DOCKERILL, Charles William

(Charles) William Dockerill was born in 1891 and his family lived originally at The Cliff, Stourbridge. He attended St. John's School and then went to work at the nearby Turney's leather works. He was married and by 1914 was living at Workmen's Dwellings, Vicarage Road, Wollaston. He volunteered for the Worcester Territorials in 1914 and joined the 1/7th Battalion. They went overseas in March 1915 and acquired front line experience in quiet sectors of the Western Front for the rest of that year. By the start of 1916 they were stationed at the northern end of the Somme sector near Hebuterne. Both the German shelling and the winter weather were punishing for the troops and casualties were taken. A strong German night raid resulted in casualties on the 17th February and this might have been where Lance Corporal William Dockerill suffered serious wounds. He was taken to a Casualty Clearing Station where he died on the 5th March. He was described in the letter to his wife as 'one of our best NCOs'. He was 32 years of age and is buried in Sucrerie Cemetery, Colincamps (1 G 32) and commemorated on the Stourbridge, St. John's church, St, John's school and Wollaston Memorials.