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Key dates over December 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 31

Lives lost on this day: 11

1st December 1917 - Women’s Enfranchisement

Parliament agreed a law to give all women over 30 who were householders the right to vote in general elections. It would become a law in February 1918.

Rolling casualty count: 8283

War Front:

1st Batt: Batt billeted at Longuenesse and busy cleaning up. New clothing was issued.

2nd Batt: Batt in the trenches in the right sub-sector in Passchendaele.

4th Batt: All four Coys still in the front Line. X Coy captured 3 machine guns and took up position with 1 platoon in an advanced post. HQ and Batt and the 2nd Hants in the same dug-out in a sunken road, 800 yards south of Marcoing. Marcoing and Mesnieres heavily shelled and enemy aircraft very active.

2/7th Batt: Batt relieved the Kings Royal Rifles Corps in La Vacquerie sector. 2 other ranks wounded.

2/8th Batt: Batt moved up to the Line at 5pm via Beaucamp and Plouich. 2 Coys were in the Line just south of La Vacquerie (Hindenburg Support and Frontline,) 1 Coy was in support and 1 coy in Corner Work at la Vacquerie with Batt HQ.

10th Batt: Batt cleaning up at Le Rons, Sabloniere-Couronnes.

Yeomanry/Cavalry: The horses had been taken back to Ludd and yeomen were on foot carrying heavy packs.

Home Front:

The Butter Shortage – Disappointed Women at the Market – It will be remembered that a week ago, in the Worcester Butter Market, women clamoured for the butter, which market women had brought for customers who had dealt with them for years. The police intercepted and the saleswomen sold out their supplies to the crowd in quarter pound pats, but they vowed that they would give the market a wide berth in future. Today it was evident that they had kept their word. One saleswoman only showed any butter and she was immediately surrounded by housewives who threw half crowns on the basket for their pounds of butter. Against her better judgement (for she said the butter was only for her regular customers) she was practically compelled to let the butter go and in a few minutes her small stock changed hands.

Distinguished Service Cross – Flight Lieut G W Hemming In recognition of his services with a wing of the R.N.A.S., at Dunkirk, between March and September 1917, during which period he has been continuously employed on the Belgian coast and on many occasions has been in charge of a flight. On September 22 1917, he led his flight against a formation of 20 enemy aircraft and engaging three consecutively, brought them all down.

Information researched by the Worcestershire World War 100 team