James David Dallow's Story

Family

James David Dallow was born in 1895, the son of Charles and Margaret Dallow. The 1901 Census show six year old James to be the second of four children - Annie E Dallow (7) was born a year before him and he had younger siblings William C Dallow (4) and Mary S M Dallow (2). Charles was originally from Hereford and Margaret from Crickhowell, all the children were born in Abercarn.

In 1911 the family were living at 42 Celynen Terrace in Newbridge. Charles and his two sons were all working as coal hewers in a local colliery whilst Mary was still at school. The family appear to have had a further son, Thomas, although the Census shows him as having died.

The family had a lodger called John Knight who also worked at the colliery but was a boiler stoker working above ground.

Military

James David Dallow enlisted in the army and was posted as Private 23247 to the 11th Battalion of the South Wales Borderers, part of the 115th Brigade of the 38th (Welsh) Division. In December 1915 the 38th (Welsh) Division embarked for France, the 11th Battalion arriving at Le Havre on 4th December 1915.

The 11th Battalion was engaged in furious fighting around Pilckem Ridge on 31st July 1917 and it was during this battle that James David Dallow was killed. In common with many others, his body was never recovered, he is one of 54,408 casualties commemorated on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial

Another notable casualty of the attack on Pilckem Ridge that day was the Welsh language poet Ellis Humphrey Evans who took the bardic name ‘Hedd Wyn’. His entry for the 1917 National Eisteddfod was posted from Fléchin, France on 15th July just as his unit, 15th Battalion Royal Welch Fusiliers, prepared for the major offensive at Passchendaele.