David John Beard - Private - Welsh Regiment – 14th (Service) Battalion (Swansea)
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| William Beard and Hannah Spiller marriage certificate St. John-juxta-Swansea |
David John Beard was born in Swansea in 1890, the son of William Beard and Hannah Spiller, who were married at St. John-juxta-Swansea in 1884.
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| 1891 Census |
At the time of the 1891 Census, the Beard family were living at 3 Caepistyll Street, Swansea. David's father, William B. Beard, aged 28, was employed as a canal boatman, while his mother, Hannah, was 29 years old.
The couple had three young children living at home. Their eldest daughter, Catherine E., aged five, was attending school, while William H. was three years old and David J., the youngest, was just one year old.
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| 1901 Census |
Ten years later, the 1901 Census recorded the family living at 133 Llangyfelach Street, Swansea. William, now aged 37, continued to earn his living as a boatman, while his wife, Hannah, was 38 years old.
By this time, the family had grown considerably. Their eldest son, William, was 13 years old, followed by David, aged 11, Mary, nine, Esther, six, and Sydney, three. The youngest member of the household was Joseph, who was just three months old.
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| 1911 Census |
By the time of the 1911 Census, the family had moved to 73 Llangyfelach Street, Swansea. William, now aged 48, had changed his occupation and was employed as a horse driver, while his wife, Hannah, was 47 years old.
Eight children were recorded in the household. William A., aged 23, was employed as a furnaceman, while David J., recorded as aged 18, was working as a pickler boy at the copper mills. His work would have involved processes associated with cleaning and treating metal, an important part of Swansea's extensive copper industry.
Their daughter, Mary E., aged 18, was employed as a tailoress, while Esther H., 16, worked as a dressmaker. The younger children were Sidney G., aged 13, Joseph C., 10, and Alfred S., seven, who were attending school, together with Iris M., the youngest, who was just two years old.
Growing up in Swansea, David would have been familiar with the busy industrial life of the town. His father's employment on the canals and later as a horse driver reflected the importance of transport to the local economy, while David's own work in the copper mills placed him within one of Swansea's most significant industries.
The copperworks provided employment for generations of Swansea families, although the work was often physically demanding and carried considerable risks. As a young worker in the industry, David would have experienced the difficult conditions associated with industrial employment from an early age.
Following the outbreak of the First World War in August 1914, David was among the many young men from Swansea who entered military service.
He joined the Welsh Regiment and served as a Private with the 14th (Service) Battalion (Swansea), one of the battalions raised during the early months of the war.
The 14th Battalion was formed in Swansea in September 1914 and became part of the 114th Brigade, 38th (Welsh) Division. The battalion was composed largely of men from Swansea and the surrounding districts, many of whom had left their employment in the town's docks, copperworks, factories and other industries to serve their country.
The 38th (Welsh) Division arrived in France in December 1915 and subsequently took part in the Battle of the Somme, which began on 1st July 1916.
One of the division's principal objectives during the opening weeks of the Somme offensive was the capture of Mametz Wood, a heavily defended German position near the village of Mametz.
The wood had been fortified by the German Army, with machine-gun positions, trenches and defensive strongpoints concealed among the trees. The difficult terrain, dense undergrowth and heavy artillery fire made the task of capturing it particularly dangerous.
Following an unsuccessful initial attack on 7th July, the Welsh Division launched a renewed assault on 10th July 1916.
The attack involved fierce fighting as Welsh troops advanced towards the wood under heavy machine-gun and artillery fire. Once inside, the soldiers faced determined German resistance, with fighting taking place among shattered trees, tangled undergrowth and heavily defended positions.
The battle became one of the most significant and costly engagements fought by the 38th (Welsh) Division during the First World War.
It was during this period of intense fighting that David lost his life.
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| Army Registers of Soldiers' Effects |
The discrepancy between the two dates may reflect the difficulties experienced in establishing the fate of soldiers who went missing during the confusion of battle, particularly when their bodies could not be recovered.
David was approximately 26 years old when he lost his life.
His body was never recovered or identified, and he has no known grave. His name is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme, France.
The Thiepval Memorial commemorates more than 72,000 British and South African servicemen who died in the Somme sector during the First World War and have no known grave. Many of those commemorated lost their lives during the devastating fighting of 1916.
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| David John Beard St. Peter's Church, Cockett credit - findagrave |
Having grown up in a large family and worked in Swansea's copper industry, David was among the many local men whose lives were cut short during the fighting on the Somme.
His death during the Battle of Mametz Wood also formed part of a wider tragedy for Swansea, as numerous families across the town lost sons, husbands and brothers during the Welsh Division's costly assault.
David is also remembered closer to home, where his name is commemorated on the family headstone in the churchyard of St. Peter’s Church, Cockett, Swansea. Although his body was never recovered from the battlefields of France, the inscription provides a lasting memorial to his life and sacrifice, ensuring that his memory remains part of the community from which he came.
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