Rifleman 9704 Walter Worrall
Died of Wounds on Saturday, 15th July 1916, age 24.
Buried in Grave II. B. 38. at Heilly Station Cemetery, Mericourt-L'Abbe, Somme, France.
2nd Bn., King's Royal Rifle Corps. 2nd Brigade of 1st Division.
Formerly 9704 1st Bn., King's Royal Rifle Corps.
Son of Hugh and Eleanor Worrall, of 107 Gladys Road, Bearwood, Birmingham.
Born: Tipton, Enlisted: Birmingham, Resident: Unknown.
First landed France & Flanders, 13th August 1914.
Medal entitlement: 1914 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal.
Soldier's Papers at National Archives did not survive.
Not commemorated on any Tipton memorial.
Commemorated here because identified as Tipton on 'Soldiers Died in the Great War'.
Link to Commonwealth War Graves Site: www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/272996/
Genealogical Data
Birth of Walter Worrall registered March quarter 1892 in Dudley.
1901 Census
191 High Park Road, Smethwick, Staffs.
Hugh Francis Worrall (45, Engine Driver at Ironworks, born Wednesbury), his wife Eleanor (39, born Smethwick), and their 9 children: Eliza (20, Tailoress, born Smethwick), James (19, Wire Drawer, born Smethwick), Hugh F. (17, Steam Hammer Driver, born Smethwick), Florence (13, Working in Printing Office, born Oldbury), Bertie (11, born West Bromwich), Walter (9, born Coseley), Lily (6, born Coseley), Japheth (3, born Smethwick), and Bernard (1, born Smethwick).
By 1911 the family were living at 65 Ethel Street, Smethwick, but Walter had joined the Army and was stationed in Gosport.
1911 Census
1st Battalion, King's Royal Rifle Corps, New Barracks, Alverstoke, Gosport, Hampshire.
Private Walter Worrall, age 19, born Tipton.
Personal Data
The Worrall family moved home frequently, Walter was born in 1892 possibly at 19 Bradley's Lane, Princes End (their address in 1891). Bradley's Lane was likely to have been on the Coseley side of Princes End, not strictly Tipton.
At the time of the 1911 Census, Walter was already a full-time soldier serving in Gosport with the 1st Battalion King's Royal Rifle Corps (KRRC). Records show that he was still with the 1st KRRC at the outbreak of war, but at some stage he transferred to the 2nd Battalion KRRC - possibly after recovering from an injury.
Walter's older brother, Hugh Francis Worrall. was also killed in the Great War. He landed in France on 12th August 1914 with the 2nd South Staffs, so he was either a full-time soldier or a reservist quickly re-called to the colours. In 1911 he was a married man with 2 children living in Alma Street, Smethwick. He was killed in action on 24th November 1915 at Gibson's Crater, near Cambrin. Hugh was born and resident in Smethwick, so despite living in Tipton for a short while does not have a page on this web site.
After Walter's death, his outstanding army pay and allowances amounted to £13/6/2d (13 pounds, 6 shillings and 2 pence); this was paid to his mother and sole legatee, Mrs Eleanor Worrall, in May 1917. A further 5/4d (5 shillings and 4 pence) was paid to his mother in November 1918. His War Gratuity was £11/0/0d (11 pounds exactly), this was also paid to Eleanor in November 1919.
Walter's mother, Mrs Eleanor Worrall, was awarded a Dependant's Pension of 4/0d (4 shillings) per week effective from 27th December 1917. This was increased to 5/0d (5 shillings) per week from 6th November 1918. Her address at this time was 107 Gladys Road, Bearwood, and by the mid-1920s was 70 Queens Road, Londonderry, Smethwick.
Action resulting in his death
The 2nd Battalion King’s Royal Rifle Corps (2/KRRC) embarked for France on 12th August 1914. They fought at the Battles of the Aisne and First Ypres in 1914, then in 1915 at the Battles of Aubers Ridge and Loos. At Aubers Ridge they suffered heavy casualties, and at Loos they also suffered casualties from British poison gas which blew back on them when the wind changed.
The 2/KRRC stayed near Loos until it began its move to the Somme on 8th July 1916, arriving in Becourt Wood on the night of the 10th July. They remained in Becourt Wood for the next week providing working parties, generally at night. The Battle of Bazentin commenced on 14th July but 2/KRRC were not directly involved, just providing working parties.
On the 14th July, the Germans used gas shells on Becourt Wood, most likely phosgene gas. The War Diary (see below) records that there were 47 casualties with 10 men dying from the effects of gas. Walter Worrall would have been one of the casualties as he died on the next day, 15th July, and his Soldier's Effects papers show that he died from the effects of gas. Walter died at one of the Casualty Clearing Stations at Heilly, and is buried at Heilly Station Cemetery.
2/KRRC War Diary
14th July 1916
The battalion remained in Becourt Wood. At 11 am news arrived that Bazentin had fallen into our hands and that the German line had been broken on a front of 6000 yards. There was also an announcement that cavalry had passed through the gap. It is remarkable what an effect this had on the spirit of the men. During the afternoon the Germans commenced putting a noxious form of gas shell into Becourt Wood. The fumes of this shell were different from the normal lachrymatory shell and made men sick. 47 Casualties in all were received from these shells and 10 subsequently died from the effects. There was much rain his morning.
Newspaper Cuttings
Smethwick Telephone Newspaper.
Mrs Worrall, 107 Gladys Road, Bearwood, has been notified that her son, Rifleman Walter Worrall, has died from wounds received in action. He had served several years in the Army having enlisted in the King's Royal Rifle Corps. He was 24 years of age.
A brother of Rifleman Worrall was killed last year. There is great sympathy for the mother, Mrs Worrall, who has just sustained a third bereavement on the death of her husband.
(Note: The brother was Hugh Francis Worrall, 2nd South Staffs, killed in action 24th November 1915, born & resident Smethwick)