BENNETT, James

James Bennett was born at Blackheath and was living at Halesowen when he volunteered for the Worcesters. He joined the 2nd Battalion and campaigned through the battles of the Somme in 1916 and Third Ypres in 1917. During the German Spring offensives of 1918 the Worcesters were still in front of Ypres and positioned near Neuve Eglise. Greatly outnumbered they withstood the first day of the German advance on the Lys on the 9th April but they were forced back over seven days with great losses in killed, wounded and captured. Private James Bennett was killed in action, probably near Kemmel on the 17th April and is commemorated on the Ploegsteert and Halesowen Memorials.