Families left bereft as town’s young men perished in battle
Paul Kemp, of the Western Front Association and Barry at War group, tells the stories of the town’s servicemen who fell during July 2017 including those who died at the start of the Third Battle of Ypres – Passchendaele
JULY 31, 1917, saw the start of a major battle known as the Third Battle of Ypres – also known as Passchendaele. It was to last until November 10, 1917.
At the end of the first day significant advances had been made, the 38th (Welsh) Division did particularly well and was singled out for praise by Field Marshal Haig.
Unfortunately, rain then fell in torrents – the worst weather in Belgium for many years turned the battlefield into a quagmire, which was to be the most memorable feature of the battlefield, with attacking troops struggling to make progress in the mud.
Troops from Barry, Vale of Glamorgan, died during this offensive, and were among many from the town to lose their lives during July 1917 fighting in World War One.
Here are those servicemen’s stories:
Second Engineer David Oliver Davies, of the SS Southina, Mercantile Marine, died on July 7, 1917, in an attack by an enemy submarine. Aged 37, he was the son of Samuel and Hannah Davies, and husband of Margaret Mary Davies (née Roberts), of 8, Welford Street. He was born in Maesteg.
He died when SS Southina, on a voyage from Cardiff to Oran with a cargo of coal and government stores, was sunk by German submarine UC-67, six miles north west of Cap Sigli, Algeria.
On the same day, Private George Henry Northcott, of 901st Mechanical Transport, Army Service Corps, died of heart disease. He is buried in Basra War Cemetery, Iraq. Aged 27, he was the son of William and Elizabeth Jane Northcott, of Melrose, Sully, and husband of Mary Elizabeth Northcott.
A motor mechanic, he was educated in Dinas Powis County Schools, and enlisted in the Army Service Corps in March 1916, serving with the Indian Expeditionary Force in Mesopotamia from March 1917.
Four days later, Sapper Sydney George John, of the 557th Army Troops Coy Royal Engineers, died of wounds. Born and enlisted in Barry, he went to France on March 8, 1915. He is buried in Coxyde Military Cemetery in Belgium.
The next day, 15-year-old Messroom Steward Sidney John Dench, of the SS Calliope, Mercantile Marine, died as a result of an attack by an enemy submarine. Born in Twickenham, London, he was the son of Florence Kate Smith, of 30, Holme Street, in Cadoxton.
His death came about when, on July 12, the SS Calliope, on a voyage from Seville to Newport with a cargo of iron ore, was torpedoed and sunk by German U-boat U-155 150 miles north of Madeira. All 27 crew on board died.
Carpenter William Eakon, of the SS Mariston, a mercantile marine, died on July 15 also as a result of an attack by an enemy submarine. Aged 52 and born in Stettin, he was the husband of Ellen Eakon (née Saunders), of 3, Lee Road in Cadoxton.
It came when the SS Mariston, a defensively armed British Merchant steamer, was on a voyage from Almeria to the Clyde, Glasgow, with a cargo of copper ore. When she was 82 miles west of the Fastnet, Ireland, she was torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-45. A total of 28 lives were lost, including the master of the ship.
On July 16, SS Ribston was en route from Melilla, on the north coast of Africa, to the Clyde with a cargo of iron ore when she was torpedoed by German submarine U-45 and sunk 85 miles west from the Fastnet rock.
The crew of 25 were all lost, including the master and nine Barry Merchant seamen. They were: Able seaman William Jenkin Bartlett, aged 20, son of Rachel Bartlett, of 4 Clive Road, Barry Island.
Carpenter Zanis Constantine Coutsoudis, aged 58, and son of the late Constantine and Stamaton Coutsoudis, and husband of Assimio Coutsoudis, of 8, Travis Street, Barry. Born in Chile.
Sailor George Mansel Durbin, aged 18, son of William Henry and Kathleen Ellen Durbin, of 13, Bassett Street, Barry Dock.
Fireman Benjamin Charles Evans, aged 23, son of David and Elizabeth Evans, of 101, Merthyr Street, Barry.
Fireman Joseph Kays, aged 32, son of W Henry and Emma Kays, husband of Beatrice Kays (née Chick), of 5, Palmerston Road, Cadoxton. Born at Bedminster, Bristol.
Sailor George Henry Lixton, aged 18, son of John and Mary Ann Lixton (née Smith), of 15, Commercial Road, Barry Dock. Born in Newport.
Able Seaman George Henry Taylor, aged 21, son of George and Lucy Ann Taylor (née Baker), of 4, Gilbert Street, Cadoxton.
Fireman John Owen Charles Vincent, aged 28, son of George and Elizabeth Vincent, and husband of Minnie Evelina Vincent (née Taylor), of 40, Tydvil Street, Barry Dock. Born in Cardiff.
Fireman Charles Stanley Wilson, aged 24, son of John and Emily Wilson, and husband of Annie May Wilson (née Thomas), of 60, Graving Dock Street, Barry Dock. Born in Cardiff.
Another Barry soldier to lose his life that month was Private William T Hookings. Pte Hookings, a caterpillar driver, Base Mechanical Transport Depot, Army Service Corps, died through the effects of excessive heat in Mesopotamia, on July 23, and was buried in Kut War Cemetery, Iraq.
He was the son of Mr and Mrs TH Hookings, of Brickyard Terrace, Cadoxton. He had been in the army for 18 months, and n the East for the 12 months. He was formerly a locomotive fireman on the Barry Railway. He was 26 years of age, educated at Cadoxton Council School, and left a widow – Florence Elizabeth, and two children, having lived at Church Road, Cadoxton.
Five days on, and Gunner Thomas Sidney Bryant of “Y” Trench Mortar Battery, Royal Field Artillery, 38th (Welsh) Division, was killed in action on July 28.
Aged 19, he was buried in Bard Cottage Cemetery, Belgium. The Barry Dock News reported at the time: “One of the very best – OC killed seven days after returning from leave.”
A letter to his parents, Mr and Mrs James Bryant, informed them of the death of their son.
The paper reported that the letter said: “Your son was killed by a German shell on July 28.
“It is a very great blow to me, as he was my best gunner. He died a soldier’s death, by his gun, but we cannot afford to lose good men, and he was one of the very best.
“There has been some hot fighting here lately, and he did splendidly.”
Gunner Bryant was home on leave on July 10, returned to France on July 19, and was killed on July 28.
He joined the army when he was 17, and spent his 19th birthday in the trenches.
He was formerly employed in the Barry Railway engine sheds. A former pupil of Hannah Street Council School, he played for the school football team, and captained Hannah Street when they won the Schools’ Football Shield.
Then came the deaths caused by the Third Battle of Ypres.
2nd Lieutenant John Humphrey England, of the 14th Battalion Welsh Regiment, was killed in action on July 31. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Menin Gate Memorial to The Missing, Ypres, Belgium. He had been mentioned in despatches.
The Barry Dock News reported: “Lieutenant killed in the memorable push.
“Lieutenant Jack England, who was killed whilst leading his men in the push on July 31, was the only son of Mr and Mrs JH England, of Llanishen, and grandson of Mr J Jewel Williams, of Glanhafren, Barry.
“He was educated at Cardiff High School and King’s College, Taunton, afterwards entering the service of Messrs Spillers and Bakers.
“Immediately war broke out he joined the Welsh Cyclists, and assisted for nearly twelve months in guarding the North-East Coast, he obtained his commission in August 1915, and went to the front a year later with the Welsh Regiment.
“Accounts to hand show that he acquitted himself with great vigour and bravery. He will be a great loss. He was a fine, brave boy, and always did his work well. Your boy’s company had fought their way to the final objective before he was killed.”
Another soldier killed in action on July 31 was 2nd Lieutenant Norman McCallum, of the 11th Battalion Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders. James A McCallum, Windsor Road, Barry, was informed of the death of his son, Second Lieutenant Norman McCallum, in action.
He was 22 years of age, and had enlisted in September 1914. He had been in France since June 1915, and was severely wounded in the neck at the battle of Loos.
Lt McCallum was a keen sportsman and footballer, and a staunch supporter of the Barry Rowing Club. Educated at Barry County School, his brother, Graydon McCallum, of the Royal Engineers, was training for commission.