Ralph Blythen was the son of William & Sarah Ellen Blythen (nee Jones), who had married in St. Paul’s Church – Rhosesmor on the 21st August 1915. William Blythen was 32, a bachelor and Engine Driver, his abode was Tanyfoel, Berthddu and his father was William Blythen, a miner. His bride, Sarah Ellen Jones, 30, was a spinster and her abode was Church Terrace, Rhosesmor, her father Thomas Jones was deceased, but had been a Miner. Their witnesses were Henry Blythen and Margaret Jones.
The following year, their first born son, Horace Blythen was born on the 3rd April 1916, however I couldn’t find his baptism. Then on the 1st December 1917, Ralph was born and he was baptised on the 3rd February 1918 at St. Paul’s Church, Rhosesmor, the family were then living at Top-y-Cae, Ocher y Voel, Rhosesmor, and William was an Engine Driver.
Ralph’s father, William Blythen is seen living at Berth Ddu, Caerfallwch (Rhosesmor),Northop, Flintshire on the 1901 census. All the family were bilingual. Head of the household was William Blythen, 51, a Lead Miner born Cilcain, Flintshire. His wife Mary Blythen, also 51 had been born in Gwernymynydd, Flintshire as had their son James, 24, a Lead Miner. Edith, 22, was single and their only daughter, Peter, 20, single and an Engine Tender, William, 17, single and a Mine Labourer , Zachariah, 15 was a Wheelwright Apprentice, with young Harry, 7, making up the family, they had all been born in Rhosesmor.
The 1911 census shows William Blythen living with his family at Berthddue, Rhosesmor, Flintshire. (Filled in and signed by Zachariah BLYTHEN) (All Bilingual), this was the first census that the householder filled in, Zachariah’s signature is on the census form.) Head of the household was father William Blythen, 61, a Lead Miner, born in Hendre, Flintshire. His wife Mary, 61, born Mold, Flintshire, tells us that they had been married 37 years and 9 children had been born, sadly 2 had died. Daughter Harriet Ingman, 36, was married, born in Mold, tells us that she had been married 13 years, but had no children. Son Peter Blythen, 30, was single and an Engine Driver Stationary (Lead Mining), William, 27, single and a Lead Mine Labourer, above Ground , Zachariah, 25 was single and a Carpenter (Ship Building), Harry, 17, was a Lead Mine Labourer, above Ground, all had been born in Northop, Flintshire.
Ralph’s mother, Sarah Ellen Jones* on the 1901 census was living at Church Terrace, Rhosesmor, Northop, Flintshire. Susannah Jones, 49 and a widow was head of the family, she had been born in Flint. Edward, 23, was single and a Blacksmith, John, 21, single and a Line Fire Man, Margaret, 11 and Susannah, 9, made up the family on that night, the children had all been born in Northop, Flintshire.
Sarah Ellen was missing on this 1901 census, and I believe I found her living, probably “In Service” in Southport, Lancashire. She was living with another Northop lady, Elizabeth Jones, 49, Servant Housekeeper (Domestic) at 46 Hoghton St., Southport, Lancashire. Sarah E. Jones, was 16, single and a General Servant, born in Rhosesmor, Flintshire.
*Thomas Jones, Sarah Ellen Jones’s father, had died in 1891 in a tragic accident at Rhydymyn Railway Station. Please read the Newspaper cuttings, but be aware it is pretty graphic if I have transcribed it correctly. Sarah Ellen’s mother Susannah was left with 5 children, the youngest, 1 year old. Sarah Ellen was age 6.
The 1921 census, shows the family living at Ochr y Voel, Rhosesmor, William Blythen was head of the household, now 38 years and 1 month, he was an Engine Driver for the East Halkyn Lead Mining Company, and was “Out of Work.” His wife, Sarah E. Blythen was 36 years and 9 months old. Horace Blythen, now 5 years and 2 months old, Ralph, now 3 years 6 months old. They had all been born in Northop Parish, in the County of Flint.
However, the 1939 National Register, is a source of dates of birth, it shows three of the family living at River View, Berthddu. Head of the household was William Blythen, who had been born on the 2nd June 1883 and was an Engine Driver. Sarah E. Blythen had been born on the 13th September 1885 and was described as “Wife,” (Invalid). Horace Blythen had been born on the 3rd April 1916, was Farming and Single.
Ralph Blythen, I believe I found living at 5 Stybarrow Terrace, Greenside, The Lakes U.D., Westmorland, England on the 1939 National Register, which was taken on the 19th September 1939. He was living in the household of Mary Porter, who had been born on the 19th December 1884 and was described as a Householder and “Doing unpaid Domestic Duties.” This entry had a red line through it with the message “See page 16.” Also living there was Ralph Blythen, born 1st December 1917, single and a “Lead Mine Clerk” and James Johnstone, born 21st March 1886, who was a “Lead Mine Electrician, Above & Underground.” Both Ralph & James were in the A.R.P.* and members of the Decontamination.**
*(Air Raid Precautions)
**Decontamination: specialists trained to deal with and clean up incidents involving chemical and gas. (Courtesy of https://myancestors.info/arp – Civil defence during the Second World War – Air Raid Precautions (ARP)).
I do not know anything about Ralph’s childhood or teenage years, so any information would be gratefully received.
Ralph may have been conscripted as he was 21 in 1939, he would have been required to enlist or he would be conscripted.
However, Ralph had already met his sweetheart from Halkyn, and over a year after the war started, they married:-
Halkyn Parish Registers – Marriages
Page 193 No. 386 Saturday 28th December 1940 Ralph BLYTHEN, 23, Bachelor, Soldier, R.A.O.C., “River View,”, Berthddu, Rhosesmor, William BLYTHEN, Engine Driver & Elizabeth ROBERTS, 21, Spinster, Ivy Cottage, Halkyn, Thomas ROBERTS, Shipping Foreman. (By Licence)
Witnesses:- Horace BLYTHEN & Elsie Margaret ROBERTS.
Your Country needs you. – On the day Britain declared war on Germany, 3 September 1939, Parliament immediately passed a more wide-reaching measure. The National Service (Armed Forces) Act imposed conscription on all males aged between 18 and 41 who had to register for service.
He was to find himself in the Royal Army Ordnance Corps, 18 Ordnance Field Park*
* https://rnzaoc.com/tag/ordnance-field-parks/
“To the Warrior His Arms”
HISTORY OF THE ROYAL NEW ZEALAND ARMY ORDNANCE CORPS AND ITS PREDECESSORS – Although this website was for the New Zealand Divisional Ordnance Park, it is relevant, it will perhaps explain what Ralph and his regiment were doing in the war years, they were responsible for keeping the Army repaired, maintained and serviced with provision of spares.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/18th_Infantry_Division_(United_Kingdom)
18th Infantry Division (United Kingdom) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
18th Infantry Division
The 18th Infantry Division was an infantry division of the British Army which fought briefly in the Malayan Campaign of the Second World War. In March 1939, after the re-emergence of Germany as a European power and its occupation of Czechoslovakia, the British Army increased the number of divisions in the Territorial Army (TA) by duplicating existing units. The 18th Infantry Division was formed in September 1939 as a second-line duplicate of the 54th (East Anglian) Infantry Division, with men from Essex and the East Anglian counties of Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire.
The division was based in Britain from 1939 to 1941, undergoing training and being moved around the country. This included an anti-invasion role in East Anglia, training in Scotland, and redeployment to the North West where the division also helped unload merchant ships during the Liverpool Blitz. Towards the end of 1941, the British government sought to reinforce the British Army in North Africa to demonstrate to the Dominions that the United Kingdom was doing its fair share of fighting in the Middle East and to prepare for Operation Crusader. The division left Britain during October bound for Egypt.
By December, the convoy had reached South Africa and was preparing for the final stretch of its journey when news of the Japanese entry into the war was received. This resulted in most of the 18th Infantry Division being diverted to India to reinforce British forces facing the Japanese. The 53rd Brigade was sent to Singapore, from where it was deployed north to Johore and became embroiled in the Battle of Muar. After several short engagements with Japanese forces, the brigade was withdrawn to Singapore Island. Between 29 January and 5 February, the rest of the division arrived in Singapore having sailed from India. Shortly afterwards, the entire division participated in the Battle of Singapore.
Initially deployed to northeastern Singapore Island, the division remained largely inactive while the Japanese attacked the north-west sector. Following the establishment of a Japanese beachhead, the division was broken up and deployed piecemeal in the battle. One battalion was assigned to a different formation and several units formed two battlegroups. After the initial engagements, the division was regrouped for a final stand in the city of Singapore and repulsed several Japanese attacks. The division, with the rest of the garrison, surrendered to the Japanese on 15 February 1942. It was not reconstituted. Over one-third of the division’s personnel died in captivity, including divisional commander Major-General Merton Beckwith-Smith.
I believed that he was in Singapore as the date of his being taken a Prisoner of War was the 15th February 1942, so I asked the forum on the website – https://ww2talk.com/index.php?threads/fepow-royal-army-ordnance-corps-18-ordnance-field-park.96224/ to help me and as usual they were wonderful again, . Many thanks to Steve & Tim, members of the Forum, without their help, I wouldn’t be able to tell the stories of these young Servicemen.
He and thousands of other prisoners of war were marched overland, according to the P.O.W. Lists, there are many documents, too many to add to his page, mostly because they only give his name and Service Number, but please contact me via the website and I can send them to you.
He was to end his journey at Ban Pong via Changi, he was in “H” Force, and their duties were level and lay the tracks of the Burma Railway, and that is where he died of Cholera on the 9th July 1943, he was age 25 years. “F” Force had to clear the jungle for the track.
Steve & Tim from WW2talk (See above website) told me that the RAOC Roll shows that Ralph
was sent from Singapore to work on the Thai-Burma Railway on 9 May 43 as part of ‘H’ Force. ‘H’ Force was one of the worst with a death rate of 27%.
H Force – https://www.britain-at-war.org.uk/WW2/Death_Railway/html/h_force.htm – many thanks to the website.
“H” Force
Thailand – Burma Railway.
Departure Dates:-5, 6, 8, 9, 13, 17th May 1943
Work Party Name:- “H” Force
Commander:- Lt-Col. H.R. Humphrires, R.A. , 77 H.A.A. Rgt.
Journey :- Land
From Camps:- Changi to Ban Pong
Consisted of: – British – 1411, Australian – 670, Non-Dutch – 601, Dutch – 588 – TOTAL – 3270
REMARKS
This was the last of the workforces made up from those remaining at H.Q.M.C. and Java, the men were sick or wounded. “F” cleared the jungle for the track and “H” Force levelled and laid the track. “H” Force did not have the deaths as “F” Force but the death toll was still very high.
Thailand – https://anzacportal.dva.gov.au/wars-and-missions/burma-thailand-railway-and-hellfire-pass-1942-1943/locations/australian-prisoners-asia-pacific/thailand
Thailand
Our emaciated, cadaverous bodies were covered in rags, we were all barefooted with bandages covering our ulcers and we were almost all rotten with malaria and beri beri. … our own Black Jack Galleghan, the Iron Commander of the A.I.F. at Changi … was shocked to the point of silence and tears.
[Stan Arneil, describing the return of F Force to Changi in December 1943, One Man’s War, Sydney, Alterative Publishing, nd, 154.]
Please also read https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fall_of_Singapore – Fall of Singapore – From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fall_of_Singapore
Fall of Singapore – continued…
Excerpt from one of the above two websites quotes – “Churchill called it the worst disaster in British military history. The Sinking of Prince of Wales and Repulse soon after the Japanese landings on Malaya, the fall of Singapore and other defeats in 1942, severely undermined British prestige, which contributed to the end of British colonial rule in the region after the war.”
Another document shows that his belongings were buried with him, which I haven’t seen before. This story about Ralph is so sad, but it was repeated so many thousands of times over, all these young lives lost to make sure we are free now. They should always be remembered.
He was obviously loved by his family and missed so much, but they added his name to the Halkyn WW2 War Memorial, so his name would live on in Perpetuity.
RESTING WHERE NO SHADOWS FALL
