Bagillt Memorial

Chief Engineer – W.J.Atkinson, Gadlys, Bagillt

Local Newspaper (1918)

ENGINEER KILLED ON A MERSEY STEAMER
Mr A. G. Inglis, the Liverpool City Coroner, last week conducted an inquiry into the circumstances of the death of William Gladstone Atkinson (49), a marine engineer, who resided at Gadlys House, Bagillt. On Sunday, Atkinson, who was chief engineer on a steamer sailing in the vicinity of the Bar of the Mersey, was lying in his bunk immediately beneath the deck. A man on the deck was carrying a loaded rifle which accidentally went off. The bullet pierced the deck, and lodged in the stomach of Atkinson as he lay in his bunk. Death ensued before he could be landed at the Stage. The evidence showed that the gun was shot accidentally. The man who held it said that he thought the trigger must have been caught on a button of his clothing. At the time he had the butt of the rifle under his arm for the purpose of unloading the weapon.

All the witnesses testified that the matter was a pure accident.

The jury found death was due to accident.

Deceased’s widow and children reside at the address stated at the Gadlys; and the deceased was much respected by all who had the pleasure of his acquaintance, and sympathy was expressed with the bereaved.

Private – Herbert Bevan, 3 Foulkes Terrace, Bagillt

Born – Bagillt

Enlisted – Bagillt

Killed in action – 02/03/16

Theatre of War – France & Flanders

Number – 15715

(10^th Battalion Royal Welsh Fusiliers)

Son of Thomas Bevan of 3 Foulkes Terrace, Station Road, Bagillt

Age 21

Remembered at The Menin Gate, Ypres, Belgium.

During the War there was no gate on this site, just two carved lions one on either side of the road. The Gate was designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield and was inaugurated by Field Marshal Plumer.

Panel 22

His body was probably never recovered from the battlefield, the memorial stands as a tribute to the 54,896 soldiers that have no known grave and died between 1914 and August 1915, and 1917. The local fire service play the Last Post every evening to this day as a mark of respect, this has been a tradition since November 11^th 1929 except for a break during German occupation in WWII

(10^TH Service Battalion)

Formed at Wrexham 18.9.14 Kitcheners third raised to 67^th Brigade. 25^th Division. At Codford St. Mary, Salisbury Plain. November 1914 to billets at Bournemouth. 29.4.15 to Romsey. 3.5.15 to Barrosa Barracks, Aldershot. 27.9.15 landed at Boulogne. 15.10.15 76^th Brigade. To 3^rd Division 8.2.18 disbanded.

Local Newspaper (1916)

Private W. Tattum of Dolwar, near the Railway Station, and is a member of the 10^th Battalion Royal Welsh Fusiliers in France, forwarded a postcard, dated last Thursday, to his mother, stating he was very sorry to inform her that Herbert Bevan was killed the other day. He is a cousin of Private Herbert Bevan, who is the son of Mr Thomas Bevan, of Foulkes Terrace, near the Railway Station and who is at present employed at a neighbouring Munition Works. The deceased was unmarried and was one of the 10^th Battalion which had been "engaged" with the enemy recently. Tattum has written to Miss Bevan, sister of the deceased soldier under date of 5^th of March, informing her that her brother was killed in action doing his duty for King and Country. He referred to the severity of the last "engagement" in which the Battalion participated and exhorts his female cousin to cheer up and trust in the Lord, for he above could console and protect them through the awful strife.

Herbert Bevan was entitled to a 1914/15 Star plus a British War medal and Victory medal with a memorial scroll and death plaque date of entry 27.9.15.

Private – Robert Bevan, Colehill Farm, Bagillt

Born – Flint, Flintshire

Enlisted – Flint

Killed in action – 27/03/18

Theatre of War – France and Flanders

Number 10807

Remembered on The Pozieres Memorial, Somme, France

Pozieres is a village 6 kilometres north east of the town Albert. The Memorial encloses Pozieres British Cemetery, which is a little south west of the village on the north side of the main road, D929, from Albert to Pozieres. On the road frontage is an open arcade terminated by small buildings and broken in the middle by the entrance and gates. Along the sides and back, stone tablets are fixed in the stone rubble walls bearing the names of the dead grouped under their Regiments.

The Pozieres Memorial relates to the period of crisis in March and April 1918 when the Allied Fifth Army was driven back by the German spring offensive in what was to be their push for victory in 1918, the Memorial commemorates over 14,000 casualties of the United Kingdom who have no known grave.

Panel 4

9^th (Queens Lancers)

Age – 23

Son of William and Margaret Bevan, of Glyn, Coleshill, Flints

The memorial is related to the period of March and April 1918 during the Kaisers spring offensive when the Fifth Army was driven back by overwhelming numbers across the Somme battlefields by troops transferred from the Russian front. The Memorial commemorates over 14,000 casualties from Britain who have no known grave and died from 21^st of March to the 7^th of August 1918.

Formerly 743, Welsh Horse

(Household Cavalry and Cavalry of the Line (incl. Yeomanry and Camel)

9^th Lancers (Queens Royal)

1^st Welsh Horse

Formed in August 1914 in the southern counties of Wales under the administration of the Glamorgan T.F. Association with headquarters at Cardiff. Later in the year transferred to the Montgomeryshire T.F. Association with headquarters in Newtown. By early 1915 in 1/1^st North Midland Mounted Brigade. 1^st Mounted Division in Woodgate area. September 1915 dismounted and sailed from Liverpool on "Olympic" on September 10.10.15 landed at Anzac and Brigade attached to 54^th Division. December 1915 to Egypt. 22/2/16 Eastern and South Eastern Mounted Brigades formed 3^rd dismounted Brigade, which was on the Suez Canal Defences till July 1916 then to Western Frontier Force 4.3.17 with 1/1^st Monmouthshire Yeomanry formed 25^th Montgomeryshire and Welsh Horse Yeomanry Battalion. 74^th Division May 1918 to France with 74^th Division. No further change.

9^th (Queens Royal) Lancers

4.8.14 Tidworth: 2^nd Cavalry Brigade August 1914 to France in 2^nd Cavalry Brigade. The Cavalry Division became 1^st Cavalry Division. No further change.

Robert Bevan changed Regiments at what point is unclear so I have included the movements of the Regiments he was in.

Robert Bevan`s medal entitlement was as follows British War Medal and Victory Medal with a Memorial Scroll and Death Plaque.

Private – Joseph Bellis, Old Engine, Bagillt

Born – Bagillt

Enlisted – Flint

Killed in Action – 14/02/17

Theatre of War – France and Flanders

Number - 20527

Remembered at Bard Cottage Cemetery, Belgium

Grave Reference – II.BI5

(14^th Battalion) Royal Welsh Fusiliers

{Caernarfon & Anglesey Pals}

Son of John and Pricilla Bellis, of Old Engine, Coleshill, Bagillt

Age - 21

Bard Cottage Cemetery is in Belgium

The cemetery began in June 1915 and used until October 1918, the units buried here held the northern sector of the Salient during the Third Battle of Ypres 49^th Division (West Riding) and 38^th Division (Welsh), later as the artillery moved into this area as the front line moved forward to the east in 1917, buried their dead here.

Bard Cottage was a house that stood opposite the site of the present cemetery close to a bridge over the canal (now gone) called Bards Causeway. The house and cemetery were protected from observation from the canal by a high bank still seen today. Bard Cottage Cemetery can be located on the west side of the road to Boezinge about 2 km north of Ypres.

(14^th Service Battalion Royal Welsh Fusiliers)

Raised at Llandudno by the Welsh National Executive Committee on the 2.11.14 in 28^th Brigade 38^th Division. August 1915 to Winchester. Early December 1915 to France. 11.11.18 113^th Brigade 38^th Division France; Dimont, North East of Aveesnes.

Joseph Bellis medal entitlement was as follows to a 1914/15 Star plus a British War medal and Victory medal with a Memorial Scroll and Death Plaque date of entry 1.12.15.

Local Newspaper (1918)
FALLEN BAGILLT HEROS
Mr and Mrs Bellis, of Coleshill, have received the following tributes to their son. Private Joseph Bellis, who’s death was recorded last week – from the Chaplain of the regiment – "Dear Mrs Bellis it is with deep sorrow and regret that I write to you concerning the death of your dear and beloved son, Private Joseph Bellis. He died bravely in the actual performance of his duties. It is a great pleasure to me to be able to testify to his good qualities. His officers sadly miss him, and they are all extremely sorry that they have lost him. They all bear unanimous testimony of his unstained devotion to his duty in the midst of great dangers. When the hour of his passing away came he bore in his hand a message to the officers, and it will be some comfort to know that your dear boys services were deeply appreciated. Our loss is nothing compared with your loss. Kindly except our deepest sympathy with you in your great and sad bereavement. We here can partly, though only very imperfectly, enter into your feelings during this hour of trial, but we have a God and Father who is able and willing to sympathise with you and strengthen you in this hour of need. It is to Him alone that we must turn to now. Nay, we are thankful that we have Him to turn to. "Unto whom shall we go, but to Thee. Thou has the words of Eternal Life". He will bear with you the sorrow. It is my earnest prayer that God comfort and strengthen you. I had the privilege of laying his body to rest. At the graveside a portion of the 90^th Psalm was read, and the Lords Prayer was said. And there was offered up a to God a prayer thanking Him for the services your son had rendered to his friends, and beseeching Him to look down with compassion on your sons relatives and friends, and you should have the strength and comfort to bear the sorrow. Joseph Bellis is not dead but sleepeth. A simple yet dignified cross marks the spot where he lies.

From the deceased’s Company officer- "Dear Mr and Mrs Bellis – I regret that it is my very unwelcome duty to inform you that your dear son was killed in action whilst in the performance of his duty. It will undoubtedly be a great source of consolation for you to know that the death was instantaneous and he suffered no pain. He was held in the highest esteem by all with whom he came into contact, and both officers and men admired his great willingness and cheerfulness with which he performed his duty. On behalf of his officers and Company, and his very many friends he had in the Battalion, I wish to send you, his proud parents and relatives, the very sincerest condolence."

Private – Ishmael Blackwell, Rosneath, Bagillt

Born –

Enlisted – Wrexham, Denbigh

Died of Wounds - 11/07/18

Theatre of War – France and Flanders

Number – 162032

Gunner

Royal Horse Artillery and Royal Field Artillery

Age 20

"D" Battery 162^nd Brigade R.F.A.

Son of Joseph and Alice Blackwell, of 8 Evan Street, Flint, a native of Bagillt

Remembered at Gwalia Cemetery, Ieper, West – Vlaanderen, Belgium

Grave Reference – II.G.4.

Gwalia Cemetery is located 8.5 kilometres west of Ieper town centre on the Steentjesmolenstraat (N333)

The cemetery was opened at the beginning of July 1917, in the period between the Battle of Messines and the Third Battle of Ypres. It lay among camps in flat, wet country and was used by infantry units, artillery and field ambulances until September 1918. The cemetery was designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield.

Newspaper Report (1918)

DEATH OF ANOTHER LOCAL SOLDIER
We are informed that Mrs Blackwell, of Roseneath, Bagillt, received the information on Tuesday morning of the death of her son, Private Ishmael Blackwell. Deceased was well known to a number of Bagillt, Flint and Halkyn residents; and sympathy is expressed with his bereaved mother and relatives.

Ishmael Blackwell’s medal entitlement was as follows British War Medal and Victory Medal with Memorial Scroll and Death Plaque

Private – Stanley Bragg, Gadlys, Bagillt

Born – Liverpool

Enlisted – Liverpool

Died of Wounds – 07/06/18

Theatre of War - France & Flanders

Number – 245966

Age – 19

(Signaller) Son of the late Thomas and Jane Bragg.

He is remembered at the Perreuse Chateau Franco British National Cemetery Seine-et-Marne, France

Grave Reference – 1.A.45.

This cemetery is situated within the grounds of the Chateau of Perreuse, Signy Pereuse, a hamlet of Signy-Signets, which is 7 kilometres south-west of the town of La Ferte Sous-Jouarre and 60 kilometres east of Paris. The Chateau was used by French medical units throughout the 1914-1918 War and the site of the Cemetery was presented by the owner, Mme, Dumez, to the French Government. The British graves were all brought in from the battlefields.

Formerly 4805, Kings Liverpool Regiment

Durham Light Infantry

1/5^th Battalion T.F.

4.8.14 Drill Hall Stockton-on-Tees; York and Durham Brigade. Northumbrian Division. 10^th August, coast defence at Hartlepool’s. 5.9.14 at brigade camp at Ravensworth Park, near Gateshead. October, at Newcastle. 18.4.15 landed at Boulogne. 14.5.15 formation became 150^th Brigade. 50^th Division. 12.2.18 to 151^st Brigade 50^th Division. 15.7.18 reduced to training cadre on L. of C. 16.8.18 to 117^th Brigade. 39^th Division. At Rouen 9.11.18 disbanded.

L/Cpl - Wilfred Catherall, Red Lion Hotel, Bagillt

Born

Enlisted

Died – 26/2/19

Theatre of War – Home

Number - 87594

Age – 21

Machine Gun Corps (Infantry)

Son of William and Martha Catherall, of Red Lion, Bagillt

Remembered at Bagillt (St Mary`s) Churchyard, Flintshire

Grave Reference – In South – East part.

William Catherall obviously died from War related injuries to be buried locally he probably died from war related wounds as his date of death suggests. He survived the Great War only to be taken a few months after its conclusion.

Wilfred Catherall’s medal entitlement was as follows British War Medal and Victory Medal with a Memorial Scroll and Death Plaque.