Talley is another beautiful, unspoilt Village, that sits in the Towy Valley, north of Llandeilo. It is an ancient place, with the ruins of the old Twelth Century Abbey dominating the centre of the Village, within a stones throw of the lake. The Village holds an interest to me because it is to Talley that my Mothers family came to live before the Great War. My Great Grandfather Albert Dexter was the Gameskeeper on the Edwinsford Estate, and is buried at the Churchyard in Talley. The War Memorial to the men of Talley who lost their lives during the Great War stands at the entrance to the Ancient St. Michael's Church, and takes the form of a simple granite cross, mounted on an octagonal plinth, bearing the names of the fallen. Many thanks are due to Dave Hanson for his photograph of the memorial, and for his help with the research of the men.

Talley War Memorial

The Great War, 1914-1918

Oliver Boston, Private, 12471, Gloucestershire Regiment. Oliver was born in Ringsbury. Not a lot is known about him, but he must have moved to Talley sometime before the war, where he resided at Glanyrafonddu Uchaf. Oliver enlisted into the 10th Battalion, the Gloucester Regiment, with the number 12471. The Battalion formed part of the 1st Brigade, 1st Division. This Division had fought on the Western Front since the outbreak and had taken heavy casualties. During October 1915 the Division were at Loos, and it was during this Battle of Loos that Oliver was wounded. He was brought to the Hospital at Bethune, where he died of wounds on the 9th October, 1915. He lies in Bethune Town Cemetery.

 

Ebenezer Davies, Private, 45200, Welsh Regiment. Ebenezer was born around 1880 to Thomas and Elizabeth Davies, of Cross Inn Cottage, Talley. He enrolled into the local Battalion-the 15th Welsh, with the number 45200. The 15th formed part of the 114th Brigade, 38th Welsh Division, and went to France around Christmas 1915. They took very heavy casualties on the Somme at Mametz Wood, and were rested before being sent to Ypres. It was at Ypres on the 20th February, 1917 that Ebenezer sadly died of wounds, aged 38. He was buried at Mendinghem Military Cemetery.

 

John Talley Evans, Lance Sergeant, 29508, Royal Welsh Fusiliers. John was born around 1893 at Talley. He was the son of John and Elizabeth Evans, of Halfway, Talley. John enlisted at Cardiff into the 2nd Battalion, Royal Welsh Fusiliers, with the number 29508. The Battalion formed part of the 19th Brigade, 33rd Division, and was famous as being the Battalion in which Frank Richards, Siegfried Sassoon & Robert Graves. During the Battle of the Somme, the Division took part in the Battle of Bazentin, and it was during this Battle that John was to die of wounds on the 7th November, 1916. He is remembered on the massive Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme.

 

Thomas Evans, Gunner, 228095, Royal Field Artillery. Thomas was born around 1888 and was the son of John & Elizabeth Evans of Halfway, Talley, and a brother to John. He enlisted in Glasgow into the Royal Field Artillery, as a Gunner in B Battery, 330th Brigade, which formed part of the 66th (East Lancs.) Division. During the Geman Spring Offensive of 1918-Operation Michael- Thomas was taken Prisoner by the Germans. He was to sadly die of wounds whilst a POW on the 28th April, 1918 and is buried in Roisel Communal Cemetery Extension.

 

William Evans, Corporal, 290285, Royal Welsh Fusiliers. William Evans was born in 1889 in Pencraig, Talley. He married Nellie Evans (maiden name unknown) and moved to Frolic Street, Newtown, Montgomeryshire. William enlisted at Newtown into the 7th Battalion, Royal Welsh Fusiliers, number 290285. The Battalion formed part of the 158th Brigade, 53rd (Welsh) Division, and fought at Gallipoli before heading to Egypt. During the campaign in the Middle East, the Division helped to recapture Jerusalem from the Turks, and it was during this campaign, in the First Battle of Gaza, that William was killed in action, on the 26th March, 1917. He was aged 27 and is remembered on the Jerusalem Memorial.

William Edward Evans, Private, 19570, Royal Fusiliers. William was born around 1880 at Ty Ann Arthur, Talley. He was the son of Dafydd & Jane E. Evans. William enlisted at Ammanford into the 26th Battalion, Royal Fusiliers, with the number 19570. The Battalion formed part of the 124th Brigade, 41st Division. The Division were on the Somme in 1916, and it was during the Battle of the Ancre that William was killed in action, on the 10th October 1916. He was aged 36 and is remembered on the Thiepval Memorial.

 

Daniel Ginn, Private, 126146, Machine Gun Corps. Daniel isn’t on the Talley Memorial, but Soldiers Died shows him as being born in Talley. He is in fact listed on the Golden Grove War Memorial. Daniel was born around 1894, and was the son of William and Elizabeth Ginn, of Cefn Brisken, Llanefynydd, Golden Grove, Carmarthen; Husband of Elizabeth Roderick (formerly Ginn), of 32, Towy Terrace, Ffairfach, Llandilo. Daniel enlisted at Ammanford and ended up as a Private in the 59th Battalion, Machine Gun Corps, number 126146. The Battalion formed part of the 59th (2nd North Midland) Division. On the 21st March, 1918 the great German Offensive ‘Operation Michael’ was launched. The entire British sector of the Western Front came under a murderous deluge of shells, before their lines were attacked by German Storm Troopers. It was on this day that Daniel was killed in action, and he is remembered on the Arras Memorial to the Missing.

 

Wymond Howard Lloyd, Second Lieutenant, Herefordshire Regiment. Wymond was born on the 20th March, 1883, the eldest son of Mr and Mrs H. Meuric Lloyd of Delfryn, Carmarthenshire. Wymond was educated at Malvern and New College, Oxford, where he had completed two years' residence, and was half way through his degree and studying for the Civil Service. He rowed for his college in the second eight, and was a member of the O.U.O.T.C., and so was commissioned into the Herefordshire Regiment as a Second Lieutenant in September, 1914. Wymond embarked with his regiment to Gallipoli in August, 1915, and was five weeks at Suvla before contracting enteric fever and dysentery, which required his return home after many weeks in hospital. Upon his return, he was posted to Park Hall Camp, Oswestry, engaged on light duty and hoped to pass for active service at a medical board on March 23, but sadly on the 18th March he was struck by a train near the camp, and brought to Oswestry Cottage Hospital, where he died the following day, on the 19th March, 1916. He was 23 years of age, and was brought home to be buried with military honours in Llangadock Cemetery, on March 23rd. The Colonel commanding the Welsh Division Grouped Depots, T.F., wrote:- "Your son was a very fine young officer, and had gained the love and respect of all who came into contact with him, both in Gallipoli and here. I regret his loss personally, for I know what good work he was doing here in the training of the men."

 

Cecil Evelyn Long-Price, Captain, West Yorkshire Regiment. Cecil Evelyn Long-Price was the son of David Long Price and Suzanne Price, Talley House, Talley. He served as a Captain in the 9th Battalion, West Yorkshire Regiment, which were part of the 32nd Brigade, 11th (Northern) Division. The Division were sent to Gallipoli when on the 7th August 1915 they landed at Suvla Bay. Here Cecil was killed in action that day. He is remembered on the Helles Memorial.

 

James Arthur Parry, Private, 29429, South Wales Borderers. James was born at Esgairwen, Talley in 1897. He was son of John and Gwen Parry, of "Parcbach," Cwmdu Llandilo. James enlisted at Ammanford into the 2nd Battalion, South Wales Borderers, number 29429. The Battalion formed part of the 87th Brigade, 29th Division. The Division took part in the Battle of Cambrai, where the use of massed tank formations was pioneered. James was killed in action aged just 20, on the 3rd December, 1917 and is remembered on the Cambrai Memorial, Louverval.

 

Thomas Peter Parry, Private, 4197, Welsh Regiment. Thomas was born in 1885 in Talley. He was the son of John and Gwenllian Parry, of Esgairwen, Cwmdu, Llandilo. Thomas enlisted at Ammanford into the 1/4th Battalion, the Welsh Regiment, with the number 4197. The Battalion formed part of the 159th Brigade, 53rd (Welsh) Division, and fought at Gallipoli. It was at Gallipoli, during the Battle of Sari Bair, that Thomas was killed in action on the 11th August, 1915. He is remembered on the Helles Memorial.

 

Joshua Williams, Private, 633812, London Regiment. Listed on both the Taliaris & Talley War Memorials, Joshua was born in November, 1886, and worked as a Draper, residing at Ty Coch, White Square, Taliaris, Llandilo. Joshua enlisted on the 18th November, 1915 into the 15th Battalion, the London Regiment, with the Service Number 6132. On the 5th July, 1916 Joshua embarked with the Battalion for France, where he transferred to the 20th Battalion, London Regiment, attached to the 141st Brigade, 47th (London) Division, his number changing to 633812. The Division fought on the Somme that year, through the Battles of Flers-Courcelette and Le Transloy, where they captured Eaucourt L’Abbe, and attacked the Butte de Warlencourt. Joshua took ill after these actions, and was admitted to the 2nd Australian General Hospital at Boulogne with influenza. On the 2nd November he returned to England, and spent the next few months at the 2nd General Eastern Hospital, Brighton. Joshua was discharged from the army on the 26th June, 1917 owing to ill health, and was transferred to Beechwood House Hospital, Newport, where he sadly died on the 17th September, 1917 suffering from Cardiac Failure. He is not commemorated on the CWGC or on SDGW, so more research is needed to find where he is buried.

Evan George Wright, Private, 5136, Welsh Regiment. Evan was born around 1896, the son of  Mr. A. J. and Mrs. E. J. Wright, of Maesyrhiw, Talley. Evan enlisted at Carmarthen into the 1/4th Battalion, the Welsh Regiment, with the number 5136. The Battalion formed part of the 159th Brigade, 53rd (Welsh) Division, and fought at Gallipoli. It was at Gallipoli, during the Attack on Scimitar Hill, that Evan was killed in action on the 10th August, 1915. He is remembered on the Helles Memorial.