16th September 1918 - Insurance Agent’s End

Rolling casualty count: 10623

War Front:

2nd Batt: The Batt debussed at 5 am and occupied dug-outs in Delville Wood. Men rested throughout the day while officers reconnoitred routes eastwards in heavy thunderstorms.

3rd Batt: Lt Col PR Whalley assumed command of 87th Infantry Brigade and Major RFT Saville DSO took over command of the Batt.

4th Batt: Baths were allotted to the Batt. All CSMs and Platoon Sgts were instructed in map reading and use of the compass. The Diamond Troupe were performing nightly in Cinema Hall.

14th Batt: Batt worked on the Sunken Road from the south end of Croisilles to the south end of Ecoust.

Yeomanry/ Cavalry: No shells fell near and few signs of the enemy seen except the occasional small party of men on the far side of the valley. Some were picking grapes out of range of rifle fire.

Home Front:

Sapper Thomas Smallman, R.E. (brother of Mrs. Bevan, 32, Lowesmoor, Worcester), has died in Italy from malaria, after a few days’ illness. A letter from a Chaplain says: He was a good workman, well thought of by his officers and liked by his mates. He died on active service for his country. Sapper Smallman joined up in January, 1917, and went to Italy about a year ago. Previously to joining the Army he managed his furniture business in Lowesmoor.

The General List: Casualties to officers in the list published today number 458 – killed 82, wounded 329. The Royal Air Force lost 7 officers and 6 cadets killed; 20 are wounded and 23 missing. The number of casualties in the ranks is 5,137 – killed 486, died of wounds 266, wounded 4,192, missing 142. The list includes the names of 316 N.C.O.’s and men who have arrived in Switzerland from Germany for internment.

The former C.O. of a battalion tells a story well worth retelling. Dug-outs were badly needed for his little crowd, but when he applied for a few sheets of corrugated iron he was informed that there were none in the engineers’ stock. He consulted a non-com. “Is that what they say, sir?” “What time do you go into the line tonight sir?” “Well, it all depends.” “Rather nice night for a stay in the lines tonight, sir!” “Very well; I’ll go in at seven.” “Right sir; of course, you won’t be back before five?” “No, sergeant.” “The next morning,” said the colonel, “when I returned there was the neatest little row of dug-outs and the broadest of smiles on the sergeant’s face awaiting me. Later in the day I had a complaint from the engineers’ chief that a number of corrugated sheets were missing. I was, however, able to reply that there must be some mistake that nothing could be missing because only the previous day I had been told there were none in stock!”

Insurance Agent’s End: An inquest was held at Hallow, on Saturday last, touching the death of Charles Henry Tabberer (59), insurance agent for the Prudential Assurance Co. Adelaide Mary Tabberer said her husband had not been attended by a doctor since last Christmas, when he had influenza. He had enjoyed good health since, except pain in his chest, which he attributed to wind. On Friday last Mr. Williams, Superintendent of the Prudential Co. and Mr. Tabberer left the latter’s house on bicycles to go on business. On the journey back they got off their bicycles to walk up Thorngrove Hill, and Tabberer then complained of pain in his chest. He recovered from that as he had often done before. They rode on to the Royal Oak, where they had a glass of beer each. Deceased took one sip and put the glass back, he lurched sideways, and fell to the floor. He gave a moan and in a few minutes appeared to be dead. Dr. Legge reported that the body was rather inclined to obesity and the heart valves and aortic valves were extensively diseased. This was quite sufficient to account for sudden death. In his opinion death was due to disease of the heart. Verdict accordingly.

Warndon Harvest Festival: The church was very tastefully decorated by Mrs. Quinney, the Misses Wilks, Mrs. King, Miss Haughtey, and Mrs. Nation. The harvest hymns were heartily rendered by a good congregation, and an appropriate sermon was preached by the Rector (the Rev. W.J. Jenkins). The collection, amounting to £2 7s. 2d., also the flowers and eggs, were given to the Infirmary, and a good collection of fruit and vegetables was despatched to the Fleet.

Heenan and Froude’s had a rather bad day on Saturday, they met Wednesbury, in a Birmingham Suburban League match at St. George’s Lane, and were beaten by 7 goals to 2. There could be no doubt that Wednesbury were the better team. Their forwards worked well together and their attacks were often well conceived and effectively carried out.

Information researched by The Worcestershire World War 100 team