SWADLING, Arthur

Arthur Swadling was born at Chester and at the start of the war lived at 149 Hagley Road, Stourbridge. He volunteered for the Worcesters and joined the 9th (Service) Battalion. After training the battalion joined the 13th Division and was sent in July 1915 to Gallipoli. After an unopposed landing at Suvla Bay on the 6th June their attack on the Turkish position three days later was a failure and no ground was gained. Their experiences on the Gallipoli peninsula were frustrating and they were evacuated in December. They did not return to Britain, however, but were sent to continue the struggle against the Turks in Mesopotamia and, notably, to rescue General Townshend's force besieged at Kut. They arrived in March 1916 and attempted a relief in April. It failed and Townsend's force went into captivity. The next advance was left until cooler weather and the Worcesters were involved in the crucial attack on Kut on the 25th January 1917. Kut fell the next day but 107 men had been killed. They included Private Arthur Swadling who was 20 years of age and is buried in Amara Cemetery (XIX L 10) and commemorated on the Stourbridge Memorial.