MALLEN, Thomas Bert

Bert Mallen was the son of Clara Mallen of 11 Pedmore Road, Lye. He enlisted in the Worcesters and was sent to the 3rd Battalion which had served on the Western Front since 1914 and had been active on the Somme in 1916. During the bitter Winter and Spring of 1917 the Worcesters were at Ploegsteert Wood in a quiet sector and then moved to Messines to carry out a major victory. They were then involved in the opening struggles of the Third Battle of Ypres at Westhoek. Heavy casualties were taken and the Worcesters retired for a month. They returned to the Menin Road in a reserve position but heavy German shelling caused casualties. Lance Corporal Bert Mallen was seriously wounded and taken to a Casualty Clearing Station near Poperinghe where he died of wounds on the 4th September. He was 29 years of age and is buried in Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery (XVIII F 14) and commemorated on the Lye and Wollescote and Lye church memorials.