Rhyl war memorial

link_to_french_translationPhoto of Rhyl War memorialRhyl war memorial

Unusually, this war memorial pre-dates the First World War but commemorates the dead of both world wars. The central section with the statue of the soldier was created in 1904 in honour of the six men from the area who died in the Boer War, or South African War, of 1899 to 1902. It stood originally on West Parade, near John Street.

In 1928 the memorial was moved to the section of the promenade near High Street. In 1948 it was placed in its current position, the Garden of Remembrance close to the east end of the prom. The original memorial is flanked by memorials to the people who died in the world wars. Also named are men who died in military service in Northern Ireland, the Falkland Islands and Iraq.

To read details of the people named at the Garden of Remembrance, choose one of the categories below.

With thanks to Alwyn Evans, of the Clwyd Family History Society, and to Rhyl History Club

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Boer War

First World War (opens in new page)

Second World War

First World War, Surnames A-D
First World War, Surnames E-H 
First World War, Surnames I-P
First World War, Surnames Q-Z

Second World War, Surnames A-G 
 Second World War, Surnames H-Q
Second World War, Surnames R-Z

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Boer War

  • Foley, James, Private 2084. South Africa Field Force - Royal Welsh Fusiliers (1st Bn.). Died 25/10/1900. Buried Frederikstad, Transvaal. Born in Conwy. Son of James & Mary J Goley of 2 Victoria Road, Rhuddlan..
  • Jones, Thomas, Private 7471. Royal Welsh Fusiliers (2nd Bn.). Died of disease 16/12/1901. Buried Elandsfontein, Transvaal.
  • Kingston, Thomas, Colour Sergeant 2346. Natal Field Force - Royal Irish Fusiliers (1st. Bn.). Died 18/7/1900, aged 32. Buried Reitvlei, Transvaal. Born in Ireland. Son of John & Mary Rogan Kingston of Cefndy Terrace, Rhuddlan.
  • Roberts, Norman, Private 7347. South Africa Field Force - Royal Welsh Fusiliers (2nd Bn.). Died of disease 16/8/1900. Buried Krugersdorp, Transvaal.
  • Williams, Luther, Private. Royal Welsh Fusiliers (1st Bn.). Born in Swansea. Died 10/5/1900 after being wounded at Colenso. Son of John & Maria Williams of South Kinmel Street, Rhyl.
  • Wynne, Hugh, Volunteer 7331. South Africa Field Force - Royal Welsh Fusiliers (1st Bn.). Died of disease 24/6/1900. Buried at Potchefstroom, Transvaal.
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Second World War

  • Banks, John Henry, Trooper 7885681. Royal Tank Regiment. Died 19/05/1940 aged 24. Buried Cysoiing Communal Cemetery, France.
  • Bates, Albert, Pilot Officer 175422. Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. Died 25/05/1944 aged 28. Buried Jonkerbos War Cemetery, Netherlands. Son of Albert & Lily Bates; husband of Iris Bates.
  • Beach, C.
  • Beach, John.
  • Beaty, James Herbert, Lieutenant 64454. King's Regiment Liverpool attached East Yorkshire Regiment. Died 6/04/1943 aged 28. Buried Sfax War Cemetery, Tunisia. Son of Richard Herbert & Grace Gertrude Beaty.
  • Berry, Leslie, Gunner 4205422. Royal Artillery. Died 12/07/1944 aged 32. Buried St Manvieu War Cemetery, France. Son of Robert Oswald & Nora Berry; husband of Florence Henrietta Berry.      
  • Bestwick, Bernard Francis, Corporal 4201568. Royal Hussars. Died 10/06/1944 aged 28. Buried Hermanville War Cemetery, France. Son of Bernard & Ida Bestwick; husband of Dorothy Anne Bestwick of Barmouth.
  • Blakemore, Geoffrey Harry George, Lance Corporal. Royal Welsh Fusiliers. Died 27/06/1943 aged 23. Buried Rhyl Town Cemetery. Son of George & Elizabeth Amy Blakemore.
  • Booth, Eric Foster, Sergeant 636621. Royal Air Force. Died 08/06/1942. Buried Reichswald Forest War Cemetery, Germany.
  • Boren, Henry, Fusilier 13106937. Royal Welsh Fusiliers. Died 01/03/1945 aged 36 . Buried Reichswald Forest War Cemetery, Germany. Husband of Margaret Boren of Brooks Bar, Old Trafford, Manchester. Born in Poland.
  • Bracchi, Ronald, Sergeant 550921. Royal Air Force. Died 21/12/1940 aged 19. Commemorated Runnymede Memorial. Son of Joseph & Marie Bracchi.
  • Bradford, William, Fusilier 4195852. Royal Welsh Fusiliers. Died 18/03/1943 aged 24. Buried Taukkyan War Cemetery, Burma. Born in St Helens.
  • Cairns, Percy M., Lance Sergeant 4190091, Welsh Guards. Died 05/01/1945 aged 30. Buried Santerno Valley War Cemetery, Italy. Son of William & Maud Mary Cairns; husband of Mary Patricia Cairns.
  • Culling, Maurice Ferguson, Flying Officer 51053. Royal Air Force. Died 15/03/1944 aged 23. Buried St Pierre Cemetery, France. Son of Francis Percy & Elsie Culling.
  • Davies, Raymond Ellwood, Telegraphist D/JX 139652. Royal Navy – HMS Kandahar. Died 22/12/1940 aged 23. Buried Maala Cemetery, Yemen. Son of Thomas Edward & Margaret Hannah Davies.
  • Davies, William Kitchener, Fusilier 4209204. Royal Welsh Fusiliers. Died 21/07/1944 aged 30. Buried Brouay War Cemetery, France. Son of David & Ethel Davies; husband of Mary Davies.
  • Dent, Clifford, Electrical Artificer 4th Class D/MX 86951. Royal Navy – HMS Defiance. Died 28/01/1943 aged 28. Buried Rhyl Town Cemetery. Son of Herbert & Edith Dent; husband of Muriel Dent.
  • Dixon, Clive, Corporal 7607535. Royal Engineers. Died 04/06/1940 aged 30. Buried Hope Cemetery. Son of William Thomas & Christina Dixon of Barnsley. Born in Middlesborough.
  • Draycott, A.
  • Dunning, Norman, Trooper 7933280. Royal Armoured Corps. Died 29/11/1943 aged 31. Commemorated Singapore Memorial. Son of William Henry & Ethel Anne Dunning; husband of Emily Dunning.
  • Edwards, Agnes, Private W/258692. Auxiliary Territorial Service. Died 04/10/1945 aged 28. Commemorated Brookwood Memorial. Daughter of Joseph & Sarah Edwards.
  • Edwards, Alun, Driver T/276789. Royal Army Service Corps attached Royal Artillery. Died 07/09/1945 aged 35. Buried Labuan War Cemetery, Malaysia. Son of John & Jane Edwards of Ruthin; husband of Margaret Ellen Edwards.
  • Edwards, Harold Robert, Fusilier 4209209. Royal Welsh Fusiliers. Died 06/12/1944 aged 23. Commemorated Groesbeek Memorial, Netherlands. Son of Hugh Edwards.
  • Edwards, WT.
  • Espley, Eric Charles, Flying Officer 49845. Royal Air Force. Died 31/03/1944 aged 22. Buried Berlin 1939-1945 War Cemetery, Germany. Son of Dennis James & Winifred Rashleigh Espley. Brother of Harry, below.
  • Espley, Harry, Trooper 326349. Royal Armoured Corps. Died 02/11/1942 aged 22. Commemorated Alamein Memorial, Egypt. Son of Dennis James & Winifred Rashleigh Espley.
  • Evans, Arthur, Sergeant 1106238. Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. Died 07/07/1941 aged 21. Buried As Communal Cemetery, Belgium. Son of William John & Margaret Alice Evans.
  • Evans, JL.
  • Evans, TP.
  • Fahy, Edward, Pilot Officer 172210. Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. Died 17/06/1944 aged 21. Buried Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetery, Netherlands. Son of Joseph Peter & Lucy Fahy.
  • Gerred, Albert Newton, Chief Yeoman of Signals D/J 90489. Royal Navy - HMS Britomart. Died 27/08/ 1944 aged 42. Commemorated Plymouth Naval Memorial. Son of Frederick & Margaret Gerred; husband of Miriam Esther Gerred of Shirley, Southampton. The ship was mistaken for an enemy ship & sunk by RAF planes in the English Channel.
  • Gilbert, JH.
  • Gillbanks, Harold, Joiner 4th Class D/MX 71344. Royal Navy – HMS Exeter. Died 13/06/1945 aged 35. Buried Ambon War Cemetery, Indonesia. Husband of Eleanor Gillbanks of Batley, Yorkshire. Formerly of Carlinglow, Marsh Road. Died of pellagra while a prisoner of war.
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