Conwy Scouts war memorial, Rowen

Conwy Scouts war memorial, Rowen

The granite memorial at the Scouts’ district camp site in Rowen was created in 2021 to commemorate former Scouts of what is now Conwy Scout district who died in the Second World War. See below for their details.

The men’s stories were researched by Ray Barnett and Ray Castle of Conwy District Scouts, with help from Adrian Hughes of the Home Front Museum, Llandudno.

Two other Conwy Scouts died in the war, although not in active service. Both are included in the Book of Remembrance here.

Scout leaders training at Rowen camp in 1936Geoffrey Foulkes was a Cadet in the Air Training Corps and had already attested to join the Fleet Air Arm when he was old enough. Parents Samuel and Anne Jane Foulkes lived at Manchester House, Conway Road, Colwyn Bay. While spending a week at an RAF station, he and another cadet were passengers in an aircraft, to gain flight experience, when the plane crashed on 4 September 1943. Geoffrey, aged 17, was buried at Llandrillo-yn-Rhos churchyard.

Former Scoutmaster William Hammond Williams killed himself on 23 April 1943, having been invalided out of the RAF because of mental illness. He was born in 1906 to Robert and Mary Williams, of Tyddyn Llan Farm, Eglwysbach. He lived latterly at Gilwell, Singleton Crescent, Mochdre.

The Rowen Scout camp was created in 1931, mainly due to the efforts of Scout District Commissioner Norman Tucker, who was also an avid local historian. The land was initially loaned to the Scout Movement by the Tattersall family. In 1963 the family legally gifted the land and HQ building to the Scouts. 

The photo shows a Cub Wood Badge training course at the camp in 1936. John Douglas Newell, named on the war memorial, is fourth from the right in the back row. Others who died in the war may well have camped at the site. The women in the photo were training to be Cub Masters in the Wolf Cub section. Cub and Scout leaders came to Rowen from across North Wales for training.

Postcode: LL32 8YL    View Location Map

Website of Conwy District Scouts

Former Scouts who died in the Second World War

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

  • Ronald Victor Britton, Aircraftman 2nd Class, Wireless Operator/Air Gunner 547193. Died 01/10/1939, aged 19. Royal Air Force 139 Sqdn. Buried at Hanover War Cemetery. Son of Albert Edward and Margaret Jane Britton (nee Owen), of Colwyn Bay. Former member of 2nd Colwyn Bay Scout Group. His mother lived at 11 Carlton Road, Colwyn Bay.>
  • John Ernest Deacon, Gunner 905734. Royal Artillery (7 Medium Regiment). Died 29/5/1941 aged 20. Athens Memorial. Son of Arthur Ernest and Maud Ethel Deacon (nee Beaumont), of Church Walks, Llandudno. Arthur was a motoring pioneer who owned a garage on Vaughan Street, Llandudno. Former member of 2nd Llandudno Scout Group.
  • Ronald John Foster, Ordinary Seaman, C/JX 566419. Died 15/06/1944, aged 19. Royal Navy -  HMS Mourne. Commemorated at Chatham Naval Memorial. Son of Thomas and Raymonde Foster, of La Mailleraye, Llandudno Road, Rhos-on-Sea. One of 110 who died when his frigate was torpedoed off The Lizard, Cornwall, while deployed on a screening operation in support of the D-Day landings. Former member of 2nd Colwyn Bay Scout Group.
  • Peter William Raymond Holes, Flying Officer, Navigator 140864. Died 14/04/1944, aged 23. Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. Buried at Colwyn Bay (Bronynant) Cemetery. Son of Fred and Emily Holes (nee Brewster), of Okamore Cottage, Lansdowne Road, Colwyn Bay. Former member of 2nd Colwyn Bay Scout Group. One of nine airmen killed in a mid-air collision between planes above Nottinghamshire.
  • Douglas Morris Kennedy, Warrant Officer Class II, 902067, Royal Artillery, 69 (The Denbighshire Yeomanry) Medium Regiment. Died 15/04/1943, aged 23. Tripoli war cemetery, Libya. Son of Thomas Alfred Kennedy and Lucy Kennedy (nee Morris) of St George’s Drive, Deganwy. Former member of 1st Conway Scout Group. Worked at Barclays Bank before enlisting, and was in the Territorial Army. Returned from Dunkirk in 1940 after escaping from the Wormhout ambush which resulted in a massacre of Welsh soldiers.
  • Herbert Reginald Neal, Flight Sergeant, 1801910, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve 49 Squadron. Died 19/07/1944, aged 32. Buried at Herbisse churchyard, France. Son of Joseph Lloyd Neal and Isabella Neal (nee Roberts), of Gwynfa, Cadnant Park; husband of Evelyn Betty Neal (nee Evans) of Stanmore, Middlesex. Member of the Pharmaceutical Society. Worked as a medicine salesman (his father kept a chemist’s shop in Castle Street). Commemorated at St John’s Methodist Church, Conwy. Former member of 1st Conway Scout Group.soldier icon
  • John Douglas Newall, Leading Sick Berth Attendant D/MX 55625. Royal Navy - HMS Repulse. Died 10/12/1941 aged 24. Plymouth Naval Memorial. Son of Andrew and Marion Newall (nee Welsh); husband of Glenys Margaret Newall (nee Jones). Former member of 1st Conway Scout Group. Died when his ship was sunk by Japanese aircraft. He had married Glenys 12 months earlier.
  • Ronald William Penrose, Leading Aircraftman, 1302489. Died 03/10/1942, age 22. Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve 163 Sqdn. Buried at Asmara War Cemetery, Eritrea. Son of Albert Edward and Irene Penrose (nee Goulding), of Colwyn Bay. He was educated at the County School and was a Scout. He worked at the Westminster Bank before enlisting.
  • Lionel George Henry Ryden, Lance Bombardier 872082. Died 20/09/1944, aged 21. Royal Artillery, 1 Airlanding Anti-Tank Battery. Groesbeek Memorial. Son of George Henry Ryden and Shelagh May Ryden (nee Lewis), of Markley Villa, Dundonald Road, Colwyn Bay. As a member of the St Paul’s Troop of Boy Scouts, he was awarded the Boy Scout silver cross for gallantry for rescuing a boy from the sea near Colwyn Bay pier in December 1934.soldier icon
  • Philip John Walsh, Sergeant (Wireless Operator/Air Gunner), 1527483, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve 547 Squadron. Died 08/10/1943 aged 21. Buried in Conwy cemetery. Son of Philip and Mary C Walsh (nee Jones) of Conwy. Lived at 7 Whinacres. Former member of 1st Conway Scout Group.