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Key dates over May 1918

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Lives lost on this day: 5

4th May 1918 - How a Worcester Reporter won the D.C.M.

Rolling casualty count: 9654

War Front:

1st Batt: Batt detrained at Fismes at 3pm and marched to Chery Charteuve where men billeted in Camp C.

2nd Batt: Tents and shelters were drawn and erected. Classes resumed. There were visits from the 3rd Batt which is billeted not far away.

3rd Batt: Batt moved to St Eloi where it re-joined the 25th Division and men spent the day resting.

4th Batt: There was a warning that the enemy would attack at dawn so Batt stood to arms. Our artillery put down a heavy barrage but there was no attack. Orders received to relieve the 87th Infantry Brigade in Front Line posts.

Yeomanry/Cavalry: Several horses had to be shot through exhaustion and their saddles and packs abandoned. Much ammunition was lost as men galloped 12 miles down precipitous goat tracks in single file. Five enemy aeroplanes appeared and machine gunned the retiring troops. One plane was shot down. On the plain the long line of retiring troops was too strung out to afford good targets.

Home Front:

Worcestershire and The War – How a Worcester Reporter won the D.C.M. – Sergt. R. Pegg, Gloucestershire Reg (Birmingham) on one occasion, when one of a party of four had been sent out with the object of siting and hostile posts, he succeeded in wading across a river and discovering an enemy post. Having accurately determined his position, he split up his party and rushed the post from the flanks, capturing two prisoners, who were brought back to our lines. On the following night he accompanied an officer on a similar mission and having waited in one of the hostile posts for some time, they rushed two of the enemy, who were seen to be approaching, took them prisoners and brought them back across the river to our lines. During both these operations he displayed exceptional courage, coolness and determination. Sergt Pegg was a reporter on the staff of this newspaper.

Bigger Ration of Fats – It is stated that lard will be included in national rations when the new book of food tickets come into use in July. The allowance is not yet fixed, but will be somewhere in the region of 1 ½ ozs per week. The rationing of tea remains a more open question. The scale in local schemes is 1 ½ ozs, but it is thought that supplies may permit a general consumption of 2ozs.

Information researched by The Worcestershire World War 100 team