Howard Westwood is my wife’s 2nd cousin 1x removed. His parents are Edwin Westwood and Mary Ann Harris. Their common ancestors are William Skelding and Catherine Taylor, my wife’s 2x great grandparents.
Howard was born in 1896 in Lye, Worcestershire – his birth is registered in the June quarter of that year.
Sometime after the outbreak of WW1 Howard signed up for service with the Royal Warwickshire Regiment and was assigned to the 11th Battalion – his service number was 27765.
The 11th Battalion landed in France in July 1915.
Howard was killed in action on 15 November 1916.
I have found the War Diaries for the Royal Warwickshire Regiment and can see what the Regiment were doing at the time Howard was killed.
Orders were received from the 99th Brigade that Munich Trench would be attacked at 9am on 15 November 1916. The attack would be carried out by the 8th East Lancs and 10th Loyal North Lancs Regiments, supported by the 11th Royal Warwickshire’s. The trench was found to be very strongly held and the attack was held up.
I am assuming that Howard was killed during this attack.
Munich Trench was a German trench near Beaumont-Hamel in France and was eventually captured on 11 January 1917.
Howard is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial.
Thiepval Memorial
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