Dr Jonathan Hicks' "Barry at War" : The Cadoxton School Memorial

BARRY MEMORIALS OF THE GREAT WAR - 2

In the second of his series of articles on Barry's Great War Memorials, Dr Jonathan Hicks looks at the stories behind Cadoxton School's Memorial.

THE MEMORIAL WHICH WAS NEARLY CONSIGNED TO A SKIP

The Great War Memorial at Cadoxton School is amongst the finest of Barry's Great War Memorials, but it could have ended up in a skip if not for the prompt action of the current headteacher.

During building work several years ago the marble memorial was removed from the wall it had graced for many years in order that a new doorway be installed. To his horror, the headteacher noticed the builders carrying the memorial towards their rubbish skip. He intervened and insisted, to his great credit, that it be replaced on a wall in the school where it currently stands.

The memorial has no fewer than 68 names of former pupils who did not return from the Great War inscribed on it. Amongst them is that of Rifleman Harry 'Titch' Bonney who was killed on 30th July 1915. A prominent local footballer, Cardiff City were interested in signing him before he enlisted at the start of the War. He was killed alongside three other Barry men during the German attack on the Hooge Crater. A survivor described what happened: 'There was a sudden hissing sound and a bright crimson glare over the crater turned the whole scene red. As I looked I saw three or four distinct jets of flame - like a line of powerful fire-hoses spraying fire instead of water - shoot across my fire-trench. There was a terrific explosion and almost immediately afterwards one of my men, with blood running down his face, stumbled into me, coming from the direction of the crater.' The Germans had unleashed a terrible new weapon : 'liquid fire' or flamethrowers.

Charles Golding was a Corporal in the Welsh Guards. Before enlisting he had been employed in the Shipping Department of the Barry Railway Company and had been wounded in the attack on Hill 70 at Loos in 1915. He was treated at a hospital at Torquay and was able to return to the Front but was killed the following year on 10th September 1916. A former policeman at Barry Docks, he gave an eyewitness account of the charge on Hill 70: 'We had gone along a main road for about three miles and then into a 'blob' (artillery) formation on some waste ground. Our objective was before us - a village through which we had to reach a hill on either side. On this waste ground we were under heavy fire - shrapnel and high explosives. Then we advanced through the village. This was quite as bad, for every house was being shelled by 'Jack Johnson's'. A couple of my mates, with myself, knelt down on the road and leaned against the wall of a house just to have a 'breather', when a high explosive shell struck the house right opposite where we were kneeling. I got up and rushed ahead with my mates until we reached our destination, which we easily held. Then our scouts - of whom I was one - had to take picks and shovels to the first line of trenches so that our chaps could dig themselves in. We got along with them alright until the Germans sent up some star-shells, and having espied us they opened machine-gun fire on us, and this was absolutely infernal. I made a run and fell behind a tuft of grass. I reached my destination safe and sound. Now I am back behind the firing line with our battalion for a rest. If anyone in Barry wants to join the Army tell them to hurry up.'

Lance Corporal William Loring, aged 27, attached to the 36th Field Ambulance was killed on 1st October 1915. A former resident of 12, Melrose Street, he was killed by a German shell falling on the ambulance station in which he was engaged. Loring was bringing in the wounded from the field when the Germans stormed and shelled the dressing stations. He had enlisted at Easter 1915 and had entered France late in May.

Two brothers are commemorated on the memorial. Rifleman Fred Martin served with the 1st Bn. Monmouthshire Regiment and was killed in action at the Battle of St Julien during the Second Battle of Ypres on 28th April 1915. It was a quiet day for the battalion, having been involved in fierce fighting over the past few days and Fred Martin may well have been killed by routine shelling of the British trenches on that day.

His brother Arthur Martin had served with the Canadian Expeditionary Force in France and Flanders before returning home to train as an officer. He was sent to Kinmel Park Camp in North Wales where he was the victim of a tragic accident in March 1917. He had lived at 95, Main Street, Cadoxton and died at Kinmel Park Military Hospital in Rhyl from the effects of an accidental explosion of a bombing practice on the previous day. He was one of a number of officers and men who marched to the camp bombing pit for grenade throwing practice. Four bombs had been thrown and had duly exploded when immediately there was a fifth explosion following which Lt. Martin was found in his bay suffering from extensive wounds to his head and legs. The only theory that could be advanced was that the four bombs had set off a dud bomb that had been thrown during a previous practice but had not gone off and had become buried in the ground. He had joined the Canadian Expeditionary Force at the outbreak of the War and after serving twelve months in France had gained a commission in the Welsh Regiment.

For Fred Palmer the suffering caused by the War did not end in November 1918. He had enlisted with the East Kent Regiment but had been gassed which led to him contracting heart disease and pneumonia. He was transferred to the Labour Corps to continue with war work and succumbed to his wounds in August 1920, leaving a wife and two children. He is buried in the Old Village Churchyard.

Lance Corporal Herbert Paul 8th Bn. Royal Welsh Fusiliers was killed in action in Mesopotamia in April 1916. He took part in the attack at Fallahiya trying to relive the besieged British garrison at Kut. The Royal Welsh Fusiliers took the third Turkish line but were then shelled by their own guns. They sustained 200 casualties that day. He had been a postman in Cardiff before the War.

The last Barry man killed during the Great War was Sapper John Saunders of the Royal Engineers who was killed in action a week before the ceasefire on 4th November 1918.

Sergeant John Myrddin Williams aged 22 of the Royal Fusiliers was killed in action in November 1916. He was a reporter with the 'Barry Herald' and was described as 'a young man filled with enthusiasm who made great strides as a journalist.' In the Army he was promoted from the ranks and was sent to Aldershot where he received special training in gymnastics. Subsequently he was engaged at Pendennis Castle, Falmouth, training recruits for the front. He volunteered for active service and went out to France in July 1916.

Incidentally, the stonemason who carried out the work, J. Payne, was the brother of Lt Albert Payne of the Royal Flying Corps who was killed in a flying accident whilst testing a new aeroplane in early 1918 and is commemorated on the Roll of Honour in Barry Memorial Hall.

I am grateful to the headteacher and Rita at Cadoxton School for kindly allowing me to photograph the school's memorial.

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	BARRY MEMORIALS OF THE GREAT WAR - 2 In the second of his series of articles on Barry's Great War Memorials, Dr Jonathan Hicks looks at the stories behind Cadoxton School's Memorial. THE MEMORIAL WHICH WAS NEARLY CONSIGNED TO A SKIP The Great War Memorial at Cadoxton School is amongst the finest of Barry's Great War Memorials, but it could have ended up in a skip if not for the prompt action of the current headteacher. During building work several years ago the marble memorial was removed from the wall it had graced for many years in order that a new doorway be installed. To his horror, the headteacher noticed the builders carrying the memorial towards their rubbish skip. He intervened and insisted, to his great credit, that it be replaced on a wall in the school where it currently stands. The memorial has no fewer than 68 names of former pupils who did not return from the Great War inscribed on it. Amongst them is that of Rifleman Harry 'Titch' Bonney who was killed on 30th July 1915. A prominent local footballer, Cardiff City were interested in signing him before he enlisted at the start of the War. He was killed alongside three other Barry men during the German attack on the Hooge Crater. A survivor described what happened: 'There was a sudden hissing sound and a bright crimson glare over the crater turned the whole scene red. As I looked I saw three or four distinct jets of flame - like a line of powerful fire-hoses spraying fire instead of water - shoot across my fire-trench. There was a terrific explosion and almost immediately afterwards one of my men, with blood running down his face, stumbled into me, coming from the direction of the crater.' The Germans had unleashed a terrible new weapon : 'liquid fire' or flamethrowers. Charles Golding was a Corporal in the Welsh Guards. Before enlisting he had been employed in the Shipping Department of the Barry Railway Company and had been wounded in the attack on Hill 70 at Loos in 1915. He was treated at a hospital at Torquay and was able to return to the Front but was killed the following year on 10th September 1916. A former policeman at Barry Docks, he gave an eyewitness account of the charge on Hill 70: 'We had gone along a main road for about three miles and then into a 'blob' (artillery) formation on some waste ground. Our objective was before us - a village through which we had to reach a hill on either side. On this waste ground we were under heavy fire - shrapnel and high explosives. Then we advanced through the village. This was quite as bad, for every house was being shelled by 'Jack Johnson's'. A couple of my mates, with myself, knelt down on the road and leaned against the wall of a house just to have a 'breather', when a high explosive shell struck the house right opposite where we were kneeling. I got up and rushed ahead with my mates until we reached our destination, which we easily held. Then our scouts - of whom I was one - had to take picks and shovels to the first line of trenches so that our chaps could dig themselves in. We got along with them alright until the Germans sent up some star-shells, and having espied us they opened machine-gun fire on us, and this was absolutely infernal. I made a run and fell behind a tuft of grass. I reached my destination safe and sound. Now I am back behind the firing line with our battalion for a rest. If anyone in Barry wants to join the Army tell them to hurry up.' Lance Corporal William Loring, aged 27, attached to the 36th Field Ambulance was killed on 1st October 1915. A former resident of 12, Melrose Street, he was killed by a German shell falling on the ambulance station in which he was engaged. Loring was bringing in the wounded from the field when the Germans stormed and shelled the dressing stations. He had enlisted at Easter 1915 and had entered France late in May. Two brothers are commemorated on the memorial. Rifleman Fred Martin served with the 1st Bn. Monmouthshire Regiment and was killed in action at the Battle of St Julien during the Second Battle of Ypres on 28th April 1915. It was a quiet day for the battalion, having been involved in fierce fighting over the past few days and Fred Martin may well have been killed by routine shelling of the British trenches on that day. His brother Arthur Martin had served with the Canadian Expeditionary Force in France and Flanders before returning home to train as an officer. He was sent to Kinmel Park Camp in North Wales where he was the victim of a tragic accident in March 1917. He had lived at 95, Main Street, Cadoxton and died at Kinmel Park Military Hospital in Rhyl from the effects of an accidental explosion of a bombing practice on the previous day. He was one of a number of officers and men who marched to the camp bombing pit for grenade throwing practice. Four bombs had been thrown and had duly exploded when immediately there was a fifth explosion following which Lt. Martin was found in his bay suffering from extensive wounds to his head and legs. The only theory that could be advanced was that the four bombs had set off a dud bomb that had been thrown during a previous practice but had not gone off and had become buried in the ground. He had joined the Canadian Expeditionary Force at the outbreak of the War and after serving twelve months in France had gained a commission in the Welsh Regiment. For Fred Palmer the suffering caused by the War did not end in November 1918. He had enlisted with the East Kent Regiment but had been gassed which led to him contracting heart disease and pneumonia. He was transferred to the Labour Corps to continue with war work and succumbed to his wounds in August 1920, leaving a wife and two children. He is buried in the Old Village Churchyard. Lance Corporal Herbert Paul 8th Bn. Royal Welsh Fusiliers was killed in action in Mesopotamia in April 1916. He took part in the attack at Fallahiya trying to relive the besieged British garrison at Kut. The Royal Welsh Fusiliers took the third Turkish line but were then shelled by their own guns. They sustained 200 casualties that day. He had been a postman in Cardiff before the War. The last Barry man killed during the Great War was Sapper John Saunders of the Royal Engineers who was killed in action a week before the ceasefire on 4th November 1918. Sergeant John Myrddin Williams aged 22 of the Royal Fusiliers was killed in action in November 1916. He was a reporter with the 'Barry Herald' and was described as 'a young man filled with enthusiasm who made great strides as a journalist.' In the Army he was promoted from the ranks and was sent to Aldershot where he received special training in gymnastics. Subsequently he was engaged at Pendennis Castle, Falmouth, training recruits for the front. He volunteered for active service and went out to France in July 1916. Incidentally, the stonemason who carried out the work, J. Payne, was the brother of Lt Albert Payne of the Royal Flying Corps who was killed in a flying accident whilst testing a new aeroplane in early 1918 and is commemorated on the Roll of Honour in Barry Memorial Hall. I am grateful to the headteacher and Rita at Cadoxton School for kindly allowing me to photograph the school's memorial. Next Article Back to Dr Hicks' Main Page

	Click here to return to the Barry, Wales site