Remembering Newport Corporation Employees with Dedicated Buses

Newport Bus pay tribute to 14 brave members of the Newport Transport family who gave their lives during the First and Second World War. 

To remember then soldiers, we have a memorial for them in the reception of our Newport Transport bus depot and have named 14 of our electric buses, with the external highlighting the soldiers name, and the internal rear with further details of the ex-employee.

Several employees killed in the First World War worked on Newport Corporation’s electric tramway system. Several tram tracks can still be seen in the depot yard today, almost 86 years after the last tramway closed. We will remember those who lost their lives in the First World War:

• Bailey, Edward James, Private 2975. Died 29/04/1915 aged 18. Monmouthshire Regiment. Buried at Vlamertinghe Military Cemetery. (Fleet number: Z24).
• Jones, Charles, Private 260468. Died 14/04/1918. Gloucestershire Regiment, previously as 2968 in the Monmouthshire Regiment. Commemorated on Ploegsteert Memorial. (Fleet number: Z05).
• Murray, John Nicholas, Private 372359. Died 12/11/1917 aged 20. Royal Army Medical Corps. Buried at Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery. Killed on his 20th birthday. (Fleet number: Z08).
• Passmore, Albert Edward, Private 25721. Died 29/11/ 1917. South Wales Borderers. Commemorated on Cambrai Memorial. (Fleet number: Z07).
• Williams, Walter John, Rifleman 3135. Died 08/08/1915 aged 37. Monmouthshire Regiment. Commemorated on Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial. (Fleet number: Z04).

These gentlemen were also remembered on our older buses in 2014 for the 100-year anniversary of WWI. As the vehicles have been retired, they are being remembered as part of our new fleet of electric vehicles.

Several of the Newport Transport soldiers who fought in the Second World War were formerly bus crew. The buses consisted of conductors, who sold tickets and gave stop and start signals to the drivers, and drivers. Grey paint was often applied to the buses to camouflage them, and many double-decker buses were purchased to help reduce the restriction of fuel. Three of our employees joined the Royal Engineers to help aid with fuel and bus reduction issues. We will remember those who lost their lives in the Second World War:

• Busby, Lionel George, Corporal 1983305. Died 28/05/1940 aged 37. Royal Engineers. Buried at Bissegham Communal Cemetery. Worked as a mechanic for Newport Corporation’s transport department. (Fleet number: Z25).
• Gurney, Selwyn George, Aircraftman 1st Class 978686. Died 22/05/1941 aged 25. Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. Commemorated on Singapore Memorial. Was a Newport Corporation bus conductor before enlisting. (Fleet number: Z06).
• Rickard, Alfred Albert, Able Seaman D/JX 291193. Died 26/02/1942 aged 20. Royal Navy – HMS President III. Was on SS Mimura when he died. Commemorated on Plymouth Naval Memorial. (Fleet number: Z10).
• Tucker, Raymond Frederick, 25, 11th August 1944, Welsh Guards, 2735372, Lance Sergeant. Buried St Charles De Percy War Cemetery. Commemorated locally at St Julian's High School. (Fleet number: Z22).
• Scrivens, William Ernest, Sapper 1987151. Died 03/01/1943 aged 43. Royal Engineers. Buried Newport (St Woolos) Cemetery. (Fleet number: Z26).
• Wilkins, Richard James, Sapper 1982568. Died 16/05/1940 aged 36. Royal Engineers. Commemorated on Dunkirk Memorial. Was a Royal Engineers reservist from the early 1930s. (Fleet number: Z27).
• Williams, Herbert Arthur, Leading Aircraftman 992278. Died 31/07/1945 aged 31. Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. Buried at Caerleon (St. Cadocs) Churchyard. (Fleet number: Z09).
• Wreford, Arthur John, Gunner 1547418. Died 13/08/1942 aged 28. Royal Artillery. Commemorated on Plymouth Naval Memorial. Died while on board SS Waimarama, which was bombed and sunk while taking part in an operation to relieve Malta. (Fleet number: Z21).
• Yalland, Cyril Richard, Able Seaman D/JX 187995. Died 15/05/1942 aged 22. Royal Navy – HMS Hecla. Commemorated on Plymouth Naval Memorial. (Fleet number: Z23).

If you see our memorial buses making their journey, please do not hesitate to take a photo and either send us the photo via direct message or tag us on social media!

To see our dedicated memorial video of the soldiers, visit our Facebook page here.

Find out more about our soldiers here.