TOMS, George Archibald

George Toms attended Oldswinford C of E School and was among many Stourbridge men who enlisted in the Worcester Territorials. He volunteered for foreign service and crossed to France in the 1/7th Battalion with the 48th (South Midland) Division in March 1915. Much of that year was spent in front line trenches, first at Ploegsteert Wood and later in a quiet sector of the front on the Somme. When this area became the focus of Haig's campaign in 1916 the battalion had a very serious role to play. For the opening day of the battle of the Somme on the 1st July they were ready in the second line for the attack on La Boisselle but because of the failure of the attack on this sector they were sent back. On the 14th July they were directly involved in two days fighting to capture the village of Ovillers and on 20th August attacked the Thiepval Ridge. September was spent recuperating and training but on 3rd November the battalion was in trenches near the Butte de Warlencourt. The weather was cold and wet but on the 5th a great effort was made by to capture the Butte. It was taken and then lost to a German counter-attack. The battle of the Somme had ended in a final stalemate but Private George Toms was among the seriously wounded. He was taken to a Military Hospital at Rouen where he died on the 17th November. He is buried in St. Sever Cemetery, Rouen, (O 219) and is commemorated on the Stourbridge, Oldswinford church and Oldswinford C of E School Memorials.