THOMPSON, George

George Thompson was the eldest son of Mr and Mrs Thompson of 28 Giles Hill, Stourbridge and attended the Enville Street Council School. At the outbreak of war he was employed by John Hall and Co. and he volunteered for the Worcesters. He joined the 4th Battalion which saw service against the Turks at Gallipoli from the 25th April 1915 in a difficult and unsuccessful campaign. After the evacuation of the peninsula they returned to the Western Front in early 1916 and moved to the Somme in June 1916 in readiness for the battle that opened on the 1st July. They were a second line battalion for the attack at 7.30 a.m. and followed the first troops over the top at 9.30. Because of the huge losses in the first attack the Worcesters made little progress but stayed in the front line for the next few days. Casualties continued, however, because of continuous shelling and Private George Thompson was killed in action on the 9th July. He was 22 years of age and is commemorated on the Thiepval, Stourbridge, St. John's church and Enville Street School Memorials.