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Key dates over December 1917

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Lives lost on this day: 8

2nd December 1917 - Whist Drive at Croome Court

Rolling casualty count: 8291

War Front:

4th Batt: Batt Men working on improving the Line. 2 platoons of X Coy were brought back to support and to work on the communication trenches. The 88th brigade suffered heavy casualties.

2/8th Batt: The relief was completed at 4.15 am and 76 other ranks were wounded. At 6am the enemy attacked on the right and gained footing in the saps of the Batt. This attack was repulsed but at 2.30pm the enemy attacked again and large numbers got into the old Hindenburg line. At 6.30pm there was a counter attack which cleared the enemy from the sunken road but not the trenches. At 11pm the 2/5th Warwicks arrived to help with the counter attack and Batt went back to the old British Front Line support from Village Road to Fusilier Alley. 2nd Lt H Gerald was killed; Capt RH Stallard, 2nd Lts FA Adams and H Merrifield were wounded. 2nd Lt HS Bell was missing and 130 other ranks were wounded.

10th Batt: Batt inspected in fighting order.

Yeomanry/Cavalry: Regiment took over a portion of the Line 1 mile due north of El Burj from the 3rd Light Horse Brigade. The dead were still lying thick amongst the rocks with all attempts at burial being frustrated by machine gun fire and snipers.

Home Front:

Whist Drive at Croome Court – On behalf of the Worcestershire Prisoners of War Fund, a successful and well attended whist drive was held at Croome Court, by the kindness of the Earl and Countess of Coventry. It was thoroughly enjoyed by devotees of the game from all parts of the district.

County Education – Distributing the Grant – A special meeting of the County Education Committee was held today for the purpose of considering the recommendations of a special Committee as to the way in which the supplementary grant should be applied.

Information researched by The Worcestershire World War 100 team