23rd May 1917 - Celebration by City School Children

Rolling casualty count: 6468

War Front:

1st Batt men training for practice attacks in conjunction with Stokes Mortars firing live rounds.

3rd Batt: Enemy shelling communication trenches most of the day. Orders received to retake the portion of P Sector. The attack started at *.25pm and the trench was regained but owing to the brigade on our left was unable to advance. The enemy fires heavy enfilade and the assaulting party had to fall back.

4th Batt: During the night Batt established another post, C2 midway between and 35 yards in advance of C and D posts. Communication trenches were also dug from our Front line to the posts.

2/7th Batt: Batt left Beauval and marched to new billets at Sus St Leger.

2/8th Batt: Batt marched to Labret and entrained to Arras and billeted at Schramm Barracks.

10th Batt: A patrol was brought in to take wiring from 6 lines to Batt lines. Our artillery very active.

Yeomanry /Cavalry: Early the whole division crossed the Wadi Ghuzze and spread out fanwise, each making for a specially appointed rendezvous. D Squadron completely destroyed 13 miles of rail, blew up 6 big bridges, a viaduct and 2 culverts, smashed up Asluz Station and all switches and points there, flattened telegraph poles and demolished a stone building full of inflammables. They also burned 120 tons of standing crops. In the pm an Anzac Division covered up the retreat of the raiding parties.

Home front:

To the Editor: Special Constables: Sir, about two years ago an appeal was made to the citizens to volunteer as special constables. Advertisements appeared in the local papers, special forms were printed, and many signed on, but since then nothing appears to have been done, although I am informed that a short time ago the question was referred to the Watch and Lighting Committee. The country today is in urgent need of men, and by utilising the services of special constables many more men from the Police Force could be released for the war. I do not suppose there is another town of the same size which has not taken advantage of the opportunity. Even last week at Malvern about 40 were sworn in. The ratepayers are entitled to know who is responsible for such negligence. ‘One Who Has Signed On.’

Private A.A. Hyde, Worcestershire Regiment, eldest son of Mr. and Mrs. Hyde, Leigh Mill, has died from wounds. He enlisted at the beginning of the war, and has seen service on several fronts. He received his wounds on an Eastern front. Before the war he assisted his father in the mill. He was aged 20.

The City Coroner (Mr. W.D. Hulme) conducted an inquest at the Infirmary this afternoon respecting the death of William Taylor (56), farm labourer, of Barnes Hall Cottage, who hit his leg with a hacker on April 5th, and died in the Infirmary on Monday. Taylor was admitted suffering from a cut on the inside of the left knee, it was about an inch long, and penetrated into the joint. The wound was bound up and pressure put on to stop the bleeding, which, however continued for some days…Taylor later developed abscesses near the right shoulder and elbow and on the left ankle. Witness examined the pus from one of the abscesses, and found it was infected with staphy lococcus, a form of blood poisoning…Steps were taken to have a vaccine made, but it arrived too late…Death was due to blood poisoning.

Celebration by City School Children: The school children of the City will celebrate Empire Day in stirring fashion tomorrow. They will assemble at their respective schools about 1.30 in the afternoon, or in sufficient time to enable them to be formed in procession and to arrive at Pitchcroft by 2.30. At the schools they will be put in order by their teachers, and will proceed by specified routes in separate units to Pitchcroft where they will be disposed, each school separately, in a semi-circle in front of the Grand Stand…When all the children are assembled the National Flag will be hoisted, the band will play the salute, the O.T.C.’s of the Cathedral School and the Royal Grammar School will present arms, and the children will salute the flag. Then, led by the band, the whole assembly will sing the National Anthem, and after that the Children will sing Kipling’s song. The Mayor will then address the children. Afterwards the children will give cheers for the King and Queen, and will leave in procession for their respective schools, where they will be dispersed.

Metal Workers and Mr. Baldwin: At the quarterly meeting of the Worcester Branch of the National Amalgamated Sheet Metal Workers’ Society, a resolution was passed regretting the attiture [sic] taken up at the last meeting of the local Trades’ Council, in reference to the acceptance of the offer by the Commissioner of Trade to Mr. James Baldwin (the Metal Workers’ Secretary) to serve on the Panel of Assessors under the National Service Scheme. The resolution continues: “Therefore we take this opportunity of strongly protesting against such tyrannical inquisition of person liberty of action, for which he has had our complete confidence and support in this matter. And we wish to state that, unless he receives the usual summons for the next meeting with that of his colleagues, we shall withdraw from them our affiliation from the present Council.”

Conductor for 23 Years: The funeral took place of Mr. George Frederick Widdows, of Pitmaston Road, who for upwards of 23 years had acted as conductor on the horse and motor omnibuses in Worcester and district…Four of deceased’s old colleagues acted as bearers…Doubtless many of “Old George’s “ travelling friends will be glad to contribute to a fund which is being raised by Mr. C. H. Bailt, Tramway Depot, St. John’s, on behalf of the widow and children.