GWILLIAM, James Gilbert

James Gwilliam was living in Wordsley in 1914 and enlisted in the South Staffordshire Regiment. He was transferred to the Worcesters and joined the 10th Battalion on the Western Front. In 1916 they were in the fierce struggle for La Boisselle and Ovillers at the start of the Battle of the Somme. In 1917 they moved to Flanders and on the 7th June the Worcesters took part in the important Battle of Messines. Nearby the great explosions took place and this enabled them to put in a brief attack. Their advance was secured but German shelling was intense and Private James Gwilliam was seriously wounded. He was taken to a Casualty Clearing Station at Bailleul where he died of his wounds on the 17th June. He is buried at Bailleul Communal Cemetery (III D 37) and commemorated on the Wordsley Memorial.