The Great Western Railway (GWR) WWI memorial plaques are on the wall at the eastern end of the main concourse. They are thought to be replacements for plaques lost in a previous redevelopment of the station.

HERBERT PERCY BALDWIN

Pioneer, Royal Engineers (Service Number: 251321)

Herbert Percy Baldwin was born on 31 Jan 1884 in Limerick, Ireland to John Augustus Baldwin, originally from Lismore, Ireland and Marion Baldwin nèe Todd, originally from County Wexford, Ireland.  Herbert served two stints in the army.  He initially enlisted in 1904, aged 19, and served with the Army Service Corps.  He was abroad in South Africa from 1907 to 1912.  He was discharged in 1912, deemed medically unfit (insane melancholia) but was described as a good clerk, painstakingly industrious.  He applied to join GWR in Cardiff in 1913 and was employed as an invoice typist at GWR Goods Department.  He then enlisted in Cardiff and was initially a Gunner with the Royal Field Artillery, attached to 72^nd Brigade (Service Number 117744) and then became a Pioneer in the Royal Engineers Signals.  He married Emily Margaret Kittler in Limerick, Ireland in summer 1916. He died on 16 Oct 1918, aged 34, as a result of accidental injuries whilst on active service on the Western Front.  He is buried at Delsaux Farm Cemetery in France (grave I.G.17).  He is remembered on the GWR WWI memorial plaque at Cardiff Central Station.  Commonwealth War Graves Commission record.  His widow Emily Baldwin lived at 10, O’Cormell St, Limerick.  A record of where Herbert lived when he worked in Cardiff has not yet been found.

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HECTOR CREWS

Private, A Company, 20th Battalion, Royal Fusiliers (London Regiment) (Service Number: PS/8702)

Hector ‘Tony’ Crews was born on 16 Apr 1897 in Kings Norton, Worcestershire to Harry Orlando Crews, a tailor’s salesman, originally from Cheltenham, and Annie Crews nèe Holder, originally from Petersfield, Hampshire.  By 1901 the Crews family had moved to 133 Donald Street, Roath.  Hector attended Roath Park School before moving on to Howard Gardens School.  After leaving school he worked as a clerk in a good department at Great Western Railways.  In WWI he served as a Private with ‘A-Company’, 20th Battalion, Royal Fusiliers (London Regiment). He was killed in action on 20 Jul 1916 on the Western Front in France, aged 19.  He has no known grave. He is remembered on the Thiepval Memorial.  He is remembered on the Howardian High School War Memorial plaque, the Tredegarville Baptist Church war memorial and the GWR WWI Memorial plaque. Commonwealth War Graves Commission record.

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EDWIN THOMAS DIGGORY

Quartermaster Sergeant, 1st/2nd Welsh Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps (Service Number: 845)

Edwin ‘Eddie’ Thomas Diggory was born on 9 May 1890 in Cardiff to Henry Richard Diggory, a railway clerk, originally from Hereford and Harriet Diggory nèe Shore, originally from Tredegar, Monmouthshire. In 1891 the Diggory family lived at 4 Tavistock Street, in 1901 at 3 Orbit Street, Adamsdown and in 1911 at 62 Longcross  Street before then moving to 46 Albany Road.  In 1904, at the age of 14, Eddie started work for Great Western Railway as a goods clerk.  He was also a prominent member of the Marlborough Football Club. In WWI he served as a Quartermaster Sergeant with the 1st/2nd Welsh Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps.  He entered the war in Egypt on 19 Jul 1915.  He was killed in action on 20 Aug 1915, aged 25 when serving in Gallipoli, Turkey.  The unit’s war diary states that ‘field ambulance peppered all day by shrapnel’.  He is buried at the Hill 10 Cemetery, Turkey (plot I.C.3). He is also remembered on St Martin’s WWI War Memorial and the GWR Memorial at Cardiff Central station. Commonwealth War Graves Commission record.

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ROBERT DRURY

Private, 1^st Battalion, Lincolnshire Regiment (Service Number: 7001)

Robert ‘Bertie’ Drury was born in Lincoln on 6 Jul 1886 to Robert Drury, an auctioneer and carpet travelling salesman, originally from Gainsborough, Lincolnshire and Betsy Drury nèe Otter originally from Lincoln.  In 1910 Bertie, aged 14, was living with his family at 27 North Marsh Road, Gainsborough and working as a fishmonger’s errand boy. By the time of the 1911 census he was serving with the 1st Battalion, Lincolnshire Regiment in India. When he returned home he joined his parents at their new address, 8 Mark Street, Riverside, Cardiff and he worked in the GWR Goods Department as a railway porter.  He rejoined the 1st Battalion, Lincolnshire Regiment at the start of WWI and disembarked in France on 21 Sep 1914.  He was killed in action on 4 Jun 1915 in Belgium, aged 28.  Bertie has no known burial place.  He is remembered on the Menin Gate Memorial in Belgium (panel 21).  Commonwealth War Graves Commission record.  He is also remembered on the Great Western Railway memorial plaque at Cardiff Central Station and the Grangetown War Memorial (his parent had moved to 74, Paget Street, Grangetown).   His mother Betsy was killed in a bombing raid on Cardiff on 2 Jan 1941, aged 77, when living at 8 Talworth Street, Roath.

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JOHN TREVOR STUART EVANS

Captain, 19th Battalion, attached to 2nd Battalion, Royal Welsh Fusiliers

John Trevor Stuart Evans (known as Trevor) was born on 8 Jun 1891 in Cardiff to John Evans, an agent for Great Western Railways, originally from Aberdare, and Sarah Jane Evans née Davies, originally from Newport, Pembrokeshire. In 1901 the Evans family lived at 63 Plasburton Avenue, Riverside.  Later that year he started attending Marlbourough Road school where the family address was given as 24 Edwards Terrace in the city centre.  In 1904 he moved on to Howard Gardens school with the family address then 51 Dispenser Street.  He left school in 1906 and started working for Great Western Railways. He served with the 19th Battalion of the Royal Welsh Fusiliers and was promoted to temporary Second Lieutenant in Jul 1915 and was later promoted to Captain.  He died on 7 May 1918 aged 26 on the Western Front near the present France/Belgium border.  He was originally buried at the Albert German Cemetery but is now buried at Serre Road Cemetery No1.  The address on his probate was 24 Plasburton Gardens. He is remembered on the Bethany Baptist church memorial plaque and the Great Western Railway plaque at Cardiff Central station.  Commonwealth War Graves Commission record.

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