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Key dates over May 1918

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Lives lost on this day: 9

5th May 1918 - Fallen Old Vigornians

Rolling casualty count: 9663

War Front:

1st Batt: Batt in camp where general training commenced.

2nd Batt: Divine Service was held under the Rev EV Tanner RC. Weather wet and showery all day.

3rd Batt: At 10am Batt moved to la Belle Vue area, near Wormhoudt where it reorganised and rested.

4th Batt: Batt stood to arms at 4am but again there were no attacks. Batt relieved 1st KOSB and 1st Border Reg in the Front Line in left sub sector of the 29th Divisional Front. It was a wet, stormy night and the relief was difficult.

1/7th and 1/8th Batts: Accommodation in the Front Sector was unsatisfactory and there were few shelters to protect trenches from shell fire so men busy weatherproofing and gas proofing dug-outs and erecting water catchment tanks.

Home Front:

Worcestershire and the War – Fallen Old Vigornians – A King’s School correspondent says: - Amongst those Old Vigornians who have recently fallen in France, none will be more regretted than Lieut. J Hemming, of the Worcestershire Regiment, who fell at Neuve Eglise. He was a VI Form boy of considerable promise, whose character in a remarkable degree compelled respect and affection. In the same fighting there fell another VI Form boy, Lieut. H Chignell. High minded and industrious he passed well into Sandhurst. A third Old Vigornian also gave his life last week. Lieut O Hewitt Dampier Bennett, formerly a member of Castle House, who made his mark in the Royal Flying Corps as a first class pilot.

Military Medal for Wounded Evesham Man – Lance-Sergt. G Stanton of the Royal Marine Light Infantry, a son of Mr and Mrs Robert Stanton of 5 Swan Terrace, Evesham, has been awarded the Military Medal for bravery in the field on April 7th, but the particulars are not yet to hand.

Information researched by The Worcestershire World War 100 team