Open Menu
“If you think, have a kindly thought, If you speak, speak generously, Of those who as heroes fought And died to keep you free”
Set up by the Black Country Society. Our aim is to highlight local men who died in the Great War and how they have been commemorated on war memorials. Its scope covers the whole of the present Dudley Municipal Borough and therefore includes the places which have come within its bounds since 1914.
There are over fifty memorials and the number of names exceeds three thousand. Research on the names has been extensive but inevitably errors and omissions occur. We would like to hear about them concentrated on life and work before 1914, involvement in military campaigns and where each man is buried or commemorated.
William Byng was the son of Albert and Katherine Byng of 67 High Street, Cradley, and attended Cradley C of E School. He had joined the Worcesters before 1914 and was probably with the 4th Battalion in India. They returned to Britain and were sent out with the Gallipoli force in 1915. The Worcesters landed at W beach on the 25th April, the first day, and gained a quick foothold. Turkish resistance, however, was strong and the landing was difficult on other beach-heads. The first attempt to break out at Krithia on the 28th April failed. A second attempt was made on the 6th May and was continued on the next day. The terrain was very difficult with gullies and ravines and the Turkish resistance was much stronger than anticipated. Among the many casualties was Private William Byng. He was 23 years of age and is commemorated on the Helles, Cradley, Halesowen and Cradley C of E School Memorials.
Search our Biographies
Market Street, Stourbridge, West Midlands, DY8 1AQ
