In memory of John Cynfal Roberts
John ‘Cynfal’ Roberts was one of six children of Owen and Elizabeth Roberts of Bod Ifan, Ysbyty Ifan, writes Eryl Prys Jones. Following his education in Ysbyty Ifan and Blaenau Ffestiniog County School, he obtained a BA from Bangor University.
He taught in Hawarden, Flintshire, for a while, before accepting a teaching job at Munro College in Kingston, Jamaica! He captained the college’s football team.
He returned to Britain to take part in the Great War, joining the Artists’ Rifles in October 1916. He transferred to the Royal Field Artillery during his training.
He went to Belgium in June 1917. After hospital treatment for burns to his head and a hand, he returned to the fray in July. He soon suffered a shrapnel wound and returned to Britain for two months’ recuperation. After returning again, his courage in the Battle of Passchendaele earned him the Military Cross. During heavy shelling, he and a comrade succeeded in bringing a wounded soldier back to cover, despite being knocked down twice by shellfire.
By the following spring, John was in action in France. He was poisoned by a gas attack in April 1918. After a period in hospital, he persuaded the authorities to allow him to return to the fighting, where he took part in the closing months of the war.
He fell ill with influenza on 8 November and was afflicted with pneumonia by the time he reached Boulogne Hospital. He died on 11 November – his 30th birthday. His death occurred at 11.30pm. The magazine of Munro College surmised that he’d been sufficiently conscious in the hours before his death to receive the news that the war had ended that day.
He is buried at Terlincthun British Cemetery, Boulogne.
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