The City United Reformed Church in Windsor Place, Cardiff, has a WWI and a WWII war memorial plaque on display.
JAMES SUMMONS CESHION
Private, 16th Battalion, Royal Welsh Fusiliers (Service Number: 36642)
James Summons Ceshion was born in Cardiff in 1879 to John Ceshion, a general labourer, originally from Yorkshire and Isabella Ceshion née Phillips, originally from Scotland. In 1881 the family were living in Bromfield Street, Grangetown. James’s father died when he was just four. In 1891 the Ceshion family had moved to 19 Howard Street, Splott. By 1901 James, then aged 21, was working as a draper’s assistant in Portsmouth. In 1911 James had returned to Cardiff, still working as a draper’s assistant, and living in the family home in Howard Street. He enlisted in Nov 1915 in Cardiff joining the Royal Welsh Fusiliers. He was posted to France in Mar 1916 and killed in action on the Western Front on 11 Jul 1916 aged 36. He has no known grave. He is remembered on the Thiepval Memorial (Pier and Face 4 A). He is also remembered on the City United Reformed Church war memorial. Commonwealth War Graves Commission record.
MALCOLM FRASER
Private, 17th Wellington Infantry Regiment, New Zealand Expeditionary Force (Service Number: 10/252)
Malcolm Fraser was born on 20 Oct 1886 in Cardiff to Malcolm Fraser, a foreman boilermaker, originally from Edinburgh, Scotland and Annie Fraser née Green, originally from Speyside, Scotland. In 1891 the Fraser family were living at 12 Woodville Road, Cathays before moving to Despenser Street, Riverside. Malcolm attended Severn Road primary school and then Cardiff Higher Grade School at Howard Gardens. After leaving school he was apprenticed as an engineer to Mount Stuart Dry Dock. In 1910 he left for New Zealand and settled in Wellington. He volunteered for the Imperial Service at the outbreak of war and joined the Wellington Infantry Battalion. He left for Egypt in Nov 1914 and proceeded to Gallipoli in Apr 1915. He was killed in action in Gallipoli on 8 Aug 1915 aged 28. He has no known grave but is remembered on the Chunuk Bair (New Zealand) Memorial in Turkey. He is also remembered on the City United Reformed Church memorial. Commonwealth War Graves Commission record.
KENNETH GUNN
Lieutenant, 2nd Battalion (attached to 1st Battalion), Black Watch (Royal Highlanders).
Kenneth Gunn was born in Cardiff on 8 Jun 1885 to Marcus Gunn, a shipowner and director of the Mount Stuart Dry Locks Ltd, originally from Halkirk, Caithness, Scotland and Mary Elizabeth Gunn nèe Yeandle, originally from Cheltenham, Gloucestershire. Kenneth attended Llandaff Cathedral School and later Repton Pubic School, Derbyshire. In the 1890s the Gunn family lived at Preswylfa, Clive Rd, Canton before moving to 22 Cathedral Road. Kenneth became a marine engineer and in 1911 was living at 25 North Gate, Marylebone, London with his widowed mother and siblings. In WWI he enlisted in the London Scottish Regiment before he and his brother, Marcus Sinclair Gunn, obtained commissions in the Black Watch. He was thrice wounded, once in Oct 1915 when in charge of a bombing party. Kenneth was killed in action on 4 Apr 1916 on the western front in France, aged 27. He is buried at Noeux-les-Mines Communal Cemetery (plot I.K.30). The address given in his probate was 16 Windsor Esplanade, Cardiff and his obituary states he worked for Messrs John Shearman & Co, Barry. He is remembered on his parents grave in Cathays Cemetery and the City URC WWI Memorial, Llandaff Cathedral School Memorial, Repton School Memorial, Thames Rowing Club Memorial at Putney. Commonwealth War Graves Commission record. His brother Marcus Sinclair Gunn also died in WWI.
MARCUS SINCLAIR GUNN
Lieutenant, 1st Battalion, Black Watch (Royal Highlanders).
Marcus Sinclair Gunn was born in Cardiff on 29 May 1890 to Marcus Gunn, a shipowner and director of the Mount Stuart Dry Locks Ltd, originally from Halkirk, Caithness, Scotland and Mary Elizabeth Gunn nèe Yeandle, originally from Cheltenham, Gloucestershire. In the 1890s the Gunn family lived at Preswylfa, Clive Rd, Canton before moving to 22 Cathedral Road. He was educated at Blundell’s School, Tiverton, Devon from Jan 1902 to Apr 1906 where he was a member of the Officer Training Corps. After leaving school Marcus worked as an insurance broker for C.T. Bowring (Insurance) Ltd, Lloyd’s brokers and lived at 26 North Gate, Regent’s Park in London with his widowed mother and brother. When in London he rowed for the Thames Rowing Club and boxed for the Belsize Boxing Club. On the 4 Aug 1914 he applied for a commission and expressed a preference for the South Staffordshire Regiment in his application. Unable to wait for a response, he re-enlisted at 59 Buckingham Gate on the 5 Aug 1914 as a Private for a four-year term of service in his old battalion the 1/14th Battalion London Regiment (London Scottish). At his medical examination it was recorded that Marcus was 5 ft 11¾” tall and that he weighed 13 stone 4 pounds. After five weeks of training at St Albans he embarked for France with his battalion from Southampton on the 15 Sep 1914, landing at Le Havre the following morning. They became the first Territorial Army unit to see action on the Western Front during the Great War. He was wounded twice and then awarded the Military Cross for conspicuous gallantry near Hulluch from 25 to 27 Sep 1915 when he brought his machine-guns into action on two occasions under very heavy rifle and shell fire, in order to support attacks. He also rescued many wounded men, who were lying under fire between the lines. He was injured again at the Battle of the Somme on 2 Sep 1916 died of his wounds four days later on 6 Sep 1916, aged 26. Marcus is buried at Heilly Station Cemetery (Plot III, Row E, Grave 22). He is remembered on his parents grave in Cathays Cemetery and the City URC WWI Memorial, Blundell’s School War Memorial, Thames Rowing Club Memorial at Putney and the Lloyds of London War Memorial. Commonwealth War Graves Commission record. His brother Kenneth also died in WWI.
JOHN REGINALD HALL
Second Lieutenant, 15th Battalion, Welsh Regiment
John Reginald Hall was born in Cardiff on 7 Mar 1897 to Edward Hall, a marine surveyor and Anna Hall nèe Cloake, both originally from Sunderland. In 1901 the Hall family lived at 4 St Andrew’s Place and in 1911 at 17 Richmond Road. Reginald was educated first at the Cathedral School, Llandaff where he was Dean’s Scholar in 1912, and then at Felsted, a public school in Essex. After leaving school he was employed by Messrs T.P.Thomas & Co., in Cardiff docks. He enlisted with the Monmouthshire Regiment in the first weeks of the war. He rose to the rank of sergeant before obtaining his commission in the Welsh Regiment and on 7 June 1916 joined his battalion in France, just in time for the Battle of the Somme. He was killed on 10 July 1916 while gallantly leading his men during the attack on Mametz Wood. He was 19 years old. His body was never recovered and his name is inscribed on the Thiepval Memorial. At the request of his parents, the money from his estate was used to pay for the Llandaff Cathedral School WWI memorial in Llandaff Cathedral. He is also remembered on the Felsted School WWI memorial, City URC WWI memorial and on his parents headstone in Cathays Cemetery (plot M544). Commonwealth War Graves Commission record. The newspaper reports that his father died just a couple of months later after a long illness and reported he deeply grieved his son’s death which no doubt accelerated his own death.
Roath Local History Society 
