5th September 1917 - Escaped Germans’ Daring

Rolling casualty count: 7473

War Front:

2nd Batt: Batt moved off by Coys at 7.45am to the training ground near Westrove and carried out practice attacks, finishing at 12.30pm.

3rd Batt: Batt relieved at 6.0pm by 11th Cheshires,75th Infantry brigade. They then marched back to camp at Dickebusch.

4th Batt: Presentation of decorations by GOC Division. Enemy aircraft flew over but dropped no bombs.

2/7th Batt: 2nd Lt R Jordan rejoined from hospital.

2/8th Batt: Coy training during the day. In the evening there was a dinner to commemorate the 3rd Anniversary of the formation of the Batt.

10th Batt: PT am and another football match pm Batt versus 8th Glos, result 3-1.

Home Front:

City Police Court: John Griffiths Williams, Sandlin, Leigh Sinton, was fined 2s. for being the owner of a cow found straying in the New Road. Defendant said that the cow jumped the gate in the field.

Charles Bevand, 29 Carden Street, was summoned by his wife, Mary Ann Maria Bevand, for maintenance on the grounds of persistent cruelty. On one occasion defendant received all the money from the daughter, son and lodger for their board, professing that he would keep house and he doled out the provisions for each meal, keeping the rest of the food locked up. On August 9th, defendant kicked his wife and the daughter had to pull him away. Defendant was in a violent rage, his wife slept in a neighbour’s house. On the Saturday following he threatened to kill her. Complainant said that she had been married for 35 years and she had five children alive out of 12. Her married life had never been a happy one. Defendant alleged that his wife was a drunkard and that she pawned articles to buy drink but since she had been persuaded to sign the pledge their life was happier. Mr. Harrison submitted that it was not a case for a separation order. The Bench made an order for maintenance of 12s.6d. per week and costs.

General List: The casualty lists issued Tuesday night show the following losses: - Officers: Dead 45, wounded or missing 149; total 194. Men: Dead 746, wounded or missing 2,395; total 3,141.

Cadet F. Fry, son of Mr. Walter Fry, sacristan of St. Mary’s, Charlton King’s, has been appointed to a second-lieutenancy in the Worcestershire Regiment. In civil life a clerk at the Original Brewery he enlisted at the outbreak of war in the Gloucestershires and has been in service in France, gaining the Military Medal.

Mrs. Fitzer, of Foregate Street, has received information that her husband, Lance-Corpl. A. Fitzer, of a Territorial Battalion of the Worcestershire Regiment, was killed in action on August 27th. An officer writing to her informing her of the fact says “He was killed instantaneously while gallantly leading a Section in an attack. Had he lived he would have been recommended for a decoration and he richly deserved it. We all share your great loss, for he was universally beloved by the officers, non-commissioned officers and men of the Company.” He had been in France 15 months. He has two brothers serving in the same Company.

City Council: The Health Committee reported that with the view of providing a milk supply for Newtown Hospital, they had accepted the tender of Messrs. Phelps and Johnson for converting an iron building into a six-stall cowhouse, at a cost of £133 14s. The Committee stated that they had accepted, with thanks, an offer of Mr. J. Ward to give the Council a week-old heifer calf. The City Chamberlain, moving this, said that the expenditure had been sanctioned by the Council. Carried.

Escaped Germans’ Daring: Further details concerning the re-capture of six escaped German prisoners of war in an open boat at sea show that the men were making a daring effort to reach Germany when their boat was first sighted and hailed by a trawler 170 miles from land. The skipper of the trawler informed a destroyer, which proceeded to the spot and took the Germans on board. It is stated that there were submarine prisoners among the Germans, and that some of them had revolvers. Two had Iron Crosses. One of the men said they would have reached Germany in another twenty-four hours.

Fort Royal Open-Air School: Ald. Parker, moving the Education Committee’s recommendation that Miss W.A. Holmes as Headmistress of the Fort Royal Open-Air School, said that Miss Holmes had already been at work for some weeks and their School Medical Officer, Dr. Marian Andrews, had reported that there was already a distinct improvement in each of the children and in several cases the improvement had exceeded expectations. Ald. Parker added that Miss Holmes was proving an excellent teacher. The recommendation was approved.

Information researched by The Worcestershire World War 100 team