BARNES, Norman S

Norman Barnes was the son of William and Jane Barnes of Avon House, Dennis Street, Amblecote and he attended the Wollaston Schools. On leaving school he was apprenticed to Mark and Moody Ltd in Stourbridge and trained as a compositor. He volunteered in November 1914 for the Warwicks Territorials and went to the 1/8th (Aston) Battalion which recruited in Stourbridge. The battalion was part of the 48th (South Midland) Division, which crossed to France on 1st April 1915 and was stationed in a quiet sector of the Somme to gain experience. Nevertheless, he received a bullet wound to the knee and had to recover in a military hospital in Versailles. By June 1916 the Worcesters were in position for the great Battle of the Somme. On the 1st July they were stationed in the second wave in the attempt to cross the river Ancre and attack up its steep banks to take the Thiepval ridge. As the first troops went over the top at 7.30, the Warwicks moved forward to take their place for the 9.30 advance but, because of the disaster which befell the first wave, they did not continue. Instead, they were moved to help the neighbouring 34th Division which had attacked La Boisselle. In this way the 1/8th joined the attack on this notorious first day of the Somme. They advanced bravely at La Boisselle but were caught in the open ground by numerous well sited German machine guns. The casualties were huge, with 137 men killed in action. These included Private Norman Barnes who is commemorated on the Thiepval and Amblecote Memorials.