Ystalyfera - South Wales
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Val Trevallion
Photograph of William Syphas, or Syphus, from The Cambrian Daily Leader newspaper
William Syphas
The information on William Syphas has been compiled from a number of sources, including the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
William Syphas is not on the Ystalyfera War Memorial. This is probably due to his having been resident in lodgings in Ystalyfera pre-war, rather than permanently living there.
| Name | William Syphas |
| Date of Death | 24th July 1917 |
| Place of Death | France |
| Age at Death | 34 |
| Unit and Regiment | Royal Garrison Artillery; 56th Siege Battery |
| Rank | Acting Bombardier |
| Service Number | 21519 |
| Additional Information | Born in Aldsworth, Gloucester. Lived at Stratton, Gloucester. Enlisted in Wiltshire. Prior to enlisting he was a member of Ystalyfera Police Force. |
| Cemetery | Dickebusch New Military Cemetery Extension |
| UK Memorials | War Memorial at Fairford Church, Gloucestershire |
| Family Details | Son of Daniel (Born Oxfordshire 1855) Shepherd and Edith Jane Syphas (Born Gloucestershire 1861) formerly of East End, Fairford, Glos. |
| Known Brothers | George (Born Aldsworth 1891) |
| Known Sisters |
Jane E (Born Aldsworth 1881) Florence (Born Aldsworth 1887) Lilian (Born Aldsworth 1889) |
In 1911 William Syphas was residing at the Police Station on Commercial Street Ystalyfera with Mr. Thomas Brown and his wife Florence Brown and their children. Thomas Brown was a Police sergeant.
From the Labour Voice newspaper, 8th September 1917:-News has been received by his sister residing at Glanrhyd, that Bombardier Will Syphus /(Syphas) of the R. G. A. formerly of the Ystalyfera Police force, was killed in action in France on July 24th last. Bombardier Syphas, who was a native of Gloucester, was called up as a reservist at the outbreak of the war. He was 34 years of age and had been in France for over two years. He was due home on leave for a long rest in August, as he would have been a time expired man under ordinary conditions. This is the second ex Ystalyfera policeman having fallen in action, the other being Private Tom O’Connor of the Irish Guards.