Skip to navigation | Skip to content | Skip to footer

Key dates over November 1918

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30

Lives lost on this day: 6

26th November 1918 - Surrender of the German Fleet

Rolling casualty count: 11552

War Front:

4th Batt: The Armourer Sgt inspected the guns of X Coy. The day was spent in drill and physical games.

14th Batt: Parades were held under Coy arrangements.

Home Front:

Mr. Percival Phillips, describing in the “Daily Graphic” the advances to the German frontier of British and French troops, says: - Worcestershires were marching along the crooked road from Braine l’Alleud to Mont St. Jean, where so many English soldiers died 103 years ago. The band played a lively air as they passed. A British General, standing beside the great bronze lion on the mound which dominates the battlefield, watched his troops cross the historic ground in thin, winding columns which spread far into the distance – a wonderful panorama of an advancing army.

Mrs. Evans, of 64, Flag Meadow Walk, Worcester, has received a letter from her son describing the first instalment of the surrender of the German Fleet. He has a sense of humour. He quaintly dates his letter, “der 21st tag auf November,” and he says he is going “to take advantage of the Naval Censor’s abdication to tell all about the great event.” Forthwith he tells how the British Fleet went out to the rendezvous – how many he does not know, nor does anyone else; “at one time we did think they would ‘play dirty,’ but we led them “in like lambs.” And so on. And in the course of 300 words he tells all that all the great “special correspondents” so laboriously spun out with fine writing over two or three weary columns.

Reuben Albert Bradley (15), 17, Quay Street, newsboy, was charged with stealing from a box in the shop No. 57, Foregate Street,2s. in money, the property of Marks and Spencers, Ltd. The Chairman said a fine of 10s. would be inflicted, but would not be enforced. Arrangements were being made for him to go into a home. These arrangements would be completed in a few days.

Wilson Geere (23), 31, Little Boughton Street, was charged with being an absentee from the 330th Brigade Royal Field Artillery, 66th Division. Det. Fisher said he saw prisoner in plain clothes in the Bransford Road. He had seen him in the town some time, so he followed him to his house, and asked him for his pass. He produced one which expired on the 11th of this month. Prisoner, in defence, said he was unable to return, because he had been ill with the ‘flu. He was remanded to await an escort.

General List: Today’s list includes 117 officers, of whom 43 were killed and 50 wounded. Twenty officers of the Royal Air Force were killed, and 18 are reported as prisoners of war. In the ranks were 3,083 casualties, including 434 killed, 2,299 wounded, and 138 missing. More prisoners of war (156) have been released – from Germany (arrived in England), 61; from Turkey, 61; from Austria, 11; and from Bulgaria, 23.

Information researched by The Worcestershire World War 100 team