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Key dates over July 1915

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Lives lost on this day: 6

24th July 1915 - Hero Honoured

Rolling casualty count: 1616

1st Batt:Divisional billets at Sailly ; 2nd Batt: During the night enemy were much more active than usual, rifle fire and “swish-bangs” at intervals all night. At 6am enemy exploded two mines about 3 minutes interval between explosions. One about 40 yds the other probably 50 or 60 yds in front of No. 5 sap. No appreciable damage was done to any of our mines or open sap heads. Front line breastworks shaken and blown in in several places. Casualties 1 killed and 1 wounded (also a Glasgow Highlander and a miner 2/HLI wounded). Immediately after mines were exploded enemy shelled communication trenches, Lovers Keep, Village and Church Corner. After this all was quiet for an hour or two then a few “swish-bangs” and howitzers came over at intervals till noon. At 12.30 pm relief by 2/H.L.I. commenced. All quiet during relief which was completed by 3pm. After relief Battn marched to billets in Beuvry, arriving there about 4.30pm; 3rd Batt: In Trenches ‘T’ Sector of St. Eloi. Our mine exploded in German lines 40 yards of Trenches destroyed; Royal Field Artillery: Authie: 3rd Battery received orders to prepare a position immediately South of Hebuterne.

Worcester General Infirmary: Week ending July 24th: Patients admitted 10, patients discharged 20, in the House 24th July, 80 (including 12 wounded soldiers);

There has come to live and work in Worcester the “champion life saver of the world, “ and his name (Mr. George Priest) is on the tongue of nearly every man in Worcester. He claims to have saved a total of 444 human lives, a record with cannot be equalled. In 1911 a religious contemporary told his story, and claimed on his behalf that he had saved by his own unaided efforts no fewer than 204 persons. He was born of poor parent in Wolverhampton in the year 1858. He has gained 46 medals for his rescues, and has been presented with no fewer than 20 national flags by grateful countries whose citizens’ lives he has saved. He has saved young and old from mining accidents, from fires, drowning, electric shocks, assassinations, and all forms of violence and robbery. He says he does not seek opportunities of saving live, but that at every step he takes opportunities present themselves. The 1911 record was accompanied by an analysis, which showed that he had saved 75 British subjects, 35 Americans, 12 Germans, 12 Dutch, 10 French, 10 Russians, 10 Scandinavians, 8 Spanish, 6 Portuguese, 6 Japanese, 6 Belgians, 4 Jews, 3 Turks, 3 Brazilians, and 2 Mexicans. ..Now in 1915 Mr. Priest says the total of his rescues amounts to 234 saved on land and 210 on the high seas…His rescues include heroic acts in Worcestershire. At Malvern, about 30 years ago, he saved a holiday seeker from what would have been a fatal fall into a quarry. At Evesham, in 1875, he saved two member of a Stourbridge picnic party from drowning in the Avon;

County Cricket Club: Final Effort to Hold Organisation Together: A special meeting of the members of the Worcestershire Cricket Club was held today to consider the question whether the Club should be wound up. The Committee thought that if they could obtain a pledge of subscriptions amounting to £220 the Club could be carried on in a state of suspended animation for the season of 1916. A resolution was submitted appointing Lord Cobham, Mr. Lord and Judge Amphlett as liquidators, to wind up the Club, with the proviso that they should not act if the sum of £220 was raised by 29th of September next. The resolution was unanimously carried. Judge Amphlett read a statement from the Dean of Worcester stating that if the Club found it necessary to go into liquidation he was prepared to take over the lease of the ground and pay a sum to pay off the debenture holders;

Hero Honoured: Enthusiastic scenes were witnessed when Sapper J. Hayes, of the Royal Engineers, who won the D.C.M. when in the 3rd Worcesters, and who has won the Russian Medal of the Royal Order of St. George, was accorded a civic reception at West Bromwich Town Hall.

Information researched by Sue Redding