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Key dates over January 1917

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Lives lost on this day: 123

25th January 1917 - Major assault at Kut-Al-Amara: heavy casualties

Rolling casualty count: 5352

War Front: Battle of Kut Al Amara, Mesopotamia where 9th battalion suffered heavy losses, 12 officers and 327 men killed or wounded

9th Batt Assault at Kut-Al-Amara launched by 39th brigade at 0930. Staffordshires attack fell back. Warwickshires support but Turkish bombardment prevailed. By dusk 900 men of 39th Brigade had been killed.

2nd Batt: Batt was allotted the baths at Suzanne.

4th Batt: The hard frost continued but men had plenty of fuel. The Posts were dry and habitable. Men worked on strengthening the duck-boarding and the wire.

2/7th Batt: Two other ranks arrived from Base.

10th Batt: Two Platoons were working under the Royal Engineers water-guard.

Home Front: Juvenile Crime: Dear Sir, as a constant reader of your valuable paper I feel I cannot refrain from writing on this most important question – the crime which is making headway amongst children. The police have given their version of the matter. It is not because the fathers have gone to do their duty like brave men. No! if you want crime to be abolished, stop some of those pictures which are exhibited night after night in our various picture houses showing children cunning ways of breaking into houses, and causing them to bring disgrace to their homes. I write feelingly. L. Ruberry.

Plots for Railway Men: The Midland Railway Company have notified their staff that they are prepared to allow any suitable plots of ground along the railway to be used for cultivation of vegetables. The rents to be paid will be on the same basis as the those already in operation in different parts of the line, which vary from 1s. to 5s. per 100 square yards, according to the locality, and to the conditions prevailing. In those cases where the land has not before been cultivated, and where tenancies are arranged not later than March 25, the Company will allow its free use for the first year, after which a rent will be charged. Application for tenancies will be dealt with by the Company’s Estate Agent.

At the City’s Police Court today, Ernest John Daniels (15), 27, Bransford Road, was summoned for wilfully extinguishing the light of a lamp in St. John’s. Mr. S. Southall prosecuted and Mr. F.J. Hemming defended, and pleaded not guilty. Mr. Southall described the facts, and said that the boy was seen to extinguish the lamp by the lamplighter, and, as the boy afterwards admitted that he did put out the light, he could not understand the defence. Lamplighter Harris, said that he saw two boys under the lamp which he had just lighted, and saw Daniels extinguish the lamp with a stick. He caught the lad after a long chase, who said, “Other boys did it as well.” … Harris, said he was certain that the lamp was out, and that he switched it on again before he ran after the boy. He saw the two boys under the lamp, Daniels having the stick, and then he saw the lamp go out, and he heard some other boys say “He’s got you.” The Bench convicted , and fined the defendant 5s. The boy asked for time, and his father said that he (the boy) would rather “go down” than pay. He was given till Saturday.

Musical Successes: At the recent school examinations of the Associated Board of the Royal Academy of Music and the Royal College of Music, the following pupils of Miss Beatrice Sherwin satisfied the requirements of the Board: Elementary, pass, piano, Cyril Knott; primary, distinction, piano, Violet Elton; primary, pass, piano, Sylvia Elton, Phyllis J. Bomford, Eleanor A. Castley.

NSPCC and Child Neglect: The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children investigated 3,121 complaints of neglect and cruelty in England, Wales, and Ireland during the month of December. Of the 3,055 completed cases 2,973 were found true, affecting the welfare of 9,205 children and involving 3,733 offenders. Warnings were issued in 2,712 cases; 128 were prosecuted (resulting in 127 convictions), and 133 were dealt with by transfer or in other ways. From its foundation in 1884 the Society has dealt with 397,905 complaints, involving 2,633, 757 children. In the Worcester and Mid-Worcestershire Branch during the same month, 13 cases were dealt with, affecting 38 children.

Information researched by The Worcestershire World War 100 team