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Key dates over March 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 29 30 31

Lives lost on this day: 75

4th March 1917 - Ground gained at Bouchavesnes by 1st Worcesters

Rolling casualty count: 5644

War Front: 1st Batt: Under a British barrage of fire the troops went over the top in waves with our batt in the central position. The German front line, Pallas Trench, was easily overcome as was Fritz Trench. It was hoped to take the German 3rd line, Bremen Trench,. By nightfall, Fritz Trench was in British hands. Batt returned to Asquith Flats.

2nd Batt: general cleaning up. There was a voluntary Church Parade in the Cinema Hall.

4th Batt: Batt marched to Trones Wood and went by train to le Plateau. On arrival, plenty of hot water was obtained for feet washing and cleaning up but no baths.

10th batt: There were voluntary CE and RC services. Platoon drill, bayonet fighting and extended order drill for rest of the day.

Home Front: To the Editor: Destruction of Sparrows: ‘Sir, - We are assured that the abnormal number of sparrows constitute a real nuisance to those who are trying to increase the production of food, and one of our informants has gone so far as to say that he is not prepared to plant his land with wheat whilst the sparrows are so numerous. We therefore feel it our duty to appeal to the citizens who are owners or occupiers of property, to assist the growers of wheat and other similar crops, by destroying the sparrows on their land; and we feel sure we can rely upon them to do it in such a way as to prevent any unnecessary suffering on the part of these destructive birds.’ The City Land Cultivation Sub-Committee, Guildhall, Worcester.

School Offences: Walter Church, 18, The Moors, was summoned for neglecting to cause his children to attend school. Mr. F.T. Spackman said that Albert had made 11 attendances out of 38, and Annie 7 out of 38. The defendant’s wife said that her children had measles, and that was why she did not send them to school. Later she said that she sent them to school, but apparently they did not go. Defendant was fined 5s. in the case of Albert, and an order was made for Annie to attend school.

Information researched by The Worcestershire World War 100 team