WEST, John

John West was married with one son and was living at 16 Duke Street, Stourbridge, in August 1914. He worked at Palfrey's skin works just a few yards from his home. He volunteered soon after the outbreak of war and enlisted in the 9th (Service) Battalion of the Worcesters. After several months of training they were sent to fight against the Turks on the Gallipoli peninsula and sailed via Malta and Alexandria before landing at Cape Helles on the 13th July. They joined those who had landed in April and who had been unable to progress far inland. Their first experience of the front line trenches came within seven days, as did the first casualties. Private John West was the third man of the Battalion to be killed in action on the 28th July. He was 23 years of age and is commemorated on the Helles Memorial. His name is not on the Stourbridge Memorial but he is commemorated on the Methodist church Memorial.