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Key dates over July 1917

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Lives lost on this day: 3

11th July 1917 - Worcester Guard Killed

Rolling casualty count: 6748

War Front:

1st Batt: One officer and 2 other ranks were accidentally wounded in the practise bombing. A draft of 5 men arrived from Base.

2nd Batt: With A Coy acting as the enemy, the men marched to Cavillon and attacked through the wood but had to stay on the path as the wood was so thick.

4th Batt: The Batt was relieved and marched back to Caribou Camp near Elverdinghe in the woods.

1/7th Batt: Training continued. A draft of 145 other ranks was received, mostly from the 7th Norfolk Reg. All men were of good physique and well trained in musketry but “soft” for marching.

2/8th Batt: There was a practice open warfare attack on Wail area. 2nd Lt WE Turner went to the Casualty Clearing Station.

Home Front:

On behalf of the Missions to Seamen, Mrs. Isaac opened a sale held in the garden of Cornwall Lawn, London Road, Worcester (by the kind invitation of Mrs. Downes), on Tuesday afternoon. The weather fortunately was fine and there was a good attendance at the opening ceremony and during the afternoon.

D.S.O. for Admiral Cuming: The King has been pleased to give orders for the appointment of the following officer to be a Companion of the D.S.O., in recognition of his services in the prosecution of the war: Admiral R.S.D. Cuming (Temp. Capt., R.N.R.) When war broke out, Admiral Cuming, anxious to do something on behalf of his country, threw himself with characteristic energy into the efforts made to get recruits. Later he took up duties at the Territorial Headquarters. There he worked most zealously until he received an appointment in the Navy, to which he is so much attached and from which he retired in peace time after 40 years’ service. Residents in the district of Broadheath, where Admiral Cuming’s house is, will be gratified to hear that his devotion to patriotic duty has been recognised.

Worcester Guard Killed: A shocking accident occurred on the Great Western Railway, near Netherton Station on Tuesday night. Robert Chidlaw (50), a guard in the employ of the company, who resided at Rainbow Hill, Worcester, was knocked down by a passenger train and decapitated, his left arm also being severed.

Awarded the Military Cross: The Rev. G.A. Studdert Kennedy, Vicar of St. Paul’s, has been home on leave. Speaking to his parishioners, he told them that he had been awarded the Military Cross. He described some heavy fighting in which he was engaged in tending the wounded. In one engagement the supply of morphia at a dressing station had run short and he volunteered to fetch some from another station. The ground he had to traverse was being heavily shelled and there was an interval of a minute and a half between each shell, so that he had to run over a certain distance and then drop into a shell-hole. He successfully accomplished the task, and returned in safety. He then volunteered to fetch in three wounded men, one of whom attempted to get in himself and was blown to pieces. “After that,” the Vicar said, “I was rung up on the telephone and was told I had ten days’ leave and the Military Cross.”

Information researched by The Worcestershire World War 100 team