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Key dates over May 1918

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Lives lost on this day: 5

6th May 1918 - City Police Court – School Cases

Rolling casualty count: 9668

War Front:

1st Batt: Batt inspected by GOC of 24th Brigade.

2nd Batt: Batt marched at 5.30am to a new camp near Poperinghe and bivouacs and shelters were erected in a little coppice, which gave some camouflage. The area was under direct observation from Kemmel Hill. Brigade in Divisional Support. The Brigadier visited in the evening.

4th Batt: The 86th Brigade on the right raided enemy lines, capturing 1 prisoner and 1 machine gun causing retaliation from the enemy on the front Line which resulted in casualties. Capt HL Grogan MC was killed, 2Lt TP Guy was wounded, 2Lt HT Crawley died from wounds. At 10.30pm a large number of gas projectors were fired causing the enemy to retaliate on our Front and Support Lines. Lt Donovan MC took over command of X Coy. Much wiring was carried out and men worked to improve the trenches and the dug-out at Batt HQ.

Yeomanry/Cavalry: Orders received to saddle up and stand to at 9am which continued until 2am the following am.

Home Front:

50 Divisions to 14 – The Worcesters’ Part – Mr Hamilton Fyfe writes: - After the fall of Kemmel it was decided that an attempt must be made at once to take the hill. The 25th Division were given a prominent part in the counter-attack. They had first to collect their men, who were scattered in working parties, preparing positions. Then the men had to be well fed – no good starting to attack on empty stomachs. An eight mile march to the place of assembly followed. Next it was necessary to find out exactly were the Germans were. Patrols went out and came back with exact information. At 3am the operation began. By 5.30 the men of the Worcesters had got their first objective and a brilliant success seemed already within reach. A little later the village of Kemmel was occupied by us, but unfortunately this village became a perilous salient. The troops on the flank of the 25th Division could not get through a heavy barrage or as the Germans call it Feuerwalne, which means “rolling fire”. We were compelled to fall back after carrying the attack over 3,000 yards of difficult country with splendid dash.

City Police Court – School Cases – The following were summoned for not sending their children to school: Walter Church, 18 The Moors (two cases) fined 2s in each case; Thomas Stock, 14 Regent Street 2s. 6d; Ellen Collis, 15 North Street, 7s.6d; Ellen Saunders, 27 Regent Street, 5s; Lily Cull, 3 Court, Silver Street. In this case the mother was summoned for not complying with an attendance order. The boy was ordered to be sent to Stanley Road School, but had only made 11 attendances out of a possible 86. Mr Spackman now asked for the boy to be sent to an industrial school. An order was made for the boy to be sent away.

Information researched by The Worcestershire World War 100 team