Chirk war memorial

Link to French translationChirk war memorial

This memorial was created by the sculptor and calligrapher Eric Gill and unveiled in October 1920. It commemorates the local people who died in the First and Second World Wars. To read their details, choose a category:

First World War

Second World War

The monument features a relief carving of a soldier with his back bent and his greatcoat pulled up to his ears and metal helmet. His rifle rests on the ground and his raised left hand seems to signal “Stop”.

The Welsh inscription reads: “Er ardderchog goffa am wyr Y Waen a roes eu heinioes yn achos eu gwlad yn y Rhyfel Mawr 1914-1919 y gosodwyd y maen hwn gan eu cydblwyfolion”. This translates as: “In glorious commemoration of the men of Chirk who gave their lives in the cause of their country in the Great War 1914-1919, this stone was erected by their fellow parishioners.” Although peace was declared in November 1918, the Treaty of Versailles (which officially ended the war) was signed in June 1919.

The memorial was commissioned by Lord Howard de Walden (Thomas Evelyn Scott-Ellis) of Chirk Castle. He was one of Britain’s richest men, a dramatist and a patron of many of the greatest artists of the age, including poet Dylan Thomas. He fought in the South African wars and, in the First World War, with the Royal Welsh Fusiliers in Gallipoli and France.

Eric Gill (1882-1940) is perhaps best known today for his typefaces, including Gill Sans and Perpetua. He began to train as an architect in a practice which worked extensively on churches before setting up as a monumental mason and calligrapher. The shape of the top of Chirk war memorial (like two roofs intersecting to form a cross) is more typical of church architecture than of an obelisk, which would usually be topped with a pyramid shape. From 1924 to 1928, Gill lived at Capel-y-Ffin, between Abergavenny and Hay-on-Wye.

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With thanks to Alwyn Evans, of Clwyd Family History Society

 

 

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First World War

Rank, Name &
Service Number
ServiceDiedAgeDetailsCemetery or
Memorial
Rank Service Died Age Details Cemetery
      
Private
Joseph
AINSLEY
13740
King's Shropshire Light Infantry
(7th Bn.)
3 Jan 1916 24 Born Silkworth, Sunderland, England. Son of William & Anne Ainsley, Woodside Cottages, Blackwell Lane, Darlington, England Dickebusch New Military Cemetery. Ieper, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium.
Private
Charles
BAILEY
G/24831 & 1060
Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment
(7th Bn.)
formerly
Welsh Horse Regiment
15 Oct 1917   Born St. Martin's. Resident of Ruabon. Also commemorated on the St. Martin's War Memorial, and the Weston Rhyn War Memorial. Dozinghem Military Cemetery, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium.
Lance Sergeant
Henry
BAILEY
200446
Royal Welsh Fusiliers
(4th Bn.)
6 Apr 1918   Born St. Martin's. Also commemorated on the Weston Rhyn War Memorial. Pozieres Memorial, Somme, France.
Sapper
George O
BAINES
210509
Royal Engineers
(98th Light Railway Train Crew Coy.)
31 Dec 1917 22 Son of Evan & Jane Hannah Baines, Chirk Bank, Weston Rhyn. Employee of the GWR. Hadra War Memorial Cemetery, Alexandria, Egypt.
Private
William
BECKETT
21205
King's Shropshire Light Infantry
(7th Bn.)
26 Sep 1917 20 Son of Philip Beckett, Breaden Heath, Bettisfield, Flintshire. Tyne Cot Memorial, Zonnebeke, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium.
Private
Richard John BISHOP
7277
King's Shropshire Light Infantry
(2nd Bn.)
5 Feb 1917 35 Son of the late Richard & Mary Bishop, 14, Spring Gardens, Ditherington, Shrewsbury, England. Husband of Frances Cheshire (formerly Bishop) 35, Sulton Road, Spring Gardens, Ditherington, Shrewsbury. Shrewsbury General Cemetery, Shropshire, England.
Lance Corporal
George
BURGOYNE
6862
Royal Welsh Fusiliers
(4th Bn.)
24 Dec 1916   Born Hanwood, Shrewsbury, Shropshire, England. Son of Herbert & Mary Ann Burgoyne, Oaklands Lodge, Weston Rhyn. Also commemorated on the Weston Rhyn War Memorial. Railway Dugouts Burial Ground, Zillebeke, Belgium.
Private
Samuel Phillip
CORKE

3240
Royal Welsh Fusiliers
("H" Coy. 4th Bn.)
9 May 1915 41 Born in Llangollen. Son of William & Mary Corke; husband of Annie Turner (formerly Corke), of 128, Chirk Green, Chirk. Also served in the South African Campaign. Le Touret Memorial, Pas de Calais, France.
Sergeant
Arthur
DAVIES
6165
Royal Welsh Fusiliers
(1st/4th Bn.)
11 May 1915 24 Son of Mr W Davies of 11 Lodge Lane, Liverpool, England. Husband of E. Conde (formerly Davies), 2, Chirk Green, Chirk. Chocques Military Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France.
Driver
Isaac
DAVIES

109009
Royal Engineers   (123rd Field Coy.) 18 Jun 1917 21 Son of Joseph S J Davies, of 98, Chirk Green, Chirk. Bard Cottage Cemetery, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium.
Robert
DAVIES
         
Private
William Arthur
EDWARDS
55695
Royal Welsh Fusiliers
(17th Bn.)
26 Apr 1918   Born Pentre, Chirk. Varennes Military Cemetery, Somme, France.
Edward
EVANS
         
Private
George
EVANS
6168
Royal Welsh Fusiliers 
(4th Bn.)
21 Sep 1915 26 Son of Isaac & Mary Evans, Woodland Cottage, Gledrid. Lapugnoy Military Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France.
Private
John
FAULKNER
241566
Royal Welsh Fusiliers
(5th Bn.)
26 Mar 1917 26 Son of Mrs A. Davies, 20, Chapel Row, Normanton, Yorkshire, England. Husband of Margaret Faulkner, 97, Chirk Green, Chirk. Jerusalem Memorial, Israel.
Private
Alfred
FIELDHOUSE
53612
Royal Welsh Fusiliers
(1st Bn.)
2 Oct 1917 27 Son of John & Elizabeth Fieldhouse, Newbridge, Ruabon. Husband of Hannah Fieldhouse, Deeside, Newbridge. Tyne Cot Cemetery, Zonnebeke, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium.
Private
Edward
HALL
28992
South Wales Borderers
(10th Bn.)
25 Aug 1917 34 Son of William & Martha Hall, Tŷ Maen Farm, Pentre, Chirk. Etaples Military Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France.
Private
Alfred
HAMBLETT
54944
Royal Welsh Fusiliers
(10th Bn.)
26 Sep 1917   Born in Barrow In Furness, Lancashire, England. Grandson of Elizabeth Hamblet of Pentre, Chirk. Tyne Cot Memorial Zonnebeke, Ieper, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium.
Private
James
HAMBLETT
53622
Royal Welsh Fusiliers
(1st Bn.)
30 Mar 1917   Born Ruabon. Grandson of Elizabeth Hamblett of Pentre, Chirk. Arras Memorial, Pas de Calais, France.
Private
William
HAMER
13094
King's Shropshire Light Infantry
(8th Bn.)
18 Sep 1918 28 Son of Mrs Elizabeth Hamer, Wrexham Road, Overton, Ellesmere. Doiran Memorial, Greece.
Lance Sergeant
John
HAYWARD
11538
Royal Welsh Fusiliers
(1st Bn.)
14May 1917 23 Son of Richard & Margaret Hayward, of Field Head, Chirk. Also commemorated on the St. Martin's War Memorial. Arras Memorial, Pas de Calais.
Lieutenant
Hillyar George Edwin
HILL-TREVOR
Scots Guards
(1st Bn.)
21 Dec 1914 18 Son of Hon. George Edwyn Hill-Trevor of Brynkinallt, Chirk. Le Touret Memorial, Bethune, Pas de Calais, France.
Lieutenant
Frederick
HUGHES
Prince of Wales's Volunteers South Lancashire Regiment
(1st Bn.)
attd.
Yorks and Lancaster Regimement
12 Oct 1916   Son of the late Edward & Elizabeth Hughes, of Little Horeham, Warbleton, Heathfield, Sussex, England. Struma Military Cemetery, Greece.
William
HUMPHREYS
         
Andrew
JACKSON
         
Second Lieutenant
Bernard Craig Keble
JOB
Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment
(3rd Bn.)
18 Apr 1915 27 Born Liverpool, England. Son of the Rev. Frederick William & Emily Frances Job, of Lower Gornal Vicarage, Dudley, Worcestershire, England. Former resident of Glyn Ceiriog. Memin Gate Memorial, Ieper, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium.
Albert
JONES
         
Private
Charles
JONES

13877
King's Shropshire Light Infantry
(7th Bn.)
5 Apr 1916 26 Born Wingfield, Berkshire, England. Son of the late Richard & Mary Jones, Chirk Bank, Weston Rhyn. Also commemorated on the Weston Rhyn War Memorial. Menen Gate Memorial, Ieper, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium.
Private
Ernest
JONES

11631
King's Shropshire Light Infantry
(5th Bn.)
25 Sept 1915 25 Son of Thomas & Ursula Jones of Canal Side, Chirk Bank, Weston Rhyn. Also commemorated on the Weston Rhyn War Memorial. Menin Gate Memorial, Ieper, West Vlaanderen, Belgium.
Harold
JONES
         
Lance Corporal
John
JONES

19078
Royal Welsh Fusiliers
(16th Bn.)
11 Jul 1916   Born Llanrhaeadr, Montgomeryshire. Resident of Chirk. Flatiron Copse Cemetery, Mametz.
William
JONES
         
Corporal
Albert
KELSHAW

1993
King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry
(1st/4th Bn.)
4 Sep 1916   Son of John & Mary Kelshaw, 130, Chirk Green, Chirk. Lonsdale Cemetery, Authuille, Somme, France.
Private
Thomas
LEWIS
24143
Royal Welsh Fusiliers
(16th Bn.)
11 Jul 1916, 24 Son of the late John & Mary Lewis, St. Martin's. Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France.
Lieutenat
Gilbert Kingsley
LLOYD
King's Shropshire Light Infantry
(2nd Bn.)
21 Feb 1916 36 Son of Surg. Col. John Daniel Lloyd & Mrs. Marie Adele Lloyd, of The Mount, Chirk. Mikra British Cemetery, Kalamaria, Greece.
Lance Sergeant
Maurice
MANNING

11512
Royal Welsh Fusiliers
(8th Bn.)
24 Aug 1915 31 Husband of Ellen Greasley (formerly Manning), of Hand Terrace, Chirk. Helles Memorial, Turkey.

Wynne MINHSHALL
Probably: Captain Thomas Charles Wynne
MINSHALL

Royal Welsh Fusiliers (4th Bn.)  25 Mar 1918   Son of Philip Henry and Annie Minshall, of Beechfield, Oswestry. Gordon Dump Cemetery, France.
Private
Edward
MORRIS
75235 & 72576
Royal Welsh Fusiliers
(13th Bn.)
formerly
Liverpool Regiment
8 Oct 1918   Born West Bromwich, Staffordshire, England. Son of James & Louisa Morris, of Pentre, Chirk; husband of Elizabeth Jones (formerly Morris), of Sun Bank, Pentre. Moulin-de-Pierre British Cemetery, Nord, France.
Private
James
MORRIS

35395
South Wales Borderers
("C" Coy. 4th Bn.)
10 Aug 1916 19 Son of Enoch & Sally Morris, of Penybont Cottage, Pentre. Chocques Military Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France.
Gunner
John Maurice
MORRIS

199447
Royal Garrison Artillery
(196th Heavy Bty.)
6 Oct 1918 33 Son of Thomas & Jane Morris, of Chirk; husband of Bertha Morris, of Bank Villas, Oaklands Road, Chirk Bank, Weston Rhyn. Kirechkoi-Hortakoi Militry Cemetery, Greece.
Corporal
Edwin James
NASH

25175
Royal Welsh Fusiliers
(17th Bn.)
12 Jul 1916 22 Born Whitchurch, Shropshire, England. Son of Arthur & Selina Nash, of Shepherd's Lane, Chirk; husband of Mary Catherine Jones (formerly Nash), of 1636, Union St., Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France.
Private
Walter Harold
OVERSON
27432
Royal Army Medical Corps 4 Apr 1915   Born Sweeney. Son of Frederick & Mary Overson of Gledrid. Also commemorated on the Weston Rhyn War Memorial. St John’s Churchyard, Weston Rhyn.
Private
William
OWENS

11760
Lincolnshire Regiment
(7th Bn.)
2 Mar 1916   Son of Mr & Mrs Owen Owens, Pentre. Resident of Newbridge. Menin Gate Memorial, Ieper, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium.
William
PAGE
         
Private
Stanley
PARRISH
201094
Royal Welsh Fusiliers
(4th Bn.)
6 Apr 1918 23 Son of Matthew & Mary Parrish, Top of Bank Forge, Chirk. Martinsart British Cemetery, Somme, France.
Sergeant
John William
PARSONS
D.C.M.
200588
Royal Welsh Fusiliers 22 Dec1917 35 Son of George & Margaret Parsons, of Liverpool. Lived at Holly Villas, Oaklands Road, Chirk Bank, Weston Rhyn. Also commemorated on the Weston Rhyn War Memorial. St. Sever Cemetery Extension, Rouen, Seine-Maritime, France.
John
PARSONS
         
Lieutenant
Philip Francis PAYNE-GALLWEY
21st Empress of India's Lancers & 9th (Queen's Royal) Lancers 30 Oct 1914 21 Son of Rev. Francis Henry & Florence Kate Payne-Gallwey, Sessay Rectory, Thirsk, Yorkshire, England Messines Ridge British Cemetery, Ploegsteert, Ieper, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium.
Private
Charles
PEARCE
88362
Royal Welsh Fusiliers
(16th Bn.)
6 Oct 1918 20 Son of Charles & Sarah Pearce, 22, Chirk Green, Chirk. Vis-en-Artois Memorial, Pas de Calais, France.
Lance Sergeant
James Edward
PEARCE

18386
Royal Welsh Fusiliers
(14th Bn.)
18 Feb 1917 31 Son of James & Annie Pearce, of Gledrid, Weston Rhyn. Bard Cottage Cemetery, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium.
Private
Ernest
PHILLIPS

45198 & S4/109973
Durham Light Infantry
(2nd Bn.)
formerly
Army Service Corp
30 Dec 1917 33 Born Normanton, Yorkshire, England. Son of Joseph and Mary Phillips, of Lower Wharf, Chirk. Bucquoy Road Cemetery, Ficheux, Pas de Calais, France.
Cecil
POPE
         
Private
Gilbert
ROBERTS
19676
Royal Welsh Fusiliers
(14th Bn.)
2 Mar 1916   Son of George & Anna Roberts of Black Park. Guards Cemetery, Windy Corner, Cuinchy, Pas de Calais, France.
Private
Maurice
ROBERTS
88424
Royal Welsh Fusiliers
(14th Bn.)
8 Oct 1918 23 Son of Edward & Jane Roberts, White House, Halton, Chirk. Bois-des-Angles British Cemetery, Crèvecoeur-sur-l'Escaut, Nord, France.
Private
William Henry
ROBERTS
26346
King's Shropshire Light Infantry
(7th Bn.)
formerly
Cheshire Regiment
13 Nov 1916   Born Glossop, Derbyshire, England. Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France.
Private
Stanley
ROGERS
3094
Welsh Guards
(1st Bn.)
31 July 1917 20 Born Weston Rhyn. Son of George and Maria Rogers, of 9, Gledrid Terrace, Chirk. Artillery Wood Cemetery, Ieper, West Vlaanderen,  Belgium.
Lance Corporal
Sydney
ROGERS
53740
Royal Welsh Fusiliers
(1st Bn.)
8 Oct 1917   Son of Edward Rogers, Trefor Row, Chirk. Menin Road South Military Cemetery, Ieper, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium.
Private
David Thomas
ROWLANDS
26036
King's Shropshire Light Infantry
(1st/4th Bn.)
7 Jun 1918 23 Son of David & Alice Rowlands, of 10, Pont Faen, Weston Rhyn. Also commemorated on the St. Martin's War Memorial. Soissons Memorial, Aisne, France.
Able Seaman
Albert Stanley RUSHANT
Tyneside Z/9899
Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve
(H.M. Trawler Lord Roberts,)
26 Oct 1916 20 Son of Walter Augustus & Martha Rushant of Littlebury, Saffron Walden, England. Sunk off Orfordness, Suffolk, England. Chatham Naval Memorial, Kent, England
Private
Charles Edward
STOKES
7073
Royal Welsh Fusiliers
(4th Bn.)
25 Jan 1915   Born Whittington. Son of James & Elizabeth Stokes, Weston Rhyn. Also commemorated on the Weston Rhyn War Memorial. Le Touret Memorial, Pas de Calais, France.
Sapper
James
TOD
542384
Royal Engineers
(London Electrical Engineers)

11 Nov 1918. Died of pneumonia following influenza.

27 Son of Margaret & the late John &  Tod of Llwyn y Cil, Chirk. Husband of Emily M Tod of Wern Tower, Pontfadog. A carpenter at Chirk Castle estate before enlisting. Brother of William, below. St Mary's Churchyard, Chirk.
Able Seaman
William
TOD

Z/203
Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve (Howe Bn.) 4 Jun 1915   Son of Margaret & the late John &  Tod of Llwyn y Cil, Chirk. Helles Memorial, Turkey.
Private
Herbert
TUNNAH

88375
Royal Welsh Fusiliers
(16th Bn.)
4 Nov 1918 22 Son of Edward & Sarah Ann Tunnah, of Rose Cottage, Oaklands Road, Chirk Bank, Weston Rhyn. Also commemorated on the Weston Rhyn War Memorial. Englefontaine British Cemetery, Nord, France.
George
WALKER
         
Lance Corporal
Joseph Henry
WILLIAMS

52864 & 2761
Cheshire Regiment
(13th Bn.)
formerly
Shropshire Yeomanry
10 Oct 1916   Son of George & Mary Willaims of 92, Chirk Green, Chirk. Courcelette British Cemetery, Somme, France.
William
WILLIAMS
         
Lance Sergeant
John
WOOLER
12499 & K/18160
Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers
(5th Bn.)
formerly
King's Liverpool Regiment
15 Aug 1915 24 Son of Albert & Henrietta Wooler of 8 Edge Nook, Wibsey, Bradford, Yorkshire, England Helles Memorial, Turkey.
Charles
WYMAN
         
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Second World War

Rank, Name &
Service Number
ServiceDiedAgeDetailsCemetery or
Memorial
Rank Service Died Age Details Cemetery
      
Flying Officer
Alfred Michael
ANKERS

163929
Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve 24 Mar 1945 23 Son of Albert Ernest & Lizzie Ankers, of Chirk. Venray War Cemetery, Limburg, Netherlands.
Flight Sergeant
Leslie
DARLINGTON
1529903
Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve   (620 Sqdn.) 4 Feb 1944     St. Doulchard Communal Cemetery, Cher, France.
Ellis
EDWARDS
         
Ronald
EDWARDS
         
Gunner
Fred
FRENCIS
1721558
CWGC
Royal Artillery
(241 Bty., 77 H.A.A. Regt. )
4 Dec 1942 36 Son of Isaac & Alice Francis; husband of Dorothy Francis, of Chirk. Sydney War Memorial, New South Wales, Australia.
Flight Sergeant
George Ronald
JOHNSON
1270575
Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve 5 Sep 1942 20 Son of George & Harriet Elizabeth Johnson; husband of Constance Caroline Emily Johnson, of Shrewsbury. Shrewsbury General Cemetery, Shropshire, England.
Bernard
JENKINS
         
Fusilier
Edwin
OWEN
4194256
CWGC
Royal Welch Fusiliers
(4th Bn.)
2 Oct 1944 23 Son of Ernest O & Emily O Jones, of Chirk. Valkenswaard War Cemetery, Netherlands.
Flying Officer Pilot
Terence
PHELAN
J/17869
Royal Canadian Air Force
(207 R.A.F. Sqdn.)
21 Feb 1945 24 Son of William Joseph & Katherine Phelan, of Toronto, Ontario, Canada; husband of Brenda Mary Phelan, of Chirk. Reichswald Forest War Cemetery, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany.
Sgt. (W.Op./Air Gnr.)
George
PHILLIPS
1530967
CWGC
Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
(44 Sqdn.)
24 Dec 1943 22 Son of Harry & Isabella Oughton Phillips, of Pentre; husband of Freda Phillips. Hanover War Cemetery, Germany.
Fus.
Frank Howard ROBERTS
14659281
CWGC
Royal Welsh Fusiliers
(4th Bn.)
7 Jul 1944 19 Son of James & Elizabeth Roberts, of Chirk. Brouay War Cemetery, Normandy, France.
Trooper
Stanley
ROBERTS
7880253
CWGC
Royal Armoured Corps
(1st King's Dragoon Guards)
18 Feb 1944 34 Son of Robert & Elizabeth Ann Roberts; husband of Minnie Roberts, of Chirk Cassino War Cemetery, Italy
Gunner
Wallace
ROBERTS
902829
CWGC
1 Regt. Royal Horse Artillery 19 Apr 1942 22 Son of Stanley & Elizabeth E Roberts, of Chirk. Nelspoort Sanatorium Cemetery, Western Cape, South Africa
Private
Thomas
SUDLOW
4194325
CWGC
Royal Warwickshire Regiment
(2nd Bn.)
6 Aug 1944 25 Son of Thomas & Eliza Sudlow. Born in Bettisfield. Bayeux War Cemetery, Normandy, France.
Gordon
TAYLOR
         
Flight Lieutenant
Hugh Victor Corthorn
WEBB
Royal Air Force
(21 Sqdn.)
formerly
Royal Welsh Fusiliers
attached to
Norfolk Regiment
6 Feb 1944 47 Born Saffron Walden, Essex, England. Son of Henry C & E Mabel Webb. Resident of Oakcroft, Station Avenue, Chirk.  
Sergeant
William Eric
WILLIAMS
645116
Royal Air Force
(53 Sqdn.)
15 Mar 1941 20 Son of Mr & Mrs William Williams, of Chirk. Runnymede Memorial, Surry, England.
Leading Aircraftsman
David Morris
WILLIAMS
1403645
Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve 24 Mar 1946 24 Son of David & Maria Ann Williams, of Chirk. St. Mary's Churchyard, Chirk.
Sergeant
Carl Vincent
WILLIAMS
999235
Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
(9 Sqdn.)
13 Apr 1942 24 Son of W Kingsley & Ethel Williams, Rhosywaun, Chirk. Reichswald Forest War Cemetery, Germany.
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