The Men On The Parish War Memorial
FREDERICK LESLIE BARRY-ROBERTS : The son of the Rev. Francis Barry-Roberts and Mrs Katherine Barry-Roberts of Bettisfield Vicarage. Commissioned November 1914 as Second Lieutenant in the 12th (Reserve) Royal Welsh Fusiliers. Served at Wrexham Depot and Kinmel Park Camp, Rhyl where he acted as a trainer for scouts and later as Bombing Officer to the battalion. Transferred to the 2/2nd Queen Victoria’s Own Rajput Light Infantry (Indian Army), and attached to the 7th Duke of Connaught’s Own Rajputs at Aden. Killed in action at “Darb Scrub”, near Sheikh Othman, Aden on 22 December 1917, aged 21. Buried at Maala Cemetery, Aden, Yemen.
The Memorial at the Commonwealth War Cemetry in Ma’allah Aden, Yemen
WILLIAM BECKETT : Born at Whitchurch, the son of Phillip Beckett of Bradenheath, Bettisfield. Living at Chirk when he enlisted at Oswestry as Private 21205 in the 6th King’s Shropshire Light Infantry. Transferred to the 7th KSLI, and was killed in action at Ypres, Belgium on 26 September 1917, aged 20. Served for 1 year 4 months. Body never recovered, so officially commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial to the missing, Passchendaele.
JOHN WILLIAM CRUMP : Born at Welshampton, Shropshire and lived at Bradenheath, Bettisfield. Enlisted at Ellesmere, Shropshire as Private 203562 in the 4th King’s Shropshire Light Infantry. Transferred to the 2/6th Royal Warwickshire Regiment as Private 260163, and was killed in action in France on 24 September 1917. Served for 2 years 9 months. Buried at Brown’s Copse Cemetery near Arras, France.
HERBERT EDWARD HALLMARK : Born at Bettisfield, and lived at New House Farm. Enlisted at Ellesmere, Shropshire as Private 17893 in the 5th King’s Shropshire Light Infantry. Landed in France on 5 October 1915 and was killed in action on the Somme on 30 August 1916. Served nearly 2 years. Body never recovered, so officially commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial to the missing, Somme, France.
ERNEST GEORGE HARPER : Born at Bettisfield, and lived at the Cadney. Enlisted at Ellesmere, Shropshire as Private 8616 in the 1/4th Royal Welsh Fusiliers. Killed in action on the Somme near Albert, France on 18 August 1916. Served 6 months. Buried at Flatiron Copse Cemetery, Mametz, France.
JOHN ERNEST KELSALL : Born at Bettisfield, and lived at Bettisfield Hall. Enlisted at Newton as Private 1040 in the Welsh Horse Yeomanry. Transferred to the 8th East Surrey Regiment as Private 25809 and was killed in action near Ypres, Belgium on 14 December 1917. Served for nearly 3 years. Buried at Artillery Wood Cemetery, Boezinge, Ypres.
WALTER CHARLES LANGFORD : Born at Nether Seal, Leicestershire, the son of Mr Henry Charles Langford and Mrs Mary Ann Langford, and lived at Nag’s Head Cottage, Bettisfield. Enlisted at Ellesmere, Shropshire as Private 1719 in the 1/1st Shropshire Yeomanry. Served about 2 years 3 months in Egypt and Palestine. Transferred to the 10th King’s Shropshire Light Infantry as Private 230157 on the merging of the Cheshire and Shropshire Yeomanries to form the new unit in March 1917, and served in France from May 1918. Killed in action on 22 August 1918, aged about 29. Served 4 years. Body never recovered, so officially commemorated on the Loos Memorial to the missing, Loos-en-Gohelle, near Lens, France.
Awarded the British War and Victory Medals, & the Territorial Force War Medal.
Walter Langford as a Trooper in “D” Squadron, Shropshire Yeomanry
WALTER MADDOX : According to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, was born at Alberbury, Shropshire, in 1893 but in December that year he was baptised at Bettisfield Church. The eldest son (of 6 sons – Walter, Frank, Eric, Harold, John, Ernest and 1 daughter – Annie) of Mr. Thomas and Mrs. Alice Ann Maddox of The Blacksmiths Shop Bettisfield. Awarded the Royal Humane Society’s Certificate of Appreciation for his attempted rescue of children when ice gave way on Gospel Pool in the winter of 1905 aged 12. Married (aged 22) Miss Gertrude Whitfield (aged 26) of Brook Lane, Hanmer, at St.Chad’s Hanmer on 16 December 1915, and had a daughter Beatrice.
He became a shoeing-smith by trade and had apparently been employed by his father at Northwood for five years when he enlisted at Shrewsbury in the Royal Engineers (no. 41510) on 27 August 1914. He served in the UK until landing in France on 13 March 1916. Had risen to be a Farrier-Sergeant in the Royal Engineers at the time of his wedding, and was recorded then as resident at Northwood, Wem.
He served with the 225th (Stockton-on-Tees) Field Company RE in the 39th Division, which was engaged in the battle of the Somme in 1916. After seven months in France he was found to have contracted Tuberculosis (TB), and returned to the UK on 28 October 1916. At his final medical examination in Tooting, London on 23 July 1917 he was described as 5 feet 6 inches in height, with a 36-inch chest measurement, medium complexion, brown hair, grey eyes and a tattoo on his left forearm. He had been 10 stone but had lost much weight. His condition was weak, and the Medical Board recommended he be discharged as permanently unfit. He was discharged at Chatham on 13 August 1917 being no longer physically fit for war service. Total time served, 2 years 11 months.
Because his condition was accepted as being caused by “exposure and hardships on active service” he was awarded a pension of 32 shillings and 6 pence (£1.63) weekly and was sent to a sanatorium for treatment the following February. He died at his parents home, The Gate House, Alberbury, nr. Shrewsbury on 26 June 1918 aged 25. Buried at Alberbury (St.Michael) Churchyard Extension, Shropshire. Was not listed as a Bettisfield man on the 1919 Flintshire Memorial cards, probably because his parents had moved away by then. His widow remarried by c1924 to become Mrs G.Butcher, 2 Tines Cottage, Crofton, Ellesmere. Awarded the British War & Victory Medals, and granted Silver War Badge (medical discharge badge).
JOSEPH HENRY SMITH : Born at ?Wemsmorwood, Shropshire, and lived at Wood Cottage, Bettisfield. Enlisted at Llanelly, Carmarthenshire as Private 12479 in the 3rd (Special Reserve) Prince Albert’s Somerset Light Infantry. Transferred to the 1st Somerset LI, and was killed in action at Ypres on 11 June 1915. Served 9 months. Body never recovered, so officially commemorated on the Menin Gate Memorial to the missing, Ypres, Belgium.
EDWIN SPEAKMAN : The son of Mrs Maria Speakman of Northwood, Wem, Shropshire (just beyond the Bettisfield parish boundary). He lived in West London, and enlisted at Chelsea as Rifleman 3694 (later renumbered 591564) in the 18th (County of London) Battalion, The London Regiment (London Irish Rifles)(Territorial Force). He died in the UK (of natural or accidental causes) on 12 June 1917, aged 20. Buried at Bettisfield Churchyard. Not listed as a local man on the 1919 Flintshire Memorial Cards. He is apparently also mentioned on the War Memorial at Newtown, Shropshire, which is the parish including Northwood. Quite a few of the Speakman family are buried at Bettisfield, and apparently a number of Northwood residents attended the church in preference to going elsewhere. M
NOT ON THE MEMORIAL – The following men who died are recorded in official sources as having a Bettisfield connection, but are not named on the church war memorial :
EDWARD GRIFFITHS : Born at Bettisfield, the son of Mr Edward Griffiths and Mrs Lena Griffiths, later of Birkenhead, Cheshire. Husband of Mrs Elizabeth Griffiths of 53 Abbey Street, Birkenhead. Enlisted at Birkenhead, as Private 2002 in “C” Company of the 1/4th Cheshire Regiment. Became a Corporal, and died of wounds received at Suvla Bay, Gallipoli on 27 September 1915, aged 26. Buried at Portianos Military Cemetery, Mudros Bay, Island of Lemnos, Greece.
ERNEST WILLIAM JONES : Born at Ellesmere, Shropshire. Living at Bettisfield when he enlisted at Wrexham as Private 11333 in the 2nd Royal Welsh Fusiliers. Became a Corporal. Died (of natural or accidental causes) in France on 6 July 1916. Won the Military Medal for bravery. Body never recovered, so officially commemorated on the Loos Memorial to the missing, Loos-en-Gohelle, near Lens, France.
JOHN REEVES : Born at Bettisfield, the son of Mr John Reeves and Mrs Anne Reeves, later of Welshampton, Shropshire. Husband of Mrs Jane Anne Reeves of Overton, Flints. Enlisted at Wrexham as Private 12935 in the 9th Royal Welsh Fusiliers. Killed in action at the Battle of Loos, France on 25 September 1915, aged 33. Body never recovered, so officially commemorated on the Loos Memorial to the missing, Loos-en-Gohelle, near Lens, France.
ENOCH WILLIAMS : Born at Bettisfield (?or St.Martin’s Moor, Shropshire), the son of Mr Enoch Williams and Mrs Ann Williams, later of 1 Brewery Cottages, Weston Rhyn, Oswestry, Shropshire. Lived at St.Martin’s Moor, near Chirk, Shropshire. Enlisted at Oswestry as Private 6155 in the 1st or 2nd King’s Shropshire Light Infantry. Landed in France on 25 ?February 1915. Died of wounds in France on 18 May 1915, aged 34. Buried at Boulogne Eastern Cemetery, France. Awarded the 1914-15 Star, British War & Victory Medals.
Gravestone of Enoch Williams at Boulogne Eastern Cemetery, France
BURIED IN BETTISFIELD CHURCHYARD : There is one First World War Grave, in the north-western part of the churchyard. It is that of :
EDWIN SPEAKMAN (see list of men on the War Memorial)
OTHER MEN FROM BETTISFIELD WHO SERVED DURING THE FIRST WORLD WAR
The names and details of local men who served but who did not die in the War can be found in the Flintshire County Records Office as follows:-
FREDERICK BECKETT : of The Moss, Bettisfield. Private 44221 in the King’s Liverpool Regiment (shown as South Wales Borderers on the Roll of Service, Village Hall). Transferred as Private 47431 in the 778th Area Employment Company, Labour Corps. Served for 3 years, including 2 years in France. M
PHILLIP BECKETT : of Bradenheath, Bettisfield. Private 25224 in the King’s Shropshire Light Infahtry. Transferred as Private G/106718 in the 26th Middlesex Regiment. Served for 3 years, including 2 years in Salonika (Greece), and later Russia and Constantinople (Istanbul), Turkey (26th Middlesex served in Salonika August 1916 onwards, moving to Batum, South Russia from November 1918 until March 1919). M
JOHN BECKETT : of The Moss, Bettisfield. Driver 211665 in the ?”Signal E Company”, Royal Engineers. Served for 3 years, including about 12 months in France. Was wounded three times. M
JOSEPH DONE : of Bradenheath, Bettisfield. According to the 1919 Flintshire War Memorial cards, may have enlisted in the 2/1st Welsh Horse Yeomanry (entry crossed out) and served as Private 17562 in the 7th Royal West Kent Regiment. Served for 3 years. Was wounded in France. National Archives online medal card index has no matching record, but a 24857 Private Joseph Done served with the R.West Kents before transferring as Private 554415 in the Labour Corps.
FRANK DULSON : of Bettisfield. Private 3651 (later renumbered 241393) in the 1/5th Royal Welsh Fusiliers. Served for 4 years, including 2 years 11 months in Egypt and Palestine. Was wounded in Palestine on 26 March 1917 (First Battle of Gaza). M
ALFRED JAMES EVANS : of Mill House, Bettisfield. Private 44886 in the 8th Welsh Regiment. Served for 3 years 6 months, including about 3 years in Mesopotamia (Iraq), India, and at Constantinople (Istanbul), Turkey. Was wounded three times. M
GEORGE GREEN : of Bettisfield. Sapper (Pioneer) 288163 in No.5 Signal Construction Company, Royal Engineers. Served for 2 years 6 months, including 2 years in France and Cologne, Germany. M
GEORGE HERBERT GRINDLEY : of the Cadney, Bettisfield. Formerly of the Royal Welsh Fusiliers (Roll of Service, Village Hall). Corporal 388012 in the 550th Agricultural Company, Labour Corps. Served about 3 years.
THOMAS HENRY HEATH : of The Moss, Bettisfield. Lance-Corporal 202617 in the 423rd Agricultural Company, Labour Corps. Served for 2 years 6 months, in the UK. (Not on Roll of Service, Village Hall)
FRANK OLIVER HUXLEY : of Moss Lane, Bettisfield. Sapper 257069 (later renumbered WR/269457) in the Railway Operating Division, Royal Engineers. Served for 2 years 7 months, including 2 years in France. M
?RICHARD MEREDITH (A.Meredith on Roll of Service in Village Hall): of the Post Office, Bettisfield. Air Mechanic 1st Class, Royal Air Force. Served for 3 years.
LEONARD JOSEPH POTTS : of the Smithy, Bettisfield. Gunner 218754 in the Royal Garrison Artillery. Served for 16 months.
SAMUEL PRESTON : of The Cottage, Bettisfield. Private 6317 (later renumbered 612572) in the 2/19th (County of London) Battalion, The London Regiment (St.Pancras). Served about 4 years 6 months, including about 2 years in Egypt and Palestine. M
REGINALD PRESTON : of The Cottage, Bettisfield. Private 3763 in the Royal Welsh Fusiliers. Transferred as Sapper 233941 in the 437th (Welsh) Field Company, Royal Engineers. Served 3 years 6 months, including about 2 years in Egypt and Palestine. M
ALBERT JOHN PUGH : of Bettisfield. Private 41756 in the (?1/6th) Lancashire Fusiliers. Transferred as Private 425652 in the Labour Corps. Served 3 years 5 months, including nearly 2 years 6 months in France. M
ALFRED PUGH : of Bettisfield. Private 38036 in the Cheshire Regiment. Transferred as Lance-Corporal 34033 in the 57th Company, Labour Corps. Served over 3 years, including nearly 3 years in France. M
GEORGE STARKEY : of Bradenheath, Bettisfield. Born in 1886. Able Seaman R/3343, Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve. Served in the “Hawke” Battalion, 63rd Royal Naval Division. Served for 4 years. Was gassed in France in March 1917 and October 1918. Was wounded on 2 September 1918.
JOSEPH HENRY STOCKTON : of the Cadney, Bettisfield. Sergeant 22798 in the machine-gun section of the 12th South Wales Borderers. Served about 3 years, including about 2 years 9 months in France. Was slightly wounded once. Won the Distinguished Conduct Medal for bravery. (London Gazette 27 March 1918 – citation “For devotion to duty and courage displayed during active operations against the enemy on the 23-25 November 1917. He crawled forward and enfiladed the enemy position and on one occasion stood up under a heavy fire to enable a Lewis gun to be rested on and fired from his hip.”) M
FRANK STOKES : of Bettisfield. Private 44721 in the 4th King’s Shropshire Light Infantry. Served for 8 months, probably in the UK. Trained at Pembroke Dock.
RICHARD VAUGHAN : of Canal Side, Bettisfield. Private 84201 in the 3rd (Special Reserve) Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Regiment (Sherwood Foresters). Served for 2 years 6 months. Was wounded in action in France. M
EDWARD WAIN : of Bettisfield. Lance-Corporal P/4071 in the Military Mounted Police (also 20th Hussars, on Roll of Service in Village Hall). Served for 4 years 6 months. M
GEORGE WILLIAMS : of Bettisfield. Private 3731 (later renumbered 241468) in the 1/5th Royal Welsh Fusiliers. Served for 3 years, including 2 years 9 months in Egypt. M
Further names below are shown on the Roll of Service in the Village Hall (formerly the School):
BROMLEY, W. : Sergeant, King’s Shropshire Light Infantry
COLLINS, G. : Corporal, King’s Shropshire Light Infantry
COLLINS, W. : Sergeant, King’s Shropshire Light Infantry
HANMER, Griffin Wyndham Edward : Bettisfield Park . Formerly of the 2/1st Shropshire Yeomanry. Transferred November 1917 and became Captain, Royal Air Force. Served from 4 August 1914 to 10 May 1919, including in France (also in the Hanmer War Record).
HANMER, Sir Wyndham Charles Henry, Baronet : Bettisfield
Park. Major, Army Remounts. Served from May 1915 to March 1918. Served in France from November 1916 to November 1917 (also in the Hanmer War Record).
HINTON, J.H. : Wheeler, Royal Garrison Artillery
MOORE, G.E. : Private, London Regiment
SPEAKMAN, J. : Private, Machine-Gun Corps
TINSLEY, R. : Private, Royal Army Medical Corps
WYNNE, E. : Gunner, Royal Field Artillery
FREDERICK LESLIE BARRY-ROBERTS: The son of the Rev. Francis Barry-Roberts and Mrs Katherine Barry-Roberts of Bettisfield Vicarage. Commissioned November 1914 as Second Lieutenant in the 12th (Reserve) Royal Welsh Fusiliers. Served at Wrexham Depot and Kinmel Park Camp, Rhyl where he acted as a trainer for scouts and later as Bombing Officer to the battalion. Transferred to the 2/2nd Queen Victoria’s Own Rajput Light Infantry (Indian Army), and attached to the 7th Duke of Connaught’s Own Rajputs at Aden. Killed in action at “Darb Scrub”, near Sheikh Othman, Aden on 22 December 1917 aged 21. Buried at Maala Cemetery, Aden, Yemen.