LOCAL CASUALTIES: 2
Private Thomas Roach and Corporal David Taylor - Fourth Battalion.

ROLLING CASUALTY COUNT: 990

First Battalion in Section 3. Relieved by Fourth West Ridings and returned to Division Reserve at Sailly.
Second Battalion in billets at Bethune.
Third Battalion in trenches E Dickebush.

At the City Police Court, this morning, Leonard Egan (32), motor mechanic, and Frank Clarke (23), boatman, both of no fixed abode, were charged with breaking into No. 2, Shrubbery Road, and stealing a leather purse, containing 7s. 5d., a gentleman’s silver Swiss lever watch, a lady’s oxydised watch in a leather wristlet strap, a pair of gentleman’s boots, a grey suede purse containing 2d., a lady’s coat, and an  Ingersoll watch, the total value being £1 17s. 10d. the money and articles were the property of Mrs. Jennie Stewart Stephenson Low.

A large number of letters from members of the Eighth Battalion arrived in the city during the week-end. These letters are one and all of a cheery character.  References are made to the spirit of comradeship which is growing up in the Battalion. One member says that they were going into different trenches from those in which the men were first engaged. The writer says that a lot of 5.9 shells poured into the trench, and one in three exploded, but no one was hurt.  The dug-out was about 10 feet by 9, and in height sloped from two feet to two feet in front, and two feet at the back. There is about six inches of straw in the bottom. There is a foot of earth on the top, which is understood to make it more or less shrapnel and bullet proof. The writer says that he notices that people at home are much more apprehensive than those out there, where the only trouble was the ordeal of waiting.
 
Weighing of Bread: The Worcester New Co-operative and Industrial Society, Ltd, bakers, of St Nicholas Street, were summoned for selling bread other wise than by weight, and also for not carrying weights and scales when delivering bread for sale. Mr F J Hemming pleaded not guilty to the first charge and guilty to the second.  The Town Clerk said that a carter, employed by defendants, was delivering bread in Chestnut Street. In one case a loaf, which should have weighted 2lbs., was short by 13/4 ounces. Five other loaves, selected by the carter, were found to be short in weight…Inspector Matthews, admitted that sometimes bread lost weight through evaporation. Mr Hemming submitted that defendants committed the offence through ignorance, and since the date of the charge, had supplied every carter with an entire series of weights and properly –equipped scales. Fined 20s., including costs, in each case.

Illegal Employment of Child: George Thompson, fishmonger, 12 The Shambles, was summoned for illegally employing a child…  The boy, John James was seem on a Sunday, after 10 am, pushing  a truck of fish in the Bromyard Road. He said he was doing it for the defendant, who had given him 3d. for it.  In another case the boy was seen serving in defendant’s shop between  9.50pm and 10.40pm on a Saturday night. The by-laws forbid the employment of school children on Sunday, except between 7am and 10am, and also before 6pm and after 9pm on days other than school days. Defendant fined 10s., including costs, in each case.

Information researched by Sue Redding.