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Key dates over November 1918

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Lives lost on this day: 12

5th November 1918 - American soldiers arrive in Worcester

Rolling casualty count: 11458

War Front:

1st Batt: Batt inspected by GOC 8th Division. Special attention was paid to the organisation of an Infantry Brigade and the turn out. The CO was complemented on the parade and told that the Batt was splendid.

2nd Batt: By 2200hours the Batt had relieved the 4th Kings in a position by the Sambre river, near a railway embankment east of Sassigny.

3rd Batt: Batt moved to billets at Eth, starting out at 0900 hours

4th Batt: Owing to heavy rain, all training and classes were held in billets.

14th Batt: Batt marched to Auby and embussed for Famars, south east of Valenciennes. The 1st line transport moved to Famars.

Home Front:

One thousand and seventy-five aeroplanes were reported down on all the battle fronts in October, as compared with 1,142 in the previous month. In addition, 104 observation balloons were destroyed, against 171 in September. The details of the air successes are as follows:-

American – 94 Germans destroyed; 18 American missing.

Belgium - One destroyed.

British – 396 destroyed or captured, 128 driven down out of control; 209 British missing.

French – 218 destroyed or put out of action.

Italian-British: 24 destroyed, seven driven down out of control, 13 British missing. Italian: 16 destroyed.

German- 191 Allied machines shot down.

It was well known yesterday that the mortality during the weekend from influenza was heavy, and Dr. Mabyn Read, City Medical Officer of Health, reports that 15 deaths attributable to influenza were registered on Monday. These were of three males and 12 females. The males were two men aged 72 and 36 respectively, and one baby. The females include two over 70, the remainder being between the ages of 20 and 40 years, with the exception of two infants. Four additional fatal cases were reported this morning. The victims include Mr. Francis Leonard Hall, of 28, Shrubbery Road, who passed away on Monday night, at the age of 39 years. He was a son of Mr. George Hall, jeweller, Sidbury, and leaves a widow and two children. He had only been ill a few days.

Mrs. Chance, of 14, Little Chestnut Street, has received information that Sergt. G.H. Taylor, Worcesters, has been wounded in the head, and is now in hospital at Weymouth. He joined up in the early days of the war, and has seen much service both in France and Italy during the past four years, having been gassed once. Previously he was employed in the composing room of “Berrow’s Worcester Journal.”

The Streets Committee recommend the Council to accept Mr. J. Ward’s offer to sell the land at Barbourne Park, containing a total area of 62,073 square yards, including parts of the adjoining roads, for the sum of £5,000, for purposes connected with the housing of the working classes, the contract to be subject to the Local Government Board’s approval of the site, and to the condition that the purchase money is not to be paid until the Council are in a position to raise the requisite loan; five per cent interest being paid from the date when the Council take possession until the actual payment of the purchase money.

Twenty American soldiers were expected to arrive from Portsmouth at Worcester on Monday afternoon but when the London train pulled up in Shrub Hill Station (half an hour late) there were found to be only 14, the others have been left behind sick. The fourteen were men of all heights and builds, some from New York, and some from Chicago, and others even from Southern Tennessee, all non-coms. and men, but typical clean-looking and variously intonated Americans. Though the apology was offered to the New Yorkers and Chicagoans that Worcester was but a ten-cent city compared with theirs, they protested that it was the biggest they had seen since they quitted, and they didn’t want, or rather expect, to find a better or a bullier. They were delighted with the greeting they received at Shrub Hill. The Cathedral O.T.C. was drawn up on the platform, and as they drew up gave them a vigorous example of bugle and drum music.

A meeting of the Worcestershire Prisoners of War Fund was held on Monday at the Shirehall, Major Reddie presiding. The Chairman stated that Mr. H. March, who lived in the Pershore district, found, whilst on holiday at a farm in Anglesey a belt plate belonging to the old 2nd Battalion of the Worcesters, from a uniform about 100 years old. The King’s librarian at Windsor, who was an authority, dated it as between 1820 and 1830. As a relic of the Worcestershire Regiment it was unique, and Mr. March had offered it to the Committee for the benefit of the fund. Major Reddie said the fact that the belt plate belonged to the old 36th, now the 2nd Battalion, was extremely interesting, and he thought it would be a good thing if they could persuade the purchaser to present it to the 2nd Battalion, the heroes of Gheluvelt.

General List: Today’s list includes 186 officers – killed 38, died of wounds 15, died 17, wounded 113. Nineteen flying officers, previously posted missing, are now reported prisoners of war. The number of casualties in the ranks is 4,927 – killed 563, died of wounds 237, died 72, wounded 4,012.

Information researched by The Worcestershire World War 100 team