A group of sargeants and officers, possibly the Welsh Regiment's 38th Divisional Train, c.1917

Description

These sergeants and officers were presumably members of the 38th Divisional Train of the Welsh Army Corps. The only soldier identified in the photograph is Sgt John Rees Owen who is standing further right in the back row. Owen was born in the Rhondda Valley in 1884 and moved to Aberdare as a child. There he was attested on 20 May 1902 and joined the General Service Cavalry. He was later posted to the Royal Hussars (14th) and joined his troop at the Curragh, Ireland, on 31 May 1902. After the outbreak of the First World War, he enlisted to the service at Aberdare on 21 September 1915. He began service with the 38th Divisional Train (T4/109280) on 31 May 1915 and was in France between 4 December 1915 and 26 October 1917. During this period, the train carried supplies for the Division during combat in Mametz Wood, Somme, in July 1916 and Pilckem Ridge in late July 1917. Owen was admitted to Field Ambulance with influenza/emphysema on 27 August 1917 and invalided to England in late October 1917. He was discharged on 3 December 1918 and transferred to Class of Reserves.

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