Railway war memorial, Carmarthen station

Railway war memorial, Carmarthen station

The war memorial plaque at Carmarthen railway station was unveiled in 2019 to honour the local Great Western Railway employees who died in the First World War. See below for their details.

Railway workers were exempted from military service in the Second World War (because their work was vital to the war effort) but not in the First World War.

Research for the Carmarthen railway war memorial was carried out by Steven John, of the West Wales War Memorial Project, and by Simon Biggs, a Transport for Wales train driver, keen historian and chairman of Carmarthen Round Table.

Two of the men named on this war memorial – Thomas Bona and George Wright – are also commemorated on the GWR memorial at Cardiff Central station.

Postcode: SA31 2BE    View Location Map

Steven John’s website - details of Carmarthen’s First World War dead

Carmarthen GWR workers who died

  • Thomas Bona, Private 38147. Welsh Regiment. Died 25/9/1915. Commemorated on Loos Memorial, France. Son of Ann Bona, of Danybank, Carmarthen. He worked for the Great Western Railway as a blacksmith’s striker in Carmarthen before enlisting with the Royal Engineers. Was discharged as physically unfit, but joined the Welsh Regiment at its first recruitment event in Carmarthen.
  • Ivor Monroe Griffiths, Private 2252. Welsh Regiment. Died of enteric fever 28/10/1915 aged 19. Buried at Alexandria (Chatby) Military and War Memorial Cemetery, Egypt. Son of John and Hannah Griffiths of Dryslwyn House, Parcmain Street, Carmarthen. Worked for the GWR in Llanelli before enlisting.
  • David George Lewis, Corporal 19043. Welsh Regiment. Died 10/7/1916 aged 29. Buried at Flatiron Copse Cemetery, France. Son of David and Ellen Lewis of 83 Priory Street, Carmarthen. Worked for the GWR in the Rhondda before enlisting.
  • David Harris, Private 201687. Welsh Regiment. Died 25/4/1917 aged 25. Buried at Deir El Belah War Cemetery, Israel and Palestine. Son of John and Rachel Harris of Gelliwastad, Swansea. Worked for the GWR in Carmarthen.
  • Frederick George Tansill, Private 42156. East Yorkshire Regiment. Died 8/9/1918 aged 19. Buried at St Erme Communal Cemetery Extension, France. Son of George and Catherine Tansill of 1 Towy Villa, Old Station Road, Carmarthen. Brother of William, below.
  • William James Tansill, Sapper 448488. Royal Engineers. Died 29/7/1917 aged 22. Buried at Alexandria (Hadra) War Memorial Cemetery, Egypt. Son of George and Catherine Tansill of Towy Villa, Old Station Road, Carmarthen.
  • Edwin Isaac Thomas, Corporal 200457. Welsh Regiment. Died 3/11/1917 aged 27. Buried at Beersheba War Cemetery, Israel. Son of John and Mary Thomas of 52 Little Water Street, Carmarthen. Was a timekeeper and storekeeper for the GWR in Llanelli, living at 75 Priory Street, Carmarthen, with his wife and two children.
  • George Edgar Wright, Private 355512. Royal Welsh Fusiliers. Died 18/9/1918. Buried at Templeux-le-Guerard Communal Cemetery Extension, France. Son of John Richard Wright and Isabella Wright; husband of Mary Louisa Wright of 10 Church Street, Carmarthen. Worked at the GWR’s engineering department in Carmarthen before enlisting. Was a GWR blacksmith’s striker in Carmarthen before enlisting in 1916.