BRITTAIN, Sidney

Sidney Brittain was the son of David and Bertha Brittain of Halesowen and attended Hasbury school. He served in the 2nd Battalion of the Worcesters and had been promoted to Lance Sergeant by 1918 after fighting through the struggles on the Somme in 1916 and at Ypres in 1917. However, the British army had to face the even stronger challenges of the German Spring offensives in 1918. The second of these attacks started on the Lys on the 9th April and the Worcesters were engaged in a steadfast defence of Neuve Eglise. Many were injured and overtaken by the German advance. Lance Sergeant Sidney Brittain was taken to a German military hospital in Ghent where he died of wounds on the 7th May. He was 24 years of age and is buried in Ghent City Cemetery (D 8). He is commemorated on the Halesowen and Hasbury school Memorials.