BILLSON, George Henry

Harry Billson was born in Blackheath and was the son of Joseph and Jane Billson. By 1914 he was married to Martha of 15 Blackberry Lane, Halesowen. He served in South Africa during the Second Boer War and volunteered for the Worcester Territorials in August 1914. He served in the 1/7th Battalion which crossed to France in March 1915 and spent the rest of the year gaining front line experience. Their first major action came in the second phase of the 1916 Battle of the Somme. The key to the centre of the battle area was the long struggle for the fortified village of Ovillers and it was eventually taken by the Worcesters with other units in a fierce struggle on the 19th July. The many casualties included Sergeant Harry Billson who was 36 years of age and is commemorated on the Thiepval, Blackheath and Halesowen Memorials.