Last Welshman to be Killed in Action

[RedCoat]

Hi everyone,

 

I am interested in finding out who the "Last Welshman to be killed in action during the First World War" was (and believe I may have it). Please note: not died of wounds / illness/ accident etc

 

According to various online sources, 14 Welsh soldiers lost their lives on the 11th November 1918. The names are as follows -

 

1. Captain John Francis Coster-Edwards, RWF.
2. C A Cooil, RGA.
3. Iowerth Davies, South Wales Borderers.
4. R H Harvey, RAMC.
5. John Stoneham, Royal Irish Regiment.
6. Aneurin Owen Roberts, MGC.
7. Richard Morgan, RN.
8. Rowland Williams, RFA.
9. James Tod, RE.
10. Thomas Lewis, East Yorks.
11. David William Evans, Welsh Regiment.
12. T W Morgan, RGA.
13. Henry Godfrey Thomas Leigh, Labour Corps.
14. J Roberts, RFA.

 

Of these, the 6 highlighted in red are buried in the UK and should be discounted immediately. Those left are listed below -

 

1.      Captain John Francis Coster-Edwards – 3^rd Battalion attached to the 24^th Battalion RWF. The 24^th Battalion were not in action leading up to the 11/11/1918 and were in Avelghem some 170km from Coster-Edwards final resting place at Wimille. Coster-Edwards should therefore be discounted.

 

2.      Iorwerth Davies – “C” Company, 6^th Battalion SWB. The 6^th South Wales Borderers were not in action in the days leading up to the 11/11/1918. On the 11^th they were on a route march from Avelghem to Amougies. Iorwerth is buried in Wimille some 170km from where the 6^th were on the 11^th. Therefore, Iorwerth should be discounted.

 

3.      Aneurin Owen Roberts – 50^th Battalion Machine Gun Corps. The 50^th Battalion suffered its last casualties on the 8/11/1918 and were not in action on the 11^th. Coupled with the fact that Aneurin is buried some 50kms away from where the Battalion were on the 11^th means he should be discounted as a contender.

 

4.      Rowland Williams – “A” Battery 187^th Brigade RFA. 187^th Brigade were in the area of Nederbrakel on the 11^th November 1918 and due to go into action. This order was cancelled due to the impending armistice. No casualties were suffered by the Battery in the days leading up to the armistice - and coupled with the fact Rowland passed away and is buried in Wimille confirms he that he should be discounted.

 

5.      T W Morgan – 488 Siege Battery RGA. There is no record to suggest that the 488^th Siege Battery suffered any casualties on the 10/11^th November. With a lack of evidence Morgan should be discounted.

 

6.      Henry Godfrey Thomas Leigh – Labour Corps. Henry died of Influenza and should therefore be discounted.

 

7.      J Roberts MC – “A” Battery 158^th Brigade RFA. Roberts also died from Influenza and should be discounted.

 

There is only one man John Stoneham, who was Killed in Action on the 11^th that meets the requirements to be described as “The last Welshman to be killed in action during the First World War”. He was seemingly killed after 0830hrs, this being the time the battalion was told of the impending armistice; giving John the time to write a letter informing his parents of the news. He is buried in Nouvelle and the subject of this newspaper article - https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/11/09/killed-armistice-day-first-world-war-hero-never-made-home/. All available period sources confirm these findings.

 

I would be pleased to hear GWF members thoughts on the matter -

 

Kind regards, Daniel.

Edited 19 March , 2019 by RedCoat
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[Kimberley John Lindsay]

Dear Daniel,

Personally I think one should treat these unfortunate KiA equally, whether 1914, 1915, 1916, 1917, or 1918. Okay, you are primarily interested in Welshmen, but what about the Aussies, NZers and so on? Indeed, my "Officers Only" medal collection includes exclusively Great War survivors, who latterly made something out of their lives, had families and were decorated for further good work. 

Having said that, one cannot be dogmatic, and I see that you have researched the matter thoroughly, which is of course laudible! What about trying to find an Image of, say, the unlucky Stoneman...

Kindest regards,

Kim. 

[RedCoat]

Kim,

 

I am not sure I understand your point at all -

 

We are all aware that George Edward Ellison was the last British soldier killed in action during the First World War and that he was English. We also know that John Parr was the First British soldier killed during the war and he was an Englishman too. In the same vain, we know that W M Chrisholm has been recognised as Australia's first casualty and that Price was Canada's last. Why not investigate who the last Welshman to be Killed in Action was?

 

And your comment regarding your "officers only" medal collection has simply left me perplexed and I am not even sure how its relevant, especially the distinction of it being Officers only?

 

If you follow the link I provided in my original post you will see there is an image of John Stoneham.

 

Regards, Daniel.

Edited 19 March , 2019 by RedCoat
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[Kimberley John Lindsay]

Dear Daniel,

Yes, okay. My comments were, say, out of order.

I appreciate the diligent research you put into it all. I simply prefer "survivors" of the sorry mess that was the Great War.

As far as the "Officers Only" is concerned, this started off with my grandfather's MC group (the avatar at left), and continued thanks to the increased research possibilities (Ancient schools; Army Lists), not possible with Other Ranks. 

Kindst regards,

Kim.

Edited 19 March , 2019 by Kimberley John Lindsay

[Cheshire22]

Daniel, 

 

thank you for this, when we get made of the aware of the first and last casualties of the Great War, it is always Parr and Price.  

 

There were plenty of other nationalities involved, so it was a great post to read, that you were to pin down the last Welshman to be killed in action on the 11/11/1918

 

jamie

[corisande]

I think you will have the same problem defining a "Welshman" as we have had in defining an "Irishman"

 

It is very difficult to do , and even if you define it as someone born in Wales, how do you know that those on your list are the only ones?

 

Has someone been through all the casualties on the last day of war and researched where they were born?

[RedCoat]

This is going to be my working project -

 

As it stands, the above list is the most quoted but over the coming months I will be taking a look at each Commonwealth soldier killed on the last day and research his background (as far as possible). For example - I forgot to add another Welshman to the above list, a man who served in the SASC (again he does not qualify).

 

I am confident I have the right man but we shall see!

 

Kind regards, Daniel.

Edited 19 March , 2019 by RedCoat

[Dai Bach y Sowldiwr]

Good work RedCoat.

Have you considered that some may have been wounded on the 11th and died later?

[RedCoat]

Hi,

 

As I mentioned in the original post, I will be focusing on Killed in Action rather than Died of Wounds -

 

Kind regards, Daniel.

[Scalyback]

19 hours ago, RedCoat said:

am interested in finding out who the "Last Welshman to be killed in action during the First World War" was (and believe I may have it). Please note: not died of wounds / illness/ accident etc

 

Armistice not "End of World War One", The Breckonshire Regiment had men spread around various units for the Afghan War. They did not belive it job done in 1918. 

 

Define Welshman because I think your missing men in your tunnel vision. 

[RedCoat]

George Edwin Ellison is popularly recognised as the last British soldier to be killed in action during the First World War. I am basing my research project on the same parameters -

 

I agree with you, the armistice was not the end of the war. Conflict continued in Russia, the Balkans, Afghanistan etc but a line has to be drawn somewhere to make it viable.

 

Regarding the definition of a Welshman - I would like to hear your opinions on this as you are correct, tunnel vision can become a problem, I am defining it as simply as possible - someone born in Wales.

 

Kind regards, Daniel.

[Dai Bach y Sowldiwr]

Just now, RedCoat said:

 I am defining it as simply as possible - someone born in Wales.

 

So that would exclude (had they been killed of course):

 

Prime Minister David Lloyd George

Saunders Lewis

George North

Jonathan Davies

Gareth Anscombe

 

 

but included

Lawrence of Arabia

King Edward II

former Prime Minister of Australia Julia Gillard

St. Patrick

 

However narrow or wide you set the paramaters, you will get so many glaring anomalies that it makes compiling such a list extremely difficult.

And in order to get a realistic result, you will have to add an awful lot of parameters .

 

 

 

[Jerry B]

Daniel, great research

 

 

[GWF1967]

15 hours ago, RedCoat said:

This is going to be my working project -

 

I am confident I have the right man but we shall see!

 

Kind regards, Daniel.

Interesting; best of luck with your research. 

1 hour ago, Scalyback said:

 

 

Define Welshman because I think your missing men in your tunnel vision. 

Surely; Born Welsh. - Identifies as Welsh. - Perceived to be Welsh. - Smells a bit Welsh!