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Key dates over January 1918

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: 3

15th January 1918 - Factory hooters startle slumber

Rolling casualty count: 8465

War Front:

1st Batt: Batt marched to California Camp where men provided working parties. Weather wet and cold.

3rd Batt: The heavy rain caused the trenches to fall in.

4th Batt: Batt took part in a Brigade Field Day , attacking in the open from Zudausques towards Moringhem. Major Gen de Lisle was present and COs, Adjutants and CCs were very impressed with the exercise. It was raining hard all day so it was heavy going across country and the men were soaked.

2/7th Batt: At noon ,Batt HQ plus C and D Coys left Buny and marched to Germaine. A and B Coys from Croix Miligneux joined them en route. All arrived at Germaine at 12.30pm and billeted there. 2Lt AN Hutchinson was appointed Intelligence officer.

10th Batt: Batt relieved by the 10th Royal Warwicks and proceeded to the Support Line.

Home Front:

Military Cross Awards to Worcestershire Regiment Officers ‘For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty’: Sec.-Lt. (Temp. Lt.) V.R.F. Smith: In spite of being under heavy shell fire whilst observing his battery from the parapet of the front line trench. He kept up such accurate fire on the enemy that he not only succeeded in covering the retirement of patrols, but also inflicted heavy casualties on the enemy with his trench mortar; Capt. H. Fitzmaurice Stacke: He directed the assembly of his battalion for an attack under heavy shell fire with the greatest gallantry, and later, when wounded, refused to leave the battalion until ordered to do so. It was largely due to his splendid work as Adjutant in personally supervising all the preliminaries that his battalion took all its objectives; Temp. Sec. Lieut. W.C. Stevens: During important operations he showed a very quick grasp of the situation, and was of the greatest assistance to his commanding officer. On one occasion when no orderlies were available, he himself carried and important message, under very heavy shell fire, with the utmost fearlessness and disregard of personal danger...

New R.S.M. for Volunteers: Regimental Sergt. – Major J.L. Williams, who has recently been appointed to the 2nd Battalion of the Worcestershire Volunteer Regt., has seen 26 years’ service, having joined the London Irish Rifles in November, 1891…He has been present at all the great national ceremonies since he joined the Army – Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee, King Edward’s coronation and funeral, and King George’s coronation all being on his lists. During the war he has been engaged with training troops for overseas.

To the Editor: HOOTERS: Sir,- Is it necessary that the people who live in the Barbourne and surrounding district should be disturbed every Saturday at 6am; other mornings at 7, and during the day, by the very loud and prolonged “hoot” of the newly-acquired hooter from the factory in Pitchcroft Lane? I believe that I am voicing the feeling of many people who are startled from slumber by this ghastly noise every Saturday morning at 6 o’clock. A Citizen.

Red Cross: The following report has been issued by Lady Sandys, on the year’s work: During the year 1917 our Branch of the British Red Cross and Order of St. John has made 721 articles for the sick and wounded at our weekly sewing classes, and sent them up to Headquarters, and to the Worcester Comforts Fund. The items are as follows: 23 flannel pyjamas, 31 helpless-case shirts, 59 flannel day shirts, 10 flannel night shirts, 24 flannel pants, 32 flannel vests, 117 pairs day socks, 21 pairs bed socks, 36 pairs hospital stockings, 48 mufflers, 29 skull caps, 6 pairs mittens and cuffs, 3 pairs slippers, 86 face washers, 68 comfort bags, 98 collars, 12 handkerchiefs, 18 limb bandages.

Information researched by The Worcestershire World War 100 team