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Key dates over March 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: 7

16th March 1916 - 1st Battalion march to Beugin

Rolling Casualty Count: 2806

At the Front:

1st Batt :In Gouay Servins am and then marched to More.

2nd Batt: More fatigues and then a hot bath and a change of clothes for all the Batt.

9th Batt: A stormy evening. Rameses made fast along the banks and a line of outpost was put out as a precaution against snipers.

On the Home Front:

A “Hard Case.” A Claines woman, appealing to the Tribunal to exempt her son, Percy Haines, aged 26, said: “Three of my sons have joined the Army, one of them has been killed, and this one has been rejected twice.” She added that her son lost about £15 on leaving a good situation in order to enlist. The military told him he would have to have his teeth attended to. He had them attended to, and went to join again, but they again rejected him. The mother said that she was partly dependent upon her son. It was pointed out that neither the man nor his employer applied, but part of the form had been filled in by the son. Eventually it was decided to take the case on its merits. The application was refused, the Chairman remarking that the case was a hard one, but the hardship was not more than other mothers suffered.

Ernest Pitcher, farmer, Little Comberton, applied for exemption for his milkman, Jesse Arnold. He had 75 cattle, 50 milking cows and four men with the cows. In reply to Mr. Cholmondelay, he said there was not a woman in the village who could milk. The Chairman: “Did you ever try a woman?” Applicant: “Yes.” The Chairman: “How did she do?” Applicant (laconically): “Spoilt ten cows.” Exemption was granted.

8th Battalion Man’s Illness: Pte. Duncan Roy, 1/8th Worcestershires, whose parents live in Shrubbery Avenue, has had a nervous breakdown, and been sent back behind the lines for rest. When on leave recently he married Miss Jones, of Broad Street.

A Former Worcester Vicar: The Rev. Thomas Francis Stewart (42) , one of the clergy at the Bishop’s College for Clergy, Hartlebury, was killed through the overturning of his motor-bicycle. He left the Guild House, Hartlebury, to ride to Droitwich where he was going to take service. Shortly afterwards, Dr. Dennis Fitch, Chaddesley Corbett, was driving his motor when he saw a motor-bicycle with side-car overturned by the side of the road. He found Mr. Stewart was pinned beneath the car, and that he was in a dying condition. Dr. Fitch took him to Kidderminster Infirmary, where he died shortly after admission… Mr. Stewart had been an enthusiastic footballer and played occasionally for the Worcester Rugby Club during its brief resuscitation a few years ago.

Lighting Offence: Mdlle. Emma Sophie Grun, New Baskerville, Shrubbery Avenue was summoned for contravening the Lighting Act. P.C. Merriman said that the light from the upper storey of the house, which was the boarding house for girls at the High School, illuminated a row of houses opposite. He explained that Mdlle. Grun had taken all precautions to conform with the Order. On the night in question the blinds were drawn properly, but it had long been the habit of children there to pull up the blinds and open the windows in order to get as much fresh air as possible. Unfortunately, a little girl forgot about the Order and pulled up the blind before the light was extinguished, a nd for about five minutes the light was unshaded. Defendant was fined 20s.

College Green Elms: The falling of one of the College Green elms (which proved to be quite hollow) warned the Cathedral authorities of the state of the others; and consequently a number of them are being felled. They are reputed to be about 200 years old. They made the Cathedral Close a picturesque place, besides affording grateful shade in the summer, and giving some charming glimpses of the Cathedral through the foliage. Years ago, on the occasion of the Three Choirs’ Festivals, it was the custom to erect a large marquee under the trees, in which luncheon s were served.

Lieut.-Commander Richard Hugh Loraine Bevan, R.N., who has received the Distinguished Service Order, is brother of Mrs. F. A. Hillard, of White Ladies, Worcester. The official record states that Lieut.-Commander Bevan has performed meritorious service on the Staff of Rear-Admiral Wemyss at the evacuation of Suvla and Anzac.

Information researched by the WWW100 team.