Skip to navigation | Skip to content | Skip to footer

Key dates over September 1918

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30

Lives lost on this day: 11

19th September 1918 - Battle of Megiddo. In northern Palestine, Allied troops launch a devastating attack on the Turks and begin a steady advance into Syria. Fighting continues until 25 October.

Rolling casualty count: 10646

War Front:

2nd Batt: Batt marched from Lachelles to a field east of Equancout. Shelters and bivouacs were hastily erected from material found in the village of Fins.

3rd Batt: 2Lt Dixon was killed by a sniper early am. At 6.30am the 10th Royal Warwicks attacked and captured the Distillery and Shepherd`s Redoubt on the Le Basse Road. A Coy conformed and pushed forward the Posts on to the Main road.

At 1.30pm the 10th Royal Warwicks were driven out of the Distillery and Shepherd`s Redoubt but A Coy formed a defensive flank as long as possible. Later it had to fall back to the original line. B Coy had managed to push forward during the day and occupied Seven Sisters which it was able to retain.

Yeomanry/Cavalry: Just before dawn an attack was started by the 21st Corps. When it was light enough, with glasses we could see our troops digging far away on the hills that had been in enemy`s possession.

Home Front:

Gipsies’ Quarrel: Joseph Bosworth, alias Cook, no fixed abode, was charged with wounding Thomas Bosley at Powick. P.C. McDonagh gave evidence of arrest. The two men are gipsies, and it appeared that prisoner struck Bosley on the face with an iron bar, cutting his cheek open. As the man was now in the Infirmary, Inspector Price asked for a remand until Friday, Sept. 27th, to enable Bosley to attend. Granted.

Bar to Military Cross: Lieut. (Actg. Capt.) H. Croome-Johnson, M.C., W’shire Regt. He led his Company under heavy machine-gun fire, and established a line of posts which successfully checked the enemy’s advance. Later, his right flank being exposed, he not only maintained his position, but by visiting the unit on his right succeeded in re-establishing his line. His conduct during these operations was of a high order. He was awarded the M.C. in July, 1917.

Sudden Death: Edward Townsend (60), of 4, Quay Street, who is employed at the Corporation Cleaning Department, fell ill about 6 o’clock on Wednesday evening, and vomited blood. He went to his son-in-law, at No. 9, Quay Street, and when he got there he again lost a considerable amount of blood. The doctor was sent for, but before he arrived Townsend died.

Motor-Car and Tramcar Collide: A tramcar was proceeding up Bridge Street in the direction of the Cross. At the side of the street was a horse and trap. A motor-car, owned by Mr. Burnham, of Clifton-on-Teme, and driven by Frederick Easton, tried to pass between the two vehicles, with the result that the motor-car collided with the tramcar. Considerable damage was done to the tram, but no one was hurt.

Temperance Work: The National Temperance League, which for 60 years has been working among the soldiers, has continuously, since the commencement of the War, been carrying its message direct to the men in camp and hospital. Its educational lecturer, Mr. F.S. Carter, has just been visiting this district, and on Wednesday had an excellent meeting at Battenhall V.A.D Hospital, through the courtesy of Miss Ogilvy, the Commandant. On Thursday, by the special approval of H.M. Prison Commissioners, he visited the Worcester Prison, and addressed the whole of the inmates, who attentively followed his practical lecture. Mr. Carter contended that the common error which almost all of us made was to undervalue ourselves. None of us have lived up to our possibilities because of this. Alcohol, he contended, depreciated a person’s value according to the amount taken. The courtesy of the Chief Warder who presided in the absence of the Governor, Mr. Carter acknowledged with gratitude.

A year ago Worcester Fair was held in exceptional circumstances. There was no free market in hops, and the market conditions as to cattle were not clearly defined. This year the circumstances are without parallel. Hops are again controlled, and there can be no free sale. The cattle market was free as to store stock and sheep, but as there are weekly sales of store cattle it was not surprising to find none on sale today, excepting young Irish stock. For the first time there was no free market for cheese and bacon. If the pleasure element has been almost eliminated, the Sheep Fair, one of the main features of the time-honoured institution, shows signs of increased prosperity, today’s entry being the largest for several years. There was greater activity in the market too than usual, and the attendance was particularly large. Today’s entry of sheep was the largest since 1911, when in consequence of the drought, prices fell to the lowest for a long period. There were about 8,000 penned, but today’s 6,500 was well above the average for the past decade.

Information researched by The Worcestershire World War 100 team