TURNER Evelyn Victor

Appears in the Worcester/Worcestershire Roll of Honour Book for army casualties located in Worcester Cathedral.

The following information has been researched by The Black Country Society:
Victor Turner was the son of Joseph and Sarah Turner who later lived at Lye.  He lived at ‘Stourhurst’, Stourbridge, and was commissioned to the North Staffordshire Regiment, serving with the 9th (Service) Battalion in the 37th Division.  They were the Pioneer Battalion of the Division and operated in small units aiding the three brigades of the Division.  For the Battle of the Somme they were attached to the 34th Division at La Boisselle after this Division’s very serious losses on the first day of the battle.  Their support was invaluable during the several attempts to capture Ovillers and Pozieres and lasted until the 22nd August.  After withdrawal for re-training they returned for the Battle of the Ancre in November.  In the dank November weather a final attempt was made to take Grandcourt.  Exposed trenches meant constant bombardment while incessant rain meant any attack was difficult.  The attempt was made, nevertheless, and the German defence was as resilient as ever.  Grandcourt eventually fell, but Lieutenant Victor Turner was killed in action on the 18th November 1916. He is also commemorated on the St. Thomas’s church memorial and is further commemorated on his parents’ grave in Lye and Wollescote cemetery.

Evelyn Turner has no known grave, the photograph available shows his name on Thiepval Memorial.