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Key dates over August 1917

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Lives lost on this day: 6

31st August 1917 - ALLEGED BIGAMY AT KIDDERMINSTER

Rolling casualty count: 7446

War Front:

2nd Batt: A billeting party under Lt Green bicycled to Eperleques where they met the Staff Capt. The transport left under Lt Butler at 3.30am and entrained at Dunkirk at 5pm, arriving at Ganspette at 4.30pm. Batt entrained at Preycourt Station, Dunkirk and reached Watten at 1pm. Batt marched 2 miles to billets at Ganspette, which were dirty and scattered.

4th Batt: The camp was very muddy owing to the bad weather. There was training where possible.

2/8th Batt: Batt resting and re-organising.

10th Batt: Batt cleaning up and re-fitting.

Yeomanry/Cavalry: Orders were received to quit the valley for good. The Reg went to a well cited camp half way between Jerusalem and Bethlehem.

Home Front:

WORCESTERSHIRE AND THE WAR – LANCE CORPORAL’S BRAVERY – Lance Corpl Joseph Hail, of the Worcestershire Regiment, youngest son of Mr and Mrs Joseph Hail, 9 Bromyard Road, St John’s, has been awarded the Military Medal for conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty.

ALLEGED BIGAMY AT KIDDERMINSTER – A Strange Marriage Story – Wm Steadman formerly of Kidderminster, was brought up on warrant charged with arrears of maintenance due to his wife, Mary Ann Steadman of Mill Street. In April the magistrate made an order for the man to pay 7s 6d a week to his wife. He had paid nothing voluntarily and on a former occasion the woman had taken out a warrant on which he paid 3s.7d. Asked why he had not paid the money, the man said the woman was not his wife and once she attempted top murder him. He added that his legal wife, whom he married in 1915, had been living with him in Luton. The Clerk said the charge of arrears was established and now that the prisoner had raised the question of Mrs Steadman not being his wife, he would be charged with bigamy.

Information researched by The Worcestershire World War 100 team