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Key dates over May 1915

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Lives lost on this day: 10

12th May 1915 - Furnace stolen from Red Lion, Powick

Rolling casualty count: 1174

1st Batt: In billets Laventie. Concert in the evening attended by the Brigadier; 2nd Batt: (12/13/14 May)Remained in billets near Windy Corner. German shells coming over at intervals each day. Our guns bombarded German trenches during these 3 days with considerable success, destroying the barbed wire in many places;3rd Batt: In billets at Dickebush;

Pte. F. Sanders, “D” Company, 3rd Worcestershires, writing to his brother, Mr. W. Sanders, of Worcester, refers to the poisonous gases used by the enemy, saying, “We have to wear a pad soaked in strong soda water over our nose and mouth. In my opinion Germany isn’t a quarter beat yet, and we shall want every man we can possibly get to best them, as they are nothing but fiends incarnate;”

Driving without Reins: Edward Williams, of Cotheridge, was summoned for riding with no reins at St. John’s. He pleaded guilty. P.C. Hunt said that defendant was driving a horse and cart without reins. When he passed anyone he got off and pulled the horse to one side of the road. He was fined 2s. 6d.;

Theft of Furnace: Joseph Boswell, of Dolday, was charged with stealing an iron furnace, value 5s., the property of Mr. Rodgman, of the Red Lion Inn, Powick. It was used for drinking purposes, for animals. Mr. Rodgman said that he had a field at King’s End, Powick, from which he missed the furnace. At Mr. Prosser’s marine stores, he afterwards identified as his property several pieces of his furnace (which had been broken up). Mrs. Prosser said that prisoner brought the pieces to her husband’s shop, and she bought them from him for 1s. 3d. Prisoner’s father said that he was not quite right in the head. The Bench sent him to gaol for two months, and ordered that he should be examined by the Medical Officer;

Appeal from the Trenches: The following is an extract from a letter written by 204 Fitter H.N. Perks, South Midland Brigade, R.F.A., T.F., to his father, Mr. John Perks, of Worcester: “I suppose Worcester is quite empty now, at least as far as young men are concerned. One never sees a young man here, and if the people at home could see and hear all that I have seen and heard, there would not be many at home. If I had not come, I should feel that I had condemned myself to a life of shame; and I am sorry for the men of the right age who have not volunteered for active service. They are not much good anyway, and I hope they won’t talk about their country after.”

Information researched by Sue Redding