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The Oswestry Pals

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Contents
4. The Oswestry Pals
6. Recruitment in Oswestry
8. Who were The Oswestry Pals
10. Leaving Oswestry
12.Training
14. Arriving in France
20. The End of the Pals
22. Fallen Oswestry Pals
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The Oswestry Pals
At the outbreak of the First World War against Germany on 4 August 1914, Lord Kitchener, the
Secretary of War knew that despite the popular belief that ‘it would all be over by Christmas’, the
War would be a much more protracted affair. He knew that the current Regular Army and the
Territorial Forces, even with the complement of reservists, would not be enough troops to win the
War. Kitchener’s strategy was that his existing forces would hold the Germans whilst new armies
could be raised to win the final victory. But how were these new armies to be raised?
They considered two options: The first was conscription or compulsory enlistment. This was very
unpopular. Britain had never had conscription before and the army had always been volunteer
professional soldiers. The second option was to call for volunteers by appealing to their patriotism
and duty.
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At the beginning of August, Lord Kitchener and General French (Chief of Staff) had discussed the
possibility that the volunteer army could be recruited from men who knew each other. It was
thought that this would encourage enlistment. The men would have common bonds forged from
coming from the same area rather than being strangers. At first the names ‘Comrades’ or’ Friends’
were being considered until Lord Derby suggested the term ‘Pals’. This was soon adopted and
quickly became fixed in the public consciousness.
On 24 August, Derby and Kitchener decided to try and recruit Pals in Liverpool first, drawing
from the men working in the offices, shops and businesses. Three days later, Kitchener placed
a recruitment advertisement in The Liverpool Echo. The next evening, thousands of men keen
to enlist, arrived at the Drill Hall on St Anne’s Street. Lord Derby gave a speech praising their
patriotism and encouraged others to join up to form the ‘Pals Battalions’, where men from the same
community, workplace and friends could enlist and serve together. Over the next few days men
from all over the city answered the call and, by 1 September, four battalions had been raised: the
17, 18, 19 and 20 City Battalions King’s Liverpool Regiment, ‘The Liverpool Pals’.
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Recruitment in Oswestry
Within days of the recruitment event in Liverpool the example was followed with equal excitement
all over the country. Oswestry was no exception. Being a small market town, the raising of a
battalion was seen as too much, so Col A Doyle suggested raising a company or contingent of
Oswestrians instead. The target was 150 men in the first contingency and 250 in a second. In the
first week of September an advertisement appeared in the Border Counties Advertiser with the
headline ‘OSWESTRY “PAL” RECRUITS WANTED. A public meeting was to be held on The Cross in
Oswestry on 3 September at 8pm. The advert continued - ‘The meeting is to encourage all young
men such as Bank Clerks, Shop Assistants etc to form an Oswestry Pal Company’. The meeting would be
addressed by Major General Montgomery.
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Hundreds of people turned up. These were men keen to enlist and members of the public who
had come to offer their support. It was a great patriotic success and more recruitment drives
followed. The next day the Town Mayor presided over a meeting in the Victoria rooms in Oswestry
to ‘promote Recruiting in the Army in the present National Crisis’. The following week, another
recruitment event was planned with the target of raising another 100 ‘Pals’ by the weekend.
Advertisements appeared in the newspapers asking for volunteers for the Montgomeryshire
Yeomanry, Royal Welch Fusiliers, King’s Shropshire Light Infantry, even the Public Schools and
University battalion as well as other regiments.
The same week a large crowd met at a recruitment drive at the Music Hall in Shrewsbury, where
there was great applause at the news that Oswestry had already recruited 162 Pals.
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Who were the Oswestry Pals?
A ‘Pal’ was any man who volunteered from late August 1914 and
served in a new service battalion. Just about every industry or
occupation in the town was represented in the Oswestry Pals.
There were bank workers, solicitors and law clerks, shop workers,
men working on the railway, many building labourers, agricultural
workers and metal workers.
They also came from all social classes. The majority were working
class men but there were many from the middle class and, usually,
the officers from upper classes. Their ages also show a wide
selection, ranging from 18 year olds to men in their early forties.
Not all of the men were Oswestrians. There were men from the
surrounding villages in England and Wales and some that had
recently moved to the town, likely for work.
Most of the Oswestry Pals enlisted to the 6 Battalion King’s
Shropshire Light Infantry (KSLI). As one battalion reached its full
capacity another was established. Later Oswestry recruits joined
the 7 Battalion KSLI.
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May you Oswestry men follow their
noble example. I am quite sure you will.
And may you return at the end of the
war covered in honour and glory. I bid
you farewell .
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Leaving Oswestry
On the morning of 7 September 1914, 162 recruits gathered in
Cae Glas Park. They were joined by wives and girlfriends, friends
and relations, as well as people from the town who had turned
out in force. The men were dressed in their ‘civvy’ clothes as
uniforms had not yet been issued. To pass the time they sang
songs, a favourite being ‘It’s a Long Way to Tipperary’. At midday
Colour Sergeant Evans called the men to order and they formed
up in ranks. The Town Mayor, Charles Williams, accompanied
by Lord and Lady Harlech and Mrs Montgomery, standing in
for her husband Major General Montgomery, as well as a party
of councillors and dignitaries, stepped to the front. Speeches
followed.
The Mayor spoke first and said how no other town could raise so
fine a set of men. He went on to say how “several of you I have
known all your lives, amongst you men from all classes not only
working men but some of you out of the banks”. He added that they
were fighting for King and Country – the very existence of which
was at stake and spoke of how he, the Town and the Kingdom
were so proud of the men. He said that Oswestry would keenly
follow their exploits and everybody who is left behind would be
thinking of them. He bid them God’s speed and hoped for their
safe return.
discipline was the machinery of the army and if that is observed
they would get on ‘first rate and carry out your duty as we wish
you to’. He spoke of how the British Army was so admired and
ended by saying ‘May you Oswestry men follow their noble example.
I am quite sure you will. And may you return at the end of the war
covered in honour and glory. I bid you farewell’.
The speeches over, the men marched though the town to catch
the 13.20 train to Shrewsbury. The Town Band lead the way
through the streets lined with crowds cheering and flag waving.
At the station the men quickly boarded the train. The crowd kept
up the excitement but for some tears were shed as they said their
goodbyes. The train was adorned in Union Jacks and as the train
pulled away detonators were left off, heard above the music of
the band. The men waved from the carriage windows until the
train was out of sight. Along the route, well wishers waved to them
from the trackside.
Almost all of the men from this first group would go into 6
Battalion Kings Shropshire Light Infantry. The next week, on 14
September, a second contingency would leave. Most of these
men would be posted to 7 Battalion KSLI. They too had a civic
send off but under less grander circumstances.
Lord Harlech then spoke, focussing on their military duty; asking
that they are ‘implicitly obedient to those over you’; that strict
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Training
The great influx of men recruited to the ‘Pals’ battalions took the
army authorities by surprise. There was a chronic shortage of
uniforms and equipment and the men paraded in civilian clothes.
Some had old service tunics but most dressed in what they had:
sweaters and jumpers in a variety of colours, and especially hats
such as bowlers, flat caps, straw hats and boaters. In November
they were issued with emergency ‘blue’ uniforms but full dress
khaki would not arrive until nearer Christmas. It was the same with
equipment, especially rifles. They had to use wooden stakes and
poles as drill rifles. The rifles they did have were old and often out
of service and those which could be used for musketry training
had to be shared.
As the men were training in their camps and barracks, back home
in Oswestry people followed their stories in the Border Counties
Advertiser. In a letter, Private 12360 Samuel Gowrie Dalrymple
Campbell, wrote of his time in the camp, ‘we have plenty of
blankets. Bread is the main food, and we had margarine for tea
yesterday, which was a great treat. We get brawn for breakfast
and four loaves have to last sixteen of us a day”. He also wrote
of watching aircraft from the nearby Royal Flying Corps base at
Farnborough. He said they were ‘looping the loop …..it is very
pretty to watch them against the setting sun’. Each day they
trained, ‘we skirmish every morning from 11 - 1 o’clock, and it is
awful charging the hills’. He finishes by listing the other men in
his tent: ‘Owen Williams (the librarian), Corp. Cecil Huxley, L/
Corp Woolledge, L/Corp Beaton (from Phillip’s), Tudor Roberts,
Bert Kenyon, Ernie Evans (Mr Gaius Evan’s son), Hughes (North
and South Wales Bank), Charlie Hughes, Gwilym Roberts, TP
Price, Corp. Beck (Barrs Bank), Billie Edwards and Sabbin (United
Counties Bank)’.
In a letter home Corporal Charles Hughes wrote that they have
been on brigade manoeuvres to attack a hill. He said, ‘we…
advanced by companies with five paces interval between each
man. It looked fine. You can imagine what it was like, 500 khaki
clad soldiers in extended order dotted all over the common’. The
next day there was a surprise visit and inspection by the King,
where the men were paraded in their smartest order. Charles only
caught a glimpse as the King passed by a 100 yards away, ‘we saw
nothing more and were informed the parade was over’.
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we have plenty of blankets. Bread is the
main food, and we had margarine for tea
yesterday, which was a great treat .
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Arriving in France
The 6 Battalion KSLI went over to France on 22 July 1915. The
battalion took part in all the major offensives on the Western
Front throughout the War. They first went into the line south of
Armentieres, near Fleurbaix, with headquarters at Rouges Boues.
They would end the War at Feignies, France. Here are some of the
events and battles from the 6 battalion KSLI War diary:
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Battle of Loos, 25 September 1915
This would be the first time that Pals battalions would go into
action. They proved to be more reliable than the High Command
had estimated. The 6 Bn KSLI were part of a Diversionary action at
Laventie. After early successes the Offensive ultimately failed and
by mid October the front had returned to stalemate.
In billets at Poperinghe, 27 February 1916
When they were not on the front line the troops lived in ‘billets’.
In Poperinghe, billets took the form of a tented or a hutted camp,
or dug outs, located to the rear of the line. About one week in four
was in billets. Aside from working parties, parades, cleaning and
training, it was an opportunity to relax, although the men were still
in danger of long range shelling and air raids.
It was in billets at Poperinghe that Private 15749 William H Lewis
wrote a last letter home: ‘We have lost a lot of lads that came
out with me. I haven’t seen Gardener for 2 weeks. Tell George
Thompson I saw his son Jack. He is alright and looks well. I should
like to find Percy Phillips’ grave. He was buried where we now
are but there are so many all over the place and those that have
money and come out here after the war will see some sights’.....
they say the Germans are bringing up bigger guns on our front.
I wish it was all over. It is awful. We have had a lot of snow here,
it has been snowing all the week and it must be very bad in the
trenches’.
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Ypres Salient, Willow Walk trench, Turco Farm, 6 April 1916
Life in the front line trenches as a sniper was particularly
dangerous. As the war went on tactics and practices were
developed and snipers became very proficient and more
specialised. On both sides, sniping resulted in a heavy number
of casualties. In the 6 Bn KSLI the Sniper Section was under the
command of Lieutenant Richard AM Lutener. Lutener trained
and organised his men to such a high standard that the Corps
Commander, Lord Cavan, ordered that his methods should be
used by other corps units.
On 6 April the 6 Bn KSLI was in the front line at Willow Walk near
to Turco Farm in the Ypres Salient. Just after 1.00pm a German
sniper began firing at them. Over the next half hour three men
were shot. Lutener and his men were trying to spot where the
sniper was located. They were using a metal plate set into the
parapet. It had a spy hole with a shutter that allowed them to look
out over enemy positions. The man at the spy hole was unable to
spot the enemy so Lutener took his place. As he lifted the shutter
the sniper fired. The bullet passed through the spy hole and hit him
in the head. He died soon after without regaining consciousness.
Sergeant 12076 JA Wilshaw rushed to Lutener’s aid but was also
fatally shot in the neck by the same sniper. They were buried next
to each other in Essex Farm cemetery. The next day two more
Oswestry Pals, Private 12247 John Evan Lloyd and Private 11882
William Watkins would fall, both victims of sniper fire.
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Lieutenant Richard AM Lutener (photo: Keble College, Oxford)

A Raid on the Enemy Lines 29 June 1916
Raids, or ‘stunts’, against the enemy line were part of life in the
trenches. The raids were usually relatively small scale events. Their
aim was primarily to gather intelligence but also to take prisoners
and keep the enemy on its guard. Towards the end of June 1916 a
series of raids, all along the Western Front were planned. These
were intended to divert enemy attention and troops away from
the Somme area.
The 6 Bn KSLI were to attack a small salient in the enemy line
at Railway Wood near Ypres. The attack would be covered by an
artillery bombardment. They had also hoped to use gas but the
wind was not suitable and it could not be released.
The raid was set for the night of 29/30 June. At 11.45pm the men
got into position. Under cover of the artillery bombardment they
began to cross no man’s land, towards the enemy trenches. They
advanced as close to the enemy barrage as they could and took
cover. As soon as the barrage lifted the 6 Bn KSLI rushed the
enemy trenches, wreaking havoc with bombs and bayonets. The
Germans were caught off guard and were still in their dug-outs.
Many of the enemy were killed and 70 prisoners were captured.
After about 25 minutes the signal was given for the men to retire
and they returned to their front line. Three men lost their lives and
12 others were wounded.
The Oswestry Pals and the battle of the Somme – 1 July
1916
On the first day of the Somme Offensive the British suffered
heavy casualties. About 60,000 men were killed or wounded. The
vast majority of these were in ‘Pals’ battalions. The offensive was
the first time the ‘Pals’ would be deployed en masse.
The Oswestry Pals were spared the tragedy of the first day and
did not arrive on the Somme until 28 July. By now the aim of the
offensive was to capture fortified woods: Mametz Wood, Trones
Wood, Delville Wood, High Wood and villages, situated on the
tops of low ridges, such as Longueval, Guillemont, Les Boeufs
and Transloy. The Oswestry Pals first went into the line in front of
Serre. This had been where Pals battalions raised in Altrincham,
Barnsley, Bradford Hull, Leeds and Sheffield had attacked on 1
July with terrible casualties. When the Oswestry Pals arrived many
bodies were still on the battlefield. They found the trenches ‘waist
deep with our dead, the stench was appalling’. They spent much
of their time collecting and burying the dead. They were also
employed on working parties, salvaging equipment and repairing
trenches. The fighting was mainly to the south of the Somme
sector so at Serre, the northerly limit of the sector, the time was
relatively quiet with only the occasional artillery exchange.
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Working and Carrying Parties at Guillemont, Somme
Offensive, 3-5 September 1916.
Guillemont was a heavily fortified village that the Germans were
determined to hold onto during the Somme Offensive. After a
number of failed attempts the village would finally be captured
between 3-6 September. The 6 Bn KSLI was operating in support
and reserve to the main assault.
On the night 3 September the 6 Bn KSLI left Carnoy and moved
up to Bernafay Wood. At 2.00am, they went via Trones Wood
forward to Guillemont. They were operating as carrying and
working parties, taking ammunition, food and water up to the
front line. The working parties, made up of two companies, were
to wire a section of line near to Delville Wood but by the time
they got there it was dawn and little work could be achieved.
One company took shelter at the northern end of Guillemont,
where they reinforced a gap in the line, and the other company
retired back to Trones Wood. The two carrying companies reached
Guillemont with their loads but no guides turned up and they were
unable to find the troops that they were supplying. They took
shelter in old trenches and craters at the north western side of
the village. The men spent the day under cover from the frequent
shelling. That night they managed to dig and wire a short section
of trench but in the darkness, with few tools it was difficult work.
They too retired back to Trones Wood. In total, 11 men were killed,
30 were wounded and one man, Lieutenant JF Shaw, was missing.
Battle of Third Ypres, 21 July to November 1917
Also called Passchendaele, this was a major offensive to break out
of the infamous Ypres Salient.
Torrential rain meant that the troops found themselves fighting
not only the Germans but a quagmire of stinking mud that
drowned some men and horses. Ypres was suffering from the
heaviest rainfall for 30 years. The offensive took place in lowlying
land that was home to thick clay soil. Draining systems had
been destroyed by shelling and shelters turned into swamps. The
offensive saw some of the most horrific trench warfare of the First
World War.
The ‘Pals’ were involved in two actions, Battle of Langemarck, 16-
18 August and Battle of Menin Road, 20-25 September. For both
battles the battalion was engaged in the working and carrying
parties.
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The End of the Pals
As a recruitment strategy and as a popular image, the ‘Pals’ worked
well. As fighting units too they would prove to be effective. They
were a phenomena of the early weeks of the war. But by late 1914
the stock of volunteers was running out. In early 1915, conscription
would be introduced and men would be assigned to units as
necessary, with very little option as to which battalion or regiment
they could serve in. As far as recruitment was concerned the ‘Pals’
had run their course.
Almost from day one of arriving in France the idea and structure
of the pals battalions changed as casualties occurred and
replacements arrived. The Pals battalions became more and more
diluted. More than any other time, it was on the first day of the
Somme Offensive, 1 July 1916, that can be seen as the beginning
of the end of the ‘Pals’. On that day it was the Pals battalions
which took the full weight of the 60,000 casualties. From then
on fewer and fewer of the original volunteers were remaining and
the replacements were more likely to be conscripts. They would
be strangers, perhaps not even from the same home town. By the
end of the war the idea of the ‘Pals’ perhaps only remained in the
minds of the survivors.
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The 6 Battalion KSLI had casualties of around 600 men during
the war. The first men to be demobilised returned to the UK early
in 1919. The remaining 6 Battalion had returned by March. Most
were ‘Discharged, Class Z’, to be held in the army reserve in case
hostilities reignited. The reserve was later abolished in 1920. They
returned to their civilian life and likely the same job. Others had
been discharged under King’s Regulation 392 as being unfit for war
service, meaning they had been wounded and disabled.
The most significant and tragic consequence of the Pals was a
product of its success. The men enlisted together, served together
and were killed together. The loss of men was not only felt in the
units on the front line. Back home, all across the country, it was
common that in many businesses, neighbourhoods or families
the men had been wiped out, sometimes in a single day. It was
community spirit that brought the Pals together yet the success of
their camaraderie left communities struggling with heavy losses.
The ‘Pals’ that returned home still maintained their bond and over
the years many reunions were held in Oswestry and elsewhere
in Shropshire. They paraded on Remembrance Day and were
stalwarts in the local British Legion.
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YE HAVE NOT
DIED IN VAIN
The Cae Glas Park Memorial Gates in Oswestry lists the fallen men from the town,
who served in WW1. Of those listed, the following men are believed to have
enlisted as a ‘Pal’:
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Sergeant 12258 Stanley Williams
Born June 1890 in Oswestry, where he
worked as an upholsterer. Died of wounds
on 13th August 1915, aged 25 and is buried
at Merville Community Cemetery. Believed
to be the first casualty of the 6 Bn KSLI.
Lance Corporal 12295 James W Jones
Born in 1888 in Oswestry, where he
worked as a cabinet maker. Killed in action
on 25th September 1915, aged 29 and
is buried at Royal Irish Rifles Graveyard,
Laventie.
Private 11804 A Leslie Pritchard
Born in 1895 in Oswestry, where he worked
as an assistant in his father’s business.
Killed in action on 12th October 1915, aged
20 and is buried at Rue du Bacquerot No 1
Military Cemetery, Laventie.
Sergeant 12282 Edward Gilbank MM
Born at Ripley, Surrey. Nothing is known
about how he came to Oswestry, his name
is on Weston Rhyn War Memorial. He died
of wounds on 4 September 1916 and is
buried at St Sever Cemetery Rouen.
Private 12268 William E Lewis
Born in 1899 in Oswestry and worked as a
coach body maker for Oswestry Railway.
Died of wounds on 31st December 1915,
aged 21 and is buried Estaires Communal
Cemetery & Extension
Lieutenant Richard AM Lutener
Born in 1896 in Altrincham and was
studying at Keble College, Oxford at the
outbreak of the War. Killed in action on 6th
April 1916, aged 20 and is buried at Essex
Farm Cemetery, Belgium.
Private 12238 Thomas J Evans
Born in 1897 in Oswestry where he worked
as a shop assistant. Killed in action on
1st July 1916, aged 19 and is buried at
Vlamertinghe Military Cemetery
Private 12262 John S Thompson
Born in 1894 in Oswestry where he worked
as an upholsterer. Killed in action on 3rd
August 1916, aged 22 and is buried at
Sucrerie Military Cemetery.
Sergeant 12267 Thomas H Barclay
Born in 1892 in Oswestry, where he worked as
a shop keepers assistant. Killed in action on 6th
October 1916, aged 24 and is commemorated
on Thiepval Memorial. His grave is unknown,
Lance Corporal 12317 George E Farmer
Born in 1890 in Oswestry, where he had
an apprenticeship as a cabinet maker. Died
of wounds on 8th October 1916, aged 26
and is buried at Grove Town Cemetery,
Meaulte.
Private 40016 Godfrey Reynolds
Born in 1896 in Oswestry and worked as a
Drapers apprentice. Killed in action on 21st
March 1916, aged 21 and is commemorated
on the Pozieres Memorial. His grave is
unknown.
Private 12286 Thomas Langford Roberts
Born in 1893 at Whittington. He was the
son of Rev. Edward Garmon Roberts,
congregational minister in Gobowen.
Thomas worked as a pharmacist. He was
killed 9 October by GSW to head and
is buried in Rue du Bacquerot Military
Cemetery.
Private 17566 John Robinson
Born in 1893 in Oswestry. He lived on
the Racecourse and worked as a farm
cattleman. He died of wounds on 28
May 1916 and in buried in Ypres Reservoir
Cemetery.
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Second Lieutenant Charles A Davies
Born in 1884 in Oswestry, where he
worked as a clerk for Cambrian Railways.
Killed in action on 22nd September 1918,
aged 33 and is commemorated on the
Doiran Memorial. His grave is unknown.
Private 12352 Harry H (Heritage) Owen
Born in 1883 in Oswestry, where he
worked as a Blacksmith and engine fitter
for Cambrian Railways. He was diagnosed
with influenza and bronchitis brought on
by the conditions in the trenches and was
transferred home in April 1916. His condition
worsened and he died 10th April 1917, aged
33. He is buried at Oswestry Cemetery.
Private 12329 Harry Beaton
Born in Oswestry in 1893, where he
worked as a shop assistant. Killed in action
on 17th September 1916, aged 23 and is
commemorated in Thiepval Memorial. His
grave is unknown.
Sergeant 12269 Alfred R Smith
Born in February 1895 in Bakewell and
worked as an apprentice coach painter
with Cambrian Railways after moving to
Oswestry. Killed in action on 23rd March
1918, aged 23 and is buried at Ham British
Cemetery, Muille Villette
Private 12273 Frank E Jordan
Born in 1895 in Shifnal and worked for
Great Western Railways after moving
to Oswestry. Killed in action on 24th
September 1918, aged 23 and is buried at
Chapelle British Cemetery, Holnon.
Private 12369 Alfred Evans
Born on 1881 in Oswestry, where he
worked as a fellmonger. Killed in action
on 12th October 1916, aged 35 and is
commemorated on Thiepval Memorial. His
grave is unknown.
(Acting) Lance Sergeant 12280
Alfred E Roberts
Born in 1890 in Rochdale and worked
as a roofer after moving to Oswestry.
He survived the fighting but had been
wounded, spending time in hospital in
France suffering from septic poisoning.
He was later evacuated to England after
becoming ill, but died on 29th December
1918 of pneumonia, aged 28. He is buried
in Oswestry Cemetery.
Private 15749 William H Lewis
Born in 1878 in Oswestry and worked as an
engine fireman and stoker for the Railway. Killed
in action on 10th March 1916, age 38 and is
buried in Menin Road South Military Cemetery.
Private 11882 William Watkins
Born in Pant in 1889 and worked as a
Porter. Killed in action on 7th April 1916,
aged 26 and is buried at Essex Farm
Cemetery, Belgium
Private 12339, John T (Thomas) Jones
Born in 1886 in Oswestry and worked as
a roofer. Kiled in action on 10th July 1916,
aged 29 and is buried at Vlamertinghe
Military Cemetery
Private 12306 Andrew Price
Born in 1880 at Ifton Heath, St Martins
and worked at Brynkinalt colliery. Died of
wounds on 14th July 1916, aged 36 and is
buried at Poperinghe New Cemetery
Private 33082 Frank Jones
Born in 1884 in Oswestry, where he
worked as a Warehouse man for Cambrian
Railways at the outbreak of war. Died of
wounds on 12th August 1917, aged 33
and is buried at Canada Farm Cemetery,
Belgium.
Private 12251 Richard Rogers
Born in 1895 at Llansilin and worked as a
cattleman. He was killed on 14 May 1918
and is buried at Sucrerie Cemetery, Albain
St Nazaire. France.
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Private 12260 William Jones
Born in 1890 in Oswestry. He worked as a
gardener at Chirk Castle and Chirk Vicarage
and also as a porter for Cambrian Railways.
Killed in action on 30th August 1916 and is
commemorated on Thiepval Memorial. His
grave is unknown.
Private 33126 Samuel Overton:
Born in September 1885 in Rushall. He
later moved to Oswestry and worked as a
delivery carter and later, at the outbreak of
war, for the Castle Hotel. Died of wounds
on 3rd September 1917, aged 32 and is
buried at Dozinghem Military Cemetery,
Belgium.
Private 15348 Robert T Jones
Born in Whittington in 1892 and worked
as a porter for Cambrian Railways. Killed in
action on 17th September 1916, aged 20
and is buried at Serre Road Cemetery No.
2, France.
Corporal 15748 Robert E (Edward) Jones
Born in 1890 in Selattyn and worked as a
labourer, then later for a mineral water and
drinks merchant. He was killed in action
on 20th September 1917, aged 27 and is
commemorated on Tyne Cot Memorial.
His grave is unknown.
Private 21425 William Husbands
Born January 1884 in Myddle and worked
as a labourer for London and North
Western Railways. He was killed in action
on 29th November 1917, aged 33 and is
buried at Favreuil British Cemetery, France.
Private 26599 John R Bebb
Born in 1893 in Oswesty and worked
as a grocer’s porter, wheeling a wheel
barrow with vegetable deliveries. Killed
in action on 1st April 1918, aged 25 and is
commemorated on Pozieres Memorial. His
grave is unknown.
Private 19732 Richard L (Lloyd) Roberts
Born in 1894 in Llanellechid and worked as
a bank clerk after moving to Oswesty. He
died in captivity of illness (likely thypus) on
9th June 1918 as a prisoner of War and is
buried at Hautmont Communal Cemetery.
Private 7078 William A (Alfred) Collins
Born in Oswesty in 1886 and worked as a
labourer for Cambrian Railways. Died of
wounds on 13th June 1918, aged 32 and is
buried at Aubigny Communal Cemetery
Extension, France.
Private 12301 Boaz Griffiths
Born in 1893 in Weston Rhyn and worked
alongside his brothers as a coal miner
in Chirk Green. He was wounded in
action and became infected with Septic
Meningitis. He died on 2nd August 1918,
aged 24 and is buried at St. Pol British
Cemetery, France.
Private 15347 Geoffrey Davies
Born in Oswestry in 1896 and worked
with the reporting staff at Oswestry and
Border Counties Advertiser. Killed in action
on 29th September 1918, aged 22 and is
buried at Unicorn Cemetery, Vendhule
Second Lieutenant James R Whittaker
Believed to have been born in Yorkshire in
1890 and worked as an auctioneer’s clerk
after moving to Oswestry. Killed in action
on 29th August 1916, aged 26 and is buried
at Delville Wood Cemetery, Longueval.
Second Lieutenant Charles H Hughes
Born in 1897 in Coed y Go, Oswestry and
worked as an engineering apprentice for
Cambrian Railways. Killed in action on
30th August 1918, aged 21 and is buried at
Morval British Cemetery, France.
| The Oswestry Pals 25

To find out more about these men and others listed on Cae Glas Park Memorial Gates visit
www.menonthegates.org.uk.

| The Oswestry Pals 27

www.menonthegates.org.uk
Qube (Oswestry Community Action)
Oswald Road
Oswestry
Shropshire
SY11 1RB
Charity No: 1063319 | Company Reg. No: 3390138