William Henry Davies was born in Llantysilio in 1894, the son of R. Thomas Davies and Ellen Davies. Thomas Davies was also sexton at Llantysilio Church, where William became a chorister. William attended Llantysilio School, where he was taught by J. Jenkins, who later said how impressed he was with Williams thorough conscientiousness, he was not robust – and could have appealed for exemption from service on these grounds, considered it his duty to go. On leaving school he had become an under-gardener at Llantysilio Hall before becoming private 25971 with 17^th Battalion Royal Welsh Fusiliers. He received shrapnel wounds during their advance in France in 1916, and was evacuated to Kings Hospital London, but died after a few days on 20^th July 1916. The body was conveyed to Llangollen by train on the 25^th and from there to Llantysilio by lorry, where he was given a full military funeral.

An enlargement taken from the memorial

photograph of Great War soldiers,

taken by local photographer Lettsome.