NASH Hugh Chapman

Resident Oldswinford, Worcestershire, enlisted Stourbridge, Worcestershire.

Hugh Nash was the second son of Mr George Nash and he had five sisters and brothers. He attended Oldswinford C of E School and had shown some artistic talent in winning a gold medal for a national painting competition.  He was also a popular member of the parish of St. Mary’s, singing in the choir and ringing the bells.  He was an enthusiastic amateur gardener and had won many prizes at local shows. He enlisted in 1916 and was posted to the 9th Battalion of the Worcesters, sailing for Mesopotamia on the 11th July 1916.  Hugh Nash arrived as part of the necessary reinforcements for Kut to be retaken. He was regimental barber for a time and then batman for the Battalion Transport Officer. Turkish resistance was still resolute but Kut fell at last on the 16th February. The battalion’s losses were heavy: 6 officers and 107 men killed, with 35 missing and 7 officers and 185 men wounded.  The Turks fell back and the British advanced through Ctesiphon and all the way up river to the city of Baghdad. The battalion had the honour of leading the main body of the Mesopotamian Force into the city on the 10th March. The fighting was over for a while. However, Private Hugh Nash, who had come through some very severe fighting, had been suffering from appendicitis and in the military hospital at Zli near Baghdad he died.  He was 27 years of age.  When the news reached Oldswinford, his fellow bell ringers rang a half muffled peal of Grandsire Triples on Saturday 16th June as a mark of respect for his death. The peal lasted three hours and ten minutes and included 5040 changes (Grove variation of Parker’s twelve part).