BASHFORD, Thomas

Thomas Bashford was the son of William and Laura Bashford of 50 Cemetery Road, Lye and he attended Wollescote school. He volunteered for the Worcesters and joined the 2nd Battalion. By 1918 he might well have come through three years of hard and dangerous warfare. In April 1918, however, the battalion was near Ploegsteert and faced the full weight of the second German Spring Offensive on the River Lys. The Worcesters were driven back from their trenches and fought bravely at Neuve Eglise but they were severely outnumbered. Losses were high and among them was Private Thomas Bashford. He was killed in action on the 14th April. He was 24 years of age and is commemorated on the Ploegsteert Memorial and on the Lye and Wollescote, Lye church and Wollescote school Memorials.