1914-18 War

PERCY GERARD ATWILL

Private, 13th Battalion, Australian Imperial Force (Service Number 1508A)

Percy Gerard Atwill was born 27 Nov 1887 in Cardiff, the  fourth son of Sergeant-Major Thomas and Sarah Atwill née Gerard.  The Atwill family were living at the Drill Hall, Dumfries Place and he was baptised at St Andrew’s church on Dec 23rd.  The family later move to Devon and Percy attends Meavy Church Of England School and then works as a farm labourer before enlisting in 1906 and serving as a Regular in the Royal Garrison Artillery but was later discharged with heart problems.  Percy travels to Australia and enlists in the Australian Imperial Force.  He embarked at Sydney with 3rd Reinforcements on 11 February 1915. He was killed in action 27 August 1915 in Gallipoli, Turkey aged 27.  He is remembered on the Lone Pine Memorial in Gallipoli. He is also remembered on St Martin’s church war memorial plaque in Roath and the Walkhampton War Memorial, Devon.   Commonwealth War Graves Commission record.

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THOMAS ALFRED ATWILL

Private, 10th Battalion, Australian Infantry, A.I.F. (Service Number 299)

Thomas Alfred Atwill was born in Dover in 1875.  He was the oldest son of Sarah Helen Atwill née Gerard, from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada and Thomas Atwill, a Sergeant Major in the Royal Artillery, who were married in Canada in 1872.  Thomas Alfred Atwill was baptised on 30th April 1875 in Dover Castle. The family then move to Cardiff and in 1881 are living at 80 Clifton Street. In 1891 they were living at the Drill Hall in Dumfries Place.  He attends  Cardiff Higher Grade School (Howard Gardens).  The family then move to Walkhampton in Devon and are there in 1901 and 1911 but sometime later return to Cardiff and live at 7, Richmond Crescent.  Three of the sons emigrated from the UK to Australia prior to the outbreak of World War I to try their hand at gold-mining.  Prior to emigrating Thomas Alfred Atwill had served Glamorgan Volunteers Artillery.  He enlists in  the Australian Infantry in 1914, sails for Europe but is killed in action on 19th May 1915 aged 40 at Dardanelles, Gallipoli.  He is buried in Shrapnel Gully, Gallipoli.  Two of his brothers also die in WWI.   He is remembered on a number of memorials in Australia, one in the village of Walkhampton in Devon and on the Howardian School memorial plaque  and St Martin’s church memorial plaque, Roath, in Cardiff.  Commonwealth War Graves Commission record.

Walter Henry Batchelor

Harry Dacre

Arthur Davies

Herbert Davies

Percy Hier Davies

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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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JAMES EDWARD ELSTON

Sergeant, 2nd/7th Battalion, Lancashire Fusiliers (Service Number: 36875)

James Edward ‘Eddie’ Elston was born in Cardiff on 31 Dec 1881 to George Elston, a mason and clerk of works, originally from Torquay, Devon and Alice Elston née Ashton, originally from Hartland, Devon.  He was baptized at St James the Great church on 14 May 1882 when the family were living at 79 Bedford Street. In 1891 they were living at 30 Arabella Street.  At the time of the 1901 and 1911 Census the Elston family were living at 100 Strathnairn Street and Eddie was working as a plumber and gas fitter.  In WWI he served as a Sergeant with the 2nd/7th Battalion, Lancashire Fusiliers. He was reported injured on 13 Aug 1917. He was later killed in action on 14 Aug 1917 on the Western Front on Belgium aged 35.  He has no know burial place but is remembered on the Tyne Cot memorial, Belgium.  He is also remembered on the St James the Great war memorial plaque (now at St John’s church) and on St Martin’s war memorial plaque. Commonwealth War Graves Commission record.

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Ernest Fletcher

Albert Gale

Thomas Spencer Gibbons

William Godfrey

William Henry Griffiths

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EDWARD BROCKETT GROVER

 Private, 22nd Battalion, Royal Fusiliers (Service Number: 690)

Edward Brockett Grover was born in 1879 in Pontypridd to Henry Llewellyn Brockett Grover, a solicitor, originally from Manchester, and Margaret Grover nee Morgan, originally from Pontypridd.  He grew up in Clydach Court, a large house in Pontypridd.  He attended Llandaff Cathedral School and then Dover College, Dover.  In 1901, aged 21, he was living in Caerphilly and working as a bank clerk. In 1907 he married Ada Jones, daughter of a coal merchant, in Ynyshir, who was some twenty years older than Edward.  They lived at Pen-y-lan Court, a large house on Ty Gwyn Avenue with seven bedrooms and extensive gardens.  Edward was said to be an enthusiast of hunting with hounds.  He enlisted in Sep 1914 with the Royal Fusiliers and did not seek commission, preferring to serve in the ranks.  He was killed in action at Montauban during the Battle of the Somme on 29 Jul 1916 aged 36.  He is remembered on the Thiepval Memorial in France.  He is also remembered on the WWI War Memorial plaque at St Martin’s church in Roath.  This is probably a replacement for the original memorial in St Martin’s destroyed in a WWII air raid.  After WWI a high altar reredos was also installed as a memorial to members of the Brocket Grover family who fell in the Great War. These too were lost in 1941.  His name also appears on the Llandaff Cathedral School WWI memorial.  His wife Ada carried out a lot of charitable work including fundraising for Cardiff Infirmary.  She moved to Peterston super Ely and passed away in London in 1934 aged 76.  A Celtic cross memorial stone to both her and Edward is in the Peterston super Ely churchyard and behind it the Ada Brockett Grover memorial village hall of which she was the benefactor.  Commonwealth War Graves Commission record.

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Frederick James Hall

Ernest Ralph Hancock

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HERBERT CLIFFORD HUNT

Private, 2nd Battalion, Honourable Artillery Company (Service Number: 9644)

Herbert Clifford Hunt was born on 12 Feb 1898 at 85 Arran Street, Roath to Edward Hunt, originally from Aberdare,  who worked for the Powell Duffryn Company and Emma Elizabeth Hunt née Davey originally from Tiverton, Devon.  Herbert was baptised at St Margaret’s church on 29 Mar 1898.  At the time of the 1901 census the Hunt family lived at 97 Mackintosh Place and by 1911 they had moved to 22 Tydfil Place , Roath Park.  Herbert attended Roath Park primary school before going on to Howard Gardens school for two years and then, according to school records, going on to private school.  After leaving school Herbert went to work for Messrs Foster Hain, ship-owners.  He took a keen interest in model boat racing and rowing at Roath Park.  He joined the army in Dec 1916 and went to the Western Front in Mar 1917.  He was killed in action on 15 May 1917 aged 19 at the second Battle of Bullecourt .  His body was not recovered.  He is remembered on the Arras Memorial in France. He is also remembered on the Howard Gardens war memorial plaque, the St Martin’s Church War Memorial and the Mackintosh Institute Roll of Honour (now lost).  Commonwealth War Graves Commission record. Herbert’s nephew, Clifford Dennis Hunt, was killed in WWII when serving with the RAF.

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Leslie Gifford Hussey

 

PHILIP HAROLD JONES

Private, 11^th Battalion, Welsh Regiment (Service Number: 34208)

Philip Harold Jones was born on 12 Apr 1896 in Aberavon, Glamorgan to Philip Jones, an engine fitter, originally from Aberavon and Edith Mary Jones née Snell, also originally from Aberavon.  He was baptised in Aberavon on 10 May 1896 but their abode was given as Roath, Cardiff. The family lived at 149 Inverness Place and then sometime after 1911 moved to 132 Kimberley Road.  Philip attended Roath Park Primary school before moving on to Howard Gardens School in 1908 where he stayed till 1911. When he left to become a clerk at Spillers and Bakers. He joined the 11^th Battalion Welsh Regiment and went to France in 1915 and then onto Salonica, Greece.  He was killed in action on 10 Sep 1916, aged 20.  The newspaper report states he was part of a bombing party which encountered a larger enemy bombing party and after which did not return to his lines. He has no known grave but is commemorated on the Doiran Memorial, Salonica. He is also remembered on the Howardian School war memorial plaque and the Roath Park Wesleyan Church memorial. He is also thought to be the Herbert Jones on the St Martin’s War Memorial. Commonwealth War Graves Commission record.

Leslie Jones

Thomas Jones

Victor Keays

Reginald Lowe

Alfred Martin

George Moore

Ivor Morgan

Arthur Spurway

Cuthbert Stephens

George Arthur Stephens

David Thomas

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JOHN WILLIAM WARDEN

Private, D Company, 16th Battalion, Welsh Regiment (Service Number 23873)

John ‘Jack’ William Warden was born in Bedminster, Somerset, on 24 Mar 1897 to Alfred James Warden, a carpenter, originally from Devonport, Devon, and Emily Elizabeth Warden née Ellis, originally from Bristol.  He was baptised on 15 Apr at St Francis church, Ashton Gate.  By 1901 the Warden family had moved to Donald Street, Roath.  In 1911 John Warden was living at 45 Donald Street and attending Albany Road school.  By 1913, aged 16, he had left school and followed his father into the carpentry trade and was a member of the Amalgamated Society of Carpenters and Joiners trade union.  He joined the army and was a Private in the 16th Battalion (Cardiff City), Welsh Regiment.  Judging by his number was an original 16th Battalion recruit.  He survived  Mametz Wood which took so many in his regiment only to be killed in action days later near Courcelles.  He lost his life on the 18 July 1916 when his trench raiding party became engaged with Germans in no-mans land.  The only other casualty was L/Cpl Christopher Nelson, who was from North Clive St in Grangetown.  They were both laid to rest in Serre Rd Number 1 Cemetery.  Jack Warden was nineteen years old.  He is remembered on the war memorial plaque in St Martin’s Church on Albany Road.  Commonwealth War Graves Commission record.  His brother Alfred Henry Warden was a mechanic in the RAF and died in 1918.

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THOMAS LLEWELLYN WATKINS

Gunner, 122^nd Heavy Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery (Service Number: 348205)

Thomas Llewellyn Watkins was born in 1894 at 32 Glenroy Street, Roath, to Thomas Samuel Watkins a patternmaker originally from Bedwellty, Monmouthshire and Margaret Ann Watkins née Miles originally from Cardiff.  He was baptised on 26 Apr 1894 at St John the Baptist church.  The Watkins family moved to Porthkerry Road, Barry but tragedy struck in 1898 when his mother, father and five year old sister all died at different times that year.  Thomas was subsequently bought up by his maternal grandparents, Thomas and Margaret Miles.  In the 1911 census he was 16, living at 13 Kelvin Road, Roath Park with his grandparents and working as a builder’s clerk. The newspaper announcement of his death mentions him being a scoutmaster and athlete. He served as a Gunner, in the 122^nd Heavy Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery.  He died on 7 Apr 1917 at Vraucourt, France aged 23. He is buried at Vaulx Hill Cemetery (grave I.C.9). Commonwealth War Graves Commission record. He is remembered on the war memorial in St Martin’s church, Roath.

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Herbert George Wheeler

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RICE WATKIN WILLIAMS    

Private, 23^rd Battalion, Royal Fusiliers   (Service Number: PS/1075)

Rice ‘Ricey’ Watkin Williams was born in Treorchy on 16 Sep 1889 to Henry Williams, a grocer and hotel keeper, originally from Brynmenyn, Glamorgan, and Sarah Ann Williams née Davies, originally from Bassaleg, Monmouthshire.  At the time of his baptism in May 1890 the family were living at 19 Bute Street, Treorchy.  In the 1891 census they were at the Tyler’s Hotel in Tylorstown.  By the time of the 1901 census his mother had passed away and the family were living at 18 Ninian Road, Roath.  He attended Cardiff High School for one term in the autumn of 1904 and then left to continue his education from 1905 to 1909 at Llandovery College, where he was a member of the rugby First XV and also played cricket.  After school, Rice worked in the shipping business at Cardiff docks as a chartering clerk and was living at home at 18 Ninian Road in the 1911 census.  He was a keen sportsman, and played rugby at half back and three-quarter for Cardiff Roxburgh RFC.  He also spent some time in Bordeaux where, in 1911-12, he played at three-quarter for Stade Bordelais who, a year earlier in 1910-11, had won the French Championship for the seventh time.  After losing his place there, Rice joined the Burdigala (Bordeaux) rugby club.  He enlisted in Cardiff early in the war in one of the four Public Schools battalions of the Royal Fusiliers but later transferred to the 23rd Battalion (1st Sportsman’s) Royal Fusiliers.  This battalion arrived in France on 17 Nov 1915, though it is not known whether Rice had joined them then. He was, however, subsequently wounded twice, so he must have served in France some time before his death.  Private Rice Williams was killed in action on the Somme, aged 26, by machine-gun fire during the 2nd Division’s attack on Redan Ridge during the Battle of the Ancre, on 13 Nov 1916.  His captain wrote to his sister: ‘Your loss is my loss: he was a good and very keen soldier and undoubtedly the most popular man in the platoon’.  He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial.  Rice Watkin Williams is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme, France.  He is also commemorated on the war memorials at Cardiff High School, Llandovery College, St. Edward’s Church, Roath, and St. Martin’s Church, Albany Road, Cardiff.  He is also probably the ‘W Williams, Royal Fusiliers’ on the Cardiff Coal Exchange War Memorial plaque.  Commonwealth War Graves Commission record. Rice’s sister Ann, had two daughters: Annie who married the boxing champion Jack Peterson and Barbara Williams who served in the WAAF in WWII but was killed in a car accident, aged 17.  Annie and Jack Peterson’s son David was a successful sculptor and designed the dragon sculpture memorial at Mametz Wood, France commemorating the WWI battle there. (Summary compiled with input from rugby historian Gwyn Prescott).

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Trevor James Williams

Glynne Lougher Yorath

May They Rest In Peace

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1939-45 War

EDWARD CHARLES ANSON

Lance Bombardier, 22nd Field Regiment, Royal Artillery (Service Number 802804)

Edward Charles Anson was born in Cardiff on 2nd April 1912 at 125 Glenroy Street, Roath to Oscar Anson, a Marine Engineer originally from Gothenburg, Sweden, and Maud Mary Anson nee Smith, from Monmouthshire. He married Kathleen McCarthy (1914-2002) in Cardiff in 1938. They had a daughter Christine born in Cardiff in 1942. Edward died on 17th July 1944 in Italy aged 32 when serving with the Royal Artillery.  He is buried at the Arezzo War Cemetery in Italy (Grave: II.D.30).  His brother Jack also died in WWII. They are both remembered on the war memorial plaque in St Martin’s church, Albany Road. Edward is also remembered on his wife’s headstone in Pantmawr cemetery, Cardiff. Commonwealth War Graves Commission record.

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JOHN OSCAR HENRY ANSON

Able Seaman, Royal Navy, H.M.S. Onslow (Service Number D/J 107883)

John ‘Jack’ Oscar Henry Anson was born in Cardiff on 4th Dec 1906 at 125 Glenroy Street, Roath to Oscar Anson, a Marine Engineer originally from Gothenburg, Sweden, and Maud Mary Anson nee Smith, from Monmouthshire. He attended Albany Road primary school. He joined the Royal Navy in 1923 and served on a variety of ships including the Valiant, Queen Elizabeth and Vivid.  He married Jessie Kingdon in South Molton, Devon in 1935.  In WWII Jack Anson served on board the Destroyer HMS Onslow which helped provide escorts for North American convoys. On 31st December 1942, in what became known as the  Battle of the Barents Sea, north of Norway, the Onslow came under heavy fire when defending a convoy from superior enemy forces.  During the battle Onslow was hit and fire broke out and a number of crew lost their lives including Jack Anson aged 36.  Captain Robert Sherbrooke of HMS Onslow was awarded the Victoria Cross for the way in which it defended the convoy.  He acknowledged that it had really been awarded in honour of the whole crew of HMS Onslow. In the action the Captain had been badly wounded and he lost the sight in his left eye.  Jack Anson is remembered on the Plymouth Naval Memorial (panel 64).  He is also remembered on the war memorial plaque in St Martin’s church, Albany Road, Cardiff.  Commonwealth War Graves Commission website.

Edwin Bale

Reginald Brock

Henry George Challicombe

Colin George Clarke, priest

Herbert Crock

Haydn Davies

Hugh John Dawnay

Kenneth Frank Dickenson

Maxwell Foan

Terence Russell Gilbert

Geoffery Howell

Thomas Hurley

John Jenkins

Clifford Trevor John

Kenneth Edwin Jones

Thomas Hatfield Lawton

Clifford James Lentle

Reginald Nicol

Charles Palmer

Gilbert Parsons

Lewis Parsons

Terrence Parsons

Norman Pattison

Gordon Phillips

Edward Herbert Rees

Leonard Roberts

John Shepherd

Robert Twiddy

Robert Washer

BARBARA SARAH WATKIN WILLIAMS

Aircraftwoman 1st Class, Women’s Auxiliary Air Force (Service Number: 883075)

Barbara Sarah Watkin Williams was born on 29 Jul 1922 in Cardiff in to Thomas Baker Williams, an auctioneer, originally from Marshfield, Monmouthshire and Annie Maud Williams née Williams originally from Treorchy, Rhondda.  The Williams family lived at 18 Ninian Road, Roath Park. Barbara joined the Women’s Auxiliary Airforce in 1939. She died on 20 Jun 1940, aged 17,  as a result of injuries sustained in a motor vehicle accident at Temple Bruer, Lincolnshire.  She was in a car with two RAF pilot officers on the Lincoln-Sleaford road during the black-out when it was involved in a head-on collision with a truck.  All three occupants were killed.  She is buried at Cathays Cemetery (plot O.1107).  Commonwealth War Graves Commission record.  She is remembered on the war memorials at St Edward’s  and St Martin’s church.  Barbara’s elder sister Betty married British Heavyweight Boxing champion Jack Petersen at Marshfield in 1935. Barbara had been a bridesmaid at the wedding attended by hundreds of people and enthusiastic onlookers.  Her grave at Cathays Cemetery is adjacent to that of Jack Petersen.

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RONALD FRANK WILLIS

Sergeant, 219 Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve (Service Number: 1003600)

Ronald Frank Willis was born at 42 Broadway, Roath on 11 Jan 1916, one of six boys born to Alfred Walter Willis, a pork butcher, originally from Pontypridd and Emily Julia Willis née Wheeler, originally from Cardiff.  He was baptised at St Margaret’s church on 9 Apr 1916. By 1939 the Willis family had moved to 33 Stacey Road, Roath and Ronald was a manager at a butchers.  In spring 1940 he married Mary Joan Evans, a clerk/typist from Gabalfa in Cardiff.  He joined the RAF in Jun 1940 as an Aircrafthand.  He volunteered for aircrew duties, completed a radar course and joined 219 Squadron at Catterick in early Oct 1940 where he served as a Sergeant.  He and two others died on 8 Feb 1941 when their Beaufighter R2074 crashed at Cumber Farm, Slindon, Sussex. Ten minutes before the crash the crew reported that the aircraft was full of smoke. Ronald was aged 25 when he died and he was buried at Cathays Cemetery (grave L1329C) on 13 Feb 1941 following a requiem mass at St Martin’s church.  He is remembered on the St Martin’s War Memorial, Albany Road and on a plaque at Kings Monkton School.  Commonwealth War Graves Commission record.

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May They Rest In Peace

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