Page 60 - WW1 - 1915

Remembering Redditch Residents & WW1 Redditch Local History Society

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The Bromsgrove, Droitwich and Redditch Messenger – Saturday 31 July 1915

Webheath Man Killed in Action – Information has been received by Mr and Mrs
Smout, of Hill Top, Webheath, that their son, aged 20, serving with the Worcesters, was
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killed in action on July 23 . It was during a night attack. In a long letter Sergeant Ernest W.
Stanton states that the Germans were repairing a part of their trenches which had been
blown to pieces by our artillery during the afternoon. While thus engaged the members of
the deceased’s platoon had a shot at the enemy. The deceased was anxious to see if they
had done any damage, and got up from the trench, and was hit by a bullet in the head, and
died in ten minutes. Sergeant Stanton says he did all he could, bandaging up the wound, but
this was of no avail. He says that he has lost a truly good man and soldier. He was
respected and liked by all the men in the platoon, and each man had personally asked
Sergeant Stanton to convey to Mr and Mrs Smout and family their deep sympathy in their
bereavement. He died, continues the letter, doing his duty to his King and country, and the
writer and the members of the platoon pray that deceased’s family will be sustained in their
sorrow, and that God will heal the sore that has been made. Private Smout joined the forces
immediately after the war broke out, and belonged to the Worcesters. Two brothers are
serving in the Dardanelles, one of whom was on the battleship Triumph when that boat went
down.

Page: 60 © RLHS 2014