TOPIC:

This Welsh-language newspaper report of the death of Johnny D. Williams mentions the Remington Scouts; the ABW name search has him in the 82th Company, 21st Btn, IY.

Do we have any Welsh-speakers who can have a go at translating the article, and the poem too (although I can't guarantee that it's part of the article).

MARWOLAETH AR FAES Y GAD. - Bydd yn flin gan lawer glywed am farwolaeth Mr. Johnny D. Williams, mab hoff Mr. a Mrs. Williams, Great Percy Street, Llundain, gynt o Goginan, a brawd I Mrs. Jonathan, Mornington House. Ymunodd yr ymadawedig a'r Remington Scouts yn mis Mawrth diweddaf, ac wedi ymladd llawer brwydr, ac enill llawer buddugoliaeth i'w wlad, bu farw o'r enteric fever yn Standerton, Deheu Affrica, Ionawr 4ydd, yn 22ain oed. Arferai dreuho ei wyliau yma bob hai, ac enillodd barch ac edmygedd y trigolion fel bachgen o gymeriad pur a dirhodres. Nawdd y nef at y teulu yn en galar dwys.

Ergyd trwm idd ei rieni,
Oedd ei golli ef fel hyn;
Heb in cyfle i weinyddu,
Arno yn nghysgodau'r glyn.

Heb gyfleusdra i ffarwelio
Ac i ysgwyd llaw ag ef,
Pan o faes y gad 'n 'mado,
Am heddychol faes y nef.

Balm i'w clwy f'ai cael eneinio,
'I feddrod ef mewn estron wlad,
Gyda'r dagrau sydd yn treiglo
O galonau mam a thad.

A chael planu lili hyfryd
At ei gysegredig fedd;
I arwyddo swyn ei fywyd,
A thlysineb byw ei wedd.

Sued yr awelon effro,
Wrth fynd heibio Salmau hedd;
Engyl nefoedd fyddo'n gwylio
Yn warcheidiol dros ei fedd.

CYFAILL.

(Welsh Gazette and West Wales Advertiser, Thursday 16th January 1902)

Not the best translation for now, but gives you a bit of an idea. Poem does relate to his death

DEATH ON THE FIELD GAD. - Many will be angry to hear about the death of Mr. Johnny D. Williams, son of Mr. and Mrs. Williams, Great Percy Street, London, formerly of Goginan, and brother to Mrs. Jonathan, Mornington House. Remington Scouts joined the deceased and the last in March, and has fought many a battle, and won many victories for his country, died of enteric fever at Standerton, South Africa, January 4th, at 22 years old. Formerly dreuho holiday here every hai, and earned the respect and admiration of the residents as a boy pure character and dirhodres. Sponsorship of heaven to the family en grief.

IDD heavy blow his parents,
He was lost in this way;
Not in the opportunity to administer,
Him in shadows of the valley.

Without the convenience to say goodbye
And to shake hands with him,
When a battleground 'n' mado,
For peaceful area of ​​the sky.

Balm for disease f'ai being anointed,
'I was in a foreign country tomb,
With tears that rolled
From the hearts of mother and father.

And have planted lovely lily
To his sacred tomb;
To sign charm of his life,
A thlysineb live appearance.

Sued the breezes awake,
In passing Psalms peace;
Angels of heaven as may be watching
Guardianship over in his grave.

FRIEND.

Fantastic! I can't thank you enough.

Somewhat mysterious!

The IY papers do not show service with Rimington's Guides - the man was a member of the 2nd Middlesex VRC and had been an apprentice for 1.5 years when he enlisted age 22 in February 1901. The only next of kin shown is a brother living at 69 Great Percy St, Pentonville (London).

Despite coming from a Welsh speaking family this man is not on the Welsh National Memorial in Cardiff - perhaps because he was born in England.

The Rimington's Guides man was wounded in February 1900, did not qualify for a 1901 or 1902 clasp. He could have been invalided back to the UK and re-enlisted on recovery, but there are no distinguishing marks noted on the IY enlistment. Surely even a slight wound would leave a mark?

Curious - why would the family insert a fake regiment?

Maybe the newspaper report was cobbled together from letters someone had received and remembered incorrectly. There's a clear inaccuracy in referring to his brother as "Mrs. Jonathan."

STANDERTON MEMORIAL