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2nd Battalion, Welch Regiment    2nd Battalion, Welsh Regiment were in Bordon serving with 3rd Brigade, 1st Division when war was declared in August 1914. They proceeded to France, landing at Le Havre on the 13th of August 1914 and fought on the Western Front throughout the war, taking part in most of the major actions. In 1914 they were involved in The Battle of Mons and the subsequent retreat, The Battle of the Marne, The Battle of the Aisne, the First Battle of Ypres and the Winter Operations of 1914-15. In 1915 they were in action during The Battle of Aubers and The Battle of Loos. In 1916 they were in action in the Battles of the Somme. In 1917 they saw action during The German retreat to the Hindenburg Line and the Third Battle of Ypres. In 1918 they fought in the Battles of the Lys, the Second Battles of Arras, the Battles of the Hindenburg Line, The Battle of the Selle and The Battle of the Sambre, in which the Division fought the Passage of the Sambre-Oise Canal. At the Armistice, 1st Division was selected to advance into Germany and formed part of the Occupation Force at Bonn. 26th Aug 1914 On the March 29th Aug 1914 At Rest 30th Aug 1914 On the March 31st Aug 1914 On the March 1st Sep 1914 Outpost Duty 2nd Sep 1914 Rear Guard 3rd Sep 1914 Advance Guard 3rd Sep 1914 Retirement 4th Sep 1914 In Action 6th Sep 1914 In Reserve 19th Sep 1914 Reliefs Complete 24th Oct 1914 Withdrawl 30th Oct 1914 Shelling 31st Oct 1914 Divisional HQ Hit 15th Nov 1914 Orders 15th Jan 1915 Murder on an Appalling Night 25th Jan 1915 In Action 6th of March 1915  No Hostile Patrols    12th Mar 1915 Advance Made   13th Mar 1915 Orders 14th Mar 1915 Reliefs   20th May 1915 Into the Trenches 20th May 1915 Reliefs Complete   24th May 1915 Reliefs   24th of May 1915 Zeppelin under observation 4th Jun 1915 Reliefs 29th Nov 1915 Reliefs   26th Dec 1915 Reliefs   25th Mar 1916 Back in the Trenches 16th of November 1916    1st Jan 1917 Moves 9th Jan 1917 Working Parties 17th Jan 1917 Heavy Snow 22nd Jan 1917 Working Parties and Training 23rd Jan 1917 Moves 24th Jan 1917 Moves 31st Jan 1917 Very Cold Weather 6th Feb 1917 Reliefs 6th Feb 1917 Reliefs 7th Feb 1917 Reliefs 8th Feb 1917 Reliefs 9th Feb 1917 Reliefs Complete 10th Feb 1917 Hard Ground 11th Feb 1917 Quiet 12th Feb 1917 Quiet 1st Apr 1918 Hostile Artillery 2nd Apr 1918 Trench Raids 3rd Apr 1918 Quiet 4th Apr 1918 Orders 5th Apr 1918 Moves 6th Apr 1918 Relief Complete 7th Apr 1918 Moves   8th Apr 1918 Moves   9th Apr 1918 Artillery Barrage   If you can provide any additional information, please add it here. Want to know more about 2nd Battalion, Welch Regiment? There are:5284 items tagged 2nd 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 2nd Battalion, Welch Regiment during the Great War 1914-1918. Bews William Samuel. Pte. (d.23rd November 1914) Black MM, DCM. George Harold . Sgt. Carr J. G.. Pte. (d.7th Feb 1916) Cole George Harry. L/Cpl. (d.14th Sep 1914) Courtney Joseph. Pte. (d.24th Sept 1918) Davies Christopher Edgar. Sgt. (d.31st Oct 1914) Davies Samuel. Pte. (d.23rd Oct 1914) Evans Alfred. Pte (d.10th July 1916) Evans David. Pte (d.9th May 1915) Fuller VC William Charles. Sgt Gwilt Benjamin. Harris Thomas. Pte. (d.14th Jul 1917) Hooper Richard Gilbert . L/Cpl. (d.31st Oct 1914) Jones Thomas Lloyd. Pte. (d.30.10.1972) Jones William. Sgt Kirkpatrick Samuel. Pte. (d.26th September 1914) Kirton James. Pte. (d.8th November 1917) Kirwan John. Pte. (d.29th Dec 1914) Leverington Walter Clare. L/Cpl. Lewis George Charles. Pte. Mabbett Robert John. Pte. (d.28th November 1916) Morgan Leonard. Pte. Morgan Leonard. Pte. Morgan R.. Pte. (d.15th Feb 1915) Price W.. L/Cpl. (d.15th Feb 1915) Rees Edgar Glynn. Pte. (d.8th Sept 1916) Rees CMG, DSO. Hubert Conway. Brig.Gen. Roots D.C.M. Lewis Arnold Philip. A/Sgt. Royles Robert. Pte. (d.17th April 1918) Rudiger Harry. Pte. Sadler Evan Robert. Pte. (d.28th Oct 1914) Scone J.. Pte. (d.10th May 1918) Spillett Ernest George. L/Cpl. (d.25th Jan 1915) Stradling David. Pte. (d.9th Feb 1915) Taylor Noah James. Pte. (d.8th September 1916) Thomas J.. Pte. (d.20th May 1916) Threlfall John. Pte. (d.9th Nov 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 2nd Battalion, Welch Regiment from other sources. The Wartime Memories Project is the original WW1 and WW2 commemoration website. 1st of September 2023 marks 24 years since the launch of the Wartime Memories Project. Thanks to everyone who has supported us over this time. Want to find out more about your relative's service? Want to know what life was like during the Great War? Our Library contains many many diary entries, personal letters and other documents, most transcribed into plain text. Looking for help with Family History Research?    Please see Family History FAQ's Please note: We are unable to provide individual research. Can you help? 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We also have a section on World War Two. and a Timecapsule to preserve stories from other conflicts for future generations.   Pte David Evans 2nd Btn Welsh Regiment (d.9th May 1915) David Evans of the 2nd Btn., Welsh Regiment is my Great Grandfather, husband of Beatrice Alice Weal (formerly Evans) of 29 Hengoed Crescent, Hengoed, Cardiff. He was Killed in action on 9th of May 1915, age 38. and is remembered with honour Le Touret Memorial. Sue Browne Add to this record.   Sgt. Christopher Edgar Davies C Coy., 2nd Btn. Welsh Regiment (d.31st Oct 1914) Christopher Davies died in action in Flanders on or about 31st of October 1914. Born in 1883, he was known by his middle name, Edgar, and he was son to Thomas and Mary Davies, who lived at the time at 12 Westbury Street, Swansea, Wales. Edgar Davies was assigned to C Company in the 2nd Battalion of the Welsh Regiment. He was in the army for many years, and was a member of the original Expeditionary force, taking part in the Great Retreat, and the forward movement which followed. He was apparently an extremely popular non-commissioned officer. His younger brothers were also at war: Ivor Davies was a first-class stoker on HMS Panther, a destroyer, in the North Sea. Clifford Davies, a baker by trade, enlisted in the Royal Irish Regiment at the outbreak of the war. Both of these younger brothers took an active part in the religious work at Mount Zion Baptist Chapel, Swansea, acting as Sunday school teachers and leaders of the Band of Hope. The following story in the 16th of November 1914 edition of the Cambria Daily Leader tells of one of Edgar's letters home from the Western Front: "Writing home to his parents, who live at 12 Westbury Street, Swansea, Cpl. Edgar Davies, 2nd Welsh Regiment, gives an interesting account of his recent experiences at the front. He says: "I am still alive and kicking, but how, I don't know. We have been defending a village which has been stripped to the ground. The church in the centre of the village was about the first to go, and the first shell on it stopped the clock, and after that the tower came down bit by bit until at last the whole of the church was on fire, and now nothing but the bare walls are left. I don't think there is a house in the whole place that hasn't been either shelled or burnt to the ground. It was pitiful to hear the animals crying during the firing. There must have been hundreds of cows, pigs and sheet burnt alive there. When we were coming away one of the goats of the village fell in the ranks with us and marched along until it was too tired to go any further at the pace we were going. I think it followed on behind. Our own goat is sticking the marches well, and has been in every action so far, and hasn't had a scratch. The cakes arrived and they were a proper treat. I thoroughly enjoyed them in the trenches. There were three of us there when I got it, and one had cigarettes and the other tobacco, so we had a proper share out -- first a nice canteen of tees and cakes, then a good smoke, with plenty of firing in between". After writing that letter, Edgar Davies went missing on or about 30th of October 1914, presumably during the Battle of Gheluvelt. In the 30th of January 1915 edition of the Herald of Wales and Monmouthshire Recorder, the following was announced, although it turns out that this was an erroneous report: "Captured Welshman In Germany – Sergeant Edgar Davies, 2nd Welsh Regt., son of Mr. and Mrs. T. Davies, 12 Westbury Street, Swansea, who was reported missing on October 30th, is now officially declared to be a prisoner of war in Germany. The 2nd Welsh resisted, and defeated, a vigorous attack by superior numbers of Germans, and in the melee Sgt. Davies and a number of his comrades were cut off and taken prisoner". In the mistaken belief that Edgar, their loved one, was a prisoner of war, the family’s lives went on in Edgar’s home town of Swansea. The following wedding announcement appeared in the 20th of November 1915 edition of the Herald of Wales and Monmouthshire Recorder, and in the 15th of November 1915 edition of the Cambria Leader, regarding the marriage of Edgar’s sister, Gladys Davies: "War Wedding At Swansea – On Monday, a war wedding which attached a large audience was celebrated at the Memorial Baptist Chapel, Swansea, when Gunner G. Thomas, R.F.A. of Morriston, was married to Miss Gladys Davies, eldest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Davies, of Westbury Street, Swansea. The Rev. W.E. White officiated. Three of the bride's brothers are on active service, one with the 2nd Welsh in France, he has been missing for many months; another in the Dardanelles with the Royal Irish Regiment, and the third in the Royal Navy. The many presents received indicated the wide popularity of the bride and bridegroom". Ever hopeful, Edgar’s family in Swansea was to learn by 1916 that the War Office had concluded that Edgar was actually killed in action two years prior, having never been a prisoner of war after all. The following announcement appeared in the 23rd of March 1916 edition of the Cambria Daily Leader: "Reported missing on 31st of October 1914, after having been fighting heroically against overwhelming odds, Sgt. Edgar Davies, 2nd Welsh, has been officially given up as dead. His parents, Mr. and Mrs. T. Davies, 12 Westbury Street, Swansea, have received a War Office notification to this effect. He was at one time believed to be a prisoner of war. Sgt. Davies was a typical British non-commissioned officer of his type, brave, resourceful, and very popular with his men. He was an old pupil of St. Helen’s School. Two of his brothers are serving their country, one Stoker Ivor Davies being engaged in patrol work in the North Sea. The other, Pte. Clifford Davies, of the Royal Irish Regiment, is now in Egypt recovering from a severe illness brought on by exposure and hardships in the Suvla Bay landing, where he had many narrow escapes, a bullet hitting his cap off. Both these lads were prominent temperance workers. One of the last letters written home by Sgt. Davies, describing the remarkable march of the celebrated goat of the 2nd Welsh during the retreat from Mons, was published in the Cambria Daily Leader". Edgar Davies is memorialized among so many other fallen soldiers at the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, in Ypres, Belgium. Although referenced by his first name (Christopher) there, rather than by the common name by which he was known. He is also memorialized in the Roll of Honour at the boy's school which he had attended in his youth, St. Helen's in Swansea. Edgar was aged 29 when he died, and like those of so many others, his body was never found. Andrew Bruins Add to this record.   Pte. Robert John Mabbett 2nd Btn. Welsh Regiment (d.28th November 1916) Robert Mabbett served with the 2nd Battalion, Welsh Regiment in WW1. He died 28th of November 1916 aged 28 years and is remembered on the Thiepval Memorial in France. Lee Powell Add to this record.   Pte. Leonard Morgan 2nd Battalion Welch Regiment Leonard Morgan was my grandfather on my mother's side. He was taken prisoner at Nieuport according to the Red Cross POW record. He was allocated Prisoner numbers first for Wittenberg, then another on transfer to Merseburg on 22nd of September 1915. William Robinson Add to this record.   A/Sgt. Lewis Arnold Philip Roots D.C.M. 2nd Btn. Welch Regiment Lewis Roots was born in 1891 in Little Chesterford in Essex. He was known as Philip to his family and friends. He joined the Welch Regiment before the outbreak of WW1. He was recorded at Hut and Llanion Barracks in 1911. He saw action in Belgium and France and was wounded on the battlefield in 1916 when he was a Corporal and again when an Acting Sergeant later in 1916. He was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal in November 1916 for "conspicuous gallantry and ability in reconnoitring enemy positions, despite numerous snipers and gaining extremely valuable information. When his officer was wounded Acting Serjeant Roots took command of the regimental scouts and snipers and until wounded himself, continued to carry out very daring reconnaissances and work his section with great skill" He left the army and married in 1919. He joined the 28th Kent (1st Southern Railway) Battalion Home Guard in February 1944 as a Major. Lewis Arnold Philip Roots died in Maidstone in 1968. Simon Add to this record.   Sgt. George Harold Black MM, DCM. 2nd Btn. Welsh Regiment George Black MM, DCM served with the 2nd Welsh Regiment and the Machine Gun Corps. Alisa Black Add to this record.   L/Cpl. Walter Clare Leverington 2nd Battalion Welch Regiment Walter Leverington enlisted 1907 in Cardiff. Between 1910-1911 he was with his regiment in Eygpt. 1914 he sustained a gunshot wound to his left shoulder. He was sent to the 1st Eastern General Hospital, Cambridge. L Leverington Add to this record.   Pte. Leonard Morgan 2nd Btn. Welsh Regiment My grandfather Leonard Morgan of the 2nd Welsh Regiment was taken prisoner at the Battle of Mons. His son was born after this and he was called Mons. I never met him as he had died before I was born (1955). My eldest brother said he had a twitch which he remembered but, judging by the reports of Wittenberg POW camp it's probably just as well that he came out with just that and nothing else. Add to this record.   Pte. Samuel Kirkpatrick 2nd Battalion Welsh Regiment (d.26th September 1914) I have a spoon marked 9017 WEL which likely belonged to Samuel Kirkpatrick of the 2nd Welsh Regiment. Wayne Finch Add to this record.   Pte. Noah James Taylor 2nd Btn. Welsh Regiment (d.8th September 1916) Noah Taylor served with 2nd Btn. Welsh Regiment. I have the Royal British Legion 100th Battle of the Somme pin dedicated to this soldier. D G Buck Add to this record.   Pte. John Threlfall 2nd Btn. Welsh Regiment (d.9th Nov 1917) John Threlfall was transferred from the Cheshire Regiment to the 2nd Btn. Welsh Regiment. He died at Passchendaele and is buried at Poelcapelle British Cemetery outside Ypres. David Buckwell Add to this record.   Pte. Thomas Lloyd Jones 2nd Btn. Welsh Regiment (d.30.10.1972) My grandfather never spoke of his time during WW1. He was honorably discharged on 15th of January 1919. Thomas Jones was gassed and spent months in a hospital in Birmingham. We have his diaries from his last battle. We also have his discharge certificate and medal records. Diary Enties. 30th. January Discharge from hospital for convalescent camp. 22nd.February left Bayexu for base. 23rd February Arrived Rouen 9.0am proceded to C E B D. 26th.February Left Rouen for Rein Depot. 27th.February Left depot via Bologne Calais & St. Omer 6th. March Placed to do Pioneers work at camp. 27th.March Left camp for unit. Arrived at 3pm. 28th. March Fatigue at Weiltye. 29th.March Fatigue at Krownfring. 30th.March Moved from Red Rose camp to junction camp. 2nd.April Moved from junction camp for Brake camp sick. 8th. April Left Brake camp for Road Camp 9th. April Left Road camp for Merville 10th.April Arrived at Merville 7am. Went up line and dug a support trench. 11th. April Division in front of us retired. Enemy held up by us but broke through on our left, nearly cut us off. Unable to shell us he bombed us out of the trench. Arrived at 17 CCS. 12th.April Left 17 CCS in (?Us30AJ) for Camaet arrived in afternoon. Placed in ward (F7) 22nd. Can Gen. 13th.April Marked Blighty by Doctor. 14th.April .Moved to F3. 15th.April Removed by ATX1 arrived at Calais in afternoon. Crossed over to Dover by (?saotia) Left Dover for Birmingham. 16th.April Arrived Birmingham 3.00am. 18th.April In afternoon visited Uncle and Aunt down town. Interview with specialist. 20th.April Removed from G to B Block. 4th. May Jack and Auntie Sarah came over to Birmingham. 8th. May Letter from Dad. Lesley Woodbridge Add to this record.   Pte. Robert Royles 2nd Btn. Welsh Regiment (d.17th April 1918) Robert was the husband of Margaret E Royles, 30 Water Street, Denbigh. Richard Roberts Add to this record.   Pte. Evan Robert Sadler 2nd Btn. Welsh Regiment (d.28th Oct 1914) In October 1914, Evan's regiment was entrenched in the area of Ypres in Belgium at Gheluvelt. On the 27th October 1914 some members of the regiment found two gondolas in a lake nearby and decided to have a race in them across the lake, whereby they were bombarded by the Germans. The following day the Germans attacked the lines of the Welsh Regiment. This attack was repelled and the Welshmen counter-attacked. 514 men were killed. Evan Sadler died from his wounds on the following day 28th October 1914. He is buried at Ypres Cemetery Extension. He left a wife and a daughter who was born 2 months after his death. His name is recorded on De Ruvigny's Roll of Honour 1914-1924. I have no knowledge of the whereabouts of a photo of him, but would like to trace one. Evan would be a cousin of mine. William Knight Add to this record.    Benjamin Gwilt 2nd Btn. Welch Regiment Benjamin Gwilt served with the 2nd Battalion, Welch Regiment Amanda Clancy Add to this record.   Pte. J. Thomas 2nd Btn. Welch Regiment (d.20th May 1916) Pte J. Thomas served with the Welch Regiment 2nd Battalion. He was executed for desertion on 20th May 1916 and is buried in Mazingarbe Communal Cemetery and Extension, Mazingarbe, France. s flynn Add to this record.   Pte. J. Scone 2nd Btn. Welsh Regiment (d.10th May 1918) Pte. J. Scone served with the Welsh Regiment 2nd Battalion. He was executed on 10th May 1918 for murder and is buried in Hersin Communal Cemetery, Hersin, France. s flynn Add to this record.   L/Cpl. W. Price 2nd Btn Welsh Regiment (d.15th Feb 1915) W. Price served with the Welsh Regiment 2nd Battalion. He was executed for murder on 15th February 1915 and is buried in Bethune Town Cemetery, Bethune, France. s flynn Add to this record.   Pte. R. Morgan 2nd Btn. Welsh Regiment (d.15th Feb 1915) Pte. R. Morgan served with the Welsh Regiment 2nd Battalion. He was executed for murder on 15th February1915 and is buried in Bethune Town Cemetery in Bethune, France. s flynn Add to this record.   Pte. J. G. Carr 2nd Btn. Welsh Regiment (d.7th Feb 1916) Pte J.G. Carr served with the Welsh Regiment 2nd Battalion. He was executed for desertion on 7th February 1916 and is buried in Auchel Communal Cemtery, Auchel, France s flynn Add to this record. 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