Dedicated to the memory of all the men and women of the Bridgnorth area who died during the two World Wars.
Harry's name does not appear on the Alveley Memorial. It is possible that his only connection with the village is the fact that his wife moved there after his death.
Harry was born in Aston, Birmingham in 1882. He was baptised at St Nicholas, Birmingham, on 4th December, 1882. He was the son of John Belcher, cab driver, and his wife Lucy. Lucy died in 1899.
After he left school, Harry worked as a labourer in a brass foundry. He married Ellen Kirkham in 1910. They were still living in Aston in 1911 but appear to have moved to the Coventry area where a Belcher/Kirkham couple had three children between 1911 and 1914.
Harry probably became a regular soldier - as he went to France on 12th August, 1914. He served with the 2nd Battalion South Staffordshire Regiment and was presumed to have been killed in action on 10th March, 1915 (possibly during the Battle of Neuve Chapelle). He is commemorated on the Le Touret Memorial.
In 1917, Ellen Belcher married Frederick Scriven. The couple lived at 40, The Orchard, Alveley.
Private Harry Belcher, 6538, South Staffordshire Regiment, was awarded the Victory and British War Medals and the 1914 Star.
This memorial has mostly been compiled from official sources. It would be good to be able to expand it with more personal material - memories, stories, photos, etc. If you have any suitable material or any corrections please contact Greg. For news of updates follow @BridgnorthHeros on Twitter.