PERKS, Lawson W

Lawson Perks was the eldest son of Mr and Mrs Frank Perks of West Street, Stourbridge, and was educated at Stourbridge Grammar School. He was also a Sunday School teacher at the Enville St. Methodist church. He enjoyed a brilliant career at school, gaining a place at Selwyn College, Cambridge, and enjoying a high reputation for his sporting skills, notably cricket. He had joined the Cambridge University OTC and after finishing his degree joined the colours in August 1915. He spent some months in the trenches as a cadet in the Honourable Artillery Company and was then selected for a commission. He was gazetted to the 1/7th Battalion of the Worcesters in July 1916 and returned to the front line on the 22nd August. The battalion had already been involved in the fierce fighting on the Somme and on the 24th August attacked Lemberg Trench near the shattered village of Thiepval. In very hot weather they then resisted shelling, bombing and counter-attack for two days and managed to hold the valuable territory they had gained. But the cost was high and Second Lieutenant Lawson Perks and 37 men had been killed. He was 22 years of age and is commemorated on the Thiepval, Stourbridge, St. John's church, Enville St. Methodist church and King Edward VI College Memorials.