Cemaes Bay War Memorials

Anglesey, Cemaes Bay War Memorial and Garden.

Cemaes Bay War Memorial on the island of Anglesey is quite difficult to see as it is directly behind a bus stop. That said, it is a lovely, well-kept memorial to the wonderful men that paid the ultimate price for our freedom during WWI and WWII.

It struck me that there are an unusual amount of very English names on the memorial, and apart from theories, I don’t know why. When I researched the names on the memorial they appeared to have no link to Cemaes Bay or indeed to Anglesey, and the next of kin all lived in different parts of England. The only apparent thing they had in common is that they were all RAF aircrew, which led me to believe they had been killed whilst serving at RAF Valley (opened in 1939), but all of the aircrew had been killed in different countries throughout the world, so that was not the case. The final theory that I have is that they all did their aircrew training at RAF Valley and then immediately went on active service, and therefore their last known UK addresses were on Anglesey – maybe they were even billeted at Cemaes Bay.

I have added more information in the two tables below, both of which contain the same casualties, but with different information. With names like ‘John Jones’, where the only thing you know is that he died in WWI is – in my opinion – impossible without first checking the census records for 1911, which I have no access to.

If you have any high res images of any of the casualties I would be delighted to add them on this website. If you have any information to add to what I have presented here I would be interested to hear about it.

SurnameChristian NamesAgeDate of deathRankNumberRegimentHome Address
ColeAlbert Edward4201/11/1914Able Seaman145887H.M.S. Monmouth – Royal Navy3, Bridge Street, Cemaes bay
GrahamRobert Victor2116/05/1915Rifleman2343The King’s (Liverpool Regiment)The Moorings, Cemaes Bay
EvansDaniel Roland2401/07/1916Rifleman301554London Regiment (London Rifle Brigade)Cemaes Bay
VenmoreJames Frederick2811/07/1916LieutenantUnknownRoyal Welsh FusiliersCemaes Bay
HumphreysRoger1713/11/1916Private54723Royal Welsh FusiliersPenrallt, Tregele
JonesEdward Lewis2809/11/1917Private268541Royal Welsh FusiliersPioneer Stores, Cemaes Bay
WilliamsJohn2023/12/1917Able SeamanWales Z/2826H.M.S. Torrent – Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve36, Dinorwic House, Cemaes Bay
HughesJohn3215/04/1918PrivateT4/142380Army Service CorpsCemaes Bay
PritchardRobert Owen2026/08/1918Private53872Royal Welsh FusiliersTy Refail, Cemaes Bay
WilliamsThomas3408/11/1918Private267316Royal Welsh FusiliersTy Uchaf, Cemaes Bay
HughesHugh Glanfor2824/06/1940Sergeant580302Royal Air ForceUnknown
Heys-Lewis (birth name Lewis)John Cecil3517/01/1941Chief OfficerNoneS.S. Almeda Star – Merchant NavyCemaes Bay
HughesHugh Jones3310/03/1941Able SeamanNoneS.S. Corinia – Merchant NavyRhosgoch
GanslerCyril Edward2517/04/1941Sergeant Observer938067Royal Air Force Volunteer ReserveCemaes Bay
WoodhouseJohn Bernard2026/04/19412nd Lieutenant133778Royal Corps SignalsCemaes Bay
PritchardEdward2822/05/1941Able SeamanD/SSX 14816H.M.S. Gloucester – Royal NavyCemaes Bay
OwenRowland John2227/05/1941Private3967419Welch RegimentPenycraigwen
ParryVivian Weston2105/09/1942Pilot Officer Air Gunner111963Royal Air Force Volunteer ReserveCemlyn
FoyWilliam3222/03/1943Sergeant3443272Cheshire RegimentCemaes Bay
CoulthardAlan Maxwell2209/04/1943Sergeant Air Bomber1147868Royal Air Force Volunteer ReserveCemaes Bay
GoodchildHenry Archibald23/09/1943Leading SeamanD/JX 145991H.M.S. Itchen – Royal NavyCemaes Bay
OwenThomas William2218/01/1944Flight Sergeant Air Gunner1529931Royal Air Force Volunteer ReserveCemaes Bay
YatesEdward Peter2115/04/1945Flight Sergeant1456112Royal Air Force Volunteer ReserveCemaes Bay
EdwardsWilliam John2926/08/1946Private4210014Royal Army Ordnance CorpsCemaes Bay
RobertsHenry OwenUnknownWWIIUnknownUnknownUnknownCemaes Bay
JonesJohnUnknownWWIUnknownUnknownUnknownCemaes Bay
PritchardThomasUnknownWWIUnknownUnknownUnknownCemaes Bay
HughesEdwardUnknownWWIIUnknownUnknownUnknownCemaes Bay

The second table:

SurnameChristian NamesAgeSpouseFatherMotherCemeteryLocation
ColeAlbert Edward42Anne Ellen Cole (nee Hughes)William ColePlymouth Naval MemorialPlymouth
GrahamRobert Victor21Jacob (Jake) GrahamAnne Graham (nee Leasor)Le Touret CemeteryFrance
EvansDaniel Roland24Daniel EvansMary EvansThiepval MemorialFrance
VenmoreJames Frederick28James Venmore J.P.Mrs Venmore (nee Hughes or Jones)Dantzig Alley British Cemetery, MametzFrance
HumphreysRoger17Isaac HumphreysEllen HumphreysThiepval MemorialFrance
JonesEdward Lewis28UnknownCatherine JonesBeersheba War CemeteryIsrael
WilliamsJohn20Richard Williams (late)Catherine WilliamsPlymouth Naval MemorialPlymouth
HughesJohn32UnknownElizabeth HughesAuxi-Le-Chateau ChurchyardFrance
PritchardRobert Owen20Robert PritchardMary PritchardCaterpillar Valley Cemetery, LonguevalFrance
WilliamsThomas34Annie WilliamsThomas WilliamsEllen WilliamsGhissignies British CemeteryFrance
HughesHugh Glanfor28Muriel HughesHugh Jones Glanvor HughesPerry Hughes (nee Williams)Runnymede MemorialEnglefield Green
Heys-Lewis (birth name Lewis)John Cecil35Alice Mary Lewis (called herself Heys-Lewis) (nee Heys)Ernest Latham LewisBessie Lewis (nee Hardy)Tower Hill MemorialTower Hill
HughesHugh Jones33Mary Ellen HughesJohn HughesJane Ann HughesTower Hill MemorialTower Hill
GanslerCyril Edward25Frederick GanslerHilda Beatrice Gansler (nee Johnson)Hamburg CemeteryGermany
WoodhouseJohn Bernard20Lt Colonel Ernest WoodhouseElizabeth Broadhead WoodhouseAthens MemorialGreece
PritchardEdward28Jane PritchardTom PritchardMartha PritchardPlymouth Naval MemorialPlymouth
OwenRowland John22R. OwenGrace OwenAthens MemorialGreece
ParryVivian Weston21John David ParryEleanor Myfanwy ParryLlanrhwydrys ChurchyardLlanrhwydrys
FoyWilliam32Dorothy Grace Foy (nee Barton)William FoyChristina FoyEnfidaville War CemeteryTunisia
CoulthardAlan Maxwell22William Weall CoulthardJane CoulthardUden War CemeteryHolland
GoodchildHenry ArchibaldArchibald GoodchildBarbara GoodchildPlymouth Naval MemorialPlymouth
OwenThomas William22Josephine OwenRichard OwenEmily Owen (nee Reddy)Bari War MemorialItaly
YatesEdward Peter21Herbert YatesAnnie Yates (nee Tudor)Runnymede MemorialEnglefield Green
EdwardsWilliam John29Catherine Mary EdwardsRichard Hugh EdwardsCatherine Ann EdwardsNaples War CemeteryItaly
RobertsHenry OwenUnknownUnknownUnknownUnknownUnknownUnknown
JonesJohnUnknownUnknownUnknownUnknownUnknownUnknown
PritchardThomasUnknownUnknownUnknownUnknownUnknownUnknown
HughesEdwardUnknownUnknownUnknownUnknownUnknownUnknown

When Edward Lewis Jones left for war he lived at Pioneer Stores in Cemaes Bay. The shop is now closed, but is still there on the High Street (April 2013).

Cemaes Bay, Pioneer Stores and Shops.

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