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Key dates over June 1915

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Lives lost on this day: 3

8th June 1915 - Worcester College for the Blind helping to rehabilitate blinded soldiers

Rolling casualty count: 1413

1st Batt: In billets at Le Franc’s factory in Estaires; 2nd BattL Battalion in billets at Verquin (8-14 June). Battalion at Training and exercised in Respirator drill; 3rd Batt: In trenches S. of Hooghe; Royal Field Artillery: Petit Pont: Nothing to report, wind NW, weather fine.

Body Found at Diglis: The body of a man of about 45 years of age was found in the Severn near the Diglis Dock this morning. At present it has not been identified. Apparently it had not been in the water very long, for upon it was a paper dated June 2nd. The body is that of a well-built man, between 40 and 45 years of age, and of about 5ft. 10ins. in height. He has short, curly hair, he was dressed in a black jacket, blue muffler, dark grey vest (braided round the pockets), and brown cord trousers;

Boat Race for Blind: A boat race has been arranged to take place, at the end of June, on the Thames, between a first four representing the Worcester College for the Blind and a crew of blinded solders from St. Dunstan’s Hostel in Regent’s Park… St. Dunstans provides a temporary home for 120 blinded soldiers and sailors, in which they are “taught to be blind.” They are taught to read and write Braille, also a trade. ..All the College crews are making excellent practice. Besides the race against the soldiers, and the College Old Boys, the present boys are anxious to race against sighted crews;

More Wounded at Battenhall Mount: Several soldiers who were treated at Battenhall Mount Hospital have now been discharged, but the numbers are being kept up to 61 by fresh arrivals. Three cases arrived from Birmingham on Monday, and today 13 are being conveyed by cars kindly lent by Messrs. MacNaught and Mr. H. Tyler (2). Beds are also reserved at the hospital for Territorials from the Worcester military station who may fall sick, and one is being treated there at the present time;

Work for Discharge Soldiers: Several offers of employment for discharged soldiers have been made to Major Reddie, Secretary of the Worcestershire Territorial Association, but so far no soldiers have registered themselves Such soldiers who are capable of light work are asked to register their names either with Major Reddie, of with Colour-Sergt. Malcolm, of the Discharged Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Association, Foregate Chambers. Preference will be given to those men who have been disabled on active service;

YMCA at Norton Barracks: The postal despatches through the YMCA at Norton Barracks have reached the enormous total of 50,175 (Letters, post cards, and parcels with 90 per cent being letters). 814 pledges have been taken. The figures themselves indicate the sue made of the YMCA by the men who stay in the Barracks…The Misses Binyon have kindly lent a new bagatelle board, so that the hut is now supplied with two bagatelle and one billiard tables, which, in spite of the sunny weather and cricket on the green, are never left idle. The band has now a mascot, a boar-hound, which headed the march for the first time as a draft was taken to Norton today.

Information researched by Sue Redding