- 17th (2nd North Wales) Battalion, Royal Welsh Fusiliers during the Great War -
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17th (2nd North Wales) Battalion, Royal Welsh Fusiliers
17th (2nd North Wales) Battalion, Royal Welch Fusiliers was raised at Llandudno at Llandudno on the 2nd of February 1915. They trained in Llandudno, joining 113th Brigade, 38th (Welsh) Division on the 28th of April 1915, transferring to 115th Brigade in July. They moved to Winchester for final training in August 1915 and proceeded to France in December 1915. In July 1916 they were in action at Mametz Wood on The Somme, suffering severe casualties. The Division did not return to major action for more than a 12 months. In 1917 they were in action in the Third Battles of Ypres, in 1918 they were in action on The Somme, in the Battles of the Hindenburg Line and the Final Advance in Picardy Demobilisation began in December 1918 and was complete by June 1919.
16th Oct 1915 The Derby Scheme
1st Dec 1915 Derby Scheme Armlets
4th Dec 1915 On the Move
7th Dec 1915 On the Move
11th Sep 1915 Last day of Derby Scheme Recruitment
20th Dec 1915 Training
10th Jan 1916 Group System Reopens
17th of January 1916 In the Front Line
9th February 1916 Call Ups
10th May 1916 Wet Weather
8th Jun 1916 Instruction
10th Jul 1916 Vicious Fighting
14th Jul 1916 Bought With Blood
11th September 1916 Reliefs
10th October 1916 Table of ReliefsIf you can provide any additional information, please add it here.
Want to know more about 17th (2nd North Wales) Battalion, Royal Welsh Fusiliers?
There are:5245 items tagged 17th (2nd North Wales) Battalion, Royal Welsh Fusiliers available in our Library
These include information on officers, regimental histories, letters, diary entries, personal accounts and information about actions during the Great War.
Those known to have served with
17th (2nd North Wales) Battalion, Royal Welsh Fusiliers
during the Great War 1914-1918.
- Austin Harry. Pte (d.31st Jul 1917)
- Bevan Bertram George. Pte (d.22nd Jul 1916)
- Bond MM. Francis. WO2.
- Brown Richard William. A/Sgt. (d.4th Sep 1918)
- Ducatel James Charles . Pte (d.30th October 1918)
- Emmerick Albert Edward. Pte. (d.30th Aug 1918)
- Evans David Owen. Lt (d.12th Feb 1916)
- Farmer Valentine. Pte.
- Hardy William James. L/Cpl. (d.13th July 1916)
- Hughes Lewis. Pte. (d.27th Jul 1916)
- Jones David D. Pte. (d.4th August 1916)
- Jones MID. Harold Madoc. Lt. (d.31st July 1917)
- Maddocks Joe. Sgt. (d.26th Feb 1919)
- Povah Thomas. Cpl. (d.19th May 1918)
- Pryce MM. Bert. Sgt.
- Roberts Robert. Cpl.
- Rowlands MM Thomas. Pte.
- Ryles George. Pte. (d.28th March 1918)
- Waters William Glyn. Pte. (d.26th September 1917)
- Watkin Moses Thomas. Pte. (d.31st Jul 1917)
- Welson William Taylor. Pte. (d.5th Aug 1917)
- Williams John. Pte
- Yarwood Harold Henry Lee. Pte (d.24th April 1918)
- Yates Samuel. Pte. (d.7th February 1916)
All names on this list have been submitted by relatives, friends, neighbours and others who wish to remember them, if you have any names to add or any recollections or photos of those listed, please Add a Name to this List
Records of 17th (2nd North Wales) Battalion, Royal Welsh Fusiliers from other sources.
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Pte. William Taylor Welson Montgomeryshire Yeomanry (d.5th Aug 1917)I have been researching the names of the 7 young men remembered on Gladestry War Memorial, it was the first War Memorial Dedicated in Radnorshire. William Taylor Welson is remembered there.William Taylor Welson and his brother Hugh Powell Welson were the sons of William Welson of Llanyfelin Farm, Gladestry. William Taylor originally joined the Montgomery Yeomanry, No.2779, he was later transferred to 17th. Battalion, Royal Welsh Fusiliers. He had enlisted at Gladestry. William Taylor Welson was killed in action in France/ Flanders on the 5th. August 1917. Gladestry parish magazine regularly gave news of the young men of the Parish who had enlisted but did not mention William Taylor Welson.
His brother Hugh later enlisted, but his regiment is unknown. Gladestry Parish Magazine recorded, March 1917, that Hugh Welson was in hospital. In January 1918 it recorded that Hugh was in Highbury Hospital and now able to speak a little, and in April 1918 he was invalided out of the army.
Beth Clarke
Sgt. Bert Pryce MM. 17th Btn. Royal Welsh FusiliersBert Pryce was my grandmother's brother who lived in Welshpool and served in the 17th Battalion of the Royal Welsh Fusiliers. I was told he fought the Germans in Palestine in WW1 and was awarded the Military Medal for bravery. the war, the town of Welshpool presented him with a silver cigarette hip flask engraved with his number and this has been passed down to me.Robert Webster
Pte. Lewis Hughes 17th Btn. Royal Welsh Fusiliers (d.27th Jul 1916)Lewis Hughes was my father’s uncle. My father searched for Lewis after visiting Mametz in 1995 with myself and my brother Peter. His loss was badly taken by my grandmother and she never spoke of his death. I visited Euston Road Cemetery, Colincamps to see his memorial. We understand that he took part in the vicious fighting at Mametz and was killed in an air attack after the battalion was stood down, although we have never been able to accurately chronicle this event. Anyone who could help shed light on the 17th Battalion (2nd Welsh) Royal Welch Fusiliers at this time would be gratefully received.My father died in 1998 but had some comfort in knowing where his uncle fell and where he is laid to rest. I grew up in the village of Cynwyd which is very close to where Lewis Hughes was born and lived as youngster. Mrs. Genesta Cope (nee Owen) is the daughter of James Warren Kitchener Owen (4190895 Royal Welsh Fusiliers 2nd World War), and great-niece to Lewis Hughes.
Genesta Warren Cope
Pte. Samuel Yates 17th (2nd North Wales) Battalion Royal Welsh Fusiliers (d.7th February 1916)Samuel Yates's service records show that he was 19 years and 2 months old when he enlisted in Llandudno on the 15th of August 1915. He was 5 feet 6 and-a-half inches tall. Samuel's records show he entered the theatre of France on the 5th of Dec 1915. The 17th Service Battalion formed in Llandudno and joined the 113th Brigade. In Dec 1915 they were mobilised for war and landed in France and engaged in various actions on the Western Front.I'm looking for a photo of him if one exists.
Leigh Bennett
Pte. Albert Edward Emmerick 17th Btn. Royal Welsh Fusiliers (d.30th Aug 1918)Albert Emmerick was tried by general court-martial on 15th of February 1918, for a self-inflicted gunshot wound to his left foot. Found guilty, the sentence was field punishment. He was later killed in action in France on 30th August 1918.
Pte Bertram George Bevan 17th Btn Royal Welsh Fusiliers (d.22nd Jul 1916)Bertram Bevan is buried in St. Sever Cemetery, Rouen.
Lt David Owen Evans 17th Btn Roayl Welsh Fusiliers (d.12th Feb 1916)Name:David Owen Evans Killed in action
Glyn MacAdam
Pte James Charles Ducatel 17th (2nd North Wales) Battalion Royal Welch Fusiliers (d.30th October 1918)James Ducatel was a stretcher bearer. He is buried in Awoingt Cemetery, near Cambrai in France.Ken Ducatel
Pte John "Sion" Williams 17th Battalion, D Coy. Royal Welsh FusiliersJohn Williams joined on the 25th of January 1915 and served during the Battles on The Somme, The Battles at Ypres, The Hindenburg Lines and Picardy. He was gassed and wounded and spent some time in a military hospital at Summertown Camp, Eastbourne.He and 2 brothers survived and lived to a ripe old age. He married, had children and carried on farming, working a lot with horses.
Stephen McBride
Pte. George Ryles 17th (Service) Battalion Royal Welsh Fusiliers (d.28th March 1918)George Ryles was born in Rhyl on 24th March, 1892 and baptised on 16th May, 1892 at St Thomas's Parish Church, Rhyl. He was the eldest of two children to Thomas Ryles and Elizabeth (Walters). Thomas was born in Rhyl and Elizabeth in Shrewsbury and they were married. They were living at No 2, Naylors Court, Rhyl at the time of the 1901 census but by 1911 Mr and Mrs Ryles appear to have gone their separate ways. Thomas, a self employed chimney sweep, was living on his own at 22, Queens Court, Rhyl and Elizabeth was living with her daughter and husband, James and Margaret Grant at 9 Mount Street, Flint. George, meanwhile, was boarding at the home of a John and Flora Kitchen at 7 Hill Street, Flint and was employed as a changer at the artificial silk works. When the war began he was living with his mother at Little London Cottages, Cornist Road, Flint.George enlisted in Shotton with the 8th Battalion, Royal Welsh Fusiliers and served in the Balkans from 28th June, 1915.
It was reported in the County Herald on 22nd October, 1915 that Private Ryles had been invalided home but there was no reason given. However the newspaper did report the following on 26th November.
Thanks Of The Soldiers To People Of Flint Advantages Taken Of The County Herald Facilities.We are pleased to mention that we have received letters from soldiers acknowledging the kindness, collectively, of the people of Flint. The soldiers who belong to Flint have been made aware of the efforts of the County Herald to further their interests in the matter of comforts; and we would wish to state that notwithstanding the work of some people in the Borough the thanks of the soldiers are due to the residents who have contributed to the respective funds. Much can be related upon this matter, but for the nonce [sic] it is preferable that the soldiers and sailors who belong to Flint should receive the parcels which are the gifts of the Borough and not of anyone particular individual, however he might have been devoted to the work.
The following letter speaks volumes,
Alma Park Military Hospital, Manchester, 22nd of November 1915.
Dear Editor, Would you be so kind as to allow a small space in your valuable paper to tender my sincere thanks to the residents of Flint for the Christmas present which I received on Saturday last in good condition. The contents of the parcels were just the things which the lads at the Front would appreciate and I wish the people of Flint every success for their kindness and noble work they are doing for the boys, which I am sure will never be forgotten. I should also like to inform you of Sergeant-Major Hughes, who is an inmate of this hospital, and is a Flint man. He is progressing very favourably.
I remain, sir, very sincerely yours, (12794) Pte G Ryles, 8th Batt. R.W.F., Alma Park Military Hospital, Manchester.
He recovered and went home on several days's leave returning to rejoin his regiment in the first week of January. On the 15th August, 1916 news reached Flint of casualties which was reported in the County Herald three days later.
Up to Tuesday morning this week there was a comparative lack of information in the whole of the Borough regarding any further possible casualties. Considering the size and population of the Borough the war has exacted more than the average toll in casualties, but the number cannot be compared with some other districts in England, where the number of casualties has been greater. It was stated on Saturday that Private George Ryles, of Little London, Flint and who is a member of the 8th Battalion of the RWF, had been wounded and that Sapper J G Grant (his brother-in-law) of Cornist Cottages, and of the Royal Engineers, had been sent to hospital, suffering from the effects of shock.
Two weeks later it was revealed that George has not been wounded and that he was quite well.
Sometime later he was transferred to the 17th Battalion, Royal Welsh Fusiliers and while serving in France he was killed in action on 28thof March 1918.
Peter Metcalfe
Lt. Harold Madoc Jones MID. 17th Battalion, C Coy. Royal Welsh Fusiliers (d.31st July 1917)Lt. Harold Jones was amonst the names on the list of casualties published in the The Times on Thursday, 30th of August 1917Harold was serving with the 17th Royal Welsh Fusiliers, killed on 31st of July, he was the son of the late J.R. Jones, J.P., of Bodfeirig, and of Mrs. Jones, of Bryn Cadnant, Anglesey. He was educated at Christ's College, Brecon, and afterwards gained a scholarship at the University College of Wales, Aberysrwith, where he graduated with classical honours. He took up teaching as his profession, and was very successful and popular as a schoolmaster.
At the outbreak of war he was on the staff of Cardigan County School, and from there he enlisted in a battalion of the Royal Welsh Fusiliers (University Company). In March, 1915, he obtained his commission in the same regiment, and left for the front early in December of the same year. Then henceforward he had been almost continuously on the line. He spent two winters in the trenches, and was mentioned in dispatches. His commanding officer writes: "He died painlessly and gallantly. A more gallant gentleman I have never met."
Andrew Deacon
Cpl. Robert Roberts 17th Btn. Royal Welsh FusiliersAs far as I can ascertain my father, Robert Roberts, was serving with the Denbighshire Yeomanry at the outbreak of WW1. At some point thereafter he became involved with 17th Royal Welsh Fusiliers and in September 1917 was reported as having been wounded in action.He survived the war but never talked to me about his service nor the severe wound he suffered in combat. How I wish I could talk to him now about his experience, which I am fairly certain involved his presence at the Third Battle of Ypres.
Robert Roberts
Pte. William Glyn Waters 17th Btn. Royal Welsh Fusiliers (d.26th September 1917)William was the son of Sarah Evans, Highgate, Denbigh.Richard Roberts
L/Cpl. William James Hardy 17th Btn Royal Welsh Fusiliers (d.13th July 1916)William Hardy was the son of Benjamin Tilsley Hardy and Phoebe Selina Hardy of Ty Hyfryd, Denbigh.Richard Roberts
A/Sgt. Richard William Brown 17th Btn. Royal Welsh Fusiliers (d.4th Sep 1918)Richard Brown served with the 17th Btn. Royal Welsh Fusiliers.Mary Fessler
Cpl. Thomas Povah 17th Btn. Royal Welch Fusiliers (d.19th May 1918)Thomas Povah served with the 17th Battalion, Royal Welch Fusiliers and died on 19th of May 1918.Dorothy Powell
Pte Harry Austin 17th Btn Royal Welsh Fusiliers (d.31st Jul 1917)Harry Austin was killed in action aged 24 years 31/07/1917, and is remembered upon Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Belgium.He was the son of Robert and Ellen Austin of Oakengates. (Also brother of Private Edwin Austin 11813, KIA age 28 22/8/1917). My Great Uncle so he is not forgotten.Roger Fallon
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