Llangunnock is a parish, about six miles south-west from Carmarthen, which covers the villages of Llangynog, Llangain and Bancyfelin. The Parish contains two Manor Houses, Penryn and Coomb, which is now in use as a Care Home, run by the Leonard Cheshire Foundation. The parish church is dedicated to St. Cynog. The War Memorial, which commemorates the fallen of the Boer War, Great War and Second World War is situated about 100 yards from the Llangynog Village Hall. Many thanks to Peter Shaw for his permission to use his photograph of the War Memorial.

Llangynog War Memorial

 

Boer War

Thomas Morris, Lieutenant, 6th Dragoon Guards. Thomas lived at Coomb Mansion, the only son of Thomas Morris. He was born in May 1879, and educated at Cheltenham College. Thomas entered the 6th Dragoon Guards from the 3rd Battalion, South Wales Borderers in October 1899, and was promoted Lieutenant in May 1900. He embarked for South Africa soon after, where he took part in the advance on Johannesburg and Pretoria, and the subsequent engagements around Belfast and Machadadorp, and the advance to Barberton. On 26 January 1902, Thomas had been called on to surrender after a brief melee against a Boer force near Oshoek. On scornfully refusing, he was shot down dead, and was buried by the Boers in a farmyard at Oshoek, Transvaal. Thomas was just 22 years of age, and is commemorated on the Eleanor Cross Memorial at Cheltenham College.

The Great War, 1914-1918

Thomas Ernald Davies, Corporal, 203565, Welsh Regiment. Thomas was born at Carmarthen, and resided at Penygroes prior to the war, returning to Carmarthen to join the 9th Battalion, Welsh Regiment. The Battalion formed part of 58 Brigade, 19th (Western) Division, and had fought during the opening attack of the Battle of Loos, and then moved to the Somme, where they took part in the second wave of the attack on Ovillers-La Boiselle on the 1st July, capturing the village at heavy cost, and fought through the Somme Battles of Pozieres and the Ancre in 1916. They then moved North to Ypres, taking part in the Battle of Messines, and fought on the Menin Road and at Polygon Wood, before moving up to Broodseinde, Poelcappelle and Passchendaele Village itself. In 1918 they were caught up in the German Spring Offensive near St. Quentin, where they suffered terrible casualties, and fought at the Battle of Bapaume. They moved to Ypres, but were caught up in the German attack at Messines, and at Bailleul, and Kemmel. After suffering terribly again, they moved South to the quieter French sector to rebuild, but were caught up in the German offensive on the Aisne, where Thomas was killed on 2 June 1918. He has no known grave, and so is commemorated on the Soissons Memorial, France.

 

William Davies, Pioneer, 63057, Royal Engineers. William was born in Llanboidy, the Son of David and Annie Davies, later of Croesyceiliog, Llanybri, Llanstephan. William enlisted at Abergavenny into the 38th (Welsh) Division Signal Company, Royal Engineers, and moved to France with the Division in late 1915. After a mauling at the Battle of the Somme in July 1916, whilst capturing Mametz Wood, the Division were pulled out of the line, and moved to Flanders. Here they underwent further training, and took part in the Battles of Pilckem and Langemarck. William was Killed in Action on the opening day of the Battle of Pilckem, on 31 July 1917 aged just 20. He is buried at New Irish Farm Cemetery, just north of Ypres.

 

William Morgan Davies, Private, 39579, South Wales Borderers. William was the Son of John Davies, of Llwynon, Bankyfelin, Carmarthen. He joined the Pembroke Yeomanry in January 1916, but was later posted to the 2nd Battalion, South Wales Borderers, joining the battalion in France in August 1916, where it was on the Somme, attached to 87 Brigade, 29th Division. The Division moved to Arras early in 1917, and it was there, during the Second Battle of the Scarpe, that William was killed on 23 April 1917. He was 24 years old, and is commemorated on Bay 6 of the Arras Memorial, France.

 

John Howell Edwards, Private, 56906, Welsh Regiment. John was the Son of Richard and Keturah Edwards, of Parknewydd, Bankyfelin. He enlisted at Carmarthen into the Pembroke Yeomanry, and was in Dublin during the riots, before moving to France in 1916, where he was posted to the 9th Battalion, Welsh Regiment. The battalion was then on the Somme, as part of 58 Brigade, 19th (Western) Division. John then saw service with the Battalion during the Battle of Messines in the summer of 1917, and during the later stages of the Battle of Passchendaele. The Division was on the Somme when the German Spring Offensive of 21 March 1918 hit the area, and suffered heavy casualties before being moved back to positions south of Ploegsteert Wood to rest and rebuild. However, a fresh German offensive was launched there the following month, and John was killed on 16 April 1918, during the Battle of Messines. He was 22 years old, and is commemorated on Panel 93-94 of the Tyne Cot Memorial, Belgium.

 

James Evans, Private, 12150, Royal Welsh Fusiliers. James was born at Llangynog, and enlisted at Tumble into the 8th Battalion, Royal Welsh Fusiliers. The battalion had formed at Wrexham, becoming attached to 40 Brigade, 13th (Western) Division. Between 6 and 16 July 1915 the Divisional infantry landed on Cape Helles and relieved the 29th Division. They left and returned to Mudros at the end of the month, and the entire Division landed at ANZAC Cove between 3 and 5 August, 1915, taking part in the Battle of Sari Bair. James was killed here on 16 August 1915. He has no known grave, and is commemorated on Panel 77-80 of the Helles Memorial, Gallipoli.

William Howells Gunner, 122051, Royal Artillery. William was the Son of Lewis and Mary Howells, of Neptune Villa, Ferryside, and enlisted at Carmarthen into the Royal Artillery, where he was to serve in their 'X', 32nd Trench Mortar Battery. This Battery was attached to the 32nd Division, which had moved to France in 1915. They fought throughout most of the Somme Offensive in 1916, and followed the German retreat to the Hindenburg Line in 1917 before taking part in the Battle of Arras, when the German Spring Offensive was launched against the City in March, 1918. They remained on the Somme, fighting during the retreat towards Albert, then in the advance past Bapaume and on through the mighty Hindenburg Line, which they pushed through on towards the Sambre, where William was Killed in Action on 4 November 1918. He was 23 years old, and is remembered on the Vis-en-Artois Memorial.

 

William Killa, Private, 4301, Welsh Regiment. William was born in Pendine in 1895. His parents were John and Esther Killa from Laugharne, who had moved the family to Pendine, before moving to Alltycnap Road, Carmarthen. Williams's Grandparents stayed in Laugharne. William enlisted into the 1/4th Battalion of the Welsh Regiment in August 1914. The 1/4th was a territorial Battalion, and it formed part of South Wales Brigade. On 17 April 1915 it was attached to 159th Brigade, 53rd Division and on 8 October 1915 amalgamated with 1/5th Battalion forming 4/5th Welsh Composite Battalion. In July 1915, the 53rd Welsh Division was shipped to Egypt and there they trained for the Gallipoli Campaign. On 9 August 1915, the Division landed at Suvla on Gallipoli. The day after landing on the hostile shores of Gallipoli, William was killed in Action. He was just 20 years old and had seen just one day of fighting. He is remembered on the Helles Memorial in Gallipoli, on Panels 140-144.

 

Benjamin James Lewis, Private, 811138, Canadian Infantry. Benjamin was the Son of Daniel and Sarah Lewis, of Ebenezer Cottage, Llangunnock. He had emigrated to Canada before the war, where he worked as a Miner. Benjamin enlisted at Edmonton into the 50th Battalion (Alberta), Canadian Infantry on 7 December 1915, and moved to France in April 1916, where the Battalion was attached to the 10th Brigade, 4th Canadian Division. The Division then fought through the latter stages of the Somme Offensive in 1916, before moving to positions in front of Vimy Ridge, near Arras the following year. It was here, during the Canadians famed capture of Vimy Ridge, that Benjamin was killed on 12 April 1917. He was 28 years old, and is commemorated on the Vimy Memorial, France.

 

Edgar George Rees, Second Lieutenant, Royal Welsh Fusiliers. Edgar was born in 1891, the Son of Mr. T. V. Rees and Mrs Rees, of The School House, Llangunnock. He was commissioned into the Royal Welsh Fusiliers in 1916, being posted to the 19th Battalion, attached to 119 Brigade, 40th (Bantam) Division. This Division was formed between September and December 1915, composed of bantam units and others which had a mixture of regulation-height and shorter men. Weeding out of very under-sized or unfit men delayed the training programme, and it was not until late Spring 1916 that the Division was ready to proceed on active service. The Division moved to France between the 1st and 9th June, and moved to the front near Loos. Late in 1916 they moved south to the Somme, and fought at the Battle of the Ancre, and remained in the area over the winter. In March, 1917 the Germans withdrew to their shortened line, called the Hindenburg Line, and the 40th Division were one of the Divisions that followed the withdrawal. Later in the year they took part in the Battle of Cambrai, playing an important role in the attack on Bourlon Wood. Edgar was killed in action at Cambrai on 23 November 1917, aged 26. He is commemorated on the Cambrai Memorial, Louverval, France. His three other brothers also served.

David John Thomas, Private, 320328, Welsh Regiment. David was the Son of James and Esther Thomas, of Blaencwm, Llangunnock, and had enlisted at Carmarthen into the Pembroke Yeomanry. The Pembroke Yeomanry moved to Egypt early in 1916, where it formed part of the Suez Garrison, before being merged with the Glamorgan Yeomanry in March 1917 to form the 24th Battalion, Welsh Regiment, and was attached to 231 Brigade, 74th (Yeomanry) Division. The Division then took part in the advance into Palestine, and fought at the Second and Third Battles of Gaza, before being involved in the capture of Jerusalem. David was killed soon after, during the affair of Huj, El Mughar and Junction Station, on 12 November 1917. He was 21 years old, and is buried at Kantara War Memorial Cemetery, Egypt, in Grave E. 154.

Evan Thomas, Private, 70418, Royal Welsh Fusiliers. Evan was born at Llangynog, and enlisted at Llanelli into the South Wales Borderers. He was then posted to the 1st Battalion, Royal Welsh Fusiliers, which was in France attached to 22 Brigade, 7th Division. The Division had been in France since landing at Zeebrugge during October 1914, and had fought in almost every major battle thereafter. In March, 1917 they followed up the German Retreat to the Hindenburg Line, and took part in Flanking Operations Round Bullecourt. The 7th were moved into a scene of incredible ferocity at Bullecourt, a strongly fortified village on the Hindenburg Line, and alongside the Australians played a major role in penetrating the village defences. Later in the year the Division moved to Ypres, and fought at the Battle of the Polygon Wood. They then took part in the Battle of Broodseinde, the Battle of Poelcapelle and the Second Battle of Passchendaele, and it was here that Evan was killed on 26 October 1917. He has no known grave, and is commemorated on Panel 63-65 of the Tyne Cot Memorial, Belgium.

 

Albert Ernest Williams, Able Seaman, 218031, Royal Navy. Albert was born at Llangynog, and was the Husband of Mrs. E. A. Williams, of 5, Williams Street, Pontardulais, Glamorgan. He served in the Royal Navy, aboard HMS Good Hope, which was attached to the West Indies Squadron. Albert was killed when Good Hope was sunk with all hands at the Battle of Coronel on 1 November 1914. He was 30 years old, and is commemorated on Panel 3 of the Portsmouth Naval Memorial, Hampshire.

 

Benjamin Williams, Private, 15809, Kings Shropshire Light Infantry. Benjamin was the Husband of Mrs. Williams, Ann Street, Gadlys, Aberdare, and the son of Mr & Mrs Williams of Eithinduon, Llangunnock. He worked as a Miner at Bwllfa Collieries before the war, and enlisted at Aberdare into the 7th Battalion, King's Shropshire Light Infantry. The Battalion formed at Shrewsbury in September 1914, joining 76 Brigade, 25th Division. It moved to France on 28 September 1915, and then joined 3rd Division. The Division was on the Somme in the summer of 1916, and it was there that Benjamin was killed, during the Battle of Bazentin Ridge, on 14 July 1916. He has no known grave, and is commemorated on Pier and Face 12A of the Thiepval Memorial, France.

 

World War Two, 1939-1945

James Eric Howell Davies, Corporal, T/123583, Royal Army Service Corps. James was the Son of Thomas Howell Davies and Margaret Davies, of Bankyfelin. He served with the 7th Anti Aircraft Brigade Company, Royal Army Service Corps, and was in France with the British Expeditionary Force after the Nazi invasion of Poland in 1939. James was then caught up in the desperate defence of France, and during the subsequent retreat to Dunkirk during May 1940. He was one of many men of the BEF who didn't make it to Dunkirk, as the evacuation, called Operation Dynamo, ended on 3 June 1940. James died in Belgium two weeks after this, on 18 June 1940, although it is not clear how he died. He was 21 years old, and is buried at Adegem Canadian War Cemetery, Belgium, in Grave VI. AB. 2.