TERRY, James

James Terry was born in Stourbridge and volunteered for the Worcesters. He joined the 9th (Service) Battalion along with many Stourbridge men and after training they joined the 13th Division. They were sent in July 1915 to the Dardanelles – a far cry from the Western Front. Their experiences on the Gallipoli peninsula were difficult and frustrating. When they were evacuated in December, they did not return to Britain, however, but were to continue the struggle against the Turks in Mesopotamia and, notably, to rescue General Townshend's force besieged at Kut. They arrived in February 1916 and attempted a relief in April. It failed and Townshend'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. Private James Terry was killed on the 25th January and is commemorated on the Basra, Stourbridge and St. Thomas's church Memorials.