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Key dates over February 1915

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Lives lost on this day: 1

19th February 1915 - Royal Navy ships begin shelling the forts guarding the entrance to the Dardanelles in Turkey. The aim is for the ships to force their way through the Dardanelles and capture the Turkish capital, Constantinople (present day Istanbul).

Rolling casualty count: 654

1st Batt: ’B’ Lines: Germans shelled a house used by the Artillery for observation, within 200 yards of Battn HQ. Germans dropped about 40 high explosive shells followed by shrapnel within 50 yards o the house, no casualties inflicted; 2nd Batt: In billets at Les Choquax;3rd Batt: In trenches E. Kemmel

A month’s hard labour: Edward Price (39), drover, of Gardner’s Lodging House, Dolday, was charged with stealing from a yard in Sansome Street two sheets of corrugated iron, the property of Ernest William Price, of 23, Britannia Square, valued at 7s. Price, who pleaded guilty, had been previously convicted for theft. He was sent to gaol for a month, with hard labour;

A detachment of 50 Royal Engineers arrived in Worcester, and are now billeted in the Wyld’s Lane district. Their horses, waggons, and tackle are accommodated in the cattle and sheep markets, and in various other parts of the city. They form one of several detachments billeted in various parts of the county, and are undertaking detachment training preparatory to going abroad;

A horse belonging to Mr. Mason, of Lower Bath Road, was standing in St. Peter’s Street this morning, attached to a dray, when it took fright and bolted along Sidbury, nearly smashing a window in its mad career. A little girl with a perambulator narrowly escaped being run down. P.C. Holmes stopped the animal on the Canal Bridge. Fortunately no damage was done;

Corporal Ronald Holyoake, of Bromsgrove, who joined the Royal Engineers in August, and has served at the front throughout the war as a motor cycle despatch rider, is mentioned in General French’s despatches. He is the son of Mr. Frank Holyoake, solicitor, and is a well-known cricketer and Rugby football player.

Information researched by Sue Redding