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WORLD WAR ONE

The Men Who Died

WORLD WAR ONE

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Arthur was born in about 1896 in Pembrokeshire, the son of Thomas and Mary Williams. The family had previously lived in St Davids, Brecon where Thomas worked as a gamekeeper. He was still working as a gamekeeper in Pembroke when Arthur was born, suggesting the family had moved for work. Thomas was born in Radnorshire, but married Mary Jane Probert from Brecon, in 1884 and this was the year that Annie Maud was born. Thomas Stanley (1887) and William Ivor (1893) followed, all born in St David’s.

By 1901 when Arthur was 5, the family were living at 15, Newgate Street in Llanfaes Brecon with Thomas still working as a gamekeeper. In 1911 the family had moved down the road to 29, Orchard St, Llanfaes. Arthur now had a third brother, Reginald (1902). Arthur was working as an errand boy in a stationery shop and his father was now a tanner.

Arthur enlisted in the South Wales Borderers and went to France in January 1915. In July 1916 he came home on leave to Brecon; his family were then at 45, Orchard Street. By then he had been wounded twice, once in the Battle of Loos (1915) and later in the battle of the Somme (July 1916). He had been wounded in both

He was killed in action at The Battle of Gheluvelt in Flanders on 31st James was born in Brecon in 1896, the son of Eli William Wheeler and his wife Esther (nee Morris). The family were living at 12, Mill Street, Brecon. in 1901 when Eli was employed as a coal agent's carter. James is now 5 years old and has been joined by younger brother William, 3.

In the 1911 Census the family are still living at number 12, but father Eli is at this time listed as working as a coalminer, along with James' elder brother Morgan who is now living at home. Young sister Bessie was born in 1903.

James enlists in Newport in 1914, joins the Royal Welch Fusiliers and leaves for France on October 29th. He was involved in much fighting around the Ypres salient and on the day of his death the 1st Battalion were involved in the Battle of Festubert in France.

William, James' younger brother, also joined up when old enough and fought with the South Wales Borderers before being wounded in the ankle in May 1918 and subsequently serving with the Army Service Corps.

Lance Corporal Arthur Williams

South Wales Borderers, 2nd Battalion, service no. 11541

Died of Wounds October 6th, 1917 in Flanders, Belgium

aged 21

Buried at Dozinghem Military Cemetery, West Vlaanderen,

Belgium

Private James Richard Wheeler

Royal Welch Fusiliers, B Company, 1st Btn., service no. 5280

Died on May 16th, 1915 in France, aged 19

Commemorated at Le Touret Memorial, Pas de Calais,

France