Daniel John Williams
Daniel John Williams had been a teacher before enlisting. He served with the Machine Gun Corps on the Western Front and was killed in action in October 1917.
The information on Daniel John Williams has been compiled from a number of sources, including the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, from the Labour Voice newspaper, and the Parish Burial Register (courtesy of the Swansea Archives).
| Name | Daniel John Williams |
| Date of Death | 5th October 1917 |
| Place of Death | Western Front |
| Age at Death | 35 |
| Unit and Regiment | Machine Gun Corps (Infantry); 13th Bn. |
| Rank | Second Lieutenant |
| Service Number | NUMBER |
| Personal Information | A schoolmaster in Colbren and London under L.C.C. Killed in action. |
| Cemetery | TYNE COT MEMORIAL - BELGIUM; Panel 154 to 159 and 163A. |
| Local Memorials | Ystradgynlais War Memorial Cwmtwrch War Memorial, Ebenezer Chapel |
| Family Details | Son of Joseph Williams Cwmtwrch, Swansea. Husband of Mrs. Annie Williams 93, Endelsham Road, Balham, London, and father of one child. |
| Known Brothers | |
| Known Sisters |
From the Labour Voice newspaper, 25th October 1917:-
CWMTWRCH-CWMLLYNFELL
The sad news was received at Cwmllynfell during the weekend of the death in action of Lieutenant Daniel J. Williams, the second son of Mr. Joseph Williams, Abergwys. The deceased lieutenant was very well known in the locality and previous to enlistment was employed as a schoolmaster in London. At one time he also filled a similar position at Colbren and was married to a Seven Sisters lady. He leaves a widow and one child to mourn their loss. Lieutenant Williams enlisted as a private, was given a commission in the Royal Welsh Fusiliers.
From the The Cambrian Daily Leader newspaper, 20th October 1917:-
Intimation has been received at Upper Cwmtwrch that Lieutenant Daniel John Williams, son of Mr Joseph Williams, late of Abergwys, has been killed in action in the recent fighting in France. At the time of enlistment he was employed as a school master in London. Deceased was 35 years of age and leaves a widow and one child.
From the Brecon and Radnor Express newspaper, 8th November 1917:-
Death in action of Lieutenant Daniel John Williams (second son of Joseph Williams Abergwys) He was formerly a school master in London and he joined the London Territorials as a private, subsequently obtaining a commission in the Royal Welsh Fusiliers. He had previously held scholastic appointments at Colbren, Breconshire and Llandissilio Pembrokeshire. He was a Fellow of the Royal Horticultural Society having passed seventh on a list in Great Britain in the Society’s examination. He was 35 years of age and leaves a widow and one child.
His wife came from Seven Sisters.
From the Labour Voice newspaper, 18th May 1918 came the report of the death of the father of Daniel John Williams. He was buried on 16th May 1918:-
DEATH OF WILLIAM JOSEPH WILLIAMS of MAESGWYNNE NEW ROAD
A wave of sorrow passed over the Cwm on Saturday when the news was circulated that one of the most respected natives of Upper Cwmtwrch had passed away on Friday at Treherbert in the person of Mr Joseph Williams, formerly bookseller at Abergwys, at the age of 70. The deceased gentleman had left the district recently for Treherbert, and the testimonial given him on his departure was eloquent testimony of the esteem in which he was held. Whilst resident in Cwmtwrch, he took an active interest in local affairs, and was for many years a member of the Ystradgynlais School Board. He leaves a family of grown up children to mourn their loss his wife, having predeceased him a few years ago.
One of his sons, Lieutenant D. J. Williams was recently killed in action in France. His surviving children are, Mr Owen Williams, F.T.S.C., and now of the R.F.A. Mrs. Thomas, who is in America married to a son of Mr William Thomas, formerly of the Berrington Arms, Mr William Williams, Cwmtwrch, and Mr Lewis Roland Williams, now a wireless operator.
The funeral left Treherbert on Thursday morning at 9.20, arriving at Gwys by the 12 train. The interment took place in the afternoon at Cwmllynfell.
This was followed in the next week's edition by a report on the internment, from the Labour Voice of 25th May 1918:-
Cwmtwrch was in mourning on Thursday in the occasion of the interment of one of her most highly respected sons in the person of the late Mr Joseph Williams Abergwys. The cortege arrived from Gwys by the 12 train from Treherbert and proceeded to Ebenezer, where a service was held, the Rev Mr Thomas, Treherbert, officiating. The funeral then left for Cwmllynfell where the Revs D Jeremy Jones and R G Davies, Bryn Seion officiated. The chief mourners were:
Mr and Mrs Owen Williams Cardiff; Mr and Mrs Tom Roderick Treherbert; Mr and Mrs William Williams Cwmllynfell; Mr and Mrs John Morgan: sons and daughters, and sons in law and daughters in law.
Reading about the Tyne Cot Memorial to the Missing at Zonnebeke, Ypres in Belgium gives the following information:-
The location of this Memorial to the Missing is on the ridge reached by the Commonwealth Forces on 4th October 1917 during the Battle of Broodseinde Ridge.
As Daniel John Williams was killed on the 5th October, it is probable that his death was part of this battle (which formed part of the months-long Third Battle of Ypres, also known as Passchendaele).