HAYWARD, Enoch

Enoch Hayward of William Street, Brierley Hill, served in the South Staffords Territorials before the outbreak of war with the 1/5th Battalion which quickly undertook to be ready for overseas service. They were in the 46th (North Midlands) Division and were sent to the Western Front in March 1915. They experienced front line trenches in a quiet sector of Artois before going to the second phase of the Battle of Loos. On the 13th October they attacked the Hohenzollern Redoubt over flat and open terrain. A few reached the enemy wire but the losses were extremely high. After re-training they went to the Somme and were called upon for the first day of the battle on the 1st July. They were part of a diversionary attack on Gommecourt Wood and the outcome was similar to 1915. In the face of strong German defences losses were very high and included Lance Corporal Enoch Hayward who was killed in action. His death was not officially notified until May 1917. He is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial and on the Brierley Hill and Brierley Hill church Memorials.