WEBB, Harry T

Harry Webb was the youngest son of Mrs Hubball of 52 Enville Street, Stourbridge. He was employed before the war by Mr F. J. Barnes at The Worcestershire Garage. He volunteered for the Worcester Territorials and joined the 1/7th Battalion in January 1915. The battalion went to France in March 1915 and was very actively engaged in the 1916 battle of the Somme. They had been involved in the capture of Ovillers in the middle of July and then in the battle for the Transloy Ridges in October. By the start of 1917 the Worcesters were still in the Somme area when the German commanders made the strategic decision to retire to their newly constructed Hindenburg Line. However, this was a fighting withdrawal which involved booby traps and unexpected counter attacks. The British advance took them half a dozen miles towards Cambrai and on the 13th April the Worcesters attacked in thick snow under a full moon. The ridge near Malakoff Farm was won, but one of the six men killed was Private Thomas Webb. He was on duty in the newly captured position when he was killed by a shell. He was 22 years of age and is commemorated on the Thiepval, Stourbridge and St. Thomas's church Memorials.