CULSHAW, David

David Culshaw was the son of Lewis and Sarah Culshaw of 95 The Delph, Brierley Hill. He attended Dudley Grammar School and became an assistant teacher at Mount Pleasant Council School at Quarry Bank. He enlisted in the Dublin Fusiliers who had been deeply involved in the 1916 Battle of the Somme from the first day and were still fighting in October. David Culshaw probably joined them in 1917 after they had suffered severe casualties in the April battles at Arras. They moved to the Ypres sector in June where all units were preparing for the great battle ahead and entered the front line near Boesinghe. However, the trenches were never quiet and a major raid was carried out on the 11th July to capture German prisoners for identification. It is possible that David Culshaw was killed in an action of this kind on the 14th. He was 19 years of age and is buried in Bard Cottage Cemetery (III B 18) nearby at Boesinghe and commemorated on the Brierley Hill, Brierley Hill church and Dudley Grammar School Memorials.