EVERISS, Charles William MM

Charles Everiss was born in Stourbridge and was the son of Charles Everiss who lived later at 1 Sutton Road, Kidderminster. Before 1914 he was a regular soldier who had volunteered for the Worcestershire Regiment and was serving in the 4th Battalion on the outbreak of war. They returned from Burma and were sent to Gallipoli, landing on the 25th April 1915 at Cape Helles. The Worcesters suffered heavily in their attempts to overcome the stalemate caused by Turkish resistance but their efforts were frustrated. There was much bravery and Sergeant Everiss was awarded the Military Medal for gallantry (London Gazette, 3 June 1916) and was Mentioned in Dispatches (London Gazette 5 June 1916). After eight months struggle the forces were evacuated and the Worcesters went to Egypt and then to the Western Front. On the first day of the Somme in 1916 they were in the follow up line at Hawthorn Ridge but the losses among the first troops caused the attack to be halted. They spent August in the Ypres Salient which was quiet and returned in October to the Somme to capture Gueudecourt and secure the Transloy ridges. They stayed in the front line at Lesboeufs for November where the battle had become quieter. However, there were always patrols to be carried out and enemy shelling to deal with. In some way Lance Sergeant Charles Everiss was killed in action on the 30th November and is commemorated on the Thiepval, Brierley Hill, Kidderminster and Brierley Hill church Memorials.