Llanstephan and District War Memorials, The Great War, 1914-1918

 

William Wood Brailsford, Private, 1050, Australian Imperial Force. William was born in Llanstephan in 1885, the son of Thomas Stanley Brailsford and Martha Anne Brailsford, later of "Highwood," Peaks Hill, Purley, England. William had emigrated to Australia, where he worked in Tasmania as an Orchadist. On 6 April, 1915 William enlisted at Claremont, Tasmania into the 2nd Pioneer Battalion of the Australian Imperial Force, and embarked on H.M.A.T. Ascanuis on 20 June, 1915. He was part of a reinforcement batch bound for Gallipoli, and arrived at Alexandria on 4 September, 1915. William arrived soon after at ANZAC Beach, Gallipoli, but by 25 September he was admitted to Hospital suffering from Gastritis, and shipped from ANZAC to Heliopolis. It wasn't until the end of December that William was deemed fit enough to return to his unit, rejoining them at Ismailia. On 6 April, 1916 William transferred into the 31st Battalion, A.I.F., which embarked at Alexandria on 16 May 1916 bound for Marseilles aboard H.M.T. Hororata, arriving on 23 May. The 31st Battalion was attached to 8 Brigade, 5th (Australian) Division, and the Division moved by railway to the Fleurbaix Sector, in Northern France. The Battle for the Somme was about to begin, and a diversion was planned at Fromelles which the 5th Division was to take a full part in. A disastrous attack on 19 July 1916 heralded the opening of the Battle, and in the next few hours the 5th Division was virtually annihilated. William was 31 years old, when he was killed in action on the second day of the Battle, on 20 July 1916, where by now the 31st Battalion alone had lost over 500 men, and he was buried in Rue-Petillon Military Cemetery, Fleurbaix, France. William is not commemorated locally.

John Tyssil Davies, Lieutenant, Royal Navy. John was born at Llandyssilio on 24 February 1879, the son of the Rev. D. S. Davies. After being educated at Whitland Grammar School, John's father took up the post of Vicar of Llanybri, and the family moved there as a result. John seems to have served with the Merchant Navy prior to the war, after being awarded his Board of Trade Certificate on 4 September 1906. He then married Sybil Evelyn H. H. Harding in Montgomeryshire in 1908, and the couple set up home at Park Villa, Llanstephan. After the declaration of war, John decided to enlist into the Royal Navy, and served aboard the Transport Ship Pardo before being granted a commission as Sub-Lieutenant into the Royal Naval Reserve on 14 September 1915. John trained at Devonport, before serving at HMS Vivid, HMS Vengeance II and HMS Dido. On 15 May 1917 John was posted to the pre-dreadnought battleship HMS Hindustan, which was attached to the Nore Command, based at Sheerness. John served aboard for several months, and became promoted to Lieutenant. He became ill with appendicitis, and was hospitalised at the RN Hospital Chatham. After undergoing an operation, John sadly died on 21 January 1918, aged 37, and is buried at Gillingham (Woodlands) Cemetery, Kent. John is also recorded on the Whitland Grammar School Memorial, and also at Mumbles, where his brother, Reverend Latimer Davies, was curate of Oystermouth Parish Church. Sybil later resided at 8, St. Helena Road, Westbury Park, Bristol, and died at Weston-Super-Mare in 1963.

William Charles Davies, Private, 3365, 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 on 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 was by now in Northern France, and the German Offensive was in full swing, with the Australian Corps in the Borre area. William was 31 years old when he was Killed in Action near Borre on 30 May, 1918 and is buried in Borre British Cemetery, France.

William David Davies, Private, 52657, Welsh Regiment. William was the Son of Mary and the late John Davies, of Greencastle, Llanstephan Road, Carmarthen. He enlisted at Cardiff into the Welsh Regiment, and was posted to France, where he joined the 9th Battalion, Welsh Regiment, which was attached to 58 Brigade, 19th (Western) Division. William probably joined the battalion after the Somme battles of 1916. In 1917 the Division 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 fought a terrible rearguard action over the coming days. William was wounded around this time, and died on 25 April 1918, aged 21. He is buried at Etaples Military Cemetery, France.

Horace Scott Dowdeswell, Second Lieutenant, Welsh Regiment. Horace was the Son of Lieut. Col. William and Amelia Elizabeth Dowdeswell, of Southcove, Porthcawl. He was a regular visitor to his Aunt and Uncle, Major T. H. and Mrs. Dowdeswell, of The Cottage, Llanstephan, and was well known locally. Horace was commissioned into the Welsh regiment, and was posted to Egypt to join the 1/5th Battalion, Welsh Regiment, which was attached to 159 Brigade, 53rd (Welsh) Division. He took part in the advance into Palestine from March 1917 onwards, and was killed in action while leading his company into a storm of Turkish machine gun fire on 3 November 1917. Horace was 19 years old, and is buried at Beersheba War Cemetery, Israel. Horace is not commemorated locally.

 

Thomas Howells, Private, M2/046283, Royal Army Service Corps. Thomas was born at Llanybri, the son of John and Mary Howells. The family then moved to Llain, at Llanybri, where Thomas grew up, and his brotehr William was born. Thomas enlisted at Merthyr into the Army Service Corps, Base Mechanical Transport Depot. John was sent to France in 1915, but took ill and Died of Sickness on 19 January, 1916, aged 36. He is buried in Ste. Marie Cemetery, Le Havre, France. Many thanks to Andrew Devine, the Great Nephew of Thomas, for the photograph of him in uniform.

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. 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, France.

David James, Sergeant, 448350, Royal Engineers. David was born at Llanybri on 19 October 1884, and moved to the Smithy, Llanddowror in 1908. David joined the 2/1st Welsh Field Company, Royal Engineers on 14 November 1914, and was promoted Farrier Sergeant on 27 September 1915. He was sent to the Dardanelles in October 1915 and from there was transferred to Egypt in December that year, when he was transferred to the 437th Field Company. He marched with the Forces from Egypt to Palestine and was present at the Battle of Gaza and other engagements. David was due to return to England in November 1917, and was returning firstly to Palestine on the Aragon when the ship was torpedoed by a submarine on 30 December 1917 and he was drowned, aged 33. David is remembered on the Alexandria (Chatby) Memorial, Egypt.

 

Daniel John Jones, Private, 282285, Lancashire Fusiliers. Daniel was the son of Mr Daniel Jones, of Cwrtyearne, Llanstephan. He enlisted at Carmarthen into the 2/7th Battalion, Lancashire Fusiliers, part of 197 Brigade, 66th Division. The Division were formed on 31 August 1914, but remained at home until the end of February 1917, being used as a source of reinforcements for the 42nd Division at Gallipoli. They concentrated on the Western Front during March 1917 and moved north to the Flanders Coast. Daniel was killed in Action in North Flanders on 29 August 1917 and was buried at  Ramscappelle Road Military Cemetery, Belgium.

 

Thomas Voyle Morgan, Private, 951, Welsh Guards. Thomas was born at Cothi Bridge, and moved to Merthyr Tydfil in later life, working as a Policeman. He married there, his widow Mary Jane Morgan later living at 163, Mackintosh Place, Roath, Cardiff. Thomas enlisted at Merthyr into the Welsh Guards, who were formed by Royal Warrant on 26 February 1915, and had joined 3rd Guards Brigade, Guards Division in France. The Welsh Guards saw their first action at the Battle of Loos in September 1915. After Loos, the Guards were brought out of the lines, spending time at Calais recuperating. From here they moved to Ypres in where they spent time again in the front line, where Thomas was wounded. He was brought back to the Base Hospital at Etaples, where he Died of Wounds on 25 May 1916, aged 27. He is buried in Etaples Military Cemetery, France.

 

James Stanley Phillips, Private, 39605, South Wales Borderers. James was born in 1897 to David and Anne Phillips, of Parcnwc, Llanstephan. James's mother Anne was a Laugharne girl, the daughter of Mr and Mrs Thomas, Castell-Toch. Early in 1917, James was drafted into the army, where he became a Private in the 2nd Battalion, South Wales Borderers, which was attached to 87 Brigade, 29th Division. The Division had landed at Marseilles on 29 of March 1916 after a torrid spell at Gallipolli, before fighting at the Battle of the Somme in 1916, and through the Battles of the Scarpe, near Arras, through the beginning of 1917. On 7 June 1917, the Flanders Offensive was begun around Ypres. The following battles were to become known as Third Ypres or Passchendaele. On 16 August 1917, the Battle of Langemarck began. This area, just North of Ypres, had become a hellhole. The continuous bombardment of the German Front Lines had turned the battlefields around Ypres into a quagmire of foul, sticky mud, full of the debris of three years of non-stop fighting. James, aged just 20 years old, was killed in action that day. As happened to so many other poor souls that fought in that area, his body was lost in the mud, and so he is commemorated on the massive Tyne Cot Memorial, Belgium. At the very time that James lost his life, his mother also had the agony of her elder brother in an Army Hospital in Birmingham having his leg amputated after a terrible wound suffered in France.

 

W. H. Rees, Sapper, Royal Engineers. The Carmarthen County War Memorial of 1922 has this man listed on it, but no records can be found of him, and he is not on the War Memorial at Llanstephan. 

James Meredith Richards, Private, 16609, West Riding Regiment. James was the Son of James L. Richards and Ada Janet Richards, of Pantyrathro, Carmarthen. He was educated at Llandovery from 1911 to 1912, and then was in business in London. In September 1914 James enlisted in the Army at Cardiff, and joined the Dragoon Guards, but was invalided home with a leg wound, and spent some time in Hospital at Manchester. On recovering from his wound, James transferred Regiments, now joining the 2nd Battalion, Duke of Wellington's (West Riding) Regiment. The Battalion was attached to 12 Brigade, 4th Division, and by the time James joined them, they were in positions on the Somme, where they had fought at the Battle of Albert and the Battle of Le Transloy. On 15 December 1916 the Battalion relieved the Essex Regiment in the front line at Bapaume, in atrocious weather conditions. It is believed that James was killed by a sniper there, on 19 December 1916, as his Battalion's War Diary records for that date '1 other rank killed and 1 Other rank wounded'. He was 22 years old, and is buried at Sailly-Saillisel British Cemetery, France.

 

David Arthur Thomas, Second Lieutenant, Royal Welsh Fusiliers. David was born at Llanstephan, the Son of the Rev. David E. Thomas and Jennie Thomas of Brynllwyfen, Llanstephan. Prior to the war, David worked on the staff of Lloyds Bank in Llanelli, but he sought a commission in the Royal Welsh Fusiliers, and after his training was posted to their 1st Battalion. The 1st RWF was at Malta at the outbreak of War, and upon its return, landed at Southampton on 3 September, 1914, where it was attached to 22 Brigade, 7th Division. The 7th Division was formed from regular British Army units brought together from around the Empire. They landed at Zeebrugge on 6 October 1914, but were too late to halt the German advance there, and were sent to Ypres, where they took part in the First Battle of Ypres, and helped stopped the fall of the City, suffering terrible losses in the process. They moved South to Neuve Chappelle, where they took part in the Battle there, before fighting at Aubers Ridge Givenchy and Loos, before being brought down to the Somme, where they pulled off one of the few successes on the opening day of the Battle on 1 July 1916 by capturing Mametz Village. The Division stayed on the Somme for the duration of the Battle, and helped to follow the German retreat to the Hindenburg Line in early 1917. The Battle of Arras began on 9 April 1917 and the 7th Division were moved in front of one of the most strongly defended German positions around Arras, at Bullecourt, which they attacked and successfully took alongside the Australian Corps. David was Killed in Action around this period, on 4 May 1917, aged only 22. He is remembered on the Arras Memorial, France.

Thomas Trevor Treharne, Private, 63045, Welsh Regiment. Thomas was born in Llanstephan, the son of Thomas and Mary Treharne, of Llanstephan, and was the Husband of Margaret A. Treharne of 2, Ivy Cottage, Llanstephan. Thomas enlisted at Carmarthen into the Pembroke Yeomanry, but soon transferred into the 9th Battalion, the Welsh Regiment, which formed part of 58 Brigade, 19th (Western) Division. It is not known when Thomas transferred, but the Pembroke Yeomanry fought in the Palestinian Campaign until they were returned to France, landing at Marseilles in May 1918. Returning to the 19th Division, they had fought in all of the major battles of the War; at Loos, the Somme and Passchendaele, and were to meet their sternest tests in 1918. They were in the St. Quentin area when the German Spring Offensive was launched, before moving North to Messines, where they suffered terrible losses. William was wounded at Messines, and was evacuated to the Base Hospital at Boulogne, where William Died of Wounds on 24 April 1918, aged 33. He is buried at Boulogne Eastern Cemetery, France.

John Tucker, Private, 13406, Welsh Regiment. John was born at Llanstephan, but had resided with his sister, Mrs. Peter George, at Lady Street, Kidwelly for several years prior to the war. He enlisted at Kidwelly into the 9th Welsh, which formed part of 58 Brigade, 19th (Western) Division. The 19th Division assembled around Bulford in September 1914 and crossed to France during July 1915. The Division saw their baptism of fire at the Battle of Loos, which began on 25 September 1915. Taking place on ground not of their choosing and before stocks of ammunition and heavy artillery were sufficient, the opening of the battle was noteworthy for the first use of poison gas by the British Army. Despite heavy casualties, there was considerable success on the first day in breaking into the deep enemy positions near Loos and Hulluch. But the reserves had been held too far from the battle front to be able to exploit the successes and succeeding days bogged down into attritional warfare for minor gains. John was Killed in Action with several of his friends, on the opening day of the Battle, on 25 September 1915. He is buried in Brown's Road Military Cemetery, Festubert, France.

Arthur Williams, Private, 55462, Royal Welsh Fusiliers. Arthur was born at Llanstephan, and enlisted into the 16th Battalion, Royal Welsh Fusiliers, part of 113 Brigade, 38th (Welsh) Division. The Division moved to France in December 1915 and remained there throughout the war, fighting at Armentieres, before being moved South to the Somme, being ordered to capture Mametz Wood. The Division were badly cut up at Mametz, and were pulled out of the line, not being used again for nearly a year, when they took part in the Battle of Pilckem Ridge, part of the larger Passchendaele Offensive. After Passchendaele, they moved South again, to help try and stem the German Spring Offensive, and when the tide had turned the way of the Allies in August 1918, the Division played a major part in the advance that followed to the Hindenburg Lone and beyond. On 8 October 1918 the Division captured Villers-Outreaux, part of the 1918 Battle of Cambrai, and Arthur was Killed in Action that same day, aged only 21. He is buried at Bois-Des-Angles British Cemetery, Crevecouer-Sur-L'Escaut, France.

Benjamin Williams, Private, 8001, Welsh Regiment. Benjamin was the son of Thomas and Anna Williams, of Penybank, Llanybri. He enlisted at Cardiff into the 2nd Battalion, Welsh Regiment, part of 3 Brigade, 1st Division, which was among the first Divisions to land in France at the outbreak of War. They fought in the opening Battle of Mons, before fighting a retreat South towards the Aisne, where they stopped the Garman Advance. They moved North again, to La Basee, then to Ypres, where they withstood the heavy German assault on the ancient fortified City in the Battle of First Ypres. Benjamin had been wounded at the Battle of La Basee, and was taken to the Duchess of Westminster's Hospital (No.1 B.R.C.S) at Le Touquet where he Died of Wounds on 30 January 1915, aged 36. He is buried at Le Touquet-Paris Plage Communal Cemetery, France.

John Daniel Williams, Lance Sergeant, SE/5364, Royal Army Veterinary Corps. John was born in Llanstephan, but later moved to Burnley, with his wife Ada Williams, of 46, Hollingreave Road, Burnley. He enlisted at Burnley into the Royal Army Veterinary Corps, being based at their Woolwich Depot. John Died of Sickness at home on 26 September 1918, aged 52, and is buried at Hurstwood General Baptist Chapelyard Burnley. John is not commemorated at Llanstephan.

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World War Two, 1939-1945

George William Reginald Victor Coventry, Lieutenant, Worcestershire Regiment. George was born in September 1900, near Llanstephan, the elder son of the late Viscount Deerhurst and Virginia, only daughter of William Daniel. George succeeded his father as 10th Earl in 1930. He was educated at Eton, and in 1922 contested the Carmarthenshire Division as a Unionist, and was Master of the Carmarthenshire Hounds. In 1921 he married the Honorable Nesta Don Phillips, eldest daughter of the First Lord Kylsant, and they had a son, George William, Viscount Deerhurst, in 1934. George served before the War in the Worcestershire Yeomanry, transferring to the 7th Worcester's at the outbreak of war. On 4 September 1939 troops of the B.E.F. left Britain for France, and by the end of September over 150,000 British troops had assembled on the French-Belgian borders. After months of desperate fighting, the mighty German Army, with it's vastly superior armoured divisions, had pushed the B.E.F. back into a small pocket surrounding the French port of Dunkirk, and on 25 May 1940 Lord Gort VC, the Commander of the B.E.F. decided to withdraw his troops from Dunkirk. The 7th Worcester's meanwhile had been trapped in one of the old WW1 battlefield areas, around Givenchy-Les-La-Basee, and on 27 May 1940, George was Killed in Action, aged 39. He is buried at Givenchy-Les-La-Bassee Communal Cemetery, France. He was 39 years old. George is not commemorated locally.

Phillip Thomas Davies, Sergeant, 1152952, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. Phillip was the Son of Sydney A. and Gwladys Davies, of Llanybri, and enlisted into the R.A.F.V.R., joining 166 Squadron. The Squadron was based at R.A.F. Kirmington from 27 January 1943, operating first Whitley's, then Wellington's and Lancaster Bombers. Phillip was part of the crew of a Wellington Mark X when he was Killed in Action on a bombing raid on 31 August 1943. He is remembered on the Runnymede Memorial, Surrey. He was just 20 years old. There is a memorial to him on his parents grave at Llanybri Churchyard.

Ivor Lewis Evans, Private, 14541568, Cheshire Regiment. Ivor was born in the Llanstephan area, and served in the 6th Battalion, the Cheshire Regiment, which was created from a doubling up of the Territorial Army at the outbreak of WW2. The 6th Battalion was part of the 56th Division, who were moved from North Africa to take part in the Italian Campaign. On 3 September 1943, the Allies invaded the Italian mainland. Following the fall of Rome to the Allies in June 1944, the German retreat became ordered and successive stands were made on a series of defensive lines. In the northern Appenine mountains the last of these, the Gothic Line, was breached by the Allies during the Autumn campaign and the front inched forward as far as Ravenna in the Adratic sector, but with divisions transferred to support the new offensive in France, and the Germans dug in to a number of key defensive positions, the advance stalled as winter set in. Coriano Ridge was the last important ridge in the way of the Allied advance in the Adriatic sector in the autumn of 1944. Its capture was the key to Rimini and eventually to the River Po. German parachute and panzer troops, aided by bad weather, resisted all attacks on their positions between 4 and 12 September 1944. On the night of 12 September the Eighth Army reopened its attack on the Ridge, with the 1st British and 5th Canadian Armoured Divisions. This attack was successful in taking the Ridge, but marked the beginning of a week of the heaviest fighting experienced since Cassino in May, with daily losses for the Eighth Army of some 150 killed. Ivor was Killed in Action at Coriano Ridge on 18 September 1944, aged just 21. He is buried in Coriano Ridge War Cemetery, Italy.

A. James, W/Op. Cannot presently be identified.

E. H. Jones, Lance Corporal, Auxiliary Territorial Service. Cannot presently be identified.

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.

William John Rogers, Gunner, 1747903, Royal Artillery. William was born at Llanybri, the son of John and Margaret Rogers, and the husband of Sarah Mary Rogers, of Llanybri. He joined the Royal Artillery at the outbreak of War, serving in their 313th Battery, 4th Heavy Anti Aircraft Regiment. William was possibly serving as an Anti Aircraft Gunner aboard a ship, as he was Killed on 30 October 1942, aged 35, and is remembered on the Brookwood Memorial, Surrey. The Brookwood Memorial serves to commemorate members of the UK land forces who died in WW2 and who have no known graves. The majority of the names on the memorial are of people lost at sea.

Thomas Mansel Stephens, Lieutenant, 1st Regiment, Special Air Service. Thomas was born on 31 May, 1920, the son of Mr. and Mrs. T. B. Stephens, and he resided in the Grove, Llanstephan. He enlisted into the South Wales Borderers, but volunteered for service into the Commandos, before entering the newly formed 1st Regiment of the Special Air Service (S.A.S.). Nicknamed 'Twm', Thomas was part of a diversionary assault on occupied France, landing on the night of 6 June, 1944 as part of Operation Ballbasket under the command of Captain John Tokin. The force consisted of 39 men of 'B' Squadron, 1st S.A.S. who were parachuted into France with jeeps, which were dropped by converted Halifax bombers. Each jeep came down on a carrying platform with four parachutes, and were highly armed with Vickers 'K' Machine-guns. Sadly the men were betrayed and their camp was found, and they lost most of the jeeps and men in the resulting fighting. Thomas was wounded and captured by the Germans, and was executed at Verrieres on 8 July 1944 aged 24. He is the sole Military burial in Verrieres Communal Cemetery, where he is entombed in a French family crypt. There is a memorial to 'Twm' at Moriah Chapelyard, Llanstephan.

David Rudolph Bentley Thomas (Dolph), Corporal, 14493238, Royal Army Service Corps. Not much is known about 'Dolph', as he was known, but he was the nephew of John Thomas of Llanstephan, and a cousin to my Grandfather, John William John. Dolph was educated at Llandovery College prior to  being conscripted into the Royal Army Service Corps. He died after the war, on 15 March 1947, aged just 20, and is buried in Llanstephan Churchyard.

John Thomas, Private, 14342801, Monmouthshire Regiment. John was the Husband of Annie Florence Thomas, of Llanybri. He served in the 3rd Battalion the Monmouthshire Regiment, which was a Territorial Unit, mobilised as part of the 53rd (Welsh) Division in Northern Ireland. It trained in Northern Ireland in 1940 and returned to England in 1941. In the summer of 1912 it was transferred to the 11th Armoured Division and trained for armoured warfare. The Division were to embark for North Africa, but this was cancelled, and they instead landed in Normandy on 14 June, 1944. John didn't get to France though, as he Died at home on 15 April 1943, aged 30. He is buried in Llanybri Churchyard.

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