HACKETT, William

William Hackett was the son of Miriam Hackett, later Perks, of 69 Nimmings Road, Blackheath. He volunteered for the Worcester Territorials and joined the 1/7th Battalion. They landed in France in March 1915 and saw front line action in Artois. In 1916 they were deeply involved in the second phase of the Battle of the Somme. German resistance in the centre of the battle zone was strongest around the fortified village of Ovillers and on the 16th July the Worcesters advanced on its ruins and fought to capture this key position. In the course of the costly struggle Private William Hackett was killed. He was 19 years of age and is buried in Bouzincourt Cemetery (I E 4) near Albert and commemorated on the Blackheath and Halesowen Memorials.