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Where to find graves with connections to WW1
Group 1: on the top near the Cenotaph
William Owen Davies, Private Royal Welsh Fusiliers 3rd Battalion – died 6th June 1918, age 26: Born in MB, injured in France, he died in Ireland after falling ill on “Home Service” (near the steps)
Thomas Evans, Private Notts & Derby Regiment 10th Battalion – died 21st April 1918, age 20. Born in MB.
William Alexander Connington, Corporal Australian Flying Corps – died 25th October 1918, age 23. Born in Australia. Father from N Wales and an aunt living in MB. He signed up under age, was found out, but then joined later in 1916. His health wasn’t good. Died of pneumonia (brought on by the flu?) in Aylesbury. His aunt brought the body to MB. (white Commonwealth stone)
Philip Corliss Gannaway, Lieutenant Royal Naval Reserve – died 6th November 1918, age 32. Probably born in NZ, where he grew up. Served in RNVR on the Menai Strait. Died of the Spanish Flu. (white cross)
David Jones, Private South Lancashire Regiment – died 2nd May 1917, age 55. Oldest casualty recorded on the Island. Served with Royal Defence Corps (the “Dads’ Army”). Born in Bangor, lived in MB. Died of pneumonia. (slate Commonwealth stone)
Robert Thomas Williams, Sapper Royal Engineers 123rd Company – died 10th July 1916, age 26 years & 8 months. Born in MB. Died of wounds at Mametz Wood. (Here on parents’ box grave; also on grandparents’ stone: see below)
William Henry Ellis, Shipwright 2nd Class Royal Navy – died 1st January 1917, age 33. Born in MB. Joined the Navy in 1902. Died of heart failure on HMS Cadmus in South China Sea, buried at sea. (Commemorated on his parents’ headstone. Look for Thomas Ellis)
Group 2: on the path leading down from the Cenotaph
Mrs Gracie Davies, Mentioned in Despatches, Nurse and Benefactor – died 14th May 1919, age 64. Gracie was from London. Married John Davies, one of ship-owning Davies brothers of MB. Very involved in local community work, organised financing for the building of the Belgian Prom by the Belgian refugees. (Big family memorial on right coming down)
Griffith John Jones, Private Australian Imperial Force 1st Battalion – died 5th May 1917, age 30. Born in MB. Emigrated to Australia in 1912. Volunteered to fight. Embarked in 1916. Killed in action 15mths later. (On the family grave his age is given as 23. (On left of path coming down)
Group 3: to the left of the path leading to the church
John James Williams, Lance Corporal 17th Battalion Manchester Regiment – died 9th October 1918, age 29 years. Born in Bangor. Worked as gardener on Vaynol estate. Went to the front in 1917 and was taken prisoner. Died in camp from diphtheria just before liberation. (Commemorated on parents’ gravestone next to path)
Leonard James Branwood, Private Royal Welsh Fusiliers - died 24th September 1918, age 17 (our youngest casualty). Born in Conwy; parents moved to MB. Signed up at 16. Died from meningitis after falling from horse while training. (Commonwealth grave in furthest left-hand corner)
Group 4: to the right of the path leading to the church
Robert William Rowlands, Welch Regiment – died 9th April 1921, age 28. From Well St. MB. Died at home, probably from wounds. (Commonwealth grave)
Thomas Davies Jones, Private South Wales Borderers – died 6th November 1918, age 27. Born in MB. At start of war was working in South Wales where he joined up. Wounded, transferred to the Labour Corps, died at home from wounds. (Commonwealth grave)
Robert Thomas Williams, Sapper Royal Engineers 123rd Company – died 10th July 1916, age 26 years & 8 months. Born in MB. Died of wounds at Mametz Wood. (On grandparents’ stone; also on parent’s box grave: see above)
Group 5: on perimeter path (in clockwise direction from church)
John Edwards, Gunner Royal Garrison Artillery 155th Battery – died 23rd October 1917, age 23. Killed in action. Brother, a reservist, died 1918 but is not listed as a war casualty. (Family grave)
Robert Jones, Private Royal Welsh Fusiliers 19th Battalion – died 28th September 1917, age 18. From Well St. MB. Volunteered. Killed in action. Also commemorated on same stone: brother who was killed in WW2. (Family grave)
Charles Egerton Dixon, was stepfather of Adam St John Lloyd Park, Major Royal Field Artillery 38th Brigade – died 21st April 1917, age 30. There’s a memorial to Park in St Mary’s Church. Egerton Dixon was a recruiting officer in WWI, and on committee to build Cenotaph.
John Richard Davies, Private Lancashire Fusiliers 2nd Battalion – died 9th August 1918, age 18. Born Holyhead. Went to grammar school and worked for the Marquis’s Estate Office. Died in action. (Commemorated on family grave: look for Emily Davies)
Richard Robert Williams, Private South Wales Borderers 4th Battalion – died 12th August 1915, age 19. Born in MB. Working in Port Sunlight when he signed up. Died in Gallipoli. Brother survived Gallipoli and France. (Commemorated on family grave three rows back from path)
Albert Evans Jones – “Cynan”, served in the Royal Army Medical Corps. Survived the war. Famous WWI poet in Welsh, future Arch-Druid. (Big, flat, slate stone)
John Roberts, Private Royal Welsh Fusiliers 17th Battalion – died 12th July 1916, age 23. Born Llanbedrgoch, moved to MB. Killed in battle of Mametz Wood. (Commemorated on family stone (Hugh M Roberts) just by entrance gate)
Group 6: to right of path up to Mortuary shed
Henry Harold Hughes, Architect & designer of St Tysilio Cenotaph. His grave monument is a miniature replica of the Cenotaph cross.
John Ivor Jones, Private Royal Welsh Fusiliers 1st Battalion – died Tuesday 27th February 1917, age 20. His family lived on Ynys Gorad Goch (“Whitebait Island”). Bank clerk. Signed up at 18. Killed in action. Family grave not far from Mortuary. (Look for H Madog Jones)
Notice
The information on our WWI graves was researched by Bridget Geoghegan. You can find out more from the Menai Heritage Centre. The Friends of Church Island are looking at ways at making this sort of information more accessible. Some information about the island graves will be made available shortly through the History Points QR codes.
William Owen Davies, Private Royal Welsh Fusiliers 3rd Battalion – died 6th June 1918, age 26: Born in MB, injured in France, he died in Ireland after falling ill on “Home Service” (near the steps)
Thomas Evans, Private Notts & Derby Regiment 10th Battalion – died 21st April 1918, age 20. Born in MB.
William Alexander Connington, Corporal Australian Flying Corps – died 25th October 1918, age 23. Born in Australia. Father from N Wales and an aunt living in MB. He signed up under age, was found out, but then joined later in 1916. His health wasn’t good. Died of pneumonia (brought on by the flu?) in Aylesbury. His aunt brought the body to MB. (white Commonwealth stone)
Philip Corliss Gannaway, Lieutenant Royal Naval Reserve – died 6th November 1918, age 32. Probably born in NZ, where he grew up. Served in RNVR on the Menai Strait. Died of the Spanish Flu. (white cross)
David Jones, Private South Lancashire Regiment – died 2nd May 1917, age 55. Oldest casualty recorded on the Island. Served with Royal Defence Corps (the “Dads’ Army”). Born in Bangor, lived in MB. Died of pneumonia. (slate Commonwealth stone)
Robert Thomas Williams, Sapper Royal Engineers 123rd Company – died 10th July 1916, age 26 years & 8 months. Born in MB. Died of wounds at Mametz Wood. (Here on parents’ box grave; also on grandparents’ stone: see below)
William Henry Ellis, Shipwright 2nd Class Royal Navy – died 1st January 1917, age 33. Born in MB. Joined the Navy in 1902. Died of heart failure on HMS Cadmus in South China Sea, buried at sea. (Commemorated on his parents’ headstone. Look for Thomas Ellis)
Group 2: on the path leading down from the Cenotaph
Mrs Gracie Davies, Mentioned in Despatches, Nurse and Benefactor – died 14th May 1919, age 64. Gracie was from London. Married John Davies, one of ship-owning Davies brothers of MB. Very involved in local community work, organised financing for the building of the Belgian Prom by the Belgian refugees. (Big family memorial on right coming down)
Griffith John Jones, Private Australian Imperial Force 1st Battalion – died 5th May 1917, age 30. Born in MB. Emigrated to Australia in 1912. Volunteered to fight. Embarked in 1916. Killed in action 15mths later. (On the family grave his age is given as 23. (On left of path coming down)
Group 3: to the left of the path leading to the church
John James Williams, Lance Corporal 17th Battalion Manchester Regiment – died 9th October 1918, age 29 years. Born in Bangor. Worked as gardener on Vaynol estate. Went to the front in 1917 and was taken prisoner. Died in camp from diphtheria just before liberation. (Commemorated on parents’ gravestone next to path)
Leonard James Branwood, Private Royal Welsh Fusiliers - died 24th September 1918, age 17 (our youngest casualty). Born in Conwy; parents moved to MB. Signed up at 16. Died from meningitis after falling from horse while training. (Commonwealth grave in furthest left-hand corner)
Group 4: to the right of the path leading to the church
Robert William Rowlands, Welch Regiment – died 9th April 1921, age 28. From Well St. MB. Died at home, probably from wounds. (Commonwealth grave)
Thomas Davies Jones, Private South Wales Borderers – died 6th November 1918, age 27. Born in MB. At start of war was working in South Wales where he joined up. Wounded, transferred to the Labour Corps, died at home from wounds. (Commonwealth grave)
Robert Thomas Williams, Sapper Royal Engineers 123rd Company – died 10th July 1916, age 26 years & 8 months. Born in MB. Died of wounds at Mametz Wood. (On grandparents’ stone; also on parent’s box grave: see above)
Group 5: on perimeter path (in clockwise direction from church)
John Edwards, Gunner Royal Garrison Artillery 155th Battery – died 23rd October 1917, age 23. Killed in action. Brother, a reservist, died 1918 but is not listed as a war casualty. (Family grave)
Robert Jones, Private Royal Welsh Fusiliers 19th Battalion – died 28th September 1917, age 18. From Well St. MB. Volunteered. Killed in action. Also commemorated on same stone: brother who was killed in WW2. (Family grave)
Charles Egerton Dixon, was stepfather of Adam St John Lloyd Park, Major Royal Field Artillery 38th Brigade – died 21st April 1917, age 30. There’s a memorial to Park in St Mary’s Church. Egerton Dixon was a recruiting officer in WWI, and on committee to build Cenotaph.
John Richard Davies, Private Lancashire Fusiliers 2nd Battalion – died 9th August 1918, age 18. Born Holyhead. Went to grammar school and worked for the Marquis’s Estate Office. Died in action. (Commemorated on family grave: look for Emily Davies)
Richard Robert Williams, Private South Wales Borderers 4th Battalion – died 12th August 1915, age 19. Born in MB. Working in Port Sunlight when he signed up. Died in Gallipoli. Brother survived Gallipoli and France. (Commemorated on family grave three rows back from path)
Albert Evans Jones – “Cynan”, served in the Royal Army Medical Corps. Survived the war. Famous WWI poet in Welsh, future Arch-Druid. (Big, flat, slate stone)
John Roberts, Private Royal Welsh Fusiliers 17th Battalion – died 12th July 1916, age 23. Born Llanbedrgoch, moved to MB. Killed in battle of Mametz Wood. (Commemorated on family stone (Hugh M Roberts) just by entrance gate)
Group 6: to right of path up to Mortuary shed
Henry Harold Hughes, Architect & designer of St Tysilio Cenotaph. His grave monument is a miniature replica of the Cenotaph cross.
John Ivor Jones, Private Royal Welsh Fusiliers 1st Battalion – died Tuesday 27th February 1917, age 20. His family lived on Ynys Gorad Goch (“Whitebait Island”). Bank clerk. Signed up at 18. Killed in action. Family grave not far from Mortuary. (Look for H Madog Jones)
Notice
The information on our WWI graves was researched by Bridget Geoghegan. You can find out more from the Menai Heritage Centre. The Friends of Church Island are looking at ways at making this sort of information more accessible. Some information about the island graves will be made available shortly through the History Points QR codes.