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Key dates over November 1918

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Lives lost on this day: 2

19th November 1918 - British Casualties advised in the House of Commons

Rolling casualty count: 11535

War Front:

1st Batt: Educational training took place daily from 1100 to 1230hours for about 200 candidates.

4th Batt: There were classes, PT and games. One platoon of W Coy relieves One platoon of Z Coy in the outpost.

14th Batt: A Coy worked on craters on the Givry to Frameries road. The CO inspected B and C Coys in full marching order. B Coy moved at 1230hours to Saint Symphorien.

Home Front:

Pte. E. Smith, of the 9th Worcesters, whose home is at 2, Severn House, Hylton Road, was reported missing in April, 1916. His wife died in the following June, and there are five motherless children. They have now been informed that their father cannot be traced, and it is therefore presumed that he has been killed. He was formerly employed at Ward’s Leather Works. He joined the Army in November, 1914. He was 34 years of age.

Twenty thousand tons of Canadian apples are expected to arrive before Christmas; and they are to be retailed at controlled prices, which promise to be moderate. Additional shipments to the extent of 30,000 tons are due in the spring; while soon afterwards resumed sailings are to bring fruit from Tasmania and California. Spain is sending nuts and oranges – the latter only in moderate quantities, for crops are indifferent. The oranges, even when more plentiful, will for a time remain at the fixed maximum price of 10d. a pound.

British Casualties: In the House of Commons this afternoon, Mr. Macpherson (Under Secretary of State for War) stated that the total British casualties were as follows:

Killed: Officers, 37, 876; other ranks, 620, 829.

Wounded: Officers, 92, 644; other ranks, 1,939, 478.

Missing (including prisoners): Officers, 12, 094; other ranks, 347, 061.

Total: Officers killed, wounded, and missing, 142,634; other ranks, 2,907, 357; making a total of 3,049, 991. These figures include British, Indian, and Dominion troops.

Mr. H. Wood has received an official notification that his son, Tpr. W.C. Wood, Worcestershire Yeomanry, who was taken prisoner at Katia, has arrived at Alexandria on his way home. At the age of 15 he joined the Territorial Artillery, but because of his age he was sent home after some training. He only stayed at home for three weeks before he re-enlisted, this time in the Yeomanry. He went out to Lemnos in 1915 (when he was nearly 16), and later went to Egypt. He was captured at Katia in April, 1916.

City Council: Mr. Aubrey wrote stating that the Victoria Cross won by Pte. Dancox had become his private property. It was so far the only V.C. won by a Worcester citizen, and as it was of such interest he asked the Corporation to accept it on condition that they would always retain it and exhibit it where the younger people, especially, could see it. The Mayor, moving that the offer be gratefully accepted, said that the best person to hold such a trophy was either the one who won it, or in the case of his decease, the deceased’s wife or next of kin. Mr. Aubrey, finding that, in any case, the Cross was to be disposed of, felt that those who had the most claim to possess it were the City Council. Therefore he (Mr. Aubrey) purchased the Cross from Mrs. Dancox and wished to present it to the Council.

At the Children’s Court, Edward Smith (13), 7 House, 9 Court, Dolday, schoolboy, was charged with trading without a license, in the Tything. P.S. Wilkes said he saw defendant selling papers without the prescribed badge. When asked why he had not one, he said he did not know where to get it. The Chief Constable said that he brought this case up, because this sort of thing must be stopped. Defendant’s mother said she did not wish him to sell papers. Fined 2s. 6d.

Information researched by The Worcestershire World War 100 team