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Key dates over May 1917

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

Lives lost on this day: 9

2nd May 1917 - St Martin's Gate to be widened

Rolling casualty count: 6274

War Front:

1st Batt: One man was killed by a shell in the Reserve line.

2nd Batt: Morning spent cleaning up the Camp. Then Batt marched to Hamelincourt and bivouacked.

3rd Batt: men in working parties for the Front Line trenches.

4th Batt: Lewis guns were cleaned and the training of scouts continued. At 3pm Batt marched via Humbercamp and La Mertiere to Saully – Labret Station and then went by tactical train to Arras. Men housed in cellars in La Grande Place. Battle stores were issued and all preparations made for moving at ¾ hours’ notice

2/7th Batt: Batt relieved 2/5th Glos in Holnon Sector in left support trenches.

2/8th Batt: Batt moved to Brigade Reserve on the Railway Cutting and Sandpit at Attilly and relieved the 2/4th Oxford and Buckinghamshire Reg. At night men made a forward dump of wire and stakes at Holnon on the Line of Resistance and began wiring the Brown Line.

9th Batt: Men ordered to operate up the Nahr Khalis towards Deli Abbas.

10th Batt: Batt relieved the Koyli in the centre sub section of Hill 60 in the Ypres Salient.

SMD RFA: Brigade HQ moved to Tincourt, command passing to OC 210 Brigade RFA.

Home Front:

Improvement of St. Martin’s Gate: The Streets Committee reminded the Council that in September last, they accepted options for the purchase of properties on the north side of St. Martin’s Gate for the improvement of that street, and that as regards the properties belonging to Mrs. Combe and Mr. W. Morris, it was then proposed to acquire only sufficient to make the street about 30 feet wide. It was subsequently suggested that the width of the street should be increased to 36 or 40 feet and accordingly negotiations were entered upon for the purchase of the remainder of the two properties referred to. Mrs. Combe was willing to accept £275 and Mr. Morris £360, for the portions of their properties not already agreed to be acquired. Mr. Maund said if the proposal was agreed to the Corporation would then be in possession, with one exception, of every piece of property needed to complete the improvement of St. Martin’s Gate. The one exemption was the Plough Inn. Mr. Moore seconded. He said even if the Plough Inn was never acquired the improvement would be a very important one. The proposal was carried.

L-Cpl. Ernest Collins, Worcestershire Regt., has been killed in action. He was the son, by a former marriage, of Mrs. Moss, of Pershore and the husband of Mrs. Collins, who is in service at 2 College Yard, Worcester. He had recently been promoted and N.C.O. In a letter of sympathy to the wife, his Captain says that L-Cpl. Collins fell whilst gallantly leading his men in an attack. He was aged 20 and had been married about nine months.

Pte. R.J. Drew, Canadian Highlanders, son of Mr. and Mrs. Drew, Arboretum, Worcester, has been wounded and is in hospital in France. He was educated at the Worcester Royal Grammar School. About five years ago (aged 18) he went to Canada and took up farming. He joined the Canadians about 12 months ago, but had been out at the front but six weeks before he was wounded. His brother Frank (who joined up a month after the war broke out), has been despatch riding in France for two years.

Presentation to Miss Herbert: On Tuesday evening, the sisters, nurses (past and present) and the domestic staff of the Infirmary presented a Worcester china coffee service and flower bowl on an ebony stand to Miss Herbert, the Matron, who is retiring. With the presentation was a subscription for the Matron’s Mortuary Fund. The gift was accompanied by a letter signed by 87 members or past members of the combined staff: We wish to take this opportunity of the occasion of your resignation of the office of Matron of this institution to express to you the esteem and regard in which you are held by us; and the regret we feel at the severance of your official connection with the Infirmary.