Remebrance
My research over the past few
years, has uncovered that 2,388 men from Swansea, were killed during the First
World War.
Here’s the breakdown:
Royal
Navy – 168
Mercantile
Marine – 72
Royal
Flying Corps/Royal Air Force – 16
The British Army is broken down
into five
distinctions which are:
Born,
Resident and Enlisted at Swansea – 548
Born
at Swansea – 264
Resident
at Swansea – 301
Enlisted
at Swansea – 913
Swansea
Officers – 78
and
finally Swansea men that fought with Foreign Armies – 28
For further
information on the Army look at the footnote[1].
kind permission Commonwealth War Grave Commission |
One would think that
the final figure would be set in stone, but recently more names of men who
perished during the course of the First World War have come to light. Whilst
doing some research I stumbled on the name, James Carne, a 30
year old fireman who served with the Mercantile Marines on board S.S.
Lusitania, sinking on 7th May 1915, torpedoed by U-20. James came from Swansea, although he lived in
Liverpool. Three serving men from Swansea died on the S.S. Lusitania. James’ record card from the Commonwealth War Grave
Commission is pictured (above right) , noting the NB. His name will be added on
the Addenda Panel, Tower Hill Memorial, London.
I was
informed by the Commonwealth War Grave Commission (CWGC) that information
concerning the men’s details came from the In From The Cold Project.
The In
From The Cold Project, which was established in 2001, painstakingly search
records of those men who do not appear on the CWGC records. A case is submitted
with various pieces of documentation including a death certificate and is sent
to the CWGC; then it is a waiting game of anything from 6 months to 2 years for
a case to be determined by the relevant departments.
Some of the Swansea
men who are still yet to be remembered include Tudor Emlyn Jones
who is buried at Cwmgelly Cemetery, Samuel Brooks buried
at Danygraig Cemetery, Stanley Griffiths, Thomas William George and George Henry Downer.
If anyone recognises these names, do get in touch.
[1]. Born, Resident and
Enlisted at Swansea – Man is from Swansea; Born at Swansea – Man can have
enlisted elsewhere than Swansea; Resident at Swansea – Man who is born
elsewhere, and is resident at Swansea yet could have enlisted elsewhere, and –
Enlisted at Swansea – Man has come to Swansea to enlist.
Copyright – The Bay
Magazine – June 2018
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