Lives of the First World War

known 5th December 1914

Francis J. Meates enlisted in Pontypridd into the 11th ( 2nd Gwent ) Battalion of the South Wales Borderers , the Battalion being raised at Brecon on the 5th Dec 1914 by the Welsh National Executive Committee . After initial training close to home , they moved to Colwyn Bay ( North Wales ) and joined the 130th Brigade , 43rd Division , which was renamed the 115th Brigade , 38th ( Welsh ) Division on 29th April 1915 . They moved to Hursley Park near Winchester in July 1915 for further training and then on to Hazeley Down , Southhampton for final training and then proceeded to France , landing at Le Havre on the 4th Dec 1915 . After spells on the front line trenches at Givenchy in the spring of 1916 , the Division moved to the river Ancre on the 3rd July at the opening of the Battle of the Somme .

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