FIELD, William

William Field lived at 18 St Giles Street, Netherton, and enlisted in the Worcesters just before 1914. He was probably in Burma with the Battalion but returned to Britain to join the Expeditionary Force put together to attack the Turkish Empire. They travelled to the eastern Mediterranean with the purpose of taking Gallipoli and reaching Constantinople. It was a complex landing at Cape Helles on the 25th April but the Worcesters landed at W beach without much difficulty. Scaling the low cliffs, however, was strongly opposed by the Turks and casualties were taken in this difficult manoeuvre. Within three days the Force had been reorganized and an attack on the village of Krithia was undertaken. The Turkish forces, however, were stubborn and well organized. The attack failed and heavy losses were suffered. Private William Field was among the many killed in action on the 28th April and is commemorated on the Helles and Dudley Memorials.