Local Territorial Regiment - Royal Welch Fusiliers 4th Battalion

Ruthin had a long military tradition, with men and boys involved with the Territorial unit of the Wrexham based Royal Welch Fusiliers Regiment. The 1st and 2nd Battalions were regular, professional soldiers, with a handful of Ruthin men amongst them. The part time territorials, however, were the 4th Battalion, consisting of Denbighshire and Wrexham men. A battalion consisted of about 1000 men, divided into 4 companies. Ruthin and Denbigh men were in D Coy. Ruthin Territorials met at The Drill Hall in Borthyn, and about 80 young men and boys attended activity there at least 3 times a week. A .22 rifle range was attached behind, and a heavier rifle range was located on the old Golf Links near Golf Farm on the Rhewl road. A Territorial Sergeant was responsible, and a Regular Welsh Fusilier soldier bought live ammunition to Ruthin from Wrexham three times a week by train.
August 8th 1914, the first draft of 73 Ruthin men marched from the Drill Hall, led by the Ruthin Brass Band, along Park Rd to catch the 4.35 train to Wrexham Plas Power Camp. There they were immediately taken to the Morfa Conwy Camp were 16,000 Territorials from all over North Wales were grouped. 31 August, they went to Northampton for final basic training. 5 November, they embarked on the troopship Architect, crossed to Le Havre, and boarded cattle trucks to St Omer. Finally, on 6 November, they marched five miles to the front. They were the first RWF to reach the trenches and as the battalion history proudly stated "not with the others of the Welsh Division, but in splendid isolation."

Christmas 1914 was spent in the freezing trenches of Festubert. Scarlet fever, trench feet, influenza, a lack of a field kitchen, poor boots, clothing and equipment had taken its toll.
Until September 1915, the 4th remained as a front line battalion serving at Aubers Ridge, Neuve Chappelle, Cuinchy and the Cambrin Sector.

In September 1915, the 4th Battalion changed from being an infantry force into a Pioneer battalion, and was engaged in trench construction, tunneling and front line infrastructure work. The experiences of so many Wrexham miners in the battalion made this a natural role for the 4th. They were heavily involved in Loos.
During 1916, they consolidated Highwood at the Somme, and moved north to Ypres at Messines and Westhoek Ridge. 1917 saw them at Arras and Bourlon Wood. 1918 at Metz, Senlis and the Somme, ending the war at Lille.

Cpl Thomas Roberts, Mwrog St and Lt John Arthur Elias Hughes, Castle Street died at Arras in January 1915.

Pte Robert John Jones, 51 Mwrog St died at Ypres in May 1915.

Pte Robert T Hughes died at Loos in September 1915.

Pte James Askey of Llanfwrog died at Ypres in October 1916.

Ptes John Edward Jones and Albert Evans, both of Mwrog St died at Ypres 1917.

Ptes Eben Morris and John W Williams, both of Mwrog St, William Williams, 31 Park Rd, and Surgeon Captain John W Anderson died at Lens, April 1918. Pte John Edward Jones, 106 Mwrog St, died at the Somme.