ELCOCK, Sidney George

Sidney Elcock lived with his parents at 8 Dennis Street, Amblecote, and was a choirboy and later a server at Holy Trinity, Amblecote. He was employed at the National Munitions Works at Dudley. He joined the South Staffords who were deeply involved in the 1916 Battle of the Somme and early in 1917 in forcing the Germans to retreat to the Hindenburg Line. By May they had moved up to this heavily fortified Line and were ordered to attack near the village of Oppy. Piecemeal attacks against these strong fortifications failed and heavy casualties were taken. They included Sidney Elcock who suffered wounds in both legs. It took four days before he was removed from the battle line by German troops and he was taken to a Prisoner of War hospital where a leg was amputated. He was too weak to sustain the operation and he died of wounds on the 17th May. Private Sidney Elcock was 21 years of age and is buried in Cologne Southern Cemetery (XI D 11) and commemorated on the Amblecote and Amblecote church Memorials.