HALL, William

William Hall was one of several Stourbridge men who joined the Warwicks. He was born at Harborough Magna, Warwickshire but by 1918 his parents were living at 36 Poole Street, Norton. He almost certainly enlisted in 1914 and joined the 10th (Service) Battalion. They crossed to France in July 1915, played a full part on the Somme in 1916 and in Third Ypres 1917. In March 1918, however, they faced the first German Spring offensive. The Warwicks were in the reserve Brigade of the 19th Division and nearly three miles to the rear. The attack came on the 21st March and three German armies were launched in their sector. On the first day the Warwicks experienced some minor shelling but mainly listened to the battle. The Germans did not achieve any quick breakthrough and lost enormous casualties. However, the sheer mass of their numbers meant that they steadily advanced, and on the 23rd they reached the Warwicks. In the next three days the battalion withdrew across the old Somme battlefield and by the 26th the strength of the battalion had been reduced to about 300 men. Private William Hall was killed on this day. He was 29 years of age and is commemorated on the Arras Memorial. His name is commemorated on the Oldswinford church Memorial but not on the Stourbridge Memorial.