Cowbridge war memorial

Logo of Cowbridge Town Council

Cowbridge war memorial

This memorial was unveiled in 1921 to commemorate the local people who died on active service in the First World War. The names of men who died in the Second World War were added later.

To read details of the local war dead, choose a category below.
Where shown, click this icon for more details. Extra page icon

On the plinth stands a statue of a soldier with bowed head. Above the FWW names is inscribed: “To the memory of the men of this borough who volunteered for active service and gave their lives for king and country in the Great European War, 1914-1919.” Above the SWW names is inscribed: “And to the memory of those of this borough who gave their lives in the Second World War, 1939-1945.”

In 2013 the memorial was taken apart for reinforcement. It’s thought that a road vehicle had hit the memorial, and the way the plinth had moved indicated that the memorial had never been fixed to the ground. Steel rods were inserted, with the help of a grant from the War Memorials Trust.

The name of Captain Thomas Clarke was added to the memorial in 2014. He was killed while serving in Afghanistan. Our page in his memory is here.

We are grateful to Jose Rawlins, of Cowbridge History Society, for permission to draw on her extensive research on the First World War casualties, which was published in a book called The Great War: Memorials in Cowbridge and Llanblethian by Cowbridge Record Society in 2008.

Postcode: CF71 7AD     View Location Map

First World War

Second World War

Later Conflicts

 

 

First World War

The following men, named on Cowbridge war memorial, died in the First World War. With thanks to Jose Rawlins for her research

  • William Archer, Private 18485. Died 27/08/1918. Royal Welsh Fusiliers 2nd Bn. Vis-en-Artois Memorial. Born in Cowbridge. In 1901 was living in Eastgate with his widowed grandmother, Maria Archer, his uncle John and aunts Alice and Mary. When he enlisted at Tonypandy he was living in Williamstown, Rhondda.
  • David Robert Bond, Gunner 879 Died 28/09/1918. Royal Field Artillery "D" Bty. 15th Bde. British Extension of Metz-en-Couture communal cemetery. Born in Cowbridge, the second son of John and Margaret Bond. The family, with eight children, lived at Rock House (then called Rose Cottage) at the foot of Bond’s Hill. John Bond was a general labourer. Robert enlisted at Bridgend. He was killed in action a few weeks after a visit to Cowbridge for his mother’s funeral.
  • William Henry Burley, Corporal 32696. Died 29/08/1918. Welsh Regiment 15th Bn. Caterpillar Valley Cemetery, Longueval. William Burley was the third son of George Burley, a general labourer, who had died before 1918. His widow Elizabeth was living at 46 Westgate in 1918. William enlisted at Cardiff, joining 15th (Carmarthenshire) Service battalion which, with 13th (2nd Rhondda) and 14th Welch, comprised the 114th Brigade 38th Division.
  • Cecil Richard Trevor Chard, Lance Serjeant 8791. Died 13/10/1915. South Staffordshire Regiment 1st/5th Bn. Loos Memorial. Eldest son of assistant schoomaster Harry Chard and wife Kate Chard. In 1901 they lived with their five children in East Village, Cowbridge. Cecil was born in 1885 in Burry Port, Carmarthenshire, and in 1901 was an apprentice printer.
  • Bassett (or Basset) James Davies, Private 56618. Died 06/08/1917 aged 22. Welsh Regiment 10th Bn. Dozinghem Military Cemetery. Son of Mathias Davies, a decorator, and wife Jane Davies, of 34 Westgate St., Cowbridge. Basset was born in Cowbridge and attended the town’s grammar school. He enlisted at Cardiff, joining 10th Welch (1st Rhondda) Service battalion.
  • Owen Evans, Private G/1025. Died 07/07/1916 aged 24. Royal Sussex Regiment 7th Bn. Ovillers Military Cemetery. Born in Llancarfan, son of the Rev WE Evans, minister of Carmel Congregational Church in Bonvilston, and wife Mary Evans. They lived at The Manse in Llanbethery. Owen worked for John Hopkins & Sons, builders and monumental masons in Cowbridge, before enlisting.
  • David Fitzgerald, Private 63239. Died 09/04/1918 aged 26. Welsh Regiment "D" Coy 2nd Bn (S Wales Borderers on war memorial). Beuvry Communal Cemetery Extension. Second son of railway platelayer John Fitzgerald and wife Elizabeth, of 5 Aubrey Terrace, Cowbridge. David served with the Royal Dublin Fusiliers before his transfer to the Welsh Regiment.
  • Albert Gibbs, Private 56571. Died 14/09/1916 aged 20. Welsh Regiment 16th Bn. Essex Farm Cemetery. Son of Joseph and Florence Gibbs, of 23, Eastgate St., Cowbridge. Albert, born in Cowbridge, was fourth of seven sons of Joseph and Florence Gibbs. Joseph had moved to Cowbridge in 1895 to set up a printing business at 43 High Street. Albert enlisted at Bridgend, joining 16th (Cardiff City) Service battalion. Killed in action near Ypres, Belgium. Brother of Arthur, below.
  • Arthur Gibbs, Private 41342. Died 24/10/1918 aged 19. The Loyal North Lancashire Regiment 9th Bn. Worms (Hochheim Hill) Cemetery. Younger brother of Albert, above. Arthur enlisted at Cardiff. In July he was reported as being a Prisoner of War in Germany, where he died.
  • Ralph S Goulden, died at home in Cowbridge as a civilian. He had served with the Royal Garrison Artillery. He was the third of five sons of Henry Goulden, who kept a confectionary shop in the High Street. In October 1918 The Glamorgan Gazette reported that Edgar Goulden RNR received “a token of appreciation from the Mayor of Cowbridge to convey to his brother, Ralph Goulden, who lies in a precarious state in his home suffering severely from gas poisoning”.
  • Arthur M Jones (AW Jones on Cowbridge war memorial), Serjeant 355919. Died 20/09/1918. Royal Welsh Fusiliers 25th (Montgomeryshire and Welsh Horse Yeomanry) Bn. Awarded Military Service Medal. Peronne Communal Cemetery Extension. Arthur was born in Llantrisant. His father was William Jones, who was living at Paradwys, Aberthin, in 1918. Arthur enlisted in the Welsh Horse, a yeomanry regiment of mounted Territorials but sailed without horses in February 1916 to Alexandria and the Suez Canal Defence Zone. After fighting also in Palestine, Arthur – by then with the 74th (Broken Spur) Division – moved to the Western Front, where Arthur was killed. One of his brothers, Sgt Major W Jones, was with him at the end and at his burial.
  • William Eton Lane, Serjeant 22226. Died 23/08/1916. South Wales Borderers 11th Bn. Essex Farm Cemetery. William, born in Cowbridge, was the eldest of five sons of Sidney and Mary Lane. In 1901 the family lived at 6 Westgate, where Sidney was a storekeeper. William attended Cowbridge Grammar school before enlisting at Newport, joining 11th (2nd Gwent) Service battalion of the SWB. He was killed in action near Ypres, Belgium.
  • Charles Lewis, Private 110363. Died 23/07/1918. Tank Corps 9th Bn. Roye New British Cemetery. Charlie, born in Cowbridge, was the only son of plasterer Alfred Lewis and wife Elizabeth. They lived on the Aberthin road in 1918. Charlie enlisted in Bridgend, joining the Royal Field Artillery, but later transferred to the Heavy Section of the Machine Gun Corps, which became the Tank Corps.
  • Frederic Charles Lord, Corporal 20673. Died 14/09/1916 aged 25. Grenadier Guards 4th Bn. Corbie Communal Cemetery Extension. Fred was born in Norflok. His parents were Henry John and Maria Lord. He enlisted at Cardiff, and died of wounds in France.
  • Benjamin Hayward, Stoker 286053. Died 26/01/1916 aged 36. Royal Navy. Wick Unitarian Chapelyard. Husband of Ida Margaret Hayward. Discharged from Navy on grounds of ill health before dying of malaria. His ship HMS Challenger had taken part in the invasion of Cameroon, then a German colony in west Africa, in 1914. Brother of Sidney, below.
  • Sidney Abraham Hayward, Lance Corporal 20893. Died 24/06/1917 aged 24. Royal Welsh Fusiliers 14th Bn. Bard Cottage Cemetery. Born in Cowbridge in 1892. Youngest son of painter and decorate George Hayward and wife Elizabeth, of 99 Cardonnal Terrace, Old Rd, Skewen, Neath. Elizabeth was working as a dressmaker in 1891, when the family – with seven sons and two daughters – lived in Eastgate, Cowbridge. Sidney worked at Court Herald colliery, near Neath Abbey, and lodged at Old Road, Skewen, before enlisting at Neath in January 1915. He was killed in action near Ypres, Belgium.
  • Morris James Marsden, Second Lieutenant. Died 20/09/1917 aged 22. Machine Gun Corps (Infantry) 214th Coy. Tyne Cot Memorial. Son of John G and MA Marsden, of Maes-y-Clere, Cribyn, Llanybyther, Carmarthenshire.
  • Arthur Stuart Miles, Rifleman 2757. Died 13/10/1915 aged 19. Monmouthshire Regiment 1st Bn. Arras Road Cemetery, Roclincourt. Youngest son of Frederick Augustas and Wilmot Agnes Miles. In 1901 the family lived at 4 High Street, where Frederick had a grocery shop. By 1915 Mrs Miles was a widow but still managing the business. Arthur was born in Cowbridge and enlisted at Newport. Killed in action in France.
  • Richard Thomas Morgan, Private 863. Died 12/06/1917. Australian Pioneers 3rd. Trois Arbres Cemetery, Steenwerck. Richard was born in Penarth in September 1886. His parents were railway signalman Richard Morgan and wife Mary. In 1901 the family, with seven children, lived at 10 Eastgate. Richard junior worked as a railway clerk before emigrating to Australia, aged 24, in 1911. He enlisted in January 1916 in Brisbane, Queensland, for service overseas with the Australian Imperial Force, where his trade was recorded as ‘mechanic’. He reached Plymouth in July 1916 and remained in England for four months of further training. He died of war wounds in Belgium.
  • William Harold Otho Moynan, Second Lieutenant. Died 31/07/1917. South Wales Borderers, Brecknockshire Bn. Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial. Harold Moynan was the younger of the two sons of Dr Richard Moynan and his wife Emma. Dr Moynan was medical officer of health for the Cowbridge borough. In 1914 the family were living at Woodstock House in the High Street. The brothers enlisted before October 1914, Harold joining the SWB (Brecknockshire) territorial battalion. It’s unlikely he was serving with this battalion when he was killed in Belgium, as the Brecknockshires spent almost the entire wartime years in India.
  • William David Owen, Second Lieutenant. Died 11/10/1918. Welsh Regiment 15th Bn. St. Germain-au-Mont-d'Or Communal Cemetery Extension.
  • Alexander Pates, Private 8891. Died 26/10/1914. Welsh Regiment, 2nd Bn (1st Bn according to Commonwealth War Graves Commission). Poperinghe Old Military Cemetery. Alexander was born in Aberdeen. He enlisted in Cardiff and died of war wounds in Belgium.
  • James William Payne (named as Joshua W Payne on war memorial), Second Lieutenant. Died 14/04/1917 aged 25. Durham Light Infantry 6th Bn. Arras Memorial. Son of James William and Frances Mary Payne, of Lebanon House, Westoe, South Shields. Worked as an assistant master at Cowbridge Grammar School before the war. Killed in action in France.
  • David R Spencer, Second Engineer. Died 20/04/1917 aged 33. Mercantile Marine, SS Portloe (Cardiff). Tower Hill Memorial. Husband of Laurie Glaister Spencer, of "Kelso", Lake Rd., East, Roath Park, Cardiff. Born at Cowbridge. David was youngest of the three sons of brewer an innkeeper Thomas Spencer and wife Margaret. The family lived at the Duke of Wellington pub in 1891. Thomas had died by 1901, when Margaret was managing the business with the help of her eldest son. David died after his ship was torpedoed by a German submarine west of Ireland.
  • John Arthur Stockwood, Serjeant. S/2869. Died 03/09/1916. Rifle Brigade 10th Bn. Thiepval Memorial. Arthur, born in Cowbridge, was the eldest of five sons of solicitor John Stockwood and wife Rachel. They lived at Woodstock House, High Street. Arthur attended the grammar school and became a solicitor. He married and fathered three children. Before the war he was in practice at Park Street, Bridgend, with his uncle S H Stockwood. He enlisted in Cardiff, and was rapidly promoted to corporal and then sergeant. He had applied for a commission in the Welsh Regiment when he was killed in France.
  • Thomas Frederick Hastings Torney, Lieutenant. Died 03/09/1918 aged 20. Welsh Regiment 3rd Bn. attd. 13th Bn. Vis-en-Artois Memorial. Son of Hastings Torney MB and Jessie Gunn Torney, of Cowbridge. Tommy, born in Bungay, Suffolk, was the only son of Dr Hastings Torney and wife Jessie. In 1901 they all lived at Sorrento, High Street, Cowbridge. Hastings Torney, who would be commissioned as a captain in the RAMC, was born in Ireland. Tommy was commissioned on his 17th birthday. He was killed in action in France.
  • William Trew, Private 238027. Died 21/07/1918 aged 23. Leicestershire Regiment 1st Bn. Nine Elms British Cemetery. Willie Trew was the eldest of four sons of agricultural labourer James Trew and wife Catherine.They lived at Westgate, Cowbridge, before Willie’s death. Willie enlisted in Cardiff and joined the Welsh Regiment, later transferring to the 1st Leicesters. He was serving with the machine-gun section when he was killed in Belgium.
  • Ronald Sinclair Wall, Lance Corporal 25/1504. Died 15/10/1915 aged 24. Northumberland Fusiliers 25th (Tyneside Irish) Bn. Sutton Veny (St John) Churchyard. Born in London. Educated at Cowbridge Grammar School, where he was an assistant master before the war. Ronald enlisted in Cardiff. He probably died at the large military hospital in Sutton Veny, near Warminster, Wiltshire.
  • Herbert Dudley Williams, Private 16789. Died 03/09/1916 aged 20. Gloucestershire Regiment 12th Bn. Dive Copse British Cemetery, Sailly-le-Sec. Son of draper John Williams and wife Morfydd. They lived at London House, Eastgate, Cowbridge. Herbert was born in Cowbridge and attended the town’s grammar school. In 1914 he enlisted at Bristol. Died of wounds in France.
  • William Willment (Willmott, according to Commonwealth War Graves Commission), Corporal G/1120. Died 25/09/1915 aged 27. Royal Sussex Regiment "D" Coy. 2nd Bn. St Mary’s ADS Cemetery, Haisnes. Son of Fred and Margaret Willmott, of Cowbridge.; husband of Ethel May Firman Willmott, of 67, Sugden Rd., Lavender Hill, London. William was born in Llantwit Major. Killed in action in France.
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Second World War

The following men from the Cowbridge area died in the Second World War.

  • John, David Morgan, Petty Officer D/MX69782. Died 21/04/1941. Royal Navy, HMS Drake. Buried Cowbridge Cemetery.
  • Gwyn, John David, Lieutenant 276391. Died 02/12/1943 aged 21. Welch Regiment. Buried Cassino War Cemetery. Son of Arthur William and Elsie Isabel Gwyn. He held a BA Hons degree from St John's College, Cambridge, and wrote poetry. Until 2004, a prize in his memory was awarded annually at Cowbridge School for academic achievement in English Literature.soldier icon
  • Maxwell, John, Fireman. Died 26/9/42 age 54. Merchant Navy - SS Yorktown. Tower Hill Memorial. Born in Maendy, Cowbridge. His ship was torpedoed and sunk west of Butt of Lewis, Scotland. Not named on Cowbridge war memorial.
  • Pratt, George Thomas Joseph, Lieutenant 321132. Died 20/10/1944 aged 23. Somerset Light Infantry attached to Royal Fusiliers. Buried Cesena War Cemetery. Son of Thomas and Agnes Rose Pratt.
  • Seviour, Percival Mervyn, Private 3965453. Died 25/07/1940 aged 22. Welch Regiment. Buried Cowbridge Cemetery. Son of Percival Edwin and Elizbeth Alice Seviour.
  • Williams, Emlyn George, Private 7626084. Died 08/10/1941. Royal Army Ordnance Corps. Buried El Alamein War Cemetery. Son of William George and Mary Annie Williams.
  • Watts, David Roy, Pilot Officer 44537. Died 02/05/1941 aged 24. Royal Air Force. Pontypridd Crematorium. Son of David Christopher and Kathleen Mary Watts.
  • Burston, Maynard Hargrave, Sergeant 1284770. Died 22/06/1943 aged 29. Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. Buried Eindhoven (Woensel) General Cemetery. Son of James Hargrave Burston and Helen Burston of Mitcham, Surrey.
  • Payne, Gerald Victor, Sergeant 1316406. Died 28/08/1942 aged 19.Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. Buried Mesmont Churchyard. Son of George and Blanche Payne.
  • Richards, Thomas John, Chief Engineer Officer. Died 14/03/1941 aged 55. Merchant Navy , SS Stanleigh. Tower Hill Memorial.
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Later conflicts

  • Thomas Ellis Clarke, Captain, Air Army Corps. Killed on 26/04/2014, aged 30, in a helicopter crash in Afghanistan. Son of Denise and Bruce Clarke; husband of Angela Clarke (nee Gordon).soldier icon
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