Thank you all for your replies and the information. I was wondering if evidence was pointing towards my Grandfather after all, David Clifford, who was in the Northumberland Fusiliers in WWII and served in Mespots for most of that service. I've still got to decipher and interpret his military records which I found last year. However, I after reading about the Welsh Cyclists, I'm pretty certain the photo includes my Great Uncle, William (Billy) John Evans. I know his active service was in the Welsh Regiment, until his death:
Ypres, Belgium
'Buried in War Grave: EVANS, WILLIAM JOHN Rank: Private Service No: 56536 Date of Death: 27/08/1917 Age: 21 Regiment/Service: Welsh Regiment 16th Bn. Grave Reference XXXIV. B. 15. Cemetery POELCAPELLE BRITISH CEMETERY' [CWGC Accessed online ]]
On the 15th January, so very recently, I had the following information from LLaneshen Local History Society, to whom I am indebted for their help regarding Uncle Billy's early service:
'W.J.Evans is listed in the Parish Magazine among the men from the Parish who were in the Armed Forces in 1915 and 1916 as a Private in the 7th Welsh Cyclists Corp.'
I had been trying to find out if Uncle Billy was missing from the Llaneshen War Memorial but the family moved to a different district at some point, as his parents address, at the time of his death, is 52 Cathays Terrace in 1917 which is not too far away but they told me that is in Cathays Parish, part of Llandaff Diocese. So I now need to try and find out if there is a War Memorial for that area.
I'm going to post another, smaller group, photo including Gt Uncle Billy, as I would really welcome any suggestions as to which of the soldiers in the group photo could be him. I have an idea but would appreciate objective opinions. Gt Uncle Billy is far right, 2nd row. I only acquired this photo recently and it is what made me question which regiment was in the larger group photo.
Thank you all again and I will respond individually too. I ought to confess that I had though, for some years, that it was a photo of my father's regiment, the South Wales Borderers, which he served in from the late 20's for 7 years, and then again in WWII, before transferring to the Royal Engineers. My father served throughout WWII and was never the same after it, like many who served in both World Wars and far too many other conflicts, before and since. I am very aware of what they all did for us. At least, as aware as a civilian, born in the 1950s, can be.
Thank you
Helen
