DUNCOMBE, Isaac Henry

Isaac Duncombe was born in Wordsley and lived in Derry Street, Brierley Hill. In 1914 he was a pre-war regular soldier serving in the 2nd Staffords in the British Expeditionary Force at Aldershot. They mobilised quickly and on the 12th August crossed the Channel to Belgium on their way to Mons. They suffered the retreat to the Marne but saved the Allies by forcing the retreat of the German army to the Aisne. When the next enemy attack was aimed at Ypres, they moved north to save this key city and after some critical days in late October again helped to stop enemy victory. They moved to Artois and in March held the flank of the British forces in the Battle of Neuve Chapelle and on the 17th May attacked at Festubert. Losses were heavy and more followed in the next month as a result of regular shelling of the trenches. Private Isaac Duncombe was killed in action on the 19th June and is buried in Cambrin Military Cemetery (B 22). He was 25 years of age and is commemorated on the Brierley Hill and Brierley Hill church Memorials.