RWF Soldiers buried in France

**Clive Hughes** · 03-05-2015, 00:09

Hugh Jones, Llanbeulan again. I've retrieved my notes on what's left of his service papers which give the following information:

Born Llanbeulan. Called up under the Military Service Acts 1916, enlisting at Menai Bridge, Anglesey on 19 Feby. 1917 aged 18 years 10 (maybe 11) months. He stated a preference to join the RWF. Height 5 feet and a quarter inch. Chest measurement 32.5 inches maximum expansion.

Address at the time was Ty Mawr, Llanbeulan, Ty Croes RSO, Anglesey. Occupation farm hand. Single man with no previous military experience. Next of kin was his father Hugh Jones, Penrallt Isaf, Llanbeulan.

Posted to the 4th Battn. RWF 21 March 1917, joining them the following day. This was likely the 4th Reserve Battalion, which shared the site at Park Hall, Oswestry with other third-line Welsh Territorial units. His number 203964 is in the early 1917 sequence allocated to the 4th RWF. He served in the UK for 1 year 31 days.

Posted to France, arriving there on 22 March 1918 and going straight to Infantry Base Depot "C". The German offensive had started on 21 March while he was in transit. He was allocated 23 March to 1/4th Battn. RWF, a Pioneer battalion with 47th London Division. However, the need to reinforce units hit by the offensive took greater priority and on 30 March he was switched to 9th RWF. When he reached them wasn't stated, but the next information is that he was reported missing in action sometime during the period 28 May-4 June 1918. Later reported POW and to have died (cause not stated) at a Field Hospital at Asfeld-la-Ville (southeast of Rethel) on the latter date. I know there was a Kriegslazarett abt. 34 at Asfeld so he might have died there. His overseas service up to date of death was just 45 days. Total, 1 year 106 days.

Soldiers Effects register states his outstanding pay balance and war gratuity totalling over £12 was sent to his father Hugh in May-July 1919.

Census 1911 for Penrallt, Gwalchmai shows Hugh (cowman) and Catherine Jones both aged 50, and married for 25 years. She had 9 children but only 3 were then alive. The three included a son Owen aged 23, farm labourer; and Hugh aged 13 still at school. Owen was the only one who could speak English, the others were monoglot Welsh. They had been at Penrallt in the 1901 Census also when a daughter Catherine aged 17 was noted. If so, the parents lost their youngest surviving child when Hugh died in Asfeld.

Clive

JanetM · 03-05-2015, 01:22

Thank you very much. Your help has been invaluable, though it has made very poignant reading. I hadn't thought of the Red Cross as a source. Hugh's father also seems to have died before the 1923 Burial Return (only Catherine is mentioned on it); Catherine had a lot of grief to bear.
Thank you for sharing your expertise with us. Of course, we will acknowledge it fully in the exhibition in Rethel and in our "e-book".
Janet