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Key dates over January 1915

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 31

Lives lost on this day: 0

11th January 1915 - All Saints Church, Worcester, clock restarted

Rolling casualty count: 578

1st Batt: Red Barn: In Brigade Reserve billets. Draft of 1 officer and 145 other ranks joined the Battalions. Lt. Wynter had been attached to the 3rd Battalion earlier in the campaign and was wounded; 3rd Batt: In billets at Westoutre.

Letting the New Year In: Writing to his parents, who live at 12 Temperance Street, Worcester, Pte. J. Hodges, of the 2nd Worcs., says: “Just a line to let you know that I am still in the land of the living after a hard six days in the trenches. I have just been reading that Uncle Fred’s son has got the DCM, but it is not much good to him now, poor chap. My platoon sergeant got it at the same time and place.” “On New Year’s night we gave the Germans a good reception, just to let the New Year in. You would have thought it was hell let loose. My word, we gave them big guns, little guns, and all the rest of it together! I had two very narrow escapes. My rifle was shot out of my hand, and a shot just skimmed my temple. I don’t want to be any nearer, I give you my word. Life in the trenches is rotten in these times. We get so much rain.”

The Coal Merchants of Worcester and District beg to announce that in consequence of the greatly diminished output of the Collieries (approximately 30 per cent), and of difficulties in transit, they are unable to guarantee delivery to any specific date, and orders can only be accepted on the same terms as laid down by the Collieries, ie Subject to prices ruling on day of despatch.

About 310 members have now enrolled in the Volunteer Training Corps, formed in the City. There was such a rush on the first night that fountain pens frequently ran dry, and all who presented themselves could not be enrolled before closing time. Very few of them are of military age, and those few have good reasons to give for not being in a Regular or Territorial Force. Several of them have offered themselves, and have been rejected either because they are below the standard physically, in the matter of height or chest measurement, or for bad teeth. One citizen of 57 records that he was rejected twice for bad teeth. There are several civil servants who are not permitted, though of military age, to join the Forces.

All Saints clock has restarted. It has been standing still at 12.30 for weeks; so long that memory does not tell us whether it stopped at mid-day or mid-night. Many wondered whether it was going to remain at 12.30 until the reopening of the church takes place. The restoration of the fabric, and the demolition of the unsightly and dilapidated building which surrounded it, have been duly accomplished. And they have been done with a quietude and almost a secrecy which have marked other church work in the city and neighbourhood. It is believed that a formal re-opening awaits only a propitious moment.

A son of Mr J Bean, of the Bridge Inn, Bridge Street, Mr HJ Bean, has been wounded, and is now at home and making a quick recovery from his injuries. He is a sapper in the Royal Engineers, and was at the front for a couple of months, receiving his wound at La Bassee.

Information researched by Sue Redding