Key dates over February 1915

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Lives lost on this day: 2

2nd February 1915 - Flora's gift of Woodbines for the troops

Rolling casualty count: 629

1st Batt: ‘B’ Lines: A very wet day, very little firing on either sides. Germans shelled the vicinity of HQ in the afternoon. Royal Engineers completed the redoubts behind our lines, works constructed to hold 1 company and 2 machine guns; 2nd Batt: In billets at Essars. A draft of 25 NCOs and Men under Lt Wilmott arrived at 11pm; 3rd Batt: In billets at Locre.

Football: The City have signed on Samuel Salmon, well recommended as a player of ability. His position is either centre forward or right half. Salmon was a professional player for Leeds City at the age of 16, and assisted their second team in the Midland League. He scored 40 goals. He afterwards played for Birmingham FC;

An advance party of the Worcester Reserve Artillery went to Northampton this morning to arrange billets, etc. The Battery is under orders to leave Worcester on Wednesday. Recruits are still needed urgently, and it is expected that there will be a special campaign for recruits after the Battery has left;

Flora, the little daughter of Mrs Bullock, of 14 Newport Street, hoarded up her pennies until she had enough to purchase a box of “Tommy’s” favourite brand of cigarettes – Woodbines. These she sent to the 2nd Worcs at the front, and in acknowledgement she has received the following letter from Sgt. H Sheppard, of “A” Company, 2nd Batt:- Dear Little Missie, a few words of thanks on behalf of the soldiers and myself of No. 1 Platoon, for your box of ‘Wild Woodbines.’ They all wish you a very long and happy life, and think it is very kind of you to save your pennies, and instead of buying sweets to buy such a comfort to most of our soldiers, who are having a rough time. Still, they are going strong, and will try to maintain the name they have got up to the present in this compaign. It is the Kaiser’s birthday to-day. I hope it is the last he will have.”

Information researched by Sue Redding