In memory of David Rees
David Rees was one of the sons of Corwen saddler Humphrey Rees and wife Jane. He had four brothers and a sister who survived into adulthood. The family lived at Reliance House, where the saddlery business was based. Humphrey died before the First World War broke out. Jane was living in Manchester by 1917.
David worked as a joiner, having been apprenticed to builder Thomas Humphreys of 5 The Terrace, Corwen. He was a member of the town’s fire brigade and worshipped at the Calvinistic Methodist chapel. He joined the territorial force several years before the war began.
Serving with the Royal Welsh Fusiliers, in 1915 he took part in the ill-fated attempt to invade Turkey through the Gallipoli peninsula. He was invalided home from Malta, suffering from bronchial pneumonia. On recovering, he was stationed at the Park Hall camp in Oswestry, but volunteered to return to the fray. He rejoined his unit in Egypt in January 1917.
On 26 March 1917, British forces began what later became known as the First Battle of Gaza, in an attempt to remove Gaza from Turkish control. Sergeant David Rees died that day, aged 29. He is Buried at Gaza War Cemetery in Palestine.
He was one of at least 36 members of the 7th Battalion of the Royal Welsh Fusiliers who lost their lives that day. Another was Private Peter Philips, also of Corwen.
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