Bala war memorial

BalaBala war memorial

This war memorial was unveiled in 1922 to commemorate local people who died in the First World War. The names of those who died in the Second World War were added later. To discover who they were, choose a category below.

First World War

Second World War

The town’s first casualty of the Second World War was also its youngest. Frederick Hughes was 17 years old when he died, with 832 comrades, on board HMS Royal Oak in October 1939. The battleship was torpedoed by a submarine which had gained entry to a naval harbour.

The only woman named on the memorial is Catherine Evans. She was serving in the Women's Auxiliary Air Force when she died accidentally, aged 23.

With thanks to John W Nuttall

Postcode: LL23 7BH    View Location Map

 

 

First World War

Where shown, click this icon for our page in memory of the person: Extra page icon

  • Davies, David Morris, Serjeant 2160. Died 23/07/1916 aged 36. Royal Welsh Fusiliers. Buried Ismailia War Memorial Cemetery. Son of John and Kate Davies of 52 Mount Street. Died of heart disease at Moscow Hospital, Egypt, where he had served for nine months.
  • Davies, Rowland Hugh, Private 19092. Died 22/04/1916 aged 19. King's Shropshire Light Infantry. Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial. Son of Lewis and Margaret Davies of Rhiw Chapel House, Pwllglas, Ruthin. Born and enlisted at Bala.
  • Davies, John William, Private 61072. Died 20/01/1918 aged 26. Royal Welsh Fusiliers. Buried Oxford Road Cemetery. Son of John and Jane Davies of Rhosygwaliau; husband of Katherine Davies, of Minafon, Llandderfel. Brother of Thomas, below.
  • Davies, Thomas Hugh, Private 38464. Died 20/09/1917 aged 19. Gloucestershire Regiment. Tyne Cot Memorial. Son of John and Jane Davies, of Rhosygwaliau.
  • Dowle, William Robert, Private M/338389. Died 14/11/1918 aged 30. Army Service Corps. Buried Chela Kula Military Cemetery. Son of Mrs Dowle of Dover; husband of Ethel Maud Dowle of 57, Glenfield Road, Buckland, Dover. Worked at Brynygroes, Bala, before enlisting.
  • Edwards, Evan Edward, Serjeant 4838. Died 18/05/1915 aged 38. Royal Welsh Fusiliers. Buried St Sever Cemetery. Son of Richard and Jane Edwards of Tegid Street.
  • Edwards, William Edward, Private 290521. Died 23/01/1917 aged 20. Royal Welsh Fusiliers. Buried Llanycil (St Beuno) Churchyard. Son of Watkin and Elizabeth Edwards of 18, Plasey Street. Accidentally killed while training at Wickham Market, Suffolk.
  • Edwards, John William, Private 21160. Died 11/07/1916 aged 20. Royal Welsh Fusiliers. Buried Heilly Station Cemetery. Son of Cadwalader and Jane Ann Edwards of Tynant, Cwm.
  • Ellis, John Samuel, Private 21166. Died 06/07/1916. Royal Welsh Fusiliers. Thiepval Memorial. Of Arenig Street.
  • Ellis, William Henry, Private 36910. Died 16/12/1918 aged 29. Royal Welsh Fusiliers. Buried Llanycil (St Beuno) Churchyard. Son of William and Margaret Ellis of 97, Highfield Road, Rock Ferry, Birkenhead. Of Arenig Street.
  • Ellis, William Owen, Private 39768. Died 29/09/1918 aged 33. Border Regiment. Buried Bellicourt British Cemetery. Son of Owen Ellis, of Penrhiw, Bala; husband of Jane Ellis of 22, Bronllwyn Road, Pentre, Rhondda. Born in Llandderfel.
  • Evans, John, Private 23330. Died 11/07/1916 aged 22. Royal Welsh Fusiliers. Thiepval Memorial. Son of Edward and Margaret Evans of Bridge House, Cynwyd, Corwen. Enlisted in Bala. Of Meini Hirion.
  • Evans, Joseph Henry, Private 26421. Died 27/05/1917 aged 38. Royal Welsh Fusiliers. Buried Vlamertinghe Military Cemetery. Son of Robert Meredydd and Catherine Evans of 34 Castle Street.
  • Evans, Owen Richard, Private DM2/171280. Died 02/08/1917. Army Service Corps. Buried Llanfor (St Mor) Churchyard. Son of Elizabeth Evans of Minafon, High Street.
  • Evans, Robert John, Private 21290. Died 08/09/1916. Royal Welsh Fusiliers. Buried Llanuwchllyn Cemetery. Son of Mr and Mrs Edward Evans, of Cefnrhos, Llanuwchllyn. Enlisted in Bala. Of Cefn Meirch.
  • Evans, Thomas, Private 203782. Died 25/02/1917 aged 26. Royal Welsh Fusiliers. Buried Llanwddyn (St Wddyn) Churchyard. Son of John and Ellen Evans of Hafod, Llanwddyn. Born and resided in Bala.
  • Evan, William Edward, Private 49588. Died 31/10/1917 aged 30. King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry. Buried Nine Elms British Cemetery. Son of Evan and Margaret Ellen Evans of Tymawr, Llanfor.
  • Hughes, Owen Wynne, Private 4144. Died 23/04/1917 aged 29. Australian Infantry. Villers-Bretonneux Memorial. Son of Edwin and Margaret Hughes of Cefn Maes; brother of Elias Hughes, of Fronucha, Parc, Bala. Born in Bala. Enlisted in Rockhampton, Queensland, and gave his occupation as bush-worker. Was wounded in France in August 1916, sent to England for treatment and returned to France in February 1917, two months before being killed in action. His personal effects, sent to Elias, included veterinary instruments.
  • Humphreys, Morris, Driver T4/174109. Died 19/04/1916 aged 38. Army Service Corps. Buried Bebington Cemetery. Husband of Ellen Humphreys, of 28 Marne Street, Rock Ferry, Birkenhead. Of Castle Street.
  • Jones, David Gwilym, Private 60946. Died 26/09/1917 aged 23. Royal Welsh Fusiliers. Tyne Cot Memorial. Son of Joseph and Jane Jones of 34 Mount Street. Brother of Hugh, below.
  • Jones, David Thomas, Private 61078. Died 08/01/1918. Royal Welsh Fusiliers. Tyne Cot Memorial. Son of David and Elizabeth Jones of Tyn-y-cae, Cynllwyd, Llanuwchllyn; husband of Grace Jones of Brynmoel. Of Berthlafar.
  • Jones, Francis, Air Mechanic 290084. Died 26/10/1918 aged 19. Royal Air Force. Buried Bala (Christ Church) Churchyard. Son of David and Sarah Jones, Ealing House.
  • Jones, Hugh Edward, Private 241972. Died 10/4/1917 aged 29. Son of Joseph and Jane Jones of 34 Mount Street.
  • Jones, Isaac, Lance Corporal 2630. Died 03/01/1916 aged 19. Royal Welsh Fusiliers. Buried Pieta Military Cemetery. Son of Hugh O Jones and Elinor Jones of 30 Mount Street. Died of fever in Malta. Was a member of the Capel Tegid congregation.
  • Jones, John Hugh, Private 2020. Died 29/05/1917 aged 23. Royal Fusiliers. Buried Sunken Road Cemetery. Son of Robert and Kate Jones of Cyffdy. Worked at Parr’s Bank, Crewe, Cheshire, before enlisting.soldier icon
  • Jones, John Morris, Private 19926. Died 24/07/1916 aged 22. Royal Fusiliers. Buried Berks Cemetery. Son of Morris J Jones and Jane Jones of Bradford House. Attended Bala grammar and county schools. Worked for the National & Provincial Bank, in Dolgellau and Hereford.
  • Jones, Rhodri Deane Owen-Jones, Captain. Died 05/01/1916 aged 29. 36th Jacob's Horse (Indian Cavalry). Buried Abbeville Communal Cemetery. Son of Major General Robert Owen Jones CB (Royal Engineers) and Harriette Owen-Jones of Bryn Tegid.
  • Jones, Roger Llewelyn, Private 40089. Died 17/02/1917 aged 25. Middlesex Regiment. Buried Regina Trench Cemetery. Youngest son of WE and Annie Jones of Tremlyn, Bala. Native of Heulwen, Bala. Worked in the London, City & Midland Bank before enlisting.
  • Jones, Richard Ambrose, Private 23403. Died 01/09/1916 aged 28. Royal Welsh Fusiliers. Essex Farm Cemetery. Son of Mrs Hannah Jones of Tegid Street. Left a widow and two children. Lived in Talbot House, Llangollen. Served as a tailor. Was killed by shrapnel.
  • Jones, Thomas, Private 30656. Died 21/10/1918 aged 35. Border Regiment. Buried Awoingt British Cemetery. Son of J and Jane Jones of Ty Capel, Llwynhenion; husband of Lizzie Jones of 6, Blaenddol.
  • Jones, Thomas, Private 29606. Died 27/08/1916 aged 21. Royal Welsh Fusiliers. Buried Cefnddwysarn Calvinistic Chapelyard. Son of John and Elizabeth Ann Jones of Hendre, Rhydywernen.
  • Jones, William, Private 144765. Died 19/09/1918. Machine Gun Corps (Infantry). Vis-En-Artois Memorial. Son of John and Jane Elizabeth Jones. Born and resided in Bala. Of Berth Lafar.
  • Jones, William, Lance Corporal 787. Died 11/08/1915 aged 26. Royal Welsh Fusiliers. Helles Memorial. Son of Robert and Jane Anne Jones of 33 Aran Street. Not named on Bala war memorial.
  • Owen, John Cadwalader, Private 24913. Died 27/04/1918 aged 21. The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment). Buried Ypres Town Cemetery Extension. Son of David and Elizabeth Owen of Braich y Saint, Criccieth. Enlisted and Resided Bala. Of Church Row.
  • Petit, Charles, Private 291252. Died 06/11/1917 aged 23. Royal Welsh Fusiliers. Buried Beersheba War Cemetery. Son of Alice May Pettit of 39, Church Square, Bedford. Enlisted in Bala. Of Eryl Aran.
  • Richards, Owen Wyndham, Private 62608. Died 27/06/1917 aged 22. Cheshire Regiment transferred to Labour Corps. Buried Ferme-Olivier Cemetery. Son of John and Elizabeth Richards of Minafon. Of York Terrace.
  • Richards, Robert John, Private 89572. Died 18/10/1918 aged 21. Royal Welsh Fusiliers. Vis-en-Artois Memorial. Son of Mrs Margaret Sydney Richards of 6 Arenig Terrace.
  • Roberts, Edward, Private 74182. Died 16/04/1918 aged 22. Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment). Buried Varennes Military Cemetery. Son of John and Ann Roberts of Glanrafon, Cwm.
  • Roberts, Frederick, Private 34609. Died 09/07/1916. Royal Welsh Fusiliers. Thiepval Memorial. Born in Bala and resided in Surrey.
  • Roberts, John, Private 35194. Died 02/02/1917 aged 27. Cheshire Regiment. Buried Bailleul Communal Cemetery. Son of James and Mary Roberts of Bryn Banon Bach.
  • Roberts, John, Private. Died 22/01/1918 aged 28. US Army. Buried Welsh Capel Cemetery, Postville, Nebraska. Son of Mr and Mrs Edward Roberts of Werglodd-Goch, Cwm. Emigrated in April 1912. Died of pneumonia and diphtheria while training at Fort Riley, Kansas. His sister, who lived in Connecticut, attended his funeral.
  • Roberts, Robert, Private 291171. Died 01/04/1917 aged 41. Royal Welsh Fusiliers. Buried Kantara War Memorial Cemetery. Son of Ellen Roberts of Tŷ’n Llechwedd, Llanuwchllyn; husband of Mary Roberts of 39 Mount Street.
  • Rogers, Arthur, Second Lieutenant. Died 26/03/1917 aged 20. Royal Welsh Fusiliers. Buried Gaza War Cemetery. Son of Rev John Rogers and Mrs A E Rogers of 34 Column Road, Cardiff.  His grandmother lived in Bron Tegid, Bala.
  • Thomas, Daniel, Private 26395. Died 04/11/1918 aged 23. Royal Welsh Fusiliers. Buried Montay-Neuvilly Road Cemetery. Son of Daniel Thomas of Barracks, Penybryn, Ffestiniog; husband of Mary Thomas, of Bont-yr-afon Gam, Ffestiniog. Enlisted in Bala. Of Hafod yr Esgob.
  • Thomas, David John, Private 61022. Died 20/02/1917 aged 27. Royal Welsh Fusiliers. Buried Llanycil (St Beuno) Churchyard. Son of David Thomas of Garthlwyd Farm. Died in hospital in Liverpool.
  • Thomas, John, Private 16791. Died 25/09/1915 aged 46. Royal Welsh Fusiliers. Loos Memorial. Son of John and Jane Thomas, of Llechwedd Hen.
  • Watson, Henry, Sergeant 15433. Died 11/04/1917. Royal Welsh Fusiliers. Arras Memorial. Of the White Lion Royal Hotel.
  • Watson, James, Private. Died 02/12/1917 aged 29. Served in the army on the Western Front in France. Son of John and Gwen Watson of Tŷ Newydd, Moelgarnedd, Llanycil.
  • Williams, David Morris, Private 20223. Died 31/07/1917 aged 19. Royal Welsh Fusiliers. Buried Dragoon Camp Cemetery. Worked at Bryn Pader before enlisting. Born in Maentwrog.
  • Williams, Evan Robert, Private 49699. Died 12/01/1919 aged 26. Royal Welsh Fusiliers. Buried Alexandria (Hadra) War Memorial Cemetery. Son of Evan and Margaret Williams. Of Werngoch.
  • Williams, William, Private 204283. Died 22/04/1918 aged 30. Royal Welsh Fusiliers. Pozieres Memorial. Son of Hugh and Ellen Williams, of Groeslon, Rhyducha.
  • Williams, William, Private 43934. Died 20/06/1917 aged 24. Royal Welsh Fusiliers. Buried Etaples Military Cemetery. Only son of John and Jane Williams of Penybanc, Sarnau, Llandderfel.
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Second World War

  • Evans, Catherine Ellen, Aircraftwoman 1st Class 439648. Died 21/10/1942 aged 23. Women's Auxiliary Air Force. Buried Llanycil (St Beuno) Churchyard. Daughter of Edward Griffith Evans and Cathrina Jane Evans. Killed after the fuel tanker she was driving caught fire in an accident.
  • Evans, Iowerth Francis, Corporal 4192625. Died 08/05/1942 aged 27. Royal Welch Fusiliers. Brookwood 1939-1945 Memorial. Husband of Lucille Florence Evans. Of Arenig Terrace. Died of a shoulder wound while travelling by ship to South Africa and was buried at sea.
  • Edmonds, Edward (Eddie) Henry, Sergeant 554011. Died 24/10/1943 aged 20. Royal Air Force. Buried Rome War Cemetery. Son of Henry John and Hilda Edmonds; husband of Joan Edmonds.
  • Goddard Alan Edward, Captain 201922. Died 28/04/1944 aged 30. Royal Army Service Corps. Buried Denny And Dunipace Cemetery. Son of Ernest and Dora Kate Goddard of Prestatyn; husband of Agnes M Goddard of Bonnybridge, Scotland. Died as a result of injuries received when two army lorries crashed in southern England. Talented footballer and excellent all-round cricketer. Was a solicitor in Bala when he joined the Royal Army Service Corps in 1940.
  • Hughes, Frederick Edward, Boy 1st Class P/JX 157826. Died 14/10/1939 aged 17. Royal Navy - HMS Royal Oak. Portsmouth Naval Memorial. Son of Edward David and Flossie Daisy Hughes of Plasteg. Died after a German submarine entered the naval harbour at Scapa Flow, Orkney, and sunk the battleship, with the loss of 833 lives. His body was never found.
  • Hughes, John Arthur, Gunner 947436. Died 01/03/1943 aged 24. Royal Artillery. Medjez-El-Bab Memorial. Son of Richard and Mary Hughes of 26 Mount Street.
  • Jones, Henry (Harry), Ordinary Seaman LT/JX 240557. Died 05/04/1941 aged 26. Royal Naval Patrol Service - HM Trawler Fortuna. Buried Berwick-Upon-Tweed Cemetery. Son of John Owen and Catherine Jane Jones of New Shop.
  • Jones, Hugh Cory, Private 7648537. Died 20/02/1943 aged 26. Royal Army Ordnance Corps. Buried Kanchanaburi War Cemetery. Son of Andrew and Gertrude Jones; husband of Freda Mary Jones of Arenig Street. Captured in Singapore. Died while forced to work on the Burma-Thailand Railway, known as the Death Railway.
  • Lewis, Isaac, Private 13110236. Died 16/12/1945 aged 33. Pioneer Corps. Buried Udine War Cemetery. Son of Isaac Pickstock Lewis and Sarah Ellen Lewis of Yr Onnen. Thought to have died in a road accident, after the war had ended.
  • McCabe, Thomas Joseph, Captain 164915. Died 19/07/1943 aged 26. Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers. Buried Catania War Cemetery. Mentioned in Despatches. Son of Thomas Joseph and Magrate McCabe; husband of Elizabeth McCabe. Of Maes y Bronnydd.
  • Morgan, Eddie, Captain 249616. Died 08/06/1944 aged 31. Royal Army Ordnance Corps. Bayeux Memorial. Husband of Mary Morgan of Victoria, London. Killed during the Normandy landings.
  • Morris, Eddie, Able Seaman 195663. Died 15/6/1942 aged 24. Royal Navy. Chatham Naval Memorial. Son of William and Winifred Morris; husband of Margery May Morris of Ladywood, Birmingham. Died when his ship, a destroyer, was sunk while escorting a convoy to Malta.
  • Peacock, Bingham Everett, Lieutenant. Died 01/03/1944. Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve - HMS Gould. Plymouth Naval Memorial. Of Bronygraig. Died when his ship was torpedoed and sunk by a U-boat which had been forced to surface.
  • Phillips, David Samuel, Sergeant 4199489. Died 02/03/1945 aged 28. King’s Own Scottish Borderers. Buried Reichswald Forest Cemetery. Husband of Gladwen Phillips of Bala.
  • Pritchard, David, Private 7933313. Died 06/12/1945 aged 35. Pioneer Corps. Buried Llanycil (St Beuno) Churchyard. Son of Edward and Annie Pritchard of Frongoch. Of Brynffynnon, Rhosygwaliau.
  • Roberts, Robert John, Fusilier 4199315. Died 21/04/1945 aged 28. Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers. Buried Argenta Gap War Cemetery. Son od David and Nell Roberts of Parc, Bala; husband of Eleanor Roberts of Buckley.
  • Rowlands, Morris, Fusilier 4196995. Died between 25 May 1940 and 26 May 1940 aged 21. Royal Welch Fusiliers. Buried Robecq Communal Cemetery. Son of Robert and Ellen Hughes Rowlands of Dolwen, Capel Celyn. Killed during a rearguard operation as British forces retreated to Dunkirk.
  • Thomas, David Glynn, Captain. Died 25/06/1944 aged 31. Royal Marines. Buried Hermanville War Cemetery. BA (Hons.). Son of John and Caroline Thomas; husband of Elinor Annie Thomas of Loughor, Glamorgan. Of Llys Myfyr. Was a teacher at Bala Grammar School.
  • Williams, William. Possibly: Williams, William Charles, Assistant Steward C/LX24415. Died 10/12/1941 aged 24. Royal Navy - HMS Prince of Wales. Chatham Naval Memorial. Son of Charles and Jane Williams of Wrexham. HMS Prince of Wales was sunk in the Pacific by Japanese aerial torpedo bombers.
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