The Parish of Roch sits about 6 miles North-West of Haverfordwest, and centres around the site of an early Castle. Roch Castle was founded in the 1250's, although an earlier fortress may have existed here. It is supposed to have been built by Adam de Rupe, a member of a very influential family which had played an important role in the English settlement of Pembrokeshire. Roch Castle was built as one of the outer defences of Little England beyond Wales, as it is near the unmarked border which for centuries separated the English and Welsh areas of Pembrokeshire. The castle was greatly neglected after the Civil War, but in 1900 Viscount St. David began extensive restoration, and subsequent owners have continued this. It is therefore considerably altered, but the tower is unmistakable for miles around, and traces of the old earthwork bailey can be seen at the foot of the outcrop.

Two of the sons of the Viscount were killed during the Great War, and the details of these men, and the others of the locality, are remembered on the marble War Memorial which is fixed to the boundary wall outside the Castle. These men are remembered below. Many thanks to Jonny Woodhouse for supplying the photo of the War Memorial and Castle, and for the names from the Memorial.

Roch War Memorial

The Great War, 1914-1918

Walter Allen, Private, 2471, Welsh Guards. Walter was the Son of Thomas and Martha Allen, of The Folly, Roch, Pembrokeshire. Walter enlisted at Haverfordwest into the Welsh Guards. Walter was posted their 1st Battalion, which was attached to the 3rd Guards Brigade, Guards Division. This Division has the distinction of being formed in France in August 1915. The various Guards units that had been with other Divisions were withdrawn to be brought together to create this fine formation. It remained on the Western Front throughout the war and saw its first major action during the Battle of Loos on the 25th September, 1915, remaining in the area during the coming months, where they also fought in the subsequent Action of Hohenzollern Redoubt. In July, 1916 the Division moved to the Somme, where they fought at the Battle of Flers-Courcelette, and then at the Battle of Morval, capturing Lesboeufs Village. Walter was killed in action at Morval on the 25th September, 1916. He was 20 years old. Walter has no known grave, and so is remembered on the Thiepval Memorial, France.

F. Bowen, Welsh Regiment.  The War Memorial shows a man of this name, who served with the 4th Battalion, but there is no man that matches these details on the CWGC Register, or on SDGW. Only 23 men named Bowen died in the service of the Welsh Regiment during the Great War, plus another who had been transferred to the Royal Welsh Fusiliers. None of these had a Christian name beginning with F. The only possible man was a Private George Winfred Bowen, 201578, Welsh Regiment. Quite possibly known as Fred, and thus the F. Bowen on the Memorial, this man was the Nephew of Mary Summons, of 84, Portfield, Haverfordwest. He had been born at Lambston, and enlisted at Haverfordwest into the Welsh Regiment. He served with the 15th Battalion, which was attached to the 114th Brigade, 38th (Welsh) Division. The Division had landed in France during December 1915 and had spent their first winter in the trenches near Armentieres. In June they marched south to the Somme, where they were tasked with the capture of Mametz Wood. The attack on the wood began on the 7th July, but met with fierce resistance, and it took until the 14th July to clear the wood. The Division suffered terrible casualties at Mametz, and were taken out of the line, and moved to Ypres to rebuild. Here they fought at the Battle of Pilckem Ridge and at the Battle of Langemarck. Fred was wounded at Langemarck, and evacuated to a nearby Casualty Clearing Station, where he died of his wounds on the 20th August, 1917. He is buried at Dozinghem Military Cemetery, Belgium.

Thomas Davies, Private, 71974, Kings Liverpool Regiment. Thomas was the Son of David and Amy Davies, of Nolton, Pembrokeshire, and the husband of Hilda Twigg (formerly Davies), of 7, Union Street, Gelli, Ystrad, Glamorgan. Thomas enlisted at Cardiff into the Kings Liverpool Regiment, and was posted to their 16th Labour Company. The Company was sent to the Western Front. Thomas was then transferred to the 81st Company, Labour Corps, and his Regimental Number changed to 48129. He was working with the Company at Ypres when he was killed in action on the 5th July, 1917, during the build up to the Passchendaele Offensive. Thomas was 36 years old, and is buried at Lone Tree Cemetery, Belgium.

William Evans, Private, 54441, Welsh Regiment. William was the Son of James and Catherine Evans, of Castle Farm, Roch, Pembrokeshire. William worked at home on his Fathers Farm before the war, and he enlisted at Haverfordwest into the Welsh Regiment after war was declared. He was posted to the 14th (Swansea) Battalion, which was attached to the 114th Brigade, 38th (Welsh) Division. The Division had landed in France during December 1915 and had spent their first winter in the trenches near Armentieres. In June they marched south to the Somme, where they were tasked with the capture of Mametz Wood. The attack on the wood began on the 7th July, but met with fierce resistance, and it took until the 14th July to clear the wood. The Division suffered terrible casualties at Mametz, and were taken out of the line, and moved to Ypres to rebuild. Here they fought at the opening Battle of Third Ypres, at the Battle of Pilckem Ridge, and then at the Battle of Langemarck. William was killed in action just after the Battle of Langemarck, on the 22nd August, 1917. He was just 22 years old. William has no known grave, and so is remembered on the Tyne Cot Memorial, Belgium. James and Catherine received a letter from William’s Lieutenant, which read “Dear Mrs. Evans- I expect that you have already heard that your son was killed in action last week. He was hit by a shell and died instantaneously. You will be proud to know that he died doing his duty. He was one of my very best men, and a credit to his Company. His companions in his Platoon feel his loss in a way which can be second only to your own feelings. His companions write with me in expressing our deepest sympathy in your sad loss, - Yours Sincerely, E. H. Balsom.” Sadly, Lieutenant Ernest Balsom himself was killed just a year later, during the Battle of Albert. He was 26 years old, and is buried at Morval British Cemetery on the Somme. Below are photos of Williams name on the Tyne Cot Memorial, and of Ernests grave at Morval.

Ernest Johnson, Private, 16036, Gloucestershire Regiment. Ernest was born at Whitchurch, Pembrokeshire, and enlisted at Haverfordwest into the 10th Battalion, Gloucestershire Regiment. On the 8th August, 1915 the Battalion moved to France, where they became attached to the 1st Brigade, 1st Division. The Division was a Regular Army Division that had been on the Western Front since the opening Battle of Mons. The 10th Gloucester’s then joined them, and saw their first action during the Battle of Loos and the action at the Hohenzollern Redoubt. The Division was then moved south to the Somme in the summer of 1916, where they fought during the opening of the Somme Offensive at the Battle of Albert. They then saw action at the Battle of Bazentin Ridge, and the Battle of Pozieres Ridge. It was during the terrible fighting that raged around this time that Ernest was killed in action, on the 18th August, 1916. He is buried at Caterpillar Valley Cemetery, Longueval, France.

John Stuart Phelps, Rifleman, 34067, South Lancashire Regiment. John was the son of Moses and Frances Phelps, of New Cottage, Roch, Pembrokeshire. John enlisted into the 1/5th Battalion, South Lancashire Regiment. The Battalion left England during February 1915, and landed at Havre. On the 13th February, 1915 they joined the 12th Brigade, 4th Division. John fought with the Division throughout the Second Battle of Ypres, and they remained in Flanders until the 4th November, 1915 when his Battalion was transferred to the 36th Division. The Division was new in France, and was deemed to be not up to Front Line duty at that time, and so on the 6th January, 1916 the Battalion moved to the 166th Brigade, 55th Division. The complete Division was reformed in France between the 3rd and 27th January, 1916 in the Hallencourt area. It relieved the French 88th Division south of Arras, in the area Wailly- Bretencourt by the 16th February. Trench warfare commenced, with many raids and minor operations. Relieved by the 11th (Northern) Division on the 25th July, the 55th now moved south and took up a place in the front line opposite the village of Guillemont. Here they fought at the Battle of Guillemont and the Battle of Ginchy. There was a short period of rest at Ribemont from the 12th to the 17th September, and then the Division fought at the Battle of Flers-Courcelette and the Battle of Morval. Relieved by 41st Division on the 28th September, the Division withdrew to the area of Buire and Ribemont, before relieving the 29th Division in the Ypres salient in October 1916. It was destined to remain in this area for almost a year, stationed near Railway Wood. John was killed in action here on the 18th November, 1916. He was 29 years old. John has no known grave, and so is remembered on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Belgium.

The Honorable Colwyn Erasmus Arnold Philipps, Captain, Royal Horse Guards. Colwyn was the son of the Rt. Hon. the 1st Viscount St. David’s, P.C., of 3, Richmond Terrace, Whitehall, London. Born in 1888, Colwyn had been educated at Eton and Sandhurst. At the age of 20 he received a Commission into the Royal Horse Guards. On July 30th, 1909 Colwyn had been promoted to full Lieutenant, and had been promoted to Captain by the start of war. The R.H.G. were attached to the 7th Cavalry Brigade, 3rd Cavalry Division on the 1st September, 1914 and landed at Zeebrugge at the beginning of October. They fought in the defence of Antwerp before being sent to Ypres, taking part in the First and Second Battles of Ypres. It was during 2nd Ypres, at the Battle of Frezenberg, that Colwyn was killed in Action on the 13th May 1915, aged 26. He is remembered on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, on Panel 3. In a letter sent to Colwyns bereaved parents by a brother Officer, it was said “He fell in an attack on the German Trenches on Thursday, 13th. His end was worthy as his life, as he was the first man in the German trenches and killed five Germans before he was shot in the head at close quarters and instantly killed.”

The Honorable Roland Erasmus Philipps, M.C. Royal Fusiliers, Captain. Roland was the second son of  the Rt. Hon. the 1st Viscount St. David’s, P.C., of 3, Richmond Terrace, Whitehall, London, and the brother of Colwyn above. Roland was commissioned into the 9th Battalion Royal Fusiliers, part of the 36th Brigade, 12th Division. The Division assembled at Shorncliffe during August 1914 and moved to France at the end of May 1915. Their baptism of fire was at Ploegsteert Wood on the 23rd June, 1915, and later at the Battle of Loos. They held the line at Loos until June, and they were moved in readiness for the Somme Offensive. They relieved the decimated 8th Division at Ovillers-la-Boiselle on the 1st July, and took two lines of German trenches, but then stuttered to a halt. On the 7th July 1916 the Brigade attacked again, but were decimated by German shell-fire in Mash Valley, but still managed to capture their objective of Ovillers. Roland was killed in Action this day, aged 26. He is buried in Aveluy Communal Cemetery Extension, Grave H. 32.

Thomas John Rees, Private, 16035, Gloucestershire Regiment. Thomas was born at Roch, the son of John and Martha Rees, later of Bramble Hall, Sutton, Portfield Gate, Haverfordwest. Thomas enlisted at Haverfordwest into the 14th Battalion, Gloucestershire Regiment. The Battalion was raised at Bristol by the Citizens’ Recruiting Committee as a Bantam Battalion on the 22nd April, 1915. In June 1915 it moved to Masham, Yorkshire in 105th Brigade, 35th Division. In August 1915 the Division moved to Salisbury Plain, and on the 30th January, 1916 landed at Le Havre. The Division moved to France in late January and early February 1916. It saw its first major action during the Battle of the Somme, at the Battle of Albert. By December 1916, the Divisional commander (Major-General Landon) reported that the Division was now suffering from low physical and morale standards. This was a result of replacing casualties not with fit 'bantams' but with undersized and weak men. Medical inspections were ordered, and 2,784 men rejected from the ranks of the Division. These men were largely posted to the Labour Corps. Their places were filled with men posted from disbanded yeomanry regiments; they had to be quickly trained in infantry methods and a Divisional depot was formed for the purpose. The Division then went back into the line, and followed the German Retreat to the Hindenburg Line in March, 1917. Later in the year they moved north to Ypres, and fought at the Second Battle of Passchendaele. By spring of 1918 they were back on the Somme, and fought at the First Battle of Bapaume, during the German Offensive. Thomas was killed during this terrible period, on the 3rd April, 1918. He was just 21 years old, and is buried at Namps-Au-Val British Cemetery, France.

Sidney James Reynish, Private, 33510, Devonshire Regiment. Sidney was the Son of James Reynish, of Roch, Pembrokeshire. He enlisted at Haverfordwest into the 10th Battalion, Devonshire Regiment. The Battalion had formed at Exeter on the 25th September, 1914, and moved to Stockton Camp, Salisbury Plain in 79th Brigade, 26th Division. In November 1914 it moved to billets at Bath, and in April 1915 to Sutton Veny. On the 23rd September, 1915 the Division landed at Boulogne, but their stay there was brief, and in November 1915 they were on the move again, to Salonika. On the 26th December, 1915 units began to move from Lembet to Happy Valley Camp, and all units were in place there by the 8th February. The Division then took part in the Battle of Horseshoe Hill, between the 10th to the 18th August 1916, the Battle of Doiran between the 24th April and the 9th May 1917. Sidney was killed in action just before the Second Battle of Doiran, on the 4th September, 1916. He was 25 years old. Sidney has no known grave, and is remembered on the Doiran Memorial, Salonika. Not on Memorial.

World War Two, 1939-1945

John George John, Private, 3959232, the Welch Regiment. John was the Son of Henry and Mary John of Roch, Pembrokeshire. John served with the 1st Battalion, Welch Regiment, which was stationed at Mersa Matruh, Western Desert at the outbreak of war. The Battalion fought in the Western Desert campaign for its duration, and on the 10th June, 1943 took place in the Landings on Sicily. They fought their way up through Italy, during a hard and stubborn campaign by the Germans, who had dug themselves into well defended positions such as Monte Cassino. By November, 1943 the Battalion was withdrawn to Egypt, and remained there until the 12th July, 1944 when they sailed from Alexandria for Taranto. Again, they were pitched head first into the terrible fighting, slowly pushing north, and on the 25th April, 1945 crossed the River Po. John was killed in action during this dogged campaign in Italy, on the 20th June, 1945. He was 30 years old, and is buried at Bari War Cemetery, Italy.

Roch Castle and War Memorial, Pembrokeshire