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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: 14

5th September 1918 - City Councillor’s Son Killed

Rolling casualty count: 10556

War Front:

2nd Batt: Representatives of the Batt attended a demonstration of tanks near St Pol and were given a ride in them.

3rd Batt: During the day, patrols were sent out to ascertain whether the old German Front Line was occupied and it was. Two officer casualties occurred on the patrols and Lt AS Bramhall was missing, believed captured and 2Lt DG Ross was killed.

4th Batt: The Brigade was relieved by the 94th Infantry Brigade and our Batt was relieved by 2 Coys 24th RWF and 1 Coy KORR. Batt spent the night in a field near Commet Camp where men had a hot meal.

14th Batt: While A Coy was working on the Gagnicourt to Inchy Road, 2 OR were wounded.

Home Front:

Boy’s Till Theft: Walter Edward Stanley Perry (11), a school boy, back of 3, Castle Place, was charged with stealing from a till in the shop of No. 7, High Street, four £1 Treasury Notes, the property of Nellie Barry. Miss Barry said that she placed behind the till in her shop four £1 Treasury Notes. Later the boy was seen going into a picture house, where he changed a 10s. note. When asked where he got it, he said he had found it. When taxed with the loss of the £4 he admitted taking it. The boy’s mother said he had been deficient since birth, and had been a source of great trouble to her. She had reared 13 children. Mr. Spackman produced a certificate from the School Medical Officer, Dr. M. Andrews, who said the defendant was sufficiently developed mentally for his age but it was true what the mother had said about him being deficient and stupid at times. The Chairman said that the boy’s conduct had been disgraceful, and he would have been severely birched had it not been for the doctor’s certificate. He would be bound over in the sum of £5.

Local News: Board of Guardians: Mr. Rowberry, Chairman of the Cottage Homes Committee said that the river trip given to the children by Mr. Peters to Upton-on-Severn last Friday was much enjoyed.

The Local Government Board furnished a report of a visit to the Workhouse on March 14th by Dr. Bond, Visiting Commissioner of the Board of Control, who stated that there was accommodation for 415 inmates, 240 being in residence today. The grounds had a pleasing appearance and good aspect, but the exercising enclosures, paved with concrete, were unattractive. He was well satisfied with the condition of the patients and with the care bestowed on them. The rooms were looking nice, and were well warmed. The bedding was plentiful and scrupulously clean. The Chairman said the report was very satisfactory.

City Councillor’s Son Killed: News has been received by Councillor and Mrs. W. Sharpe, of Bath Road, Worcester, of the death in action of their third son, Lieut. Frederick Sharpe, of the Australian Imperial Force. He went to Australia to take up fruit farming and volunteered in the early days of the war, and went to the Dardanelles, being in the 10th Battalion A.I.F., which was the first to land at Suvla Bay. After six months’ service on the Peninsula he contracted enteric, shortly before the evacuation, and was sent back to Australia to recuperate. The news of his death on August 23rd came from an old friend, Sec.-Lieut. Cooper, who had been his companion since August, 1916. He wrote expressing his deep regret that Lieut. Sharpe was killed, almost instantaneously, by a German shell. The letter proceeded: The shell landed very close, and he was probably killed by concussion, for the body was very little marked. Our pioneers buried him near the small village of Proyart, and they erected a nice wooden cross. Mr. and Mrs. Sharpe have three other officer sons, all of whom have been wounded.

The King on Wednesday presented the Victoria Cross to Capt. (then Sec.-Lieut.) Edgar Myles, Worcestershire Regiment: For most conspicuous bravery. He went out alone on several occasions in front of our advanced trenches, and under heavy rifle fire and at great personal risk assisted wounded men lying in the open. On one occasion he carried a wounded officer to a place of safety under circumstances of great danger. The Cross was awarded in April, 1916, when Sec.-Lieut. Myles was serving in Mesopotamia with the 9th Worcestershires. He was the fourth member of the Regiment to obtain the V.C. Since then the number of V.C.’s won by the Regiment has been brought up to nine.

Sergt. A.H. Mogg, Worc. R. (Bromsgrove) has been awarded the D.C.M: An advanced post was being heavily trench mortared and the enemy was attempting to capture it. Notwithstanding the heavy shelling, he took over a Lewis gun and did exceptionally good work with it, and in spite of a wound, refused to leave the gun until the enemy had withdrawn.

Information researched by The Worcestershire World War 100 team