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

BARRY MEMORIALS OF THE GREAT WAR - 3

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

THE MYSTERY MEN OF ROMILLY SCHOOL MEMORIAL

The first time I saw this memorial was on my inaugural day at the Romilly Annexe of Barry Boys' Comprehensive School in September 1968. As I listened to an address by the headteacher, my attention was caught by the glistening memorial nearby. Scanning the names, I discovered that there were 34 ex-pupils and one teacher of Romilly School listed on this memorial who died either during the Great War or afterwards as the result of wounds sustained. Amongst the names are two recipients of the Military Medal and a pair of brothers.

Lieutenant Ivor Clarke of the 28th Canadian Infantry had lived at Trinity Street and had emigrated to Canada shortly before the War, where he worked as an electrician with the Prince Albert Electrical Company, Vancouver. He served in the Canadian Militia and left Canada on SS 'Olympic' in October 1916. He was one of five brothers who served in the Army, and was killed on 20th May 1917. Earlier that month, one morning, with light rain & heavy mist, and after a heavy barrage of gas shells, a group of German troops intent on an assault on the British troops at Farbus, got lost and blundered into the battalion's lines at the Arleax loop and made it into the trenches. The 28th was in the process of being relieved by the 19th Battalion. Despite the confusion of the relief, the two battalions stood together and threw back the enemy with a counter attack.

William Collier served with the 2nd Bn. Welsh Regiment and was killed on 26th September 1915, aged 23, in the attack on the village of Hulluch on the second day of the Battle of Loos. He had worked in the Traffic Department of Barry Railway before enlisting and had lived at 34 Salisbury Road. His parents posted a plaintive announcement in a local newspaper in November 1915 to the effect that they would be 'thankful to receive tidings of their son' but Collier's body was never found and he is commemorated on the famous Loos Memorial to the missing.

October 1918 saw the death of a Barry recipient of the Military Medal. Corporal W. E. Durbin of the Border Regiment, formerly of 57 Castle Street, was killed in action in France on October 15th. Before the War he had been an apprentice at the Tyne Engine Works at Barry Docks. He was decorated with the MM for bravery in 1917.

Mr S. J. Martyn, builder and contractor of 11 Park Crescent, received news in February 1916 that his son Private Charles D. Martyn, 16th Bn. Welsh Regiment (the Cardiff City Battalion) had been killed on 22nd January. Martyn was 18 years old and was formerly a clerk in the Gas and Water Department of the local council. He had been 'shot through the head whilst leaving the trenches for a few hours' rest' and is also commemorated on a plaque in Windsor Road United Reform Church.

Captain Stanley Sharpe, the son of Frank and Mary Sharpe, of "Alverna," Cambridge Street, was killed leading his company in the assault on Bourlon Wood in November 1917. The 12th Bn. South Wales Borderers lost 10 officers and 123 men killed and missing, 12 officers and 243 men wounded. The battalion won 2 Distinguished Service Orders, 6 Military Crosses, 6 Distinguished Conduct Medals and 11 Military Medals. He is also commemorated on the Barry County School and Bethel Baptist Church Memorials.

Sharpe played rugby for Barry Rugby Club where his teammate was Lt Noel Morris of the 8th Bn. South Lancashire Regiment. He died of wounds on 12th May 1916 at the huge military base at Etaples on the French coast, aged 22. Before enlisting he had been a student at Jesus College Oxford and so striking was his work in History that he became the first person from a Welsh School to win a scholarship in this subject. He played rugby for Aberystwyth University before he progressed to Oxford and rowed for Jesus College. Two days before he received his fatal wound he courageously led his company to capture a crater after the explosion of a German mine. On 4th May he was struck by an aerial torpedo and fatally wounded. Tributes were paid to him in the local press: '... it is not too much to say that the loss is a national one, for, unlike many highly gifted men, he possessed, in addition to a high sense of duty, a personality so striking that his powers would have been displayed to the best advantage.'

His brother Hugh Morris is also commemorated; he died of wounds at Boulogne Hospital on 29th April 1918 whilst serving with the Royal Field Artillery as a signaller. He had won the Military Medal for bravery in the field. Both brothers formerly lived at 21, The Parade.

Private John Stoneham died at the Battle of Pozieres Ridge on 25th July 1916 during the Battle of the Somme. He enlisted with the 1st Bn. Gloucestershire Regiment, which lost 6 men killed and 29 wounded that day. He had been in France for five months and had two brothers serving, Driver M. Stoneham and Sgt. Maj. James Stoneham with the Army Service Corps.

Mr and Mrs W. Thomas of 13 Harvey Street had five sons who served. All survived the War, although Percy E. Thomas of the 2nd Bn. Welsh Regiment was to die later as a result of wounds sustained in the War and is commemorated on the memorial. He wrote home in January 1915 that the muddy conditions of the trenches did not prevent the soldiers having an enjoyable Christmas. 'We went out on Christmas Eve and shot a pig. So on the following day we had a really good dinner of roast pork and vegetables, finishing up with pudding. We didn't half enjoy ourselves either!' He urged men to join him in the ranks. 'Some don't seem to care or trouble about us fighting out here for the homes of Britain. Those who will not join should be absolutely ashamed of themselves.'

There are several mystery men on this memorial. One is Arthur Phillips, who it appears from the inscription was a member of staff at the school. I have been unable to establish any further details on him. Reginald Dew, Henry Edwards, William Howells and Arthur Phillips do not appear on any records and may well be men who died in the years after the Armistice. These men also appear in the commemorative booklet produced for the two-day fete held in Romilly Park in 1927 to raise money for the building of the Memorial Hall. If any readers know who they are I should like to hear from them.

I am grateful to Mr Robin Pitcher for the photograph of the memorial.

Next Article

Back to Dr Hicks' Main Page

Click here to return to the Barry, Wales site


	BARRY MEMORIALS OF THE GREAT WAR - 3 In the third of his series of articles on Barry's Great War Memorials, Dr Jonathan Hicks looks at the stories behind Romilly School's Memorial. THE MYSTERY MEN OF ROMILLY SCHOOL MEMORIAL The first time I saw this memorial was on my inaugural day at the Romilly Annexe of Barry Boys' Comprehensive School in September 1968. As I listened to an address by the headteacher, my attention was caught by the glistening memorial nearby. Scanning the names, I discovered that there were 34 ex-pupils and one teacher of Romilly School listed on this memorial who died either during the Great War or afterwards as the result of wounds sustained. Amongst the names are two recipients of the Military Medal and a pair of brothers. Lieutenant Ivor Clarke of the 28th Canadian Infantry had lived at Trinity Street and had emigrated to Canada shortly before the War, where he worked as an electrician with the Prince Albert Electrical Company, Vancouver. He served in the Canadian Militia and left Canada on SS 'Olympic' in October 1916. He was one of five brothers who served in the Army, and was killed on 20th May 1917. Earlier that month, one morning, with light rain & heavy mist, and after a heavy barrage of gas shells, a group of German troops intent on an assault on the British troops at Farbus, got lost and blundered into the battalion's lines at the Arleax loop and made it into the trenches. The 28th was in the process of being relieved by the 19th Battalion. Despite the confusion of the relief, the two battalions stood together and threw back the enemy with a counter attack. William Collier served with the 2nd Bn. Welsh Regiment and was killed on 26th September 1915, aged 23, in the attack on the village of Hulluch on the second day of the Battle of Loos. He had worked in the Traffic Department of Barry Railway before enlisting and had lived at 34 Salisbury Road. His parents posted a plaintive announcement in a local newspaper in November 1915 to the effect that they would be 'thankful to receive tidings of their son' but Collier's body was never found and he is commemorated on the famous Loos Memorial to the missing. October 1918 saw the death of a Barry recipient of the Military Medal. Corporal W. E. Durbin of the Border Regiment, formerly of 57 Castle Street, was killed in action in France on October 15th. Before the War he had been an apprentice at the Tyne Engine Works at Barry Docks. He was decorated with the MM for bravery in 1917. Mr S. J. Martyn, builder and contractor of 11 Park Crescent, received news in February 1916 that his son Private Charles D. Martyn, 16th Bn. Welsh Regiment (the Cardiff City Battalion) had been killed on 22nd January. Martyn was 18 years old and was formerly a clerk in the Gas and Water Department of the local council. He had been 'shot through the head whilst leaving the trenches for a few hours' rest' and is also commemorated on a plaque in Windsor Road United Reform Church. Captain Stanley Sharpe, the son of Frank and Mary Sharpe, of "Alverna," Cambridge Street, was killed leading his company in the assault on Bourlon Wood in November 1917. The 12th Bn. South Wales Borderers lost 10 officers and 123 men killed and missing, 12 officers and 243 men wounded. The battalion won 2 Distinguished Service Orders, 6 Military Crosses, 6 Distinguished Conduct Medals and 11 Military Medals. He is also commemorated on the Barry County School and Bethel Baptist Church Memorials. Sharpe played rugby for Barry Rugby Club where his teammate was Lt Noel Morris of the 8th Bn. South Lancashire Regiment. He died of wounds on 12th May 1916 at the huge military base at Etaples on the French coast, aged 22. Before enlisting he had been a student at Jesus College Oxford and so striking was his work in History that he became the first person from a Welsh School to win a scholarship in this subject. He played rugby for Aberystwyth University before he progressed to Oxford and rowed for Jesus College. Two days before he received his fatal wound he courageously led his company to capture a crater after the explosion of a German mine. On 4th May he was struck by an aerial torpedo and fatally wounded. Tributes were paid to him in the local press: '... it is not too much to say that the loss is a national one, for, unlike many highly gifted men, he possessed, in addition to a high sense of duty, a personality so striking that his powers would have been displayed to the best advantage.' His brother Hugh Morris is also commemorated; he died of wounds at Boulogne Hospital on 29th April 1918 whilst serving with the Royal Field Artillery as a signaller. He had won the Military Medal for bravery in the field. Both brothers formerly lived at 21, The Parade. Private John Stoneham died at the Battle of Pozieres Ridge on 25th July 1916 during the Battle of the Somme. He enlisted with the 1st Bn. Gloucestershire Regiment, which lost 6 men killed and 29 wounded that day. He had been in France for five months and had two brothers serving, Driver M. Stoneham and Sgt. Maj. James Stoneham with the Army Service Corps. Mr and Mrs W. Thomas of 13 Harvey Street had five sons who served. All survived the War, although Percy E. Thomas of the 2nd Bn. Welsh Regiment was to die later as a result of wounds sustained in the War and is commemorated on the memorial. He wrote home in January 1915 that the muddy conditions of the trenches did not prevent the soldiers having an enjoyable Christmas. 'We went out on Christmas Eve and shot a pig. So on the following day we had a really good dinner of roast pork and vegetables, finishing up with pudding. We didn't half enjoy ourselves either!' He urged men to join him in the ranks. 'Some don't seem to care or trouble about us fighting out here for the homes of Britain. Those who will not join should be absolutely ashamed of themselves.' There are several mystery men on this memorial. One is Arthur Phillips, who it appears from the inscription was a member of staff at the school. I have been unable to establish any further details on him. Reginald Dew, Henry Edwards, William Howells and Arthur Phillips do not appear on any records and may well be men who died in the years after the Armistice. These men also appear in the commemorative booklet produced for the two-day fete held in Romilly Park in 1927 to raise money for the building of the Memorial Hall. If any readers know who they are I should like to hear from them. I am grateful to Mr Robin Pitcher for the photograph of the memorial. Next Article Back to Dr Hicks' Main Page

	Click here to return to the Barry, Wales site