Llwynhendy is a village sited on the edge of Llanelli, with a population of just over 4,000 people. It is bordered by Bynea, Pemberton and the Bryn, and is an old village with strong industrial roots, with the now closed steel-works in Bynea being a major employer during the time of the Great War. I do not possess photographs of the War Memorials in the area, and so the role of honour for Llwynhendy is taken from the 1922 published Carmarthen County War Memorial Roll, and may be inaccurate. Any photographs or extra information would be much appreciated.

Llwynhendy War Memorial, The Great War, 1914-1918

David Davies, Gunner, 82072, Royal Field Artillery. David enlisted at Llanelli into the Royal Artillery, and was posted to D Battery, 62nd Brigade, Royal Field Artillery, which was attached to the 12th (Eastern) Division. The Division landed at Boulogne on 31 May 1915, and took over the line at Ploegsteert Wood. They then moved south and fought in the Battle of Loos, and the subsequent actions of the Hohenzollern Redoubt, and remained there until March 1916. By June they were in position at the Somme, and attacked Ovillers on 2 July 1916. They then fought at the later Battles of Pozieres and Le Transloy, and it was during the latter, that David was killed on 24 October 1916. He has no known grave, and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, France.

 

 

Evan David Evans, Private, 61673, Welsh Regiment. Evan was the Son of Rees and Jane Evans, of Gibson Terrace, Bynea, Llanelly. He enlisted at Cardiff into the army, and was posted to the 24th Battalion, Welsh Regiment, which was attached to 231 Brigade, 74th (Yeomanry) Division. Evan moved to the Western Front with the Battalion in May 1918, fresh from the campaign in Palestine. They then fought at the Second Battle of Bapaume during the great offensive, and fought in Flanders before returning to the Somme and fighting at the Battle of Epehy, as part of the offensive towards the Hindenburg Line. They then fought in the final advance in Artois, and it was during this period that Evan died. He was 28 years old, and is buried at Lapugnoy Military Cemetery, France.

 

John Samuel Evans, Ordinary Seaman, Z/3781, Royal Navy. John was the Son of Samuel and Mary Ann Evans, of Joiner's Cottage, Llwynhendy. He served in the Royal Navy aboard HMS Vanguard, which was a Battlecruiser, attached to the Grand Fleet at Scapa Flow. On 9 July 1917 Vanguard was at anchor at Scapa Flow, when she was ripped apart by a massive internal explosion, killing all aboard. John is commemorated along his former shipmates on Panel 25 of the Plymouth Naval Memorial, Devon.

 

Thomas Daniel Evans, Private, 15578, Royal Welsh Fusiliers. Thomas was the Son of Thomas and Mary Hannah Evans, of Cilymaenllwyd, 1, Station Road, Bynea. He enlisted at Llanelli into the 10th Battalion, Royal Welsh Fusiliers, which was attached to 76 Brigade, and joined the 3rd Division in France in October 1915. The Division was in positions near Ypres over the winter of 1915-16, and it was there, during the Actions of The Bluff, that Thomas was wounded. He died of his wounds, aged 20, on 9 March 1916, and is buried at Le Touquet-Paris Plage Communal Cemetery, France, in Grave II.B.3.


 

Thomas John Griffiths, Private, 20454, Welsh Regiment. Thomas was the Son of David and Sarah Griffiths, of Bynea, Llanelly. He enlisted at Llanelli into the 15th Battalion, Welsh Regiment, which was known as the Carmarthen Pals. The Battalion trained at Rhyl, until moving to Morn Hill Camp, Winchester in the summer of 1915, where it became part of 114 Brigade, 38th (Welsh) Division. On 4 December 1915 the 15th Welsh landed in France, and the 38th Division assembled in Flanders, where it took the line near Fleurbaix, where it was initiated into trench warfare. In June 1916 the Division marched south to the Somme, where it captured Mametz Wood. It then moved to positions on the Canal Bank at Ypres, where it was to remain for the next twelve months. Thomas was wounded while the 15th Welsh was in the line at Boesinghe, and was evacuated to hospital for treatment. Sadly, he died of his wounds, aged 26, on 4 February 1917, and is buried at Hazebrouck Communal Cemetery, France, in Grave I. C. 23.

 

Gwilym John Harries, Sergeant, 15031, Welsh Regiment. Gwilym was born at Llwynhendy, the Son of William John and Ann Harries. The family later resided at 22, Park Road, Gorseinon, Swansea, and Gwilym lived with his wife, Jessie Harries, at Loughor. Gwilym enlisted at Swansea into the 9th Battalion, Welsh Regiment, which was attached to 58 Brigade, 19th (Western) Division. The Division crossed to France during July 1915, and moved to positions near Loos, where it took part in the opening attack of the Battle of Loos on 25 September 1915. The following year the Division moved to the Somme, where it took part in the second wave of the attack on Ovillers-La Boiselle on 1 July 1916, capturing the village at heavy cost. It then fought through the Somme Battles of Pozieres and the Ancre in 1916. In 1917 the Division moved north to Ypres, taking part in the Battle of Messines. Gwilym was wounded at Messines, and died of his wounds on 28 May 1917. He was 25 years old, and is buried at Bailleul Communal Cemetery Extension, France. Gwilym is not listed amongst the Llwynhendy men on the County War Memorial roll.

 

William Henry Hopkins, Private, 1885, Welsh Regiment. William was the Son of David and Mary Hopkins of Bynea. His father died when he was young, and his mother remarried, moving the family to 2, Pantyglien, Loughor. He enlisted at Gorseinon into the 1/6th Battalion, Welsh Regiment, the Glamorgan Territorials, which moved to France in October 1914, where it became Pioneer Battalion to the 1st Division. William fought with the Division at the Battle of Loos in September 1915, and they remained in the area over the coming winter. William died there on 21 February, 1916, aged 23, and is buried at Maroc British Cemetery, Grenay, France, in Grave I. A. 40. The photo of William below is taken from the Llanelly Guardian, and is courtesy of Mark Collins.

 

 

Frank Humphreys, Lance Corporal, 313097, Gordon Highlanders. Frank was the Son of Mr. J. R. and Mrs. C. Humphreys, of Alwyn Hall, Llwynhendy, and enlisted at London into the 7th Battalion, Gordon Highlanders. The Battalion landed at Boulogne on 12 May 1915, and became attached to 153 Brigade, 51st (Highland) Division, moving to Ypres. The Division then fought at the Battle of Festubert, and the following year made a name for itself during the Battle of the Somme. The Division moved to Ypres in 1917, where it fought alongside the 38th (Welsh) Division during the Battle of Pilckem Ridge, and at Langemarck, before moving south to take part in the Battle of Cambrai. The Division remained in the area until 21 March 1918 when the enemy launched a huge attack on the fronts of Fifth and Third Armies, near Flesquieres. Here they took part in the Battle of St Quentin, and the First Battle of Bapaume before being relieved, and moved to Bethune to rest. Unfortunately, the Germans launched a fresh offensive on the Lys on 9 April 1918 and the Highland Division was caught up in heavy fighting again, before being moved to Oppy near Arras, where it stayed until 11 July in a relatively quiet spell. When a third huge enemy attack opened in the area held by the thinly-stretched French Army south west of Rheims, the Division were sent south to assist. They saw several days of very heavy fighting at the Battle of the Tardenois. Frank was killed here on 26 July 1918, aged 19. He is buried at Marfaux British Cemetery, France, in Grave VI. A. 3.

 

Thomas James Humphries Private, 60429, Cheshire Regiment. Thomas was the Son of Mr James Humphreys, Wellfield Terrace, Ferryside. He enlisted at Llanelli into the South Wales Borderers, but at sometime transferred into the 1/4th Battalion, the Cheshire Regiment, part of 159 Brigade, 53rd (Welsh) Division. The Division had moved to Gallipoli by 9 August 1915 and fought there through the terrible winter that year, suffering many casualties, before it was evacuated to Egypt in December. Here it moved to the Palestinian front, and pushed the Turks North through the Sinai, towards Gaza. It was during the Third Battle of Gaza that Thomas was wounded. He was evacuated to Beersheba, but Died of Wounds there on 13 November 1917, and was buried in Beersheba War Cemetery. Many thanks to Avril Marks for the photograph.


 

Frederick Leyshon, Private, 14066, Welsh Regiment. Frederick was one of the sons of David and Sarah Leyshon, of 4, Woodland Terrace, Bynea, Llanelly. He was educated alongside his brothers at Bynea, and joined the army at Llanelli, being posted to the 9th Battalion, Welsh Regiment. The Battalion was attached to 58 Brigade, 19th (Western) Division, and landed in France during July 1915. It saw its first action during the Battle of Loos in September, and the following year moved to the Somme, where it took part in the opening stage of the offensive, capturing the village of Ovillers-La Boiselle. It remained on the Somme, and fought at the Battle of the Ancre Heights later in the year, and it was here, on 27 October 1916, that Frederick was killed. He has no known grave, and is commemorated on Pier and Face 7A and 10A of the Thiepval Memorial, France, alongside his brother Thomas.

 

Gwilym John Leyshon, Private, 189, Welsh Guards. Gwilym was one of the sons of Thomas and Ann Leyshon, of Bynea, Llanelly. He enlisted at Llanelli into the Grenadier Guards, but when the Welsh Guards was formed after the Royal Warrat of 1915, transferred to its ranks. The 1st Battalion, Welsh Guards moved to France in the summer of 1915, joining 3rd Guards Brigade, Guards Division, and saw its first fighting at the Battle of Loos in September. In the summer of 1916 the Welsh Guards were on the Somme, and took part in the Battle of Flers-Courcelette. Their next action was during the Battle of Morval, and it was there, on 26 September 1916, that Gwilym was wounded. He was evacuated to the Base Hospital at Etaples for treatment, but died there of his wounds on 26 September 1916. Gwilym was 24 years old, and is buried at Etaples Military Cemetery, France, in Grave XI.B.4.

 

Thomas Leyshon, Private, 14349, Welsh Regiment. Thomas was the eldest of the three sons of Thomas and Ann Leyshon to die during the course of the war. He was employed at Glynea Colliery before the war, then enlisted at Llanelli into the 10th Battalion, Welsh Regiment, the 1st Rhonddas. The Battalion formed in August 1914, and trained at Rhyl before moving to Morn Hill Camp, Winchester, where it became part of 114 Brigade, 38th (Welsh) Division. The Division moved to France in December 1915, and took the line near Fleurbaix, where it was initiated into trench warfare. In June 1916 the Division moved south to the Somme, where it took part in the attack on Mametz Wood. The initial assault went in on July 1916, but it wasn't until the early hours of 12 July that the wood fell to the Welshmen. Thomas was killed during the final hours of fighting within the wood, on 12 July 1916. He was 30 years old, and is commemorated on Pier and Face 7A and 10A of the Thiepval Memorial, France, alongside his brother Frederick.

 

David Elias Morgan, Private, 72957, Royal Welsh Fusiliers. David was the Son of David and Mary Morgan, of Garrde, Llwynhendy, Llanelly. He enlisted at Llanelli, and was posted to the 25th Battalion, Royal Welsh Fusiliers, which was the Montgomery and Welsh Horse Yeomanry Battalion, which was in Palestine attached to 231 Brigade, 74th (Yeomanry) Division. The Division ha moved into Palestine in March 1917, and fought at the Second and Third Battles of Gaza, before freeing Jerusalem from centuries of Turkish rule. Early in 1918 the Division carried out a series of military operations in the Jordan Valley, and it was there that David was wounded. He died of his wounds on 10 March 1918, aged 27, and is buried at Jerusalem War Cemetery, Israel, in Grave F. 71.

William Henry Rees, Private, 48712, Northumberland Fusiliers. William was born at Llwynhendy, and enlisted at Swansea into the South Wales Borderers. He was later transferred into the 2nd Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers, which was attached to 84 Brigade, 28th Division. William must have then been attached to another Battalion, as he died during the offensive in Mesopotamia on 11 July 1917. He is buried at Basra War Cemetery, Iraq, in Grave IV. J. 8.

Benjamin Thomas, Private, 24151, Welsh Regiment. Benjamin was the Son of David Thomas, of 2, Montana Place, Landore, Swansea. He must have lived at Llwynhendy prior to the war, and enlisted at Cardiff into the 16th Battalion, Welsh Regiment, which was the Cardiff City Battalion. The 16th Welsh trained at Rhyl until the summer of 1915 when it moved to Winchester, joining 115 Brigade, 38th (Welsh) Division, and moved to France in December 1915. The Division took the line near Fleurbaix, where it was initiated into trench warfare over the coming months, before marching south to the Somme in June 1916. Here, the Welsh Division was tasked with the capture of the formidable Mametz Wood, and on 7 July 1916 the 16th Welsh launched an assault on the wood, but came under enfilade machine gun fire, suffering heavy casualties. Benjamin was killed on that first charge into the wood on 7 July 1916. He was 23 years old, and is commemorated on Pier and Face 7A and 10A of the Thiepval Memorial, France.

 

Thomas Thomas, Captain, Welsh Regiment. Thomas was the Son of John and Mary Ann Thomas, of Stradey House, Llwynhendy, Llanelly. He was commissioned into the 13th Battalion, Welsh Regiment, the 2nd Rhondda Battalion, which was raised in August 1914, becoming attached to 114 Brigade, 38th (Welsh) Division the following year. In December 1915 the Division moved to France, and took the line near Fleurbaix, where it was initiated into trench warfare. In June 1916 the Division marched south to the Somme, where it took part in the famous capture of Mametz Wood between 7 to 11 July. It was then moved north, to positions on the Canal Bank at Boesinghe, where it remained for the next twelve months. On 31 July 1917 the Division launched an attack on the Pilckem Ridge, capturing their objectives, with heavy loss of life. After a brief rest, the 13th Welsh moved back into the line on the Steenbeek, and it was here, on 23 August 1917, that Thomas was killed by German shellfire. He was 24 years old, and is buried at Bard Cottage Cemetery, Belgium, in Grave IV. F. 1.

 

William Edward Thomas, Private, 12043, Royal Welsh Fusiliers. William was the Son of David Thomas, of Pen-y-graig, Llwynhendy, Llanelly. He enlisted at Llanelli into the 10th Battalion, Royal Welsh Fusiliers, which was attached to 76 Brigade. On 27 September 1915 the 10th RWF landed in France, and weeks later joined 3rd Division. The Division moved to the Somme, where it took part in the great offensive of 1 July 1916. William was killed six weeks into the battle, during the Battle of Guillemont, on 16 August 1916. He was 35 years old, and is commemorated on Pier and Face 4A of the Thiepval Memorial, France.

 

Bertie Tinnuche, Private, 14360, Welsh Regiment. Bertie was born at Llwynhendy, the Son of Joseph and Mary Ann Tinnuche. The family later resided at Tadmor House, Bynea, Llanelli. Bertie enlisted at the outbreak of war into the Welsh Regiment, and was posted to the 16th Battalion, Welsh Regiment, raised as the Cardiff City battalion, which was attached to 115 Brigade, 38th (Welsh) Division. The Division moved to France during December 1915, and after several months in the line around Fleurbaix, moved to the Somme in June 1916, where they captured Mametz Wood. After heavy casualties at Mametz, the Division was moved via Hebuterne to positions at Boesinghe, north of Ypres, where they remained until launching their attack on Pilckem Ridge on 31 July 1917. Bertie was killed during a further attack by the 16th Welsh at Langemarck on 27 August 1917. He was 30 years old, and is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial, Belgium. Bertie is not listed amongst the Llwynhendy men on the County War Memorial roll.

 

Emrys Walters, Private, 68820, Royal Welsh Fusiliers. Emrys was the Son of William and Sarah Walters, of Danygraig, Bynea, Llanelly. He originally enlisted at Cardiff into the Army Service Corps, but was later posted to the 11th Battalion, Royal Welsh Fusiliers, which was attached to 67 Brigade, 22nd Division. The Division crossed to France in early September 1915, but it's stay in France was to be very short, as on 27 October 1915 the Division began to embark for Salonika. It completed concentration there in November, although the final artillery units were still coming in as late as 13 December 1915. It remained in the theatre for the rest of the war, taking part in the Retreat from Serbia during December, 1915. In August 1916 they fought at the battle of Horseshoe Hill, then in September at the battle of Machukovo. Between 24-25 April and 8-9 May 1917 the Division fought at the battle of Doiran. It was in Salonika, on 6 May 1918, that Emrys was killed. He was 26 years old, and is commemorated on the Doiran Memorial, Greece.

 

D. R. Williams, Sapper, Royal Engineers. Cannot be positively identified.

Thomas Williams, Private, 28453, Welsh Regiment. Thomas was born at Llanelli, and enlisted there into the 18th Battalion, Welsh Regiment, The battalion was raised as the 2nd Glamorgan Battalion, and was attached to 119 Brigade, 40th (Bantam) Division. . 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. Thomas was killed on the Somme on 30 December 1916, and was buried at Priez Farm Cemetery, The cemetery was later destroyed by shellfire, and today Thomas is commemorated on a Special Memorial within Guards Cemetery, Combles, France.