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Key dates over April 1917

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Lives lost on this day: 10

11th April 1917 - Birmingham munition workers choose chilly Bank Holiday in Worcester

Rolling casualty count: 5800

War Front: 1st Batt: Sidestepped to the left and relieved the 2nd Northants in the night. Weather very bad.

2nd Batt: Batt moved off to trenches near Mercatel at 9.20 am. Transport and 1st reinforcements remained at Ficheux. Men billeted in the trenches with a few in dug-outs and were “Standing to.”

2/8th Batt: Six other ranks joined from Base.

4th Batt: Batt warned to be ready at 2 hours notice.

9th Batt: Batt selected for the attack. The Turks appeared very strong in number. Batt moved forward under heavy fire in artillery formation.

Home Front: HOMES FOR DISABLES SOLDIERS AND SAILORS - a Flag Day will be held on Saturday April 14th, In aid of the Mayor o Worcester’s Fund for the Sailor’s and Soldier’s Homes. Buy a Flag for the brace fellows who are fighting for us.

EASTER IN WORCESTER – A Chill Holiday – On Monday it seemed that nothing in the way of weather can daunt the holiday makers’ spirit. While some of us lacking the ardour of the visitor, could find no joy in the cutting winds and blizzards of Monday (the wind was bitterly cold and give degrees of frost were registered last night), many who came to Worcester for a day’s holiday found pleasure in river trips. Some, indeed, were bold enough to use small boats. The deck of a pleasure steamer is as comfortless a place as could well be found in weather such as we are affected with at the present time. Apparently it could not depress them, for they were as cheerful at the end of the day as when they came. It was evident that a large proportion were munitions workers from the Birmingham District. The mail train leaving Shrub Hill was in the words of one observer “literally packed”.

Information researched by The Worcestershire World War 100 team