Taff Vale Railway war memorial, Cardiff

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Taff Vale Railway war memorial, Cardiff

This memorial takes the form of a handwritten roll of honour, which was originally at Bute Road station (now Cardiff Bay station). It’s on public display at the concourse of Cardiff Queen Street station (turn right just after entering through the ticket gates). See below to discover details of Taff Vale Railway employees who died in the First World War.

Most of the employees shown on the roll of honour served and survived. Those who died are denoted by a small spot alongside their names.

The Taff Vale Railway connected collieries and ironworks in the Glamorgan Valleys to the docks at Cardiff. It was one of several railway companies in South-east Wales at the time of the First World War.

Railway workers were exempted from military service in the Second World War (because their work was vital to the war effort) but not in the First World War. In August 1914, soon after the outbreak of war, it was announced that the wives of TVR employees in military service would receive 7 shillings per week, and 3 shillings extra for children. In October 1914 it was reported that 583 TVR men had joined the armed services.

A memorial to Great Western Railway employees who died in both world wars is displayed at Cardiff Central station. Our information about it is available here.

With thanks to Adrian Hughes, of the Home Front museum in Llandudno, and to Grangetown Local History Society, and to David Hughes, of the Western Front Association (South Wales)

Website of Grangetown World War I project - Grangetown Local History Society

Postcode: CF10 4EY    View Location Map

Officers

  • Joscelyne, FHT, Captain (listed on TVR memorial as Second Lieutenant). Died 19/11/1916 aged 30. Somerset Light Infantry. Buried Ancre British Cemetery, Beaumont-Hamel. Son of Harry M and Gertrude Joscelyne, of 16, Hartley Avenue, Mannamead, Plymouth.
  • Morgan, William Donal, Second Lieutenant. Died 13/10/1915 aged 23. Royal Engineers. Buried Cambrin Churchyard. Son of Captain Peter W and Olive Donal Morgan of Bryn-y-Môr, Solva, Pembrokeshire. Born in Chile. Educated at Cheltenham College and became a civil engineer. His father worked for the Pacific Steam Navigation Co. His sister Fairy served as a Voluntary Aid Detachment nurse and was private sectary to Colonel Stuart, chief of staffs, at Paddington Military Hospital.

Men

  • Ayliffe, Norman, Rifleman 2233. Died 08/05/1915. Monmouthshire Regiment. Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial.
  • Barrett, Herbert Albert (named as Barratt on war memorial), Private 102035. Died 23/08/1917. Machine Gun Corps (Infantry), formerly with the Welsh Regiment. Buried Tyne Cot Cemetery. Born and lived in Penarth.
  • Bartlett, Thomas, Battery Sergeant Major 284. Died 30/08/1916 aged 36. Royal Garrison Artillery. Buried Peronne Road Cemetery. Husband of Mrs Bartlett of 16, Plassey Street, Penarth Cardiff. Died when a shell exploded where he and six others were sheltering from an artillery barrage. Originally served in Four Company RGA Territorial Force. Played rugby for Penarth RFC and is remembered on the club’s war memorial. Also commemorated on Penarth war memorial, in St Augustine’s Church, Penarth, and on RGA memorial in St John’s Church, Cardiff. One of three brothers who died in the war.
  • Blount, W E, Sergeant T4/038923. Died 17/10/1918. Army Service Corps. Buried Mikra British Cemetery.
  • Bond, Thomas, Sergeant 25721. Died 21/07/1917 aged 21. Royal Field Artillery. Buried Vlamertinghe New Military Cemetery. Son of George and Catherine Bond of 131, Crwys Road, Cardiff.
  • Boyle, John, Private 12163. Died 05/04/1915 aged 37. The King's (Liverpool Regiment). Le Touret Memorial. Son of William and Martha Boyle of 40, King Street, Penarth; husband of Elizabeth Boyle of 22, John Street, Penarth, Cardiff.
  • Bush, WH, Private 13150. Died 26/10/1914. Grenadier Guards. Buried Zantvoorde British Cemetery.
  • Champion, Henry John, Sergeant 6726. Died 31/10/1914 aged 30. Somerset Light Infantry. Ploegsteert Memorial. Son of Walter and Emily Champion of Ebdon Road, Worle, Weston-Super-Mare; husband of Margaret Maria Champion, of 34, Rectory Road, Cardiff.
  • Cole, Reginald Mervyn, Private 228203. Died 02/08/1917 aged 23. South Wales Borderers. Buried Bard Cottage Cemetery. Son of Mr and Mrs FW Cole of Ystradbarioig Cottages, Llantwit-Vardre, Pontypridd.
  • Coney, T, Private 6960. Died 25/09/1915 aged 34. Middlesex Regiment. Buried Cambrin Churchyard. Son of Mary Maria Coney of 73, Malefant Street, Cathays, Cardiff.
  • Connor, W, Gunner 153. Died 17/11/1914 aged 45. Royal Garrison Artillery. Buried Swansea (Danygraig) Cemetery. Son of Colour Sergeant Patrick Connor and Mary Ann Connor of 76, Bedford Street, Cardiff. Served in Volunteer forces for 30 years. Born at Hazaribagh, India.
  • Coverdale, Ernest, Private 3418. Died 10/08/1915 aged 20. Welsh Regiment. Helles Memorial. Son of Frederick and Clara Coverdale of 43, Lanelay Terrace, Maesycoed, Pontypridd.
  • Davies, P, Private 13626. Died 08/10/1916. Devonshire Regiment. Buried Tancrez Farm Cemetery.
  • Fry, William John Ashley, Driver 25314. Died 20/09/1915 aged 22. Royal Field Artillery. Buried Bethune Town Cemetery. Born in Penarth. Lived at 22 Warwick Street, Grangetown, with his six siblings and widowed mother. Worked as a railway coupler before the war. Died from accidental suffocation in a sandpit in France.
  • Giles, George, Private 7404. Died 21/09/1914 aged 32. Worcestershire Regiment. La Ferte-sous-Jouarre Memorial. Son of Mr Edward Giles of Common Hill, Cricklade, Wiltshire; husband of Annie Giles, of 12, Albert Street, Slough, Buckinghamshire.
  • Griffiths, Taliesin, Private, DM2/135068. Died on 04/09/1918 aged 21. Army Service Corps. Buried at Aberdare Cemetery. Enlisted in Aberdare. Youngest son of William Griffiths. Had served for more than two years in east Africa and was treated in Liverpool for malaria. His body was found on the kitchen floor at 19 Ffrwd Street, Godreaman, where his father and sister lived. The kitchen’s gas supply had been turned on, and Taliesin had been asphyxiated.
  • Griffiths, WH, Royal Field Artillery.
  • Gronow, Arthur, Gunner 25795. Died 08/02/1916 aged 28. Royal Field Artillery. Buried Bethune Town Cemetery. Son of Evan and Elizabeth Gronow of 46, Llantrisant Street, Cathays, Cardiff.
  • Hartrey A, Gunner 324. Died 03/08/1916 aged 21. Royal Garrison Artillery. Buried La Neuville British Cemetery. Son of John and Margaret Hartrey of Penarth, Cardiff.
  • Hewett, Albert Victor (shown as Hewitt on TVR war memorial), Private 60340. Died 14/06/1917 aged 20. Royal Welsh Fusiliers. Arras Memorial. Son of William and Marian Hewett, of The Maple, Maplewood Avenue, Llandaff North.
  • Higgins, E, Private 24654. Died 15/11/1915. Royal Welsh Fusiliers. Buried Cambrin Churchyard. Born and enlisted in Llandaff.
  • Hughes, W. Gloucestershire Regiment.
  • Huzzey, L. Probably: Hussey, LG, Private 786. Died 09/11/1914 aged 22. Welsh Regiment. Buried Arbroath Eastern Cemetery. Born in Bristol. Enlisted in Cardiff. He was in the Territorial Army. While he was on duty with the 7th Welsh (Cyclist) Corps in Forfarshire, a gale blew him over the edge of a 200-metre-high cliff.
  • Irvine, Charles Knowles, Captain. Died 14/08/1917. Rifle Brigade, transferred from Royal Fusiliers (incorrectly shown as Royal Welsh Fusiliers on TVR memorial). Son of Mrs Irvine of 43 Cresswell Road, East Twickenham, London.
  • Jeffcott, Charles Henry, Gunner 24935. Died 25/10/1916 aged 19. Royal Field Artillery. Buried Carnoy Military Cemetery. Son of George and Lily Jeffcott of 152, Windsor Road, Cogan Pill, Penarth, Cardiff.
  • Lancaster, Wilfred, Private 14471. Died 04/07/1916. South Lancashire Regiment. Thiepval Memorial.
  • Livermore, HE, Private 47606. Died 21/09/1917 aged 26. Welsh Regiment. Buried Y Farm Military Cemetery. Son of Charles and Eliza Ann Livermore of 21, Wordsworth Avenue, Roath, Cardiff. Native of Penarth.
  • Lloyd, WE. Kings Royal Rifles.
  • McConnell, Samuel, Private 24145. Died 07/07/1916. Welsh Regiment. Thiepval Memorial.
  • McConnell, T, Private 23945. Died 19/05/1916 aged 28. Welsh Regiment. Buried Merville Communal Cemetery. Husband of Mary Catherine McConnell of 1, Place Jules Ferry, Lyon, Rhone, France.
  • Maddocks, GE, Gunner 348201. Died of wounds 26/04/1917 aged 19. Royal Garrison Artillery. Buried Achiet-le-Grand Communal Cemetery. Only son of George and Caroline Maddocks, of 21 High Street, Penarth.
  • Millard, Joseph Gordon, Private S/21548. Died 20/07/1916 aged 31. Cameron Highlanders. Loos Memorial. Son of Henry Alfred Millard of 8, Riverside, East Usk Road, Newport.
  • Nicholls, EA, Private 8565. Died 05/12/1914. Royal Welsh Fusiliers. Buried Cite Bonjean Military Cemetery.
  • O’Donnell, John, Private 23992. Died 22/02/1916 aged 18. Welsh Regiment. Buried St. Venant Communal Cemetery. Son of Patrick and Helen O'Donnell of 36, Talygarn Street, Cardiff.
  • Palfrey, E, Gunner 970. Died 21/10/1916 aged 26. Royal Garrison Artillery. Buried Couin British Cemetery. Son of Walter and Norah Palfrey of Penarth, Cardiff; husband of Bessie Leah Palfrey of 8, Cwmdare Street, Cathays, Cardiff.
  • Peterson, Lawrence Peter, Private 16866. Died 04/12/1915. Welsh Regiment. Buried St. Vaast Post Military Cemetery.
  • Phillips, William, Private 11364. Died 09/11/1915 aged 53. Welsh Regiment. Buried at Alexandria (Chatby) Military And War Memorial Cemetery. Son of William and Sarah Owen. Born in Rhymney. Also commemorated on Rhymney war memorial.
  • Rogers, JH. Welsh Regiment.
  • Shapland, H. Royal Marines.
  • Street, Alfred John, Private 14216. Died 02/03/1917. Welsh Regiment. Buried Mailly Wood Cemetery, Son of Mr T. Street of 16, Rhymney Terrace, Cathays, Cardiff.
  • Tambs, James William, Driver 25255. Royal Field Artillery. Died of wounds 22/08/1917. Tyne Cot Memorial, Belgium. Son of Ernest Tambs, jeweller. His widowed mother remarried and lived as Mrs F Brooks at 60 Wells Street, Canton. James worked as a timekeeper for the Taff Vale Railway. Enlisted in Cardiff in September 1914. Deserted his regiment in June 1915, subsequently signing on under the name Charles James Morton and serving as Driver 840997 in the RFA.
  • Thompson, P. South Wales Borderers.
  • Turner, G. Gloucestershire Regiment.

 

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