COLE, John Harry Benjamin

Harry Cole was the son of Benjamin and Eliza Cole of 46 Dennis Park. His father was a butcher and he was a glasscutter for Mr John Hanbrey. He enlisted in 1915 in the Worcesters and was sent to the 2/7th Battalion on the Western Front in 1916. They fought on the Somme and followed up the German retreat to the Hindenburg Line early in 1917. They were soon engaged in the Third Battle of Ypres in August at Langemarck and were in reserve for the November Battle of Cambrai. After the initial success the Worcesters went to the front line to halt any counter-attacks. The German counter-attack of the 30th November was exceptionally strong and probably in the preceding German barrage on the 29th Private Harry Cole was killed in action. He was 21 years of age and is buried in Faubourg d’Amiens Cemetery (VI A 24) and commemorated on the Amblecote Memorial.