From Merthyr to Mud
Corporal John Thomas Davies Royal Welsh Fusiliers, Hampshire Reg't & Ox & Bucks Light Infantry
John Thomas 'Jack' Davies
The Man John Thomas Davies, or Jack as he was called, was born on 19th August 1896 at 13 Regent Street, Dowlais, Merthyr Tydfil, Wales; son of John and Iron Moulder, and Mary Jane nee Jones. He was one of five children, Maggie Jane, born in the USA in 1889, but dieing very young, Annie, also born in the USA in 1891, Brinley born 1900 and Maggie Gwen 1902. The family later moved to 24 Alma Street in Dowlais and Jack was a member of the Moriah Baptist Church. Jack enlisted into the 8th Battalion Royal Welsh Fusiliers on 5th November 1914, with service number 17017. The 8th Battalion were formed at Wrexham in August 1914 as part of K1 and came under orders of 40th Brigade, 13th (Western) Division. They moved to Salisbury Plain and by February 1915 had moved to Blackdown. On 19th September Jack was sent with the RWF to take part in the Balkans campaign, landing at Mudros, a small Greek port on the Mediterranean island of Lemnos which gained significance with the determination of the Allies, chiefly the British and largely through the enthusiasm of Winston Churchill, in early 1915 to attempt to seize control of the Dardanelles Straits, some 50km away. Although the RWF saw action in Gallipoli, Egypt and Mesopotamia, it is not known exactly where Jack served as he transferred at some point into the 1st Battalion Hampshire Regiment with service number 34015, and it is possible that he was part of reinforcements sent to re-form the Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry after their defeat at Kut el Amara.In any event he transferred into the Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire LI with service number 33536, within the 1/1 Buckinghamshire Battalion and returned to the European theatre of war subsequently serving in France on the Western Front as part of the145th Brigade, XVIII Corps, 48th
(South Midland) Division. On 31st July 1917 the 48th Division was part of the launch of the 3rd Battle of Ypres, or Passchendaele as it was known. Whereas the first and second battles of Ypres had been launched by the Germans in 1914 and 1915 respectively, Third Ypres was intended as Sir Douglas Haig's Allied forces breakthrough in Flanders. Meticulously planned, but in heavy rain and glutinous mud, predominantly British troops eventually succeeded in capturing the small village of Passchendaele in the autumn of 1917, often regarded as a minor gain albeit achieved at heavy cost in casualtiesAt about 0445h on the morning of 16th August 1917, Jack, now just three days short of his 21st Birthday, and leading a small group of men was involved with 1/5th Gloucesters and 1/4th Ox and Bucks in an attack near St. Julien. The War Diary for this day states.
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“The Gloucesters took Border House and Gun Pits on the north and south of the St. Julien – Winnipeg Road but were held up by machine gun fire from Janet Farm. The 1/5th Gloucesters fought hard to take the last house in St.Julien then carried on the advance, digging in on a line of Border House - Jew Hill - Gun Pits & St.Julien. They came under fire from Hillock Farm and Maison du Hibou but the former fell to the 1/1st Ox & Bucks. When the Brigade topped the rise 200 yards east of the Steenbeck a few ‘Bucks’ were seen to reach Springfield Farm near the objective, but they were never seen again!” Jack was killed in action during this battle and his body never recovered; it is possible that he was one of the soldiers to reach Springfield Farm. He is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial in Belgium, panel 96 to 98. Jack was posthumously awarded the 1914-15 Star, 1914-18 British War and Victory Medals.
The Story The group of medals awarded to John Thomas Davies were acquired from e-bay and direct from the family in November 2004.There was enough information contained within the associated paperwork to build up a brief biography, but little extra information has yet been gathered from ancestry.UK due to the large volume of people named John Davies living in the Merthyr Tydfil area during the early part of the 20th century. Interestingly the family also offered to sell their family bible, containing other useful information on John, and although postage was increased, this was too good an offer to turn down and the bible arrived with the medals. A co-bidder who was unsuccessful also kindly sent photographs of John’s name on the Tyne Cot Memorial in Belgium
The Battle of Passchendaele
The Battle of Passchendaele, fought July 1917, is sometimes called the Third Battle of Ypres. For the soldiers who fought at Passchendaele, it was known as the 'Battle of Mud'. And few encapsulate World War One better than the Battle of Passchendaele. The attack at Passchendaele was Sir Douglas Haig's attempt to break through Flanders. Haig had thought about a similar attack in 1916, but the Battle of the Somme occupied his time in that year. However, one year later, Haig felt able to launch such an attack. His main aim was a breakthrough to the coast of Belgium so that German submarine pens could be destroyed. Admiral Jellicoe had already advised both Haig and the British government that the loss of shipping (primarily merchant) could not be sustained and that Britain would face severe problems in 1918, if such losses continued. Haig's plan, to sweep through Flanders to the coast, did not receive support from Britain's Prime Minister, David Lloyd George, but as the Allies had no other credible plan, he gave his agreement. Haig also had another reason for going ahead with his plan. He believed, incorrectly as it turned out, that the morale of the German army was very low - especially after the success of the Allies at the Battle of Messines. He believed that the Allies could tap into this lack of morale and roll through Flanders without too much trouble. On July 18th 1917, a heavy artillery barrage was launched at the German lines. This lasted for ten days. Three thousand artillery guns fired over four million shells. Therefore, the German army in the area fully expected a major Allied attack - so any vague hope of surprise was lost. The infantry attack started on July 31st. The main assault was led by Sir Hubert Gough's Fifth Army. To their left were units from the French First Army led by Anthoine and to Gough's right was the Second Army led by the victor of Messines, Sir Herbert Plumer. The Germans, as happened at the Somme, were fully prepared and the Allied attack, launched across an eleven mile front, made only small gains. Then in the early days of August, the area was saturated with the heaviest rain the region had seen in thirty years. The area in Flanders became effectively a swamp. Tanks, sent forward to help the infantry, simply got stuck. Infantry soldiers found movement very difficult. The impact of the artillery bombardment had destroyed the drainage systems of the region which greatly added to the problem. The shell craters made by the Allied shelling filled with water and did not allow advancing men the opportunity to hide in them. The fields through which men should have gone became impassable. Haig blamed the lack of progress not on the abnormal weather and the conditions it caused, but on Gough. Haig moved Gough and his men to a front further north and put Plumer in charge of the battle. Plumer used different tactics to Gough. He wanted small gains that could be permanently held as opposed to Gough's apparent desire for one major sweeping movement that would bring success. As a result, Plumer fought a series of small battles within Flanders - the Battle of Menin Road Bridge, the Battle of Polygon Wood and the Battle of Broodseinde. These were fought between September and October 1917 and gave British forces the advantage in the territory to the east of Ypres. Haig became convinced that German morale was on the verge of collapsing and ordered that the offensive be continued to Passchendaele Ridge. Between October 9th and October 12th, two battles were fought - Poelcappelle and the First Battle of Passchendaele. By now, those German soldiers who had been fighting on the Eastern Front had been moved to the Western Front - and they had been specifically moved to Passchendaele Ridge to bolster the German forces there. The Germans used mustard gas to assist them and the attempted Allied breakthrough to Passchendaele Ridge failed to materialise. However, Haig would not concede that the attack had not succeeded and in late October three further Allied attacks were made on Passchendaele Ridge. On November 6th, 1917, Passchendaele village was taken and Haig used this success as the reason for calling off the attack. However, the Third Battle of Ypres or Passchendaele had been a very costly battle. For the sake of a few kilometres, the British had lost 310,000 men and the Germans 260,000. Haig was heavily criticised for the attack and for failing to modify his plans as the attack clearly was not going to be a success. There were some who rallied to Haig's defence. They argued that:
* Haig could not have known that the weather would have played such a major part in the battle.
* The input of the newly arrived German troops from the Eastern Front was not part of Haig's planning and nor could it have been.
* The dangers of German submarine activity had to be eliminated whatever the risk.
* A British success would have gone someway to improving the morale of the French army that had mutinied in that year - an ally supporting an ally.
Haig argued that any German loss of men was of greater importance than British loss as the Allies could sustain more losses as America had joined the war by the end of Passchendaele.
The Battle of Passchendaele, fought July 1917, is sometimes called the Third Battle of Ypres. For the soldiers who fought at Passchendaele, it was known as the 'Battle of Mud'. And few encapsulate World War One better than the Battle of Passchendaele. The attack at Passchendaele was Sir Douglas Haig's attempt to break through Flanders. Haig had thought about a similar attack in 1916, but the Battle of the Somme occupied his time in that year. However, one year later, Haig felt able to launch such an attack. His main aim was a breakthrough to the coast of Belgium so that German submarine pens could be destroyed. Admiral Jellicoe had already advised both Haig and the British government that the loss of shipping (primarily merchant) could not be sustained and that Britain would face severe problems in 1918, if such losses continued. Haig's plan, to sweep through Flanders to the coast, did not receive support from Britain's Prime Minister, David Lloyd George, but as the Allies had no other credible plan, he gave his agreement. Haig also had another reason for going ahead with his plan. He believed, incorrectly as it turned out, that the morale of the German army was very low - especially after the success of the Allies at the Battle of Messines. He believed that the Allies could tap into this lack of morale and roll through Flanders without too much trouble. On July 18th 1917, a heavy artillery barrage was launched at the German lines. This lasted for ten days. Three thousand artillery guns fired over four million shells. Therefore, the German army in the area fully expected a major Allied attack - so any vague hope of surprise was lost. The infantry attack started on July 31st. The main assault was led by Sir Hubert Gough's Fifth Army. To their left were units from the French First Army led by Anthoine and to Gough's right was the Second Army led by the victor of Messines, Sir Herbert Plumer. The Germans, as happened at the Somme, were fully prepared and the Allied attack, launched across an eleven mile front, made only small gains. Then in the early days of August, the area was saturated with the heaviest rain the region had seen in thirty years. The area in Flanders became effectively a swamp. Tanks, sent forward to help the infantry, simply got stuck. Infantry soldiers found movement very difficult. The impact of the artillery bombardment had destroyed the drainage systems of the region which greatly added to the problem. The shell craters made by the Allied shelling filled with water and did not allow advancing men the opportunity to hide in them. The fields through which men should have gone became impassable. Haig blamed the lack of progress not on the abnormal weather and the conditions it caused, but on Gough. Haig moved Gough and his men to a front further north and put Plumer in charge of the battle. Plumer used different tactics to Gough. He wanted small gains that could be permanently held as opposed to Gough's apparent desire for one major sweeping movement that would bring success. As a result, Plumer fought a series of small battles within Flanders - the Battle of Menin Road Bridge, the Battle of Polygon Wood and the Battle of Broodseinde. These were fought between September and October 1917 and gave British forces the advantage in the territory to the east of Ypres. Haig became convinced that German morale was on the verge of collapsing and ordered that the offensive be continued to Passchendaele Ridge. Between October 9th and October 12th, two battles were fought - Poelcappelle and the First Battle of Passchendaele. By now, those German soldiers who had been fighting on the Eastern Front had been moved to the Western Front - and they had been specifically moved to Passchendaele Ridge to bolster the German forces there. The Germans used mustard gas to assist them and the attempted Allied breakthrough to Passchendaele Ridge failed to materialise. However, Haig would not concede that the attack had not succeeded and in late October three further Allied attacks were made on Passchendaele Ridge. On November 6th, 1917, Passchendaele village was taken and Haig used this success as the reason for calling off the attack. However, the Third Battle of Ypres or Passchendaele had been a very costly battle. For the sake of a few kilometres, the British had lost 310,000 men and the Germans 260,000. Haig was heavily criticised for the attack and for failing to modify his plans as the attack clearly was not going to be a success. There were some who rallied to Haig's defence. They argued that:
* Haig could not have known that the weather would have played such a major part in the battle.
* The input of the newly arrived German troops from the Eastern Front was not part of Haig's planning and nor could it have been.
* The dangers of German submarine activity had to be eliminated whatever the risk.
* A British success would have gone someway to improving the morale of the French army that had mutinied in that year - an ally supporting an ally.
Haig argued that any German loss of men was of greater importance than British loss as the Allies could sustain more losses as America had joined the war by the end of Passchendaele.
Medal Details:
- 1914-15 Star: 17017 .CPL.J.T.DAVIES. R.W.FUS.
- 1914-18 British War Medal: 17017 A.CPL. J.T.DAVIES R.W.FUS
- Victory Medal: 17017 A.CPL. J.T.DAVIES R.W.FUS
- Death Plaque: JOHN THOMAS DAVIES
This page last updated 2 Apr 16