FROM PONTARDAWE TO YPRES
2nd Lt John Howard Davies RWF
A few years ago I gave a presentation to the Swansea Valley History Society about a Pontardawe man who made the ultimate sacrifice during the Great War.
My journey started one November afternoon whilst walking up Glan – Rhyd Road, Pontardawe. Approaching the All Saints Cemetery on my right, I entered and looked at a memorial dedicated to the Davies family from the town. I particularly noticed reference to John Howard Davies, who ’ fell in Flanders in July 1917’.
I looked up John and his family and in the census returns noted that they lived at Bron –y Coed, Pontardawe. His parents were John Philip and Prescilla Ann Davies. John Philip originally came from Merthyr Tydfil. In 1911 the census return showed them living at 77 St Helens Avenue Swansea, and referred to them as horse dealers. They returned to Pontardawe and John junior went to school locally. Then there is a gap, but then discovered that John was being educated in Hertfordshire.
He must have been a bright lad as the next bit of information found him being trained as a lawyer at the Inns Of Court London. This was a conduit for officers being commissioned into the Army, and John joined the Royal Welsh Fusiliers. In 1917 he was in Flanders, near the city of Ypres. As a 2nd Lieutenant he was a junior officer being responsible for about 30 men. The army was preparing for a major offensive, later known as Third Ypres or Passchendaele. This commenced on 31st July 1917
John at some point was transferred to the South Wales Borderers and it was with them that on 4th July 1917 John was killed. He was 22 years of age.This occurred at a place called Boezinge, a few miles north of Ypres.
Join was buried in Bard Cottage Cemetery, now a Commonwealth War Graves cemetery . His grave reference 11. J. 5 . As a military historian I had visited this area many times, but after doing my little bit of ‘research’ looked up John’s grave. It is a well cared for and peaceful place where he rests with his friends and fellow soldiers.
On my last visit I put a remembrance token on his grave from the people of Pontardawe. You can pay your respects to John and others that are remembered on the Pontardawe War Memorial.
Anyone wishing for more information can contact me via email :
davidnightjar-9 @tiscali.co.uk
I am aware that there are descendants of the family living in Pontardawe.
Thank you for taking time to read this.
David A Jones
Swansea Valley History Society 