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MEMORIES
AND INFORMATION - WORCESTERSHIRE
3rd
WORCESTERSHIRE (DUDLEY) BATTN.
and
Sgt.
JOSEPH WILLIAM WESSON
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 The Dudley area of the Black Country in Worcestershire
was defended by the 3rd Worcestershire (Dudley)
Battalion. Within it served
Sgt. Joseph William Wesson
(1898-1982).
Joe Wesson had also served with
the Worcestershire Regiment during the Great War and
his previous service would have been regarded as
invaluable within the Home Guard and would have led to
his early appointment to a position of authority.
During his Great War service his home was in
Crescent Lane, Brockmoor, Brierley Hill. By the
outbreak of WW2 he was a family man with children,
living at 39 Dingle Close, Oakham, Dudley. During the
war he was employed as a plumber by Dudley Council.
Little is so far known of Joe Wesson's Home Guard
service. But an excellent image of him and a few of
his comrades survives. This was taken on the occasion
of a weekend camp at Kinver and probably dates from
1942. The men, mainly officers, are relaxing, probably
after a day of training and exercises; they appear cheerful and are
enjoying a smoke and a glass of bitter - or is it
perhaps mild? Mainly half-pints but there are plenty
more in reserve, sitting waiting on the table, with
mine host in the process of maintaining supplies. Joe
Wesson is standing at the back to the left, sporting
beer, cigarette and Great War insignia and maintaining
an amused watch over the scene.
There were some 60 officers in the 3rd
Worcestershire and between 1000 and 2000 NCOs and
other ranks, all devoting most of their spare time to
the service, without pay and for four-and-a-half long
years. All of the officers' names are known but
very few of the other men (and probably a few women).
The Battalion was commanded by
Lt.-Col. A.R. Tanfield
(late of the T.A.) and the other senior officers were
Majors Adair, Canning,
Edwards, Elkington, Porter and
Simpson. It is likely that some of these
men appear in the picture but there is at the moment
no information as to who is who, apart from
Major W.J.
Adair who is sitting second left, holding
half-pint and pointing stick.
(Click the link to go to
his page).
In Memory of
Sgt. Joseph William
Wesson
and
all his comrades in the
3rd Worcestershire
(Dudley) Battalion |
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Staffshomeguard is
most grateful to Malcolm Wesson for
providing the image and information relating
to his father and permitting their publication
on this page.
Image
©Malcolm Wesson 2015
FURTHER
INFORMATION
Further information about the
Home Guard in Worcestershire is contained
elsewhere in various parts of this website. To view the
Worcestershire summary page, please use the
Mems-Worcs link below.
And if you
can add anything to the history of the
Worcestershire Home
Guard, please contact staffshomeguard via the
Feedback link. |
x118 May 2015 |
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