Category Archives: Army

Rudolph Ellis Davies

Army, Commemorated name/s, Other Regiments, Ypres

Rudolph Ellis Davies
Lieutenant 1st/7th Battalion Duke of Wellington’s
(West Riding Regiment)

 Division 15

Rudolph Ellis Davies was the son of Baptist Minister Reverend A. J. Davies and Mrs K Davies.  At the time of CWGC registration Mrs Davies address is given as 29, Montague Road, Cambridge.  Rudolph is remembered on the grave that bears both the name of his sister Gwen, who died aged 19, September 29th 1905 and the Reverend Davies who died on May 19th 1916, aged 55. 

 Rudolph Davies died on 11th August 1917, aged 27, during the very heavy fighting of the battle of 3rd Ypres. It is not known exactly when Rudolph Davies received the wounds that caused his death.  The 11th August was the day the Germans launched a heavy counter attack and pressed the British line back in Glencorse Wood. 

 Davies is buried in Adinkerke Military Cemetery, De Panne, West- Vlaanderen, Belgium.  Location G. 3.  Adinkerke was an area that hosted two major Casualty Clearing Stations serving the British XV Corps that held the front from the Belgium coast to St Georges.

William Davis and George William Davis

Army, Commemorated name/s, Other Regiments, Registered War Grave, Somme

William Davis
Sapper 167656
No.2 Tunnelling Depot. Royal Engineers

 Division 78
Extension

Davis bros cem

William Davis was the son of George William and Elizabeth Davis, of 33 Albany Road, Reading.  His grave is a registered war grave with a private memorial, his parents are buried with him.  Grave number 16223.  The story of William Davis is tragic and mysterious.  The details of the inquest were published in the Chronicle 26th May 1916.

  “After one day a Clipstone Camp Nottinghamshire  William Davis, aged 25, disappeared and his body was found in the River Mann – a shallow stream near Mansfield.  He had reported to camp on Saturday May 6th and was not seen after dinner on Sunday.

Giving evidence, James Davis* his brother said deceased had orders to report May 7th and was put in the Royal Engineers.  This was against his wish, he wanted the Royal Flying corps.  He had no liking for the Army and had appealed twice on business grounds but was refused.  When the appeal was refused he seemed to settle down and accept the position.

William Davis made the acquaintance of Benjamin Charles Everest, Royal Engineers, at Clipstone camp but did not appear very cheerful, he was quiet and reserved. 

James Davis said he felt that his brother would not take his own life, would in fact be the last man to do so. 

The body was found embedded in mud – verdict “Found drowned.” 

It is not clear exactly when William Davis died, the inscription on the grave states:
Laid to Rest May 23rd 1916”

 

George William Davis
Corporal 137811
237th Field Company Royal Engineers

 

 George William Davis was the brother of William Davis.  He is commemorated on the headstone of his brothers grave.   George Davis was the husband of D.L. Mealings (formerly Davis), of Station House, Burghdere.   He was killed in action 7th October 1916 and is buried in the A.I.F. Burial Ground, near Flers, the Somme.  Location IV.A.25.

The “In Memoriam“ entry in the Standard 21st October 1916, is from his wife and gives some details of the action he was in at the time he was killed:

“Davis- G.W. – In loving memory of my dear husband, Corporal. G. W. Davis, who fell in action October 7th 1916, helping to lead a party of men to No Mans Land for defence work north of Gueudecourt”.

It was over the battle field in this area that the first tank battle had taken place on the 15th September 1916.  The bitter fighting of the last phase of the Somme battle lasted until November 1916.

For William and Elizabeth Davis, as for many parents, 1916 was a year of tragedy.  In their “In Memoriam” is a poem about their eldest son. 

He is gone, our dearly loved youth,
The heart of honour, the tongue of truth;
He, the life and light of us all,
Whose voice was blithe as a bugle call;
Whom all eyes followed with one consent,
The cheer of whose laugh, and whose pleasant word
Hushed all murmurs of discontent.

 

I has not been possible to find any information about James Davis

 

Evan Lloyd Davies

Alfred Sutton School War Memorial, Army, Reading University College, Registered War Grave, Royal Berkshire Regiment, Somme

Evan Lloyd Davies MM
Corporal 200422 
1st/4th Royal Berkshire Regiment

 Division 32  Grave number 8995

 EL Davies oval2 ELDavies plaque

Evan Lloyd Davies was the son of William and Rhoda Davies and husband of Grace Ethel Davies.  He died on the 5th November 1918 of wounds received on 27th August 1916 as the 48th Division tried to take the Thiepval ridge.   During the battle he received the head wound which ended his war and ultimately his life.  Evan Lloyd Davies had acquitted himself well during the battle and was commended for the Military Medal for ‘distinguished bravery in the field’. He was buried in Reading Cemetery on the morning of the Armistice,  11th November 1918 aged 35.  He left his wife and two children.

Evan Lloyd Davies was a teacher at the Wokingham Road Senior School, now Alfred Sutton Primary School. The plaque above commemorates his name and is in the junior hall of the school.

 He had served overseas with his Territorial unit from the beginning of the war.  His full story is told in  ‘The School, the Master, the Boys and the V.C.’ which is the story behind  the Alfred Sutton School Memorial.

Children Remember ELDavies
In 1998 children from the school laid a poppy wreath on the grave of Evan Lloyd Davies in remembrance of his service to the school and his role in the Great War.

Evan Lloyd Davies was one of six Reading teachers to lose their lives in the war.