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Key dates over August 1917

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Lives lost on this day: 1

23rd August 1917 - WORCESTER CHILD DROWNED

Rolling casualty count: 7254

War Front:

2nd Batt: Batt marched to position of assembly at 7.45am in the training ground. 9am was zero hour. C and D Coys advanced to right and left, capturing the 3rd objective. A and B Coys followed at zero plus 5 and captured 1st and 2nd objectives. After this, a counter attack was launched and the enemy was held up on the line of wire put up by A and B Coys. Heavy rain ended the operations.

4th Batt: Batt relieved by the 2nd South Wales Borderers and went to camp east of Elverdinghe, in tents.

2/8th Batt: Batt relieved the 7th Worcs in the support line-the old British Front line posts. HQ at Warwick Farm.

Yeomanry/Cavalry: The Turks stealthily came out to the post at night in the hope of ambushing the Squadron and we would retaliate, causing a few casualties on both sides.

Home Front:

FUTURE OF THE BLIND – Recognition of Worcester College – Regard for sailors and soldiers who have lost their sight in the war has quickened our sympathy for all the blind in our midst and sympathy in turn has quickened our reforming energy. Worcester, which has held a unique place in regard to the education of the blind, may be justified in examining critically the recommendations for provision of special schools, workshops etc.

WORCESTER CHILD DROWNED – Royal Engineer’s Plucky Attempt at Rescue – A little girl named Dorothy Hemming, aged 7, whose home is in York Place, was drowned in the Severn off Pitchcroft on Sunday evening. She was by the riverside with an older sister and ran down the steep embankment just above the Grand Stand paddock and such was the momentum gained by the short sprint that she could not stop herself on the water’s brink and plunged into the stream. A soldier boating mid-stream, Sapper Hoare, of the Royal Engineers, billeted at Barbourne College, saw the incident and throwing off his tunic, plunged in after the child. He battled bravely against the heavy stream, but could not reach the spot before the child had gone under for the last time.

Information researched by The Worcestershire World War 100 team