8th September 1917 - Tempest and torrent seemed to prevail during the last month

Rolling casualty count: 7480

War Front:

2nd Batt: Batt marched to Giemy Field Firing Range at 9am and each platoon held a demo attack on a strong point using live rifle grenades and bullets. Last Coy retired at 10pm.

3rd Batt: Batt started the march to the First Army area which was holding Wippenhoek area near Abeele.

4th Batt: Batt in Brigade Sports.

2/7th Batt: Batt proceeded to the Front line near Pond farm and relieved 2/7th Royal Warwicks. B and C Coys were in the front Line with A and D in Reserve. Batt attached to the 184th Brigade for tactical purposes.

1/8th Batt: NCOs and 8 men per Coy from each Batt of the 144th Brigade were addressed on the parade ground by Major Gen, Sir R Fanshawe KCB, who presented the Fanshawe Cup to the 1/8th Worcs, winners of the 48th Div Football Competition. Batt Sports were held pm and a concert held in the evening.

2/8th Batt: Batt went up to Ypres Canal bank in Reserve and took over from the 7th Worcs at 9.30pm. 50 men were attached to the RE at canal Bank and in Ypres. Other ranks to CCS and 1 to the general hospital.

10th Batt: More practice attack in the daytime. 1 officer, 2nd Lt RJ Smith and 21 other ranks joined from Base.

Home Front:

Tempest and torrent seemed to prevail during the last month. The wind aggravated the rain, and the absence of sunshine aggravated both and in consequence we felt that the times were out of joint. But meteorological records show that the rainfall during the month was not really phenomenal, though heavy. The mean average rainfall for August over a period of 20 years up to 1913 was 2.91 inches; and the rainfall in Worcester during August, 1917, says “Crowquill” in “Berrow’s Worcester Journal,” was only 25 per cent above the average, or 3.69 inches.

The applications for German prisoners for winter work in the Evesham district now total up to 522 men required. It would be very unfortunate if the district were deprived of the work of the prisoners but at present the question of winter quarters causes some difficulty. In view of the shortage of labour and timber, the authorities are not inclined to consider the erection of hutments and the local Sub-Committee have been asked to find a suitable building for the accommodation of the men in the winter. By the bye, there is no truth in the reports that the prisoners are in poor health owing to sleeping in tents and the gossips that start such rumours will be well advised to be more careful. The prisoners are, with one exception, in excellent health, and have no complaint to make about the accommodation.

For using bread otherwise than for human food, Miss Caroline Stiff was at Dover, on Friday, fined £5. She had 14 dogs and was said to have admitted to the Food Inspector that she gave the dog’s bread and milk for breakfast, oddments of bread and biscuits soaked in gravy for dinner, bread and biscuits for tea and bread and milk for supper. She lived alone and was alleged to have taken 20lbs. of bread weekly.

Horse-Chestnuts for Industrial Purposes: It is a matter of urgency that this year’s crop of horse-chestnuts should be harvested, in order that they may be substituted for a quantity of grain now being consumed in certain industrial processes that are essential to the prosecution of the war. It has been suggested and in some districts schemes have been devised for carrying out the suggestion, that children connected with various schools might collect the horse-chestnuts and thus save grain for human consumption. It is hoped that land owners, farmers and others will afford all reasonable facilities for the collection to be proceeded with and not to place any unnecessary difficulties in the way of those who may seek in this way to contribute to national efficiency.

The County Food Production Executive met at the Shirehall this morning: The Chairman reported that Mr. Willis Bund was arranging a scheme under which the schoolchildren of the county could pick blackberries for the Army and the Committee, being asked to state when the picking could commence, gave permission for the start to be made at once. Mr. Lawson Walker said that there would have to be a system of daily collection; otherwise the blackberries would be spoilt, as hundreds of tons of fruit were being spoilt now.

Mr. and Mrs. W.J. Harrison, Victoria Hotel, Worcester have received information that their second son, Sec.-Lieut. A.W. (Bob) Harrison, R.F.C., was severely wounded in the head a week ago and is now in hospital at Rouen. He is 19 years of age and had been in France only a fortnight. His elder brother, Sec. –Lieut. C.J. L. Harrison, also in the R.F.C., was wounded on 28th July, when flying over German lines. He received a gunshot wound in the back, whilst flying at a height of 3,000 ft. He is 22 years of age. Both officers were educated at Worcester Royal Grammar School and they are well known by a wide circle of friends, who will wish for their speedy recovery.

Information researched by The Worcestershire World War 100 team