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Key dates over April 1918

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Lives lost on this day: 10

30th April 1918 - WORCESTER MAN’S SACRIFICE

Rolling casualty count: 9631

War Front:

1st Batt: Batt running round west side of the village to Neunier House, then continued eastwards. Working parties supplied to Out-post Line and carrying RE material to the Front Line.

2nd Batt: Batt on 2 hours’ notice to move. Men doing musketry and practice attacks under supervision of Major Stoney MC. Draft of 1 officer and 37 OR joined Batt.

3rd Batt: Batt relieved the KOYLI in Front Line where they were heavily shelled with gas and artillery. This went on most of the day.

4th Batt: There was a heavy bombardment by our guns at 3.30am on the assembly areas. Com. Officers and Coy Com. made a reconnaissance of Grand Sec Bois and Petit Sec Bois and the approaches.

Yeomanry/Cavalry: The Infantry attacked at dawn but the Turks appeared unaware of anything when the hillsides became alive with gunfire. The Cavalry with Sherwood Rangers, now commanded by Col WH Wiggin of Worcs Yeomanry, was ordered to attack up the steep hills. This looked impossible but goat tracks were found. The air was cooler up there and men were able to overcome the Turks, who were not in great strength. Late pm no Turks could be seen and our aeroplane dropped a message saying the country was clear 3 miles ahead. At twilight the Brigadier decided not to push forward so all bivouacked in mass formation in a barley field, by a small oasis. It was a difficult place for those on out-post duty.

Home Front:

WOR’SHIRE OFFICER MILITARY CROSS – TEMP SEC LIEUT A BUTLER – W’SHIRE REGT. For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty when in charge of a raid. He took up his duties at short notice and was responsible for the training of the party. He repelled an attempted counter attack and after inflicting considerable casualties successfully withdrew the party some 450 yards to our line, in spite of an enemy barrage across “No Man’s Land”.

WORCESTER MAN’S SACRIFICE – HIS BLOOD TO SAVE COMRADE – Mrs Clay of North Street Worcester, has received a letter from a Sergeant in the R.A.M.C., who tells of a sacrifice made by her husband. The letter says: Writing on behalf of Capt Wilson R.A.M.C.O I am requested to say how pleased and proud we are of your husband Sergt C Clay (Gloucesters) and we are sure his own family will be when you know what he did. Sergt Clay came into hospital the result of some accident on the firing line. Although only just getting out of bed, he gave a comrade, two pints of his own blood because the man had lost such a tremendous amount of his own.

Information researched by The Worcestershire World War 100 team