Ralph Skinner MM
Soldier & Farmer at the rock
Ralph Skinner was our great-uncle, and the second child born to James and Rosa Skinner of Abernant Farm. Of Scottish descent, he was born 26th November 1896 in Kemeys Inferior, Monmouthshire and was baptised in 1912, along with his six siblings, at All Saint’s Church.
Education was important in the Skinner household and Ralph attended school in Caerleon. We know from family letters that by the age of five he was at school with his elder bother Wallace, and that their father proudly commented how well behaved they both were. Although a good pupil Ralph finished school at the earliest opportunity to work alongside his father on the farm.
Ralph proved a good young farmer and in 1915 he attended Dairy School Class, finishing top of the class following the exam. His elder brother was drafted to the army in 1916 leaving Ralph as the primary support for his father on the farm. His help was important as James suffered from asthma and bouts of bronchitis, and he tried to keep his son at home. However, in 1917 Ralph was drafted to the army, (draft number 708), and headed to Dunfermline in Scotland for training.
Private Skinner S/22956 began training April 14th 1917. Ralph was sorry to leave the farm but adapted well to army life, although a horse regiment would have been his preference. He commented in a letter that working on the farm had prepared him well for the rigours of army training (a sentiment also expressed by his brother Wallace about his own army training).
Ralph joined the Black Watch but was then transferred to 7th battalion Seaforth Highlanders and served in France. They were part of 26th (Highland) Brigade, 9th Scottish Division. The Highlanders were a line infantry regiment of the British Army, mainly associated with large areas of the northern Highlands of Scotland.
In a letter written from France to his uncle John in Nebraska, Ralph showed concern for how his family were coping on the farm, without him and his brother Wallace. Ralph clearly missed Abernant and explained that he hadn’t joined the army to escape his life back home.
Ralph fought in the battles of the Somme, Arras and Ypres and finally earned the rank of Acting Corporal. The battle of Arras was a British offensive on the Western Front from 9th April to 16th May 1917. British troops attacked German defences near the city of Arras and achieved the longest advance since trench warfare had begun.
Ralph was twice injured in action, first in 1917, whilst trying to aid an injured comrade and again in 1918 during a bombing raid. Ralph won the Military Medal (MM) for bravery in the field. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission has 1,132 recorded WW1 deaths for the 7th (Service) Battalion, Seaforth Highlanders.
When on leave Ralph showed his father a vesta case (small box made to contain matches and keep them dry) with a bullet dent in it. The bullet had deflected off the case saving Ralph from serious injury. He also saw his aunt Margaret whist on leave, who later commented how the war had aged him.
In 1988 Ralph’s medal, vesta case and bullet were donated to the Highlanders Regimental Museum at Fort George in Inverness, where they are on display. Following the war Ralph returned home and resumed work on the farm. He also spent time at the Skinner-owned Buckwell Farm near Devauden, working with his younger brothers.
On 22nd June 1921 Ralph became the first of the Skinner children to marry, when aged 24 he wed 23-year-old Edith Frances Hunt. The service was held at Llanllowell Church, a simple but beautiful country church dating to the 13th century. Edith had been born in Tredunnock and was living with her father Henry Thomas Hunt and siblings in Llantrissant, Monmouthshire. Henry was a farmer and widower after Edith’s mother Mary had passed away aged 40.
After their marriage Ralph and Edith took advantage of an assisted travel scheme and travelled to Australia to start a new life. They sailed from London 25th August 1921, landing in Melbourne where Ralph had arranged work. Their first son James Henry Skinner was born overseas in 1922. Shortly after James was born, they decided to return home and departed from Melbourne on September 1st 1922 aboard the SS Beltrana.
After returning home, Ralph and Edith lived and worked at several local farms. These included Buckwell Farm with his brothers Donald and Reg, Woodward Farm in Kemeys Inferior, and then Gwernddu in Llantrisant. They then spent several years at Court Farm in Lydney. In 1937, the couple and their young family settled down at Rock Farm in Penhow, living less than two miles from eldest brother Wallace.
The 1939 Register lists Ralph as a mixed farmer and heavy worker, aged 17, his son James was listed as the farm foreman. Ralph and Edith had five children when they arrived at Rock Farm. James had been born in Australia 1922 and was followed by Duncan 1924, Rosemary 1926, Robert 1929 and finally Beryl in 1932. Edith worked as a teacher and taught music at a school in Caerleon and also painted. During WWII Ralph again served his country, signing up for the Home Guard.
Ralph and Edith lived at the farm until 1967 before they retired to a new bungalow built on family-owned farmland at Llanvaches. They called it ‘Iona’ in honour of Ralph’s Scottish heritage. Their two eldest sons were near neighbours, James at Talgarth Farm and Duncan at Hill Crest. Ralph remained fit throughout his life and his family recall that he could vault a five bar gate aged 70! Ralph died in 1971, followed by Edith in 1989. The couple, along with their daughter Rosemary, are buried at St John the Baptist in Penhow. The church overlooks Rock Farm.
Shortly after Ralph died a cousin from America, James Skinner, came to visit. He spent time with Edith and the family at one of their farms, enjoying a fine high tea and plenty of farming conversation.
The original farm buildings are now the Rock and Fountain pub, they were Grade II listed 1st March 1963. In 2014 the land was considered as a housing site by Newport Council, but as of 2023 the land is still undeveloped. It has been split in two and listed for sale. When we visited there were still original features, such as a rusted farm gate and barn, to be discovered.
During our research we were fortunate to meet Ralph’s granddaughter Ann and her husband Graham. They were an invaluable help, supplying photographs and other materials to use on this website. They were also able to ask questions of Beryl, who at age 92, is the last survivng child of Ralph and Edith.