LOCAL CASUALTIES: 1
Private Thomas Herbert Groves - First Battalion

ROLLING CASUALTY COUNT: 557

First Battalion The German trenches varied from 300 to 80 yards in front of our trenches, closes opposite ‘B’ Company.

Second Battalion Major General R C B Haking  relinquished command of the Fifth Infantry Brigade on appointment to command of First Division.  Brigadier General C B Westmacott lunched with the Battalion, afterwards addressed the Battalion and bid farewell,

Third Battalion Locre: In billets.

Mr G Cogswell wrote on behalf of the Worcestershire Archaeological Society suggesting that they should exhibit an interesting 14th Century cope, belonging to Stoulton Church, for a few weeks in the Art Gallery, before it was placed in the Church.  It had been placed in an airtight glass case for purposes of preservation.  The Vicar of Stoulton was agreeable that the cope should be shown in the Institution. The offer was accepted.

The Librarian’s report showed that 2,822 volumes were consulted in the Reference Room, compared with 2,870 during the corresponding period last year.  The estimated number of visitors to the News Room was 28,000 and 13,263 volumes were issued in the Lending Department, against 15,140. The gifts included “Two Worcestershire Murders,” from Mr J W Willis Bund; an old ordnance map of Worcester from the Worcester and Worcestershire Law Society; “Journal of the Royal Sanitary Institute, 1910-1913,”  from Mr Ralph Ashfield of Britannia Square, Worcester.  The number of visitors to the Museum was estimated at 6,000.  The Chairman remarked on the effect the war had had on reading.  The issues of fiction had dropped considerably.

Fifteen wounded soldiers arrived at Shrub Hill from Birmingham this afternoon, and, with one exception, were able to leave the train without assistance.  The Volunteer Aid Detachment (Worcester No 3) attended at the station, and the injured were removed by motor-car to the Infirmary in record time.  The men looked very bright, and one jocularly remarked: “I hope I shall be home for Christmas.”  He did not appear to be very seriously injured, and there seemed to be no reason why his wish should not be granted.  Motor-cars were kindly lent by Lady Hindlip, Mrs Peake, Captain Rigden, Mr Barker (Lowesmoor), Messrs McNaught, Messrs Welch, and Mr Lewis, New Street. Three of the men, who were too seriously wounded to be brought by train, came from Birmingham by motor ambulance.  One of them, a South Staffordshire man, said that the journey was the most comfortable he had had. In France he was moved by horse ambulance, and subsequently by motor ambulance.  “I should like to know the blighter who gave me this,” he ejaculated feelingly, as his wound gave him a twinge of pain. “But,” he added, with evident satisfaction, “I suspect he’s flattened out all right by now.”

Territorials leave for the East Coast: A draft of 48 recruits belonging to the Eighth (Reserve) Battalion left Shrub Hill to join the main Battalion this morning.  They were accompanied by the Battalion Chaplain (the Reverend B Allen Berry). Another draft of 49 men will leave tomorrow.

Sir, It seems to me very painful that at this time any firm in Worcester should sell me goods “made in Germany.”  Yet such, I regret is the case.  Is it patriotic? Or is it not “aiding the enemy?”  Nora Waldegrave-Brodie (Broadwas Court, Worcester) (Unfortunately for the trader, such goods now on sale were purchased before the war to meet a public demand, and if they are not sold the traders will suffer, not the Germans.  We hope the preference for British to German cheap goods will continue after the war. (Editor, Worcester Daily Times).

Information researched by Sue Redding