Laugharne war memorial

Laugharne War Memorial

This memorial commemorates local people who died in the First and Second World Wars. To discover who they were, choose a category below.

We are grateful to Steven John for the research. You can read more about each of the individuals on his website here.

In front of the war memorial is a stone tablet in honour of local man Lt Cpl William Fuller, who received the Victoria Cross while serving with the Welsh Regiment in the First World War. He served in the Home Guard in the Second World War and died in 1974. The tablet was unveiled in 2014 by his daughter, Muriel Crooks.

The war memorial was installed as part of the project to create a new memorial hall for Laugharne. The original memorial hall was too small for the community’s modern needs. In the late 1990s the Millennium Commission provided a grant towards construction of the new hall, which seats 180 people.

With thanks to Steven John

Postcode: SA33 4QG            View Location Map

 

First World War

Second World War

National Cycle Network Label Navigation previous buttonNavigation next button

 

 

 

First World War

  • Arthur Laugharne Allen, Private, 291399, Welsh Regiment. Son of William Arthur and Ellen Allen of Gosport House, Laugharne. Died 22 March 1918, aged 20. Cite Bonjean Military Cemetery, France. His brother Cyril also served, receiving the Military Medal.
  • David Bevan, Private, 40116, Welsh Regiment. Son of Wilkin and Jane Bevan of Laugharne. Died of wounds 4 May 1916, aged 36. Bethune Town Cemetery, France. Worked as a coal hewer in Rhondda before the war.
  • William John Lewis Bevan, Private, 12897, Welsh Regiment. Son of William and Annie Bevan of Swansea, grandson of William Bevan of Island House, Laugharne. Died of meningitis on 2 December 1915, aged 30. Longuenesse Cemetery, France. His brother Archibald also served.
  • John Ritso Nelson Bolton, Lieutenant, Royal Field Artillery. Son of Lieutenant Colonel Arthur Heely Bolton and Mary Bolton of Elm House, Laugharne. Died of wounds 27 September 1915, aged 22. Foquieres Churchyard Extension, France. Brother of Stewart, below.
  • Stewart Bladen Nelson Bolton, Midshipman, Royal Navy - HMS Indefatigable. Son of Lieutenant Colonel Arthur Heely and Mary Bolton of Elm House, Laugharne. Died 31 May 1916, aged 18, when his battle cruiser was hit by shells from a German ship in the Battle of Jutland. Plymouth Naval Memorial, Devon.
  • Isaac James Brace, Private, 24421, Royal Welsh Fusiliers. Born in Aberdare. Son of James Brace and Elizabeth Anne Brace (nee Brown), of Laugharne. Died of wounds, aged 18, on 9 July 1916. Heilly Station Cemetery, France. Worked as a collier in the Cynon Valley before the war.
  • Thomas Hall Brigstocke, Petty Officer, 146229, Royal Navy - HMS Goliath. Son of Sarah Brigstocke, of Gosport Street, Laugharne. Lived with wife Bessie at 9 Greatlands Crescent, Devonport. Died 13 May 1915, aged 48, when his ship was torpedoed during the Gallipoli campaign, Turkey. Plymouth Naval Memorial. Thomas had served in many parts of the world after joining the Royal Navy in 1888. He was pensioned off in 1910 but recalled in 1914. He left eight children.
  • William Constable, Private, 12134, Welsh Regiment. Son of Philip and Jane Constable, of Horsepool Road, Laugharne. Died 28 January 1917, aged 20. Ferme-Olivier Cemetery, Belgium.
  • Arthur William Cooper, Private, 26005, King's Shropshire Light Infantry. Son of Arthur and Sarah Cooper, of Wheel Barrow Lodge, Chippenham. Died 3 October 1918, aged 21. Cabaret Rouge British Cemetery, France. Arthur's father had moved the family to Laugharne before the war and worked as head gardener at Broadway Mansion.
  • Thomas Morgan David, Lieutenant-Commander, Royal Navy - HMS Hawke. Son of Thomas and Caroline David of South Hills, Laugharne; husband of Eleanor David of 7, Wentworth Villas, Plymouth. Died 15 October 1914 when his ship was torpedoed. Chatham Naval Memorial. He joined the Royal Navy c.1897.
  • Daniel Davies, Private, 13369, Royal Welsh Fusiliers. Son of Mr and Mrs T Davies of the Grist, Laugharne. Lived with his wife in Llanelli. Died of wounds on 10 May 1915. Kirkee Memorial, Poona, India.
  • John Henry Dodd, Private, 22050, Royal Engineers. Born in Aberarth, Ceredigion. Son of Charles and Anne Dodd. John later lived at Dan-y-Coed, Llanddowror. Fell ill with pneumonia shortly before the war ended and died, aged 26, after an operation at Plymouth Military Hospital on 1 July 1919. Efford Cemetery, Plymouth.
  • Richard Edwards, Private, 56935, Welsh Regiment. Son of railway platelayer David Edwards and Lizzie Edwards. Died 24 April 1918, aged 18. Contay British Cemetery, France.
  • Llewellyn Humphreys Evans, Private, 25830, Lancashire Fusiliers. Son of James and Eliza Evans, of Grassland Farm, Laugharne. Died 26 November 1916, aged 23. Mailly Wood Cemetery, France.
  • Thomas William Arnold Evans, Private, 18043, Welsh Regiment. Born in Market Street, Laugharne. Son of George and Marianne Evans; husband of Elizabeth Sarah Evans. Died 17 September 1916. Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery, Belgium. Worked as a butcher before the war.
  • John Llewellyn Griffith, Private, 51673, Gloucester Regiment. Born in Laugharne. Son of gardener William Griffirith and Mary Griffith. Died of meningitis 29 February 1920, aged 23. St Martin’s Churchyard, Laugharne.
  • Thomas James Jackson, Private, 18440, South Wales Borderers. Born in Gosport Street, Laugharne. Son of stonemason David Jackson and Harriet Jackson. Died 10 June 1915, aged 19. Buried at Twelve-Tree Copse Cemetery, Turkey. Served in China in 1914.
  • David Thomas John, Lance Corporal, 244, Australian Infantry. Son of William and Eliza John, of Halfpenny Furze, Laugharne; husband of Lillian Evans of Laugharne. Died 18 August 1916. Villers-Brettoneux Memorial, France. Emigrated to Australia in 1913. Served in Gallipoli landings, Turkey, in 1915. Left one child. Brother of John James John, below.
  • John James John, Private, 320374, Welsh Regiment. Born in Pontygwaith, Rhondda. Son of William and Eliza John, of Halfpenny Furze, Laugharne. Died 21 September 1918, aged 25. Unicorn Cemetery, France.
  • John James John, Private, 60742, Welsh Regiment. Son of David and Letticia John, of 7, Gosport Street, Laugharne. Died 31 August 1917, aged 19. Mendinghem Military Cemetery, Belgium.
  • William John, Private, 320285, Welsh Regiment. Son of James and Sarah John, of Spring Gardens Cottage, Laugharne. Died 27 December 1917, aged 22. Jerusalem War Memorial, Israel.
  • Joseph Johnson, Private, 29688, East Yorkshire Regiment. Born in London. Lived in Llanddowror before the war, working as a farmhand. Married Mary Phillips in 1913. Died 31 March 1918, aged 29. Pozieres Memorial, France. Left two children.
  • Charles William Wykeham King, Company Sergeant Major, 76003, Artist's Rifles. Born in, Fareham, London. Studied at Llandovery College and lived at the Vicarage, Laugharne, before the war. Married Ida Schroeter before returning to live in London. Died 28 October 1917, aged 33. Tyne Cot Cemetery, Belgium. Awarded Bronze Medal for Valour by the Italian Government earlier in 1917.
  • John Thomas Parry, Lance Corporal, 1468, Welsh Regiment. Son of Charles and Lydia Parry, of Laugharne, and later of Penvilla Road, Swansea. Died 26 July 1916; the day after the Battle of Pozières Ridge began. Thiepval Memorial, France.
  • William Neville Hurt Peel, Private, Canadian Infantry. Son of Edmund and Winnie Hurt Peel, of Fern Hill, Laugharne; husband of Harriet Ann Peel, of Winnipeg, Canada. Reported missing 28 April 1917; listed as killed in action 26 May 1917, aged 33. Orchard Dump Cemetery, France. Eloped with a fair girl and emigrated to South Africa, then Canada.
  • Richard John Pile, Private, 34189, South Lancashire Regiment. Born in Llanelli. Son of Charles and Alvie Pile, of Broadway Mansion, Laugharne. Died 21 October 1916, while attacking the German lines at Regina Trench. His body was never recovered, and he is remembered on the Thiepval Memorial, France.
  • Thomas Henry Price, Private, 192312, Canadian Infantry. Born in Rhayader, Powys. Son of Miriam Price David, whose second husband was William David, a butcher who had owned Brown’s Hotel, Loughor. The family emigrated to Toronto, Canada, in the early 20th century. Thomas died on 27 September 1916, aged 25. Albert Communal Cemetery Extension, France.
  • Daniel John Richards, Private, 76031, Welsh Regiment. Born in the Brill, Laugharne. Son of David and Margaret Richards. Died 9 December 1918, aged 18, of cirrhosis of the liver at Cambridge Hospital, Aldershot. St Martin's Churchyard, Laugharne.
  • Lionel St George Mordaunt Smith, Second Lieutenant, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers. Born in Rugby. Son of Mordaunt Kirwin Smith and Ethel Mordaunt Smith, of Milton Bank, Laugharne. Died 15/16 May 1915, aged 19. Le Touret Memorial, France. Also commemorated by plaque in St Martin’s Church, Laugharne.
  • Richard Douglas Stealey, Leading Seaman, Z/191, Nelson Battalion, Royal Naval Division. Born in London. Son of master mariner Captain John Stealey and Ada Page Stealey, of Sunny Hill, Holloway Road, Laugharne. Died of wounds 7 May 1915, aged 20, after being shot in the head during the Gallipoli landings, Turkey. Alexandria (Chatby) War Memorial Cemetery, Egypt.
  • John Arloe Edward Thomas, Leading Carpenter, 345555, Royal Navy – HMS Hawke. Born at Horsepool Farm, Laugharne. Son of Charles and Martha Thomas, of 17, St Thomas’ Green, Haverfordwest. Died 15 October 1914, aged 34, when his ship was torpedoed. Chatham Naval Memorial, Kent. John had joined the Royal Navy in 1902.
  • Charles Vincent Todman B.A., Lieutenant, Royal Air Force. Born in Victoria Street, Laugharne. Son of William and Matilda Todman. The family later moved to Cricklewood, London. Died 3 August 1918, aged 26, when his plane was attacked by three German aircraft while on artillery observation flight. Aubigny Communal Cemetery, France. Graduated from University of London and worked as a teacher before the war. He fought with the London Regiment from 1914 to 1917, when he was evacuated to hospital in England with gas wounds. He joined the RAF in 1917.
  • William Waters, Bombardier, 79715, Royal Garrison Artillery. Son of John and Jane Waters, of Pantyglas Farm, Broadway, Laugharne. Died 16 August 1917, aged 24. Maroc British Cemtery, France. Also commemorated by tablet in St Martin’s Church, Laugharne.
  • George Watts, Lance Corporal, 208, Australian Infantry. Son of John and Esther Watts, of The Lakes, Laugharne. Died of wounds on 30 August 1915, aged 32. Lone Pine Memorial, Gallipoli, Turkey. Served in Royal Navy 1902 to 1908, then worked as a miner in Australia.
  • Eric Western Wilson, Second Lieutenant, West Yorkshire Regiment. Son of John Western Wilson and Caroline Mary Wilson (nee David), of The Corse, Laugharne. Died 20 September 1914, aged 21. La Ferte-Sous-Jouarre Memorial, France. Educated at Carmarthen Grammar School, Kelly College in Tavistock, Devon, and Leeds University.
Top of Page
 

 

Second World War

  • John William Congreve, Lieutenant, Royal Navy – HMS Tynedale. Son of Major Claude Vyvian Congreve, of the Indian Army, and Mary Hudson Congreve (nee Titley), of Island House, Laugharne. Died 12 December 1943, aged 31, when his ship was torpedoed off Algeria. Plymouth Naval Memorial. Also commemorated by brass plaque in St Martin’s Church, Laugharne.
  • Douglas George Edmunds, Private, 3963251, Hampshire Regiment. Born at Halldown Farm, Laugharne. Son of Thomas Rees and Mary Jane Edmunds. The family later moved to Hendy, near Pontarddulais, where Douglas lived with his wife. Died 9 September 1943, aged 26. Salerno War Cemetery, Italy.
  • Henry Brynmor John, MBE, Lieutenant-Commander (S), Royal Navy – HMS President. Born in High Street, Narberth. Son of Jonah and Mary John; husband of Elizabeth Dorothy Williams, of Laugharne. Died 26 August 1946, aged 49. Golders Green Crematorium, Middlesex. He was a Burgess of Laugharne. He had served in Royal Navy in First World War, helping to rescue survivors of RMS Lusitania sinking.
  • Thomas William Saint John, Gunner, 1089358, Royal Artillery. Son of Thomas and Mary John, of Avon Bank, St Clears. Died 12 September 1944, aged 34, while a prisoner of war on Japanese ship Kachidoki Maru, which was sunk by American submarines. Singapore Memorial, Kranji. Played rugby for Laugharne before the war.
  • Daniel Delme Owen Lewis, Private, 3963252, Welsh Regiment. Son of David and Beatrice May Lewis of Bronwast Farm. Died 28 January 1942, aged 22, possibly when a British submarine sank the ship on which he was being transported by the Italians as a prisoner of war. Alamein War Memorial, Libya. Also commemorated by plaque at St Martin’s Church, Laugharne.
  • Henry Douglas McDermott, Major, Royal Army Ordnance Corps. Born in Gosport, Hampshire. Son of Commander Thomas and Mrs Frances McDermott, later of Laugharne. Died in Burma on 20 July 1945, aged 46. Kirkee Cemetery, Poona, India. He had enlisted into the Royal Marines in the First World War.
  • Francis Edward Hugh Owen, Able Seaman, C/SSX 15155, Royal Navy - HMS Huntley. Son of Hugh and Edith Owen of Laugharne. Died 31 January 1941, aged 25, when his ship was sunk by German aircraft in the Mediterranean. Chatham Naval Memorial, Kent.
  • Austin Thomas Phillips, Leading Stoker, D/KX 91896, Royal Navy - HMS Glenearn. Son of Richard Lewis Phillips and Mary Winifred Phillips of Brook Cottage, near Laugharne; husband of Margaret Winifred Phillips and father of Rose Mary Phillips. Died of burns on 15 April 1945, aged 27. Lae War Cemetery, Papua New Guinea. Educated at Brook School and Whitland Grammar School. Worked at Great House Farm, Laugharne, before joining Royal Navy in 1937. Cousin of Frank, below.
  • Frank David Thomas Phillips, Flight Sergeant, 1128364, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. Son of John and Mary Anne Phillips of Laugharne, later Carmarthen. Died 20 October 1944, aged 27. Wintzenbach Protestant Churchyard, Bas-Rhin, France.
  • George David Roberts, Steward, Merchant Navy – SS Queen City. Born in Maerdy, Rhondda. Son of Frank Roberts of Laugharne. Died of wounds received on 28 September 1940, when his ship was bombed by German aircraft. Rhondda (Ferndale) Cemetery.
  • Ivor Morgan Thomas, Sub-Lieutenant, Royal Naval Reserve. Born in Laugharne in 1920. Son of Albert William and Sarah Dora Thomas (nee Harries). Died 11 December 1942 during a training accident on the experimental submarine X-4 in Scotland. Portsmouth Naval Memorial, Devon.
  • Gordon Thomas Garfield Williams, Aircraftman 2nd Class, 932450, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. Born in Llanstadwell. Son of Thomas Stanley Garfield and Annie Jane Williams; husband of Edna Mary Roberts. Died 6 March 1942, aged 33. Singapore Memorial, Kranji. Left two children. Worked as head gardener at Amroth Castle before the war.
Top of Page