23rd March 1916 - Postmen's Trade Union rejects abolition of Sunday deliveries

Rolling Casualty Count: 2818

At the Front:

1st Batt: Weather very cold. Trenches bad and it was impossible to go up to them in daylight. There was some shelling.

2nd Batt: There was a test gas alarm at 10.30am and all Coys reported in by 10.50 am.

8th Batt: Batt relieved by the 7th Worcs and proceeded to Batt Reserves at Colincamps.

SMD RFA: At 1.15am bombardment opened for Raid A party from 8th Royal Warwickshire Reg entered enemy trenches and secured one prisoner. The Right party were hung up by wire.

At 2.25 am the bombs ceased.

At 2,45am there was a heavy german bombardment in front of Fonquieres and the Village Hall.

On the Home Front:

Wounded Soldiers Entertained: Over 200 wounded soldiers from the hospitals at Cheltenham, Tewkesbury, Evesham, and neighbourhood, were entertained at Evesham, funds having been raised by the subscription of the townspeople. The soldiers were heartily welcomed by the Mayor at the Cinema, where there was an enjoyable entertainment, the programme consisting of pictures, songs, and dances by children. Tea at the Public Hall followed.

(Death see 21st March) The remains of the late Sec.-Leiut. P. R. Gibbs, subalter of the 14th Battalion Worcs. Regt. (Severn Valley Pioneers), were interred at Exeter on Wednesday…Eight sergeants were bearers, and an armed party of 40 men performed the last thrilling military rites above the open grave. At an inquest held on Tuesday afternoon, death was declared to be due to heart failure following a perforation of the intestine, and it was stated that there was evidence of long standing intestinal trouble.

At a meeting of the Worcester Trades’ Council, Mr. T. Grimmer, on behalf of the postmen, proposed: “That this meeting protests against the abolition of the Sunday delivery, as it would inflict hardship on postmen and on the public.” Mr. Grimmer said the letters would still be collected on Sunday morning. The higher-paid postal clerks would do the same work. It was an economy at the expense of the lower-paid postal officials. They had had a bonus of 3s. a week, but that was entirely absorbed, and more than absorbed, by the great increase in prices. It would also affect their superannuation payment. They were getting up a case to lay before the Postmaster-General, as it was a terrible hardship to the lower-paid officials. The resolution was carried unanimously, and it was further agreed to send it to the Labour Party.

Letters from Wounded Prisoners: Pte. E. Hardwick, son of Mr. Hardwick, Bath Road, of the 8th Battalion, writes home: “I am going on all right, and my wounded hand is, I am pleased to say, progressing favourably. I cannot give you a detailed account of the night we were captured until I come home, but we were caught like rats in a trap, after a terrific bombardment. Am feeling well physically, and we are being treated as well as could be expected. In this camp – which is very large – there are French and Belgians as well as British prisoners, and on account of the enormous number of letters which have to be censored we are allowed to write only two letters and four post-cards per month, but we can receive as many letters as those at home like to write to us.”

Sergt. Webb’s 16 Wounds: Mrs. Webb, of 36a Britannia Square, has received a postcard and letter from her son, Sergt. H.A. Webb, of the 8th Battalion, who is a prisoner of war at Munster, Germany. He says, ”I am badly hit in the left foot and leg, and have one finger of the left hand broken and blown about. In my right leg there are only a few holes, and my right hand is nearly all right. I have 16 wounds, but only four bad ones. Taking things all round, I am lucky to be alive. The Germans are treating our wounds just as they would treat their own soldiers and they feed us well. There are several more wounded Englishmen here, and I have Green, of my own platoon, who is also wounded. The Englishmen have treated us to a few luxuries, which they have received in parcels. That makes life worth living.”

Worcester Egg Collection: During the past six months over 12,000 eggs have been despatched from the Guildhall to the hospitals at the front or to those in the neighbourhood for our wounded heroes... Mr. E. Daniels, the Guildhall Keeper, states that of the 12,000 eggs sent not one has gone astray (although the boxes are not locked), and only four have been broken…A short time ago a wounded soldier wrote to a lady whom he identified from her message on an egg which ws served to him, she wrote back and he followed suit; and then a meeting was arranged in Worcester with the result that a cherished friendship is formed. The following lines were written upon an another egg:-“Even the hen is doing her bit for our heroes who are fighting, for as she cackles she seems to say: ‘Pack this up and send it away.’”

Information researched by the WWW100 team.