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Key dates over April 1917

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Lives lost on this day: 3

8th April 1917 - Good Friday is 'Gardeners' Day'

Rolling casualty count: 5773

War Front: 2nd Batt: Batt marched on roads in bad condition to Fonquevillers via Sailly le Sec. Billets not good and some men slept in the open. Dug-outs had nearly all fallen in and the village was very badly knocked about. The new position between Croiselles and Becquerelle was in sight of part of the Hindenburgh Line.

4th Batt: Church Parade at 10am. Brigadier General Cayler was present. Two Cavalry Divisions marched through the village.

SMD RFA: Brigade HQ moved from Templeux La Fosse and HQ Wagon Lines moved from Bussu to Villers Faucou. 2 telephonists were wounded and one of them died later.

Home Front: GOOD FRIDAY IN WORCESTER – Three Hours Service – The Three Hours Service at the Cathedral was well attended as usual. It was conducted by Canon Southwell. In the evening the Passion music from the “Messiah” was sung.

Gardening Activity – Good Friday has been recognised as the gardener’s day for generations, but probably there was never so much activity on private gardens and allotments in one day as yesterday in Worcester and the whole countryside, and despite the fact that in the early morning the land was covered with snow. On the heavy land this and the previous rains made work difficult, and in some cases almost impossible, but this did not apply to the lighter soils or to the unbroken land. In districts such as Blanquettes and Northwick Lane, where many allotments are congregated in a small space, there were scores of enthusiastic spademen.

Information researched by The Worcestershire World War 100 team