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Key dates over July 1917

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

Lives lost on this day: 3

20th July 1917 - List of awards for gallant conduct

Rolling casualty count: 6777

War Front:

1st Batt: Batt moved by bus to St Martin and Neupre, near Aire.

2nd Batt: A Divisional exercise lasting 24 hours began under command of the CO and Adjutant.

3rd Batt: The relief of the 8th Loyal North Lancs was completed.

2/7th Batt: 2nd Lt HVG Robinson was approved as Batt Bombing Officer.

1/8th Batt: Batt on a route march via Adinfer and Ransant.

Yeomanry/Cavalry: Trench raids are being carried out and the cavalry is reconnoitring No Mans` Land.

Home Front:

5,243 Women on the Land: Lord Peel has issued the following statement: ‘In the statement made in the House of Lords on Wednesday I did less than justice to the numbers of women placed by the women’s section of the National Service Department, both as regards agriculture and the Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps. The number of women placed on the land up to the end of June was 5,243 and with regard to the Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps. 1,997 clerks and 1,200 domestic workers have been called up by the War Office up to the end of June.’

The list of awards for gallant conduct in the field includes the following: Military Cross: Sec. Lt. Robert Marmaduke Pittard, Worcester Regiment: He took command of his Company when there was no other officer left and by his gallant coolness and resource under very heavy fire was able to consolidate his position and subsequently to extricate his force without confusion when a withdrawal became necessary. His personal courage was most marked. He was reported wounded in May of this year.

Entertaining the Wounded: At Heron Lodge, Worcester, on Thursday afternoon, Mr. W. Kilbourne Kay entertained a very large party of wounded soldiers and nurses, numbering in all 200, from the various V.A.D. hospitals in the neighbourhood; and as the occasion was favoured with glorious sunshine the lawns upon which the guests gathered were a scene of great animation and pleasure. And when all were grouped to be photographed the colours of the “uniforms” made quite a picture against the beautiful foliage of the trees and the vari-coloured flowers. Being able to throw off the little rigours of hospital discipline, the wounded were able to forget their sufferings and taste again the very joy of life. They thoroughly enjoyed the amusements and the competitive games and not less the generous hospitality of Mr. Kay; and they cordially expressed the opinion that this was the best of the many entertainments to which they had been invited.

Information researched by The Worcestershire World War 100 team