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Key dates over January 1916

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

Lives lost on this day: 1

18th January 1916 - Gales cause problems at Malvern Priory

Rolling Casualty Count: 2707

At the Front:

1st Batt: Took over trenches-a quiet relief, A Coy on the right ,D in the centre and C in the centre. B Coy at HQ White City dugouts.

10th Batt: Back to billets. Total casualties for 5 days in the trenches was 1 man killed and 8 men wounded.

SMRFA: Ordinary retaliations. Lt Col WE Walker Commanding 2nd East Lancs attached to Brigade for 4 days

On the Home Front:

Precarious Condition of Some of the Windows: The gales which marked the closing of the Old Year and the opening of the New caused anxiety in regard to some of the priceless glass of Malvern Priory, and proved the necessity of dealing with it without further delay. In the north clerestory several pieces of glass were blown in, but, fortunately, only the modern glass suffered. From the great east window, however, one piece of ancient glass was lost, and the rest of the window was buckled to an alarming extent. Wooden supports have been placed in position and work will proceed on the east window at once, while it was clear that other windows would need early attention… The Vicar had no doubt that in spite of the serious and difficult times in which they lived, many people would come forward to help preserve these windows, the importance and value of which could not be over-estimated, because it would be quite impossible to replace the ancient glass if anything happened to it. They ought to do all they could to keep the glorious windows of the Priory intact.

Pte. Gilbert Lycett, 21466, 4th Worcestershires, who has died at the Dardanelles, at the age of 20, used to live with his parents at 36, Happy Land North, St. John’s. In a letter to them, the Chaplain says: “ I expect by now you have heard the sad news of the death of your son on the hospital ship as he was returning to England. He was brought on board at Mudros, suffering from severe frost-bite in both feet on December 24th. He was very ill indeed, and gradually sank and passed away on January 1st. I hope you will accept my very deep sympathy. It was my sad duty to bury him that same day at sea with full military honours. I saw him several times before the end, and each time found him quite happy in his mind. He has died the noblest and most honourable of deaths in dying for his country. May God rest his soul and comfort you.”

Flying Officer Killed: On Monday morning Flight-Lieutenant Ross met a terrible death. It was fine and calm when he ascended in his biplane, and flew gently away in a southerly direction. Lieutenant Ross had reached a good height when it was seen that he had lost control of his machine, which came rapidly to the ground. The biplane immediately burst into flames, and all that could be seen when the fire was subdued were the charred remains of Lieutenant Ross’s body.

Worcestershire Comfort Fund: As a result of a sale in the Public Hall £370 was received for the various lots; £38 was received in subscriptions, and £5 for catalogues, making a gross total of £413. After the payment of expenses, about £400 will be available for the Comforts Fund. Part of the money will go to the Work Depot organised by Mrs. Price Hughes which is a part of the Comforts Fund; part to the prisoners of war, and the remainder to the provision of comforts for the battalions of the Regiment at the front.

Notification has just been received that Bandsman Walter Albert Brace, of the Gordon Highlanders, who has been missing since October 29th, 1914, is now taken to be dead. He joined the Worcester Volunteers in boyhood, and afterwards the 2nd Battalion of the Regiment, in which he served in India. He was brought home from Egypt with the Regiment when war broke out. After a very short stay in England they were sent to the front, and soon he was missing, but exhaustive enquiries have failed to find any trace of him.

Information researched by the WWW100 team.