Aberaeron war memorial
Aberaeron war memorial
Aberaeron’s war memorial takes the form of this memorial hall, erected after a fund-raising campaign. It was officially opened on 1 April 1925.
Inside the hall are two brass plaques, listing the local men who died on active service in the First and Second World Wars. To read their details, choose a category below.
The details shown here are summaries of research carried out by Steven John. To read his comprehensive accounts of Aberaeron’s war dead, and view photos of some of them, click here.
The hall seats 200 and remains an important local venue for community events.
Postcode: SA46 0DP
Website of Aberaeron memorial hall
First World War
- Albert Gordon Davies MC, Second Lieutenant, Royal Welsh Fusiliers. Son of John and Elizabeth Alban Davies, of Tanyfron Villa. He was probably wounded at Messines in 1917, during an action which led to him being awarded the Military Cross. Albert died of his wounds on 1 August 1917, aged 27. Buried at Bailleul Communal Cemetery Extension, France.
- Thomas Jones Davies, Second Mate, Mercantile Marine. Son of John and Mary Davies. Married Selina Thomas at Aberaeron in 1912, and they lived at 1 Vulcan Place, Aberaeron. Thomas served on SS Duckbridge, sunk by mines on 22 February 1916 while carrying Welsh steam coal for the Royal Navy from Cardiff to the Orkneys. Commemorated alongside his crew-mates on the Tower Hill Memorial, London.
- Alfred Evans, Private, 2754, Welsh Guards. Son of Jenkin and Rachel Evans, of 14 Rock Terrace, Aberaeron. Suffered gas poisoning and died in hospital in London on 20 April 1918, aged 23. Buried at Rhydybont Congregational Chapelyard. Worked as an agricultural labourer before the war.
- Evan Evans, Private, 13513, Royal Fusiliers. Son of John and Ellen Evans, of The Rope and Anchor, Aberaeron. Wounded in Tanzania in December 1916 and died of his wounds on 6 January 1917. Buried at Dar Es Salaam (Upanga Road) Cemetery, Tanzania. Brother of Thomas Morris Evans, below.
- John Evans, Carpenter, Mercantile Marine. Son of John and Rachael Evans, of 2 Belle Vue Terrace, Aberaeron. Carpenter on SS Euston, torpedoed on 24 October 1917 while carrying coal from Malta to Mudros. John was the only casualty from the crew. He was 55 years old. Tower Hill Memorial, London.
- John Morgan Evans, Sergeant (Signaller), 562, South African Rifles. Son of John and Catherine Evans, of 1 Alban Square, Aberaeron. Probably lived in South Africa before the war. Died of fever on 6 June 1916, during the campaign in German-occupied East Africa. He was 34 years old. Iringa Cemetery, Tanzania.
- Thomas Morris Evans, Private, 52053, Cheshire Regiment. Son of John and Ellen Evans, of The Rope and Anchor, Aberaeron. Enlisted with Royal Welsh Fusiliers on 1 April 1916. Transferred to the 13th Battalion, Cheshire Regiment, on 4 September 1916, attached to 74 Brigade, 25th Division. Thomas was killed in action on 21 October 1916. Thiepval Memorial, France. Brother of Evan, above.
- David William Griffiths, Private, 45141, Royal Welsh Fusiliers. Son of Elizabeth Griffiths, of 2 Waterloo Street, Aberaeron. Shot in the chest. Died of his wounds on 19 March 1918, aged 35. Merville Communal Cemetery Extension, France.
- Edwin Lewis Hardy, Private, 41374, Loyal North Lancashire Regiment. Born in Aberaeron, son of Harry and Mary Ann Hardy. Enlisted at Brecon into the army, and joined the 1st Battalion, Loyal North Lancashire Regiment, in France. Killed on 18 September 1918, aged 19. Buried at Brie British Cemetery, France.
- Edgar Lewis James, Driver, W/1341, Royal Field Artillery. Son of Magdalen James, of Aeron Cottage, Aberaeron. He worked for the Great Western Railway at Ammanford, and enlisted there into the Royal Field Artillery, serving with 'B' Battery, 119th Brigade, attached to 38th (Welsh) Division. He was killed in action on 28 May 1917, aged 22. Dickebusch New Military Cemetery Extension, Belgium.
- Jenkin Jones, First Mate, Mercantile Marine. Son of David and Hannah Jones of Aberaeron. Before the war he lived with his wife Isabella at 5 North Road, Aberaeron. Served on SS Wavelet, damaged but not sunk by a mine on 13 February 1915. Jenkin was killed by the explosion, aged 40. Tower Hill Memorial, London.
- John Jones, Seaman, 1268D, Royal Naval Reserve. Born in Aberaeron and lived at Masons Row before living with his wife, Jane Jones, at 5 Parry Street, Ton Pentre, Rhondda. Served on HMS Goliath, which supported the Gallipoli landings on 25 April 1915. On 13 May 1915, the ship was sunk by Turkish torpedoes off Cape Helles. More than 570 of the crew died, including John. Plymouth Naval Memorial.
- John Daniel Jones, Sailor, Mercantile Marine. Son of Elizabeth Jones of 7 Regent Street, Aberaeron. Served on SS Isleworth, torpedoed on 30 April 1918 while carrying iron ore from Bilbao to Middlesbrough. John was one of 29 men killed. He was 18 years old. Tower Hill Memorial.
- John Harold Jones, Second Lieutenant, Royal Welsh Fusiliers. Son of Benjamin C Jones and Mary Jones, of 16 Alban Square, Aberaeron. Commissioned into the 1st Battalion, Royal Welsh Fusiliers, attached to 22 Brigade, 7th Division. Killed at Polygon Wood, Belgium, on 1 October 1917, aged 28. Tyne Cot Memorial.
- John Martin Jones, Boatswain (Bosun), Mercantile Marine. Son of John and Catherine Jones. Before the war he lived with his wife, Mary Ellen Jones (nee Davies), at 6 Victoria Street, Aberaeron. Served on SS Australia and died at sea on 29 April 1918, aged 47. Tower Hill Memorial.
- Joseph Sydney Jones, Corporal, 546053, Royal Army Medical Corps. Son of Jonathan B Jones and Anne Jones, of Garth, Aberaeron. Lived with his wife, Winifred Alice Jones, at 346 High Street, Lewisham, London. Joseph enlisted into the 2nd London Sanitary Company, Royal Army Medical Corps, attached to their 29th Sanitary Section. Served in Egypt and fell ill there, due to the poor conditions. Died of sickness in Kent on 5 April 1919, aged 33. Buried at Lewisham (Ladywell) Cemetery, London. Brother of Rev William Edgar Jones, below.
- Lewis Roberts Jones, Private, 201820, Welsh Regiment. Son of David Rees Jones and Catherine Jones, of 2 Tabernacle Street, Aberaeron. Served with the 1/4th Battalion, Welsh Regiment, attached to 159 Brigade, 53rd (Welsh) Division. Served at Gallipoli. Killed in the First Battle of Gaza on 26 March 1917, aged 21. Jerusalem Memorial, Israel.
- Owen John Jones, Private, 51595, Cheshire Regiment. Son of David and Mary Jones, of 9 Regent Street, Aberaeron. Enlisted at Cardiff into the Cheshire Yeomanry. Served in France with 1st Battalion, Cheshire Regiment, attached to 15 Brigade, 5th Division. Killed at Ypres on 23 October 1917, aged 19. Commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial.
- Rev William Edgar Jones, Chaplain 4th Class, Army Chaplains' Department. Son of Jonathan B Jones and Anne Jones, of Garth, Aberaeron. Wounded during the Battle of the Selle. Died of wounds at a casualty clearing station in Roisel on 24 October 1918, aged 30. Roisel Communal Cemetery Extension, France. Brother of Joseph, above.
- Evan John Leonard, Civilian, Munition Worker. Son of Thomas and Jane Evans. Lived at the Prince of Wales Inn after marrying Hannah Beynon in Aberaeron in March 1913. Evan worked at Pembrey Ordnance Factory during the war, and was killed there on 29 March 1916, aged 26.
- Griffith Lewis, Mercantile Marine. Son of Mary Lewis. Lived with his wife, Annie Ellen Lewis, at Aldborough, Aberaeron, and was a long-serving mariner. Served as Captain of SS Oaklands Grange. Died of malarial fever on board on 21 October 1917, and was buried at sea.
- Daniel Edwin Morgans, Mercantile Marine. Son of Edward and Margaret Morgans, of 16 Market Street, Aberaeron. Drowned at sea on 23 January 1918.
- Henry Loyn Pugh, Second Lieutenant, South Wales Borderers. Son of Thomas and Mary Pugh, of 7, Alban Square, Aberaeron. Henry was a councillor and a Scoutmaster at Aberaeron before enlisting in the Inns of Court Regiment. He was commissioned into the 3rd Battalion, South Wales Borderers, and attached to the 1st Battalion, South Wales Borderers, which was attached to 3 Brigade, 1st Division. Wounded on 9 September 1916. Died of wounds on 11 September 1916, aged 29. Heilly Station Cemetery, France.
- Thomas Gwilym Rees, Second Engineer, Mercantile Marine. Son of Joseph and Elizabeth Rees, of 3 Belle Vue Terrace, Aberaeron. Married Mary Morris before the war and lived at Min-afon, Borth-y-Gest, Porthmadog. Served as Engineer on SS Paddington, torpedoed on 21 July 1917 while carrying Admiralty cargo and passengers from Cartagena to Britain. Thomas was among the 29 crew lost. He was 29 years old. Tower Hill Memorial, London. Also named on Porthmadog war memorial.
- Arthur Thomas Williams, Private, 95511, Middlesex Regiment. Son of David Williams, of Stratheaton, Aberaeron. Lived in London before the war with his wife and three children, working as a station house manager for London Fire Brigade. Arthur died of wounds on 30 October 1918. St Sever Cemetery Extension, France.
Second World War
- John Islwyn Davies, Chief Steward, Merchant. Born at Norland, Aberaeron. Married Mildred Mary Salmon, of Trefin, Pembrokeshire, in 1941. Served on SS Chulmleigh, torpedoed on 14 September 1917 while carrying coal from Newcastle to Genoa. John died that day, aged 30. Tower Hill Memorial, London.
- John Aeron Davies, Merchant Navy. Born in Aberaeron. Son of James and Sarah Davies. Lived at 11 Tabernacle Street, Aberaeron, before the war. Died at the Dock Cut, Middlesbrough, on 18 March 1943.
- Thomas Irwin Davies, Leading Aircraftman, 930988, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. Son of Richard M Davies and Hannah Francis Davies, of Aeron Belle, Aberaeron. On 7 November 1944, Thomas was in a large party of RAF servicemen aboard a Landing Ship which could not enter Ostend port because of a severe storm. Returning to England, the vessel hit and mine and sank. Thomas was among the dead. Blankenberge Town Cemetery, Belgium.
- Evan Evans, Sailor, Merchant Navy. Son of Thomas and Margaret Evans, of Llyswen Mill, Aberaeron. Served on SS Empire Tower, torpedoed while part of a convoy on 5 March 1943. Evan, aged 31, was among the dead. Tower Hill Memorial, London.
- James Harold Evans, Junior Engineer Officer, Merchant Navy. Son of John and Mary Evans, of Aberystwyth. Lived with his wife, Minnie Evans, at Maesglas, Aberaeron. Served on MV Lady Glanely, torpedoed while travelling from Vancouver via Panama and Bermuda to London, carrying a cargo of wheat and lumber. James, aged 37, was among the dead. Tower Hill Memorial, London.
- Alban Lewis Gwynne, CB, Commander, Royal Navy. Born in Aberaeron. Son of Alban Thomas Jones Gwynne and Mary Edith Gwynne (nee Harford), of Monachty, Cardiganshire; hueband of Ruby Bond. Served throughout the First World War with the Royal Navy, and on HMS Southern Princess during the Second. He died on 5 July 1942, aged 62, and was cremated at Golders Green Crematorium, England.
- William Ewart Herbert, Master, Merchant Navy. Son of Evan and Jane Herbert. Lived with his wife, Margaret Mary Herbert, at Gwynlys, Llanon, before the war. Served as Master of SS Stangarth. On its maiden voyage, the steamer was torpedoed near Puerto Rico on 16 March 1942. William, aged 47, was killed. Tower Hill Memorial, London.
- Allen Stanford Jones, Sergeant, 530722, Royal Air Force. Son of Timothy James Jones and Evelyn Lucy Jones, of Newholme, Aberaeron. Served with 228 Squadron, a flying boat squadron in Coastal Command that was equipped with the Short Sunderland. In May 1939 the squadron moved to Alexandria, but returned to Pembroke Dock at the outbreak of war. Later the squadron’s maintenance base was moved from to Malta, where the squadron carried out fleet reconnaissance and anti-submarine patrols. Allen was killed on 7 March 1941, aged 22, possibly during a German air raid on the island. Malta (Capuccini) Naval Cemetery.
- David Horace Jones, Warrant Officer (Pilot), 1056939, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. Son of Capt John T Jones and Catherine J Jones, of 3 Queen Street, Aberaeron. Killed over France on 12 November 1944, aged 28. Choloy War Cemetery, France.
- Christopher David Lewis, Master, Merchant Navy. Son of Owen and Sarah Peers Lewis. He lived with his wife, Belva Margaret Williams Lewis, at The Mount, Llanon, before the war. Served as Master of SS Stanburn, sunk by a dive-bomber on 29 January 1940. Christopher, aged 40, was among the dead. Llansantffraed (St. Bridget) Churchyard, Ceredigion.
- John Harold Lewis, Third Officer, Merchant Navy. Son of Harold and Elizabeth Lewis, of Melbourne, Aberaeron. Served on MV Corbis, torpedoed on 18 April 1943 while carrying diesel oil and aviation spirit from Abadan for Table Bay. John died, aged 23, on 29 April 1943. Tower Hill Memorial, London.
- Thomas William Lloyd, Trooper, 14497632, Royal Armoured Corps. Son of John and Ann Lloyd, of 8 Water Street, Aberaeron. Died at Swansea on 25 January 1944, aged 18. Henfynyw (St. David) Churchyard, Ceredigion.
- Evan Samuel Morgan (served as Sydney Morgan), Able Seaman, P/JX 252993, Royal Navy. Son of Daniel James and Jane Morgan, of Gwel-y-Don, Aberaeron. Married Violet Winifred Laura Pearce, of Stanmore, Middlesex, in 1932. Evan served on HMS Excellent II and was killed, aged 37, during the landings at Sicily on 29 July 1942. Commemorated as Sydney Morgan on Portsmouth Naval Memorial.
- Evan Lewis Williams, Able Seaman, Merchant Navy. Son of Evan and Sarah Williams, of Aberaeron. Lived with his wife, Margaret Jane Williams, at 18 Tabernacle Street, Aberaeron. Served on MV Kolchis, torpedoed on 22 November 1940 while crossing the Atlantic with a cargo of grain. Evan died that day, aged 37. Tower Hill Memorial.
- Ivan Cooper Williams, Ordinary Telegraphist, P/JX 299248, Royal Navy. Son of William Lewis Williams, Master Mariner, and Margaret Bennett Williams, of Belle Vue Bungalow, Aberaeron. Was based at HMS Drake, the Royal Naval Base at Plymouth. Ivan died at Aberaeron on 13 September 1943, aged 22. Henfynyw (St. David) Churchyard, Ceredigion.