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PTE 21209 WESTWOOD, JOHN
Date of Death: 25/08/1916 Age:39
Manchester Regiment 24th Bn.
Panel Reference
Pier and Face 13 A and 14 C.
THIEPVAL MEMORIAL
Son of the late John and Harriet Westwood, of Wolverhampton;
husband of Jane Ann Westwood, of 171, Morton St., Longsight,
In early November 1915 they landed at La Harve, and then entrained to the front, where they took their first training with the Leicesters in the Albert and Arras sectors. On the 20th December 1915 the 91st Brigade moved to 7th Division & then the 22nd Brigade, 7th Division
After a period of training the battalion were given a new career and on the 22nd May 1916 became Pioneer Battalion for the 7th Division and they moved to the village of Aumont, near Amiens, later to move to Morlancourt near Albert. Here they suffered their first casualties of the war, carrying out the duties of pioneers in the front lines and to the rear of them.
In the battle of the Somme the 24th were engaged in converting the german trenchs captaured around Fricourt into strongpoints and consoldating the gains of the 7th Division. Compared with other units the battalion suffered very light casualties of eight men. On the 14th July the battalion followed up the attack on Bazention le Petit, to build a strongpoint in the village, taking 52 casualties. On the 30th August the 7th Division was to make it's attack on the disputed village of Guinchy, the 24th were employed building the support trenches needed, although the attack was not successful, the preparation work cost the battalion 38 casualties.