MILLWARD, John William

John Millward was born in Amblecote and was living at 31 Enville Street, Stourbridge, in 1914. He volunteered for the Worcesters and joined the 9th (Service) Battalion along with many Stourbridge men. After training the battalion joined the 13th Division and were sent in July 1915 to the Dardanelles – a far cry from the Western Front. Their experiences on the Gallipoli peninsula were both costly and frustrating and they were evacuated in December. They did not return to Britain, however, but were sent to continue the struggle against the Turks in Mesopotamia and, notably, to rescue General Townsend's force besieged at Kut. They arrived in February 1916 and attempted a relief in April. It failed and Townsend's force went into captivity. The next advance was left until cooler weather and the crucial attack on Kut was made by the Worcesters on the 25th January 1916. Kut fell the next day but 107 men had been killed. Six of these were Stourbridge men, including Private John Millward. He was 24 years of age and is buried in Amara Cemetery (XIX E 17) and commemorated on the Stourbridge, Lye and Wollescote and St. Thomas's church Memorials.