Remmbrance – World War I

Driver Charles FURBER of King’s Head Terrace was in the Army Service Corps which supplied the soldiers with food, equipment and ammunition. His division—the 11^th—used horses. He died on 16 November 1916 aged 34 and is buried in Etaples, a huge a hospital area where the injured were taken.

Private John GRIFFITHS of Bryn Goleu, was in the 16^th Royal Welsh Fusiliers (the old Welch spelling was reintroduced in 1920). He almost made it but died on November 8^th 1918 aged 19 at the Battle of the Sambre, just three days before the war ended. He is buried at Englefontaine, a cemetery started by the Burial Officer of the 38^th Welsh Division. His name is also on the Gwaenysgor memorial.

Second Lieutenant John JONES was the son of the caretaker of Seion Chapel. An officer of the 5^th Battalion of the Welsh Regiment, he survived four years of fighting but succumbed close to the end on October 8, 1918 aged 25. He is buried in Moulin-de-Pierre along with about 50 of his comrades who died on the same day. The family grave is about halfway down row A in the bottom graveyard in Meliden.

Private William JONES of the 1^st Battalion Welsh Guards lived at Nant yr Ogo and was at killed at Arras on 22^nd December 1917. He is buried at Duisans British Cemetery, Etrun.

Private Thomas MOSS remains a mystery but had probably moved to Meliden after 1911 because he does not appear in the 1911 Meliden census. His next of kin—his parents—lived in Manchester. He was in the 1^st/8^th Battalion of the Lancashire Fusiliers and died 13^th August 1915 aged 22. He is listed on the Helles Memorial in Turkey, a victim of the Gallipoli Campaign and without a known grave.

Private William OTTLEY of Talargoch Cottages was in the “C” Company of the Royal Welsh Fusiliers and was killed 13^th August 1915 aged 35. He is also listed on the Helles Memorial in Turkey and was buried at sea off Cape Helles. The family grave is on row J of the bottom graveyard in Meliden—next to the fence.

Sapper William PARRY of the 438^th Field Company Royal Engineers lost his life 7^th October 1917 aged 33. Injured at Ypres and evacuated to the casualty clearing station at Lijssenthoek he was buried in the Military Cemetery, West-Vlaanderen in Belgium. His name also appears on the Prestatyn war memorial.

Sergeant John PIERCE gave his address as Church Houses and was in the 24^th Battalion Royal Welsh Fusiliers. Fighting in the Arab Campaign with Lawrence of Arabia, he died 7 November 1917 aged 31 at Gaza and was buried in the Beersheba War Cemetery, Israel.

Private Charles SEYMOUR of Mount Pleasant was in the 6th Battalion Herefordshire Regiment and then the 6th Battalion King’s Shropshire Light Infantry. He was killed on 20 September 1917 aged 24 at the Third Battle of Ypres which ended with the capture of Passchendale. He has no known grave but is listed on the Tyne Cot Memorial, West-Vlaanderen in Belgium. His name also appears on the Prestatyn war memorial.

Private Samuel WILLIAMS, born in Meliden and a member of the 16^th Battalion of the Royal Welsh Fusiliers died at the Somme 11 July 1916 aged 26 and has no known grave. He is listed on the Thiepval Memorial and also appears on the Prestatyn war memorial.