Patrick Dumphy

Sapper Patrick Dumphy – Royal Monmouthshire, Royal Engineers

There is limited surviving information about Patrick Dumphy, who served with the Royal Monmouthshire, Royal Engineers during the First World War.

Patrick was gassed while serving in France, an injury that left lasting effects. He was transferred back to Britain for treatment, but sadly his condition worsened, and he died on 21^st May 1918, at Netley Hospital, Hampshire.

Herald of Wales

His death was briefly reported in the Herald of Wales, which noted that his home address was 33 Ebenezer Street, Swansea.

Netley Hospital

The Royal Victoria Military Hospital at Netley, near Southampton, was one of the largest military hospitals in the country. First opened in the 1860s, it became a key centre during the First World War for treating the huge number of wounded soldiers returning from the Western Front. Among its many wards, special facilities were set aside for those who had suffered the effects of gas warfare, one of the most feared weapons of the conflict. For men like Patrick Dumphy, Netley represented both hope for recovery and, tragically, the place where their lives came to an untimely end.

Burial

Patrick Dumphy
Danygraig Cemetery
credit - findagrave

Patrick was laid to rest with military honours at Danygraig Cemetery, Swansea. His grave stands as a reminder of how the war claimed lives not only in the heat of battle, but also in the long aftermath of injuries sustained at the front.

Legacy

Patrick Dumphy’s story highlights the hidden cost of the war—lives lost not on the battlefield, but in hospitals far from the front, where men struggled with the long-term effects of their wounds. His burial at Danygraig connects him to many others from Swansea who never made it home in full health, their lives cut short despite surviving the trenches. Together, their stories remind us that the impact of the First World War extended well beyond the front lines, into the homes and communities they left behind.