William Arthur Shenstone Davies

Lance Corporal William Arthur Shenstone Davies – The Loyal North Lancashire Regiment, 2/5^th Battalion

Early Life

1901 Census

In the 1901 Census, the Davies family was recorded at 112 Gorse Lane, Swansea. The head of household, James Alfred Davies, aged 31, was born in Patricroft, Lancashire, and worked as Manager of the Copper Works. His wife, Harriet Jane (née Shenstone), also 31, was born in Liverpool, Lancashire. They had one child at the time, William Arthur Shenstone Davies, aged 6.

James Alfred and Harriet had married in 1893 at Salford, Lancashire. 

1911 Census

By the time of the 1911 Census, the family was living at Aberdyberthi Villa, Aberdyberthi Street, Swansea. James Alfred, then 41 years old, was employed as the Manager of Copper Mills, while Harriet, also 41, was listed as his wife. Their eldest son, William Arthur Shenstone, was 16 years old and working as a clerk in the Copper Works. Their second son, James Alfred Shenstone, was six years old and attending school, while their youngest child, Nellie Shenstone, was just two years old. All three children were recorded with their mother’s maiden name included as part of their own.

Military Service

William Arthur Shenstone Davies

Attestation Papers

In 1916, at Chorlton, Lancashire, William Arthur Shenstone Davies married Ruth Orr. Later that year, in October, he enlisted with The Loyal North Lancashire Regiment, 2/5th Battalion. Surviving attestation papers confirm that he was living at Holmlea, Sketty, and held the rank of Lance Corporal.

Death

On 26^th October 1917, during the First World War, Lance Corporal William Arthur Shenstone Davies was killed in action. On that date, his battalion, the 2/5^th Loyal North Lancashire Regiment, part of the 170^th Brigade, 57^th (2^nd West Lancashire) Division, took part in the opening assault of the Second Battle of Passchendaele.

The men attacked in terrible conditions, advancing through mud and rain under heavy machine gun fire. Within yards of leaving their start line, many officers had been struck down, leaving sergeants and junior NCOs to lead the way. Despite the chaos, the battalion captured several enemy machine guns, and small groups pushed forward as far as 500 yards into enemy territory. However, strong German pillboxes and interlocking machine gun positions made further progress impossible. By nightfall, the battalion was forced to withdraw to its original line.

The cost was devastating: 48 men killed or dying of wounds, 153 wounded, and 87 missing. Among those who fell that day was Lance Corporal William Arthur Shenstone Davies.

Burial

William Arthur Shenstone Davies
Tyne Cot Memorial, Belgium
credit - findagrave

William has no known grave. His name is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial in Belgium, which honours those who fell in the Ypres Salient and have no known resting place.

Legacy

Army Registers of Soldiers’ Effects

The Army Registers of Soldiers’ Effects record that William’s widow, Ruth Orr Davies, received a war gratuity. His sacrifice is preserved in military records, census documents, and on the Tyne Cot Memorial, ensuring his memory endures alongside that of countless others who gave their lives in the Great War.