Some Photographs Of Nearly 11,000 Royal Welch Fusiliers

The names and some photographs of nearly 11,000 Royal Welch Fusiliers who lost their lives during the Great War will be projected in Caernarfon on Armistice Day – 11 November. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The Faces of WW1 project is the latest event being staged by the Royal Welsh Fusiliers Museum to illustrate the extent of the losses suffered by just one regiment in the 1914-18 conflict. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

With the support of Gwynedd Council and the Heritage Lottery Fund the names of the fallen will be displayed on a large screen at Y Maes, Caernarfon, in the presence of the Lord-Lieutenant of Gwynedd, Mr Edmund S Bailey, the Chairman of Gwynedd Council, Councillor Eric M Jones and the Mayor of the Royal Town of Caernarfon, Cllr Brenda Owen. The projection will be accompanied by the Band of the Queen’s Division and representatives from the British Army including the Ghurkah’s catering unit will also be present. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The organisers hope the event will spur families to send in photographs of family members who died in the war. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“The names of those who fell are marked on war memorials in towns and villages across Wales, but we think this event will help to bring the boys together to show the horror inflicted on just one regiment,” said Shirley Williams, Museum Development Manager. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“We are hoping that this project will add to the collection of photographs we’ve been compiling of the soldiers who died, which we are displayed at the Museum on the centenary of each man’s death. Currently, we have gathered together, for the first time, around 16% of the photos of those who never came home. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“We would dearly love to bring all the boys back together again in pictures if at all possible – and perhaps project their faces on the walls of Caernarfon Castle in 2018 to mark the centenary of the end of the War.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Councillor Eric M Jones, Chairman of Gwynedd Council added: “We have been commemorating some of the big battles of the war recently – Mametz Wood and the Somme where such a large numbers of Fusiliers lost their lives, which makes this particularly poignant this year.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Relatives with photographs are being asked to bring or send them to the RWF Museum, Caernarfon Castle (rwfmuseum1@btconnect.com) where they can be scanned , copies taken or originals kept safely for posterity. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The WW1 Faces project is one of a number of events, exhibitions and activities being undertaken by the RWF Museum to mark the centenary of the First World War. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The event will begin at 4pm at Y Maes, Caernarfon on Friday 11 November 2016 – Armistice Day. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​