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WORLD WAR ONE

The Men Who Died

WORLD WAR ONE

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College, Cambridge in 1874. Richard was a Welsh International Rugby Union forward who played club rugby for Brecon and Newport. He also played rugby for both Oxford and Cambridge, although not winning a

sporting blue with either. Williams is notable for playing in the very first Wales Rugby Union match (1881).

He rejoined the army shortly after the outbreak of the war, initially with his original regiment, then posted to the 12th (Service) Battalion of the Royal Fusiliers as a major in September 1914. Promoted to temporary lieutenant colonel in October he was transferred back to the South Wales Borderers to command the Brecknockshire Battalion. Richard was later posted back to the 12th Royal Fusiliers and was killed in September 1915 whilst leading his Battalion at the Battle of Loos.

Regimental Sergeant Major George Halford

South Wales Borderers, 4th Battalion, service no. 13852

Died of wounds 12th August 1915, aged 43

Buried Chatby War Memorial Military Cemetery,

Alexandria, Egypt.

In 1851 George’s father James aged 10 was in Hackney Workhouse and it seems likely he would have joined the army as soon as he was old enough to leave the workhouse.

In 1891 the family had moved to Hereford. There are two more children but George and his elder brother James and elder sister Mary Anne are no longer living with their parents. James enlisted in the South Wales Borderers in 1886.

George Halford was born Albert George Halford in Monaghan, Ireland in 1871 to James and Susan Halford.

By 1881 his family had moved to 7, Water Lane, Rhayader. His father is listed as an army pensioner, born in Middlesex, and his wife Susan was born in Lancashire. George is nine years old with six siblings.