12th September 1918 - Battles of the Hindenburg Line. Allied troops begin attacks on the outer defences of the strong German Hindenburg Line in France.

Rolling casualty count: 10583

War Front:

2nd Batt: There was a conference for all officers and paper examinations were given to all subalterns. There was a football match between officers and Sgts, won by the Sgts 1 goal to nil.

14th Batt: 2Lt Schofield went on leave to England.

Yeomanry/Cavalry: The Regiment packed up kit and generally prepared for the discomforts of active campaigning.

Home Front:

From a source which is beyond doubt, the “Daily Express” learns that the Empress of Russia and her four daughters have been murdered by the Bolsheviks. The whole immediate family of the late Czar has thus been exterminated. It is further understood that the Dowager Empress, who, with her daughter and son-in-law, the Duke of Oldenburg, has been staying at Yalts, was recently attacked by Red Guards, who sought to kill them. The sailors of the Black Sea Fleet intervened and fought the Red Guards. For a full fortnight the fight continued until in the end the Red Guards were beaten, and is now understood that the Dowager Empress is safe.

Last year 55,542 experiments on living animals were conducted, 10,501 fewer than in 1916. Of this number 54,208 were simple inoculations, hypodermic injections, and similar proceedings performed without anaesthetics. Cancer investigations accounted for 6,231, while over 19,000 experiments were made on behalf of the Government Departments and public health authorities, and more than 22,600 for the preparation, testing, and standardising of serum, vaccines, and drugs.

The Mayor of Worcester (Ald. A. Carlton) opened at the Shirehall this afternoon a three days’ exhibition of produce grown on allotments and gardens in the City. It was a striking demonstration of what can be done by gardeners, amateur and novice, when there is national need for special effort and local enterprise to encourage and to assist the gardeners. The city exhibits naturally formed the greater part of the show. There were 375 entries, compared with 400 last year, the falling off being in the fruit section, and was accounted for by the failure of the fruit crop generally. The kidney beans were exceptionally good, having regard to the long dry season. It was obvious that the rains of the last fortnight had caused them to develop rapidly. Messrs. J.H. White and Co. sent six dishes of choice apples, which were to be sold for the benefit of the Infirmary. There was a notable collection of vegetables grown on the Worcester Sewage Works Farm, and another honorary exhibit was sent by the Boys’ School, Rainbow Hill. The Mayor pointed out that there were now over 1,200 allotment holders, and something like 103 acres under cultivation. He hoped that allotment holders who had come into the “business” owing to the military situation would not “retire” when the war was over – he hoped the allotment enthusiasm would not be a mere “flash in the pan,” but would survive after the war. (Hear, hear.)

King’s School: Much regret is felt at the tragic death of Lieut. Alan V. Lewis, recently a prominent member of the VI Form, who has been killed in Kent while conducting experimental flying as a member of the R.A.F. He joined the Royal Naval Air Service before the amalgamation, and did good service in flying over the North Sea, where he narrowly escaped drowning and was severely shaken by a fall last year. Much sympathy will be felt with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Lewis, of Cheddleton, Droitwich.

In connection with the British-American Fellowship (the invitation of which is so largely due to the Mayor and the Dean of Worcester) arrangements are being made for the interchange of pulpits, and invitations are extended to Chaplains of the American Forces when they visit England to preach in some of our principal churches. In accordance with this arrangement, the Rev. Cranston Brenston, of New York, who was formerly Professor at Harvard University, will preach in the Cathedral on Sunday morning, and in the afternoon at 3, at the College Hall will lecture on “What the churches of America think of the war.” Thus Worcester, which is pioneering a popular national movement, will itself have an early and admirable opportunity of profiting by it in hearing an able American speaker and in grasping the American point of view.