DAVIES, Joseph

Joseph Davies lived at Cradley and attended Cradley C of E School. He volunteered early in the war for the Worcesters and went to the 2nd Battalion. This battalion saw serious action from the start of the Western Front campaign in 1914 to the Somme in 1916 and Arras in the Spring of 1917. They attacked on the 23rd April in the second Battle of the Scarpe and again a few days later at the village of Croisilles close to the Hindenburg Line, taking many casualties. After a rest they returned to Croisilles at the end of May. There were a few casualties in a short spell in the trenches but they included Private Joseph Davies who was killed in action on the 29th May and is commemorated on the Arras, Cradley, Halesowen and Cradley school Memorials.