Welch Regiment 3rd Battalion

[megans grandad]

In researching the fallen in the village I have come across the grave of Sergeant Walter Daniel Conroy. Service number 39198 He is apparently according to CWGC buried in the local Churchyard which I can confirm. Have we any further information - battles etc?

[John_Hartley]

3rd Battalion was a reserve/home service unit, so presumably no battles involved. I'd guess a death from natural causes or accident.

[sotonmate]

mg

You will need to see if he has a Medal Index Card which will tell you if he went overseas during the war. He could have been 3 Battalion for several reasons. Maybe an older regular who came back for the war and did 3 Bn training for recruits,or served overseas ,wounded or sick,shipped home and transferred to 3 Bn/Depot for recovery or even prior to discharge. Oct 1918 was the time of the 'flu pandemic,so he may have died from that.

Sotonmate

[megans grandad]

Sorry but its been a long time since I corresponded on site. I have joined a group of villagers from the next village which has association through the rspective churches and we are pressing on with enquiries.How does one find if he had a Medal Index Card?

[BillyH]

I can't find a medal card or service papers, but it wouldn't be the first time i'd missed one.

SDGW says born in Islington, and Died at Home.

Possibly the Spanish Flu epidemic? Have you tried the local newspapers for a military funeral report?

BillyH.

[megans grandad]

Thanks.

SDGW - means?

[roytoner]

Soldiers Died in the Great War. What's the local area?

[BillyH]

LLANSANTFFRAID GLAN CONWAY (ST. FFRAID) CHURCHYARD

(But don't ask me to pronounce it!)

BillyH.

[megans grandad]

Thanks all and now I'll help you, after living here for 25 years. Try saying slowly:-

LAN SAN FRIED GLAN CONWAY (ST FRIED)

I have photographed all the monuments to our village fallen and these can be seen at www.geograph.org.uk. Sgt Conroy's is http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2690916

Others include http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2687672

[roytoner]

as he died in the UK you can get his death certificate, that will give details of what he died of. £9.25 a pop though! His details that GRO will ask for are: registratation district Conway,Q4 1918,Volume 11b,page 905. Might be cheaper to check the local papers for the time

[Chris_Baker]

It was called the Welsh Regiment at the time.

[BillyH]

That's what I thought Chris,

But the CWGC headstone photo in post #9 says Welch.

When did it change I wonder?

BillyH.

[Chris_Baker]

1920.

[Scalyback]

The Welsh turned Welch in January 1920. The title was used in the great war on the shoulder tabs of 16th(Service) Battalion(Cardiff City) whilst they still had Welsh capbadges. They are the the only Battalion to wear Welch on uniform in the great war, it was a private purchase by the CO, Col Gaskell.

Welch has been used a lot before this unofficaly by both Welch regiment(41st) and the Royal Welch Fusiliers(23rd).

I belive the CWGC gravestone is an error on replacment of the stone, the great war era stones should be Welsh(as the capbadge was styled Welsh) WW2 graves should be Welch. There are two graves from WW1 styled Welch regiment, both are deaths after january 1920(when the regiment changed to Welch) and before CWGC cutoff date.

Edit for missing words.

[megans grandad]

I have just obtained Walter Daniel Conroy's death certificate from the local registrar. It confirms d.o.d. as 14 October 1918, aged 34 which is younger than we first thought.

He died of influenza (9 days) and double broncho pneumonia (7 days) certified by A.Hamilton L.R.C.S.Ed. - place of death Victoria Cafe, Tywyn, Llanrhos, Conway (as it was then spelt), his wife Hilda being present at the death.

Another twist his occupation is given as Sergeant no 39198 3rd Welsh Regiment but it is qualified as 'music hall artiste'.

Hope you will find this of interest.

Given I headed this thread as Welsh Regiment 3rd Battalion, only refering to Walter subsequently can this information be cross referenced to him in your annals?

Thanks to all for their interest.

[Guest]

On the subject of the Welsh/Welch I took possession of a book today written by Dudley Ward (a reasonably prolific author of Great War regimental histories) whose served in the Welsh Guards. The book has him serving in the Welch Guards, something I have never seen before.