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World War 1 One ww1 wwII greatwar great 1914 1918 first battalion regiment

17th (1st Glamorgan) Battalion, Welch Regiment



   17th (1st Glamorgan) Battalion, Welsh Regiment was raised in Cardiff in December 1914 as a Bantam Battalion. After initial training close to home they joined 43rd Division at Rhyl, they moved to Rhos in January 1915 and to Prees Heath in July where they transferred to 119th Brigade, 40th Division. In September they moved to Aldershot for final training and proceeded to France in June 1916 and the division concentrated near Lillers. They went into the front line near Loos and were later in action in The Battle of the Ancre on the Somme. In 1917 they saw action during The German retreat to the Hindenburg Line, The capture of Fifteen Ravine, Villers Plouich, Beaucamp and La Vacquerie abd The Cambrai Operations, including the capture of Bourlon Wood in November. In early 1918 the army was reorganised and on the 9th of February 1918 the 17th Welsh were disbanded in France with troops transferring to other units.

21st Jan 1915 Good Billets  According to my grandfather, Idris Howells, the 17th Battalion, Welsh Reg were already in Rhos-on-Sea by 21 January 1915. In his letter home from the Cardrona boarding house, Rhos, he says that he has "...sent 8 leters since I have been here..." The men were put up in boarding houses: Cardrona in Everard Road, Rhos and Moorehouse, Colwyn Crescent, Rhos. He says it is "a lovely billet up here. Plenty of food and good food too. We have porridge and fried bacon for breakfast and two or three courses for dinner and sometimes cold meat for either tea or supper and boiled Cocoa. Second helpings of everything if you can eat it."

2nd Jun 1916 On the Move

3rd June 1916 On the Move

4th June 1916 On the Move

5th June 1916 On the Move

6th June 1916 In Billets

7th June 1916 Orders

8th June 1916 Preparations

9th Jun 1916 Orders  location map

9th Jun 1916 On the March

9th June 1916 Orders Received  location map

9th June 1916 On the March  location map

10th June 1916 Instruction

11th June 1916 Instruction

12th June 1916 Instruction

13th Jun 1916 Orders  location map

13th June 1916 Instruction

14th June 1916 Instruction  location map

15th June 1916 In Billets

16th Jun 1916 Training

17th Jun 1916 Orders

17th June 1916 Training

18th June 1916 Instruction  location map

19th Jun 1916 Instruction  location map

20th Jun 1916 Orders

20th Jun 1916 Instruction  location map

21 Jun 1916 Orders

21st June 1916 Instruction  location map

22nd June 1916 On the March  location map

23rd Jun 1916 Baths

27th Jun 1916 Training

28th Jun 1916 Inspection

30th Jun 1916 Training

1st Jul 1916 In Billets

2nd Jul 1916 On the Move

3rd Jul 1916 On the Move  location map

4th Jul 1916 Trench Work

6th Jul 1916 Trench Work  location map

7th Jul 1916 Reliefs Complete  location map

8th Jul 1916 In the Line

9th Jul 1916 Trench Work

10th Jul 1916 Quiet

11th Jul 1916 Reliefs Complete  location map

12th Jul 1916 Working Party

13th Jul 1916 Working Parties

14th Jul 1916 Working Party

15th Jul 1916 Reliefs  location map

16th Jul 1916 Enemy Artillery  location map

17th Jul 1916 Patrols  location map

18th Jul 1916 Patrols  location map

19th Jul 1916 Reliefs Complete  location map

20th Jul 1916 Orders  location map

23rd Jul 1916 Working Parties  location map

24th Jul 1916 Working Party  location map

25th Jul 1916 Working Parties  location map

26th Jul 1916 Working Parties  location map

27th Jul 1916 Working Parties  location map

28th Jul 1916 Working Parties  location map

29th Jul 1916 Reliefs

30th Jul 1916 Relief Completed  location map

31st Jul 1916 Grenades  location map

1st Aug 1916 Grenades  location map

2nd Aug 1916 Trench Work  location map

3rd Aug 1916 Trench Work  location map

4th Aug 1916 Trench Work  location map

5th Aug 1916 Under Fire  location map

6th Aug 1916 Gas  location map

7th Aug 1916 Trench Work  location map

8th Aug 1916 Trench Work  location map

9th Aug 1916 Retaliation  location map

10th Aug 1916 Relef  location map

11th Aug 1916 Patrols

12th Aug 1916 Cellars  location map

13th Aug 1916 Reliefs  location map

14th Aug 1916 In Billets

16th Aug 1916 Reliefs  location map

19th Aug 1916 In Billets

20th Aug 1916 In Billets

21st Aug 1916 In Billets

22nd Aug 1916 In Billets

24th Aug 1916 Reliefs Completed

25th Aug 1916 Wire  location map

26th Aug 1916 Trench Work  location map

27th Aug 1916 Under Fire  location map

28th Aug 1916 Relief  location map

29th Aug 1916 Storm  location map

30th Aug 1916 Heavy Rain  location map

31st Aug 1916 Trench Work  location map

1st Sep 1916 Reliefs Complete

2nd Sep 1916 Shelling

3rd Sep 1916 Enemy Active

4th Sep 1916 Patrols

5th Sep 1916 Patrol  location map

6th Sep 1916 Reliefs

8th Sep 1916 Brigade Reserve

9th Sep 1916 In Reserve

11th Sep 1916 Reliefs Completed

12th Sep 1916 Training

16th Sep 1916 Training

17th Sep 1916 Billets

18th Sep 1916 Reliefs

19th Sep 1916 Reliefs Complete

20th Sep 1916 Patrols  location map

21st Sep 1916 Patrols  location map

22nd Sep 1916 Under Fire  location map

23rd Sep 1916 Reliefs  location map

24th Sep 1916 Tower Demolished

25th Sep 1916 Trench Raid  location map

25th Sep 1916 Trench Raid

25th Sep 1916 Patrols

26th Sep 1916 Artillery Active

27th Sep 1916 Reliefs

28th Sep 1916 In Reserve

1st Oct 1916 Reliefs Complete

2nd Oct 1916 In Support

5th Oct 1916 Reliefs

6th Oct 1916 Shelling  location map

7th Oct 1916 Shelling  location map

8th Oct 1916 Orders  location map

9th Oct 1916 Reliefs Completed

10th Oct 1916 In Billets

11th Oct 1916 Orders  location map

12th Oct 1916 Reliefs  location map

13th Oct 1916 Working Parties  location map

15th Oct 1916 Working Parties  location map

16th Oct 1916 Reliefs

17th Oct 1916 Shelling

18th Oct 1916 Shelling

19th Oct 1916 Orders

20th Oct 1916 Reliefs Completed  location map

21st Oct 1916 Intelligence

22nd Oct 1916 Trench Work

23rd Oct 1916 Patrols

24th Oct 1916 Patrols

25th Oct 1916 Patrols

26th Oct 1916 Enemy Aircraft  location map

27th Oct 1916 Patrols

28th Oct 1916 Patrols

29th Oct 1916 Reliefs

30th Oct 1916 Preparations

31st Oct 1916 On the Move

1st Nov 1916 On the March

2nd Nov 1916 On the March

3rd Nov 1916 At Rest

4th Nov 1916 On the March

5th Nov 1916 On the March

14th Nov 1916 Training

15th Nov 1916 On the March

16th Nov 1916 Training

17th Nov 1916 On the March

18th Nov 1916 On the March

19th Nov 1916 Training

22nd Nov 1916 On the March

23rd Nov 1916 On the March

24th Nov 1916 On the March

9th Dec 1916 Training

10th Dec 1916 On the Move

11th Dec 1916 Training

12th Dec 1916 Training

18th Dec 1916 Training

25th Dec 1916 In Camp

26th Dec 1916 On the March

27th Dec 1916 Relief Complete

28th Dec 1916 Harsh Conditions

29th Dec 1916 Rations

30th Dec 1916 Artillery Active

31st Dec 1916 Reliefs

4th Jan 1917 Reliefs

7th Jan 1917 In Camp

8th Jan 1917 Reliefs

9th Jan 1917 Artillery Active

10th Jan 1917 Artillery Active

11th Jan 1917 Shelling

12th Jan 1917 Reliefs

13th Jan 1917 In Reserve

14th Jan 1917 In Reserve

15th Jan 1917 In Reserve

16th Jan 1917 Reliefs

17th Jan 1917 Trench Work

17th Jan 1917 Deserter

21st Jan 1917 In Reserve

22nd Jan 1917 Reliefs

25th Jan 1917 Reliefs

26th Jan 1917 Trench Work

27th Jan 1917 Reliefs

30th Jan 1917 In Camp

1st Feb 1917 In Camp

5th Feb 1917 Training

6th Feb 1917 Baths

7th Feb 1917 Innoculations

8th Feb 1917 Inspection

9th Feb 1917 Preparations

10th Feb 1917 On the March

11th Feb 1917 Reliefs Completed

12th Feb 1917 Working Parties

15th Feb 1917 Reliefs

16th Feb 1917 Artillery Active

17th Feb 1917 Shelling

18th Feb 1917 Communication Lost

19th Feb 1917 Reliefs Completed

21st Feb 1917 Reliefs

22nd Feb 1917 Reorganisation

23rd Feb 1917 In Camp

24th Feb 1917 In Camp

25th Feb 1917 In Camp

26th Feb 1917 Working Parties

27th Feb 1917 Training

28th Feb 1917 Working Party

1st Mar 1917 Concert

2nd Mar 1917 Regimental Dinner

3rd Mar 1917 Working Parties

4th Mar 1917 Working Parties

5th Mar 1917 Training

6th Mar 1917 Route March

7th Mar 1917 On the March

8th Mar 1917 Reliefs Complete

9th Mar 1917 Shelling  location map

10th Mar 1917 Artillery Active  location map

11th Mar 1917 Gas Shells  location map

12th Mar 1917 Artillery Active

15th Mar 1917 Reliefs

16th Mar 1917 Orders

17th Mar 1917 On the March

18th Mar 1917 In Camp

19th Mar 1917 In Camp

20th Mar 1917 Reliefs

21st Mar 1917 Orders

22nd Mar 1917 Orders  location map

23rd Mar 1917 Shelling  location map

24th Mar 1917 Holding the Line  location map

25th Mar 1917 Working Parties  location map

27th Mar 1917 Working Parties  location map

28th Mar 1917 Working Parties  location map

29th Mar 1917 Working Parties  location map

30th Mar 1917 Working Parties  location map

31st Mar 1917 Working Parties  location map

1st Apr 1917 Working Parties  location map

2nd Apr 1917 Working Parties

3rd Apr 1917 Bathing

4th Apr 1917 Recce

5th Apr 1917 Instruction

6th Apr 1917 Training

7th Apr 1917 Relief Complete

8th Apr 1917 Working Parties

9th Apr 1917 Working Parties

10th Apr 1917 Working Parties

16th Apr 1917 Working Parties

17th Apr 1917 Reliefs

18th Apr 1917 In Reserve

20th Apr 1917 Relief  location map

21st Apr 1917 Reliefs

22nd Apr 1917 Outposts

23rd Apr 1917 Preparations

24th Apr 1917 In Action  location map

25th Apr 1917 Advance  location map

26th Apr 1917 Machine Gun Silenced

27th Apr 1917 Patrol

28th Apr 1917 Recce  location map

29th Apr 1917 Reliefs

30th Apr 1917 Reliefs

3rd May 1917 In Reserve

4th May 1917 Moving Forward

5th May 1917 Attack Made  location map

6th May 1917 In Support  location map

7th May 1917 Working Parties  location map

8th May 1917 Working Parties  location map

9th May 1917 Working Parties  location map

10th May 1917 Working Parties  location map

11th May 1917 Rockets  location map

12th May 1917 Working Parties  location map

13th May 1917 Working Parties  location map

14th May 1917 Reliefs Complete  location map

15th May 1917 Patrols  location map

16th May 1917 Patrols  location map

17th May 1917 Patrols  location map

18th May 1917 Patrols  location map

19th May 1917 Patrols  location map

20th May 1917 Patrols  location map

21st May 1917 In the Trenches  location map

22nd May 1917 Trench Raids  location map

23rd May 1917 In Reserve

24th May 1917 In Reserve

25th May 1917 In Reserve

26th May 1917 In Reserve

29th May 1917 In Reserve

30th May 1917 In Reserve

31st May 1917 Working Parties

1st Jun 1917 Working Parties

2nd Jun 1917 Working Parties

3rd Jun 1917 Reliefs  location map

4th Jun 1917 Working Parties  location map

5th Jun 1917 Working Parties  location map

6th Jun 1917 Working Parties  location map

7th Jun 1917 Working Parties  location map

8th Jun 1917 Trench Work  location map

9th Jun 1917 Patrols  location map

10th Jun 1917 Trench Work  location map

11th Jun 1917 Reliefs

12th Jun 1917 Reliefs Completed  location map

13th Jun 1917 Patrols  location map

14th Jun 1917 Patrols  location map

15th Jun 1917 Reliefs  location map

16th Jun 1917 Patrols  location map

17th Jun 1917 Patrols  location map

18th Jun 1917 Patrols  location map

19th Jun 1917 Trench Raid

20th Jun 1917 Reliefs

21st Jun 1917 Baths

22nd Jun 1917 Training

23rd Jun 1917 Training

24th Jun 1917 Working Parties

25th Jun 1917 Field Day

26th Jun 1917 Sports

27th Jun 1917 Reliefs  location map

28th Jun 1917 Trench Work  location map

29th Jun 1917 Working Parties  location map

30th Jun 1917 Working Parties  location map

1st Jul 1917 Working Parties

2nd Jul 1917 Working Parties

3rd Jul 1917 Working Parties

4th Jul 1917 Working Parties

5th Jul 1917 Reliefs Complete

7th Jul 1917 Patrols

8th Jul 1917 Patrols

9th Jul 1917 Patrols

10th Jul 1917 Patrols

11th Jul 1917 Trench Raid

12th Jul 1917 Patrols

13th Jul 1917 Reliefs  location map

14th Jul 1917 Working Parties  location map

15th Jul 1917 Working Parties  location map

16th Jul 1917 Working Parties  location map

17th Jul 1917 Working Parties  location map

18th Jul 1917 Working Parties  location map

19th Jul 1917 Working Parties  location map

20th Jul 1917 Working Parties  location map

21st Jul 1917 Reliefs

22nd Jul 1917 Patrols

23rd Jul 1917 Wire

24th Jul 1917 Under Shellfire

25th Jul 1917 In the Trenches

26th Jul 1917 Patrols

27th Jul 1917 Patrols

28th Jul 1917 Patrols

29th Jul 1917 Reliefs  location map

30th Jul 1917 Working Parties  location map

31st Jul 1917 Training & Baths  location map

1st Aug 1917 Training  location map

2nd Aug 1917 Reliefs  location map

3rd Aug 1917 Reliefs  location map

4th Aug 1917 Training

5th Aug 1917 Training

6th Aug 1917 Training

7th Aug 1917 Reliefs

8th Aug 1917 In the Trenches

9th Aug 1917 Patrols

10th Aug 1917 Patrols

11th Aug 1917 In the Trenches

12th Aug 1917 In the Trenches

13th Aug 1917 In the Trenches

14th Aug 1917 In the Trenches

15th Aug 1917 Reliefs  location map

16th Aug 1917 In Reserve  location map

17th Aug 1917 Working Parties and Training  location map

18th Aug 1917 Working Parties and Training  location map

19th Aug 1917 Working Parties and Training  location map

20th Aug 1917 Working Parties and Training  location map

21st Aug 1917 Working Parties and Training  location map

22nd Aug 1917 Working Parties and Training  location map

23rd Aug 1917 Reliefs

24th Aug 1917 Patrols

25th Aug 1917 Patrols

26th Aug 1917 Patrols

27th Aug 1917 Reliefs Completed

28th Aug 1917 Patrols

29th Aug 1917 Patrols

30th Aug 1917 Patrols

31st Aug 1917 Patrols  location map

1st Sep 1917 In Reserve  location map

2nd Sep 1917 Working Parties  location map

3rd Sep 1917 Working Parties  location map

4th Sep 1917 Working Parties  location map

5th Sep 1917 Working Parties  location map

6th Sep 1917 Working Parties  location map

7th Sep 1917 In Reserve  location map

8th Sep 1917 Reliefs

9th Sep 1917 Patrols

10th Sep 1917 Patrols

11th Sep 1917 Patrols  location map

12th Sep 1917 Patrols  location map

13th Sep 1917 Patrols  location map

14th Sep 1917 Patrols  location map

15th Sep 1917 Patrols  location map

16th Sep 1917 Reliefs  location map

17th Sep 1917 In Reserve  location map

18th Sep 1917 Working Parties  location map

23rd Sep 1917 Working Parties  location map

24th Sep 1917 Reliefs

25th Sep 1917 Shelling

26th Sep 1917 Patrols

27th Sep 1917 Patrols

28th Sep 1917 Patrols

29th Sep 1917 Patrols

30th Sep 1917 Patrols

1st Oct 1917 Patrols

2nd Oct 1917 Reliefs  location map

3rd Oct 1917 In Reserve  location map

7th Oct 1917 Reliefs  location map

7th Oct 1917 Orders

8th Oct 1917 On the Move

9th Oct 1917 Inspection

10th Oct 1917 On the Move  location map

10th Oct 1917 Orders  location map

11th Oct 1917 On the Move  location map

12th Oct 1917 In Billets

13th Oct 1917 In Billets

14th Oct 1917 Church Parade

15th Oct 1917 Training

16th Oct 1917 Training

21st Oct 1917 Church Parade

22nd Oct 1917 Training

23rd Oct 1917 Training  location map

24th Oct 1917 Inspection

25th Oct 1917 Training

26th Oct 1917 Training

29th Oct 1917 On the March

30th Oct 1917 Training

31st Oct 1917 Training

1st Nov 1917 Training

2nd Nov 1917 Training

3rd Nov 1917 Training

4th Nov 1917 Church Parade

5th Nov 1917 Training

9th Nov 1917 Training

10th Nov 1917 Training

11th Nov 1917 Church Parade

13th Nov 1917 Training

15th Nov 1917 Training

16th Nov 1917 On the March

17th Nov 1917 On the March

18th Nov 1917 At Rest

19th Nov 1917 On the March

20th Nov 1917 At Rest

21st Nov 1917 On the March

22nd Nov 1917 On the March

23rd Nov 1917 Attack Made  location map

25th Nov 1917 In Action  location map

25th Nov 1917 In Action

26th Nov 1917 On the March

27th Nov 1917 On the Move

28th Nov 1917 In Billets

2nd Dec 1917 On the Move  location map

3rd Dec 1917 In the Trenches  location map

4th Dec 1917 In the Trenches  location map

6th Dec 1917 In the Trenches  location map

7th Dec 1917 In the Trenches  location map

8th Dec 1917 Reliefs  location map

9th Dec 1917 Working Parties  location map

10th Dec 1917 Working Parties  location map

11th Dec 1917 Working Parties  location map

13th Dec 1917 Working Parties  location map

14th Dec 1917 Reliefs  location map

15th Dec 1917 In the Trenches

16th Dec 1917 In the Trenches

17th Dec 1917 In the Trenches

18th Dec 1917 In the Trenches

19th Dec 1917 In the Trenches

20th Dec 1917 Reliefs

21st Dec 1917 In Camp

23rd Dec 1917 In Camp

24th Dec 1917 In Camp

25th Dec 1917 In Camp

26th Dec 1917 Reliefs

27th Dec 1917 Patrols

28th Dec 1917 Patrols

29th Dec 1917 Patrols

30th Dec 1917 Patrols

31st Dec 1917 Patrols

1st Jan 1918 Relief Completed  location map

2nd Jan 1918 Praise

3rd Jan 1918 Trench Work

4th Jan 1918 Trench Work

5th Jan 1918 Reliefs

6th Jan 1918 Artillery Active

7th Jan 1918 In the Front Line

8th Jan 1918 Patrols

9th Jan 1918 Reliefs

10th Jan 1918 In Camp

11th Jan 1918 In Camp

12th Jan 1918 Baths

13th Jan 1918 Reliefs Completed

14th Jan 1918 Patrols

15th Jan 1918 Wet

16th Jan 1918 Snipers

17th Jan 1918 Reliefs Completed

18th Jan 1918 Bathing

19th Jan 1918 Mud

20th Jan 1918 Enemy Artillery

21st Jan 1918 Reliefs

22nd Jan 1918 Sniping  location map

23rd Jan 1918 Artillery Active  location map

24th Jan 1918 In the Trenches  location map

25th Jan 1918 Reliefs  location map

26th Jan 1918 In Reserve

27th Jan 1918 Inspections  location map

28th Jan 1918 In Camp

29th Jan 1918 Relief Complete

30th Jan 1918 Patrols

31st Jan 1918 Artillery Active  location map

1st Feb 1918 Artillery Active

2nd Feb 1918 Reliefs

3rd Feb 1918 Working Parties

4th Feb 1918 Working Parties

5th Feb 1918 Reorganisation

6th Feb 1918 Inspection

7th Feb 1918 Reorganisation

8th Feb 1918 Draft

9th Feb 1918 On the Move  location map

10th Feb 1918 Reorganisation

11th Feb 1918 Route March

12th Feb 1918 Inspection

13th Feb 1918 Lectures

14th Feb 1918 Bathing

15th Feb 1918 Bathing

16th Feb 1918 Reorganisation

If you can provide any additional information, please add it here.





Want to know more about 17th (1st Glamorgan) Battalion, Welch Regiment?


There are:5755 items tagged 17th (1st Glamorgan) 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.


Those known to have served with

17th (1st Glamorgan) Battalion, Welch Regiment

during the Great War 1914-1918.

  • Beynon Ernest William. Pte. (d.24th April 1917)
  • Holland Frederick E.W.. Pte. (d.24th April 1917)
  • Howells Idris. Pte.
  • Hughes MM. James Davies. Sgt.
  • Jones William Arthur. Pte. (d.18th April 1916)
  • Merrett Ernest Nelson. Pte. (d.27th July 1917)
  • Phillips Richard Thomas. L/Cpl. (d.24th Apr 1917)
  • Thomas MM. Edmund.
  • Thompson Arthur. Pte. (d.07/05/1917)

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 17th (1st Glamorgan) Battalion, Welch Regiment from other sources.


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   Edmund Thomas MM. 17th (1st Glamorgan) Battalion Welch Regiment

Edmund Thomas was decorated with the MM, and was subsequently taken prisoner of war in April 1918 whilst serving with the 18th Battalion. A Canton boy from Cardiff, he later served in the Home Guard during the Second World War.







  Pte. Frederick E.W. Holland 17th (1st Glamorgan) Battalion Welch Regiment (d.24th April 1917)

Mum's family, the Hollands, were told that their son, Fred Holland was missing, killed in action. Two of his sisters and one of his brothers each named one of their children after him. Fast forward to 2016 and his sister Dolly's family received a letter regarding a service to have his remains to be reburied in Fifteen Ravine Commonwealth Graves Cemetery, outside the French village of Villers Plouich.

Having believed that their uncle's body was never found Des and Tony Fowler went to the ceremony and were thrilled and amazed to hear how Shaun McGuire, whose passion was trying to locate missing deceased Welsh war service personnel, was walking through the cemetery along a line of The Welch Regiments headstones, when he noticed that the 30 headstones all commemorated men who died on the same date 24th of April 1917. Of the 30, 29 had their names inscribed on them but one did not. He researched the regiment's action on this date and found that there were 30 casualties during an attack on the Hindenburg Line and these were their graves. He gave his information to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission who, after investigation, confirmed that this was the grave of Pte. Fred Holland who had later died of his wounds.

He was given a full military service. All thanks to Shaun McGuire who I believe currently lives in Shewsbury.

Tony Fowler






  L/Cpl. Richard Thomas Phillips 17th Btn. Welsh Regiment (d.24th Apr 1917)

Richard Thomas Phillips

Lance Corporal Richard Phillips, husband to Julia Phillips, was aged 33 when he was killed in action at the Battle of Arras. He is buried in the Fifteen Ravine British Cemetery, Villers-Plouich, France.

<p>Richard Thomas Phillips

<p>

<p>

Gary Phillips






  Pte. Idris Howells 17th Battalion "B" Coy Welsh Regiment

Last year, I was lucky enough to discover seven letters on the internet dated from 21 January 1915 - Sept 1915 written by my grandfather, Idris Howells. He was writing to his wife and child in the Rhondda while training around Llandudno and Colwyn Bay before moving on to Prees Heath and later to Aldershot, in preparation to go to The Front. These letters had never been known to me before and it was quite by chance that I 'googled' him one Sunday morning and discovered that someone was trying to link them up with their long lost family. The letters must have been amongst the house clearance from the family home in the Rhondda in 1978 after my spinster aunt died (the 'child' mentioned in the letters). My father never mentioned that his father had been in the First World War and when I was young, I never thought to ask. I wonder if he even knew. We used to have holidays in Llandudno and would walk all around the Gt Orme and see all the shows at Happy Valley in the 1960s (both landmarks are mentioned in his letters) where Idris did his 12 mile route bashing. Although the letters reveal a very interesting look at the day to day life in the billet houses of Rhos and the barracks at Prees Heath from a WW1 historian's viewpoint, the most precious aspect for me is a special insight into his character by reading what he says, and how he says it. It's just like I have met him. He died in 1945 and so I never knew him. I can only say how thrilled I was that a complete stranger, who is very kind, took the trouble to post a note on the internet and then post them to me. It just goes to show how valuable personal documents and items are, and that they must be preserved and passed on, even if you don't want them yourself.

MJ Meadway






Recomended Reading.

Available at discounted prices.



An Artist's War: The Art and Letters of Morris and Alice Meredith Williams

Phyllida Shaw


In 1914 Morris Meredith Williams was living in Edinburgh with his wife Alice, a sculptor, and earning his living from book illustration and teaching. A short man, his attempt to join the army in 1914 failed, but six months later he was accepted by the Bantam Battalion, 17th Welsh Regiment. Never without a sketchbook and pencils in his pocket, he drew at every opportunity, producing an extraordinary record of his surroundings on the Western Front. After the war some of the sketches became oil paintings while others inspired a series of war memorials in bronze, stone, wood and stained glass, most notably for the Scottish National War Memorial, on which he and Alice worked together. In this stunning book, the Meredith Williams’s art is displayed in fine style, ranging from the touching and heartfelt to the most brutal, stark images of the waste and loss of war.






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