8th March 1916 - Grouped men Attested under Lord Derby’s Scheme

Rolling Casualty Count: 2793

At the Front:

2nd Batt: batt marched to billets at Beuvry and relieved the 16th KRRs.

9th Batt: Troops saw and smelled the big oil refineries at Abadan to which the long pipe-line from Ahwaz brought down the oil, (vital to the British Navy,) the original cause of the expedition to Mesopotamia.

SMD RFA: One section of 2nd Batt Worcs moved back to old position SE of the Chateau La Haie.

On the Home Front:

Edwin Peter Bott of Bromsgrove was charged with keeping a dog without a license. It appeared that the dog was “at walk” with defendant, but belonged to Mr. H.G. Ludlow, Bromsgrove Guild, who lives at Malvern. When the police called upon defendant he referred them to Mr. Ludlow, who had stated he would see the police authorities. He was unable to do so for some days, and in the meantime, a summons was issued. Mr. Ludlow said he had kept dogs “at walk” for thirty years in different parts of the country. Sometimes he had had one license for ten or a dozen dogs. Until this year the police had always applied to him, and he had adopted this course to save them trouble. Supt. Chare submitted that the license should be left with the man who kept the dog. In dismissing the case, the Chairman (Major Baldwin said the Bench were satisfied that Mr. Ludlow had a license for the dog, but they considered he had adopted a wrong practice. Supt. Chare intimated that in similar cases in future he would summon the person who had charge of the dog for failing to produce a license.

The matinee at Worcester Theatre Royal was an occasion which will live long in the memory of the people of Worcestershire and the West Midlands. Principally it was so for the emergence from her long notable retirement at Broadway of miss Mary Anderson, who held a unique position on the London stage in the 1880s, but who had retired after her marriage with Mr. de Navarro at the close of that decade...On this notable reappearance in “Comedy and Tragedy” at the Theatre Royal, it was the claims of the Worcestershire Regiment Disabled Soldiers’ Fund which appealed to her. The needs of our brave but maimed fighting men, the histrionic attractions of Miss Mary Anderson , and the artistic attractions of the distinguished amateurs and musicians who assisted, made an irresistible appeal to the people of the countryside. Nearly all the nobility of the county were “patrons” of the matinee, and the audience (composed of people of position and circumstance from far and near) filled the Theatre at prices far higher than are normally charged, with the result that a handsome sum was raised for the Fund.

Piper Laidlaw Inspects Scouts: Piper Laidlaw VC, who is also a Scoutmaster, inspected Worcester Boy Scouts to the number of 170, who were paraded at the Guildhall…At the call of Scoutmaster Davis, the Scouts, with hats on poles, gave three hearty cheers for Piper Laidlaw who thanked them very much for their kind welcome. Being an old Scoutmaster, he knew what boys were, and he always took a deep interest in them. Out of 50 boys he had when he started Scouting some few years ago, 32 had gone to the Front, and seven had been killed. He was very pleased to see such a fine body of Scouts, and a lot of them would be needed “out there” if the war went on much longer. If they went out he had no doubt they would do their duty.

Pte. Hardwick, son of Mr. Hardwick, of Bath Road, Worcester, who was one of the party of 8th Worcestershires to be captured by the Germans on Feb. 18th, has written a card to his father stating that he is wounded and a prisoner. Writing from Giessen on Feb. 23rd, Pte. Hardwick says: “I am quite all right. My wounds are getting on nicely, so don’t worry. I have no complaints to make regarding treatment since I was captured. You may send me parcels whenever you like, and also as many letters as you like.” Pte. G. Bates, also a prisoner at the same camp, has written to his wife, stating that he is safe and sound, and adds, “I am being treated like a “gentleman.” Lce.-Corpl. Pegg says he is quite well and asks for bread and butter, cakes, socks, and cigarettes.

Many Worcester People Summoned: At the City Police Court, a number of persons were summoned for contravening the reduced lighting order. Lieut.-Colonel J.S. Winnington, 1 Holywell Hill, was the first defendant. P.C. Guy stated that he saw a light from one of the bedrooms of Lieut -Col. Winnington’s house. Defendant said that it was quite an oversight. He thought, in courtesy, some warning might have been given to him by the police. The Mayor said that hundreds of notices had been issued, and the police could not warn everybody, or they would have nothing else to do. Lieut-Colonel Winnington said he appreciated that. The Mayor: Twenty shillings – or a month. (Laughter.); Albert Edward Bishop, boot dealer, 36 The Tything, pleaded not guilty. P.S.Steadman said that defendant’s shop was shut, but there was a light shining through the fanlight of his house. Defendant contended that the light could not be seen because a pillar obscured it. The enemy could not see it unless he came down The Tything. Fined £1. Defendant: “I suppose I shall be asked to fight for my country next week?” The Chief Constable: “You won’t want so much light there.”

Grouped men Attested under Lord Derby’s Scheme. Please note:

1) The Instructions contained in the notice paper calling up each man who is required to join, must be strictly complied with.

2) Evert man must be in possession of the white card (A.F.W. 3194) issued to him at the time of Attestation, also his armlet, both of which will be handed over to the Recruiting Officer at the Office where he is required to present himself.

3) It is essential that all men who have married since the 5th August, 1915, should bring with them their marriage certificates, in order that no delay may be caused in the issue of Separation Allowance to their wives.

(Signed) T. Baker (Major), Recruiting Officer

Mr. Stickyback’s Enlargments: Artistically Finished in Black and White, or the Popular Purple Brown Tones, Mounted on Superior Mounts. THE PRICES ARE REMARKABLY LOW: Size 15ins x 12 ins. 1/6d; 18ins. X 14ins. 2/9d. STICKYBACK’S STUDIO, 59, Broad Street, Worcester.

Information researched by the WWW100 team.