Pte 29239 Hywel Griffiths

• Age: 18
• From: Liverpool
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 17th Btn
• K.I.A Saturday 1st July 1916
• Commemorated at: Thiepval Memorial
  Panel Ref: P&F1D8B &8 C.

29239 Private Hywel GRIFFITHS, 17th Battalion KLR.

Hywel was born in Liverpool in 1898 the son of Thomas Garner Griffiths, a police constable born in Holywell, and his wife Eliza        (nee Hughes), also from Nercwys, Flintshire, who married in Liverpool in the spring of 1896.   

The 1901 Census shows two year old Hywel living at 16 Empress Road, Liverpool with father, Thomas G., aged 37, a police constable, mother Eliza aged 27, and younger brother Gwilym aged 1. They also have a boarder William O. Evans, aged 35. 

By 1911 the family have moved to 79 Gladstone Road, Edge Hill, Liverpool. His father, Thomas G., is aged 47, a police constable born in Nercwys, Flintshire, mother Eliza aged 37 born in Nercwys, and they declare that they have been married for 14 years and that they have had seven children of whom five have survived. Hywel is now a 12 year old student and has four siblings in the household: Gwilym aged 11 at school, Frank aged 7 at school, Gwladys aged 6 at school and Edward aged 3.  

Hywel enlisted in Liverpool on the 31st May 1915 and crossed to France with his Battalion on the 07th November 1915.

Hywel was killed between the 1^st and 2^nd July. Most of the men who were killed with the 17th Battalion on the 01st July 1916 are officially listed as having died between 01st and 02nd July. 

17^th Battalion Diary

3.30 am the Battalion in position in assembly trenches -Battalion frontage from Maricourt – Briqueterie Rd to 100 yards west of Maricourt – Montauban Rd – 1^st wave, 2 platoons of A Company on the right and 2 platoons of B company on the left. 2^nd wave remaining platoons of these companies. 3^rd wave C Company and 4^th wave D Company in parallel trenches at about 100 yards distance. 3^rd Battalion 153^rd French Infantry on our right and 20 KLR on our left. The Battalion’s objective was Dublin Trench from Dublin Redoubt exclusive to a point 400 yards west.

7.30 am – “Zero Hour”. The assault commenced, some shelling but very slight infantry resistance and little machine gun fire encountered, the work of our artillery having been very effective on the German trenches.

8.30 am – the objective was taken at 08.30 am the French on our right gaining their’s at the same hour. Lieutenant-Colonel B C Fairfax and Commandant Le Petit commanding 3^rd Battalion 153^rd Regiment arrived together in Dublin Trench. A and B Companies dug in almost 100 yards south of Dublin Trench which the Germans shelled intermittently all day hardly touching the new trench. Casualties up to 12 noon, Captain E C Torrey commanding C Company, Lt D H Scott commanding A Company and 2^nd Lieutenant P L Wright wounded 100 other ranks. Later in the day the 90^th Brigade took Montauban and the 20^th KLR captured the Briqueterie. Lt Scott died of wounds in a French hospital at Cerisy where Captain Mirascou commanding the left Company of the French also lay wounded. Perfect liaison existed between the French and ourselves the above two officers commanding respectively our right Company and the French left Company being in constant touch. Shortly after the attack commenced the Battalion Headquarters moved to a German dugout in Favieres Support under Briqueterie Road where Commandant Le Petit also established his H.Q. During the remainder of the day there was intermittent bombardment of Dublin and Casement and  Favieres Support trenches. Rations were brought up safely at night. Disposition of the Battalion – 2 Companies in Dublin and 2 in Casement.

His death was reported in the Liverpool Echo on the 20th July 1916: 

GRIFFITHS - July 1, killed in action, aged 18 years, Hywel Griffiths (“Pals”), the dearly beloved eldest son of Mr and Mrs Thos. Griffiths, 79 Gladstone Road, Edge Hill. 

Hywel's body was not recovered or was subsequently lost as he has no known grave and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial. 

The Thiepval Memorial, the Memorial to the Missing of the Somme, bears the names of more than 72,000 officers and men of the United Kingdom and South African forces who died in the Somme sector before 20 March 1918 and have no known grave. Over 90% of those commemorated died between July and November 1916.

On 01st August 1932 the Prince of Wales and the President of France inaugurated the Thiepval Memorial in Picardy. The inscription reads: “Here are recorded the names of officers and men of the British Armies who fell on the Somme battlefields between July 1915 and March 1918 but to whom the fortune of war denied the known and honoured burial given to their comrades in death.”

Soldiers Effects to father Thomas G., Pension to mother Eliza. 

He is also remembered on a headstone in Toxteth Park Cemetery, Liverpool, the following which is transcribed

“In loving memory of Thomas Garner, beloved husband of Eliza Griffiths, died 1^st February, 1923, aged 59 years. Also of Hywel, their eldest son killed in action 1^st July, 1916, aged 18 years. Also of Frank, their third son died 20^th February, 1919, aged 15 years. Also of Eliza, beloved wife of the above died 26^th February, 1951 aged 77 years. Rest in Peace.”

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