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Key dates over July 1917

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Lives lost on this day: 11

27th July 1917 - Military Cross Awarded

Rolling casualty count: 6824

War Front:

1st Batt: Batt still in dug-outs at Halfway House where 1 other rank was killed and 5 wounded. Batt relieved in the evening from the line from Zouave Wood to Menin Road by the 2nd Northants Reg,

2nd Batt: Drill outposts practise in am. In the evening the CO gave a lecture on the Lewis Gun.

2/7th Batt: A draft of 101 other ranks arrived at midnight.

1/8th Batt: Revd JG Byrne CF arrived to take the place of Rev JB Frith, who is proceeding to Calais for duty.

Home Front:

D.S.O. Awarded: Temp. Capt. A.R. Cooper, Worcestershire Regiment: He passed through the barrage several times when reorganising his company and was severely wounded in doing so. He remained in command and personally led the assault and did not leave his man until the objective was gained. Capt. Cooper was reported wounded in May of this year.

Military Cross Awarded: Temp. Sec.-Lieut. E. D. Barclay, attd. Worcestershire Regiment: For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty when in charge of a fighting patrol. When outnumbered and compelled to withdraw, he personally covered the retirement with bombs. He afterwards attacked a hostile machine from 20 yards’ range with a Lewis gun, putting it out of action. His conduct throughout was most gallant and fearless and a splendid example to all ranks.

The District Coroner held an inquest at Fernhill Heath this morning concerning the death of Gwenda Eleanor Millington, aged seven years, who was drowned under rather exceptional circumstances in the canal at Blackpole on Wednesday. The child’s mother, who is the wife of a private in a Labour Battalion, said that she last saw the little girl on Wednesday morning, when she was going to school and church at Hindlip. Witness then went to work and on returning at one o’clock was told that her child had been drowned. She was not a strong child and was very nervous. Dr. Coombs had once told witness that the child’s heart was weak, but that she would outgrow it. She was easily frightened. P.S. D.W. Turley said he was called to the canal side. He found there the witness Dorothy Wilson, who told him that the deceased had fallen into the canal and pulled Dorothy Wilson with her. Witness saw Dorothy Wilson in the afternoon and she told him that they were sitting on the coping stones when the hooter sounded. It frightened deceased and she fell into the canal and dragged Wilson in with her. The Jury returned a verdict that deceased was “Accidentally Drowned.”

Prize Giving on the Worcester: The cadets of the training ship Worcester, the Incorporated Thames Nautical Training College, assembled on Thursday on the occasion of prize-giving. Sir Thomas Sutherland, addressing the cadets, spoke of the great work which had been accomplished by Captain Wilson Barker, the Commander of the Worcester, during the past 25 years, for the Royal Naval Reserve and the Royal Marine, remarking that he hoped that these services would be recognised in higher circles. Admiral Freemantle also addressed the cadets, advising them not to get tired of the war and to remember the glorious history of the Worcester boys, amongst whom they could include Capt. Evans.

Information researched by The Worcestershire World War 100 team