ALLCOCK, William

William Allcock was the son of William Allcock of 24 Cinder Bank. Netherton. He volunteered for the Worcesters and joined the 3rd Battalion which had been action since the Battle of Mons on the 23rd August 1914. They were on the Aisne in September and in June 1915 during the Second Battle of Ypres they attacked at the Bellewaerde ridge. In the Spring of 1916 they were at Vimy ridge and then moved to the Somme area for Haig's big push of 1916. The battalion remained in reserve for the famous 'first day' but on 3 July they moved into Aveluy Wood with 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, and held on for four days. Another attack was then made on the neighbouring village of Ovillers when a vital part was played by Lieutenant J. Mould, a Dudley officer who was awarded the DSO. In August the Worcesters returned to the Leipzig salient and on the 24th led an assault on the enemy trenches. In close quarters combat there were heavy casualties, one of whom was Private William Allcock. He was 22 years of age and is commemorated on the Thiepval and Dudley Memorials.