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2nd Battalion, Worcestershire Regiment
2nd Battalion, Worcestershire Regiment were based at Aldershot with 5th Brigade, 2nd Division when war broke out in August 1914. They proceeded to France with the BEF, landing at Boulogne on the 14th of August 1914. They were in action in The Battle of Mons and the subsequent retreat, The Battle of the Marne, The Battle of the Aisne, the Actions on the Aisne heights and First Battle of Ypres. They took part in the Winter Operations 1914-15 and in 1915 saw action at The Battle of Festubert and The Battle of Loos. On the 20th of December 1915 they transferred to 100th Brigade, 33rd Division. They were in action in the Battles of the Somme. In 1917 they took part in the Arras Offensive, The actions on the Hindenburg Line, the Operations on the Flanders coast and the Third Battles of Ypres. In 1918 they were in action in the Battles of the Lys, the Battles of the Hindenburg Line and the Final Advance in Picardy. At the Armistice the Division was in a period of rest in the Sambre valley near Leval Demobilisation took place throughout the first months of 1919 with Divisional HQ moving to Le Havre on the 28th of February.
2nd Aug 1914 Church Parade
4th Aug 1914 Orders
13th Aug 1914 On the Move
14th Aug 1914 On the Move
16th Aug 1914 On the Move
17th Aug 1914 On the Move
18th Aug 1914 Route March
18th Aug 1914 In Billets
19th Aug 1914 In Billets
21st Aug 1914 On the March
22nd Aug 1914 In Billets
24th Oct 1914 Bayonet Charge 
31st Oct 1914 Germans attack Geluveld On the 31st October the Germans made an attack from the east along the Menin Road and captured the area around Geluveld Chateau. Just after mid day the Chateau was struck by a shell causing serious causalties. With the British line close to breaking the remaining 500 men of 2nd Worcesters in reserve at the Western edge of Polygon Wood, were ordered to counter attack. With one company guarding the Menin Road to the north of Geluveld village, against German advance towards Ypres, the remainder prepared to attack. At 1400 with bayonets foxed they filed to Black Watch Corner at the south west edge of Polygon Wood. They made a bayonet charge into the Chateau grounds to reinforce the remnants of the 1st South Wales Borderers had earlier recaptured the Chateau.
31st Oct 1914 Village was Recaptured
10th Nov 1914 Sniper Fails to Return
26th March 1915 Instruction
27th March 1915 Instruction
28th March 1915 Instruction
29th March 1915 Instruction
3rd May 1915 Reliefs
15th Aug 1915 Reliefs
26th Sep 1915 2nd Worcesters in Action
26th Sep 1915 Reorganisation
27th Sep 1915 Attack
29th Sep 1915 Reliefs Complete
9th November 1915 Men suffering from frost bite
10th Nov 1915 Casualties in 2nd Worcesters
20th Dec 1915 Reorganisation
21st Dec 1915 Storm
22nd Dec 1915 Conference
23rd Dec 1915 Orders Issued
24th Dec 1915 Flooding
26th Dec 1915 Flooding
27th Dec 1915 On the March
28th Dec 1915 Reliefs
30th Dec 1915 Reliefs
31st Dec 1915 Shelling
5th Apr 1916 Shelling
19th August 1916
1st Jan 1918 Football
2nd Jan 1918 In Billets
3rd Jan 1918 On the March
4th Jan 1918 Orders
5th Jan 1918 On the March
6th Jan 1918 Working Parties
7th Jan 1918 Working Parties
8th Jan 1918 Working Parties
9th Jan 1918 Change of Command
10th Jan 1918 Working Parties
11th Jan 1918 Working Parties
12th Jan 1918 Working Parties
13th Jan 1918 Working Parties
14th Jan 1918 Working Parties
15th Jan 1918 Working Parties
16th Jan 1918 Working Parties
17th Jan 1918 Reliefs
18th Jan 1918 In Support
19th Jan 1918 Reliefs
20th Jan 1918 In the Trenches
21st Jan 1918 Reliefs
22nd Jan 1918 Inspections
23rd Jan 1918 Inspections
24th Jan 1918 Treatment
25th Jan 1918 Reliefs
26th Jan 1918 Holding the Line
27th Jan 1918 Reliefs
28th Jan 1918 On the Move
29th Jan 1918 Training
30th Jan 1918 Training
31st Jan 1918 Training
1st Feb 1918 On the Ranges
2nd Feb 1918 Church Parade
4th Feb 1918 Reorganisation
5th Feb 1918 On the Move
6th Feb 1918 Training
7th Feb 1918 Lecture
9th Feb 1918 Contest
10th Feb 1918 Test
12th Feb 1918 Competition
14th Feb 1918 Baths
15th Feb 1918 Demonstration
16th Feb 1918 Church Parade
17th Feb 1918 Competition
18th Feb 1918 Training
19th Feb 1918 Training Scheme
20th Feb 1918 On the Move
21st Feb 1918 On the Move
22nd Feb 1918 Working Parties
23rd Feb 1918 Working Parties
24th Feb 1918 Working Parties
25th Feb 1918 Into Support
1st Mar 1918 In Support
2nd Mar 1918 Reliefs
3rd Mar 1918 Holding the Line
4th Mar 1918 Visit
6th Mar 1918 Reliefs
7th Mar 1918 Baths
8th Mar 1918 Musketry
9th Mar 1918 Working Parties
10th Mar 1918 Working Parties
11th Mar 1918 Working Parties
12th Mar 1918 Working Parties
13th Mar 1918 Working Parties
14th Mar 1918 Reliefs
15th Mar 1918 Holding the Line
16th Mar 1918 Holding the Line
17th Mar 1918 Prisoners Taken
18th Mar 1918 Reliefs
19th Mar 1918 Cleaning up
20th Mar 1918 Working Parties
21st Mar 1918 Musketry
22nd Mar 1918 Orders
24th Mar 1918 Reliefs
25th Mar 1918 Holding the Line
26th Mar 1918 Withdrawal
27th Mar 1918 Holding the Line
28th Mar 1918 Holding the Line
29th Mar 1918 Patrol
30th Mar 1918 Reliefs
31st Mar 1918 Working Parties
1st Apr 1918 Training
2nd Apr 1918 On the Ranges
3rd Apr 1918 Inspection
4th Apr 1918 Lewis Guns
5th Apr 1918 On the March
6th Apr 1918 Concert
7th Apr 1918 On the Move
8th Apr 1918 On the Ranges
9th Apr 1918 On the Ranges
10th Apr 1918 Orders
11th Apr 1918 On the March
12th Apr 1918 Enemy Attack
13th Apr 1918 Enemy Attack
13th of April 1918 The Enemy Attacks
14th of April 1918 A Counter-Attack
14th Apr 1918 Enemy Attack
15th Apr 1918 In Action
16th Apr 1918 Counter Attack
17th Apr 1918 Heavy Shelling
18th of April 1918 Relief for Some
18th Apr 1918 On the March
19th Apr 1918 Cleaning up
20th Apr 1918 On the March
21st Apr 1918 On the March
22nd Apr 1918 Inspection
23rd Apr 1918 Refitting
24th Apr 1918 Baths
25th Apr 1918 Orders
26th Apr 1918 On the March
27th Apr 1918 Football
28th Apr 1918 Church Parade
29th Apr 1918 On the March
30th Apr 1918 Ready to Move
If you can provide any additional information, please add it here.
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| Want to know more about 2nd Battalion, Worcestershire Regiment? There are:5386 items tagged 2nd Battalion, Worcestershire Regiment available in our Library
These include information on officers, regimental histories, letters, diary entries, personal accounts and information about actions during the Great War.
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Those known to have served with2nd Battalion, Worcestershire Regiment during the Great War 1914-1918. - Arculus Alfred. L/Sgt. (d.26th Sep 1915.)
- Brace Andrew. Pte. (d.31st Oct 1914 )
- Brookes MM & Bar. William Francis. Sgt. (d.1st Nov 1916)
- Burke James Francis. Pte.
- Earridge Harold A.. Sgt.
- Ellson Howard. Pte. (d.2nd July 1916)
- Garlick George Frederick. Pte. (d.21st May 1917)
- Hartland Joseph Daniel. Pte. (d.20th September 1914)
- Miners Jack Conway. Sgt
- Pardoe Walter. Drummer (d.20th October 1917)
- Parsons Edgar Vincent Peter. Capt. (d.26th Apr 1918)
- Roberts William. Pte. (d.4th Apr 1918)
- Russell Joseph. Pte.
- Shearon John. Pte. (d.26th September 1917)
- Snelus Frederick. Pte. (d.30th September 1915)
- Steward George Henry. L/Cpl. (d.31st October 1914)
- Ward Joseph. Pte. (d.23rd April 1915)
- Watts James Howard. Pte.
- Wood William H.. Cpl. (d.17th April 1918)
All names on this list have been submitted by relatives, friends, neighbours and others who wish to remember them, if you have any names to add or any recollections or photos of those listed,
please Add a Name to this List
Records of 2nd Battalion, Worcestershire Regiment from other sources.
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Pte. Frederick Snelus 2nd Btn. Worcestershire Regiment (d.30th September 1915) Frederick Snelus was killed in action on the 30th of September 1915.
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Pte. Joseph Russell 9th Btn. Worcestershire Regiment Joseph Russell was my great-grandfather, who was born 1 February 1877 at Dudley, Staffordshire, and was married on Christmas Day, 1903 to Faith Hope Davies.
He enlisted in 1895 and served in 5th Worcestershire Regiment and in E Coy., 2nd Worcestershire Regiment, and received the Queen's South Africa Medal with clasps in Wittebergen, Cape Colony, Transvaal for service during the Second Boer War.
On 29th of August 1914, he enlisted for the Great War with the 2nd Worcester Regiment and was sent to France, disembarking there on 5th of January 1915. On 1st of May 1915, he joined the 5th Worcestershire Regiment.
He was listed as wounded on the Casualty List issued by the War Office from 15th if September 1915 while serving with the 9th Worcestershire Regiment. He was discharged on 14th of May 1916.
He died on 29th of November 1925, leaving behind a wife and 5 daughters.
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Sgt. Harold A. Earridge 2nd Btn. Worcestershire Regiment Harold Earridge was my Great Grandfather. I was lucky enough to know him during my childhood. He lived on the same road as his daughter, my grandmother, right opposite my school gates where he would wait for me and my big brother to give us fluffy sweets from his pocket.
I knew he'd been in the war as I remember him showing me his medals but had no idea of what that really meant. Strangely my mum doesn't remember seeing them or even going into his house as a child as he appeared to her to be quite distant from the family even though he lived on the same road. Sadly this seems to be a bit of a theme with soldiers of the Great War. Apparently, I went missing as a small child and after frantic searching of the neighbourhood, I was found safe and sound with Great Grandad which came as a total surprise to my grandparents and parents because they didn't know I knew him that well and spent time with him (early 1970's). I was only 4.
I probably knew more about his war than anyone else at that time and maybe since.
Harold was a career soldier who signed up in 1905. In 1911 he was a stationed at Western Heights Dover in 3rd Battalion, Worcestershire Regiment which is where he would have met my Great Grandmother Ellen Carter. They married in December 1911.
By the time WW1 began he was with the 2nd Battalion. He is named as having been in Gheluvelt 31st of October 1914 and remained in France and Flanders until the end of the war having seen action in many battles.
My grandmother was born in 1919 and spent part of her childhood in India where her brother, (sadly he died in infancy), and sister were born. This must mean he was back with 3rd Battalion as the
2nd didn't go there when my grandmother told me she was there.
They had 4 daughters and another son. Ellen died in 1935 of TB. Apparently Harold would cycle from Dover to Canterbury to visit her in the sanatorium every week whatever the weather.
He married again to Florence but she passed away from tetanus not long after.
Harold married a third time and had another son at age 57.
Harold never really spoke of his experiences during the war and certainly never complained.
Harold passed away in 1977 having had a long and fruitful life. I remember him extremely fondly and have immense pride in him.
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Pte. Joseph Ward 2nd Battalion Worcestershire Regiment (d.23rd April 1915) Joseph Ward died of enteric fever in hospital in France on Friday April 23rd 1915. He was married and lived in the Stourbridge Road in Catshill. He was 32 years of age. He was a reservist and was called to the colours in August 1914 and, after nine days, was in France. He fought in the opening battles without injury before being struck down with fever.
He left a widow and six children.
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Pte. James Francis Burke 2nd Btn. Northumberland Fusiliers  My grandfather, James Francis Burke, joined the 2nd Worcestershire Regiment before WW1. His name is in Worcester Cathedral on a panel listing all the 2nd battalion men who left from there. Previously he was in India with the regiment.
He was wounded at one point and evacuated to England, thus missing the famous action in Gheluvelt, and I have his metal 'wound stripe' along with his other medals and items.
As an original BEF man, he was put in battles again and again. He told my father he was gassed by his own side - we are not sure where. A good marksman, he was a sniper at one stage.
I also have his copy of the WW1 Regimental History - a huge green book. He was very proud to have served with the Worcesters.
He survived the war and worked in the London Docks as a crane driver. He lived at 28 Tillman Street, Shadwell with his wife and children until the family were moved to Becontree in the 1930s.
He died of cancer during WW2 so, sadly, I never met him. I only have stories from my father (also James Francis) who has also passed away.
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Sgt Jack Conway Miners 2nd Btn Worcester Regiment Jack Miners was the son of Clara Arnold through her second marriage to Harold Beverley Miners. The couple married in Kidderminster (Clara's home town) in 1886 but moved to London shortly afterwards. Jack was born in Pancras, London circa 1890 and was educated at Wellington House School. In 1911 he was a general merchant.
He enlisted in 10th Btn Royal Fusiliers (Stockbrokers Battalion) in 1914 and went to France with the unit in 1915. In March 1916 he was commissioned into the Worcestershire Regiment and served the rest of the war in that regiment's 2nd Battalion.
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Pte. James Howard Watts 3rd Btn. Worcestershire Regiment Jim Watts was my uncle. I know he served at Gheluvelt with the 2nd Worcester Regiment, after that he was in the 3rd Worcesters, but I am not sure where they fought.
He was badly injured in the fighting and lost both legs and also had shrapnel in the brain (this is what eventually killed him after it moved). He died 13th November 1948 of his wounds.
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Pte. Andrew Brace 2nd Btn. Worcestershire Regiment (d.31st Oct 1914 ) Andrew Brace was killed at the Battle of Gheluvelt. One of ten children, his family lived in Infimary Walk Worcester. He attended Hounds Lane School in Worcester.
A brother in law of his, Lance Corporal David Charles Jukes, 1413, Northumberland Fusilliers was killed on 8th November 1914 near by. A Daughter, born to William, another of Andrews Brothers, and Susannah, a Sister of David, in 1916 was named Catherine Gheluvelt Ypres Brace in memory of their brothers.
Editor's Note: The battle of Gheluvelt was a phase of the first Battle of Ypres. Andrew Brace has no known grave but is commemorated on the Menin Gate.
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Cpl. William H. Wood 2nd Battalion Worcestershire Regiment (d.17th April 1918) William H. Wood died 17 April 1918 serving as a Corporal in the 2nd Battalion the Worcester Regiment for his country in the Great War. His remains have never been found but he is remembered with honour on the Ploegsteert Memorial in Belgium.
He had only recently married Grace Elsie Bullock in the first quarter of 1917. She only saw him for one week and after his death, she never married again.
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Capt. Edgar Vincent Peter Parsons 3rd Btn. Worcestershire Regiment (d.26th Apr 1918) Edgar Vincent Peter Parsons was born at Worcester on June 14th 1893, son of John Parsons. He was Roman Catholic and member of St. George's Church, Worcester. He was educated at Stonyhurst College, Lancashire, entering in 1903 and leaving in 1910 to enter an engineering apprentice programme.
Edgar enlisted in September 1914 in 4th Public Schools Battalion, Royal Fusiliers and Commissioned 5th Battalion Worcestershire Regiment, later attached to the 2nd battalion. He was wounded in action with the 2nd Battalion on November 5th 1916 in trenches before Le Transloy on the Somme. After hospitalization he was attached to the 3rd Battalion, Worcesters, February 1917. During the Battle of Messines on June 7th he was MID for leading a carrying part of 80 ORs. He was promoted to Captain on June 22nd, 1917.
About 5a.m. on April 26th 1918 at the Second Battle of Kemmel he was wounded in the leg by a MG bullet, likely just northwest of Kemmel Village. Due to the circumstances of the battle it was not possible to rescue him from the battlefield and he was initially listed as wounded and missing, later changed to killed in action. Captain Parsons has no known grave.
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L/Sgt. Alfred Arculus 2nd Btn Worcestershire Regiment (d.26th Sep 1915.) What I know of Alfred Arculus is taken from records I have come across while researching my ancestors but I think I would have liked him. He actually volunteered for the Army Reserve as a Special Reservist on 6th March 1914, aged 18 yrs 171 days. A farm labourer, he was 5ft 4 inches tall and weighed 128lbs, not exactly a strapping lad but he was willing.
At the outbreak of war he was promoted to Lance Corporal; by the 5th October he was a Corporal and in March 1915 he became L/Sergeant. Then in June he lost his stripe, the reason, curiosity! On the 3rd April at the back of his billet at Essars two R.E officers exploded an aeroplane bomb. A group of men including Alfred watched the proceedings and after the explosion started picking up fragments. Alfred found the nose of the bomb and as the R.E officers had declared the area safe he proceeded back to his billet with his mates and the fragment. This is where his curiosity got the better of him. He started to take the nose of the bomb apart and as witnessed by others it blew up and badly injured his left hand. A court of enquiry came to the conclusion that 'having considered the evidence Alfred was wholly to blame for the accident, and he was not in performance of military duties when injured'.
A month later on the 2nd May he was pronounced fully fit and back with his mates on the 4th. On the 8th September he's again a L/Sgt. On the 26th September 1915 he was killed in action at Vermelles. From what I have now found he is commemorated on the Loos Memorial, originally buried at Barts Alley Cemetery, Vermelles (this cemetery was destroyed in later battles and the remains scattered - what was found taken to Loos and reburied). Of his effects only his identity disc remained. This was sent to his mother, Eliza. She received it in 1916.
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Pte. Howard Ellson 2nd Battalion Worcestershire Regiment (d.2nd July 1916) Howard Ellson was born 20th January 1887 in Birmingham and was killed in action on 2 July 1916 near Cuincy, Pas-de-Calais, France. Howard was married at Aston, Warwickshire in abt June 1909 to Laura Luke.
Howard is the sixth child and third son of Thomas Ellson and Jane (nee Wilkinson)
He appears at the age of 4 years in the census return of 1891. The family is at 134, Vaughton Street, Deritend, Birmingham. In the household is Thomas (44) as its head and a whip thong maker. Jane (39) his wife and their children. Louisa (18) a milliners apprentice; Alice (15) an umbrella maker; Jane (9); Thomas (5); Howard (4) and Warner (1)
By 1901 the family had moved to 18 Bissell Street, St Martin’s, Birmingham. Thomas (54) is still employed as a whip thong maker; Jane (49) is now listed as a shopkeeper “working on her own account from home“. (The 1889 Kelly’s Directory lists Thomas as a shopkeeper at this address) Jane (19) is a Japaneeser; Thomas (15) a tank riveter and Howard (14) a wire worker. Warner (11) is at school where he has been joined by a sister, Dora (8). Also in the household is their mother’s niece, (also) Jane Wilkinson (aged 12). Like her aunt, this Jane was born in north London.
Howard married Laura Luke in abt June 1909. The couple appear on the CR of 1911 at 1/30 [one back of thirty] Highgate Street, Highgate, Birmingham. Howard (24) is a wire worker and Laura (22) the mother of a daughter, Winifred (b. 1910 in Birmingham and d. 1911 aged 1 year). Also in the household was a boarder, Matilda Harris, a tin plate worker aged 21 years. Howard and Laura had three other children, all sons. They were: William Howard, Bernard) and Leslie.
In the Great War, Howard served as a Private in the 2nd Battalion, Worcester Regiment. At the date of his enlistment, on 27 July 1915, Howard was living at Court 8, house 2 Darwin Street, Highgate, Birmingham. He was 28 years old. A brief description tells us that he was 5’ 7†tall and of fair complexion with blue eyes and light hair.
Howard Ellson is my paternal grandfather. It was in pursuit of Howard that I began this journey. I have set out his story from enlistment on 27 July 1915 to his death on 2 July 1916 in a booklet 'Somewhere Beneath a Sea of Mud' (2007). Family legend has it that Howard was killed on the opening day of the Battle on the Somme - 1 July 1916. This is supported by a memorial card which the family had printed, probably in about May 1917. It was not until 24 April 1917 that there was official confirmation from the War Office of his death. The letter read: "It is my painful duty to inform you that no further news having been received relative to (No) 24058 Pte Howard Ellson (Regiment) 2 Battn. Worcestershire Regt. who has been missing since 2-7-16, the Army Council has been regretfully constrained to conclude that he is dead, and that his death took place on the 2-7-16 (or since). I am to express to you the sympathy of the Army Council with you in your loss." It seems likely that the memorial card will have been produced shortly after receipt of this letter. The relevant part of the card reads "In loving memory of Pte Howard Ellson No 24058 2nd Worcesters Killed 1st July, 1916, at the Battle of the Somme".
Neither of these 'facts' proved to be true. He was killed on 2 July 1916 whilst serving with the 2 Battalion of the Worcestershire Regiment in the area of Bethune which is some 48 kilometres (30 miles) north of Bapaume - the most northerly point of the Somme battle area.
He was with 2 battalion serving in C Company. At the time of his death he was in a raiding party on enemy lines at Auchy-les-la-Bassee. His death should have been commemorated on the Loos Memorial but he is one of the thousands named on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme. The record of 2 battalion gives the place of his death as Cuincy, a village midway between Bethune and La Bassee and the nearest village in British hands. Within a few days of his death the battalion had been moved, rather hurriedly south, to the Somme. It seems likely that all deaths after 1 July were attributed to that campaign. There is further confusion over his actual unit. Whilst most contemporary records place him with 2 battalion, those produced subsequently put him with 1 battalion. This includes those of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
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Pte. John Shearon 2nd Btn. Worcestershire (d.26th September 1917) My gt. grandfather, John Shearon, was born in Stourport-on-Severn around 1884. He worked as a chimney sweep in the Worcester area and was also a tic-tac man on Worcester racecourse. He married my gt. grandmother, Jane Kershaw, at St.George's Chapel in 1911, then moved to Liverpool later that year.
His elder brother Edward was also in the Worcesters (service no. 48426)and was killed in India on 3rd December 1917 aged 43.
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