WORCESTER STREET

 

 

 

42 Worcester Street

HILL Arthur Chamberlain

Rank : Private
Regiment : 3rd Battalion Worcestershire Regiment
Service number : 21708
Conflict : WW1
Date of death : Killed in action on 5th July 1916
Buried : Commemorated on Thiepval Memorial, France, Pier and Face 5A and 6C.
Birthplace : Brettell Lane, Staffordshire, resident Stourbridge, Worcestershire, enlisted Worcester
Memorial : Stourbridge War Memorial
Also appears on : Stourbridge St John's School now in Stourbridge St John's Church. Stourbridge St John's Church.
Credits : Researched by The Black Country Society. Census and Great Western Railway in the First World War researched by Sandra Taylor.

Details:
 

Arthur Chamberlain Hill served as Arthur Chamberlain in the Worcestershire Regiment. He was the son of Mrs Hill of 42 Worcester Street, Stourbridge, and he enlisted as a volunteer.

He joined the 3rd Battalion which, during 1916, was involved in the capture of Vimy Ridge and the Battle of the Somme.  The battalion remained in reserve for the famous `first day’ of the Somme.  On 3rd July they moved into Aveluy Wood and received orders to attack the notorious Leipzig Salient protecting the approaches to Thiepval.  

British forces had broken through the first line of German trenches but had failed against its complex fortifications.  Two companies of the Worcesters were ordered to fight their way up the steep wooded slopes of the river Ancre under intense artillery and heavy machine gun fire.  

They did not succeed but held on for four days until 8th July.  

Pte Arthur Hill was killed on the 5th July by a German sniper, in a trench captured from the Germans.

 

 

 

 

 

 11 Worcester Street 

CARTWRIGHT Arthur Samuel

Rank : Private
Regiment : 4th Battalion Worcestershire Regiment
Service number : 23826
Conflict : WW1
Date of death : 11th October 1917 aged 37
Buried : Mendinghem Military Cemetery, Belgium, Grave VI. E. 11.
Relatives : Son of Emily Cartwright; husband of Alice Cartwright, 11 Worcester St., Stourbridge, Worcestershire
Memorial : Stourbridge War Memorial
Also appears on : Stourbridge St Thomas's Church. Possibly on Lye Christ Church Window. Possibly on Lye and Wollescote War Memorial.
Credits : Researched by The Black Country Society.

Details:
 

Arthur Cartwright lived at 11 Worcester Street with his wife, Alice, and one child. He was employed as a driver by Mr Hughes of the Star Hotel. He volunteered in late 1915 and enlisted in the Worcesters.

Arthur was posted to the 10th Battalion in the 19th Division which saw some hard fighting on the Somme in 1916, both in July at La Boisselle and in October at Grandcourt.

In 1917 they were involved in the capture of the Messines Ridge in June and on the first day of Third Ypres. After relief the Worcesters returned for the battle of the Menin Road, starting on the 20th September. They attacked near Hollebeke, made some ground but lost many men. Their next attack was near Bulgar Wood and they were able to reach the Bassevillebeek.

While in this position on the 10th October Private Arthur Cartwright was seriously wounded by shell fire and sent back to a Casualty Clearing Station near Poperinghe. Here he died of wounds the next day.

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89 Worcester Street

CHANCE Albert Henry

Rank : Second Lieutenant
Regiment : 2nd/7th Battalion Royal Warwickshire Regiment
Service number : A0
Conflict : WW1
Date of death : 22nd March 1918 aged 26
Buried : Commemorated on Pozieres Memorial, France, Panel 18 and 19.
Memorial : Old Swinford C of E School
Also appears on : Stourbridge War Memorial. Old Swinford St Mary's Church. Stourbridge St Thomas's Church.
Credits : Researched by The Black Country Society. Cathedral Roll of Honour books and Great Western Railway information researched by Sandra Taylor.

Details:
 

Albert Chance lived at 89 Worcester Street, Stourbridge, and worked for the Great Western Railway in its Claims Dept. at Birmingham.  

He enlisted in June 1915 as a volunteer in the Warwickshire Regiment and was promoted Corporal, Sergeant and Quarter Master Sergeant.  He was then commissioned into the 2/7th Battalion on the 30th May 1917.  

This battalion was in the 61st Division which fought at Third Ypres in 1917, and by early 1918 was stationed on the front line near St. Quentin.  Here they faced the first great German Spring offensive which opened on the 21st March.  

The Warwicks were greatly outnumbered and were forced to make a fighting withdrawal.  Casualties were very heavy and among them was Lieutenant Albert Chance.

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91 Worcester Street

SMITH, Henry

Sergeant, King's Shropshire Light Infantry

Service Number 5364

 

Died 25/05/1915

Aged 35

 

2nd Bn.

King's Shropshire Light Infantry

 

Husband of Mrs. Laura May Sidaway (formerly Smith), of 91, Worcester St, Stourbridge. Worcs.