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Key dates over November 1917

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Lives lost on this day: 14

6th November 1917 - Descent of an aeroplane in thrilling circumstances

Rolling casualty count: 8080

War Front:

1st Batt: Relieved the 2nd Northants in the Warneton Sector trenches.

2nd Batt: There was a conference for all officers held in the HQ after dinner.

4th Batt: W Coy on the outpost scheme. CO attended demonstration of flanking parties. There was a musketry competition between Coys, with rapid fire teams of 20 and falling back teams of 5. Z Coy won both competitions.

10th Batt: Batt provided working parties of 50 other ranks. 3 other ranks arrived from Base.

Home Front:

Some stir was caused at Claines on Monday afternoon by the descent of an aeroplane, in thrilling circumstances. The aviator, who proved to be an Australian in the Royal Flying Corps, descended in a field, but could not stop the machine until it had crashed into a hedge. The machine was badly damaged, but the aviator escaped without serious injury. He had flown a considerable distance and had developed engine trouble, which forced him to descend. The machine, a monoplane of old type, was wrecked.

The campaign which is being conducted in the City in aid of the Y.M.C.A. Huts opened on Monday. It is hope that the City’s efforts will give a strong lead to the County’s effort, which is in process of organisation. It is hoped that something like £1,500 will be raised this week and next, but if this is to be accomplished a number of fairly large donations must come in. During the week collections are being taken nightly at the various places of amusement. A thorough house-to-house canvass has been organised and every house in the City will be called upon by an authorised collector, who will wear an official badge and give an official receipt for even the smallest sums contributed.

Sir Arthur Yapp, Director of Food Economy, speaking in London today, said the war was likely to drag on for a long time to come and we could not afford to leave anything to chance. It was the long last mile which was the hardest to travel. It was necessary that the people at home should be convinced that economy in food must be practised by all if we were to win the war. There must be self-denial by all classes.

County Petty Sessions: George Merrick, Grimley, for being asleep in charge of a horse at Doddenham, was fined 10s. on the evidence of P.C. Hirons; “Like a Bomb.” Christopher Baylis was summoned for letting off fireworks at Kempsey and Col. Hamilton (Special Constable), who gave evidence, said that the fireworks let off by the defendant outside his (Col. Hamilton’s) house were more like bombs than anything else. The Chairman said that the Bench were determined to put down the nuisance and they fined the defendant 10s. and 3s. costs.

The Acting Director of the Motor Launch and Hospital Ship Department of the British Red Cross Society, who has just returned from Mesopotamia, where he has been in charge of the Red Cross motor launches, says that the ambulance launch “May,” one of the six launches which the Farmers’ Red Cross Fund provided last year, has proved one of the most successful boats in the whole country. She has carried sick and wounded and hospital personnel and during the last five months has hardly been out of action for a day, working all over the river and doing very valuable work at the time of the advance on Baghdad. The Treasurer acknowledges the receipt of £700, the balance from the jumble sale at Bromsgrove, per Mr. John Green, which brings the Worcestershire total to the fund up to £12,314.

The Mayoress of Worcester presided at the monthly meeting of the Women’s Institute, held in the Guildhall, on Wednesday afternoon and was supported on the platform by Lady Isabel Margesson, Mrs. Leslie Melville and Miss Pollock. An apology for absence was announced from Lady Hindlip. Lady Margesson explained the wonderful growth of the Women’s Institute and said the Government was now using the organisation and allowing a grant for a year’s propaganda work. Miss Pollock described a scheme for an original and clever Rabbit Club such as she had successfully worked in Herefordshire for over two years. Mrs. Melville always works with her “gang,” which numbers 40 and she assured the audience that in spite of the hard work she and her gang were never better in health. The gang consists entirely of part-time workers, who give two or three hours twice a week.

The last of a series of three demonstrations, arranged by the Women’s War Agricultural Committee, was given in the Old Waterman’s Church, Dolday, on Saturday afternoon. The Rev. J. E. MacRae (Vicar of All Saints), introduced the demonstrator, Mrs. Crowe, of the Board of Agriculture, who illustrated in practical manner the use of the home canner for bottling, canning and drying fruit. This useful commodity should prove a valuable adjunct to domestic economy in war-time.

City Police Court: George Worthington (14), Cornelius Price (14) and Wallace Patrick (15), were charged with setting fire to fireworks in the Trinity, in Sunday. P.C. Greaves said that he heard the loud reports and went to the Trinity, where he caught Worthington. Witness later got the names of the other boys. The Chief Constable said that the shops were licensed to sell fireworks, although it was an offence to light them. The Chairman cautioned the boys and said that in his opinion the person who sold the fireworks was as great an offender as the people who let them off. Each defendant was fined 5s. and the Bench hope it would be a lesson to them.

Henry Roberts, 31, Dolday, was charged with being the owner of a cow found straying in Broad Street. Defendant said that he turned the cow on Pitchcroft and someone must have left the gate open. He was ordered to pay the costs.

Information researched by The Worcestershire World War 100 team