Peterborough & The Great War

Biography

William Cledan Morgan was born in Swansea, Glamorgan in 1895 to Herbert Leonard and Elizabeth Catherine (nee Jenkins).  He was one of five children.  In 1901, William (6) was living at 8 Priorton Terrace, Swansea with his parents and siblings Vera (7) and Arthur (5).  His father was a commercial traveller dealing in tea.  In 1911, we believe that he was living as a boarder in Abergavenny, working as an apprentice printer.

It has not been possible to locate William’s service record or confirm his service number. However, when he passed through Peterborough East Station on 21 September 1916, he was a Sergeant serving with the 1/1^st Welsh (Howitzer) Brigade, Royal Field Artillery.

A London Gazette entry reveals that he was commissioned from Sergeant to Lieutenant.  He was mentioned as being one of the special reserve of officers from officer cadet unit to be made 2nd Lieutenant from 21 July 1917.  He was awarded the British War and Allied Victory Medals and 1914/15 Star, which suggests that he served in a theatre of the Great War between 5 August 1914 and 31 December 1915.

William married Mary Winifred Corfield on 26 April 1921, in Sketty Parish Church, Glamorgan and they had one son, Peter Ramsey Cledan Morgan born in Cardiff in 1922.  In the 1923 Kelly’s Directory, William and his family are listed as living at Augusta Road, Penarth.

We have been unable to positively identify William in the 1939 Register, but there is an entry for Mary W Morgan at 10 Lon Gwynfryn, Swansea, which states she is widowed.  If this is Mary Winifred, there are two possible deaths for William: W C Morgan who died in Bridgend in 1926, aged 33 and William Morgan who died in Swansea in 1939, aged 44.

Can you tell us more?  Please get in touch if you think William was a relative of yours.