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Key dates over August 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: 65

16th August 1917 - FRUIT PULPING STATIONS

Rolling casualty count: 7134

War Front:

10th Batt: Batt moved up to Birr Cross Roads at 12.30 pm under orders of GOC 23rd Infantry Brigade and occupied a position just under the west of Westhoek Ridge. Batt in support of the 2nd Batt Scottish Rifles who were holding the Black Line. No counter offensive developed.

2nd Batt: Batt marched to a position of assembly at 9am for a tactical scheme. Batt attacked Fair Trench which was the objective, passing through the 9th HLI, who were in the Front line and therefore took the first 3 objectives.

4th Batt: Batt in trenches at Cannes Farm, forming up for the attack on the west side of Steenbeek, west of Langemarck. The barrage started at 4.45am and the Batt was in the 2nd line of commencement. The 1st objective, the Blue Line, was soon taken and Batt advanced to the Green Line in Artillery formation. The final objective, the Red Line, was taken without difficulty and the line was consolidated and held. The whole operation was a great success owing to the troops keeping up with the barrage. Casualties were Capt P Addison, 2nd Lt Bowden, 2nd Lt Wordingham killed, 2nd Lt Bonfield, Capt Stacke, 2nd Lt Goodman, Lt Vance were wounded. 95 other ranks were casualties.

1/8th: The rest of the men moved to the Canal Banks at 8am to support the 145th Infantry Brigade in the attack on Langemarck – Gheluvelt Line. The Batt HQ was in Civilisation Farm.

2/8th Batt: Batt marched to bivouacs at Goldfish Chateau, 1 mile west of Ypres.

Home Front:

FRUIT PULPING STATIONS – To be Opened in Worcestershire – With a view to prevent waste of the great fruit harvest which the country is enjoying, the Food Production Department has secured premises in the chief producing areas for conversion into pulping and drying works. It is realised that hundreds of thousands of tons of fruit and vegetables can be treated within marked areas, say of 25 miles each, a vast quantity of cheap and nutritious food will be reserved for winter use, and a heavy strain removed from the railways.

MALVERN HILLS CONSERVATORS – Grazing Ground Wasted – On Monday afternoon the Malvern Hills Conservators patrolled their boundaries at the British Camp, going over ground which that had not perambulated for years. They were entertained to tea by Mr M Orr-Ewing at the Camp Hotel, where the monthly meeting was held. The Chairman noted that there did not appear to be much stock on the Malvern Hills. The Ranger said there were scarcely any sheep between the Camp and the Wyche.

Information researched by The Worcestershire World War 100 team