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Key dates over April 1917

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Lives lost on this day: 14

20th April 1917 - Gaza battle over as Turkish forces reinforced

Rolling casualty count: 5881

War Front: 1st Batt: Brigade was inspected by GOC Division and medals were presented. 2 bomb were dropped near the village by a hostile plane.

2nd Batt: batt provided a working party of 100 men to work on the roads near Mercatel.

2/8th Batt: Sgts Tarrant and George and Pte Parsons were awarded Military medals by the Corps Commander.

4th Batt: The trenches just in front of the heavy artillery positions came in for a good deal of shelling. 20 other ranks were killed or wounded. Lt JM Aldana was killed, 2nd Lts Lewis and Morgan were wounded and F Thomas was wounded and shell-shocked.

Yeomanry/Cavalry: A new out-post line entrenched on the hills overlooking the Munkheileh district while enemy planes dropped bombs and smoke balls/In pm ,orders received to mount up and make a counter attack but the Turks had reinforced the area and now had an infantry division in the Gaza area. The 2nd battle of Gaza was over, resulting in the loss of 12000 men, mostly in the infantry.

Home Front: MILITARY MEDAL FOR WORCESTER MAN – Pte W Lavender, Worcestershire Regiment (husband of Mrs Lavender, Askew Gardens, Worcester) has been awarded the Military Medal for bringing in wounded under fire. He enlisted on the outbreak of war, prior to which he was employed by Messrs Thomasson, Shrub Hill.

WORCESTER POTATO QUEUE – Allegations of Short Weight – At the City Police Court today before the Mayor, James Thompson, potato salesman, of Wylds Lane and William Thompson, greengrocer, 11 Friar Street, father and son, were summoned. James for using for trade an unjust scale and his son for having that scale on his premises. Outlining the case for the prosecution, that on March 17th there was a long queue outside the shop in Friar Street, where the defendant was selling potatoes. He started to sell at 3 o’clock and at 4.15 the assistant inspector, who had stood in the queue asked for 2lbs. The potatoes were taken to the office and found they were 2.1/2ozs short.

Information researched by The Worcestershire World War 100 team