21st September 1918 - Military demands

Rolling casualty count: 10667

War Front:

1st Batt: Batt still in Oppy Sector. 7 OR joined the Batt. A patrol made a night attack on hostile trenches and all objective were gained. Two unwounded prisoners were taken. 2 OR were wounded.

2nd Batt: A and B Coys were digging. C and D Coys Lewis gunners were out on the Range. Orders were received to take over from the Scottish Rifles in the Reserve line.

4th Batt: Preparations to move were made and at 6.30pm the Batt marched to Hondeghem station and entrained for St Jan ter Biezen from where it marched to Road Camp.

14th Batt: Church Parade for resting platoons at 3pm. Two platoons of A Coy moved forward to Queant and Pronville area on the Hindenburg Line for work on forward tracks. Lts Bland, Webb, Percy, Reynolds and Gibbs joined the Batt

Yeomanry/Cavalry: A dawn patrol found no sign of the enemy so the Reg advanced towards Nablus to try to meet the right flank of the 10th Division. At 8.40 am the Reg met with the 29th Brigade of the 10th Division which had had a hard night march after a day of heavy fighting. The Indian Infantry took the villages of Balata, Askar and Salem and the Turks were retreating. Orders were given for a mounted attack and away went 2 squadrons in 4 long lines of glittering swords. The suddenness of the attack took the enemy by surprise. Six of our aeroplanes emptied their bombs on the village of Askar and the enemy retreated. About 250 prisoners were taken.

Home Front:

To the Editor: Sir, - We are proud of our Worcester men and of the part they have played, and are playing, in this war. We all desire that as far as we can prevent it no want of theirs shall remain unsupplied. I, therefore, appeal with confidence for an extensive response to the following request: The Officer Commanding the 4th Battalion has recently written, saying: “We have great want of magazines, picture papers, and periodicals. Can you get some good lady to interest herself and send us out some!” I am informed that the ---Battalion in Mesopotamia and in Salonika are also in sore need of literature. If those who read this letter will send magazines, periodicals, etc., regularly to the Worcester Comforts Depot, 24, Southfield Street, they will be forwarded. If any special battalion be preferred it should be specified. The magazines, etc., should be of fairly recent date, and not ancient rubbish. Yours faithfully, W. Moore Ede.

Military demands being very heavy, it will be some time before any large quantity of standard flannel is available for the public. Arrangements have been made for producing 5,000,000 yards, to sell at 2s. 6d a yard. The flannel will be pure finish and 28 inches wide. There will be a standard yellow selvedge, which must not be used on any other flannel, and the retail selling price will be ticketed on this at least every three yards. From some of this flannel are to be produced standard flannel shirts, selling at 11s. 6d. each. Each shirt will bear a Government label as a distinguishing mark.

The Press Association learns that an order will be issued by the Food Ministry in regard to the rationing of jam. The Order coming into force on November 2nd. It is believed that the ration will be four ounces per head weekly for adults and six ounces for children. As to the position of restaurant proprietors, the question has not yet been settled, but is it expected they will be given a certain supply of jam on the same lines as the butter supply which they now receive.

The Ministry of Food will being on October 1 distributing the large stocks of imported and pickled eggs which it has acquired. The price in the shops will be fixed from time to time. It is likely to be 4½d. each at first. Under the distribution scheme arranged by the Ministry the margins of gross profit allowed per long hundred (120 eggs) will be: To selling agents, 9d.; wholesale dealers, 1s. 6d.; retail dealers, 5s. Egg importers must apply at once to the Ministry for appointments as selling agents, and wholesale dealers must obtain licenses, on application made before September 28th. In the event of a shortage of eggs priority in distribution will be given to hospitals. The expression “eggs” says the new Order, means eggs laid by any bird.

Pte. T.W. Crimp, only son of Mr. and Mrs. W.E. Crimp, Manor House, Henwick, has written home to say he is in a base hospital in France, suffering from the effects of “mustard gas.” Pte. Crimp is an Old Elizabethan and was a corporal in the School O.T.C. Later he entered journalism in Worcester. He joined the Army in October 1917, and went to France on Easter Monday this year. He will be 19 years on Monday next.

Library Committee: The Librarian reported that 2,435 volumes had been consulted in the reference department in August as compared with 2,126 in the same month last year, and 18,000 visitors had visited the news room. In the lending library 8,685 books had been issued, as against 8,076 in the corresponding period of last year. Four thousand persons had visited the museum, and the Curator reported that a specimen of Camberwell Beauty (Butterfly) taken at Foregate Street in July had been received from Dr. T. Bates. This was a valuable addition to the entomological collection, as it was the only British specimen.

Information researched by The Worcestershire World War 100 team