Hello.
I have found a J.Westwood on the Roll of Honour submitted for publication at the beginning of the Great War, indicating that he worked in the Paving Dept. of Manchester Corporation's Highways Dept. Would this be the man about whom you are enquiring?
I came across the 24th Manchesters when I was researching the Great War poets Siegfried Sassoon and Robert Graves in the 1990's for, like the 24th Bn., they too were in the Bois Francais trenches in 1916 serving with the Royal Welch Fusiliers. For valid reasons for which I will not bore you, it was essential when visiting this part of the Western Front, to visit Point 11O New Military Cemetery. This cemetery lies along an unpaved road and is not to be confused with Point 11O Old Mil. Cem., which is the first cemetery you come to as you negotiate this rough track which leads eventually, to the former rear areas where the
troops assembled, a position known as the Citadel.
On a visit in 1994 to Point 11O New Cem., I found a whole row of about 11 graves relating to the 24th Mcrs. My eye was particularly drawn to the grave of No. 14585 Pte. Geo.O'Neil, where the spelling of his surname was wrong. (Now corrected). I decided to look into the matter and, amongst other things, discovered that on the 6th and 7th February 1916, the battalion had come under intense enemy fire during which it suffered very heavily. Not only were there private soldiers who had been killed and wounded on that occasion, but an officer - Lt. T.J.C.Murdoch, Regimental Sgt. Major Gartside and C.S.M. Coop, had also been killed.- quite a loss to the battalion. The graves of these three brave men can be seen in Point 11O Old Cem.
Lastly, if you have not already bought the book "Cotton Town Comrades" (with a Forward by Robert Bonner), I suggest you hasten to do so. Regards. PhilipG.
