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John James Griffiths
19087, Private, 14th Royal Welsh Fusiliers
Killed in action, 23 July 1917, aged 23
Buried at Bard Cottage Cemetery, Ypres, Belgium
CWGC registered (Mrs E Griffiths, 30 Clifton Rd, Llandudno)
John James Griffiths, the son of William and Mary Ann Griffiths was born at Dinas, Glamorganshire in 1893. The Census of Wales for 1901 records the family living at the intriguing address of 3 Concrete Houses, Ystradyfodwg; William Griffiths worked at a colliery and four children were recorded: Mary Ellen (9), John James (8), Martha Jane (6) and Emrys (2). Ten years later, the family was living at 37 New Century Street, Trealaw, Rhondda. John James Griffiths was employed as an engine boy (below ground).
In December 1914, John James Griffiths enlisted at Tonypandy into the Royal Welsh Fusiliers. He joined the 16th (Service) Battalion which had formed at Llandudno in November 1914. After initial training, the battalion moved to Winchester and disembarked in France in December 1915. Unfortunately, John James Griffiths’ service record no longer exists though some reasonable deductions about his army experience can be made from the scraps of evidence available.
John was clearly on home leave when on 25 March 1917, he married Emily Roberts of Penrhynside at the register office at Conway. He gave his address as that of his home in Trealaw. The couple’s child Emrysena Joan James Griffiths was born on 27 October 1917 which suggests that John had been at home since the end of 1916, probably earlier. Perhaps he had been injured in July 1916 when the 38th (Welsh) Division suffered heavy losses at Mametz Wood during the Battle of the Somme.
On returning to France, John was posted to the 14th Battalion Royal Welsh Fusiliers. The 14th RWF was also a component of the 38th (Welsh) Division which, after the attack on Mametz Wood, had been deployed to the Ypres Salient where it spent its time rebuilding and consolidating the position. In June 1917, the division was withdrawn to conduct training for the forthcoming Ypres offensive (Passchendaele). On 20 July 1917, the division returned to the front line near Ypres and became subject to heavy German artillery fire of both high explosive and mustard gas shells. John James Griffiths was killed in action on 23 July 1917 aged 23. The battalion’s war diary of the day reports some casualties due to incoming shellfire. John James Griffiths was buried at Bard Cottage Cemetery.
Emily Griffiths married John B Williamson at Coventry in 1922. The couple and two children lived at Coventry in 1939; Emrysena and her husband William J Kingsley lived at Walthamstow then moved to Wolverhampton.
Known memorials:
- Llandudno Roll of Honour
- Llandudno War Memorial
- Memorial Chapel, Holy Trinity Church, Llandudno
- Penrhynside War Memorial
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