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Key dates over October 1918

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Lives lost on this day: 18

18th October 1918 - Motor Fatality

Rolling casualty count: 11178

War Front:

1st Batt: At 7am, in a thick mist, the advance was resumed by D Coy, with 1 platoon advancing as a screen, under 2Lt Nicholls MC, for the remaining 3 platoons. Slight opposition was met there, west of Raches, but by 9am Raches was in our hands The screen platoon went forward and made good Anmers, Ancienne Abbeye and Montreuil, also the woods to the south. 1 machine gun and 2 prisoners were captured by 2Lt Nicholls MC. He was later killed.

4th Batt: At 11 am, the attack of the 9th Division and the 87th Brigade commenced. All objectives were taken with slight casualties on the Outtersteene Ridge. Over 600 prisoners were taken. At 6 pm, the remaining 3 Coys of the Batt moved up to the Z Line (The old support line,) relieving the 2nd Hants. Y Coy reverted to the command of OC 4th Worcestershire Reg.

Home Front:

Motor Fatality; inquest – Juror and Driver’s Experience – This afternoon, at the Guildhall, the inquest was resumed into the death of Samuel Donkin, The Elms Farm, Norton Beauchamp, Pershore, who died as a result of injuries sustained in a motor cycle accident of the 20th September. The inquest had been adjourned for the attendance of Austin Sargent, who was driving the motor cycle at the time of the accident, and who was previously too ill to attend. Austin Sargent, butcher, of the Shambles, said he had driven a motor cycle for four years and had had a side car for 10 weeks prior to the accident. He had no difficulty in steering. On the day of the accident he was coming along the Tything in the direction of Worcester with deceased in the side car. He took deceased at his own request. When near to the almshouses he swerved to the right to get on the tram lines as the road there was bad. As he did so there was a jerk, as though the front wheel was in a hole in the road. He went round to the left and before he had time to pull up, he collided with a pillar of Messrs McNaught’s garage. The deceased was thrown out, his body being partly under the side car. Witness had been very ill since the accident.

Worcester Munitions Court – Women Worker’s Claim – The Hereford and Worcester Local Munitions Tribunal sat at the Guildhall Worcester on Monday afternoon. Lettie Roberts, Worcester, claimed an average week’s wages in lieu of notice from the Hawkins Severn Engineering Company, Worcester. Plaintiff’s case was that she had only been employed by the firm for a few days as a rough borer, when a dispute arose between her and some fellow workers with the management. They asked for more wages, which the management refused. The employees asked for an interview, which the management refused to give, whereupon the employees all walked out of the shop on the Monday night. She went back to work on Tuesday night and on Wednesday night she was dismissed and told to come for her money on Friday night, when she was only paid 19s.6d. She estimated that she should have received 38s. A letter was put in from the firm stating that the employee left her work without any reason and on being asked to resume her work by her foreman, she used abusive language and left the works. The matter was reported to the Works Manager, who said that the action had forced him to dismiss her, as her general conduct was prejudicial to the maintenance of discipline in the shop. In these circumstances the firm submitted that the woman had no claim. The Chairman pointed out that when a firm alleged misconduct on the part of an employee they should support by evidence which could be tested. There would be judgment for plaintiff, but as the Court were not sure of the amount, the firm would be required to produce their books, and the decision given at the next Court.

Information researched by The Worcestershire World War 100 team