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Key dates over August 1918

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Lives lost on this day: 8

8th August 1918 - Battle of Amiens. British, Australian, Canadian and French forces launch a powerful strike against the German army on the Somme. General Ludendorf calls it 'the black day of the German army'. Fighting now continues until 11 November.

Rolling casualty count: 10328

War Front:

1st Batt: The day was devoted to general cleaning up. HM the King passed through Mont St Eloy in pm and the Batt lined the route.

2nd Batt: The Front Line, with the exception of I officer and 4 Lewis gunners withdrew to enable the heavy artillery to fire on enemy strong points. A Coy went back to the Green Line, the Brigade Commander and Officer Commanding 119th AIR visited Batt HQ and took notes on the organisation of hot food for men in the trenches.

3rd Batt: In the early am the leading platoon had advanced halfway to Locon. The enemy rear guard still held the village and there was intermittent sniping fire.

4th Batt: During the pm, Capt. C Hackett MC, DCM, 2nd Lt SJ Rye and 6 ORs captured 13 prisoners and a machine gun from a post 400 yards to their front. Lt CG Sneade, 2LT W Pamment and a small group captured 1 officer and 1 OR near the same spot.

1/8th Batt: A and D Coys led the raiding party on the trenches behind Morar House, under Lt LR Bomford. The ruins of Morar House were unoccupied and 61 of the enemy were dead in the trenches. Again the Batt of well-trained men had proved the advantage of determined troops over a half trained and demoralised enemy.

Home Front:

Worcester Volunteer’s Camp – Time of Departure – There has been an alteration in the train arrangements for Saturday. A and B Companies will parade at Silver Street at 4.45pm; the train leaves Foregate Street at 5.31 p.m. Any Volunteer who cannot travel by this train can proceed to Camp by a later train, obtaining his ticket from the booking clerk at Foregate Street Station.

Sudden Death at Hallow – A case of sudden death is reported from Hallow. Stephen Philpotts (62) a labourer, of 45 Hallow Road, who was employed by Mrs F Smith of Hallow, for several years, died in her orchard suddenly on Thursday. He left home in his usual health at 7.30. He was crossing the orchard about 12.30 when he felt ill and sat down. He was attended to and was just about to be removed when he died.

Information researched by The Worcestershire World War 100 team