This blog posting gives details of the names of those commemorated on Brierley Hill war memorial on Church Hill. Clicking on the name gives details of any press coverage I’ve identified together with war records where available. Clicking on the name of a cemetery or memorial gives details of location of death and an indication of in the action the commemorated individual lost their life. I would be especially grateful if you could notify me if you spot any errors.
A second painting, given to the people of Brierley Hill in memory of one of its fallen in the Great War, is now in a perilous state in the town’s library.
A painting of Brierley Hill war hero Sgt William Jordan rescuing a wounded colleague has gone missing from Brierley Hill library. Sgt Jordan lived in Campbell Street, Brockmoor, an area of which he was hugely proud. He killed on the opening day of the Battle of Loos on 25th September 1915 and the painting, by award winning artist Francis Gibbons, was presented to Brierley Hill Council in 1917. Archivists in Dudley are now being asked to help find the irreplaceable work of art.
On being honoured by Brierley Hill District Council in September 1917, Lance Corporal Stanley Harley modestly accepted a gift of a watch. He didn’t give a full story of his achievements though – this would have been a breech of duty given the secretive nature of war. A regimental history filled in the missing details.
Following the end of World War One residents in Brierley Hill wished to erect a war memorial. A design was chosen and the ex-servicemen’s association was asked who should model for photographs from which the sculpture was designed. They chose Stanley Harvey, the first Brierley Hill man to win the Distinguished Conduct Medal in the • Read More »