Panteg War Memorial
The Panteg War Memorial is situated at the front, and in the immaculate Garden of Remembrance, of Panteg Cemetery, New Inn, Pontypool, Torfaen, Wales. It was erected in 1921 to honour the local men of that ward who fell in the Great War, 1914-1918.
The Panteg Great War Memorial at the Entrance to Panteg Cemetery, Torfaen, Wales.
The memorial project was managed by Panteg Urban District Council, who secured a War Bond valued at £2,000 to enable funding for the design and manufacture of the memorial without having to raise local tax rates. The total cost of the war memorial was £484 and was constructed by sculptors Messrs Thomas Jones & Son of Pontypool.
The Panteg War Memorial was unveiled on Sunday, 27th November, 1921, by ex-Regimental Quarter-Master-Sergeant Major T. H. Humphreys, R. A. He had six sons who had served in the Forces. And, on this memorial were the names of two of them who had made the supreme sacrifice in the Great War.
Upon removing the Union Jack that covered the monument he said:-
“In the faith of Jesus Christ, we unveil this memorial
In
ever Grateful Memory
of
The men from the Urban District
of Panteg,
who made the Supreme Sacrifice
in the Great War 1914-1918,
that Tyranny might Perish
and Liberty and Freedom
Reign for evermore.”
Except for the first line, the front of the Panteg War Memorial is inscribed with these words in accentuated black lead lettering.
Panteg Great War Memorial, Front Face
Underneath the main column, the Panteg War Memorial records that:-
A floral tribute to the Honoured Dead was on the 5th
August 1924 laid upon this Memorial of their sacrifice by
H. R. H. Edward, Prince of Wales.
Panteg Great War Roll of Honour
The Panteg War Memorial records the names of 157 local men(1) who were killed in the First World War. Their names are ordered by rank and then by surname(2). Details of Regiment are not recorded.
Panteg War Memorial | Front and Right Face
The Panteg Great War Roll of Honour commences with the rank of Lieutenant on the memorial’s right face:-
- Lieutenant, Williams, J. R.
- Second Lieutenant, Price, W. H.
- Second Lieutenant, Williams, T. L.
- Company Sergeant Major, Granger, J. S.
- Company Sergeant Major, Morgan, R. S.
- Battery Quartermaster Sergeant, Jacobs, D. {buried at Panteg Cemetery ~ see below}
- Staff Sergeant, Bond, J.
Sergeants:-
- Sergeant, Boyce, L.
- Sergeant, Herbert, J. H.
- Sergeant, Hall, T.
- Sergeant, Jones, F. J.
- Sergeant, Kilminster, H. W.
- Sergeant, Knipe, C. E.
- Sergeant, Lewis, S. {Buried at St. Mary’s Church, Panteg}
- Sergeant, Ryan, P.
- Sergeant, Rowe, J. S.
- Sergeant, Treharne, C.
- Sergeant, Watts, A. L.
- Sergeant, Sterry, M. J. (awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal)
Bombardiers:-
- Bombardier, Humphreys, W. {buried at Panteg Cemetery ~see below}
- Bombardier, Jones, F. R.
- Bombardier, Thomas, C. J.
- Bombardier, Lane, W.
- Bombardier, Thomas, C. E.
Corporals:-
- Corporal, Cox, S.
- Corporal, Edwards, T. H.
- Corporal, Farrington, R. C.
- Corporal, Fletcher, P.
- Corporal, Howells, W.
- Corporal, Hawkins, C. T
- Corporal, Lewis, R. K. {buried at Panteg Cemetery ~ see below}
- Corporal, Walbeoff, A. J.
- Corporal, Weare, E.
Lance-Corporals:-
- Lance-Corporal, Ball, A.
- Lance-Corporal, Evans, J. A.
- Lance-Corporal, Griffin, J.
- Lance-Corporal, Lewis, H.
- Lance-Corporal, Rappel, E. J.
- Lance-Corporal, Turner, I.
- Lance-Corporal, Williams, S. B. (awarded the Military Medal)
Signallers:-
- Signaller, Harding, C. J.
- Signaller, Thomas, A.
Royal Navy:-
- Able-seaman Phillips, J. C.
- Ordinary-seaman, Mason, R. H.
- Stoker, Harris, W. J.
Panteg War Memorial | Right and Rear Face
The Panteg Great War Roll of Honour continues on the rear of the memorial:-
Gunners:-
- Gunner, Clapham, W. H.
- Gunner, Evans, T.
- Gunner, Gardner, W. T.
- Gunner, Griffiths, W. J.
- Gunner, Harris, J. H.
- Gunner, Hiley, I. J.
- Gunner, Keenan, R.
- Gunner, King, W.
- Gunner, Kilby, C. G.
- Gunner, Lavis, R. V.
- Gunner, Moore, D. J.
- Gunner, Phillips, C. J.
- Gunner, Parfitt, C. {buried at Panteg Cemetery ~ see below}
- Gunner, Staniforth, N.
- Gunner, Williams, H. H.
Sappers:-
- Sapper, Comer, L. G.
- Sapper, Traves, E.
- Sapper, George, P.
Drivers:-
- Driver, Davies, A.
- Driver, Hughes, W. H.
- Driver, Lovegrove, G.
- Driver, Williams, T. C.
- Trooper, Humphreys, E. J.
- Cyclist, Larcombe, E.
- Rifleman, Wheeler, H.
Privates:-
- Private, Brown, T.
- Private, Benfield, A. V.
- Private, Brown, A. R. J.
- Private, Britton, A. S.
- Private, Brough, L.
- Private, Congram, S.
- Private, Collier, F.
- Private, Cooper, E.
- Private, Day, W. A.
- Private, Dykes, J. M.
- Private, Davies, J.
- Private, Dudley, J. T.
- Private, Davies, G. R.
- Private, Edwards, A.
- Private, Franks, W.
- Private, Green, J
- Private, Gregory, S. W.
- Private, Higgs, W. T.
- Private, Goff, E. F.
- Private, Jones, D.
- Private, Jones, W.
Beneath the main column, a further 6 names are recorded on the memorial’s plinth:-
- Captain J. M. Lett
- Sergeant, Humphreys, P. (awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal, Military Medal & Bar)
- Sergeant, Trew, R. E.
- Corporal, Davies, J. {Buried at St. Mary’s Church, Panteg}
- Private, Bessell, E.
- Private, Evans, W. J.
Panteg War Memorial | Front and Left Face
The Panteg Great War Roll of Honour continues with the list of Privates on the left side of the memorial:-
- Private, Harris, J. A.
- Private, Hemming, C. J. H.
- Private, Humphreys, C.
- Private, Humphreys, O.
- Private, Howells, A. V.
- Private, Humphreys, D.
- Private, Hall, S.
- Private, Hall, H. H.
- Private, Jones, A. J.
- Private, Jukes, E.
- Private, Jones, W.
- Private, James, J.
- Private, Jones, J. H.
- Private, Jones, A.
- Private, Jones, H.
- Private, James, A.
- Private, Joshua, O.
- Private, James, W.
- Private, Kirtland, C. H.
- Private, King, A. H.
- Private, Lewis, B.
- Private, Lawrence, S. R.
- Private, Larcombe, T.
- Private, Millard, C. A.
- Private, Mills, J. F.
- Private, Minhinnick, J. T.
- Private, Morgan, H. A. P.
- Private, Millwater, G.
- Private, Nelson, F. H.
- Private, Nicholls, W.
- Private, Price, B. E. C.
- Private, Price, T.
- Private, Powell, B. T.
- Private, Parry, E. W.
- Private, Parry A. H.
- Private, Peploe, W.
- Private, Peploe, R.
- Private, Payne, C. A.
- Private, Pritchard, H. J.
- Private, Pepler, E. C.
- Private, Russell, A.
- Private, Rees, A.
- Private, Rowlands, E.
- Private, Thomas, J. H.
- Private, Tremlett, W.
- Private, Tunley, W.
- Private, Turner, C.
- Private, Vaughan, A.
- Private, Wilkey, A. C.
- Private, Wilkey, E.
- Private, Watts, J. R.
- Private, Wilkey, F.
- Private, Wilson, A.
- Private, Williams, H. J.
- Private, Wigmore, F. H.
- Private, Whittington, H. H.
- Private, Watt, R.
- Private, Williams, H.
- Private, Waterman, C.
- Private, Watkins, T. E.
Panteg War Memorial, Garden of Remembrance, Panteg Cemetery.
First World War Graves in Panteg Cemetery
Panteg Cemetery Chapel
Panteg Cemetery contains the graves of 13 soldiers who fell in the Great War. In alphabetical order:-
First World War Grave – Driver T. Corfield, 110960, Royal Field Artillery.
Driver T. Corfield, Service Number: 110960, Royal Field Artillery, died on 18th November 1918.
He is buried at grave reference B. 502. in Panteg Cemetery.
First World War Grave – Private Arthur Groves, 2335, Monmouthsire Regiment.
Private Arthur Groves, Service Number: 2335, 2nd Battalion, Monmouthshire Regiment, died on 10th November 1914.
He is buried in Panteg Cemetery at grave reference A. 5. 245.
First World War Grave – Bombardier Walter Humphreys, 45332, Royal Field Artillery
Bombardier Walter Humphreys, Service Number: 45332, Royal Field Artillery, died of gas shell poisoning at the Bagthorpe Military Hospital, Nottingham, on 3rd November 1918 at the age of 30 years. He was married to Lilian Humphreys and was the son of Thomas and Margaret Humphreys, of Gordon Villa, The Highway, Pontypool Road, Pontypool.
He is buried in a family grave at grave reference A. 136. with his sister, Maggie Humphreys, who died at the age of 19 years. The headstone is no longer erect and has toppled into the earth.
Bombardier Walter Humphreys is commemorated on the Panteg War Memorial.
First World War Grave – Company Quartermaster Serjeant, D. Jacobs, 205196, Royal Welsh Fusiliers
Company Quartermaster Serjeant D. Jacobs, Service Number: 205196, Royal Welsh Fusiliers, died on 5th December 1918 and is buried at grave reference D. 140.
His rank is recorded as ‘Battery Quartermaster Sergeant’ on the Panteg War Memorial.
First World War Grave – Private J. Jenkins 2471 Monmouthshire Regiment
First World War Grave – Corporal Robert Kenneth Lewis, 2634, Monmouthshire Regiment
Corporal Robert Kenneth Lewis, 2634, 2nd Battalion, Monmouthshire Regiment
Corporal Robert Kenneth Lewis, Service Number: 2634, 2nd Battalion, Monmouthshire Regiment. Corporal R. K. Lewis received a bullet wound to his chest and lung on 26th May 1915. He died of those wounds at Netley Hospital on 7th June 1915 in the presence of his parents. He was 18 years old. He enlisted at Pontypool and was a resident of Griffithstown. His father, T. H. Lewis, was the Inspector of Weights and Measures for the area and lived at Fern Lea, Sunny Bank Road. Corporal R. K. Lewis is buried in a private grave at Panteg Cemetery at grave reference B. 582. His name is recorded on the Panteg War Memorial.
First World War Grave – Gunner D. J. Moore, 78033, Royal Field Artillery
Gunner D. J. Moore, Service Number: 78033, No. 4 Reserve Brigade, Royal Field Artillery. Died on 23rd November 1918 at the age of 25 years. He was the son of Daniel and Mary Moore, of 37, Sherborne Road in Sebastopol, Pontypool.
He is buried in Panteg Cemetery at grave reference A. 308. and commemorated on the Panteg War Memorial.
First World War Grave – Gunner George Moss, 75312, Royal Field Artillery
Gunner George Moss, Service Number: 75312, Royal Field Artillery. Died from wounds on 29th June 1916. He was the son of Henry Moss and husband of Hannah Moss, of 108, Vine Street, Hulme, Manchester. He was born at Pucklechurch in Bristol.
He is buried in Panteg Cemetery at grave reference A. 7. 163.
Gunner G. Moss is remembered with honour on the 1st Panel of the Pontypool War Memorial.
First World War Grave – Gunner Charles Parfitt, 142586, Royal Garrison Artillery
Gunner Charles Parfitt, Service Number: 142586, 80th Anti-Aircraft Section, Royal Garrison Artillery. He died of wounds on 5th April 1919 at the age of 31 years. He was the husband of Jessie Parfitt, of The Lower New Inn, Pontypool Road, Pontypool.
He is buried in Panteg Cemetery at grave reference B. 206. His name is commemorated on the Panteg War Memorial.
First World War Grave – Private Arthur Hugh Parry, 27126, South Wales Borderers
Private Arthur Hugh Parry, Service Number: 27126, 3rd Battalion, South Wales Borderers. Died on 2nd December 1918 at the age of 32 years. He was the son of the late William Parry, of Griffithstown.
He is buried at Panteg Cemetery at grave reference B. 2. 578. and his name is remembered with honour on the Panteg War Memorial.
First World War Grave – Acting Bombardier Charles Edward Thomas, 740479, Royal Field Artillery
Acting Bombardier Charles Edward Thomas, Service Number: 740479, 266th Brigade and 3rd Monmouthshire Battery of the Royal Field Artillery. Died from wounds on 5th March 1919 at the age of 34 years. He was the only son of William and Sarah Thomas of 1, Sherbourne Road, Sebastopol, Newport.
He is buried with his parents in Panteg Cemetery at grave reference B. 209. The headstone is no longer standing. His name is recorded on the Panteg War Memorial.
First World War Grave – Captain Vivian Holmes Watkins and in Remembrance of Second Lieutenant Horace Holmes Watkins & Lieutenant Mervyn Holmes Watkins
A family grave in Panteg Cemetery, at grave reference A. 6., records the deaths of three of seven brothers; killed during the Great War.
Captain Vivian Holmes Watkins
Buried at this location, Captain Vivian Holmes Watkins of the 2nd Monmouthshire Regiment was born 25th April 1889 and died at Westminster on 20th February 1915 of wounds received in France. He was 25 years old.
Captain V. H. Watkins is commemorated on the 4th Panel of the Pontypool War Memorial.
Second-Lieutenant Horace Holmes Watkins, 3rd Battalion, South Wales Borderers was born 31st January 1891. He was killed in action and his body interred at Langemarck, Belgium, on 21st October 1914 at the age of 23 years. His name is recorded on Panel 22 of the Menin Gate Memorial, Ypres. His name also features on the Great War Roll of Honour, 3rd Panel, Pontypool War Memorial.
Respectively, Vivian and Horace were the 5th and 6th sons of Thomas and Fanny Maria Watkins of The Wern, Pontypool.
Their 7th son, Lieutenant Mervyn Holmes Watkins, “C” Battery, 100th Brigade, Royal Field Artillery, was 25 years old when he fell on the Doiran Front on 18th September 1918. His body was buried at Colonial Hill Military Cemetery at grave reference I. E. 6. His name is commemorated on the 1st Panel of Pontypool’s War Memorial.
First World War Grave – Acting Bombardier Thomas Edgar Watkins, W/2883, Royal Field Artillery
Acting Bombardier Thomas Edgar Watkins, W/2883, “D” Battery, 120th Brigade of the Royal Field Artillery. Died at the age of 29 years on 30th May 1915. He was born at Pontypool and was the son of James and Margaret Watkins. He is buried in a family grave at Panteg Cemetery at location A. 227. His name is commemorated on the Panteg War Memorial.
Notes:-
- Many websites report the Panteg War Memorial Roll of Honour tally at 156 men; that total being sourced and copied from the website: Roll Of Honour. The name of Private E. F. Goff, Service Number: 39679, South Wales Borderers has been omitted from that list. His name appears on the rear face of the Panteg War Memorial, at the bottom-left of the column. Therefore, the correct total of war dead, listed on the Panteg War Memorial, is 157 men. In his book, Roll of Honour, W. G. Lloyd notes that the memorial column contained 146 names of the fallen at the unveiling ceremony in 1921.
- The Panteg Roll of Honour is ordered by Rank and then by surname. Some surnames were found to be ordered incorrectly.
- Many of the names that are recorded on this Roll of Honour are also recorded on the Pontypool War Memorial.
- References used: Roll of Honour, W. G. Lloyd.
- Photographs taken during the afternoon of Saturday, 4th October, 2014.
- Do you have any information about anyone listed on this War Memorial that you would like to have featured here? Please contact me.
Wolverson Photography 