BORN: 1895 in Magor, Monmouthshire, Wales.
UNIT: 326th Siege Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery.
DIED: Died of wounds, near Lens, France on 21 July 1918, aged 22.
BURIED: Bully-Grenay Communal Cemetery, British Extension, near Lens, France. Grave V. G. 8.
LOCAL CONNECTIONS: Castle Coch Cottage, Magor. Chapel Terrace, Magor.
Early Life
Sidney Walter WILLIAMS was born in 1895 in Magor, Monmouthshire, Wales. He was the son of Thomas WILLIAMS and his wife Mary (nee WATERS). Sidney was baptised in Magor church on 20 Oct 1895, when his parents lived at Castle Coch.
Sidney’s parents married in 1878. His father was a labourer, born in Magor, who worked variously as a woodcutter or haycutter. His mother Mary was from Caldicot, Monmouthshire. When they married, Mary already had a daughter called Lucy WATERS. She was born in Caldicot in 1872.
Sidney was recorded on the 1901 census in Magor. Aged 6, he lived with his parents and four older siblings at Castle Coch. His father worked as a haycutter.
One of eleven
By the time of the 1911 census, Sidney lived and worked as a domestic servant for Benjamin and Ellen PHILLIPS at the neighbouring Upper Grange Farm. His parents and sister Olive (aged 10) still lived in Castle Coch. By this time, Sidney was one of eleven children, all of whom had survived.
Joining the police .. and falling in love
Sidney followed in the footsteps of 2 of his brothers and joined the Glamorgan Constabulary in 1915. He became a police constable stationed in Ton Pentre, Rhondda, Glamorgan. Whilst there, Sidney began a relationship with Hilda Annie WHITE. He clearly met her through his job since she was the daughter of Police Sergeant George WHITE. Hilda and her family lived at 21 Bodringallt Terrace, Ystrad, Rhondda. [ASIDE: Twenty years later my grandfather was a police constable based at the same station in Ton Pentre]. Sidney clearly saw this as more than a brief romance. While stationed in France in 1918 he wrote out his will on a piece of notepaper. In it he named Hilda as his ‘sweeheart’ and one of his legatees.
Sidney and WW1
Sidney’s war record has not been found. It was probably one of the many records destroyed by the Blitz in WW2. However, a South Wales Police profile states that he joined up while stationed in Ton Pentre. Furthermore, the amount of War Gratuity paid out tells us that he enlisted in the after 22 Jul 1917, less than 12 months before he died. We also know that he wrote his will on 31 Mar 1918 when apparently on active service overseas. So he clearly enlisted sometime between these dates.
Royal Garrison Artillery
Sidney followed his older brother Reginald (see below) into the Royal Garrison Artillery (RGA) as Gunner. The RGA developed from coastal fortress defences and therefore used large calibre, heavy guns. At the outset of WW1 the British Army had little heavy artillery. However, this changed quickly and the RGA grew into a large component of the British fighting force.
326th Siege Battery
Sidney was part of 326th Siege Battery. It was armed with four 6-inch Howitzers. A typical battery consisted of:
- Men: 5 Officers and 177 other ranks.
- Horses: 17 Riding, 6 draught and 80 heavy draught.
- Transport: 10 four-horse wagons and 3 two-horse carts.
The 326th first went to the Western Front on 14 May 1917, before Sidney enlisted. On 27 Dec 1917 it joined 91st Heavy Artillery Group and on 07 Apr 1918 was made up to six howitzers with the addition of one section from 510th Siege Battery.
Death and Burial
Died of wounds
The 326th Battery’s war diary is missing, so we cannot trace Sidney’s last steps. Records show that he was wounded and moved to 73 Field Ambulance based at Fosse 10 near Bully-Grenay, about 6 miles northwest of Lens, France. Sidney died of his wounds there on 21 July 1918. He was 22 years old.
His Burial
Sidney was buried in the Bulley-Grenay Communal Cemetery, British Extension at Grave V. G. 8. The British Extension was used Apr 1916 – Oct 1918. The cemetery was used predominantly as an artillery burial ground. Strangely, Plot V Rows D-G (where Sidney is buried) were supposedly created after the Armistice when graves were brought in from smaller battlefield graves. However, there is no record of Sidney’s body being moved in this way.
Sidney’s death was announced in the local newspaper in August 1918. He is also commemorated on the Glamorgan Police War Memorial and in a document published by South Wales Police.
Medals and Pension
'...to my sweetheart'
Sidney was awarded the British and Victory campaign medals. He did not serve overseas until 1917/18 and so was not entitled to the 1914- or 1915-Star medals.
Sidney wrote a will on 31 Mar 1918 in which he bequeathed £10 to ‘my Sweetheart Miss Hilda A. White’. The remainder of his property was to go to his mother, Mary WILLIAMS. This will was written on letter-writing notepaper issued by the YMCA. It was found among his effects, inside his army paybook, normally carried in a soldier’s breast pocket. In accordance with his wishes, his War Gratuity and back pay were sent to his ‘sweetheart’ Hilda. She received a payment of £6 15s 1d on 31 Dec 1918 and his War Gratuity payment of £3 on 06 Dec 1919.
What happened to his family?
Sweetheart
After Sidney’s death, his sweetheart, Hilda Annie WHITE remained with her parents in Ystrad, Rhonnda, Glamorgan. She worked there as a schoolteacher. Eventually, at the age of 33, she married Ernest David Atkins PILE in Llwynypia, Glamorgan in August 1924. Ernest had served in the Royal Field Artillery during WW1 and was already a soldier before war broke out. He rose from Gunner to the rank of Captain. They moved to Bromsgrove, Worcestershire, where they raised a daughter.
Parents
By 1921 Sidney’s parents had moved to Llandavenny. Their death details have not yet been found.
Siblings
Lucy Waters WILLIAMS (Half-sister) b. 1872 Caldicot. Married Walter James KENNETT in Medway Registration District, Kent in 1899. They moved back to Wales about 1910, and in 1911 they lived in Bargoed, Glamorgan where Walter worked for a Railway Company. They had 6 children by this time, but two had died. Also with them was Lucy’s half-brother Frank (aged 18). By 1939 Lucy, her husband and one of her sons had moved to Windsor Street, Caerphilly, Glamorgan. Lucy died in Vann Road Hospital, Caerphilly in 1956. She lived in Llanbradach, Caerphilly at the time.
Lily Ann WILLIAMS bt 03 Jul 1878 Caldicot. She married Walter LIST, a soldier from London, in Magor parish church on 21 Jun 1904. By 1911 they had one son, Walter Thomas LIST and lived at 21 Platt Street, St. Pancras, London. Also with them was Lily’s sister Florence Mary WILLIAMS. Lily’s husband Walter now worked as a Police Officer for a Railway Company. Lily, Walter and their son Walter still lived at the same address in 1939. Lily died in 1946. Her son Walter Thomas LIST died in 1956. He was last seen alive on 28 Nov 1956 and his body was found on 01 Dec 1956. He did not marry, and administration of his estate was awarded to his uncle Hubert.
Edward Thomas WILLIAMS bt 30 Nov 1879 Magor. He moved to Abertillery where he worked as a Barman, probably in the Viaduct Hotel. He married Margaret Annie JENKYN in Newport in 1906. In 1911 they lived in Eton Road, Newport. They ran a restaurant together. The 1914 directory shows Edward’s restaurant was at 200 Dock Street. They were recorded together in Newport in 1921 but Margaret died in 1922. He remarried in Newport (All Saints) on 28 Mar 1923 to Theodosia WATTS. By this time Edward was a Restaurant Inspector. Theodosia died in 1936/7. Edward died in Newport in 1946.
William Philip WILLIAMS bt 10 Sep 1882 Magor. He worked as a Cleaner and then a Fireman for GWR based at Severn Tunnel Junction. He married Charlotte Mary ANDREWS from Caldicot in Chepstow in 1909. He joined the Glamorgan Constabulary and was based in Cardiff between 1910-1911. In 1911 he lived with his wife in Cathays. By 1939 William had become a County Court Bailiff. He lived with his wife and children in Edington Road, Cardiff. They returned to his home area to live at Morpeth House, Llanmartin Road, Langstone. William died there in 1951.
Florence Mary WILLIAMS bt 26 Oct 1884 Magor.
Hubert George WILLIAMS bt 03 Oct 1886 Magor. He worked for a short while as an Engine Cleaner for GWR at Severn Tunnel Junction before he joined the Glamorgan Constabulary. In 1911, he lived at the Central Police Station in Cathays, Cardiff. He married Mary J. HOPKINS in Llanelly later that year. They raised a family in Cardiff but Mary died in 1931. He married Amy Esther BASTIAN in Cardiff in 1939. Lived at 5 Ton-yr-ywen Avenue, Birchgrove, Cardiff. He died there in 1960.
Reginald Cuthbert WILLIAMS bt 04 Jan 1889 Magor. Clearly had enough of being a cricket ball maker’s assistant. He enlisted in the army at Gosport on 25 Apr 1906 when he was aged 18. He joined the army and became a Gunner 24954 in the Royal Garrison Artillery. He served in Hong Kong and China from 01 Oct 1907 to 29 Nov 1910, after which he was based in the UK. In 1911 he was Stoke Military Hospital in Devonport, Devon. He was later transferred to the Army Reserve before being mobilised again when WW1 broke out. He served with the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force arriving in Alexandria in Jan 1916. He was then transferred to the Western Front by April 1916. Reginald was promoted to Sergeant in 25th Heavy Battery RGA in 1917. He married Edith Catherine ROSSER in Magor church on 27 Aug 1917 . They lived at 7 Chapel Terrace, Magor. Reginald was wounded in action but survived the war and was awarded the Military Medal on 24 July 1919. After the war he moved to Cardiff and died there in 1943. Administration of his estate was awarded to his brothers Hubert and William
Emily Gertrude WILLIAMS bt 17 Jul 1891 Magor. She married Percy Edward CORNABY in Magor parish church on 01 Oct 1913. They lived with her parents in Llandavenny in 1921. By 1939 they had moved to Roggiet and had two sons. She moved back to Magor and lived at The Lawns. She died there in 1979.
Frank Llewellyn WILLIAMS bt 15 Sep 1893 Magor. In 1911 he lived with his married half-sister Lucy KENNETT in Bargoed where he worked as a Railway Porter.
Olive Mabel WILLIAMS bt 05 Jun 1901 Magor. She married George Henry THOMAS in Magor parish church on 03 Sep 1930. Her father Thomas had died by this time. George was a farmer and in 1939 the family lived at Maerdy Farm, Coedkernew, Monmouthshire. Olive died in 1963.
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