Nantgaredig War Heroes

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Nantgaredig’s War Heroes

I came across the information below whilst researching something completely different and thought it worthy of inclusion in Llanegwad's web site.

http://www.laugharnewarmemorial.co.uk/index.htm is an excellent site with many details of Memorials and Servicemen were were lost in the Great War. Originally it only covered Laugharne but has been expanded to other towns and villages in Wales.

If anyone can supply details and photographs of Local Interest from the Great War, I would be happy to add them to this site - Contact the Editor

Only five Llanegwad men who died during the Great War have their names engraved on Nantgaredig’s War Memorial. Other men from Nantgaredig men who also lost their lives but are not remembered on the Memorial are:

Thomas Benjamin Daniel-1933

Guardsman, 1st Battalion, Welsh Guards

Born Llanegwad in 1894.

Died 10th September, 1916, aged 22.

Memorial: Delville Wood Cemetery, Longueval, Grave XVI.F.7.

Joined 1st Battalion of the newly formed Welsh Guards, who formed part of the 3rd Guards Brigade, Guards Division. The Guards Division fought on the Western Front for the entirety of the Great War. Thomas Benjamin was killed in action during their part in the Battle of Flers-Courcelette (part of the Battle of the Somme.

His brother D. J. Daniel, of Nantgaredig, survived him.

Jonny C. Davies-14895

Private, 11th Battalion, the Welsh Regiment

Born Nantgaredig circa 1892

Died 25th September 1918, aged 26

Memorial: Sarigol Military Cemetery, Kriston, Grave D.675.

The son of William and Jane Davies, of Pantglas, Cothi Bridge

Joined the Welsh Regiment at Cardiff, and enrolled into the 11th Battalion (Cardiff Pals). The 11th Welsh formed part of the 67th Brigade, 22nd Division, and fought at Gallipoli & Salonika.

Jonny was mortally wounded during the Salonika Campaign, at the Battle of Doiran and died of his wounds. He won the Military Medal for Bravery in the Field.

Benjamin Evans-13461

Private, 1st Battalion, South Wales Borderers

Born Carmarthen circa 1894

Died 13th April, 1918, aged 24

Memorial: Etaples Military Cemetery, Grave XXXIII.G.1.

Son of Benjamin & Bridget Evans. The family later lived at Tynewydd, Nantgaredig.

Benjamin enlisted at Newport Gwent, into the 1st Battalion, South Wales Borderers, who formed part of the 3rd Brigade of the 1st Division. The 1st Division had fought in France & Flanders since the beginning of the Great War, and in early 1918 were in Flanders. On 21st March 1918 the Germans launched Operation Michael-Kaiserschlacht. This was their last chance to win the war before the growing American Expeditionary Force could be lined up against them. In early April 1918 the 1st SWB were helping in a desperate defence of the Allied Lines, when Benjamin was wounded. He was taken to the massive Military Hospital at Etaples, where he succumbed to his wounds.

Isaac Evans-125761

Private, 6th Battalion, Machine Gun Corps

Born Cilcennin, lived in Nantgaredig

Died 20th July 1918

Memorial: Le Quesnoy Communal Cemetery, Grave II.B.4. (Not on Memorial)

He enlisted in Carmarthen into the Monmouth Regiment, service number 47023. Isaac would have been a machine gunner, and when the Machine Gun Corps were formed in 1916, he transferred into the 6th Battalion, MGC, who formed part of the 6th Division. He died of wounds received in battle.

Reginald Charles Wilfred Evans-68854,

Private, 2nd Battalion, Royal Welsh Fusiliers.

Born Nantgaredig

Died 3rd December 1918

Memorial: Etaples Military Cemetery, Grave LI.F.8. (Not on Memorial)

Enlisted into the Pembroke Yeomanry, (service number 4599). Reginald was probably wounded early in the war, and then transferred to the 2nd Battalion, RWF. The 2nd RWF formed part of the 115th Brigade, 38th Welsh Division, and they fought on the Somme (at Mametz Wood), and at Passchendaele, taking the Pilckem Ridge from the Prussian Guards. He was fighting with the Division during their attacks on the Hindenburg Line when he was fatally wounded.

Gwyn Arthur Griffiths

Lieutenant, 35th Squadron, RAF

Born Golden Grove, circa 1893

Died 2nd June, 1917 aged 24

Memorial: Mons-En-Chaussee Communal Cemetery, Grave I.4. (Not on Memorial)

Son of John & Elizabeth Griffiths of Typpica. Gwyn enlisted into the 15th (Carmarthenshire) Battalion, the Welsh Regiment. From the 15th Welsh, Gwyn was commissioned into the Royal Flying Corps, and it was with the 35th Squadron that he was killed in action.

John Jones-320234

Private 24th Battalion, the Welsh Regiment

Born Llanfihangel Rhosycorn circa 1891

Died 6th November 1917

Memorial: Beersheba War Cemetery. (Not on Memorial)

Son of Thomas & Elizabeth Jones. The family moved to Sunny Cottage, Gwernogle. John enlisted at Carmarthen into the Pembroke Yeomanry (service number 4294). The Pembroke Yeomanry fought in Palestine, and were merged with the Glamorgan Yeomanry to form the 24th Battalion, Welsh Regiment. The 24th Welsh formed part of the 231st Brigade, 74th (Yeomanry) Division. The Division were part of General Allenby’s army, who triumphantly took Jerusalem off the Turks.

John died from wounds received during the Battle of Gaza.

David Idwal Morris-57146

Private, 16th Battalion, the Welsh Regiment

Born circa 1896 in Abergwili

Died the 27th August 1917

Memorial: Remembered on Panel 93-94 of the massive Tyne Cot Memorial to the Missing

Son of Jared & Elizabeth Morris. The family later lived at Capel Dewi Isaf. David enlisted at Nantgaredig into the Pembroke Yeomanry (service number 5119). He later transferred to the 16th (Cardiff City) Battalion, the Welsh Regiment, who formed part of the 115th Brigade, 38th Welsh Division. He was fighting with the Battalion during the Battle of Passchendaele when he was killed in action, on the 27th August 1917. His body was lost in the muddy battlefield and never recovered.

Lloyd Owen Lloyd Price-R/5798

Rifleman 2nd Battalion KRRC

Born circa 1885 in Abergele, North Wales

Died 10th January 1915

Memorial: Remembered on the Le Touret Memorial, Richebourg L'Avoue, on Panel 32 & 33. (Not on Memorial)

Son of Meredydd & F. M. Lloyd Price. His family moved to Bryncothi. When war broke out, Lloyd was in Rhodesia. He returned to Britain to enlist, and joined the 2nd Battalion Kings Royal Rifle Corps in London. The 2nd KRRC formed part of the 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, and fought in France from the outset of war. They fought the rearguard actions of Mons, Le Cateau and ended up on the Marne, where the Germans were held firm. The Division then moved North to the Loos-Armentieres Sector, where they took part in the First Battle of Loos in early 1915. It was during this horrific series of Battles that Lloyd lost his life. He was killed in action and his body was never recovered.

David Roberts-59843

Private, 13th Battalion, the Welsh Regiment

Born probably at Llanfihangel-Y-Creddyn

Died 4th September 1918

Memorial: Remembered on the Vis-en-Artois Memorial, on Panel 7

He lived in Nantgaredig, and enlisted at Carmarthen into the 13th Battalion, the Welsh Regiment, who formed part of the 114th Brigade, 38th Welsh Division. David fought along the Western Front with the Division. As the summer of 1918 was at its height, the German Armies were being driven back in France. The 38th Welsh Division were taking part in the 2nd Battle of Bapaume, when David was killed in action his body was lost on the battlefields

John Thomas-14659

Private, 1st Battalion, the Dorsetshire Regiment

Born in Nantgaredig and later lived at Treherbert

Died 20th November 1915

Memorial: lies in Carnoy Military Cemetery, Grave T4.

Enlisted at Pentre into the 1st Battalion, the Dorsetshire Regiment, who formed part of the 15th Brigade, 5th Division. John was killed in action on 20th November 1915

Thomas Thomas-238185

Private, 2/4th Battalion, West Riding Regiment

Born 1896 in Nantgaredig

Died 2nd September 1918

Memorial: Vaulx Hill Cemetery, Grave II.H.21. (Not on Memorial)

Son of David Thomas of Rhydlydan. He enlisted at Nantgaredig into the West Yorkshire Regiment, later the Welsh, before being later transferred to the 2/4th Battalion, West Riding Regiment, who formed part of the 186th Brigade, 62nd Division. Thomas was fighting with the Battalion during the Second Battle of Bapaume, when he was killed in action on 2nd September 1918

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