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Henllan War Memorial
(WW1) |
| Information Supplied By Peter Glynn, Denbigh. |
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Capt. Mowbray Cole.
Mowbray Lyster Stanley Owen Cole was a Captain
in the Royal Fusilers. He was killed on 14th September 1914 & is
commemorated on La Ferte-Sous-Jouarre Memorial. More research needs
to be done as Mowbray was probably one of the first men from this
area killed in the First World War.
Pte. Goronwy Davies.
Goronwy was born in March 1891 , the son of Jonah & Mary Davies
of School Street. He had a sister , Rhiannon. Goronwy enlisted in
Holborn , London ( service number was 44781 ) so was probably living
and working in the capital. He served in the 19th Battalion RWF
which was at one time a 'Bantam' Battalion , one where soldiers were
under regulation height for soldiering ( i.e. 5'3"). Whether or not
Goronwy was this height or below is unknown as by 1917 , gaps in
units had to be filled quickly due to heavy casualties. Goronwy was
killed near the village of Anneux - his Battalion , together with
tanks , were trying to enter the village. The Battalion suffered
over 360 casualities ( dead or wounded) on the 25 November 1917 and
Goronwy was unfortunately one of those killed. Goronwy's body was
recovered and now lies in the Ontario Cemetery , Sains les Marquion.
2/Lt. Hugh George Evans
  The son of John Evans , Brynmeirion
, Henllan. He was the son in law of the Mayor of Denbigh ( Cllr. Dryhurst-Roberts)
. His wife was Myfanwy (Ty Gwyn , Denbigh). He enlisted as a Private
but rose through the ranks. By the time of his death George was a
2/Lt. in the King's (Liverpool Regiment) though at that time he was
attached to the Dorset Regiment , a Yeomanry Regiment . He was
wounded on eleven seperate occasions , including at Givenchy ( 1915)
and Mametz Wood ( 1916). His life was once saved by a Pocket
Testament that he always carried in his breast pocket. A bullet
struck him and the Testament halted the bullet. In September 1918 he
was waiting to go over to Egypt , where the fighting had basically
stopped. Because of te amount of wounds he had suffered , the
military decided he should remain in France but in & around Peronne
which was a quiet sector. On September 4th he went out on patrol
with a section of men and they came under attack and George was
killed. He is buried in Peronne Communal Cemetery Ext. ( the
churchyard in Peronne.)
Pte. John Evans
John was the son of Edward and Anne Jane Evans , and the brother
of David Evans (RWF 60369) of Church Street. John enlisted in the
RWF but was transferred to the 19 Battalion , The Welsh Regiment.
His date of death is 10 July 1916. John has no known grave. His name
is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial.
L/Cpl. Stanley Evans
 Stanley was the brother of 2/Lt. H.G. Evans.He was a Denbigh
County School pupil and was well thought of as a man of intelligence
& kindness. Stan enlisted in London. Many who worked away from home
tended to request joining their home Regiments. Stanley asked to
join the RWF. He was in the 1st Battalion - a 'Line' Battalion - in
other words , the 1st and 2nd Batallions were pretty much the cream
of the crop. Stanley lost his life on 1st October 1917. , killed in
action east of Ypres , at Reutal. According to his pal , Stan was
"sniped by a Boche at close range." He was an acting Sergeant at the
time so Stanley must have been some soldier. Unfortunately his body
was not recovered. His name is commemorated on the Tyne Cot
Memorial.
Gnr. Ivor Wynne Griffiths
  Ivor was born in Henllan in 1893 , the son of Mrs. Amelia
Griffiths. He joined the Royal Garrison Artillery , which used
Medium to heavy artillery. These beauties could send twenty shells
per minute to a target three miles away. It was hard , sweaty work
and very dangerous as the enemy would target them with their own
guns. Ivor Griffiths was killed on 24th September 1917 , near to Poperinghe. He is buried in Gwalia Cemetery , which is situated in
a corn field. It is one of the prettiest cemteries in Belgium.
Sons of farmers in Wales tended to join the Welsh Horse (25th Bn.
RWF) Edmund 'Ted' joined this proud battalion and saw action from
his enlistment in January 1916. He was firstly over in Egypt but
was then transferred to the Royal West Kent Regt. and was sent
over to France. It was near to Bullecourt on the Western Front
that he was killed. He was shot dead by an enemy bullet.Ted was a
specialist soldier and was in charge of his section's Lewis Gun.
Because of the firceness of the fighting , Ted's body was not
recovered. His name is commemorated on the Arras Memorial (in Bay
7). His family was well respected. His parents were Henry & Lydia
Houghton , his brothers were Henry , Samuel and Isaac and his
sisters were Elizabeth , Elica and Jane. As a former pupil of
Denbigh County School , his photograph can be seen in Denbigh High
School Library.
 1491 Gdsn. Hughes , Welsh Guards. They only picked the best for
the Guards. Jesse was the son of the sexton of Henllan Church (
Mr. Thomas Hughes , Bryn y Ffynnon & wife Jane) and was the
brother of Robert John , who also gave his life in the war. Jesse
was killed in the Battle of Cambrai ( famous for the introducion
of tanks). Jesse was 29 years old and had been working in the
Birmingham Police Force prior to the war. In all , the family had
five sons in the Forces , two of which , Jesse and R.J. , made the
supreme sacrifice. Jesse also at one time worked for the blackmith
in the Plough Inn , Denbigh , Mr. Cartwright. He had gone through
the Battle of Loos in 1915 without a scratch but was unfortunately
killed on 28th November 1917. He has no known grave & is
commemorated on the Cambrain Memorial. Picture courtesy of Gareth
Hughes
 The brother of Jesse. Robert was killed on 20th June 1916. Prior
to the war , Robert served with the Flintshire Police. His age on
death was 29 years. Robert was killed instantly by a shell. Jesse
was near to him and was slightly wounded in his right arm when in
another part of the trench. Jesse asked the Chaplain to write to
his mother to break the news as Jesse himself was too upset.
Robert was buried in Brandhoek Military Cemetery. It is a quiet
little place just off a main road. Other Welsh Guardsmen lie near
to him.
William Hughes
-
extra details are needed to positively identify
William as there are three possible. Help needed!
Sgt. Cyril Humphreys
Cyril was the son of the Rector of Henllan , Rev. H. Humphreys.
Cyril lost his life in Gallipoli on 29 August 1915 , serving
with the 9th Bn. Australian Light Horse. On August 28th , Cyril
and his sergeant Major and the men of his battalion charged the
Turkish Trenches. They suffered withering machine gun fire &
heavy casualties , including the loss of the Colonel. At roll
call , Cyril was missing. It was considered unlikely that he was
a prisoner as the Turks did not take any. Every effort was made
after the battle to retreive casualties and bodies for burial.
Cyrils body was never found. Cyril's close friend , Maude ( they
had served together for many years in armies around the Empire ,
eg The Cape Mounted Rifles in the Boer War) had recently been
killed. On Maude's death , Cyril resigned his commission and
're-joined the Colonials'. Cyril's name is commemorated on the
Lone Pine Memorial.
Oswald lived at 12 School Street. In civilian life he was a ticket
collector on Rhyl Station. He was 27 years old when he was killed
in action serving with the 9th Bn. RWF. The date was 30 September
1918. Oswald was buried in Chocques Military Cemetery. Also buried
in Chocques is Major Own Mostyn Conran of Denbigh. Also my great
uncle , Robert Dawson.
Owen was killed on his 34th birthday. He was in the Royal
Engineers. Unfortunately on the 17th - 18th April 1918 , Owen was
working with his section during the night hours. A shell dropped
onto them , killing two and wounding seven men. Owen was one of
the men killed. He was buried in Forceville Communal Cemetery Ext.
Owen was held in high esteem by his comrades and officers.Owen was
actually a native of Denbigh , but lived most of his life in
Henllan , at 3 School Street. His father had died pre-war. His
mother ran the Bwlch Shop. Owen was a joiner - a cabinet maker. He
had a job in Liverpool and it was there that he enlisted. He
trained in a camp in Beaumaris before going over to France where
he met with death.
Thomas Jones-
Extra information required. I have a number of
possibilities.
William (Willie) H. Jones
From the Parish of Henllan which in those
years stretched into modern Denbigh & Trefnant. His family home
was Maes y Coed. He was killed serving with the 8th Bn.
Gloucestershire Regiment on 18th April 1918. Originally in the
South Wales Borderers. He is commemorated on the Tyne Cot
Memorial.
Pte. John Owen
extra details sought. Unsure if this is the
correct John Owen referred to on the memorial.
The son of Robert & Ellenor Owen , Crebana. The brother of Beni.
John was a baker , in the 16th field Bakery RASC. He died of
pneumonia on 4th November 1918. He is buried in Wimille (Terlincthun
British Cemetery). John was married to Constance and their home
was Hoole , Chester.
 Walter served with the Cameronians , the Scottish Rifles. He was
working in the USA & Canada two years before the war and returned
the the UK and joined a Scottish Regiment on the outbreak of war.
He was invalided home to Henllan in 1916 , staing with his aunt in
the village. He regularly attended the Calvanistic Chapel in
Henllan. He returned to the front line and was struck by a shell
on 20 January 1917. He was 26 years old. He is commemorated on the
Arras Memorial.
 Lost at sea. John was last heard of on 27th April 1917 when he
embarked on a ship in Southampton with the 24th Bn. RWF. His
father , Owen Roberts of Chweffordd Farm , put an advert in the
papers asking for anyone with information about John to come
forward. The ship was torpedoed and sunk. A few were rescued but
it seems John was not one of the survivors. 414 lost their lives.
The ship was the 'Transylvania' and was sunk by U-63 off Genoa on
4th May 1917 on its way to Salonika. John was 35 years of age &
his name is commemorated on the Savona Town Memorial , Italy.
Henry Smith
Gwaenyrnog - On Denbigh War Mem. but not Henllan War
Mem.
 John was the son of Albert Smith , gamekeeper on Gwaenyrnog Park.
He was assistant to his father. Jack was married ( to Catherine)
with children. He served with 2nd Battalion South Lancashire
Regiment. He was 38 years old when killed in action on 14th June
1917. albert smith died in 1918. John Smith is commemorated on the
Menin Gate.
Goronwy was a resident of 5 School Street , Henllan. He was the
son of John E. & Elizabeth Story and the brother of John Henry
Story. Goronwy was living in London and enlisted in Queen
Victoria's Rifles in Bowes Park. He was killed on 27th September
1917. He has no known grave and he too is commemorated on the
Tyne Cot
Gwalia
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