Skip to navigation | Skip to content | Skip to footer

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: 4

27th March 1917 - Inauguration of the Women's Institute in Worcester

Rolling casualty count: 5699

War Front: 2nd Batt: Batt and transport marched via la Neuville to Bonnay and formed up in the Square. It then snowed hard and transport wet back to Corbie by the upper road. Batt carried out an out-post scheme on the high ground between Heilly and Vaux-sur-Somme.

2/7th Batt: Transport and QM Stores moved from Lihons to Morchain.

2/8th batt: Batt moved to Croix Molgnaux on the east bank of the Somme. 45 other ranks arrived from Base.

10th Batt: Batt relieved the 8th Batt Glos Regiment in the Line at Biepenwaal Sector.

SMD RFA:D Coy moved into action at Templeux La Fosse with wagon lines at Aisecourt le Haut. Batteries were supported by the infantry in a successful action against the high ground.

Yeomanry/Cavalry: The Regiment crossed the Gaza/Beersheba Road and over rough ground until they found the deep Wadi Sharia. The infantry and artillery were on the battlefield around Gaza all day. Men and horses had been on the move for 2 nights and a day and all needed to rest at Seirat, but were still ready to move.

Home front: The annual meeting of the Worcester Dispensary and Provident Medical Institution was held this morning. The Chairman said he had a letter from the Bishop of Worcester, regretting his inability to be present, and stating that it would be a great pleasure to him to contribute £200 to the Dispensary from the money left at his disposal by Mrs. Wheeley Lea. From a conversation he (the Bishop) had had with Mrs. Lea, he knew her general wish was that such money should be used to produce interest in the shape of an annual subscription, unless the circumstances of the Institution rendered some other course desirable. The Chairman added it was gratifying to him to know that Mrs. Wheeley Lea’s name would be permanently associated with the Institution.

On Monday afternoon a meeting was held at the Guildhall for the purpose of explaining the Women’s Institute Movement, and for the inauguration of an institute for the City of Worcester. The Mayor congratulated the Society on having the influence of Lady Coventry and the energy of Lady Isabel Margesson at the back of their effort. Women’s institutes were very common in Canada, where their motto was “For home and country,” and he did not think they could have a better motto for those which had been started in England during the past year. Now that the manhood of the country was organised, the womanhood of the nation must be organised. If there was one good thing that would come out of the mass of evil of this war it was that we should have an organised country.

Worcester Boy Scouts: The sixth competition for the Whiteley Shield was held on Monday evening. Four troops entered the contest, viz., St. Martin’s, St. Paul’s, St. Barnabas and St. John’s, the subjects being foot and stave drill and physical exercise. There were several parents and friends of Scouts present, and they all enjoyed a most interesting and pleasant evening…Before the close of the competition it was clear that it would be a very close affair between St. John’s and St. Barnabas, and, in fact, this proved to be the case, for the judges were unable to give a definite decision, and it was agreed that these two troops should go through their physical exercise again, St. John’s winning by 4½ marks and will hold the Shield until the next competition takes place.

The Assistant Matron at the Worcester Infirmary appeals for the gift of a gramaphone for the wounded soldiers in G Ward. The other two wards for wounded Tommies have gramaphones, but G Ward has none. They will greatly appreciate the gift of one.

Mr. James Worsley has received notice that his son, Sergt. Basil Worsley of the Worcestershire Regt. has been missing since February 26. It will be remembered that he was already a soldier serving in India before the war began (having joined at the age of 16). He was sent, as lance-corporal, to Gallipoli, where he was wounded, but were, by efficiency, he gained the D.C.M. and promotion to the rank of sergeant. He was sent to a hospital in Egypt to recuperate, and was given a short leave at home last May before starting for France.

Information researched by The Worcestershire World War 100 team