Arthur Ace – Welsh Regiment, 2nd Battalion
Private Arthur Ace – Welsh Regiment, 2nd Battalion
Parentage and Family Background
Arthur Ace was born in 1880 in Oystermouth, the son
of John Ace and Eleanor (Ellen) Jenkins. His parents married in
October 1868 at St. Mary’s Church, Swansea. At the time, both were
living at Little Gam Street, Swansea. John was recorded as a mariner, and
neither he nor Eleanor could write, each signing the register with an X.John Ace and Eleanor (Ellen) Jenkins
marriage certificate
St. Mary’s Church, Swansea
Early Life
 |
| 1881 Census |
By the 1881 Census, the family was living at Pond Steps, Oystermouth. John Ace, then 34 and born in Port Eynon, was working as a general labourer, while his wife Ellen, aged 38, was recorded as being born in Oystermouth. All of their children were also born there. The household consisted of their sons John (9), William (7), Thomas G. (6), Philip (4), and the youngest, Arthur (1). All of the older children, except infant Arthur, were attending school at the time.
 |
| 1891 Census |
By 1891, the Ace family had moved to Davies Row, Llangyfelach, Swansea. John, now 44, was still working as a labourer, and Ellen was listed as 30 years old, almost certainly a clerical error. All family members had their birthplaces recorded simply as “Wales.” Living with them were their sons John (19), employed as a labourer; William (18), working at the Tin Works; Thomas George (16), also a labourer; and Philip (14), another labourer. Arthur, aged 11, was still attending school, as were his younger sisters Eliza (8) and Rose Blanche (4).
Early Adulthood
Arthur does not appear in the 1901 Census. The next record
in which he can be identified is from local gaol documents.
Gaol Records
 |
| Swansea - Goal Records |
Arthur and a man named George Williams were found guilty of assaulting the police. Both men were sentenced to one month’s hard labour or a fine of £5.4s.0d. George paid his fine, while Arthur served the month in custody. The record describes Arthur, then 24, as being 5 ft 7 in tall with dark brown hair.
Later Life
 |
| 1911 Census |
In the 1911 Census, Arthur was living with his brother John and his family at Cwm Sims Terrace, Bonymaen, near Swansea. John, aged 40, was employed as a furnaceman, and his wife Elizabeth, aged 27, had been born in Tonypandy. Their children—William John (17), Thomas Henry (14), Frederick Jenkin (7), and infant Griffith Dave (8 months)—were all born in Landore, Swansea. Also living with them was Elizabeth’s son from a previous relationship, Johney Thomas, aged 5. Arthur, recorded as 30 years old, was working as a furnace man, and both he and his brother John had their birthplace listed as Mumbles.
Marriage
 |
| Arthur Ace and Margaret Kiza Gibbons marriage certificate St. Michael’s Church, St. John’s, Swansea |
Military Service and Death
Enlistment
Arthur enlisted in the Welsh Regiment, 2nd Battalion,
during the early months of the First World War.
Death in the First World War
 |
| Map of the First Battle of Ypres |
That morning, German forces launched a major coordinated
assault, now known as the Battle of Gheluvelt, with the aim of
breaking through the British line and capturing Ypres. The Welsh Regiment faced
overwhelming numbers, constant shellfire, and close-range fighting as parts of
the line collapsed under pressure. Communication failed, trenches were destroyed,
and many soldiers were cut off or went missing. The battalion suffered
extremely heavy casualties, and many of the men killed on this date—including
Arthur—were never recovered, leaving no known grave.
 |
| Army Registers of Soldiers’ Effects |
The Army Registers of Soldiers’ Effects recorded his cause of death as “Not Known,” which was common for soldiers killed during this chaotic fighting when bodies could not be identified or retrieved.
Commemoration
 |
| Cambria Daily Leader |
 |
| Arthur Ace Menin Gate Memorial credit - findagrave |
Comments
Post a Comment