1914-1918 - 20 Barry Boys

[john]

1914-1918 - The 20 Barry Boys that went to War. The 20 Men that died.     

"They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old: Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun and in the morning We will remember them."



Baggott V. - BAGGOTT, VICTOR (Age: 15)
Rank: Cook's Boy Date of Death: 07/6/1915 Regiment/Service: Mercantile Marine S.S. "Zillah" (London) Panel Reference: Memorial: Commemorated at Barry Memorial Hall, and Barry Merchant Navy Memorial. Additional Information: Born at Bridgend. Resided with brother & sister, Charles Albert, and Annie Baggott, of 47, Cemetery Road, Bridgend. Son of Charles, and of the late Hannah Baggott (nee Davis), of 47, Clive Road, Barry Island. Circumstances of death unknown, the S.S. "Zillah" was later sunk by U-46 in 1917. (Brother: Charles Albert Baggott, Royal Welsh Fusiliers 74952, died in 1918)



Bevins H.N. - BEVINS, HARRY NATHANIEL (Age: 16) 
Rank: Sailor Date of Death: 11/12/1917 Regiment/Service: Mercantile Marine S.S. "Kalibia" (Glasgow) Panel Reference: Memorial: Linden Hill Cemetery, Brooklyn, New York, USA. Commemorated at Barry Memorial Hall. Additional Information: Born at Bath, Somerset. Accidentally drowned at Pier 37, New York Harbour, U.S.A. Previous ships: S.S. Tristan, Nurtureton, Mary Park, & Kembla. Son of Ernest, and Lucretia Anne Bevins, (nee Watkins) of 6, Chilcote St, Cadoxton, Barry. (Father Ernest served with Royal Welsh Fusiliers, 38471)



Bubbins A.H. - BUBBINS, ALBERT HECTOR  (Age: 15)
Rank: Assistant Steward Date of Death: 09/06/1918 Regiment/Service: Mercantile Marine S.S. "Moidart" (Leith) Panel Reference: Memorial: TOWER HILL MEMORIAL. Commemorated at Barry Memorial Hall, and Barry Merchant Navy Memorial. Additional Information: Born at Barry. Son of Samuel Bubbins, and the late Mary Ann Bubbins (nee Jones), of 74, Graving Dock St., Barry Dock, Glam. Ship sunk by UC-77 south-east of Lyme Regis, on route from Barry to unknown destination. (Brother: Samuel Robert Bubbins also died in 1917).


Bubbins S.R. - BUBBINS, SAMUEL ROBERT (Age: 16)
Rank: Trimmer Date of Death: 26/10/1917 Regiment/Service: Mercantile Marine S.S. "Australdale" (Brisbane) Panel Reference:  Memorial: Tower Hill Memorial. Commemorated at Barry Memorial Hall, and Barry Merchant Navy Memorial. Additional Information: Born at Barry. Son of Samuel Bubbins, and the late Mary Ann Bubbins (nee Jones) of 74, Graving Dock St., Barry. Previously of George St., Barry, Glam. Ship torpedoed and sunk by U-22, north-west of Spain, on route from Barry Docks to Gibraltar. (Brother: Albert Hector Bubbins died aged 15, aboard the S.S. "Moidart" in 1918).


Burke J.H. - BURKE, JOSEPH HUGH (Age: 15)
Rank: Driver Service No: W/881 Date of Death: 28/12/1915 Regiment/Service: Royal Field Artillery "C" Bty. 120th Bde. Grave Reference: O. 334. Cemetery: BARRY (MERTHYR DYFAN) BURIAL GROUND. Commemorated at Barry Memorial Hall. Additional Information: Born at Barry Dock. Son of Edward Francis, and Mary Anne Burke (nee Gordon), of 6, George St., Barry, Glam. Died at Magdalen Camp Military Hospital Winchester, Hampshire. (Joseph was the youngest soldier from Barry to have died during the war).



Dench S.J. - DENCH, SIDNEY JOHN (Age: 15) 
Rank: Mess Room Steward Date of Death: 09/07/1917 Regiment/Service: Mercantile Marine S.S. "Calliope" (London) Panel Reference: Memorial: Tower Hill Memorial. Commemorated at Barry Memorial Hall and Barry Merchant Navy Memorial. Additional Information: Born at Twickenham. Son of the late Sidney John Dench, and Florence Kate Dench (nee Smith), of 30, Holme St., Cadoxton, Barry, Glam. Previously of 11, Albion Rd., Twickenham. Ship torpedoed and sunk by the German submarine U-155, north of Madeira Island, on route from Sevilla, Spain to Newport.



Davies E.J. - DAVIES, EMRYS JOHN (Age: 16)
Rank: Signaller Trade: and Able Seaman Date of Death: 22/02/1916  Regiment/Service: Mercantile Marine S.S. "Duckbridge" (Newcastle) Panel Reference: Memorial: TOWER HILL MEMORIAL. Commemorated at Barry Memorial Hall, and Barry Merchant Navy Memorial. Additional Information: Born at Barry. Invited to serve as a Signaller in Merchant Navy due to Scout duties. Son of William Joshua, and the late Jane Davies (nee Maurice), of 10, Park Crescent, Barry, Glam. Previously of 35, Castle St, Barry. Ship struck mine and sank north of Straithie Point, Scotland, on route from Cardiff to Orkneys Islands.


Dowling J. - DOWLING JOHN (Age: 15) 
Rank: Mess Room Steward Date of Death: 11/02/1916 Regiment/Service: Mercantile Marine S.S. "Belford,"(Glasgow ) Panel Reference: Kilchoman Parish Churchyard, Kilchoman, Argyll and Bute, Scotland. Additional Information: Born at Brooklyn, New York. Son of Richard, and Elizabeth Dowling (nee Ketler), of 64, Hirwain St., Barry Dock. Previously of 13 Hunter St., Cadoxton, Barry. Ship ran aground off Smaull, North west coast of Islay near Ballinaby, on route to Barry Dock to New York.



Duncan E.T. - DUNCAN, EDWARD THOMAS (Age: 16) 
Rank: Mess Room Steward Date of Death: 19/11/1917 Regiment/Service: Mercantile Marine S.S. "Jutland" (Cardiff) Panel Reference: Memorial: Tower Hill Memorial. Commemorated at Barry Merchant Navy Memorial. Additional Information: Born at Neath, Glam. Son of Elizabeth Ann Duncan, of 26, Travis St., Barry Dock, Glam. Ship torpedoed and sunk by the German submarine UC-79, north of Ushant, France, on route from Bilbao, Spain to Middlesbrough.



Evans G.E. - EVANS, GEORGE EDWARD  (Age: 16) 
Rank: Gunner Service No: 3429 Date of Death: 20/05/1916 Regiment/Service: Royal Field Artillery "D" Bty. 122nd Howitzer Bde. Grave Reference: I.C.10. Cemetery: PONT-DU-HEM MILITARY CEMETERY, LA GORGUE. Commemorated at Barry Memorial Hall. Additional Information: Born at Barry. Enlisted at Barry. Son of David, and Elizabeth Evans, of 101, Merthyr St., Barry, Glam. (Brother: Benjamin Charles Evans, 3429 Royal Field Artillery, died in 1916)



Evans L.G.E. - EVANS, LLOYD GEORGE EDWARD (Age: 16)
Rank: Assistant Cook Date of Death: 24/06/1918 Regiment/Service: Mercantile Marine S.S. "Moorlands" (Whitby) Panel Reference: Memorial: TOWER HILL MEMORIAL. Commemorated at Barry Memorial Hall, and Barry Merchant Navy Memorial. Additional Information: Born at Barry. Son of George Washington M., and Annie Evans (nee Bennett), of 288, Holton Rd., Barry, Glam. Ship sunk by UB-88 south-east of Whitby, Yorkshire, on route from La Goulette, Tunisia to Middlesbrough.



Eveleigh A.D. - EVELEIGH, ALEXANDER DAVID (Age: 15) 
Rank: Cooks Boy Date of Death: 29/03/1918 Regiment/Service: Mercantile Marine S.S. "T. R. Thompson" (Sunderland) Panel Reference: Memorial: TOWER HILL MEMORIAL. Commemorated at Barry Memorial Hall, and Barry Merchant Navy Memorial. Additional Information: Born at Barry. Son of Frederick, and Rachel Eveleigh (nee Stone), of 30, Regent St., Barry, Glam. Ship sunk by UB-57, south of Newhaven, Sussex, on route from Benisaf, Algeria, to Middlesbrough.



Gifford E.F. - GIFFORD, EDWARD FOGG (Eddie) (Age: 15)
Rank: Ordinary Seaman Date of Death: 19/11/1917 Regiment/Service: Mercantile Marine S.S. "Jutland" (Cardiff) Panel Reference: Memorial: Tower Hill Memorial. Commemorated at Barry Memorial Hall, and Barry Merchant Navy Memorial. Additional Information: Born at Barry Dock. Son of William Henry, and Annie Maria Gifford (nee Fogg), of 89, Castleland Rd., Barry Dock, Glam. Ship torpedoed and sunk by the German submarine UC-79, north of Ushant, France, on route from Bilbao, Spain to Middlesbrough.


Hughes A. - HUGHES, ALBERT (Age: 15) 
Rank: Cabin Boy Date of Death: 23/05/1918 Regiment/Service: Mercantile Marine S.S. "Skaraas" (London) Panel Reference: Memorial: TOWER HILL MEMORIAL. Commemorated at Barry Merchant Navy War Memorial, Barry Glam. Additional Information: Born at Liverpool. Ship sunk by UB-74 south-west of Black Head, Cornwall, on route from Barry Dock to Fécamp, France.



Lewis R.G. - LEWIS, REGINALD GEORGE (Reggie) (Age: 14)
Rank: Mess Room Boy Date of Death: 06/08/1918 Regiment/Service: Mercantile Marine S.S. "Biruta" (London) Panel Reference:Memorial: TOWER HILL MEMORIAL. Commemorated at Barry Merchant Seamen Memorial. Additional Information: Born at Barry. Son of the late David Edward, and Martha (Mary) Elizabeth Lewis (nee Lloyd), of 46, Vale St., Barry, Glam. Previously of 9, Bell St., Barry, Glam. Ship torpedoed or mined and sunk north-west of Calais, France, on route from Calais to Barry Dock. Reginald was the youngest Welsh casualty of the war, it was his first trip. (Father: David Edward Lewis, Army Service Corps M2/151092, died in 1917)



Meddick S. - MEDDICK, SIDNEY (Age: 16) 
Rank: 2nd Steward Date of Death: 18/05/1918 Regiment/Service: Mercantile Marine S.S. "Sculptor" (Liverpool) Panel Reference: Memorial: TOWER HILL MEMORIAL. Commemorated at Barry Memorial Hall, and Barry Merchant Navy Memorial. Additional Information: Born at Mountain Ash, Glam. Son of Robert, and Margaret Ellen Meddick (nee Cousins), of 4, Forster St., Cadoxton, Barry, Glam. Ship sunk by U-39 north-west of Oran, Algeria, on route from Swansea to Salonica, Greece.



Osbourne F.M. - OSBOURNE, FRANCIS MORRIS (Frank)  (Age: 15)
Rank: Assistant Steward Date of Death: 13/10/1917 Regiment/Service: Mercantile Marine S.S. "Eskmere" (Liverpool) Panel Reference: Memorial: TOWER HILL MEMORIAL. Commemorated at Barry Memorial Hall, and Barry Merchant Navy Memorial. Additional Information: Birth name GREY, served as Grey. Born at Cardiff. Son of Elizabeth Grey (nee Osbourne, the later Mrs Philp), and Stepson to Charles L. Philp, of 8, & 36, Fryatt St., Barry Dock, Glam. Ship torpedoed and sunk by the German submarine UC-75, north-west of Anglesey, on route from Belfast to Barry.



Powell E. - POWELL, EDWARD (Age: 16)
Rank: Boy Trade: Scullery Date of Death: 26/10/1917 Regiment/Service: Mercantile Marine S.S. "Australdale" (Brisbane) Panel Reference: Memorial: TOWER HILL MEMORIAL. Commemorated at Barry Merchant Navy Memorial. Additional Information: Born at Neath, Glam. Son of Edward, and Eleanor Powell, of 26, Travis St., Barry Dock, Glam. Ship torpedoed and sunk by U-22, north-west of Spain, on route from Barry Docks to Gibraltar. (Brother: David Vavasour Powell, Dorsetshire Regiment 13653, also died in 1917. Local paper reported that another brother was killed at sea but gave no details)



Rijcke C.L. - DE RIJCKE, CORNELIUS LUCIANUS (Age: 16)
Rank: Ordinary Seaman Date of Death: 27/02/1917 Regiment/Service: Mercantile Marine S.S. "Galgorm Castle" (Belfast) Panel Reference: Memorial: TOWER HILL MEMORIAL. Commemorated at Barry Merchant Seamen Memorial. Additional Information: Born at Rotterdam, Zuid-Holland, Netherlands. Previous ships: S.S. Baron Napier & Glenalmond. Son of the late Ferdinandus Bernardus De Rijcke, and Sophia Van Opdurp, of Rotterdam van der Poelstraat 50A, Rotterdam, Netherlands. Ship stopped and sunk by U-49, west of Fastnet, Ireland, en route from Buenos Aires, Argentina to Queenstown.



Roberts A. - ROBERTS, ALBERT (Age: 14) 
Rank: Mess Room Steward Date of Death: 01/03/1918 Regiment/Service: Mercantile Marine S.S. "Penvearn" (Falmouth) Panel Reference: Memorial: TOWER HILL MEMORIAL. Additional Information: Born at Liverpool. Previous ship: S.S. Cheltonian. Son of William, and the late Susan Roberts, of 7, Travis St., Barry Dock, Glam. Ship sunk by U-105 north of the South Stack Rock, Holyhead Island, on route from Barrow, Cumbria to Barry Dock. 


Credit to Fred Hortop who compiled the Barry Merchant Navy Roll of Honour.

[Administrator]

Thank you so much.

Keith.

[KG]

Merchant Navy memorial, Barry

Among those commemorated are two young brothers from Barry. Samuel Robert Bubbins was 16 years old when his ship was torpedoed and he died of exposure in the ship’s lifeboat in 1917. Albert Bubbins died aged 15 when his ship was sunk off Dorset in 1918. A third brother, Thomas Edward, was wounded in France in 1917 while serving with the Australian Imperial Forces.



Sarah Boulton, of Barry Island, lost her husband and a son on the same day in 1918, when the ship on which both men worked as firemen and coal trimmers sank .

More details about each of the individuals is available in Byron Jones’ books of remembrance. There are copies in Barry library and several other Welsh libraries and archives. The titles are: Book of Remembrance Seafarers from Wales of the Mercantile Marine & Fishing Fleets who lost their lives during World War One 1914-1918; and Book of Remembrance Seafarers from Wales of the Merchant Navy & Fishing Fleets who lost their lives during World War Two 1939-1945.



The memorials draw on research by Fred Hortop, whose brother Robert died in the Second World War. He compiled local Rolls of Honour for both wars in 1993. You can view copies in Vale of Glamorgan Council offices and at Barry’s central library.



Barry sailors are also commemorated by the Merchant Navy memorial in Cardiff Bay.

With thanks to Byron Jones, of the Merchant Navy Association (Wales)


First World War

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Second World War

LINK

[KG]

A WELSH SEASIDE TOWN AT WAR


By Alun Robertson


Monday August 3rd, 1914, the last day of peace, was a bank holiday. On that warm sunny day an estimated 50,000 day trippers from Cardiff and the mining towns and villages of the Welsh valleys flocked to Barry Island. To most of these people the thought of war would be pushed to the back of their minds as they picnicked on the grass, strolled along the beach or bathed in the sea. The main attraction that day was a grand brass band competition on Nell's Point (the strip of land wihere the Barry Island Resort now stands). The best bands in Wales performed that day. In the Channel the steamers of the White Funnel Fleet could be seen packed with people bound for a day out at Weston or Ilfracombe, people who normally lived mundane lives were out to enjoy themselves that day. Before the week was out, all this would change. Instead of courting couples and people enjoying the brass bands, Nells point would be inhabited by soldiers manning the six inch guns of the Barry Fort (the fort situatedon the tip of Nell's Point controlled a vital area of the Channel). The shouts of children playing on the sands at Whitmore Bay would be replaced by the crack of rifle fire as a musketry range would be set up there. The White Funnel Fleet steamers would disappear from the Channel and a huge searchlight would sweep the sea at night. The holiday season would finish early in 1914.


LINK

[BTC]

The Friends of Merthyr Dyfan Cemetery, Barry produced guide booklets to the cemetery, including:

Merchant Navy - 2nd World War Tour:

PDF LINK

[upot]

it is very interesting