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14th (Swansea) Battalion, Welch Regiment
14th (Swansea) Battalion, Welsh Regiment was raised Swansea in October 1914 by the Mayor and Corporation and the Swansea Football and Cricket Club. After initial training close to home they joined 129th Brigade, 43rd Division at Rhyl. On the 29th of April 1915, the formation was renamed, 114th Brigade, 38th (Welsh) Division. They moved to Winchester in August 1915 for final training and proceeded to France, landing at Le Havre in December 1915. In July 1916 they were in action at Mametz Wood on The Somme, suffering severe casualties. The Division did not return to major action for more than a 12 months. In 1917 they were in action in the Third Battles of Ypres. In 1918 they were in action on The Somme, in the Battles of the Hindenburg Line and the Final Advance in Picardy Demobilisation began in December 1918 and was complete by June 1919.
20th of December 1915 Instruction 
23rd Dec 1915 Working Parties
16th Jan 1916 Accidental Shooting
4th November 1918 Attack Made
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| Want to know more about 14th (Swansea) Battalion, Welch Regiment? There are:5234 items tagged 14th (Swansea) Battalion, Welch Regiment available in our Library
These include information on officers, regimental histories, letters, diary entries, personal accounts and information about actions during the Great War.
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Those known to have served with14th (Swansea) Battalion, Welch Regiment during the Great War 1914-1918. - Biterlich Ernest John. Pte. (d.28th Feb 1918)
- Bowen Daniel Rufus. Pte (d.24th October 1918)
- Carter George Leonard. Pte. (d.12th July 1916)
- Davies William. Pte (d.27th Jul 1918)
- Feeley Roger. Pte. (d.28th Aug 1918)
- Garside John Samuel. Pte. (d.4th November 1918)
- Gladman MM. Percy G. A. G.. L/Sjt.
- Jones David Frederick. Pte (d.23rd April 1918)
- Meredith Stephen. Pte. (d.5th Aug 1917)
- Meredith Stephen. Pte. (d.5th Aug 1917)
- Strawford Harold Frank. CQMS
- Thomas Ralph. Pte. (d.27th July 1917)
- Thomas Ralph. Pte. (d.27th July 1917)
- Thomas Richard. Pte. (d.16th Sept 1918)
- Town William Arthur. Pte. (d.10th July 1917)
- Williams MSM Aaron. Sgt. (d.18th September 1918)
All names on this list have been submitted by relatives, friends, neighbours and others who wish to remember them, if you have any names to add or any recollections or photos of those listed,
please Add a Name to this List
Records of 14th (Swansea) Battalion, Welch Regiment from other sources.
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Pte. Roger Feeley 14th Btn. Welsh Regiment (d.28th Aug 1918) Roger Feely was killed in action on the 28th of August 1918, aged 19 and is buried in the Contalmaison Chateau Cemetery in France.
Son of Mr and Mrs Feeley, 10 Thursfield Road, Burnley, Roger enlisted on March 5th, 1917, prior to this he was employed at the Burnley Corporation Gas works as a labourer.
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Pte. Stephen Meredith 14th (1st Swansea) Btn. Welch Regiment (d.5th Aug 1917) My great-grandfather, Stephen Meredith served with the 14th (1st Swansea) Battalion, Welch Regiment. He fathered 2 children with Florence Edith Williams and they never married (Florence was still married to her previous husband). He enlisted in Swansea and was killed during 3rd Ypres, otherwise known as Passchendaele. He has no known grave but is commemorated on Menin Gate as well as the War Memorial in Woolescote.
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Pte. Stephen Meredith 14th (Swansea) Btn. Welch Regiment (d.5th Aug 1917) My Great Grandfather, Stephen Meredith, never married to my Great Grandma but had 2 children with her, my Grandmother being one them.
I know so very little about him, except that he is commemorated on the Lye and Woolescote War Memorials, also on the School memorial and also on the Menin Gate as he has no known grave.
He was killed at 3rd Ypres, Passchendaele and now being a great grandmother myself, I would just like to find out more about this man of whom I am so proud to call my Great Grandfather. If anyone can help with any further information I would love to know about him.
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Pte Daniel Rufus Bowen 14th Battalion Welsh Regiment (d.24th October 1918) Rufus Bowen was shot in the head by a sniper at Etaples, and died the next day. According to family lore, it was his first day at the Front. He was 19 years old.
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Pte. Richard Thomas 14th (Swansea) Battalion Welch Regiment (d.16th Sept 1918) Richard Thomas served with 14th Battalion, Welch Regiment.
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Pte. George Leonard Carter 14th (Swansea) Battalion Welsh Regiment (d.12th July 1916) George Carter was from Gorefield near Wisbech in the Cambridgeshire Fens.
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Pte William Davies 14th (Swansea) Btn. Welsh Regiment (d.27th Jul 1918) William Davies was my husband's grandfather. My husband had an aunt named Verdun, named by her father because that is where he was when she was born. My husband's father, Raymond Davies, could not remember his Dad. My husband and I visited his grave, it is in the British cemetery at Contalmaison Chateau. He died on 27th July 1918
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Pte. John Samuel Garside 14th Btn. Welsh Regiment (d.4th November 1918) Recently I have started to research my father's family history, very late in my life. My father was orphaned at a very early age and brought up by "aunty Garside" who I never knew. I had always thought she was a sister of my father's mother but it turned out she was the widow of John Samuel Garside, a brother of my father's mother. John sadly died on 4th November 1918 just seven days before cessation of hostilities. He has no headstone so obviously his body was never found. But he is named on the Vis-En-Artois Memorial. I have no idea why he was in the Welsh Regiment or what action he was in when he met his death.
He was a bricklayer in civilian life according to his marriage certificate. He and his wife had no children. They lived in Dukinfield/Ashton under Lyne. My father was born 1919 so must have been named John after his late uncle. I also carry John as a middle name.
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Pte. William Arthur Town 14th Btn. Welch Rgt. (d.10th July 1917) William Town was an engine cleaner from Swansea. He was reported missing, presumed dead at the battle of Mametz Wood on 10th July 1917.
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Pte. Ernest John Biterlich 14th Btn. Welsh Regiment (d.28th Feb 1918) Ernest Bitterlich, known by his middle name of John or Jack, was born in Islington, London in 1882. He time-served a six-year plasterer's apprenticeship with his father. When he was aged 27 he fell in love with 19-year-old Gertie Ella Norris, moved to Swansea to marry her, and moved in with his in-laws in Swansea. They had a son, Arthur Joseph Henry in 1913.
Jack signed up for service on 10th October 1914 in Swansea, but was discharged after 101 days as "Likely to become an inefficient Soldier". I have a copy of his Short Service Attestation Certificate (Enlistment) Details:
"1 child, 1 wife, 6 years apprenticed to father as Plasterer, British. No criminal record, age 31 years 5 months. 5' 7.5" tall 125 lbs 35", chest +2" expansion. Fresh complexion. Blue eyes. Light brown hair. C of E, 5 tattoo marks L arm, 2 Tattoo marks right arm, mole in middle of back. Declared Fit for Army joined Swansea Battalion Welsh Regiment Oct 10th 1914.
Discharged 101 Days later on 18/1/15 Reason: "Likely to become an inefficient Soldier" signed C/O 14th Welsh."
He fathered a daughter, Gertie and then joined up again on 13th December 1915. Jack served with 23rd Welsh Pioneers until 6th April 1916. He was invalided out to a London hospital. His wife and daughter visited, but his daughter recalled that he never came home and they rarely visited, she speculates that her mother divorced him (she did not, she is listed as a widow in his will, but remarried quickly). He was awarded a badge and a Silver War Medal, possibly suffered from shell-shock or gas. He never recovered and died 28th February 1918 Stratford, West Ham.
I am still learning about him. His great grandad was a Polish sailor and his daughter Gertie was my partner's nan.
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Pte. Ralph Thomas 14th Battalion Welsh Regiment (d.27th July 1917) On the 27th of July 1917, my Great Uncle, Private Ralph Thomas of the 14th Battalion, Welsh Regiment was killed in action. He came from Swansea in South Wales. He was the only son of Benjamin & Margaret Thomas of 9 Glyn Street, Hafod, Swansea.
I have been told that he has no known grave. Searching through records it appears that he may have been killed in the 3rd Battle of Ypres. That according to records is where the Battalion were located at the time? If anyone has more information on this, my family & I would like to know as we've never had the chance to pay our respects. Also information has been vague until I have started delving a bit deeper. Thank you.
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