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Key dates over November 1917

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Lives lost on this day: 1

28th November 1917 - All Worcester is eagerly waiting the homecoming of Pte. Dancox

Rolling casualty count: 8221

War Front:

2/7th and 2/8th Batts marched back to Arras

Home Front:

The Rev. G.A. Studdert Kennedy, Vicar of St. Paul’s, Worcester, who has been acting as a Chaplain on the Western Front, is now employed in that capacity at No. 4 Army Infantry School. In a letter to his parishioners, he says: ‘There are about 400 officers and as many N.C.O.’s pass through here every five weeks and one is given a chance to lecture to them and to preach to them, as well as talking privately to them. They go out into a large number of battalions; not only in the 4th, but in other armies. In this way there is a chance of spreading teaching widely. The General was keen that men should understand that Christianity was at the root of everything for which we fight and that a living faith was one of the utmost importance in the conduct of the war and for the conduct of the men.”

Pte. Dancox V.C.: All Worcester is eagerly waiting the homecoming of Pte. Dancox, V.C., the hero of the hour. In due course upon being so honoured he will get leave and citizens proud of his feat are eager to greet him. During Tuesday and this morning all sorts of agreeable rumours were repeated from mouth to mouth, with affected authority. One was that intimation had been received that Pte. Dancox would arrive at Worcester by a certain train this morning. Dolday gave itself up to expectation. Although the hero’s wife had had not letter, the story was on everyone’s lips that a letter had arrived stating that he would be here at two o’clock and so far as his arrival was concerned the wish was father to the thought. Meanwhile every little flag that could be procured was promptly displayed and more and more streamers were added to those which were flung across the street on Tuesday. At the entrance to Dolday a large Union Jack (borrowed from a Broad Street firm) was suspended, together with others and altogether Dolday presented the brightest picture in its history. The enthusiasm spread from Pte. Dancox’s own people to the citizens generally and by 2 o’clock a large crowd had gathered at the Cross, while another crowd lined Lowesmoor and the approaches to Shrub Hill. Needless to say they were disappointed.

Victoria Institute: Under the auspices of the National War Savings Committee, the Dean of Worcester will give a lantern lecture in the Lecture Theatre on Saturday next, the 1st December, at 7pm. Subject: “The War on Land,” with 56 slides. The public are cordially invited. Admission free.

Pte. Harold Harry Hill, South African Infantry, was reported missing after an engagement in East Africa on July 19th. This morning his parents, Mr. and Mrs. W.G. Hill, of 18, Severn Terrace, Worcester, have received the welcome news that he re-joined his unit on November 15th. He had apparently been taken prisoner and later liberated as the British advance progressed. He went to Africa about six years ago to work on the railways of the East Transvaal and joined up early in the war. He is the youngest of three brothers on active service. Cple. Arthur H. Hill is in the Coldstream Guards in France, First-class Air Mechanic Harvey A. Hill is in the R.N.A.S.

Information researched by The Worcestershire World War 100 team