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Key dates over April 1918

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

Lives lost on this day: 47

11th April 1918 - NOT HER HUSBAND’S CHILD

Rolling casualty count: 9209

War Front:

1st Batt: Batt side-stepped to the left and relieved the 2nd Northants at night.

2nd Batt: Batt detrained at Castre and then continued to Meteren. Many refugees were coming down the road laden with goods. There was no definite news but a great noise of artillery fire was heard. Batt attached to the 9th Corps and went through Bailleul, which was all desolate and in ruins, to Ravelsberg. In fighting order Batt was to advance and take over the Front due north of Neuve Eglise, relieving the KOYLI.

3rd Batt: At 8.30am Batt attacked Steenwerck, encountering very heavy machine gun fire.

Batt withdrew to the Light Railway astride the Stilbecque and held the position for the rest of the day.

4th Batt: Batt maintained position and at 2.30am, W Coy moved forward and occupied Steenwercke Station.

10th Batt: Reinforcements arrived and the men of the 57th Brigade found their way back to the reserve trenches in the Wulverghem Line. After the news that Hill 63 was lost, the remains of the Batt went to reserve between Lindenhoek and Daylight Grove.

Home Front:

NOT HER HUSBAND’S CHILD – Kidderminster Woman Fined – At the Worcester City Police Court, Lillian Bentley 36 Washington Street, Kidderminster, was charged with obtaining money by false pretences. Mr A Maund prosecuted on behalf of the Worcester Territorial Association. The defendant is the wife of a soldier in the Worcestershire Territorials. In December 1916 the woman had a child, for which she claimed separation allowance. The husband was home on leave in December 1915, but not afterwards and it would seem that it was impossible for him to be the father of the child. In October 1917, the husband came home and finding out that his wife had had a child, communicated with the War Office, with the result that the allowance was stopped. The Bench fined defendant £2.

PRISONER OF WAR FUND – More Money Wanted for Latest Prisoners – A meeting of the Worcestershire Prisoners of War Fund was held today. The Chairman said that the financial position was satisfactory for the moment, but they must anticipate a number of additional prisoners as a result of the recent attack. It was most important that they should get more money. Mr Cherry said that they ought to estimate on the expenditure of at least £2,000 a month. The Chairman agreed, saying that they had previously budgeted on an annual expenditure of £16,000 a year, but now they must endeavour to secure not less than £25,000.

Information researched by The Worcestershire World War 100 team