POTTER, Frank Arthur

Frank Potter was born in Lye and was the son of Phoebe Potter of Hayes Lane, Lye. He was probably a pre-war regular soldier in the Worcesters who had completed his engagement and was either recalled from the Reserve or volunteered in 1914. He served in the 2nd Battalion of the Worcesters and might have been involved in the decisive first Battle of Ypres of October 1914. For the Artois Spring offensives of 1915 the Worcesters were called on to lead the attack at Festubert on the 16th May but the night assault on the German trenches was a serious defeat. Heavy losses of over 150 casualties were sustained by the Worcesters. Private Frank Potter was seriously injured and taken to a military hospital at Boulogne where he died of wounds on the 25th May. He was 37 years of age and is buried in Boulogne Eastern Cemetery (VIII D 46) and commemorated on the Lye and Wollescote and Lye church Memorials.