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Key dates over February 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

Lives lost on this day: 0

24th February 1918 - “WOODBINE WILLIE’S” POEMS

Rolling casualty count: 8520

War Front:

4th Batt: Batt, less working parties of 350 OR, paraded for Divine Service at Empire Hall. Z Coy went to the baths later.

10th Batt: Batt continued with training and this will be to the end of the month.

Home Front:

“WOODBINE WILLIE’S” POEMS – We are asked to publish the following letter and poem:- My dear Everybody in Worcester – I am writing to ask you to buy my book of poems, I don’t think they are much as poems, but they are being sold in aid of St Dunstan’s Hostel for Blinded Soldiers and I want to hand over as much as I can to them that will comfort those in sorrow or inspire those who are growing very weary in the war of Right against Might. Whatever good may be in them is due to the glorious men who inspired me to try and write them and it is for those among these men, who have lost their sight that I want to sell them, Yours sincerely, G.A. STUDDERT KENNEDY

ONLY BLIND

Right as ninepence, thank you kindly,

There are umpty worse than me,

I’d be fit to-morrer,

If my eyes could only see.

But they can’t sir, that’s the bother,

Though I ain’t a grousin’ mind,

There is some blokes broke to bits, sir,

As for me I’m only blind.

‘Ow it ‘appened! Well, it ‘appened on a bloomin’ night patrol,

When I got a blasted bomb, sir, from ole Fritz, and got it whole, Never shared the thing wi’ no-one,

But just kept it to myself, it fair peppered me with wounds sir, and my eyes went on the shelf.

And now I lives in darkness, It’s a funny kind of feel, And at times I want to see sir, Like a beggar wants a meal.

But I gets accustomed to it, though at first it all were strange, And I felt as mean and ‘umpy, as a kitten with the mange.

4th Army Infantry School, B.E.F., February 19, 1918. P.S. The book is entitled “The Rough Rhymes of a Padre”, published by Hodder & Stoughton and can be obtained at bookseller’s price 1/3 net.

WORCESTERSHIRE AND THE WAR – COMMUNAL WAR KITCHEN – A few weeks ago in Bank Street, Worcester, a communal war kitchen was started in a modest way to supply soup, a liberal daily provision was made. The motto of the enterprise, which is economise the food and the time of the people (and not in any way to touch on charity), has led to developments and other acceptable items have been added to the soup course. A modest little bill of fare is arranged for the week ahead. Some people have an idea that the communal kitchen is only for the very poor, but that is a mistake, for all kinds of customers are welcome.

Information researched by The Worcestershire World War 100 team