Skip to navigation | Skip to content | Skip to footer

Key dates over April 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

Lives lost on this day: 8

28th April 1918 - WORCESTER WOMAN’S SUICIDE

Rolling casualty count: 9609

War Front:

1st Batt: Batt working all night on the intermediate line of defence known as the Blue Line.

2 OR killed and 2 wounded.

2nd Batt: Div Com inspected yesterday`s draft of men at 10am. All were very deficient of kit. Church Parade under Rev EV Tanner at 10.45am. Batt warned of move to Wardrescues area.

3rd Batt: Batt heavily shelled and 2Lts AE Braggins and JGN Fothergill were wounded.

4th Batt: Batt in reserve trenches east of Hazebrouck and enemy quiet. Three Coys worked on the reserve defences.

Home Front:

WORCESTER WOMAN’S SUICIDE – Worried by Heavy Munition Work – An inquiry into the death of Mrs Mary Gadd of Wylds Lane, Worcester who was reported missing on March 22nd and whose body was recovered from the Severn at Upton upon Severn on Monday morning. The husband, Matthew Gadd, of Little Fish Street, Worcester, who is employed at the Royal Porcelain Works, stated that his wife was aged 48. She had been living apart from him since August last. Alice Gadd, daughter, stated that she last saw her mother when she left home to go to work, her mother being then in bed, as she did not feel well. Her mother had been working in the munitions works at Shrub Hill and had been worried as she said the work was too heavy for her. When witness returned from work her mother had gone, leaving the following note on the piano: “Dear Al, by the time you get this I hope I shall be in Heaven. All that is in this house belongs to you, as you have helped me to get it. I asked Mr G to move me, as I can’t do that heavy work. I have not got anything to live for. I hope F will be good to you, as you have been to your broken hearted mother”.

WORCESTER WAR HONOURS M.C.’S FOR Officers – BAR TO MILITARY CROSS CAPT. 9ATTG MAJOR0 F E DAVIES M.C., WORC.R. and M.G.C. For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty in command of his Company during four days’ operations under continual fire. Though he was buries by a shell and suffered from the shock for over twenty four hours, he remained at duty with great determination.

Information researched by The Worcestershire World War 100 team