WELDING (Welden), Frederick

Frederick Welden was the son of William and Elizabeth Welden of New Eagle House Colliery, Old Hill, and was married to Maria, later of 34 Mount Pleasant, Pontnewydd, Newport, Mon. He enlisted on the South Wales Borderers and joined the 5th Battalion in the 19th Division. They had been at Messines and Ypres in 1917 and in March 1918 were waiting for the new German offensive. They were caught in the Battle of St. Quentin on the 21st March and forced back in retreat. They retired to the Messines sector but were then hit by the second German offensive on the Lys. It opened on the 9th April and retreat was experienced again. The German advance continued and on the 17th an assault on Kemmel Hill was attempted. The British troops fell back again with losses which included Private Frederick Welden. He was 32 years of age and is commemorated on Tyne Cot, Blackheath and Halesowen Memorials.