Skip to navigation | Skip to content | Skip to footer

Key dates over September 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

Lives lost on this day: 4

7th September 1917 - In a bigamy case today....

Rolling casualty count: 7479

War Front:

2nd Batt: In the pm Major Pardoe held a map-reading class and the CO saw all officers in training.

4th Batt: There was a Batt route march followed by demonstrations of consolidation after the taking of enemy trenches.

2/7th Batt: Batt went to billets in Ypres canal bank, near Ypres. A party went to Brigade Base Camp.

2/8th Batt: A stretcher bearer’s party of 50 men was sent up to the Front Line at Wieltje. 2nd Lts HC Gerald, EA Brown and SS Jackson joined from 61st Division Depot Batt. Lt AF Franklin joined from 48th Division Depot.

10th Batt: There was a practice attack over an imaginary shell hole area in am and more training in sections pm. At night, A and B Coys were doing rapid firing practice.

Home Front:

Pte. Ernest Taylor, a Territorial stretcher bearer, died from wounds on August 31. He was the son of Mr. and Mrs. H. Taylor, 69, Northfield Street, Worcester. He has been in the Army for about three years. He was wounded in March, 1916 and had not long returned to the front before he received the wounds which have proved fatal. Before the war he was employed by the Corporation.

A large circle of relatives and friends have learnt with deep regret that Sergeant Ronald McKelvie had been killed in France. He was an enthusiastic Territorial, belonging to a city company before the war broke out and when his battalion was mobilised he went with it for training at Chelmsford, proceeding across the Channel in 1915. Prior to that he was in the drapery trade and an outspoken member of the local Labour Party. He was 24 years of age and single. His widowed mother, who lives in Sansome Walk, has lost a daughter and two sons in a comparatively short time and much sympathy is felt with her.

In a bigamy case today, it was alleged that a soldier, whose wife and four children are living in Copenhagen Street, Worcester, left her ostensibly to rejoin his Regiment last June, but instead of doing so he married another woman at Claines. Before doing so he came to Worcester to secure a special license, going for it to the office in Copenhagen Street, where his wife lived. The prisoner was Albert Cane who was charged on Wednesday with being an absentee from the Army and he was charged with marrying Elizabeth Clee, on June 17th last, his wife being then alive. The prisoner was committed for trial to the Assizes. Inspector Price said that if he were let out on bail on that charge he would be immediately rearrested as a deserter. Prisoner: May I not go home with my own wife? Mrs. Cane: Yes. I will see he don’t go far away. I’ll see he don’t go to no Fernhill Heath. Bail was refused.

Battenhall Hospital V.A.D. Sports: On Tuesday afternoon the N.C.O.s with their Secretary arranged for and carried out an excellent programme of sports. Some kind friends (who prefer to remain anonymous) gave prizes. Mr. Kilbourne Kay very kindly lent the necessary quoits, clock golf, etc. The weather was ideal and made up for disappointment caused last week. The different events caused much laughter and excitement. The following were amongst the successful competitors: Clock golf: Sgt. Hunt; Sand-bag throwing: Pte. Lewis; Bob apple: Pte. Woodley; Blindfold wheelbarrow race: Signaller Steward and A.M. Stordy; Threading the needle: Sister Pollock: Smoking race: Pte. Law 1, Sgt. Hunt 2.

Parcels for Prisoners; The Post Office issues the following:- According to information furnished by the Swiss Post Office the transmission abroad of parcels addressed to prisoners of war in Turkey in Asia, except those interned at Magnesia, is suspended until further notice. Such parcels cannot be accepted at post offices. The parcels on hand will be returned to the senders. Letters and money orders for prisoners of war in Turkey in Asia are still being forwarded.

Information researched by The Worcestershire World War 100 team