In memory of Evan Hughes Williams

nefyn_evan_hughes_williamsEvan Hughes Williams lived at Tŷ Canol, in Nefyn’s High Street, with his father William, a ship’s captain, and his mother Mary. The family worshipped at St David’s Church.

Evan was a reservist with the Royal Navy. Once war broke out in 1914, he went to Devonport, Plymouth, for training.

He served as a Second Lieutenant on the armed merchant cruiser HMS Ambrose, a former passenger steamer. He was soon promoted to Lieutenant and transferred to the armoured cruiser HMS Hampshire.

Comrades admired him for his rapid reactions and bravery. Twice he was the first to react to a shout of “man overboard” by lowering a lifeboat and going to the rescue. On one occasion the man in the water was deranged and bit Evan’s hands, but Evan managed to haul him into the boat.

HMS Hampshire was present when the Battle of Jutland began on 31 May 1916, the biggest clash between the British and German navies of the First World War. After the battle the ship returned to its base at Scapa Flow, Orkney. Two days later it departed, in stormy weather, with Lord Kitchener on board. He was Britain’s war minister. His face is still famous today from a wartime recruitment poster.

Evan and his comrades were tasked with taking Kitchener and his staff to Arkhangelsk, in northern Russia, for a diplomatic meeting with the Tsar. Within a few hours, the weather forced the HMS Hampshire to head back to Orkney. The ship sank quickly after striking a mine, laid a few days earlier by a German submarine. Kitchener’s death was a shock to the British public.

Evan was one of more than 600 who died. He was 30 years old. His body was never recovered, He is commemorated in Portsmouth on the memorial to the naval dead who have no grave.

St David’s Church was packed out for his memorial service. A brass plaque in Evan’s memory can be seen in the church (a little to the east of Nefyn war memorial).

Return to Nefyn war memorial page

Er cof am Evan Hughes Williams

Roedd Evan Hughes Williams (llun uchod) yn byw yn Tŷ Canol, yn Stryd Fawr Nefyn, gyda'i dad William, capten llong, a'i fam Mary. Roedd y teulu'n addoli yn Eglwys Dewi Sant.

Roedd Evan yn filwr wrth gefn gyda'r Llynges Frenhinol. Pan ddechreuodd y rhyfel ym 1914, aeth i Devonport, Plymouth, i hyfforddi.

Gwasanaethodd fel Ail Lefftenant ar griwser fasnachol arfog HMS Ambrose, cyn stemar i deithwyr. Cafodd ei ddyrchafu'n Lefftenant yn fuan a'i drosglwyddo i'r criwser arfog HMS Hampshire

Roedd ei gyd-forwyr yn ei edmygu am ei ymatebion cyflym a'i ddewrder. Ddwywaith ef oedd y cyntaf i ymateb i weiddi o "ddyn dros bwrdd" trwy ostwng bad achub a mynd i'w achub. Unwaith, roedd y dyn yn y dŵr wedi ei effeithio gan yr oerfel ac yn amhwyllog ac fe frathodd ddwylo Evan, ond llwyddodd Evan i'w dynnu i mewn i'r cwch. 

Roedd HMS Hampshire yn bresennol pan ddechreuodd Brwydr Jutland ar 31 Mai 1916, y gwrthdaro mwyaf rhwng llyngesau Prydain a'r Almaen yn y Rhyfel Byd Cyntaf. Ar ôl y frwydr dychwelodd y llong i'w chanolfan yn Scapa Flow, Orkney. Dau ddiwrnod yn ddiweddarach fe aeth allan, mewn tywydd stormus, gyda'r Arglwydd Kitchener ar ei bwrdd. Ef oedd gweinidog rhyfel Prydain. Mae ei wyneb yn dal i fod yn enwog heddiw o boster recriwtio yn ystod y rhyfel. 

Cafodd Evan a'i gymrodyr y dasg o fynd â Kitchener a'i staff i Arkhangelsk, yng ngogledd Rwsia, ar gyfer cyfarfod diplomyddol gyda'r Tsar. O fewn ychydig oriau, gorfododd y tywydd HMS Hampshire i fynd yn ôl i Orkney. Suddodd y llong yn gyflym ar ôl ffrwydryn, a osodwyd ychydig ddyddiau ynghynt gan long danfor Almaenig. Roedd marwolaeth Kitchener yn sioc i'r cyhoedd ym Mhrydain. 

Roedd Evan yn un o fwy na 600 fu farw. Roedd yn 30 mlwydd oed. Ni chafodd ei gorff ei ganfod, Fe'i coffeir yn Portsmouth ar y gofeb i'r meirw llynges nad oes ganddynt fedd. 

Roedd Eglwys Dewi Sant yn llawn dop ar gyfer ei wasanaeth coffa. Gellir gweld plac pres er cof am Evan yn yr eglwys (ychydig i'r dwyrain o gofeb rhyfel Nefyn). 

Dychwelyd i dudalen cofeb rhyfel Nefyn

soldier at graveside icon