WORTON, Arthur

Arthur Worton was born in Brierley Hill and volunteered for the South Staffords Territorials in 1915. He joined the 2/5th Battalion and went to the Western Front in 1915. They took part in the 1916 Battle of the Somme and during 1917 were in both the Third Battle of Ypres and the Battle of Cambrai. In each case severe casualties were sustained. In early 1918 they were close to the Hindenburg Line west of Cambrai in the front line trenches and experienced the Bruckmuller barrage at 2 a.m. on the 21st March. The densely packed lines of attackers took heavy casualties but at the end of the day the Staffords virtually ceased to exist. Among those severely wounded was Lance Corporal Arthur Worton . He returned to Britain for recuperation and was in Warrington Hospital for several operations. He died on the 6th April 1918 and was buried with full military honours at St. Michael’s, Brierley Hill, and commemorated on the Brierley Hill and Brierley Hill church Memorials.