The small community of Llangain is situated in a pleasant location in the Towy Valley, about four miles south of Carmarthen on the road to Llanstephan. The War Memorials for the men of Llangain who fell during both World Wars are located inside Smyrna Independant Chapel.

Llangain War Memorial, The Great War, 1914-1918

John Davies, Private, 320373, Welsh Regiment. John was the son of Mr and Mrs John Davies, Factory Road, Llanstephan, and lived at Glyn Cottage, Llangain. He enlisted at Carmarthen into the Pembroke Yeomanry in June 1915, and moved to Egypt with the battalion in 1916. The Pembroke Yeomanry merged with the Glamorgan Yeomanry in 1917 to form the 24th Battalion, Welsh Regiment, which was attached to 231 Brigade, 74th (Yeomanry) Division. The division had been formed in Egypt in January 1917 and took part in the march through Palestine, fighting at the three battles of Gaza, before finally capturing Jerusalem at the end of the year. John was killed at the Third Battle of Gaza on 6 November 1917. He was 34 years old, and is buried at Beersheba War Cemetery, Israel. John left a widow and two children. His brother William Charles Davies also fell. Many thanks to Avril Marks for the photograph.

 

William Charles Davies, Private, 3365, 10th Battalion, Australian Imperial Force. William was born in Guildford, Surrey in 1886. His family moved to West Wales, where William's mother Mary lived at Dyffryn Factory, Llanstephan Road, Carmarthen. William had emigrated to Western Australia, where he found work as a Groom near Blackboy Hill, which is where he enlisted on 17 October 1916. William embarked at Fremantle aboard the H.M.A.T. Berrima, and arrived at Devonport on 16 February 1917. After several months in camps at Larkhill and Dorrington, where William was court martialled for being Absent Without Leave (for over a week), William was sent among a batch of reinforcements to the 10th Battalion, arriving in France on 22 August 1917. His papers show that he was wounded in Action on 1 October that year, rejoining the Battalion four days later. The next entry in his papers show that he deserted his post on 1 January 1918, and was apprehended by the Military Police two days later. His trial on 15 February 1918 ended up in his being awarded five years penal servitude, but on 7 March this was suspended and William rejoined his Battalion at the front. The Battalion were by now in Northern France, and the German Offensive was in full swing, with the Australian Corps in the Borre area. William was killed in Action near Borre on 30 May 1918 and is buried in Borre British Cemetery, Grave I. D. 20. He was 31 years old.

William David Davies, Private, 52657, Welsh Regiment. William was the Son of John and Mary Davies, of Greencastle, Llanstephan Road, Carmarthen. He enlisted at Cardiff into the Army and joined the 9th Battalion, Welsh Regiment, attached to 58 Brigade, 19th (Western) Division. The Division crossed to France during July 1915, and moved to positions near Loos. The Division 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 1 July 1916, 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. William was wounded during the terrible fighting at Kemmel, and evacuated to hospital where he died on 25 April 1918. He was 21 years old and is buried at Etaples Military Cemetery, France.

David Idwal Griffiths, D.C.M., Private, 29403, South Wales Borderers. David was the Son of John and Margaretta Griffiths, of Cochybarlys, Llangain, Carmarthen. He enlisted at Carmarthen into the Army, and joined the 2nd Battalion, South Wales Borderers, who were attached to 87 Brigade, 29th Division. The Division moved to Gallipoli via Egypt, landing on 25 April 1915. They remained here until evacuation to Egypt on 11 January 1916 and then moved to the Western Front on the 15th March. The Division took part in its first major action in France during the 1916 Somme Offensive, and fought at the Battles of Albert and Le Transloy, suffering heavy casualties. In the Spring of 1917 they fought at the Battle of the Scarpe, which was part of the Arras Offensive, and then moved further north to Ypres. Here they fought at the Battle of Langemarck, and then at the Battles of the Menin Road, Polygon Wood, Broodseinde and Poelcappelle, before moving to Cambrai. Here they fought at the Battle of Cambrai in November and December, 1917 before moving back to Flanders early in 1918. The German Spring Offensive hit the British on the Somme on 21 March 1918, and hit in Flanders just weeks later. The 29th Division fought at the desperate defensive battles of Estaires, Messines, Bailleul and Kemmel, before the war turned in favour of the Allies after a series of successes on the Somme in August. The Division then took part in the Offensive in Flanders, where they took part in the Action of Outtersteene Ridge, and then at the Battle of Ypres and the Battle of Courtrai. It was during the terrible fighting at Outtersteene that David showed his mettle, and for his brave actions was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal. The citation for the award, listed in the London Gazette of 10 January 1920 read 'for conspicuous gallantry and determined courage at Outersteene on 18th August 1918. When his platoon was held up by heavy machine gun fire, he and another man crept forward and rushed the post, capturing two machine guns, killing three enemy and taking five prisoners. After the objective was reached, these two worked forward and captured a sniper who was causing casualties during consolidation.' Sadly just weeks after this, David was wounded at Ypres. He died of his wounds on 3 October 1918, aged just 20 and is buried at Ypres Reservoir Cemetery, Belgium.

William Howells, Gunner, 122051, Royal Artillery. William was born at Ferryside, the Son of Lewis and Mary Howells, of Neptune Villa, Ferryside, and enlisted at Carmarthen into the Royal Artillery. He was posted to the 'X' 32nd Trench Mortar Battery, which was allocated to the 32nd Division, which from April 1915 had become part of the Fourth Army. The Division fought on the Somme in 1916, moving to Arras in the Spring of 1918. After the Battles of Arras in 1918, where the German Offensive failed to take the City, the Division moved South to the old Somme battlefield, where the tide was turned against the German advance. From then on, they pushed the Germans back toward the Hindenburg Line, where their offensive had started off, and the 32nd Division fought their final Battle at the Sambre during early November, 1918. William was Killed in Action during this engagement on 4 November 1918, aged just 23. He is remembered on the Vis-en-Artois Memorial, Panel 3 and 4.

World War Two, 1939-1945

Thomas Henry Davies, Sergeant, 991591, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. Thomas was the Son of David and Mary Ann Davies, of Werncorgam Fach, Llangain, Carmarthen. He served in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, in 103 Squadron, which flew the Avro Lancaster III, based at Elsham Wolds. On the night of 18 October 1943, the squadron formed part of a massive force of 260 Lancasters sent to bomb Hannover. Eighteen aircraft were lost on the raid, one of which contained Thomas, who was lost with his fellow crewmen. Thomas was 23 years old, and is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.

Thomas Lloyd, Sergeant, Home Guard. Thomas was the son of Jane Lloyd, and the husband of Hannah Mary Lloyd, of Llangain. Being too old for overseas service, he served at home in the 1st (Carmarthenshire) Battalion, the Home Guard, and Died at home, aged 45, on 22 July 1941. He is buried at Llangynog Churchyard. (Not commemorated on the Llangain War Memorial).

Lawrence Walters, Warrant Officer, 1316296, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. Lawrence was the Son of Mrs. P. Jones, and the grandson of Mr. W. J. Walters, of Ffordd, Llangain, Carmarthen. He served with 681 Squadron, which had been formed at Dum Dum in India in 1943, flying on coastal defensive work. The Squadron was initially equipped with the Spitfire IV, but was re-equipped with the Mosquito IX in August that year. In October they received a batch of brand new Supermarine Spitfire XI's, and moved to Alipore in May, 1944. The Squadron flew missions over the Far East throughout its time at war. Little is known of how Lawrence was killed, but he is recorded as having died on 22 February 1945, aged 23, and is commemorated on the Singapore Memorial. Many thanks to Nigel Anstey for the photograph used below.