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Key dates over March 1917

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Lives lost on this day: 1

23rd March 1917 - More potato queues

Rolling casualty count: 5691

War Front: 2nd Batt: Batt marched via La Neuville to open ground south east of Corbie, where attack formations were practised. In pm, Coys practised bayonet fighting.

3rd Batt: batt marched to Kortepyp Camp near Neuve –Eglise.

4th Batt: Practise of the attack formation on the batt training ground. All rifle grenadiers fired No 20 and 25 grenades. There was a wire-cutting demonstration pm.

2/7th Batt: Batt making revetting hurdles and digging strong posts.

Yeomanry/Cavalry:Reconaissance of Turkish position on the farther side of Wadi Ghuzze. The Brigade took 6 day`s rations and marched east. A Turkish Mountain battery fired on patrols and some enemy planes came over and opened fire.

Home Front: Long Queue in Worcester: There was a very long queue of would-be potato buyers outside the shop of Mr J. Ford in Little Angel Street this afternoon. It extended from the shop (which is within a few paces of Broad Street) along the length of Little Angel Street to the Five Ways. It began two deep, but a little farther on broadened out into fours and sixes. It seemed to get longer and thicker every few minutes. Mr. Ford allowed a maximum of four pounds to each person, and all waited their turn with great patience and cheerfulness.

Invalided Soldier’s Gratitude: Pte. A. Harrison, of the West Yorks, whose home is at 42, Sunnyside, Boughton Street, writing to us from the Red Cross Auxiliary Hospital, Dundee, where he is being treated for trench fever, contracted on the Somme, says: “I am progressing fine. I shall be spending my 10 days’ leave in good old Worcester very soon; then off back up the line again. I am in a V.A.D. Hospital, and the food and general treatment are great. It was just like being at home to come here. The nurses and sisters and all concerned are just like mothers to us. We always get paper and envelopes given us and stamps, and always a good supply of cigarettes; we get all we wish for. When we get up we are taken to the pictures and theatres several times a week and motor rides; so what more can we wish for? I have a brother in the Worcestershires now in the big push. He joined up at the commencement of the war, and has now been in France well over two years.” [see 21st]

Severely Wounded: Mrs. A. Bradley, 3, Magdala Terrace, Infirmary Walk, has received the news that her son, Driver S.J. Bradley, R.F.A., has been severely wounded in both legs and is now in King George’s Hospital, London. He has three other brothers serving the colours: Driver Walter Bradley is in the R.F.A, Pte. Frank Bradley is in the Worcestershire Regt., and Pte. W. Bradley is in a Labour Battalion.

Information researched by The Worcestershire World War 100 team