COCKER, John

John Cocker lived in Stourbridge and was called up and sent to the Durham Light Infantry. He joined the 15th Battalion in the 21st Division. In March and April 1918 this Division had suffered heavily during the German Spring Offensives and was sent to recover on a quiet sector of the French front on the river Aisne. In May the German forces switched to this area for their final offensive and the British troops had to undergo another huge attack. The German attack was eventually halted but the Durhams suffered heavily again. Private John Cocker was killed at the start of the assault on the 27th May 1918 and is commemorated on the Soissons and Stourbridge Memorials.