Llanllwni is a small village, sat in the rural heart of Carmarthenshire along the A485 from Carmarthen to Lampeter. I have no photograph of the village war memorial at present, so the names of the men have been taken from the 1922 published Carmarthen Roll of Honour.

Llanllwni War Memorial, The Great War, 1914-1918

Daniel Evans, Private, 202981, Welsh Regiment. Daniel was born at Llanllwni, the son of Thomas Evans (a shoemaker) and Sarah Evans (nee Jones), of Ffynon Newydd. Daniel worked as a Carter on a local farm prior to the war, and enlisted at Carmarthen into the Welsh Regiment, serving with the 18th (Bantam) Battalion, as part of 119 Brigade, 40th Division. The Division proceeded to France during June 1916, serving firstly at Loos, before being brought into the latter stages of the Battle of the Somme, fighting at the Ancre. After the German retreat to the Hindenburg Line in early 1917, the Division played a major part in the Battle of Cambrai in late 1917, which is where Daniel was Killed in Action on 23 November 1917. He is remembered on the Cambrai Memorial, Louverval.

Henry Evans, Private, 55453, Royal Welsh Fusiliers. Henry was the son of Evan and Mary Evans, of Penrhiw, Llanllwni. Henry originally enlisted at Llandovery into the Pembroke Yeomanry, but was posted to France, where he joined the 16th Battalion, Royal Welsh Fusiliers, attached to 113 Brigade, 38th (Welsh) Division. Henry was probably one of a large number of reinforcements who joined the battalion at Boesinghe around August 1916 after the battering the Welsh had taken during the capture of Mametz Wood in July. Henry was killed in action during the Battle of Pilckem Ridge. He was acting as a stretcher bearer, when he was killed by shrapnel on 31 July 1917. He was 24 years old, and is buried at Artillery Wood Cemetery, Belgium. Some time after the Armistice, his family placed a heart shaped marble plaque at the foot of Henry's grave, which still sits in place today, and is enscribed; 'Melys, Y Cof Am Danat Ym Henraiw Llanllwni'.

David Harry Harries, Private, 7881, Kings Own Liverpool Regiment. David was the son of David and Elizabeth Harries, of Dolgorse, Llanllwni, and the husband of Mary Anne Harries, of The Bungalow, Alltyblaca, Llanybydder. Very little is presently known of his military service, but he died aged 29, on 28 November 1918 and is buried in Llanllwni Congregational Chapelyard.

John Jones, Private, 7815, Royal Scots Fusiliers. John was born in Llanwenog, Montgomeryshire. He served in the 1st Battalion, Royal Scots Fusiliers, part of 9 Brigade, 3rd Division. The Division was one of the first in France, fighting from the start of the war at the Battle of Mons, and they put up a gallant rearguard action whilst retreating south toward the Aisne, where the German Offensive was halted. They were moved north as the fighting begun to stagnate into the trench warfare that was to mark the war, and took part in the Battle of La Bassee, and First Ypres, where the Ancient City was saved from German occupation. After wintering at Ypres, and taking part in the now famous Christmas Truce of 1914, John was Killed in Action on 12 January 1915. He is commemorated on the Menin Gate Memorial at Ypres.

John Jones, Private, TR/4/12333, Welsh Regiment. John was born at Llanllwni, and enlisted at Newcastle Emlyn into the 20th Battalion, Welsh Regiment, part of the 13th Reserve Brigade. The Battalion became part of the Training Reserve in 1916, severing its ties with the Welsh. John became ill while training, and died of sickness on 27 February 1917 without having seen overseas service. He is buried at Llanllwni (St. Luke) Churchyard.

Llewellyn Jones, Private, 39592, South Wales Borderers. Llewellyn was the son of David and Catherine Jones, of Henfaes, Llanybydder. Llewellyn enlisted at Carmarthen into the army, and was posted to France, where he joined the 2nd Battalion, South Wales Borderers. The battalion had the distinction of having fought at Tientsin, China at the outbreak of war, and ftook part in the Gallipoli landings of 25 April 1915, attached to 87 Brigade, 29th Division. The Division were on the Somme in 1916, taking part in the Battle of Le Transloy, when Llewellyn was killed in action, aged 22, on 21 October 1916. He is remembered on the Thiepval Memorial to the missing. Llewellyn is also listed on the Llanybydder Memorial.

Hariph Reginald Littlewood, Able Seaman, 215102, Royal Navy. Hariph was born at Kensington, London in 1886, the son of Frederick and Mazel Littlewood. He married Violet Adelaide Pauline Recher in October 1909, and the couple had a son the following year. It is unsure at this time what Hariph’s links are to Llanllwni, but he had entered the Royal Navy as a boy. After training, he served aboard the Armoured Cruiser H.M.S. Hampshire. Hampshire fought during the Battle of Jutland on 31 May 1916. Immediately after the battle, she was ordered to Scapa Flow, to take Lord Kitchener on a diplomatic mission to Russia. Setting course for Archangel on 5 June 1916, she struck a mine off the Orkneys, sinking with the loss of all hands bar twelve. One of the unfortunate casualties, as well as Kitchener and his staff, was Hariph. He was 30 years old, and remembered on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial, Hampshire.

Duncan Ian Bowen Lloyd, Lieutenant, 5th Gurkha Rifles. Duncan was the Son of Charles and Margaret M. Lloyd (nee Campbell), of Waunifor, Maesycrugiau. He was commissioned into the Indian Army, and served with the 1st Battalion, the 5th Gurkha Rifles. The Gurkha's saw action at Gallipoli, losing over 120 men and officers within hours of landing on the Peninsula on 25 April 1915. After a brief spell of rebuilding at Mudros, they were sent again to Gallipoli during August 1915, and it was here that Duncan was Killed in Action, on 14 August 1915 aged 29. He had survived his brother Gwion (below) by just three days, and is remembered on the Helles Memorial.

Gwion Llewellyn Bowen Lloyd, Captain, Dorsetshire Regiment. Gwion was born at Maesycrugiau, the brother of Duncan (above), and the Son of the late Charles Lloyd, of Waunifor, Maesycrugiau, and of Margaret M. Lloyd, of 37, Hotham Rd., Putney, London. He served as a Captain in the 5th Battalion, Dorset Regiment, part of 34 Brigade, 11th Division. The division sailed from Liverpool on 1 July 1915 bound for the Mediterranean, and on 7 August 1915 landed at Suvla Bay, Gallipoli, just in time for some of the bloodiest fighting of the campaign. Gwion was Killed in Action just days after setting foot on Gallipoli, during the Battle of Sari Bair, on 11 August 1915. He was 27 years old, and is remembered on the Helles Memorial.

Frederick Southgate, Private, 320271, Welsh Regiment. Frederick was born at Ipswich. He worked as a farm labourer for Mr. James Davies, of Abercwm, Llanllwni. Fred enlisted at Carmarthen into the Pembroke Yeomanry, which assembled at Tenby in August 1914 as part of the South Wales Mounted Brigade, and in March 1916 moved to Egypt as part of the 1st Mounted Brigade, joining the Western Frontier Force. In January, 1917 the Yeomanry Brigades were reorganised, and the Pembroke Yeomanry merged with the Glamorgan Yeomanry to form the 24th Battalion, the Welsh Regiment, as part of 231 Brigade, 74th Division. The Division fought in Palestine, and it was here during the Second Battle of Gaza that Frederick was Killed in Action by a bomb dropped by a German aircraft on 21 April 1917. He is buried at Gaza War Cemetery.

 

 

John Nantgardia Thomas, Driver, 43259, Royal Field Artillery. John enlisted at Ammanford into the Royal Field Artillery, serving with the 13th Division, RFA. The Division came into existence during August 1914 and concentrated at Blackdown, Hampshire. By mid June 1915 the Division had been ordered to the Mediterranean, arriving at Mudros on 4 July 1915. During the following fortnight the Division was landed at Cape Helles, and then moved to Anzac Cove by early August, taking part in the Battles of Sari Bair, Russells Top and Hill 60, where John was wounded. He was brought back by ship to the main Hospital at Alexandria, where he Died of Wounds on 14 November 1915. He is buried at Alexandria (Chatby) Military Cemetery.

William Thomas, Sapper, WR/317268, Royal Engineers. William was born at Panteg Shop, Llanllwni, the Son of William and Mary Thomas and the Husband of Elizabeth Thomas, later of Cross Inn Fach, Llanfihangel-ar-arth. He was a Packer with the GWR at Swansea prior to joining the colours. William enlisted into the Royal Engineers. He had already been serving for two years when he joined the 263rd Railway Company, RE, which was raised at Longmoor and embarked to France on 26 April 1917. Once in France, William was assigned to a construction train, and his unit were deployed in laying new standard gauge track, often in very close proximity to the front. William took ill, and died in France of influenza on 19 November 1918, aged 25. He is buried at Awoingt British Cemetery, France.