In Memoriam

Dolgellau WW1 Memorial – West Face

Mary E Smith

Park Lane

 Died on 21 August 1918 in hospital in Wrexham aged 42.

Mary Elizabeth Smith (née Jones) is the only woman commemorated on the Dolgellau First World War memorial. She had joined the Women’s Auxiliary Army Corps in 1916, a branch of the army formed to release more men for front line duties. She died of the Spanish Flu which was prevalent at the time.

She is buried in the Dafydd Ionawr Cemetery in Dolgellau.

Richard Browne

Brynteg

Killed on 31 December 1917 in Alexandria, Egypt aged 33.

Richard Browne served in the Kite Balloon Section of the Royal Flying Corps. He lost his life in the entrance to Alexandria harbour when his ship struck a mine and sank. Before the war he worked as a postman in the Rhydymain area. He left his widow and two young children.

He is commemorated on the Chatby Memorial in Alexandria.

George Collins

Ganllwyd

Killed on 11 June 1917 in Greece aged 27.

George was the sixth child of his parents George and Mary Ruth. His father was a gamekeeper on the Dolmelynllyn estate. The family home was Tyddynbach, Ganllwyd.

He is buried in Mikra British Cemetery, Kalamaria.

Frank N Coops

Plasucha

Died of his wounds on 17 July 1916 in France aged 28.

Frank had been a professional soldier since 1907 and spent five years in India. He was a native of Cheshire and it is believed that his only connection with Dolgellau was that his brother had married a local girl.

He is buried in Puchevillers British Cemetery.

William Donan

Brynygwin

Died of heatstroke on 13 August 1919 in Mesopotamia (Iraq) aged 52.

William Donan was an officer in the Indian Army who had spent almost his entire life in India and the Middle East. He had married into the Jelf Revely family of Brynygwin and it is doubtful whether he ever visited Dolgellau. He was the oldest man named on the Dolgellau memorial.

He is buried in Basra War Cemetery in Iraq.

David J Davies

Brynteg

Died between April and October 1917 in Palestine aged 19.

David John Davies had been taken as a prisoner of war after the Battle of Gaza in March 1917. He had been wounded during the battle and died sometime during the following six months. His parents clung to the hope that he was still alive and were in regular correspondence with the military authorities for years.

He is remembered on the Jerusalem Memorial.

D Oswald Davies

Queen Square

         Died on 22 May 1917 in Barmouth aged 51.

David Oswald Davies was a solicitor in the town and an officer in the Territorial Force. He was the officer in charge of the first group of soldiers to leave Dolgellau in August 1914. In 1890 he represented Wales in a football match against Scotland.

He is buried in Llanaber Church Cemetery.

Gomer Davies

Froheulog Cottages

Killed on 29 March 1918 in Palestine aged 36.

Gomer Davies was in the first group of soldiers who left Dolgellau in August 1914. He survived the fierce fighting on Gallipoli in 1915 before moving on to Egypt. He left a widow and four young children under the age of ten.

He is commemorated on the Jerusalem Memorial.

Hughie Davies

Ivy Cottage

         Killed on 11 May 1917 in France aged 35.

Hughie Davies was a native of Anglesey but the family had lived in Dolgellau for a number of years. Hughie had worked as a ‘boots’ in the Angel Hotel on the site of the present HSBC Bank.

He is commemorated on the Arras Memorial in France.

David J Edwards

Well Street

Died on 20 November 1918 in Ireland aged 40.

David John Edwards joined the army in 1899 and served for many years in India and Burma. He was one of the first soldiers on French soil in August 1914 and survived many battles, being wounded more than once. He was transferred to Ireland in the summer of 1918 where he died of a stroke.

He is buried in the Dafydd Ionawr Cemetery in Dolgellau.

John Edwards

Green Lane

Killed on 10 August 1915 at Suvla Bay, Gallipoli aged 28.

As a member of the Territorial Force, John was one of the first soldiers to leave Dolgellau for war in August 1914. He sailed for the Mediterranean Sea in July 1915 and was killed the day after he landed. His brother, Richard, was killed on the same day on the same beach.

He is remembered on the Helles Memorial.

Richard Edwards

Upperfield Street

Killed on 10 August 1915 at Suvla Bay, Gallipoli aged 36.

Richard worked in the Glasdir copper mine but as a member of the Territorial Force he was called to arms. He sailed to war in July 1915 with his brother John and they were both killed on the same day on the beaches of Gallipoli. He was mourned by his wife and four young children.

He is remembered on the Helles Memorial.

Edward Evans

Rhydymain

Killed on 27 May 1917 in Northern France aged 25.

Edward Evans’ home was Blaenyddol, Rhydymain. Before enlisting in the army he was a farm worker in his home area.

He is remembered on the Arras Memorial in France.

Evan W Evans

Hafodoer

Killed on 14 November 1917 in Belgium aged 20.

Evan William Evans was a student in Aberystwyth University, studying agriculture at the beginning of the war. He was in a special unit of the Royal Engineers which specialised in gas and chemical warfare. His younger brother, Trebor, had been killed six weeks earlier.

He is buried in the Belgian Military Cemetery, Steenkerke close to Ypres.

H Trebor Evans

Hafodoer

Killed on 19 September 1917 in France aged 19.

Hugh Trebor Evans was a farm labourer when he was conscripted into the army in May 1917. Within three months he had arrived on the Western Front in France and a month later he was dead. Six weeks later his brother Evan was also killed.

He is buried in Erquinhem-Lys Church Cemetery in France.

Hugh E Evans

Rhydymain

Died of malaria on 28 October 1917 in Salonica, Greece aged 23.

Hugh Edward Evans was a student in Bangor, aiming to become a teacher, when he joined the Medical Corps in 1916. As a pacifist, he served in military hospitals in Greece. He was accompanied by a number of men who would become prominent in Welsh public life, such as the future Archdruid Cynan and Lewis Valentine.

He is buried in Mikra British Cemetery in Kalamaria.

Howell Evans

Tyddynymoch

          Killed on 28 August 1918 in France aged 31.

Howell Evans was a timber worker when he was conscripted in 1916. He spent most of 1917 in France before returning to Britain for the winter, probably because he had been wounded. According to a letter received by his wife he was killed instantly by a bullet to the head.

He is buried in Dury Crucifix Cemetery, Arras in France.

J Hugh Evans

Park Lane

Killed 26 March 1917 in Gaza, Palestine aged 34.

John Hugh Evans was probably in the first group of soldiers of the Territorial Force to leave Dolgellau in August 1914. He survived the brutal fighting in Gallipoli in 1915 before moving on through Egypt to Palestine. Before the war he worked in the tanyard and also had a period as a collier in Rhondda.

He is commemorated on the Jerusalem Memorial.

J Thomas Evans

Froheulog Cottages

Killed on 26 March 1917 in Gaza, Palestine aged 28.

John Thomas Evans had left the area some years earlier to find work in the coal mines of South Wales. He had survived the carnage of Gallipoli in 1915 before being transferred to the battle for Egypt and Palestine. His parents received a letter urging them to take comfort in the knowledge that he died ‘within sight of the hills of Judea where the Great Saviour had been.’

He is remembered on the Jerusalem Memorial.

Richard Evans

Maescaled

Killed on 25 November 1917 in Cambrai, France aged 27.

Richard Evans was the son of Edward and Elizabeth Evans of 4 Maescaled, Dolgellau. He is remembered on their headstone in Llanelltyd cemetery.

He is remembered on the Cambrai Memorial, Louverval in France.

Richard Evans

Meyrick Square

Died of pneumonia on 7 April 1919 in Etrun, France aged 35.

Richard Evans was a mechanic in the Royal Air Force. Before enlisting he was a picture framer with his brother William.

He is buried in Duisans British Cemetery in Etrun, France.

Thomas Evans

Brithdir

Died of wounds on 29 October 1917 in Etaples, France aged 20.

Thomas Evans had been transferred to a hospital on the coast in order to be taken to a hospital in Britain when he died of his wounds. He was one of nine children and according to reports was very musical.

He is buried in Etaples Military Cemetery in France.

William Evans

Pandy’odyn

Died of pneumonia on 14 July 1918 in Hounslow aged 28.

William Evans was a driver in the army’s motor transport depot on Kempton Park racecourse. He was the son of Owen and Ann Evans of Pandy’rodyn.

He is buried in Dolgellau Public Cemetery.

William L Evans

Caetanws

         Killed on 10 August 1915 in Gallipoli aged 34.

William Lewis Evans was a coal miner in Rhondda when he was called to the army. Before leaving for South Wales he had been a stone mason in Dolgellau. He died alongside his brother in law Harry Jones. He left a widow and four young children.

He is remembered on the Helles Memorial in Gallipoli, Turkey.

J F Finnis

Rock Cottage

Killed on 14 January 1916 in Mesopotamia (Iraq) aged 45.

John Fortescue Finnis was the commanding officer of the 53 Sikh Frontier Force of the Indian Army. It seems that he spent his entire life in India and the Middle East but his mother and sisters had lived in Dolgellau for a number of years.

He is remembered on the Basra Memorial in Iraq.

S Gant

Abergwynant Lodge

         Killed on 1 October 1917 in Belgium aged 31.

Sidney Gant was a native of Lincolnshire who came to this area as a gardener in Abergwynant. He and his wife Lizzie had four children, the youngest of whom was born in May 1918, seven months after Sidney’s death!

He is remembered on the Tyne Cot Memorial in Belgium.