Sketty Soldiers Remembered - St. Paul's Church

 Sketty Soldiers Remembered

Across two world wars, the quiet churchyard of St. Paul’s, Sketty became the final resting place for servicemen whose stories still speak to us today. Their lives, cut short by conflict, form a roll of remembrance that stretches from the trenches of the First World War to the skies of the Second.

William John Wills

The earliest burial connected with the Great War was William John Wills, remembered at St. Paul’s. His story, like so many, reflects the first shock of a world at war.

Clifford Laurence Cornelius

Private Clifford Laurence Cornelius, Devonshire Regiment, died young. His headstone at St. Paul’s speaks of a family’s loss and a community’s grief.

Victor Cadifor Hilditch

Lieutenant Colonel Victor Cadifor Hilditch, DSO, MC, Royal Field Artillery, was only 31 when he died of influenza in February 1919. Decorated for gallantry, he had survived the worst fighting of the Great War, only to succumb as peace returned. His funeral at St. Paul’s drew wide local notice, honouring a man whose service had been exceptional.

Arthur James Whitehouse

Buried in 1920, Corporal Arthur James Whitehouse, Royal Field Artillery, represents those whose war service continued to take a toll even after the Armistice. Married only the previous year, his young life was cut short, leaving a widow and grieving family.

Edward Alan Vagg

The first Royal Air Force burial at St. Paul’s came in May 1940, when Pilot Officer Edward Alan Vagg of 83 Squadron was killed in a flying accident. His loss symbolised a new kind of war, fought in the skies, and reflected the dangers of service even far from the frontlines.

Cyril Charles Davies

Corporal Cyril Charles Davies, Home Guard, died on duty in 1942 at the age of 45. His service with the 18th Glamorganshire (Post Office) Battalion reminds us of that defence of the home front was shared by men of all ages, including those balancing civilian life and wartime responsibility. His funeral was reported with respect in the South Wales Daily Post.

John Macdonald Etheridge

The only seaman buried at St. Paul’s is Chief Officer John Macdonald Etheridge, who died in September 1943 at the age of 66. A veteran of three wars — the Boer, First, and Second World Wars — his long career at sea ended with his interment in this quiet churchyard. His funeral service was a testament to a lifetime of service.

Robert Harwell Bibby

Warrant Officer Class II Robert Harwell Bibby, Royal Army Service Corps, died at Morriston Hospital in June 1944, aged 28. Known as “Bert,” he had been a keen local cricketer before the war. His death was reported in the South Wales Daily Post, which also covered his funeral at St. Paul’s.

Hubert James John Harries

A particularly tragic story is that of Reverend Hubert James John Harries, RAF Volunteer Reserve Chaplain. Educated at Exeter College, Oxford, he served in North Africa before ill health forced his return. In October 1944, while serving at RAF Wymeswold, he took his own life. Newspapers noted his passing with sorrow, reflecting on a dedicated minister who had given spiritual support to so many. His name is also remembered on Exeter College’s war memorial.

William Ernest Fuller

The final wartime burial at St. Paul’s was William Ernest Fuller, aged just 19. Serving with No. 15 Squadron, RAF Volunteer Reserve, he was killed in January 1945 when his Lancaster bomber crashed during a training flight. The youngest casualty, he represents the closing chapter of St. Paul’s wartime burials.

Reflection

Taken together, the stories of these men form a patchwork history of Swansea and Sketty during two world wars. Each grave in St. Paul’s churchyard is a thread woven into the wider fabric of sacrifice and service. The churchyard itself became a place where the global met the local. Airmen who had flown from Norfolk, soldiers who had fought in France, a chaplain who had ministered in North Africa, and a seaman whose career had spanned oceans — all came to rest in this quiet corner of Sketty. For their families, St. Paul’s was not just a parish church but a sacred ground where the grief of war became visible in stone.

These graves are not only memorials to individual lives but also a collective witness to the cost of war. They show us the breadth of service: young and old, officers and privates, locals and those with far-reaching ties. Their presence here anchors national history in local soil.

In remembering the fallen of Sketty, we are reminded that war’s impact is never distant. It is felt in families, in neighbourhoods, in schools and workplaces, and in the shared spaces of our communities. Today, as we walk through the churchyard of St. Paul’s, we are called not only to look back but also to look forward — to live in a way that honours their sacrifice. Their names endure as a reminder that peace is both precious and fragile, and that remembrance is not simply about the past but about shaping a more just and compassionate future.