Richard Roberts, Royal Anglesey Royal Engineers

The 2nd Siege Company was composed mostly of men from Holyhead, most of these being craftsmen and workers, such as fitters, boilermakers, carpenters and other skilled trades. Many of the men were previously employed at the workshops of the Locomotive Department and workshops of the dry dock for the cross channel steam packets of the Marine Department of the London & North Western Railway Company, Ltd.

He enlisted at Holyhead on 1 September 1914 aged 23 years and 2 months. His occupation was given as Labourer, working for the LNWR Company at Holyhead. He arrived in France on 14 December 1914. He served at home from 7 January 1915 to 17 March 1915, when he left the Depot at Beaumaris, Anglesey to return to France. He joined his unit on 1 April 1915. He was admitted with DAH (Disturbed Action of the Heart) to the 7th Field Ambulance Hospital on 9 April 1915 and discharged on 22 April 1915. He was admitted to No. 9 General Hospital, Rouen with gas poisoning? In early May 1915 and on 10 May 1915 was transferred to the UK. He was at the American Woman's Hospital, Paignton, Devon during May 1915, when an arranged leave was cancelled because of his medical condition. At some point he returned to the Depot at Beaumaris.

During the last 4 months of 1915 he absented himself from camp on four occasions. He was also admitted to Bangor Military Hospital from 6 to 13 September 1915. He was later admitted to the KIngsbridge Military Hospital at Beaumaris on 2 December 1915 with defective vision in the right eye. He died at the hospital on 25 January 1916. The cause of death being recorded as Pernicious Anaemia and Aortic Stenosis.

Born at Ty Croes, Holyhead the husband of Rebecca Catherine Roberts (nee Jones) of 2 Millbank, Holyhead. They were married at Holyhead Register Office on 14 September 1915, the witnesses being Owen Jones and Kate Williams. A daughter, Eirwen Roberts Jones was born previously on 29 April 1915 (birth registered on 1 July 1915). After the death of her husband, his wife was awarded a pension of 15 shillings a week for herself and her child. Some effort was made to get the Army to recognise that his death was attributed to his army service, but this seems to have failed.

In 1901 he lived at Llainybig, Llanfaelog, Anglesey with his parents Edward (58) and Hannah Roberts (52). His father was an Agricultural Labourer from Llangwyfan, Anglesey. His siblings included Hugh Owen (11), Edwin (7), William (5) and Annie (3). In 1911 he was living at Shop Farm, Llanfaelog, Ty Croes, Anglesey, aged 19, and was employed as a Farm Servant by W John Lewis, Farmer. In the same census Rebecca Catherine Jones, aged 17, was living at 2 Millbank, Holyhead as the daughter (adopted?) of William and Grace Williams.

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

Buried in Holyhead (Maeshyfryd) Burial Board Cemetery. Grave location 2.882. Also buried in the grave is his daughter, Eirwen Jones, the wife of Trefor Jones of 15 Rock Street, Holyhead, who died on 30 May 1957, aged 42. He is also commemorated on the LNWR Roll of Honour.