St Nicholas war memorial
St Nicholas war memorial
This memorial commemorated local men who died in the First World War and Second World War. To discover who they were, choose a category below.
The memorial was unveiled on Thursday 22 December 1921 by Miss Cory of Duffryn House with the words: “I unveil this memorial to the glory of God, and in memory of the men from this parish who laid down their lives for their country in the Great War.” Her family had made a fortune in shipping and collieries.
The Mackintosh of Mackintosh (Alfred Donald Mackintosh CBE) then gave an address. His son Angus had been wounded in 1914 and died, aged 33, in the USA in 1918.
Mackintosh (senior) was the 28th chief of Clan Chatton, an officer in the Highland Light Infantry and Lord Lieutenant of Inverness. He became heir to the Cottrell Estate in St Nicholas in the 1870s when he married Harriet Diana Arabella Mary Richards, daughter of Edward Priest Richards of Roath, Cardiff. Although his main estate and interests were in the Highlands, he was well known in Glamorgan, where he was once Master of the Glamorgan Hounds. Mackintosh Place and the Mackintosh Hotel in Cardiff were named after him.
The war memorial was made of Portland stone by the Llandaff sculptor William Clarke at a cost of £435. Harry Gregory, his draughtsman, was responsible for the Celtic cross design and the drawing for the unveiling programme (pictured courtesy of W Clarke of Llandaff).
With thanks to Michael Statham, of the Welsh Stone Forum, and Ian Perry
Postcode: CF5 6SQ View Location Map
First World War
- William Cule, Sergeant. Welsh Regiment. Died 4 May 1915. Commemorated on Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Belgium. Son of Edward and Minnie Cule, of Smiths Row.
- William Herbert Harry, Private, Monmouthshire Regiment (11th Battery South Wales Borderers). Killed in action 27 August 1917 aged 20. Commemorated on the Loos Memorial, France. Son of Mr and Mrs Abraham William Harry of Trehill Farmhouse, St Nicholas. Was a booking clerk at Barry railway station, living at 37 High Street, Barry.
- William Evan Kent, Gunner, Royal Field Artillery. Died of wounds at no.3 Canadian General Hospital, France 20 October 1917 aged 18. Buried at Boulogne Eastern Cemetery. Son of Evan and Annie Kent of 55 Cowbridge Road, Cardiff, and previously of St Nicholas. Enlisted aged 15 and survived the attempted invasion of Turkey at Gallipoli. Was grand master of the Garden of Wales Lodge of Oddfellows.
- Angus Alexander Mackintosh, Captain, Royal Horse Guards. Died 13 October 1918 aged 33. Only son of Alfred Donald Mackintosh of Mackintosh, 28th Chief of Clan Chattan, and Harriet Diana Arabella Richards. Severely wounded 1914. Later was secretary of the Duke of Devonshire, Governor General of Canada. Married one of the duke’s daughters, Lady Maud Louisa Emma Cavendish. Died of flu in Walter Reid Hospital, Takoma Park, Maryland. Buried at Arlington National Cemetery, USA.
- John McDonald, Bombardier, Royal Garrison Artillery. Died 16 November 1915 aged 18. Buried at Strand Military Cemetery, Belgium. Son of Elizabeth and the late John McDonald of 16 Mackerson Road, Hampstead.
- Alexander Holland Moore, Lieutenant, South Wales Borderers. Killed in action 25 March 1918 aged 26. Youngest son of Alexander Marriott Moore and Ellen Moore of Parkend House, Cainscross, Gloucester, and also of St Nicholas. His death is also commemorated on his parents’ grave in St Matthew’s Churchyard, Cainscross. Alexander (“Sandy”) was a saddler who lived and worked at the Old Post Office, and had a shop in Barry.
- David Ernest Penny, Sergeant, Royal Welsh Fusiliers. Killed in action at battle of Arras on 27 May 1917. Was a gardener and later a policeman in Birmingham. Commemorated on Arras Memorial, France. Son of Mr and Mrs John Penny of St Nicholas.
- Llewellyn Edmund Traherne, Lieutenant Commander, Royal Navy. Died 14 October 1914 aged 51. Buried at St Nicholas Churchyard. Born 1863. Son of the Captain and Mrs LE Traherne, of Coedarhydyglyn, Cyntwell, Cardiff; husband of Dorothy E Traherne, of Coedarhydyglyn, Cyntwell. Was commander of the shore establishment HMS Excellent. Died of pleuropneumonia.
- Cyril A Twinn, Private, 17th Manchester Regiment. Died of wounds on 4 October 1917 aged 20. Son of Mr and Mrs Wallace Twinn of Tye Green, Glemsford, Suffolk. Buried St Mary’s churchyard, Glemsford.
- Miles Bruce Dalzell Whiteside, First Lieutenant, Highland Light Infantry attached to RAF. Died in a flying accident 13 June 1918. Born 20 April 1895, son of Miles Whiteside and Isobel Whiteside of the Manor House, St Nicholas.
Second World War
- Cyril James Channon, Corporal, Royal Army Ordnance Corps. Died 14 February 1944 aged 27. Was a prisoner of war at Kinkaseki and Taihoku camps, Taiwan. Buried at Sai Wan War Cemetery, Hong Kong. Son of Arthur Henry and Jessie May Channon of St Nicholas.
- Ira Alexander Collins, Gunner, Royal Artillery Maritime Regiment. Died 13 August 1942 aged 25. Son of David and Florence A Collins, of St Nicholas. Commemorated on Portsmouth Naval Memorial. Died when German planes sank the ship Waimarama during an operation to relieve Malta.
- John Duncan, Captain, Welsh Guards. Died 23 May 1940 aged 28. Buried at Boulogne Eastern Cemetery, France. Son of John and Marjery Duncan of the Manor House, St Nicholas. Was a noted golfer and cricketer. Joined the army before the war, and was in the King’s Guards at the Tower of London in 1939.
- Rhys J Thomas, Lieutenant, Royal Gloucester Hussars. Lived at Homri, St Nicholas. Probably: Rhys James Thomas, Lieutenant, Royal Armoured Corps, Nottinghamshire Yeomanry. Died 10 February 1945 aged 19. Buried at Reichswald Forest War Cemetery, Germany. Son of Mr and Mrs Robert Morgan Thomas of Cardiff.