11th September 1918 - Meat to be Dearer

Rolling casualty count: 10580

War Front:

1st Batt: Five OR were wounded and I OR was killed.

2nd Batt: A and B Coys were on the Range, firing at distances of 200 and 300 yards. Competitions were held in which the Brigadier General took part. 2LT BW Dudley joined the Batt for duty and was posted to B Coy.

3rd Batt: Batt cleaning up and training in very wet weather.

4th Batt: An advance party of Lt HF Boddington, 4 CSMs and 1 NCO went on bicycles to Hazebrouck where they met the Staff Captain.

At 2.15pm they went to Hazebrouck arriving at 6pm. Men were billeted in the evacuated hospital. Lt HN Newey, 2Lts EA Wood and J Hipkins joined the Batt with 22 OR.

14th Batt: Batt still working in Croisilles area. 2Lt Bates went on leave to England.

Home Front:

The General List: Casualties to officers in the list today number 477. Ninety-eight, of whom 24 belonged to the Canadian Forces are killed, and 350 (94 Canadians) are wounded. The number of casualties in the ranks is 2,644 – killed 260, died of wounds 128, died 112., wounded 1,837. One hundred and sixty-three N.C.O.’s and men previously posted missing, are now reported prisoners of war.

Pte. J.G. Johnson, Grenadier Guards (only son of Mr. and Mrs. W. Johnson, formerly of 5, College Street, and now of 24, New Street, Worcester), has been killed in action. He was aged 21. He joined the Army in March, 1917, and went to France last Christmas. His Company Commander says that he was a first-class soldier, devoted to duty, very much liked by officers and men of the Company, and one who will be very much missed. Pte. Johnson was formerly a probationer in the Cathedral Voluntary Choir, and later for about two years a member of St. Helen’s Choir. Previous to joining up he assisted his father, a wood turner, under whose training he became a first-class workman.

At the City Police Court today, Frederick Simmons (22), Henry William Strickland (30), and Leonard Seeney (25), were again charged with breaking into the shops of Messrs. Downs and Willies, Messrs. Lipton’s, Ltd., and Messrs. T. H. Sidney and Co., and stealing various articles, clothing etc., value at £11. The Chief Constable said that the men were remanded pending the receipt of a communication from the Chief Constable of Cardiff. That had arrived, and he handed it to the Bench. Having regard to the information given in it, he thought that the Bench would be inclined to discharge the men. He asked that they should be detained pending the arrival of an officer from Cardiff, who would arrest them for shop-breaking and thefts in that city. The Bench agreed, and formally discharged the men on the Worcester cases.

Visitors from New York: At the College Hall, next Sunday afternoon, Rev. C. Brenton, of New York, will deliver a lecture on “What the Churches of America Think about the War.” Mr. Brenton, who was formerly a professor at an American college, has for some years past been engaged in active social work in New York, and is now engaged in organisation of the work of the chaplains with the American Forces.

Dispensary: A meeting of the Committee was held on Tuesday. The books showed that £119 17s. 7d. had been collected from Provident members during the past four weeks, and that 83 new members had joined. The Dispenser reported that during the same period 1,519 prescriptions had been dispensed. The Secretary reported the receipt of the following: - New subscription, Rev. W.H. Neales, £1 1s.; additional subscription, Trustees of St. Swithin’s Charities, £6 6s. The tender of Messrs. Heath and Son for exterior renovations was accepted.

The Late Mr. W.H. Price: A worthy citizen has passed away, in the person of Mr. W.H. Price, who for 60 years was employed by the Royal Porcelain Works, where he was greatly respected. For many years he was engaged as a Sunday School Teacher at St. Peter’s during the incumbency of the late Rev. W. Wright, and later he became a member of the Y.M.C.A He conducted a Sunday Morning Bible Class there, and was a member of the Committee. He also took part in services at the Workhouse, and at Lowesmoor Chapel, where his visits were always welcome.

Rough Treatment During Strike: A Metropolitan Police Order contains the following: It having been brought to notice that on certain occasions during August 20 and 31 (the days of the police strike) a few instances occurred of rough treatment of special constables by members of the Force, the Commissioner has been requested, by a meeting of police officers representing each Division, to express regret on the part of the Metropolitan Police that such incidents should have taken place. In view of the confidence and loyalty felt by the Regular Force towards the Special Constabulary, it is evident that such occurrences were merely the outcome of excitement on the part of a few. The members of the Regular Force, while deeply regretting the incidents referred to, desire to assure the Special Constabulary of their appreciation of the past services of the Specials and of their confidence that the cordial relations between the two Forces will increase as time goes on.

Meat to be Dearer: The Food Controller announces that it will be necessary to increase the retail prices of meat by approximately 2d. per lb., as from September 22nd, in order to meet additional costs which, the Ministry of Food have to bear if supplies are to be maintained. The chief of these are the heavier costs of imported meat from North America and the rise in freights. The urgent military importance of utilising all available shipping for the double purpose of bringing American troops to the battlefront and supplies to the civilian population has forced all the Allied countries to purchase to a quite unprecedented extent from North America. The prices paid both by the American civilian population and by the U.S.A. Army and Navy are higher than the values ruling in this country, and it has not been possible to secure supplies at any lower figure. Further, in order to procure a regular supply of home-grown meat during the winter months, when costs of feeding are higher, it was necessary a month or two ago, to increase the prices to be paid for livestock slaughtered between November and June.

Information researched by The Worcestershire World War 100 team