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Key dates over February 1917

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

Lives lost on this day: 6

Women's Land Army formed

2nd February 1917 - Women's Land Army formed

Its aim was to recruit women as farm labourers, given the number of agricultural labourers who had joined the army and the need to increase agricultural production.

Rolling casualty count: 5385

War Front: 2nd Batt: Heavy shelling on the left did some damage but several prisoners were taken. Our artillery shells fell short of their targets. Damage was done to our right and head sap and there were 5 casualties

3rd Batt: batt relieved in the Line by the 11th Lancs Fusiliers.

4th Batt: men were ordered to attend a Cinematograph performance at the Church Army Hut

9th Batt: The 39th Brigade took over the outpost line facing north-west with the Batt in the centre..

10th Batt: The batt relieved the 16th Lancs Fusiliers in the Trenches.

Home Front: Worcester Nullity Suit, Husband’s Petition Dismissed – Mr Justice Hill, in the divorce court today heard the petition of William Smith of Rowley Street, Worcester, for a declaration that his marriage with Alice Smith otherwise Phillips was null and void, on the grounds that at the time of the marriage her first husband, Alfred Phillips was alive. Petitioner married Mrs Phillips in 1897, and left her because she was always “nagging him” He was however ordered to pay her maintenance by the Worcester Magistrates. Petitioner ‘s case was that since then he had found out that respondent’s first husband had been seen in Worcester and Birmingham after they were married. Respondent’s case was that he first husband was dead, though she could not fix the actual date and that the person supposed to be him was his brother Alec, now serving in the Army.

Mr Stanley Baldwin and West Worcester – It is now definitely known that Mt Stanley Baldwin will not have to seek re-election in consequence of his appointment as Junior Lord of the Treasury.

Information researched by The Worcestershire World War 100 team