WORCESTER residents are being invited to a wreath-laying ceremony to commemorate the Battle of the Somme.
The Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters Regimental Association will hold the ceremony on Sunday, July 3 at the Worcestershire Regiment Memorial Stone in Gheluvelt Park.
As well as commemorating the 1916 First World War battle, which was one of the bloodiest battles in human history, the ceremony will remember Private Thomas Turrall, who was awarded the Victoria Cross on July, 3 1916.
Pte Turrall, who was part of the 10th Battalion Worcestershire Regiment, received the highest military award for his role in storming Ovillers-la-Boisselle, where he and Lt Jennings were the only survivors in a night attack on the village.
He dragged Lt Jennings, whose leg was shattered, to a shell hole, where he bandaged his leg with one of his puttees and used his entrenching tool as a splint.
The Germans then made an unsuccessful counter-attack on the village and when Lt Jennings fainted from pain, Pte Turrall managed to fake being dead successfully, despite the Germans prodding him with their bayonets as they passed.
At night he managed to carry Lt Jennings back to the trenches and despite the wounded officer dying just two hours later, he had time to dictate an account of Pte Turrall’s action which merited him with the Victoria Cross.
Pte Turrall’s Victoria Cross is on display at the Regimental Museum in the City Art Gallery, Foregate Street.
The ceremony will begin at 11am.
Visit www.wfraworcester.com for more information.
