Owen Griffiths, Royal Welsh Fusiliers

Private, 21419, 10th Battalion, Royal Welsh Fusiliers. Died, killed in action, aged 30, on 26 September 1917 at the Western Front.

The 10th Battalion was formed at Wrexham on 16 October 1914 as part of K3 and attached to 76th Brigade, 25th Division. It landed at Boulogne on 27 September 1915. On 15 October 1915 it was transferred with the Brigade to 3rd Division.

Private Griffiths enlisted at Wrexam and arrived in France on 2 December 1915. According to the Battalion War Diary on the day Private Griffiths was killed, his battalion was taking part in the Battle of Polygon Wood at Ypres. On the 26 September 1917 the 10th RWF commenced their advance over ground near Zonnebeke to the right of the railway and crossed the Steenbeek along with the 2nd Suffolks. After they had crossed the railway line they came under heavy machine gun fire from the railway station and were unable to capture it, though parties from the RWF did manage to enter the centre of Zonnebeke, their objective. The 10th RWF held 150 yards of the road running north-west from the church. The final stage of the advance proved very costly to the Battalion. The losses of all ranks during the four days of the action amounted to 42 killed, 210 wounded and 38 missing.

Born at Holyhead on 29 October 1887 the son of Owen and Ann Griffiths (nee Hughes) of 7 Williams Street, Holyhead. In 1901 he lived with his grandmother, Grace Griffiths and father (now widowed) at 12 Vulcan Street, Holyhead. His father was employed as a Ship Fireman. In 1911 he was lodging at 9 Summer Hill Terrace, Holyhead aged 24. He was then employed as a General Labourer.

Awarded the 1914-15 Star, Victory Medal and British War Medal.

Commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial, Panel 63 to 65. He has no known grave.