BELCHER, Walter James

Walter Belcher was born at Blackheath and was living at Cradley when he enlisted in the Worcester Territorials. He served with the 2/7th Battalion in the 61st (South Midland) Division which was sent to France in 1916. They were prominent in the later stages of the Somme and then moved to Flanders in 1917 for the long series of battles composing Third Ypres. They were not in the opening battle but he was killed in action during shelling on the 29th August 1917 during the Battle of Langemarck and is commemorated on the Tyne Cot, Cradley and Halesowen Memorials.