SOUTHALL, Joseph

Joseph Southall was the son of Betsy Southall who lived at 123 High Street, Lye. He was a miner in South Wales and at Bargoed he volunteered in January 1915 for the Royal Field Artillery. He was sent to the 123rd Brigade attached to the 27th Division. In 1916 they fought in the Battle of the Somme in the last phase on the River Ancre and then moved to Artois to take part in the Arras offensive of April 1917against the new German defences of the Hindenburg Line. In the second battle of the Scarpe the Division attacked near Croisilles to the east of Arras on the 23rd April. Some territory was won but during the last stage Gunner Joseph Southall was killed in action on the 27th April. He was 24 years of age and is buried in Henin Communal Cemetery (I A 11) and commemorated on the Lye and Wollescote and Lye church Memorials.