PERKS, Ernest

Ernest Perks lived at 13 Birmingham Street, Stourbridge, and attended St. John's school. At the age of 16 he was the youngest man from Stourbridge to die in uniform. He enlisted in the Worcester Territorials and joined the 3/7th Battalion for basic training. He was then transferred to the 2/7th Battalion and joined a draft preparing for overseas service. He was in billets at Malvern where he caught pneumonia and died. He was given a military funeral on the 19th March at Oldswinford church with soldiers from his Company bearing the coffin draped with a Union Jack. His comrades also placed flowers at the grave side and a bugler from the Battalion sounded the Last Post. He is buried in Oldswinford church cemetery and commemorated on the Stourbridge, St. John's church and St. John's school Memorials.