17th June 1918 - Charged with stealing a parcel

Rolling casualty count: 10106

War Front:

1st Batt: Lt Col FC Roberts KG. DSO, MC joined the Batt.

2nd Batt: Trench strength was 23 officers and 517 ORs. Three officers and 17 OR of the American Army attached to the Batt for instruction. Four OR were gassed and 2nd LT LGA Bryant was sent to hospital sick.

3rd Batt: Batt moved to Marigny.

4th Batt: The gas was released at 10.30 am and was carried in a south easterly direction. Front Line reoccupied with slight opposition.

1/7th Batt: The losses of the Batt were heavy. Four Coys lost 8 officers and 83 NCO and other ranks. 112 unwounded prisoners, 6 machine guns and 2 flammenwerfers were captured. The area where the Batt attacked had more than 300 enemy dead.

1/8th Batt: Batt holding the Front Line.

Home Front:

On Saturday evening, at about 7pm, P.C. Knight recovered the body of an unknown man from the Severn at Kepax Ferry. It appeared to have been in the water a fortnight or three weeks. The following is the police description of the dead man: - About 50 years of age, height 5ft. 9ins., rather stout in build, face round, hair dark brown, moustache. He was wearing a brown suit with a green stripe running through, a blue shirt with a white stripe running through, a woollen vest and a pair of heavy boots much worn. He had neither collar nor socks.

Pte. J. Jones, T.M.B. (husband of Mrs. E. Jones, of 5, Northfield Street, Worcester) who is in the hospital at Glasgow, wounded through the left shoulder, has been awarded the Military Medal. The news has been conveyed to him by his Captain, who adds: “I consider that the splendid example you set to the younger men on all occasions was of the greatest assistance to the officers and NCO of the battery and above all, I admire your pluck and patriotism in coming forward at your age and serving here for nearly three years. I sincerely hope you are going on all right and that your wound is not giving you a lot of trouble.”

Mr. and Mrs. Morton, of 155, Ombersley Road, have heard that their son, Pte. Cyril Morton, of the North Staffs Regt. (the third of four sons in the service), who ten days ago was reported to be wounded and lying in a French hospital, has had his leg amputated. He himself writes that he is doing well.

The General List: Today’s official list contains the names of 24 officers killed 175 missing and 124 wounded. Casualties in the ranks total 5,971; killed 371, died of wounds 216, wounded 2,849, missing 2,297 (including 409 of the Wilts Regiment and 300 belonging to the Durham Light Infantry).

Lance-Corporal Hugh Cornfield, Worcesters of 3, Charlotte Street, Dudley, who has been presented with a gold watch by the local Patriotic Committee for having won the Military Medal, led a bombing party which resulted in the capture of a farmhouse, a machine-gun, and ten German prisoners. He joined the Army in December 1914, after being rejected on six occasions.

Annie Smith (42), married woman of Rushwick, was charged with stealing a parcel containing groceries and other articles from the counter of Shuter and Flays, High Street. She was also charged with stealing seven pairs of stockings and some brushes from 19, Mealcheapen Street and No. 37 stall in the Market, both kept by William Moore and with stealing a number of other articles from Messrs. Woolworths, Ltd. Mr. Harrison represented defendant and pleaded guilty to all the charges. Mr. Harrison said that defendant did not know what made her do such a thing. She was the wife of a respectable workman and had six children living at home. He asked the Bench to believe that her action was due to mental aberration, to treat her as a first offender and to bind her over. Defendant was sent to prison for a month on each charge, to run concurrently.

Lucy Galton, of Hadnor House, Droitwich, was charged with causing an obstruction with a motor car in High Street and with driving a motor car without being licensed to do so. P.C. Drinkwater said that defendant held up the traffic by leaving her car in the neck of High Street. Two tram car journeys had to be abandoned. When he asked her for her license, she said she had forgotten to bring it with her. She went into a shop to buy something and was detained longer than she expected she would be and quite forgot her car. She had also forgotten to take out a driver’s license. She was fined 10s. for the obstruction and the other charges were dismissed on payment of costs.

Information researched by The Worcestershire World War 100 team