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MATHERN
WAR MEMORIAL |
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ALBERT WARLOW RE 26TH AUG 1914 ------------ PTE ROBERT ARNOLD RMLI HMS ABOUKIR 22ND SEPT 1914 |
CAPTAIN CLAUDE W STANTON 1ST MONS REGT 8TH MAY 1915 |
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SAMUEL CLOSS 6TH EAST LANCS REGT 9TH APRIL 1916 --------------- PTE REGINALD DAVIES SWB REGT* 30TH JULY 1916 *SOUTH WALES BORDERERS |
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C LUCKETT 12TH WELSH REGT 9TH OCT 1916 |
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SYDNEY JONES MANCHESTER REGT 9TH OCT 1917 |
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C PRICKETT 12TH MANCHESTER REGT 24TH APRIL 1918 |
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DANIEL GIBSON 8TH WELSH REGT 20TH SEPT 1918 1939-1945 PTE T H SAUNDERS 1ST SUFFOLK REGT 24TH MAY 1940 |
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WALTER GILL 18TH BATT MACHINE GUN CORPS 26TH OCT 1918 |
MATHERN WAR MEMORIAL
TO THE GLORY OF GOD AND IN MEMORY OF THOSE OF MATHERN
PARISH WHO FELL IN THE GREAT WAR 1914-1918
The following information was supplied by John Charters and was previously on the Millers Arms website.
Arnold, Robert
Private 16953, Royal Marine Light Infantry: Chatham Division. Son of Thomas and Eliza Arnold of Rose Cottages, Mathern. Enlisted 20th January 1911 and died 22nd September 1914 aged 21 presumed drowned by sinking of H.M.S. Aboukir in the North Sea by German submarine U-9 when 527 men died. Commemorated on Chatham War Memorial.
Closs, Samuel Percy
Private 18544, "D" Company, 6th Battalion, East Lancashire Regiment. Son of John Maynard Closs (Builder) and Elizabeth Closs, of Mathern. Died 9th April 1916 aged 21 in Mesopotamia. Commemorated on the Basra Memorial, Iraq.
Davies, Reginald
Private Reginald Davis 14308, 5th Battalion, South Wales Borderers. Son of Robert and Emma Davis (Baker & Grocer, Mathern) Died 30th July 1916 aged 20. Commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France.
Gibson, Edgar Daniel
Private 44579, 8th Battalion Welch Regiment. Son of Robert (Quarry Blacksmith) and Eliza Gibson, Rose Cottage, Pwllmeyric. Died 20th September 1918 aged 25 in Mesopotamia and buried in the Baghdad (North Gate) War Cemetery Part I, Iraq.
Gill, Walter
Private 97720, 18th Battalion, Machine Gun Corps. Recorded death 26th October 1918 and buried at St Sever Cemetery Extension, Rouen. France.
Grimmer, Albert E
Private 22270, Norfolk Regiment. Died on 4th June 1916 aged 20. Son of Walter and Georgiana Grimmer, of Elm Cottage, Little Ormesby, Great Ormesby, Norfolk. Commemorated on the Arras Memorial in the Faubourg-d'Amiens Cemetery, Arras, France.
Huggett, Wyndham Henry
Second Lieutenant, 4th Bn. attd. 10th Bn South Wales Borders. Son of John and Elizabeth Huggett of Ifton Hill Farm. Died 24th April 1916 and buried at La Gorgue Communal Cemetery, Nord, France.
Jones, Sydney John
Private 352638, 2nd/9th Battalion, Manchester Regiment. Died 9th October 1917 aged 20. Son of William and Laura Jones, of 94, Brecon Rd, Hirwaun, Aberdare. Commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial, Zonnebeke, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium for the missing in Belgian Flanders.
Luckett, Christopher John
Private 33939, 2nd Battalion, Welsh Regiment. Died 9th October 1916 aged 25. Son of James (Farm Labourer) and Amelia Luckett, of The Row, Mynyddbach. Native of Mathern. Buried at St Sever Cemetery, Rouen, France.
Price, George Phillip
L\CPL G/69573 The Queen’s (Royal West Surrey) Regiment. Died 21st September 1918. Lived in St Pierre and is commemorated at Vis-en-Artois Memorial, France.
Prickett, Christopher Albert Edward
Private 352637, 12th Battalion, Manchester Regiment. Died 25th April 1918 aged 19. Son of Albert and Elizabeth Jane Prickett, of Mathern. Buried at Forceville Communal Cemetery Extension, near Albert, France.
Prickett, Ernest Edmund George
Private 2299, Rifleman, 1st Battalion Monmouthshire Regiment. Son of Sydney James and Annie Prickett of Mounton and 25, The Avenue, Bulwark, Chepstow. Killed in action 8th May 1915 aged 20. Commemorated on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Belgium.
Stanton, Claude Wilfrid
Captain, 1st Battalion (Territorial), Monmouthshire Regiment. Killed in action 8th May 1915 aged 24. Son of Joseph Wilfrid Stanton and Blanche Isabel Stanton, of Mathern House, Mathern. Commemorated on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial Belgium.
Warlow, Albert
Sapper 19902, 56th Field Company, Royal Engineers. Died France and Flanders 25th November 1914 aged 28. Son of John and Mary Warlow, of Manor Farm Crick Chepstow. Buried at Cement House Cemetery, Langemark, Belgium.
John did further research and came up with the following:
TO THE GLORY OF GOD AND IN MEMORY OF THOSE OF MATHERN PARISH WHO FELL IN THE GREAT WAR 1914-1918/1939-1945
Robert Arnold Private CH/16953, Royal Marine Light Infantry: Chatham Division. Born 3 May 1893 to Thomas and Elizabeth Arnold of Rose Cottages, Mathern who had six other children (Bessie, Albert, Christopher, Victor, Evelyn and Cyril). Robert was one 19 Arnolds living in Mathern in 1911, 12 of whom lived at Rose Cottages. He enlisted on 20th January 1911 at the age of 17 (National Archive Record Reference:ADM 159/127/16953) and died on 22nd September 1914 aged 21. He was presumed drowned by sinking of H.M.S. Aboukir which was torpedoed in the North Sea by German submarine U-9. In all 527 men died in the sinking. His body was not recovered and his name is commemorated on Chatham Naval Memorial together with 8,556 others who were killed in WW1. Arnold relatives live in Mathern.
H.M.S. Aboukir. In the space of little over an hour on the morning of 22 September 1914, the Royal Navy suffered probably the worst disaster in its history. Three armoured cruisers were sunk by torpedoes with the loss of over 1,450 lives. The culprit, U-9, a small German submarine with a crew of less than 30, slipped away unharmed. This battle fundamentally changed perceptions of warfare at sea, and set the tone for the very modern maritime conflict to be fought over the next four years.
Early in the morning of 22 September 1914, three old British armoured cruisers, Aboukir, Cressy and Hogue, were patrolling in the southern North Sea. These vessels were supposed to be the first line of protection for the transports ferrying British troops to France; strong enough to resist a minor German attack or forewarn of a major one. The ships themselves were ill suited to this task. Although barely 10 years old, the pace of naval development meant that they were comparatively slow and poorly armed. This, combined with the proximity of their patrol to the German coast, led to them being nicknamed ‘the live bait squadron’. On 18 September 1914 Winston Churchill, the First Lord of the Admiralty, instructed that the ships ‘ought not to continue on this beat. The risks to such ships is not justified by any service they can render’. For reasons of internal Admiralty politics this order was never enacted.
Just two months into the war the event was a bitter blow to the Entente Powers.
In 1954 the British government sold the salvage rights to all three ships to a German company and they were subsequently sold again to a Dutch company which began salvaging the wrecks' metal in 2011.
Samuel Percy Closs Private 18544, 'D' Company, 6th Battalion, East Lancashire Regiment. A domestic gardener and one of five children of John Maynard Closs (Carpenter and Joiner) and Elizabeth Closs, of Mathern. The family lived next door to “The Shop” (Bakery) owned by Robert and Emma Davis. He died on 9th April 1916 aged 21 in Mesopotamia (modern Iraq) fighting Turkish troops. Commemorated on the Basra Memorial, Iraq. In 1919 his mother received a War Gratuity of £7 0s 0d.
Reginald Davis Private 14308, 5th Battalion, South Wales Borderers. One of thirteen children (a baker’s dozen) of Robert and Emma Davis (Baker & Grocer, Mathern) Born at St Arvans in 1895 he worked for his father in the shop and he died on 30th July 1916 aged 20. Commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France. His mother died before 1911 and in 1919 his father as sole beneficiary was sent a War Gratuity of £8.10s.0d. Davis is wrongly inscribed as Davies.
Edgar Daniel Gibson Private 44579, 8th (Service) Battalion (Pioneers), Welsh Regiment. One of eleven children born to Robert (Quarry Blacksmith) and Elizabeth Gibson, Rose Cottage, Pwllmeyric. A farm labourer born in 1893 he died at the age of 25 on 20th September 1918 in pursuit of the Turkish army towards Baghdad which was captured. He is buried in the Baghdad (North Gate) War Cemetery Part I, Iraq. Edgar is also remembered on the gravestone of his parents in St Tewdric’s churchyard. Elizabeth in 1919 was due to receive back pay and a War Gratuity totalling £34 4s 3d. Edgar’s great niece Christine Gibson lives today at Rose Cottage, Pwllmeyric.
In the Commemorative Booklet compiled by John Florida, which is to be found in St Tewdric’s Church, Mathern, Walter Gill is identified as Gill, Walter Private 97720, 18th Battalion, Machine Gun Corps. Died 26th October 1918 and buried at St Sever Cemetery Extension, Rouen. France.
However, Walter Gill Private 97720 was of the 164th Company Machine Gun Corps (Infantry) and died on 10 December 1917 aged 29 (b 1888) and had a widow Florence, of 23 Symon's St., Higher Broughton, Salford, Manchester and he is buried at Tincourt New British Cemetery, Tincourt-Boucly, Departement de la Somme, Picardie, France.
So who is Walter Gill? Of the ninety six soldiers called W Gill who were killed in WW1 none had a death date of 26th October 1918. The closest is Walter Gill 7369 18th Bn. Machine Gun Corps (Infantry) and previously 9/26091 South Wales Borderers who died on 1 November 1918 during the final advance in Picardy just ten days before the Armistice and is buried at St Sever Cemetery. Unfortunately no next of kin is recorded. From his service record Walter Gill 7369 was born in Monmouthshire Newport and enlisted in Chepstow. No date of birth is given.
In the 1911 Census for Mathern there is only one Gill, William Gill, born Caerwent 1893, resident servant,”Cowman on Farm”, Innage Farm, Mathern. The only Walter Gill is a farm labourer in Trelleck who in the 1901 Census is shown to be born Monmouthshire Newport in 1895 to William (Navvy from Devon) and Sarah Gill of Caldicot. In 1891 father William (Farm Labourer) and mother Sarah were living in Caerwent. So I believe there is sufficient evidence to say this is Walter Gill 7369 18th Bn. Machine Gun Corps. Wally Gill may know.
Albert Grimmer is quite a mystery and I cannot find a connection to the Mathern area. He and his parents were born and lived in Norfolk. He enlisted in Norwch.
Albert Edward Grimmer Private 22270, Norfolk Regiment. Born 6th January 1895 in Rollesby, Norfolk and presumed dead on 4th June 1916 aged 20. One of six children of Walter and Georgiana Grimmer, of Elm Cottage, Little Ormesby, Great Ormesby, Norfolk. He has no known grave and is now commemorated on Bay 3 of the Arras Memorial in the Faubourg-d'Amiens Cemetery, Arras, France. He is also remembered on the Ormesby War Memorial with identical information. His mother received a War Gratuity of £3 0s 0d.
In 1911 there were two people living in Mathern who were born in Norfolk. Agnes Porter, single, born about 1860 in Harpley, Norfolk, Lady's Maid to Maria Tipping (then aged 89) mother of Henry Avray Tipping (Journalist and Author – as well as one of the designers of the Memorial) at Mathern Palace and George Stubbs (Gamekeeper) born 1882 in Wicklewood, Norfolk married to Mercy from Southill, Bedfordshire. Harpley and Wicklewood are nowhere near Little Ormsby.
Wyndham Henry Huggett Private promoted on 10th October 1915 to Second Lieutenant, Gloucestershire Yeomanry, Royal Gloucestershire Hussar, Corps of Hussars and 10th Battalion South Wales Borderers. One of seven children of John (Farmer and Hay Merchant) and Elizabeth Huggett of High Beech Farm and then of Ifton Hill Farm. Born 1890 and died 24th April 1916 and buried at La Gorgue Communal Cemetery, Nord, France.
Protocol was to record a person on a single War Memorial only. Wyndham Henry Huggett is also remembered on Newport Cenotaph, Clarence Place and in St Mark’s Church.
In St Mary’s Church, Magor, there is a three light window depicting (centre) a kneeling soldier with Christ behind, leaning forward and holding a crown above his head; (left) St George with shield and drawn sword; (right) St Michael standing over slain dragon. Inscription: Dedicated to God by John & Elizabeth Huggett, to the memory of their son Lieut. Wyndham Henry Huggett, South Wales Borderers, killed in action in France, in 1916.
Sydney John Jones Private 352638, 2nd/9th Battalion, Manchester Regiment. Born in Wiveliscombe, Somerset and died 9th October 1917 aged 20. Son of William and Laura Jones, of 94, Brecon Rd, Hirwaun, Aberdare. Commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial, Zonnebeke, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium for the missing in Belgian Flanders. He is on the Memorial as his parents William and Laura Jones lived at Moynes Court, Mathern where William was a gardener.
Christopher John Luckett Private 33939, 2nd Battalion, Welsh Regiment which was attached to 3 Brigade, 1st Division. He joined the battalion just prior to the Somme Offensive in July 1916 and died on 9th October 1916 aged 25 near Rouen. Son of James (Farm Labourer) and Amelia Luckett, of The Row, Mynyddbach, Shirenewton. In 1911 the family lived in Runstone Cottages, Mathern. Buried at St Sever Cemetery, Rouen, France. He probably worked at Llanelli prior to the war as he enlisted there.
George Phillip Price Private G/69573 1st Bn The Queen’s (Royal West Surrey) Regiment formally 54889, Manchester Regt. Born at St Pierre in 1896 and died on 21st September 1918 just 20 days before the Armistice. Son of John (Cattleman on Farm) and Annie Price of Parkwall Cottage, St Pierre, General Farm Labourer at Ifton Hill Farm and is commemorated at Vis-en-Artois Memorial, France as a Private and not a Lance Corporal.
Christopher Albert Edward Prickett Private 352637, 12th Battalion, Manchester Regiment. Born in St Arvans and died 25th April 1918 aged 19. Son of Albert (born in Mathern) and Elizabeth Jane Prickett, of Rhewe Cottage, Shirenewton. Buried at Forceville Communal Cemetery Extension, near Albert, France. Christopher was Ernest Edwin George Prickett’s paternal first cousin.
Ernest Edwin George Prickett Private 2299, Rifleman, 1st Battalion Monmouthshire Regiment. Son of Sydney James (Bricklayer’s Labourer) and Annie Prickett of Mounton Cottage and 25, The Avenue, Bulwark, Chepstow. Killed in action 8th May 1915 aged 20. Commemorated on Panel 50, Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium. He was known as Edwin. His father received a War Gratuity of £3 0s 0d. Edwin was paternal first cousin to Christopher Albert Edward Prickett.
Claude Wilfrid Stanton Captain, 1st Battalion (Territorial), Monmouthshire Regiment. Killed in action and last seen being carried away in a German ambulance on 8th May 1915 aged 24. Son of Joseph Wilfrid Stanton (Solicitor) and Blanche Isabel Stanton, of Mathern House, Mathern. Commemorated on Panel 50, Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium.
Protocol was to record a person on a single War Memorial only. Claude Wilfrid Stanton is also remembered on Chepstow War Memorial.
Albert Warlow Sapper 19902, 56th Field Company, Royal Engineers. Born in 1886 at Talbenny, Pembrokeshire and died in the Second Battle of Ypres on 25th November 1914 aged 28. One of ten children of John and Mary Warlow, of Manor Farm, Crick. Buried at Cement House Cemetery, Langemark, Belgium near Ypres.
World War 1939 -1945
Arthur Malcolm Frederick Cook Sergeant 1067230, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve 23 Squadron. Died over Europe on 9th September 1942 aged 22. Son of Jonathan and Victoria Cook, of Usk, Monmouthshire. Commemorated on Runnymede Memorial, Surrey. Flying de Havilland DH.98 Mosquito NF Mk II DD684 from RAF Bradwell Bay, Essex to Eindhoven, south west Netherlands, went missing over the North Sea. The crew were Sgt (1067230) Arthur Malcolm Frederick COOK (pilot) RAFVR - killed and Sgt (R/93090) Gordon Robinson WRIGHT (observer) RCAF – killed. Relationship with Mathern is not known.
Thomas Henry Saunders Private 5932106, Suffolk Regiment 1st Bn. Born in 1910 he died in the Calais/Dunkirk area on 24th May 1940 during the evacuation of Calais. Son of George and Edith Saunders; husband of Nancy Ellen Saunders, of Hereford. Buried in Cretinier Cemetery, Wattrelos, Nord, France. The Dunkirk evacuation of Allied soldiers from the beaches and harbour of Dunkirk started on 26th May 1940. Relationship with Mathern is not known.
William Victor Watkins Gunner 1721607, 608 Battery 183rd Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery. Died in Folkestone, Kent on 15th September 1944 aged 35. Son of Herbert and Maud Watkins. Married to Florence Emily King in October 1935 in the Chepstow registration area. Buried in the churchyard of Saint Andoenus Church, Mounton.
When first recorded by the Imperial War Museums the following names were originally on the memorial
Arnold, Robert
Closs, Samuel
Davies, Reginald
Gibson, Daniel
Gill, Walter
Jones, Sydney
Luckett, C
Prickett, C
Saunders, H
Stanton, Claude W
Warlow, Albert
The following were apparently added at later dates
Grimmer, Albert E
Huggett, Wyndham H
Jones, Sydney
Price, George P
Prickett, Ernest E G