Remembering Today: Joseph Thomas Westwood 1885 – 1914

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Joseph Thomas  Westwood (Tom) was born in Wolverhampton in 1885: his parents were Samuel Westwood  and Mary Ann (nee Hartland).

Tom fought in World War I as a private  (6718) in the  1st Battalion Royal Welch Fusiliers. He was killed in action on 27 October 1914 at Zillebeke.

His death was reported in the Express and Star:

SERVED HIS COUNTRY
Wolverhampton Man Killed in Action
 
The death is reported of J. Thomas Westwood, son of the late Samuel Westwood, of 20, Pearson-street, whose home is at 6, Pountney-street, Wolverhampton. Westwood, who was 29 years of age, was a well-built man of good physique, standing nearly 6ft., and weighing over 17 stone. He had been connected with the Royal Welsh Fusiliers for 13 1/2 years, and on October 6th he left Southampton for the front. He wrote home from Ghent, and later from Ypres, but was afterwards killed in action at a place not indicated by the war authorities.
 
He was very popular in Wolverhampton,  and it may be mentioned that he was present at the funeral  of the late Duke of Cambridge and at the coronation of the late King Edward, and also took part in the tournament before Royalty at Islington.  Westwood leaves a wife and children to mourn his loss.

 

In two terrible days, the 1st Battalion had been reduced from 1,000 men to 200.  By the end of October,the Battalion existed only on paper.  You can read a day by day account of the battle here:

https://www.facebook.com/royalwelchforum?fref=nf

Tom was one of the many soldiers who have no known grave. He is  commemorated on the Menin Gate and on the Roll of Honour in St John’s Church, Wolverhampton.

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Menin Gate, Ypres

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Roll Of Honour, St John’s Church

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Experienced genealogist but virgin blogger...
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