BALLARD, George Alfred

George Ballard lived at 9 Hall Street, Netherton, and volunteered for the Worcesters. He joined the 4th Battalion which had returned from Burma to complete the 29th Division. They formed part of the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force which was assembled in March 1915 to capture the Gallipoli peninsula from the Turks. They landed on the 25th April, together with ANZAC forces and gained an immediate foothold but attempts to move far inland failed. On the 28th April the Worcesters fought in the first Battle of Krithia and on the 6th May they attacked again. A third attack on the village was carried out on the 4th June and, when reinforcements arrived on the 6th August at Suvla Bay a fourth attack took place when Private George Ballard was killed in action. He is commemorated on the Helles and Dudley Memorials.