Royal Garrison Artillery

[EAC61]

Trying to find if someones name is on a War memorial Roll of Honour for the first world war. He was from Pontcanna in Cardiff - he died on 5.8.1917 and is buried in Canada Farm Cemetery, Belgium. He was a gunner in the 38th Battery - Royal Garrison Artillery - if his name was remembered on a roll of honour would it be somewhere in Cardiff (where he was from) or would it be where his regiment was from ?? If it is the latter does anyone know where his regiment was from??

[MelPack]

Name: HOWELL, JAMES WILLIAM WESTWOOD

Initials: J W W

Nationality: United Kingdom

Rank: Gunner

Regiment/Service: Royal Garrison Artillery

Unit Text: 38th Heavy Bty.

Age: 25

Date of Death: 05/08/1917

Service No: 290338

Additional information: Son of James and Lucy Howell, of 3, William St., Pontcanna, Cardiff.

Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead

Grave/Memorial Reference: II. E. 21.

Cemetery: CANADA FARM CEMETERY

A UKNIWM search does not turn up any results:

http://www.ukniwm.org.uk/server/

Mel

[Ron Clifton]

Hello EAC61

He would normally be commemorated in his home town or village, possibly on a civic war memorial if there is one, and possibly in his local church.

The Royal Garrison Artillery was recruited from all over the country. There were two 38th Batteries in the RGA: 38th Sioege Battery and 38th Heavy Battery. The latter is more likely as it was originally formed for 38th (Welsh) Division.

He should also be commemorated on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website, www.cwgc.org. On that site, find the "Debt of Honour Register" and put in his details, making them as specific as possible (1917, Army, United Kingdom) and you will be given a list of matching names. If he was D Jones this might be quite a long list, but try those with the right date and "Royal Garrison Artillery" and "canada Farm Cemetery" and you should find him.

Ron

PS Mel beat me to it!

[Aneurin]

Hi EAC61

You are in luck. He is commemorated on the 38th Welsh Heavy Battery War Memorial which is located inside Cardiff City Hall, on the first floor as I remember.

The Western Mail 29.08.17 reports that he was killed by shellfire and was employed as a brakesman on Cardiff Railway. His death is also mentioned in the South Wales Daily News 27.08.17. There is a framed memorial scroll for Cardiff Railway, which was in the entrance lobby in the Pier Head Building (I think it's still there but I'm not sure). This lists "G. Howells R.G.A." but that's probably your man.

De Ruvigny's Roll of Honour Part III page 145 adds that he was born in Cardiff 14.06.1892, educated at Llandaff School and unmarried. He enlisted in March 1915 and served on the Western Front from March 1916. It also says he was a brakesman on Cardiff Railway.

Do you have any other information about him?

Gwyn