ONE hundred years ago this week the German Spring Offensive was reaching its climax as they tried desperately to breakthrough the French and British lines.
The focus of their attack was now the familiar killing grounds around Ypres and Armentieres, indeed the attack is sometimes known as the Fourth Battle of Ypres.
Inevitably there were casualties from Redditch: One such was Laban George Morris, who was born in 1898.
Laban is an Old Testament name and he was one of the six children of Laban and Emma Morris, who lived at 118 Evesham Road, Redditch.
The 1911 census records him working at a game food manufacturing company where his father also worked as a carter.
He served as a gunner with the Royal Horse and Royal Field Artillery and died from his wounds on April 14.
He is remembered today on The Bridge Church War Memorial.
Charles Edward Alfred Watkins was a 19-years-old Lance Corporal with the 1st Battalion, Somerset Light Infantry when he was killed as his unit defended ‘Hinges Ridge’ part of the Battle of Hazebrouck during the German Spring Offensive.
This was an attempt by the Germans to capture the important communications centre of Hazebrouck as the British tried to organise an orderly withdrawal to shorten their defensive line.
Charles was the eldest son of Charles Louis, a carpenter, and Esther Jane Watkins, of Foregate Street, Astwood Bank.
He was killed on April 15 and is buried in the St. Venant-Robecq Road British Cemetery, Robecq, France, and is remembered today on the Astwood Bank War Memorial.
Also involved in the Battle of Hazebrouck was Bert Malins, who was serving with 13th Battalion, The Kings (Liverpool) Regiment.
Bert was the only child from six of Richard and Harletta Malins to survive infancy.
The family lived at 10 Beaufort Street, Redditch and Richard worked as a needle hardener and Harletta as a needle eyer.
Bert was wounded during the battle and also died on April 15.
He is remembered today on the St Stephen’s War Memorial.
Sidney George Dibble was a member of the 16th (Service) Battalion the Welsh (Cardiff City) Regiment.
This was a unit which had suffered so many casualties during the Somme conflict in 1916 that it was withdrawn from action for 12 months.
However by 1917 it was back in the thick of it. However British losses were so heavy it forced a reorganisation of the Army, reducing Brigade strength from four battalions to three.
The battered 16th was chosen for disbandment, the men being sent off to other units.
Sidney had been born in Kempey near Worcester in 1895, the son of Daniel and Elizabeth Dibble.
They ran the White Lion Hotel in Astwood Bank and Sidney was one of their five children.
Before the war he worked as as cycle repairer and on the break-up of his unit he was sent to the newly formed 38th Battalion Machine Gun Corps with whom he was killed in action on April 19 as the Germans attacked between Armentieres and Ypres.
He lies buried in the Senlis Communal Cemetery Extension, France and is remembered today on the Astwood Bank War Memorial.
With thanks to Remembering Redditch’s Fallen Heroes.
Liverpool Museums
