Gnr Joseph Edward Meers 01/08/1917 aged 28 Joseph was a married man with 1 child residing at 53, Pargeter Street, Walsall. Drafted to France in 08/1916 he was killed at Zillebeke just east of Ypres. His battery of 18 pounder guns was sited at Oudeleele from Thursday 12/07/1917 to Tuesday 31/07/1917 being moved on the day of his death to Dormy House, Zillebeke. At 3.50am on their last day at Oudeleele the battery received heavy German shellfire resulting in the deaths of 3 officers and 13 other ranks, 7 officers and 59 other ranks being wounded. The battery also lost 19 horses to the barrage. The War Diary records: “1 August 1917 - Front lines not yet established, has been raining hard since last night, the ground in front already in a terrible condition. German shelling of old front and support lines very heavy.”

jane elder