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Key dates over January 1917

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Lives lost on this day: 3

5th January 1917 - Treatment of chauffeurs shows difference between the Church and the Military

Rolling casualty count: 5177

2nd Batt: At 9.45am the batt marched to Gorenflos where a Brigade Scheme was carried out, demonstrating inter-communication between aeroplanes and infantry.

3rd Batt: Still in the trenches but having a quiet time.

4th Batt: Route march to the Training Ground at Riencourt with a practice attack in the woods on the way back.

2/7th Batt: A draft of 25 men arrived from Base.

10th batt: A working party of 20 other ranks was found to assist the Mayorof the town. Cleaning up of billets pm.

SMD RFA: Firing at intervals all day and night on the German lines and approaches in the neighbourhood of Warlingcourt.

The Bishop of Worcester, from whom the Tribunals have taken two chauffeurs, and who, in consequence, has arranged that confirmation candidates must come to him instead of him going to them, may be interested to notice that Lord French’s daughter’s chauffeur has obtained exemption. The fact transpired in Police Court proceedings against him at Mortlake for driving a car at 30 miles an hour, a sixth conviction for exceeding the speed limit, and his license was suspended for six months. It was urged on his behalf that the suspension would prevent him continuing good work a driver of a Massage Corps, in respect of which he obtained exemption. The Bishop may consider that “rubbing in” religion for men’s spiritual good is not less important that massage for their bodies, and that drivers of military age should not be employed for masseurs if they may not be allowed to Bishops.

Enemy Troops Captured by Allies: The totals of prisoners taken by the Allied armies on the various fronts in Europe during 1916 make up a mass of close upon 600,000. The French have captured 78,500 Germans, the British have captured 40,500 Germans, and the Italians have taken 52,250 Austrians. On the Eastern front the Russians have captured some 400,000 prisoners, mostly Austrians. The Macedonian Army has taken prisoners 11,173 Bulgarians, Turks, and Germans. This gives us the formidable total of 582,423, a figure which leaves out of account the considerable number of prisoners made by Romanians in the irruption [sic] into Transylvania, and the prisoners captured by the British in Egypt and German East Africa.

Soldiers’ Wives Entertained: For two hours on Thursday evening happiness reigned in the Y.M.C.A. Hut, at Norton Barracks. The occasion was a New Year’s gathering of the wives and families of men of the Worcestershire Regiment now quartered at Norton Barracks, and of men who were associated with the barracks at the beginning of the war…The guests, some 200 in number, assembled at the hut at 4:30, two contingents from Worcester being conveyed in motor ‘buses…A gorgeous Christmas tree, resplendent in lighted candles and tinsel, and loaded with presents, was revealed to the children. Col. Greenway told the children that if they shouted loud enough, Father Christmas would appear. They shouted with a will, and presently Father Christmas, in the familiar garb, hiding the person of Sergt. Jordan, made his appearance. He handed to each child a handsome present.

Dangerously Wounded: Lance-Sergt. H. Hopkins, Worcestershire Regiment (son of Mr. Hopkins, baker and confectioner, of Broad Street) has been dangerously wounded on an Eastern battlefield. He enlisted in the first week of the war, and has seen much fighting on several fronts.

Porcelain Works Burning Case: There is no change in the condition of Mrs. Mary Taylor, of 14, Wylds Lane, who was seriously burnt at the Porcelain Works last week, and remains a patient at the Infirmary.

Information researched by The Worcestershire World War 100 team