WHITWELL, Harry

Harry Whitwell was born at Worcester but his family came to live at Stourbridge. In 1914 he volunteered for the Worcesters and joined the 9th (Service) Battalion. They were sent in July 1915 to Gallipoli but Harry Whitwell did not join them until the 27th October. He was one of many reinforcements to arrive as reinforcements for the early losses in the campaign. Weather conditions were particularly bad after his arrival and heavy rain and frosts made combat conditions in the confined area of gullies and woodland almost impossible. They were evacuated in December in a remarkably successful operation. The Worcesters were the last to leave and deceived the Turks completely. Not a man was lost. 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 a long captivity. The next advance was left until cooler weather and it was not until early 1917 that the attack occurred. The Worcesters were closely involved in the advance and in the fierce battle of Kut-el-Amara on the 25th January. Kut fell the next day but 107 men had been killed and Acting Sergeant Harry Whitwell was among the seriously wounded. He died of wounds on the 2nd February 1917 and is buried at Amara Military Cemetery (XIV G 30) and commemorated on the Stourbridge Memorial.