Geboortedatum: 24/09/1893

Geboorteplaats: Llansamlet, Glamorgan, Wales, Verenigd Koninkrijk

Beroep: Koolmijnwerker

Land: Wales, Verenigd Koninkrijk

Strijdmacht: British Expeditionary Force

Rang: Private

Service nummer: 56770

Dienstneming datum: 01/12/1915

Dienstneming plaats: Swansea, Glamorgan, Wales, Verenigd Koninkrijk

Eenheden:  —  Welsh Regiment, 14th Bn. (Swansea)  (Laatst gekende eenheid)

Datum van overlijden: 05/08/1917

Plaats van overlijden: Chien Farm, België

Doodsoorzaak: Killed in action (K.I.A.)

Leeftijd: 23

British War Medal Medaille — 08/07/1921

Victory Medal Medaille — 08/07/1921

James Morgan, a coalminer from Swansea, enlisted for the duration of the war in December 1915. He embarked to the front in July 1916. One month later he was attached to “C” Company, of the Welsh Regiment 14th Battalion, 114th Brigade, of the 38th (Welsh Division).

In 1917 the Welsh Division was stationed in Flanders, Belgium and participated in the Battle of Pilkem Ridge and the Battle of Langemark, both stages in the Third Battle of Ypres (31 July 1917 - 10 November 1917). The Battle of Pilkem Ridge was the opening stage of the offensive on the 31st of July 1917.

On the 31 July the 38th Division attacked the hamlet of Pilkem at 3.50 a.m. with the 114th and 113th Brigades; the 115th Brigade was in support. It advanced in the direction of Langemark. The 114th Brigade, on the left of the divisional front attacked with five Battalions. After the 10th and 13th Welsh Regiments had captured the first two objectives, the attack was taken up by the 15th Welsh on the right and the 14th Welsh on the left; followed by the 15th Royal Welsh Fusiliers. Together they had to occupy the Iron Cross Ridge, which was dominated by Iron Cross, a German strongpoint. As soon as the 14th Welsh moved forward, it encountered stubborn resistance from Iron Cross. However notwithstanding the persistent machinegun fire the Battalion managed to capture the German stronghold after heavy fighting. Once the ridge had been consolidated the advance was continued, by the 115th brigade, which eventually took up positions between Chien Farm and Norman Junction, on the western bank of the stream.

The Battalion remained in position with the 115th brigade in front of them. During the night of the 2nd and 3rd of August 1917 the 14th Welsh was relieved by the 15th Battalion Royal Welsh Fusiliers. On the 5th of August the Battalion moved up to the frontline and established itself on the western bank of the Steenbeek stream. Headquarters were established at Norman Junction. The Battalion remained in the frontline till the 6th of August 1917.Casualties suffered by the 38th (Welsh) Division had been high. From late July till the 6th of August 1917 more than 800 men had been killed or died of wounds. Among them were four officers and 64 men of the 14th Welsh Regiment.

Private James Morgan was killed in action on the 5th of August 1917. He possibly fell due to German shell fire while holding the line on the western bank of the Steenbeek stream, near Chien Farm and Norman Junction. The 23-year old has no known grave and is remembered on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial.

14 Battalion Welsh Regiment, (The National Archives, KEW (TNA), WO 95/2559/3). https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C14303 Verdere verwijzing

John S., The Welsh at War. Through Mud to Victory: Third Ypres and the 1918 Offensives, (Barnsley, Pen & Sword Military, 2018), pg. 11-15. Gebruikte bronnen

McCarthy C., Passchendaele. The Day-by-Day Account, (London, Uniform, 2018), pg. 31-33. Gebruikte bronnen

Commonwealth War Graves Commission Database https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/917842

Namenlijst (In Flanders Fields Museum) https://namenlijst.org/publicsearch/#/person/_id=98c02a1c-e488-4a9b-b796-a6881f43db7f

Lives of the First World War (Imperial War Museum) https://livesofthefirstworldwar.iwm.org.uk/lifestory/3118273