BOWLING GREEN ROAD

 

25 Bowling Green Road

HANCOCK, Harry

Rank : Private
Regiment : C Company 12th Battalion West Somerset Yeomanry
Service number : 50934
Conflict : WW1
Date of death : Died of wounds aged 25 on 22nd October 1918
Buried : Arras Road Cemetery, Roclincourt, France, Grave III. O. 7.
Birthplace : Wollaston, Worcestershire, resident Stourbridge, Worcestershire, enlisted Worcester
Relatives : Son of Mr and Mrs H. Hancock, of Stourbridge; husband of Edith Waldron (formerly Hancock), 25 Bowling Green Rd., Stourbridge
Memorial : Stourbridge War Memorial
Also appears on : Stourbridge St John's School now in Stourbridge St John's Church
Credits : Researched by The Black Country Society. Cathedral Roll of honour books researched by Sandra Taylor.

Details:

Harry Hancock enlisted in the Somerset Yeomanry.  

By 1918 the troopers had become dismounted troops and fought as infantry.  The 1/1st West Somerset Yeomanry was in the 74th Division which had arrived on the Western Front from Egypt in May 1918.  It then became actively involved in the Advance to Victory which began on the 21st June 1918. They advanced in the Arras sector and the Hindenburg Line was breached on the 29th September.  They then fought towards the German frontier but Private Harry Hancock was wounded and he died on the 22nd October. 

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11 Bowling Green Road 

BROOKES Arnold David

Rank : Private Arnold David BROOKS
Regiment : 16th Battalion Royal Warwickshire Regiment
Service number : 16120
Conflict : WW1
Date of death : 15th January 1916 aged 20
Buried : Citadel New Military Cemetery, Fricourt, France, Grave III. C. 8.
Relatives : Son of Joseph and Lucy Jane Brookes, 11 Bowling Green Rd, Stourbridge, Worcestershire
Memorial : Stourbridge War Memorial
Also appears on : Lye and Wollescote War Memorial, surname spelt Brooks. Lye Christ Church Window, surname spelt Brooks. Stourbridge Enville Street Methodist church, surname spelt Brooks.
Credits : Researched by The Black Country Society. Birth registration researched by Sandra Taylor.

Details:
 

Surname spelt Brookes on Commonwealth War Graves.

Arnold Brooks was born in Lye, but by 1914 was living with his parents at 11 Bowling Green Road, Stourbridge.  

He volunteered for the Warwicks, joined the 16th (Service) Battalion, known as the ‘Third Birmingham City Battalion’ and was posted to No. 1 Platoon in A Company.  

After training in Yorkshire the battalion crossed to France in November 1915 and joined the 5th Division in a quiet area on the Somme near Albert.  

There was, however, much enemy shelling and Private Arnold Brooks was killed in action on the 15th January 1916.

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Hillbre 25 Bowling Green Road

GRIFFIN Harry Gerard

Rank : Private
Regiment : 2nd Battalion Worcestershire Regiment
Service number : 204055
Conflict : WW1
Date of death : 11th April 1918 aged 21
Buried : Commemorated on Ploegsteert Memorial, Belgium, Panel 5.
Relatives : Son of the late Henry Griffin and of Elizabeth Griffin, of Hillbre, 25 Bowling Green Rd., Stourbridge, Worcestershire
Memorial : Stourbridge War Memorial
Credits : Researched by The Black Country Society.

Details:
 

Harry Griffin was born in Leicestershire and was the son of John and Elizabeth Griffin.  

He enlisted in the Worcester Territorials, but by 1918 was serving in the 2nd Battalion in 33rd Division.  They had remained on the alert on the Passchendaele ridge during the first German offensive of March, but by the time the German attack on the Lys came on 9th April they had retired into the reserve.  

As soon as the German Sixth Army had broken through, the 33rd Division was ordered to the front, and the Worcesters took up position in front of Neuve Eglise.  

Private Harry Griffin was killed in action, in the first engagement with the overwhelming German forces.  

Harry Griffin has no known grave