William Henry Supple

Private William Henry Supple – Welsh Regiment, 4^th Battalion

William Henry Supple
credit - findagrave

From the late nineteenth century onward, Swansea grew rapidly as an industrial and maritime centre, drawing families from across Britain and Ireland in search of work and opportunity. Among those who settled in the area were the Supple family, whose story reflects the movement of working people to the growing suburbs of Sketty and Oystermouth.

Early Life and Family Background

Robert Supple and Mary Ellen Whitlow
marriage certificate
St. John the Baptist Church, Chester 

William Henry Supple was born in 1899 in Sketty, Swansea, the son of Robert Supple and Mary Ellen Whitlow. His parents were married in 1891 at St. John the Baptist Church, Chester.

1901 Census

By the 1901 Census, the Supple family were living at 16 John Street, Oystermouth. Robert, aged 43, was an Irish-born gardener (domestic), and Mary, aged 39, had been born in Chester. Their children were Sidney H. (7), Frances E. (5), and William H. (4), all born in Sketty, and Robert G. (2), who had been born locally in Oystermouth.

1911 Census

Ten years later, at the time of the 1911 Census, the family were still residing at 16 John Street. Robert, aged 53, continued to work as a domestic gardener, while Mary, aged 49, managed the household. Their children included Sidney H. (17), a house painter; Frances E. (15), who was at home; William H. (14), who attended school and also worked as an evening newsboy; Robert G. (12), a schoolboy and milk boy in the evenings; Edgar J. (9), a school pupil; Albert E. (3); and baby Katherine M., aged three months.

Military Service – Welsh Regiment, 4^th  Battalion

As a young man, William Henry Supple enlisted in the Welsh Regiment, serving as a Private in the 4^th Battalion. The 4^th Battalion was a Territorial Force unit with deep roots in South and West Wales, drawing recruits from Swansea, Carmarthenshire, and Pembrokeshire.

At the outbreak of the First World War, the battalion was mobilised for home defence and training duties, and throughout 1916–1917 it was stationed in Pembrokeshire, where it guarded coastal defences and military installations against possible German naval incursions.

By this period, the battalion was based primarily at Hearston Camp, near Milford Haven and Pembroke Dock. Hearston Camp—situated on high ground at Hill Mountain, close to Herbrandston—served as one of the main training and mobilisation centres for West Wales Territorial units. Soldiers there undertook route marches, weapons practice, and field exercises, as well as coastal-patrol duties. Conditions were often cold, wet, and demanding, and illness and accidents were not uncommon.

Private William Supple died on 25^th May 1917 at Pembroke, aged just 18. His death occurred while on active service; although the exact cause is not recorded, it was most likely related to illness or a training accident while serving with his battalion at Hearston Camp.

Death and Burial

William Henry Supple
Oystermouth Cemetery
credit - fidnagrave

William’s body was returned home to Oystermouth, where he was laid to rest with honour in Oystermouth Cemetery.

Legacy

Private William Henry Supple’s life reflects the experience of many working-class families in early twentieth-century Swansea—families who built new lives in expanding coastal communities and whose sons answered the call to serve during the Great War.

Though he never saw the battlefields of France or Flanders, William’s service formed part of the essential effort that sustained Britain’s armies abroad. His grave at Oystermouth Cemetery stands among those of other young men from the area who gave their lives in the service of their country, a lasting testament to Swansea’s contribution and sacrifice during the First World War.