15th September 1917 - Worcester Family’s Second Distinction

Rolling casualty count: 7504

War Front:

2nd Batt: At 9am the Batt marched from Ganspette to Oost Houke, reaching billets at 12.30pm. Billets good but scattered.

4th Batt: Training area allotted to the 88th Brigade. A conference was held afterwards. Division made a model of the attack to the benefit of all concerned.

2/7th Batt: Batt 2nd Lt AC Hanger rejoined from temporary commandant of Ypres, North area. Lt J Coates 2/6th Black Watch was posted to this Batt.

2/8th Batt: Batt reorganising and refitting plus training. 2nd Lts F Merifield,H Merifield, JH Rose, W Hall, W Rundle, GA Gale and S Harrison joined the Batt from Divisional Depot Batt. 2nd Lt W Hull went to hospital.

10th Batt: After relief the Batt went back to camp for cleaning up and inspection of kit. There was an inspection of new drafts by the CO. A further draft of 1 officer, 2nd Lt WE Woodcock and 35 other ranks.

Home Front:

Worcester City Tribunals: The Military asked for the review of the certificate granted to Mr. C. Gibbs for Thomas E. Scarlett (36), married with four children, general service. Lieut. Dixon said that all the bakers’ cases were to be revised and he said that there were too many in the city. Mr. Gibbs said he did not agree. Lieut. Dixon said that there were 21 more bakers in the city than were required. Mr. Maund, for the respondent, said that more bakers had gone from the city than any other trade. Mr. Gibbs said that he had had to give up one round because of lack of labour. He was baking for four other bakers. He had lost four bakers, including his son. Lieut. Dixon said that if the man were taken he would go straight into the Army bakeries. Certificate withdrawn, the Chairman intimating that an employer’s appeal could be heard. A fortnight was allowed for this.

Worcester Chamber of Commerce: The Use of Waterways: A letter was received from the Town Clerk forwarding a circular letter from the Canal Control Committee, urging the necessity for traders to use the waterways of the country in order to relieve the congestion on the railways. It was hoped the Committee would take some steps to facilitate this object. The Acting Secretary said he had sent the information to the members interested. Mr. Davies said this ought to have been done 25 years ago, but people ridiculed the idea then. Sir Henry Urwick pointed out that if the waterways were not taken advantage of, it would mean that a lot more passenger trains would be taken off. The Chamber generally approved of the suggestion.

End of Summer Time: Summer time ends at 3 o’clock on Monday morning, when the clocks should be put back an hour – i.e. to 2 o’clock. It began on April 7, when the clocks were robbed of an hour at 2 a.m. and Greenwich time ceased to be observed. Last year the alteration began at 2 a.m. of May 21 and the hour was not restored till the early morning of October 1. Last year little if any difficulty was experienced through the restoration of the lost hour and it may be assumed that on this occasion the change will be effected just as smoothly.

Lce.-Cpl. Reuben James Featherstone, Worcestershire Regt (T.F.) who was killed in action on Aug. 27 was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Featherstone, 24, St. George’s Lane South. He joined the Army in September, 1914 and went out to France in May, 1916. He had never had leave since, but was expected home this month. He was 31 years of age and before enlisting was employed at the Barbourne Leather Works. He was a well-known local dancer.

Worcester Family’s Second Distinction: Sergt. F.W.White, Welsh Regt., son of the late J. Archer White and Mrs. White, of Lavender Road, has been awarded the D.C.M. for conspicuous bravery. Having lost all the officers of his company except one and all his sergeants, he, with the remaining officer, captured two officers and 60 men, the officer being killed. He joined the Regiment early in the war and has been in France about two years. Some years ago he was in business with his father in High Street. It will be remembered that Miss K.V. White was some time ago awarded the Red Cross Medal, having served in France since the beginning of the war.

Today is the Salvation Army Flag Day; it is on behalf of the Army war work. This consists, mainly, in erecting and maintaining refreshment and recreation huts for the troops in England and in France. Besides, many motor ambulances have been supplied for service in France and Russia and canteens for soldiers and munition workers maintained all over the country. There are naval and military homes, too, in this country and several at Gibraltar, Malta, Australia and the West Indies. Indeed, it is difficult to find a sphere in which the Salvation Army is not in some important way helping the civilians, soldiers and sailors affected by the war. Similar flag days held in other districts have proved very successful and in depending upon the generosity of the people of Worcester, it is believed that this one will fulfil expectations.

Information researched by The Worcestershire World War 100 team