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Key dates over May 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

10th May 1916 - Worcester postman loses an arm

Rolling Casualty Count: 3119

At the Front:

1st Batt: Relieved 2nd Royal Berks Reg at night at Souchez 1st Sector. There are 5 Lewis guns in the Front line. Two platoons of D Coy are at Souchez Station.

2nd Batt: Received orders to remain in Annequin South for 6 days and then to go into the Line for 2 days.. Heavy, but indiscriminate shelling of Annequin, but no damage done.

3rd Batt: A big enemy mine went up to the right of the line held by the Batt and another was known to be in preparation. A Staff Officer who visited the trenches was impressed by the calm and efficient way the troops carried on when a bomb came into the trench, hitting a Sergeant and 3 men. Then there was a bombing fight when men stepped forward in turn and threw bombs. When it was possible to get the 3 wounded men away, the Sergeant stayed by his post in spite of the splinters in his knee.

4th Batt had a general clean up and baths before moving up to the main camp. A working party of 320 men were digging trenches for cables

On the Home Front:

Postman loses an arm: Mrs. B.A. Chance, of 78, Malvern Road, Worcester, has received information that her husband, Rifleman W.H. Chance, of the Post Office Rifles, has been admitted to hospital with a severe gunshot wound in the right arm. A later letter from the Assistant Matron of the hospital states that is has been found necessary to amputate the arm, and adds that Rifleman Chance, though better, is still in a serious condition. He was formerly a Worcester postman, and joined the Army about 12 months ago.

Too much light: William Spalding, 69 Lowesmoor, and Agnes Clara Done, 24 Lowesmoor, were both summoned for contravening the Lighting Order. P.C. Mason, who had reported both cases, was ill with influenza, but the first defendant pleaded guilty and Inspector Bradley was able to prove the second case, in which a plea of not guilty was entered. Mr. Spalding said that the blind was drawn, but he admitted that a gas light showed through. In Mrs. Done’s case a bedroom blind was not drawn, but she said that the light was shaded. Each defendant was fined 10s.

Head Lights: Horace Fitter, was summoned for using head lights on his car in Broad Street. P.C. Wynne stated the facts, and the defendant, who pleaded guilty, said he had no knowledge that head lights were prohibited. The case was dismissed on the payment of costs.

No License: Sergt. Edward Langley, Royal Engineers, was summoned for driving a motor-cycle without a license. P.C. Sparkes said that there was an accident (not the defendant’s fault) and then he saw that the defendant had not a license. Defendant said that he was on military duty, and he had no idea that he had to have a license. Dismissed on payment of costs.

Information researched by the WWW100 team.