3rd May 1916 - Local Officer’s D.S.O

Rolling Casualty Count: 3109

At the Front:

2nd Batt: The gas alarm sounded in the early hours and the batt stood to. No gas was scented and Batt stood down after a while.

Yeomanry/Cavalry: The Brigade was withdrawn from the outpost line at Sha`uth to the Support line at Abasa Kabir.

SMD RFA: There was a visit from members of North Midland Division Artillery prior to the proposed relief.

On the Home Front:

Before the Tribunals: The Worcester Military Service Tribunal sat at the Guildhall on Tuesday evening –Mr. Hemming applied on behalf of Mr. Bertie Marshall for exemption for Frank Monk, who did heavy work in connection with a furniture business in the Shambles – work that could not be done by a woman. Four out of five assistants had gone. Conditional exemption till Sept. 30th; Mr Hemming applied on behalf of Thomas F. Roberts, St. John’s, proprietor of a milk round. Col. Webb said there could be no case of hardship for a woman could take the milk out. Applicant had been passed for general service. He was given until July 31st.

Worcester Divorce Case, an undefended suit: Mr Justice Shearman granted a decree nisi to Mrs. Doris May Yates, of “Langdale,” Worcester, for divorce from William Yates, a saddler, of the firm of Howter and Co., The Haymarket, London, on the grounds of his desertion and misconduct with a girl named Bridget Kane. The suit was undefended. Mrs. Yates said that the marriage took place in January, 1913. Last year, Mr. Yates made the acquaintance of Miss Kane, and left witness. In October she obtained a decree for restitution of conjugal rights, but this was not obeyed by her husband. Evidence of the husband’s misconduct was given, and his Lordship granted Mrs. Yates a decree nisi, with costs, and the custody of her two children.

Another Worcester Yeoman Missing: Mrs. Jaynes, 14, Somers Street, has received an official notification that her husband, Farrier-Sergt. E. Jaynes, of the Worcestershire Yeomanry is missing. He served in the South African War in the Royal Horse Artillery, being invalided. He joined the Yeomanry at the outbreak of war, and went abroad a year ago.

Soldiers’ Slang: Many people know some of the favourite words and phrases used by soldiers in their slang: for instance, “atcha” means “all right” ; “blighty,” home; “bundook,” a rifle; “chucking a dummy,” fainting on parade; “dog’s leg,” a lance-corporal’s single stripe: “scrounger,” a man of resource; “yob,” one who is easily fooled. There is an interesting chapter in Mr. Thomas Toole’s book, “The Way they Have in the Army” (John Lane), on Army slang, from which we quote the following explanation of some phrases: “Chancing his arm. – Exaggerating. Risking punishment by committing an offence in the expectation that it will not be discovered. A non-commissioned officer taking a risk like this is said to be ‘chancing his arm’ because he may, if discovered, be deprived of the stripes he wears on his arm.” “Doolally Tap. – When a soldier becomes mentally unbalanced, he is said to have received the ‘Doolally Tap.’ ‘Doolally’ is a corruption of the name of an Indian town, Deolali.” “Get your number dry. – A contemptuous instruction given by an old soldier to a younger one who has expressed views and opinions which his short experience has not warranted. A soldier’s number (regimental) is stamped in ink on his clothing when he first joins, and the longer he serves in the Army the drier the number is supposed to become.”

Accidents: Lance-Corpl. Charles Leonard Hopwood, of the Royal Engineers, was admitted into the Infirmary yesterday evening, suffering from a torn cartilage of the right knee. He had met with an accident with his horse; Eli John Addis Tudge, (71), 20, Easy Row, a railway employee, was admitted into the Infirmary suffering from fractures of the right leg. He was working with a railway cradle. It fell and fractured his leg.

Defence of the Realm Act: Advertisements in the Situations Vacant columns from Firms whose business consists wholly or mainly in engineering, shipbuilding, or the production of arms, ammunition, or explosives, or of substances required for the production thereof, are, in order to comply with Regulation 8 (b) of the above Act, subject to the following conditions: - “No person resident more than 10 miles away, or already engaged on Government work, will be engaged.”

Weights and Measures Offence: At the City Police Court, John Greenway, coal merchant, Blockhouse Wharf, was charged on two summonses for delivering less coal than was expressed on the ticket, and for not causing to be inserted in the ticket the correct weight of the vehicle containing coal. He said the “tare” was 13cwt, but when the load was emptied it was found that the “tare” was 2 quarters 12 lbs. in excess of the 13cwt. mentioned on the ticket, so that the coal delivered would be 2 quarters 12 lbs. short.

Local Officer’s D.S.O: Among the officers who have honoured for distinguished service in the field is Major Henry Arbuthnot Carr, Worcestershire Regt., who is awarded the D.S.O. Major Carr, who is now at Norton Barracks, joined the Regiment in 1899, and was wounded in the South African War. He is the son of Col. Carr, who formerly commanded the 2nd Battalion. Major Carr’s brother, Capt. M.R. Carr, was killed in action in the early stages of the present War.

Information researched by the WWW100 team.