Key dates over November 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
Lives lost on this day: 49
5th November 1916 - Victoria Cross for Lt Bennett
Rolling casualty count: 4853
2nd Batt: The attack was launched at 11.13am preceded by artillery creeping barrage. Mirage trench was found to be full of dead Germans. Five officers including 3 NCOs were killed in the 1st part of the attack. Lt EP Bennett was wounded as he reached sunken Road and his wounds were bandaged by a Frenchman. As the smoke cleared he could see that the attack had stopped so he found a spade and cut a strip in the bank and rallied the troops to follow him and the whole batt followed him “Like a swarm of rats.”. The Germans fell back and the Batt pushed forward 500 yards and consolidated-trench then called Bennett Trench. For his bravery and leadership, Lt Bennett was awarded the VC. The battle was Transloy Ridges.
4th batt: The Batt transport animals were inspected by ADVS. Church Parade was at the YMCA at 10am.
Yeomanry/Cavalry: Hostile aeroplanes flew over the camp most days but today reserved their bombs for El Abt and the railhead where they were shot at by antiquated anti-air-craft guns.
Home Front:
An inquest was held respecting the death of Norah Morris Kirkham, aged 1 year, the daughter of William Henry Kirkham, Bean Hall Mill, Feckenham. Hannah Kirkham, the mother said that she left home, taking Norah and another daughter, aged 3 with her to meet her two older daughters coming from school. She had to go over a footbridge over a brook. The bridge was wet and slippery, and witness’s foot slipped, and she fell backwards through the handrail. Norah fell into the water. She was carried down the stream and over a waterfall about 10 feet deep. Witness prevented her other child from falling into the water and rescued the child who was dead. Witness tried artificial respiration, but without effect. The bridge was about 20 inches wide, and very dangerous, the handrail was at the bottom, but there was none at the top of the bridge. The Jury returned a verdict of “Accidentally drowned.”
Information researched by The Worcestershire World War 100 team
Casualties
- Pioneer Albert Clark 129244 - Royal Engineers
- L/Sgt Wilfred G. Williams 14144 - 2nd Bn Worcs Reg
- Pte Sidney Wilce 40216 - 2nd Bn Worcs Reg
- L/Cpl Charles Whitehouse 13624 - 2nd Bn Worcs Reg
- Capt Edmund Jarvis Leith Warlow 2nd Bn Worcs Reg
- Pte George Ernest Vaughan 27495 - 14th Bn Worcs Reg
- L/Cpl Frederick George Tucker 13508 - 2nd Bn Worcs Reg
- Pte Frederick Charles Stone 20300 - 1/8th Bn Worcs Reg
- Pte Joseph Stokes 5101 - 1/8th Bn Worcs Reg
- Sgt Cyril Gibson Smith 13909 - 2nd Bn Worcs Reg
- Pte Benjamin Mountford Pugh 4886 - 1/8th Bn Worcs Reg
- L/Cpl Wilfred Home Porter 40209 - 2nd Bn Worcs Reg
- Pte Thomas Reginald Pearce 40247 - 2nd Bn Worcs Reg
- Pte Ronald Bertie Parkhouse 40246 - 2nd Bn Worcs Reg
- Pte Arthur George Nott 31316 - 2nd Bn Worcs Reg
- Pte Joseph Mills 28328 - 2nd Bn Worcs Reg
- Pte John Malley 14174 - 3rd Bn Worcs Reg
- L/Cpl Jonathan William Mallen 22113 - 2nd Bn Worcs Reg
- Pte Ernest Edwin Lever 39697 - 2nd Bn Worcs Reg
- Pte Archibald Leaman 20701 - 1/8th Bn Worcs Reg
- Pte John Kitsull 22247 - 2nd Bn Worcs Reg
- Pte Edwin Harold Jones 3583 - 1/8th Bn Worcs Reg
- Lt Edward Matthew Holland 2nd Bn Worcs Reg
- Pte Alfred Havens 40238 - 2nd Bn Worcs Reg
- Pte Thomas Harris 39918 - 10th Bn Worcs Reg
- Pte Walter Hamblin 21719 - 2nd Bn Worcs Reg
- Pte William George Goss 24110 - 2nd Bn Worcs Reg
- Pte Frederick Thomas Goodwright 28541 - 2nd Bn Worcs Reg
- Capt Harold Morley Eyles 2nd Bn Worcs Reg
- Pte George Lewis Evans 9197 - 2nd Bn Worcs Reg
- Pte Wilfred Dunn 17274 - 2nd Bn Worcs Reg
- Pte Alfred Leonard Dolphin 17266 - 2nd Bn Worcs Reg
- Pte William Edward Davies 23942 - 2nd Bn Worcs Reg
- Sgt Isaac Darby 8408 - 2nd Bn Worcs Reg
- 2/Lt Jack Oswald Couldridge 2nd Bn Worcs Reg
- Cpl Herbert Roland Cook 23143 - 2nd Bn Worcs Reg
- Pte Rueben George Clark 40226 - 2nd Bn Worcs Reg
- Pte Joseph Clark 4932 - 1/8th Bn Worcs Reg
- Pte Albert Clark 21973 - 2nd Bn Worcs Reg
- Cpl Joseph Cattell 13732 - 2nd Bn Worcs Reg
- L/Cpl George Reginald Charles Calcott 40213 - 2nd Bn Worcs Reg
- Pte Philip Henry Graham Buse 20349 - 1/8th Bn Worcs Reg
- Pte Arthur George Burrow 39727 - 4th Bn Worcs Reg
- Pte Bert Buckley 27489 - 14th Bn Worcs Reg
- Pte Lionel Douglas Jack Brown 31452 - 2nd Bn Worcs Reg
- Pte Frederick Bond 23873 - 2nd Bn Worcs Reg
- Pte John Arthur Blitchford 20238 - 1/8th Bn Worcs Reg
- Pte Alvon Digby Blanch 40263 - 2nd Bn Worcs Reg
- Pte Ernest Adams 27318 - 2nd Bn Worcs Reg