Regular 8

South Wales Borderers, men who enlisted from February 1913 to July 1914 and were therefore pre-war regulars.

Featured men:
Rees Breacher
Ivor Stanley Thomas

One person of extraordinary interest is Rees Breacher who enlisted on or around 23 May 1913. He seems to have become dissatisfied with his part in the war, after returning to Wales and being posted to a Home Service battalion. He deserted, and enlisted in the Wales Division of the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, under the pseudonym Albert Davies, service number Z/906. He was killed in action at the Battle of Jutland. Only 6 of the 1,027 crew of HMS Invincible survived.

He is documented on the following page
https://livesofthefirstworldwar.org/lifestory/480118

Ivor Stanley Thomas joined the South Wales Borderers in September 1913. Given that he was married in Gibraltar in March 1913, it would appear he was already in the army at this point. At the outbreak of war, he had been appointed to Lance Corporal. He was among the original members of the 1st Battalion to deploy to France in August 1914, and remained with the battalion until August 1916. He then served with the Royal Welsh Fusiliers. In February 1918, he commenced aircrew training. His qualification as a Temporary Second Lieutenant (Aeroplane and Seaplane) in the RAF, with an effective date of 3rd June, was announced in the London Gazette (issue 30781, dated 5th July 1918 on pages 7945-7948.) On 14 July 1918, he was an Assistant Flying Instructor at the Central Flying School, Upavon. He relinquished his RAF commission, and returned to the army on 5 January 1920. His army service record has not survived, but a lot of detail was available from his RAF Officer service record.

He is documented on the following page
https://livesofthefirstworldwar.org/lifestory/4406204

Regimental Number First Name Last Name Rank 1914 Star is with Clasp? entry from Birth Place Date Of Birth Date Of Death Service record survives SWB recipient Enlist date POW
11001 Thomas George Austin Lance Corporal N 13-Aug-1914 Aberdare, Merthyr Tydfil, Glamorganshire 1893 31-Dec-1914 N N N
11002 William Henry Wire Private N 13-Aug-1914 Whitechapel, London Jul-1894 21-Jun-1916 Y Y 19-Feb-2013 N
11003 Adolphus Henry Betty Private N 13-Aug-1914 Hotwells, Bristol, Gloucestershire 31-May-1888 not known N N   Y
11005 Gilbert Davies Private Y 13-Aug-1914 Burghill, Hereford, Herefordshire 1892 07-Jun-1915 N N – Y
11006 William Davies Private Y 13-Aug-1914 Newtown, Montgomeryshire 21-Apr-1893 not known N N – Y
11008 Harry Gardner Private Y 13-Sep-1914 – not known not known N N – N
11009 Arthur Davies Private Y 13-Aug-1914 – not known not known N N – N
11010 Thomas John Bateman Private Y 13-Aug-1914 Merthyr , Glamorganshire 1895 21-Oct-1914 N N – N
11011 William O’Reilly Lance Corporal Y 13-Aug-1914 – not known not known N Y 12-Mar-2013 N
11012 Arthur Sharp Lance Corporal N 13-Aug-1914 West Ham, London 1895 31-Oct-1914 N N – N
11013 George Wood Private Y 13-Aug-1914 – not known not known N N – N
11014 Charles Howes Private N 13-Sep-1914 Swindon, Wiltshire 1895 31-Oct-1914 N N – N
11015 William John Roberts Private N 13-Aug-1914 Caernarvon Jun-1895 not known Y Y 12-Mar-2013 N
11016 William James Rothin Private N 13-Aug-1914 Malvern, Upton On Severn, Worcestershire 1893 09-Nov-1917 N N – N
11017 Roger Armstrong Private Y 13-Aug-1914 Medomsley, Lanchester, County Durham Oct-1892 not known Y Y 18-Mar-2013 N
11019 Lewis Henry Porch Private N 13-Aug-1914 New Tredegar , Gelligaer, Glamorganshire 1895 31-Oct-1914 N N – N
11023 Harry Avery Private Y 13-Aug-1914 – not known not known N N – N
11025 David John Roberts Private N 13-Nov-1914 – not known not known N Y 31-Mar-2013 N
11026 John Francis Morgan Private Y 13-Aug-1914 Newport, Monmouthshire Apr-1892 not known Y Y 31-Mar-2013 N
11029 Percy Musker Lance Corporal N 13-Aug-1914 Newport, Monmouthshire 1896 21-Oct-1914 N N – N
11031 Oliver Tudor Wathen Private N 13-Aug-1914 Ebbw Vale, Bedwellty, Monmouthshire 1895 28-Sep-1915 N N – N
11032 Albert Symmonds Lance Corporal N 13-Aug-1914 – not known not known N Y 18-Apr-2013 N
11033 George Sidney Davies Private Y 13-Aug-1914 – 1893 not known N Y 18-Apr-2013 N
11035 James Charles Evans Private N 13-Aug-1914 Llanidloes, Newtown, Montgomeryshire Mar-1894 not known Y Y 19-Apr-2013 N
11037 Percy Probert Private N 13-Aug-1914 Rhayader, Radnorshire 1894 14-Sep-1914 N N – N
11039 Edward John Canning Private N 13-Aug-1914 – not known not known N N – N
11040 Arthur Davies Private N 09-Nov-1914 – not known not known N N – N
11042 Michael Reardon Private N 13-Aug-1914 Merthyr , Glamorganshire 1895 28-Oct-1914 N N – N
11044 Henry John Wright Private N 13-Aug-1914 Merthyr , Glamorganshire 1896 28-Aug-1916 N N – N
11046 Ernest Davenport Private N 13-Aug-1914 – 1895 not known N Y 22-May-2013 N
11048 Rees Breacher Private N 20-Sep-1914 Mountain Ash, Pontypridd, Glamorganshire 27-Sep-1892 31-May-1916 RN N – N
11052 Albert Edward Gunnell Private N 13-Aug-1914 Bromsgrove, Worcestershire 1897 14-Nov-1914 N N – N
11054 Noel Lewis Private Y 13-Aug-1914 Knighton, Radnorshire 23-Jul-1895 not known N N – Y
11058 Richard Barrett Private N 13-Aug-1914 Ebbw Vale, Bedwellty, Monmouthshire 1894 19-Jul-1916 N N – N
11060 William Page Lance Corporal N 13-Aug-1914 Worcester 1892 25-Sep-1915 N N – N
11061 Francis Evans Private N 13-Aug-1914 Kilvey, Swansea, Glamorganshire 1895 22-Sep-1914 N N – N
11062 Russell Thomas Bromley Private Y 20-Sep-1914 – not known not known N N – N
11063 Benjamin Stone Private N 13-Aug-1914 – not known not known N Y 07-Aug-2013 N
11064 William Sambrook Private N 13-Aug-1914 – not known not known N N – N
11065 David Griffiths Private N 13-Aug-1914 – 1890 not known N Y 06-Aug-2013 N
11066 Clarence Frederick Martin Private Y 13-Aug-1914 – not known not known N N – N
11067 Robert Nichol Private N 13-Aug-1914 Abersychan, Pontypool, Monmouthshire Dec-1891 not known Y Y 22-Aug-2013 N
11068 William James Jones Lance Corporal N 13-Aug-1914 – not known not known N N – N
11071 Daniel Fitzgerald Private Y 13-Aug-1914 – not known not known N Y 22-Aug-2013 N
11076 William John Thomas Private Y 13-Aug-1914 – 1892 not known N Y 01-Nov-2012 N
11078 Joseph Thomas Tovey Lance Corporal N 13-Aug-1914 Abersychan, Pontypool, Monmouthshire 1895 17-Nov-1914 N N – N
11079 David Charles Owen Private N 13-Aug-1914 Llangunllo, Knighton, Radnorshire 1896 09-May-1915 N N – N
11080 Thomas Grace Private N 13-Aug-1914 Newport, Monmouthshire 1893 17-Sep-1914 N N – N
11083 Oswald Lougher Private Y 13-Aug-1914 Treherbert, Pontypridd, Glamorganshire 1895 not known N N – N
11084 Ivor Stanley Thomas Lance Corporal Y 13-Aug-1914 Llanelly, Carmarthenshire 07-May-1893 not known RAF N Sep-1913 N
11085 Charles Edmund Doswell Private N 13-Aug-1914 Birkenhead, Cheshire 1894 03-Nov-1914 N N – N
11086 Samuel Woods Private N 13-Aug-1914 – not known not known N N – N
11087 William Holt Private N 13-Aug-1914 St Pancras, London 1895 04-Nov-1914 N N – N
11088 John Jones Private N 13-Aug-1914 – not known not known N Y 02-Oct-2013 N
11090 George Startup Private Y 13-Aug-1914 – not known not known N N – N
11091 Leonard Mitchell Private Y 13-Aug-1914 Talgarth, Hay, Brecknockshire Feb-1895 not known Y Y 07-Oct-2013 N
11092 Jack Smith Private Y 13-Aug-1914 Higham, Norwich, Norfolk Jan-1895 not known Y N 04-Oct-2013 N
11093 John Prouse Lance Corporal N 13-Aug-1914 Cardiff, Glamorganshire 1894 19-Sep-1914 N N – N
11096 Eli Withers Private N 13-Sep-1914 Brynmawr, Crickhowell, Brecknockshire 30-Sep-1889 not known Y Y 21-Oct-2013 N
11097 William Pritchard Private N 20-Sep-1914 Brynmawr, Crickhowell, Brecknockshire 1892 11-Jun-1915 N N – N
11098 James Hill Private N 08-Oct-1914 Bedwellty, Monmouthshire Aug-1893 26-Sep-1917 Y N 25-Oct-2013 N
11099 William James Jeremiah Private N 22-Aug-1914 Trevethin, Pontypool, Monmouthshire 1894 19-Jun-1915 N N – N
11101 David Harris Private N 13-Aug-1914 Swansea, Glamorganshire 1895 01-May-1916 N N – N
11103 Timothy Burke Private Y 02-Nov-1914 – not known not known N Y 24-Nov-2013 N
11104 John Powis Private N 13-Aug-1914 Tredegar, Bedwellty, Monmouthshire 1893 28-Sep-1914 N N – N
11106 David Roderick Private N 13-Aug-1914 Merthyr , Glamorganshire 1893 31-Oct-1914 N N – N
11108 Charles Ball Private Y 02-Nov-1914 – not known not known N N – N
11109 Cecil Jones Private N 13-Aug-1914 Caersws, Newtown, Montgomeryshire 17-Dec-1894 not known Y Y 14-Jan-2014 N
11111 Harry Smith Private Y 13-Nov-1914 – not known not known N N – N
11112 Benjamin Cooper Private N 13-Aug-1914 – not known not known N N – N
11113 Stanley Davies Private N 13-Aug-1914 Trevethin, Pontypool, Monmouthshire 1889 31-Oct-1914 N N – N
11114 Richard Hinds Private Y 13-Nov-1914 – not known not known N N – N
11115 Ernest William Hawkins Private N 31-Aug-1914 Roath, Cardiff, Glamorganshire 1895 10-Jul-1915 N N – N
11116 Harry William Herrington Private N 13-Aug-1914 Kilburn, Willesden, London 1892 10-Nov-1917 N N – N
11118 Thomas Hatten Private N 13-Aug-1914 – not known not known N N – N
11119 James Jones Private N 09-Nov-1914 Tonypandy, Pontypridd, Glamorganshire 03-Jan-1895 not known Y N 14-Feb-2014 N
11120 Thomas Norris Private N 13-Aug-1914 – not known not known N N – N
11121 George Frederick Beck Private N 13-Aug-1914 – not known not known N Y 09-Feb-2014 N
11125 Samuel Riding Private Y 13-Aug-1914 – not known not known N N – N
11129 Harold Griffiths Private Y 13-Aug-1914 – not known not known N N – N
11130 William Jones Private N 13-Aug-1914 Glasgow, Lanarkshire 1890 21-Aug-1915 N N – N
11135 William Henry Clarke Private N 13-Nov-1914 Battle, Brecon, Brecknockshire 1897 22-Feb-1917 N N – N
11136 Charles Kiley Private N 13-Aug-1914 – 1895 not known N Y 05-Mar-2014 N
11138 Robert Robinson Private Y 13-Aug-1914 Mountain Ash, Pontypridd, Glamorganshire 25-Mar-1890 not known N Y 07-Mar-2014 Y
11143 Frederick Marsh Private Y 02-Nov-1914 – not known not known N N – N
11146 Joseph Parry Private N 08-Oct-1914 – not known not known N N – N
11149 Thomas Henry Williams Private N 02-Nov-1914 – not known not known N Y 27-Mar-2014 N
11151 John Charles Smith Private N 02-Nov-1914 – not known not known N N – N
11152 Thomas Francis Bates Private Y 02-Nov-1914 – not known not known N N – N
11153 Walter Francis Private N 02-Nov-1914 Knighton, Radnorshire 1894 10-Oct-1915 N N – N
11154 Frederick John Packer Private N 13-Aug-1914 – 1894 not known N Y 03-Apr-2014 N
11156 Josiah Seaward Brodest Private Y 09-Nov-1914 Pontlottyn, Merthyr Tydfil, Glamorganshire 1892 1972 N N – N
11157 Charles Henry Boyle Private N 02-Nov-1914 Peckham, Camberwell, London 1896 21-Dec-1914 N N – N
11161 Leonard Lomas Private N 02-Nov-1914 Halford, Shipston on Stour, Warwickshire 28-Aug-1896 1976 N N – N
11164 Joseph Morries Private Y 02-Nov-1914 – not known not known N N – N
11165 George Gray Private Y 02-Nov-1914 – not known not known N N – N
11169 Daniel Thomas Private N 02-Nov-1914 – not known not known N Y 15-Apr-2014 N
11173 John Frederick Wyatt Private N 02-Nov-1914 – not known not known N N – N
11174 William John Sims Private Y 02-Nov-1914 – not known not known N Y 15-May-2014 N
11178 Charles Daniel Cooper Private N 13-Nov-1914 – not known not known N N – N
11182 Albert Percy Howarth Private N 13-Nov-1914 Oxton, Birkenhead, Cheshire 1893 09-May-1915 N N May-1914 N
11195 Timothy Warren Private N 13-Nov-1914 Awre, Westbury on Severn, Gloucestershire 1897 31-Mar-1916 N N Jun-1914 N
11204 David John Phillips Private N 02-Nov-1914 Ferndale, Pontypridd, Glamorganshire 1896 21-Dec-1914 N N Jul-1914 N
11206 Gilbert Smith Private N 02-Nov-1914 Aberystruth, Bedwellty, Monmouthshire 1897 21-Dec-1914 N N Jul-1914 N