2nd Ypres - Gwent's Blackest Hours - Part 1- Baptism of Fire

The regimental diary for the 3rd Mons records that by the end of April 1915: ‘The general situation was worse than we knew. The gas attack had broken the line in the north of the [Ypres] Salient and enabled the Germans to bring their guns up on the Pilckem Ridge and adjoining high ground …’ The German guns had an uninterrupted view across British positions and so, with heavy losses, a tactical withdrawal had to be made to a new defensive line of trenches by 3 May 1915.

We remember two brothers, Albert Mifflin aged 19 years and James Thomas Mifflin aged 22 years, who were both killed on the same day, 2 May 1915. Both brothers volunteered for military service at Abertillery at the same time and were members of the 3rd Monmouthshire Battalion. They were originally from Suckley in Worcestershire.

Other men of the 3rd Battalion of the Monmouthshire Regiment who were killed on 2 May 1915 included: Evan Morris, 38, of 18 Somerset St., Brynmawr; John Henry Wilton, 22, of 9 Hope St., Blaina; Francis Henry Lockstone, 25, of 35 Pump St., Blaina; George James, 17, of Upper Levels, Abertillery; Joseph Lander, 26, of 41 West Bank, Cwmtillery; Wilfred Hale, 20, of Holydene House, Cwmnanty, Abertillery; Evan Davies, 19, of 13 Harcourt Crescent, Aberbeeg; Michael Harrington, 22, of 95 King St., Cwm; James William Whipp, 26, of 9 High St., Tredegar; Edgar Meale, 21, of 55 Pochin Crescent, Tredegar; Cornelius Robert Andrews, 31, of 25 Under Church Square, Tredegar; Alfred Morris, 30, of 36 Rhyd Terrace, Tredegar; Frederick William Bosley, 24, of 9 Park Hill, Tredegar; John Hurlow, 26, of 85 Glyn Terrace, Tredegar; Frederick James Ellway, 34, of 32 Troedrhiwgwair, Tredegar; David James Jones, 20, of 21st Row, Sirhowy, Tredegar; Thomas Owens, 27, of 18 Buller Terrace, Georgetown, Tredegar; Albert Powles of Georgetown, Tredegar. There will be others who will have been missed from the above list due to shortcomings in indexed information available – no offence or disrespect is intended by any omissions.

There was no respite however, as the German army pressed on with its attacks towards the town of Ypres. The evening of the next day, ‘of May 4th saw the beginning of the Battalion’s hardest trial ….[which] was all over within a week, but during that period the 3rd Monmouths were involved in some of the hardest fighting of the war, suffered heavy casualties, and though outnumbered by the enemy and without adequate artillery support, held up the German attack at a crucial point of the line.’