In memory of Hugh Davies
Hugh Davies was the youngest son of David and Catherine (‘Kitty’) Davies (sometimes written as Dafis), of 3 Glan y Porth, Ysbyty Ifan. He had two sisters and two brothers.
Hugh worked as a labourer at various farms, including Plas Ucha, before he enlisted in the army during the First World War. After training, he went to France with the Royal Welsh Fusiliers in 1916. A fortnight later he was mortally wounded in the battle of Mametz Wood, part of the first Battle of the Somme. He died in the arms of his friend Ted Beattie on 10 July 1916. Hugh was 24 years old.
The fighting continued and Hugh’s body was never found. He is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial in France.
Private J Pearce from Maesteg, near Bridgend, took Hugh’s bible from the battlefield and was later sent to a convalescent hospital in Northumberland. He wanted to ensure that the book returned to Hugh’s family. Miss M Jones of Maesteg, who had formerly taught in Beddgelert and Morfa Nefyn, noticed an inscription on the front page recording that the bible had been given to Hugh Davies by “RR Jones, Frondirion”.
She wrote to a journalist at Yr Herald Cymraeg who was aware of a Rev RR Jones in Ysbyty Ifan. The bible returned to Ysbyty Ifan in November 1916. It was reported that Catherine was comforted to have the book as a memorial to her son.
Return to Ysbyty Ifan war memorial page
