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Key dates over July 1917

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Lives lost on this day: 9

7th July 1917 - Daylight Gotha bomber raid on London kills 57 people

Rolling casualty count: 6738

War Front:

1st Batt: At 1.15pm Batt moved by bus to Steenbecque. Three men were wounded.

2nd Batt: Day was spent cleaning up and improving the billets. Lt Col Gogarty arrived pm and took over command of the Batt.

3rd Batt: Batt moved by motor buses to Poperinghe and marched to Halifax Camp.

4th Batt: Batt moved forward to the line and took over the trench north of Ypres, 2 Coys in the Front Line and 2 in support on the further bank of the Yser Canal.

1/8th Batt: The Divisional Scheme of training was carried out by the 144th Infantry Brigade.

2/8th Batt: Men had use of baths. There was a cooking competition. 34 other ranks arrived from Base.

Yeomanry/Cavalry: Capt Teichman, our invaluable MO, was promoted to the Italian Front.

Home Front:

A case with some pathetic features was heard at the Worcester Police Court today when a very respectably dressed young woman, having with her a little boy of three or four, entered the dock charged with the theft of half-a-sovereign from a drawer in a bedroom at the Ewe and Lamb Inn, The Butts, belonging to Norman Milford Cragg. Her name is Mable Farley Blackman of Alsford, Hants. She is the wife of a wounded soldier, who was stated to be lying critically ill at the Infirmary and at his request she came to Worcester to see him. The evidence showed that she went to the Ewe and Lamb, where she stayed. She told Mrs. Cragg that she had lost her purse, containing 30s. on Pitchcroft. It was then that the half sovereign was missed. The defendant admitted taking it and said that she lost it with her purse. The defendant reported the loss of her purse with 30s. and also the half sovereign and her return railway tickets before the theft were revealed. The Bench said they were very sorry to see a woman like the accused in the dock and in view of the facts concerning her husband; they would deal with her leniently and fine her £1.

An inquest was held on the body of John Warner, aged 61, dealer, of 230, Hylton Road, Worcester, who died on the previous day. Clara Warner, widow, said that about a fortnight ago deceased went to Hill Farm, Lulsley, for cherry picking, and for the benefit of his health. He had had good health until about five months ago, when he had a rupture and also septic poisoning. His liver was also affected. At times he had complained of dizziness. James Lewis, (15), said he was in the cherry orchard with deceased, who was picking cherries from a ladder and he saw deceased fall to the ground. He did not speak and witness, who was 100 yards distant, went and found him dead. The ladder was in a safe position and the basket was on the ladder. Death was due to fracture of the skull, caused by an accidental fall from his ladder. A verdict of “Accidental Death” was returned.

Long-Distance Supplies to be Stopped: A new scheme of coal distribution for the coming winter is announced by the Controller of Coal Mines. The scheme is designed to relieve transport and it is estimated that it will save no fewer than 700 million ton miles annually in the transport of coal by public railway. The scheme is based on four main issues, namely: - That consumption of coal should take place as near the producing point as possible; the movement of traffic should follow three routes wherever possible; the movement of coal should, as far as possible, be in well-defined directions: north to south, north to south-east, north to north-west and east to west; that an area producing less coal than suffices for its own needs should not send any portion of its output to other areas, and that an area producing more coal than it requires should only distribute the balance to adjacent or convenient areas.

The problem of the beer shortage was informally discussed at a meeting of the Birmingham and Midland Counties Wholesale Brewers’ Association on Friday. It was decided to recommend, in view of the Government proposals, that two qualities of beer be brewed, one on the lines of the present beverage and another in conformity with the fresh requirements of the Government. With regard to prices it was suggested that the former should be retailed at 6d. instead of 7d. as at present and the lighter beer at 4d. per pint. The percentage of increased barrelage proposed in the Government’s statement is so small that it is doubtful whether it will meet the absolute needs of the people. The agitation among the working classes justified the first estimate of Lord Devonport in fixing on the limit of 18,200,000 barrels. Anything lower than that seemed to be out of all proportion to existing demands.

Information researched by The Worcestershire World War 100 team