Pte 44251 Jenkin Davies

• Age: 38
• From: Llanarth, Cards
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 18th Btn
• D.O.W Friday 15th June 1917
• Commemorated at: Lijssenthoek M C Poperinghe
  Panel Ref: XIV.F.11A

Jenkin Davies was born in Llanarth, Cardiganshire in the June quarter of 1879, the youngest son of Griffith and Margaret Davies. His parents were both born in Llanarth, his father in 1828 and his mother in about 1839. His father had been widowed in 1865, and in 1871 was a shoemaker and innkeeper at the Rose Hill Arms, with five children at home. The building was a fully licensed public house, constructed as two houses and had two front doors, with two rooms on the first floor used as a shoemaker’s shop.  

His father married Margaret Davies later in 1871 (although some of their children’s birth registrations show mother’s maiden name as Lewis). 

They had at least seven children, of which Jenkin was the youngest. He had sisters Catherine Anne, Margaret Jane, and Sarah Ellen, and brothers Griffith Lewis, Timothy, and Evan, all born in Llanarth. Later censuses show that his mother is Welsh speaking, while the children speak both English and Welsh. 

In 1881 the family is living at the Rose Hill Arms with nine children and a general servant. His father is 54, a shoemaker employing two men. Two of his stepbrothers are at home, Richard, 19 is a sailor, and Benjamin 17, a shoemaker, Jenkin is 2. 

His father died in July 1890 aged 62 when Jenkin was 11 years old. 

His mother took over the license and the 1891 census shows her as the Inn keeper of the Rose Hill Arms. Catherine is 18, Griffith is 16, a shoemaker, Sarah, 12, and Jenkin, 11, are at school. 

In 1901 his mother, 61, is still running the pub.  His sister Sarah is 23, Jenkin, 22, is a shoemaker working at home.  Also in the household is his married sister Margaret J. Evans. 

After the death of his mother in 1910, aged 71, in 1911 Jenkin, 32, single, an auxiliary postman, is living with his sister Sarah Ellen Davies, 33, listed as wife, publican/assisting in the business, and her son Thomas Edward, age 3.  

On 11th September 1913 the Rose Hill Arms, the licensee his brother Evan, was put up for auction, as part of a lot including a number of properties, (farms, houses, fields, etc.). The auction was held at the pub.  The outcome  is not known. 

In February 1914 the Licensing Sessions considered renewal of the license. The public house “was not wanted for public convenience.  It had very limited accommodation for man or beast and there were two public houses close by. There were five public houses in the parish of Llanarth which had 1,643 inhabitants, or one for every 328.  It was resolved to recommend that the house be closed and that a provisional license be granted until the case could be considered by the Licensing Committee.”  The premises apparently closed in 1916.

Jenkin enlisted at Lampeter joining the South Wales Borderers as Private 36716. He subsequently transferred to the 18th Battalion of The Kings Liverpool Regiment as Private 44251. The amount of the War Gratuity suggests that he enlisted in the spring of 1916, likely arriving in France during the latter stages of the Battle of the Somme.

In early 1917 the Pals battalions leave the Somme and move to the area around Arras. Jenkin would have seen action during the Battle of Arras in April, and in May the battalion begins the march north to the Ypres Salient.  

It is not known when Jenkin was wounded, but he died of his wounds, aged 38, on 15th June 1917 at No.17 Casualty Clearing Station at Remy Siding.  

He now rests at Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery where his headstone bears the poignant epitaph:

"FROM OUR HAPPY HOME AND CIRCLE GOD HAS TAKEN ONE WE LOVE" 

During the First World War, the village of Lijssenthoek was situated on the main communication line between the Allied military bases in the rear and the Ypres battlefields. Close to the Front, but out of the extreme range of most German field artillery, it became a natural place to establish casualty clearing stations. The cemetery was first used by the French 15th Hopital D'Evacuation and in June 1915, it began to be used by casualty clearing stations of the Commonwealth forces.

From April to August 1918, the casualty clearing stations fell back before the German advance and field ambulances (including a French ambulance) took their places.

The cemetery contains 9,901 Commonwealth burials of the First World War, 24 being unidentified. There are 883 war graves of other nationalities, mostly French and German, 11 of these are unidentified. There is 1 Non World War burial here.

The only concentration burials were 24 added to Plot XXXI in 1920 from isolated positions near Poperinghe and 17 added to Plot XXXII from St. Denijs Churchyard in 1981.

Eight of the headstones are Special Memorials to men known to be buried in this cemetery, these are located together alongside Plot 32 near the Stone of Remembrance.

The cemetery, designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield, is the second largest Commonwealth cemetery in Belgium.

The CWGC communicated with Mrs. Kate Kersley, 30 High Street, Westminster, S.W.1 regarding his headstone (possibly his eldest sister Catherine).   

No pension card has been found, suggesting that Jenkin had no dependants. His sister Mrs. Sarah Ellen Davies received his Army effects, including a War Gratuity of £4-10s. 

Jenkin is commemorated on teh Memorial in Llanarth Memorial Hall.

We currently have no further information on Jenkin Davies. If you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.