Goginan is situated about six miles east of Aberystwyth on the A44. There are several war memorials in the village and also in nearby Capel Bangor Church which commemorate the men of the parish who fell during both World Wars, and these are on seperate web pages. This page commemorates the former schoolboys of Goginan School who fell during the Great War. The memorial was originally located in Goginan School, which was closed in the 1960’s and relocated to a wall on the junction off the A44 near the Druid Inn.
The Great War, 1914-1918
John William Bishop, Private, 28527, East Surrey Regiment. John was born in London in 1897. He came to Goginan as a child and had worked as a Cowman on a farm before returning to London to enlist at Whitehall into the Middlesex Regiment. John was posted to the 12th Battalion, East Surrey Regiment. The battalion was attached to 122 Brigade, 41st Division, and landed in France on 2 May 1916, moving to the areas of Ploegsteert and the Douve valley, south of Ypres. They remained here until August 1916, when they moved to the Somme, and took part in the Battle of Flers-Courcelette. The Division remained in the line, pushing on to Courcelette over the next few days before coming out for a rest and re-fit. They then fought at the Battle of Le Transloy, before moving to positions south of Ypres in 1917. Here they took part in the Battle of Messines, before moving further north, where they fought at the Battle of Pilckem, and the Battle of the Menin Road, as part of the Third Battle of Ypres. The Division moved to Italy in November 1917, but by March 1918 was back in France, where it was hit by the German Spring Offensive of 21 March 1918. During the summer of 1918 the Division moved back to Ypres, and it was there that John was killed, on 12 August 1918. He was 21 years old, and is buried at Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery, Belgium.
William John Davies, Private, 17280, South Wales Borderers. William was the son of James and Margaret Davies, of Cwmerfin Cottage, Cwmerfin, Bow Street. He married Margaret Richards in 1910 and the couple lived at Hyfrydle, Goginan. He enlisted at Newport, Monmouth into the 6th Battalion, South Wales Borderers, which was attached to the 25th Division, as the Divisional Pioneers. The Division landed in France on 26 September 1915, and was posted to the Vimy area, where it defended Vimy Ridge against a German attack in May 1916. It then moved to the Warloy area and attacked on 3 July near Thiepval, remaining on the Somme for the rest of the year. William was killed while working on roads near Blighty Valley, Authillle on 3 October 1916. He was thirty four years old, and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, France.
Thomas Edward Evans, Private, 160172, Canadian Infantry. Thomas was the son of James and Susannah Evans, of Goginan. He resided in Canada prior to the war and enlisted there into the 54th Battalion (Kootenay), Canadian Infantry, which was attached to the 11th Brigade, 4th Canadian Division. The Division embarked for France in August 1916, and moved to the Somme. The Division fought at the Battle of Le Transloy from 1 to 17 October, before taking part in the Battle of the Ancre Heights, when they captured Regina Trench. Thomas was killed in action here on 18 October 1916. He was 29 years old, and is buried at Adanac Military Cemetery, Miraumont, France.
David Owen, Private, 70072, Royal Welsh Fusiliers. David was born in 1892, the son of Richard and Ann Owen, of Gellifadog, Capel Bangor. He enlisted at Aberystwyth into the army, and at some time at the end of 1917 was posted to France, joining the 9th Battalion, Royal Welsh Fusiliers, which was attached to 58 Brigade, 19th (Western) Division. On 21 March 1918 the Division was caught up in the German Spring Offensive north of St. Quentin, suffering terrible casualties during the retreat towards Bapaume. The battered Division moved to Messines to rebuild, but were caught up in the German attack at Messines the following month, fighting a terrible rearguard action over the following days, before being moved to a quieter sector on the Aisne to rebuild. Unfortunately this is where the Germans had decided to launch their last ditch effort to break the Allied lines, and the Division was again caught up in terrible fighting. David was wounded in the head around this time, and after treatment in France returned to hospital in Weymouth. David died after the armistice, on 30 November 1918, aged twenty six. He is buried at Goginan (Jezreel) Welsh Baptist Chapelyard.
Vincent Jones Parry, Private, 45316, Essex Regiment. Vincent was the son of Griffith James Parry, and Annie Parry, of 16, Leigh Street, Cartwright Gardens, London, and the Grandson of Martha Jones, of Goginan. He enlisted in London into the army, and was posted to France, joining the 2nd Battalion, Essex Regiment. The battalion had landed in France on 24 August 1914 attached to the 4th Division, and on 5 November 1915 was transferred to the 36th (Ulster) Division. The Division took part in fierce fighting on the Somme in 1916, suffering severe casualties on 1 July 1916, before moving to Ypres to rebuild, which is probably where Vincent joined the battalion. The Division fought at the Battle of Messines the following year, and at The Battle of Langemarck, before moving again, and taking part in the Battle of Cambrai. When the Germans launched their offensive on the Somme on 21 March 1918, the Division was caught up in the thick of the fighting, before being transferred back to Flanders to rest. When the Germans switched their attack to the Lys in April 1918, the Division was caught up in heavy fighting again, and it was during this period that Vincent was wounded. He died of his wounds on 21 April 1918, aged 18, and is buried at Lapugnoy Military Cemetery, France.
Peter Roberts, Driver, 3270, Royal Field Artillery. Peter was the son of William and Ann Roberts, of Melindwr Cottages, Capel Bangor. He enlisted at Aberystwyth into the Royal Artillery, and was posted to France on 24 December 1915 with C Battery, 59th Army Brigade, Royal Field Artillery, which was attached to the 20th (Light) Division. Peter joined the Division at Ypres, where it fought at the Battle of Mount Sorrel alongside the Canadian Corps. The Division then fought through the Somme Offensive, and took part in the advance to the Hindenburg Line in March 1917. Later that year they fought at Third Ypres, before moving south in November, to take part in the Battle of Cambrai. They remained in the area between Cambrai and St. Quentin over the winter of 1917/18 and were attacked there by the German Spring Offensive of 21 March 1918. The Division was withdrawn after the heavy fighting of the Somme battles, moving on 20 April 1918 to an area south west of Amiens. It was here that Peter died on 12 September 1918. He was 23 years old, and is buried at Wancourt British Cemetery, France.
John Lewis Thomas, Private, 29524, South Wales Borderers. John was born at Goginan, and enlisted at Aberystwyth into the South Wales Borderers. He was posted to France, joining the 2nd Battalion, South Wales Borderers, which was attached to 87 Brigade, 29th Division. The Division moved to the Western Front after service at Gallipoli and Egypt on 15 March 1916. The Division took part in its first major action in France during the 1916 Somme Offensive, and fought at the Battles of Albert and Le Transloy, suffering heavy casualties. In the Spring of 1917 they fought at the Battle of the Scarpe, which was part of the Arras Offensive, and then moved further north to Ypres. Here they fought at the Battle of Langemarck, and then at the Battles of the Menin Road, Polygon Wood, Broodseinde and Poelcappelle, before moving to Cambrai. John was killed here during the Battle of Cambrai, on 3 December 1917. He is commemorated on the Cambrai Memorial, Louverval, France.
