Harry Davies

Harry Davies was my grandfather; my mother's father. 

George Henry Davies was born in October 1884 in Crickhowell, Breconshire, his father, Henry, was 39 and his mother, Mary, was 39. He married Annie Smith in 1905. They had seven children in 15 years. He had three brothers and two sisters.

Harry died in 1958. I would have been four years old at the time. I've searched my memory but sadly I can't remember him at all. However, I have managed to gather together some interesting facts.

L to R. Cousin Sandra, My uncle Charles Heighes, mother May, brother Barrie, grandmother Ann, grandfather Harry, cousin Chris.

A few years ago, my cousin Chris showed me a small item that he owned that Harry had made. It was a small brass matchbox case detailing his First World War service.

Note:- the date 29/9/18 was the day that Bulgaria surrendered.

For many years I thought of this artefact as a simple matchbox case. However, you should realise that during the First World War, servicemen were not issued with dog tags. Many soldiers created items such as this so that their bodies could be identified.

It was seeing this one item that made me want to know more about my grandfather. There were so many clues on this simple matchbox case but for many years, I couldn't make any progress at all. 

I then discovered my grandmother's death certificate. On it, her husband's name was listed as George Henry Davies. I'd been looking for a Harold. Once I realised this, I discovered Harry's World War 1 records.

Harry signed up for service at Brecon Barracks on the ninth of December 1915. Note, that at the time he stated that he was single. Rather strange as at the time he'd been married for about twelve years.

 This made no sense. Listing himself as single meant that he'd be on reduced pay. The only reason why he listed himself as single could possibly be down to his enthusiasm for going to war. Apparently at the time the South Wales Borderers would be sending two drafts of soldiers to the front in France. The first draft was made up of soldiers who were single. Married men would go in the later draft.

There are other documents showing that he was in the army in September 1914, so one of the first to enlist.

 Harry was sent to France on 25th September 1915. He might have seen action at the Battle of Loos, on September 25th 1915. This was the first time that the British Army used poison gas. This turned out to be a bit of a disaster for the British when the gas drifted back over British lines.
Harry didn't stay long in France. On the 31st of October 1915 he was transferred to Salonika on Greece.

Some pictures.
Rhondda Valley camp at Salonika.
Artillery Ammunition Limber
18 pounder field gun
Gardening
South Wales Borderers
South Wales Borderers Pack Mule Transport



Most people these days don't even realise that there was any fighting going on in Greece. This must have been quite a strange existence for Harry. He was part of a multi-national defence force made up of French, Italian, Russian, and Serbian forces. The Serbian army had almost been wiped out by the Bulgarians and had suffered and starved on a long retreat to Greece. The Greek government were trying to stay neutral but had to put up with this multi-national force that was trying to stop the Bulgarians advancing. From what I've discovered, not much actual fighting took place over the years that harry spent there. Apparently many soldiers spent (wasted) their time racing tortoises. I've also read that horse shows were organised there. Maybe Harry was involved somehow. However, disease amongst the men was rife, with many, including Harry catching malaria.

Harry's medical record.

A letter from Private Ieuan Hughes. Probably on the same ship as Harry.

Harry's medical record shows that he spent some time at Karaissi hospital. 

Here is a picture of the nursing staff.

Recently I've come across some film from the Salonika campaign. Who knows; Harry might be in there somewhere. Two of the movies feature images of the British Army at Salonika. One shows the town of Salonika. I love this one. It gives me the impression that Salonika was quite a modern, forward-thinking town. Occasionally you get glimpses of some quite big department stores. The fourth film tells the story of The Great Fire of Salonika. This happened in 1917. Harry was definitely there at the time.

Eventually he was evacuated to Alexandria on the 14th of September 1917. He sailed on the ship
S.S. Manitou, arriving in Alexandria on the nineteenth of September.

Harry was home on leave in March 1918. This snippet comes from the Aberdare Leader, 2nd of March 1918.

His service records show that he re-joined active service in August 1918. His matchbox case suggests that he went to France on the third of September 1918.

It was quite hard for the soldiers of Salonica upon their return home. The other soldiers who had served in France thought that the Salonica men had quite a cushy number. After all, the Salonika front only saw one serious battle in three years. They Western Front men even had a name for the Salonika men....The Gardeners of Salonica. However, the dangers of Salonica were of a different nature with so many servicemen falling ill to malaria, typhoid, scarlet fever etc.  A large percentage of the Salonika servicemen fell ill in this way.

Harry spent the rest of his life as a colliery farrier. The family lived in Aberdare for a while but then moved to New Street in Ferndale. In 1913 my great grandfather William Smith was killed in a colliery accident. Maybe they went back to live with my great grandmother Martha? Eventually they would move to Blaenllechau. Harry and his wife Ann had seven children, six girls and a boy.

People have told me that he never forgot Salonika. Maybe I should go there one day to find whether he left anything behind.

People have told me that he was quite a gruff character, but he had a soft side. I'm told that he had a real soft spot for my brother Barrie. My aunty Doreen told me that he once returned home for work and sat down for his dinner, as he always did. When my grandmother placed his food in front of him, he pushed it away and burst into tears. That was the day when his favourite pit pony had died.

He was a keen gardener. Apparently his garden was a living picture. He'd only grow flowers though.  This skill appeared to have been passed down to my uncle Burt who was also a keen gardener. (Roses). Maybe it is a skill that has been passed down to me. In my latter years I've become interested in gardening although I wouldn't call myself successful.

 I'm told that he tried breeding terriers once, but this wasn't much of a success. 

16 Club Row, Blaenllechau

If you'd like to learn more about the Salonica campaign, read The Gardeners of Salonica by Alan Palmer.

As far as I know, this is the only song written about Salonica. It's an Irish folk song.....or is it a protest song.

Salonika by the folk band Lankum.

Oh my husband's in Salonika.

I wonder if he's dead?

I wonder if he knows he has a kid with a foxy head?

So write away.

So write away.

So write away Salonika, write away me soldier boy.

George Henry "Harry" Davies.

1884-1958.

Sergeant, South Wales Borderers and Royal Field Artillery.

Colliery Farrier.

Husband, Father and Grandfather.

A couple of years ago, my daughter Elinor gave me a lifebelt. It had been left over from one of her circus performances. I decided to paint it and decorate it. It now hangs in my garden, near my pond, just in case.

Index

Links
Keeston, Camrose.
William Dennis
The Smith Family
Bill Edwards
May Edwards
The Edwards Family
The Edwards Name
Thomas Smith
Smith / Dennis connections