BATEMAN, Joseph

Joseph Bateman was the adopted son of Mrs Bateman of 9 Chapel Street, Lye. He originally took her name but served as Joseph Cartwright. He enlisted in the Worcester Territorials and joined the 1/7th Battalion. They went to France in the Spring of 1915 and eventually to the Somme front line at Hébuterne. It was quiet at that time but the early months of 1916 included much shelling and the weather was wet. Their task was to prepare for the Battle of the Somme and they went to the front line for its second phase. The key to the centre of the battle area was the long struggle for the villages of Ovillers and Pozičres. Ovillers was taken by the Worcesters and other units on the 19th July but in the continuing battle Private Joseph Bateman was killed in action on the 21st July. He was 21 years of age and is commemorated on the Thiepval, Lye and Wollescote and Lye church Memorials.