ROLLASON, Thomas W

Thomas Rollason was the son of Jacob and Kezia Rollason of Blackheath and joined the Warwick Territorials. He was sent to the 1/7th Battalion which went to France in the Spring of 1915 and eventually to the Somme front line at Hébuterne. The early months of 1916 included much shelling and the weather was wet. Their task was to prepare for the Battle of the Somme and they went to the front line for its second phase. On the 13th August they took over trenches at Ovillers including the important Skyline Trench. Their main attack began on the 20th August when Private William Thomas Rollason was killed in action. He was 24 years of age and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial. He is also commemorated on the Blackheath and Halesowen Memorials.