WWI REMEMBERED Porthcawl heroes made ultimate sacrifice for our freedom

IN EARLY April 1918, Mr and Mrs William Hodgson, from Porthcawl, received a heartbreaking letter from their 19-year-old son. The letter, written by Private James Hodgson of the Cheshire Regiment, read: “It seemed as though all Germany was massed against the British line. I am sorry to say that I have lost all my dear pals.”

While Private Hodgson survived to tell the tale, he was referring to the tragic day at Baupame in Northern France where the Cheshires were almost wiped out.

The situation in March 1918 came as a result of the huge losses at Passchendaele and Cambrai, and Lloyd George’s refusal to commit the number of men Haig requested to the Western Front.

At this point the situation led to no other choice but the reorganisation of battalions.

Being greatly outnumbered and expecting a massive German attack, the only tactic that the British could employ was one of defence.

At 4.40am on March 21 a barrage of shells rained down on the British line for five hours, followed by the advance of stormtroopers travelling lightly and carrying only weaponry.

The attack, dubbed Operation Michael, was part of a German quest to break allied lines and advance north-west to the channel ports.

With the help of thick fog, the Germans attacked the Third Army under General Byng, Arras region,and the Fifth Army under General Gough, in the Somme region.

Sadly, four Porthcawlians died defending these British positions.

One of their number was Corporal Percy Henry Brooke of the Lancashire Fusiliers, 66th Division in the Fifth Army. One of four sons, Percy was born on January 16, 1891, to Oliver and Rosa Brooke of Philadelphia Road.

After leaving the National School he worked as an ironmonger’s assistant before working with his older brother William as a driver for the Royal Army Medical Corps at the Rest Home.

On December 10, 1915, the pair enlisted for general service at Bridgend and were posted to France more than a year later.

Tragically, only eight months later, William – who had been wounded at Passchendaele – was sent home to the 3rd Western General Hospital at Cardiff while Percy remained with the battalion.

After being missing for many weeks, Corporal Brooke was reported as having being killed in action on March 21, 1918, and was buried at Templeux le Geurard British Cemetery, The Somme. He was 27.

Recovering from his wounds, William was transferred to the Labour Corps until October 1919, when he came home to wife and son and returned to his job as a postman in Kenfig Hill.

Another Welshman to lose his life was Sergeant Robert Williams, ‘B’ Battery of the 293rd Brigade in the Royal Field Artillery.

Aged 23 at the time of his death on March 21, 1918, he is buried at Beaumetz Cross Roads Cemetery, Beaumetz-Les-Cambrai.

Sgt Williams’ death came only a month after returning to Wales on leave in February and a month before he was expected home for a month’s furlough at the end of April.

By the time of Sgt Williams’s death the Germans had reached the Crozat Canal between the Rivers Somme and Oise. At this time it was defended by the 54th Brigade, forming part of the Fifth Army which included the 6th Northamptonshire Battalion.

It was here that Lance Corporal Richard Wallace Burnell was killed by trench mortar.

Born in 1892, Lance Corporal Burnell, or Wally, as he was known, was one of three sons born to William and Martha Burnell in Mary Street, Porthcawl.

According to his obituary he was an excellent golfer, cricketer and rugby player, although not quite as good as his cousin and Welsh International Clem Lewis who had served with the 16th Battalion, Welsh Regiment.

On November 8, 1915, Wally was attested to the 23rd Pioneer Welsh Regiment, being appointed Lance Corporal Burnell on December 1.

More than a year later on May 29, 1917, he was again transferred to the 4th Reserve Battalion Northampton Regiment before being posted to France on August 8 where he joined the 6th Battalion.

Writing to his widow Winnifred, 2nd Lieutenant Austin Ross stated: “As we evacuated the area, directly afterwards, it was impossible to bury him.”

Lance Corporal Burnell’s body was never recovered and he is remembered on the Pozieres Memorial, France.

Only two days after the Welshman’s death, on March 25, 1918, the Germans advanced on the Third Army near Arras.

Here, a company of Lancashire Fusiliers attempted to stem the attack at Sapignies and once again were faced with massed machine guns and had to withdraw. Heavy casualties were reported. Of those, one was Private Harold Upham of Vintern Terrace.

Born in Tiverton, Devon in 1898, George’s job as a domestic gardener brought the family to Porthcawl in around 1908.

Surrounding himself with local life, Pte Upham enlisted at Bridgend in 1916. In late 1917 his unit was posted to France where he sent a letter in early March 1918 to thank the Porthcawl Post Office for a Christmas parcel sent received in February.

Pte Upham is remembered on the Arras Memorial and on his parents’ grave at St John’s Church, Newton. He was 20.

A day after the Welshman’s death a conference was held by Douglas Haig