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Key dates over July 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: 22

20th July 1916 - July heatwave - temperatures of 82 degress Farenheit

Rolling Casualty Count: 3844

At the Front:

1st Batt: 24th Brigade inspected by Gen Munro, CO first Army in fine weather.

2nd Batt: Bombardment of enemy started early, followed by the attack of the 19th brigade which lost heavily. No counter attack from the enemy. At9.30pm received orders to relieve the 7th Div at Bazentin. Several men were gassed.

3rd Batt: Marched to Authie and bivouacked in.

4th batt: Address from Brig Cayley who spoke words that will be remembered by all who survive this campaign.

2/7th Batt: Relief completed at 2.0pm and then work to repair parapets and to fetch in wounded and dead from No Mans` Land Salvage collected from the trenches.

10th Batt: In line north of Bazentin-le Petit to relieve 98th Brigade. Our troops driven out of High Wood and shelled with “tear” shells.

SMD RFA: brigade relieved by 120th Brig RFA and went to wagon lines at Couin.

On the Home Front:

July Heat Wave: Mr. G. Baynes Wetherall, of Severus Mount, records that: On April 26 and 27, the highest shade temperature reached 75 and 76. Three weeks later came the hottest spell of the season, 80, 81 and 82 degrees Farenheit being recorded on May 18-21, the highest point on the last mentioned day. Since then it has been continuously cool. On June 24, 76 degrees were recorded, and on Wednesday 78. Wednesday was the warmest day since the 21st of May.

Effect of Rainy Weather: Home front crops this year are late and supplies generally are short; prices consequently have been rather high. In Worcester and Evesham fruit prospects are decidedly poor. Pears will be scarce, and apples much below the average. Among plums the only crops likely to be up to average are Victorias and the yellow Pershore varieties, the latter being most in request for jam-making. Cold nights early in June caused blossom and the setting fruit to fall in some localities, and cold sunless weather since then has also had a prejudicial effect. Raspberries, currants, and gooseberries bear well, but rain has spoilt a large quantity of strawberries.

Sudden Death at Barbourne: The sudden death is reported from Barbourne of Mrs. Evans, of 9, Sandys Road. She rose at the usual hour and gave her husband breakfast before he started to his employment at Messrs. Finch’s Sidbury. Apparently she afterwards went to the bath-room, where she was found in a fainting condition. Mr. Radford, the father of Mrs. Evans, and also neighbours rendered immediate help, but she did not recover consciousness. Dr. Musson attended, but life was extinct. Mrs. Evans was about 59 years of age, and is said to have enjoyed fairly good health until Tuesday, when she complained of headache.

Information researched by the WWW100 team.