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Key dates over February 1917

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Lives lost on this day: 2

14th February 1917 - Lt Spiers receives Military Cross from the King

Rolling casualty count: 5464

War Front: 3rd Batt: Batt relieved by 10th Cheshire Reg and went to Brigade support at Creslow Farm.

2/7th Batt: Batt marched from Bussus-Bussuel to Pont Remy and entrained for Marcelcave, then marched to Wiencourt, arriving 2.15am where they billeted.

2/8th Batt: Batt moved by train from Pont Remy to Wiencourt, afterwards marching to Demuin. Four men evacuated sick.

Yeomanry/Cavalry: Men are suffering badly with lice infestation and ants were used to eat the lice and help with de-lousing.

Home Front: Worcester and the War – M.C. Won in September 1916 –At Buckingham Palace on Wednesday, Sec. Lieut. Kenneth Spiers M.C. Worcestershire Regiment, was presented by His Majesty with the Military Cross. He won it in September 1916. The record says that the award was for heading his Company forward with great dash under heavy fire on three separate occasions. He also showed great skill and energy in occupying a position in the enemy’s trench and organising the defences.

Clergy and National Service – The Bishop’s Directions – The Bishop issues a circular saying:- Ever since the outbreak of war my letters have abundantly shown me the keen aspire of the clergy to do their part in National Service. So much so that it has been even my duty, in many cases, to point out that the first privilege of a priest is to fulfil his priestly calling. But the urgent necessity of the house has now brought us to a new phase, and it is right for us clergy to see whether we can do our priestly duty tolerably well and at the same time so arrange it that some men can be spared for work elsewhere, and some for a different kind of service at home.

Information researched by The Worcestershire World War 100 team