Llangwm Local History Society

Throughout 2018, a series of short individual commemorations were held at St Jerome's church, Llangwm, to remember the seventeen men, with connections to Llangwm, who gave their lives in World War One.

James Henry Skyrme

Stoker 1st Class, 296150, Royal Navy

Died August 6th 1914

James was the son of William and Jane Skyrme, of Williamston Terrace, Guildford, Llangwm. He served as a pre-war regular in the Royal Navy, aboard HMS Amphion. Amphion was a new scout cruiser, and was stationed in the English Channel. In the afternoon of 6 August 1914, Amphion was patrolling in the Channel when she struck a mine which had been laid earlier that day by a German minelayer. She blew up and sank almost immediately, with the loss of 150 lives. Among the dead was James Skyrme. He was 33 years old, and is commemorated on the Plymouth Naval Memorial, Devon. Amphion was the first Royal Naval ship to be sunk in the war.

 

Stephen Arla Phillips

Armourer, 340270, Royal Navy, H.M.S. Aboukir

Died September 22nd 1914

Stephen was the son of Thomas Phillips, of Cresswell Quay, Begelly, and the husband of Hannah Phillips, of Black Tar, Llangwm. He served in the Royal Navy as a regular, and at the outbreak of war was an Armourer aboard the armoured cruiser H.M.S. Aboukir. Aboukir had been launched in 1900, and at the outbreak of war was sent along with her sister ships Bacchante, Euryalus, Hogue and Cressy to patrol the North Sea. At around 6 am on 22 September the three cruisers were steaming at 10 knots in line ahead and they were spotted by the U-9, commanded by Lt. Otto Weddigen. Although they were not zigzagging, all of the ships had lookouts posted to search for periscopes and one gun on each side of each ship was manned. Weddigen ordered his submarine to submerge and closed the range to the unsuspecting British ships. At close range, he fired a single torpedo at the Aboukir. The torpedo broke the back of the Aboukir and she sank within 20 minutes with the loss of 527 men. The captains of the Cressy and Hogue thought the Aboukir had struck a floating mine and came forward to assist her. They stood by and began to pick up survivors. At this point, Weddigen fired two torpedoes into the Hogue, mortally wounding that ship. As the Hogue sank, the captain of the Cressy realised that the squadron was being attacked by a submarine, and tried to flee. However, Weddigen fired two more torpedoes into the Cressy, and sank her as well. The entire battle had lasted less than two hours, and cost the British three warships, 62 officers and 1,397 ratings. One of the dead was the 45 year old Stephen Arla Phillips. He is commemorated on the Chatham Naval Memorial, Kent.

 

Percy George Adolph

Private, 13150, Welsh Regiment

Died February 17th 1915

Percy had been born at Llangwm, the only son of George and Mary Adolph. The family later resided at Continental, Goodwick, Fishguard. He enlisted at Haverfordwest into the Army, and was posted to the 1st Battalion, Welsh Regiment. The battalion was stationed in India at the outbreak of war, and was recalled to Britain, where it joined 84 Brigade, 28th Division on 22 December 1914, at Hursley Park. During January 1915 it moved to France, landing at Le Havre and moved to the Western Front, where it saw its first major action during the Second Battle of Ypres. The 1st Welsh landed on 18 January and spent their first night in France in a cotton shed in the Docks at Le Havre, before entraining the following day for Hazebrouck, and marching to Merris. The 1st Welsh then saw their first taste of the front line trenches at Hill 60. After a spell in the line, they rested a few days before moving back into the line at the Bluff on the night of 15 February 1915. The trenches were in an awful state, and not deep enough for safety and during the next two days, the 1st Welsh lost 28 men killed and a further 29 wounded while bringing the trenches up to standard. Percy was killed here on 17 February 1915. He was just 18 years old, and as his grave was lost in further fighting in the area, he is commemorated on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Belgium.

 

Frederick Bevan

Driver, 91785, Royal Field Artillery

Died June 24th 1916

Frederick was born at Camrose in 1898, the son of William and Emma Bevan. He had worked for the Great Western Railway at Neyland as an Engine Cleaner prior the war. He enlisted at Haverfordwest into the Royal Field Artillery, and was posted to A Battery, 66th Brigade, RFA, which was attached to the 13th (Western) Division. On 13 June 1915 the Division sailed for Alexandria, and moved to Mudros before being landed at Cape Helles, Gallipoli from 6 July 1915, relieving the 29th Division. On 8 January 1916, the Division was evacuated from Helles, and by 31 January was concentrated at Port Said, where they held forward posts in the Suez Canal defences. On 12 February 1916 the Division began to move to Mesopotamia, to strengthen the force being assembled for the relief of the besieged garrison at Kut al Amara. By 27 March, the Division had assembled near Sheikh Saad and came under orders of the Tigris Corps, and then took part in the attempts to relieve Kut. Frederick died during the move into Mesopotamia, on 24 June 1916, aged 18. He is buried at Amara War Cemetery, Iraq. 

 

William Henry Hitchings

Private, 203690, East Yorkshire Regiment

Died April 23rd 1917

William was the son of Frederick and Sarah Hitchings, of Sprinkle Hill, Hook, Haverfordwest. He enlisted at Cardiff into the Army, and was posted to the 1/4th Battalion, East Yorkshire Regiment, which was attached to 150 Brigade, 50th (Northumbrian) Division. It moved to France 16 April 1915, and served with distinction on the Western Front throughout the war. The Division moved to Ypres, where they took part in the Second Battle of Ypres from April to June 1915. During the summer of 1916 the Division were on the Somme, where they fought at the Battle of Flers-Courcelette, the Battle of Morval and the Battle of Le Transloy. After spending a winter on the Somme, they moved north to Arras, where they took part in the Arras Offensive of April 1917, and fought at the First Battle of the Scarpe, capturing the Wancourt Ridge. William was killed at Arras on 23 April 1917, aged 21, and is commemorated on the Arras Memorial, France.

 

Edwin Arthur John

Private, 624939, Canadian Expeditionary Force

Died August 25th 1917

Edwin was born at Derby Farm, near Merlins Bridge, on 11 April 1893, the son of Arthur and Jane John. The family emigrated to Canada in 1904, embarking from Liverpool aboard SS Bavarian on 22 September, and arrived at Montreal. They then set up home at Erskine, Alberta, before moving on to Turgoose, British Columbia. Edwin enlisted into the Canadian Infantry at Stettler, Alberta, on 22 February 1916, and joined the 151st Overseas Battalion, CEF. Edwin then travelled to Britain, where he joined the reinforcements for the 50th Alberta Regiment, which was attached to the 10th Canadian Brigade, 4th Canadian Division. The battalion arrived in France in August 1916, and fought through the later Battles on the Somme in 1916. In April 1917 it took part in the Battle of Vimy Ridge, and remained on the Arras front afterwards, where it took part in The Battle of Hill 70. On 25 August 1917 the 50th Battalion was tasked with the capture of Aloof Trench. Edwin and his brother John were both killed here that day, on 25 August 1917, when Edwin was hit by a sniper during the assault. John fell while cradling the body of his dead brother. Edwin was 24 years old, and is commemorated alongside his brother on the Vimy Memorial, France.

 

James John

Private, 883636, Canadian Expeditionary Force

Died August 25th 1917

James was born at  Derby Farm, near Merlins Bridge, on 17 July 1888, the son of Arthur and Jane John. The family emigrated to Canada in 1904, embarking from Liverpool aboard SS Bavarian on 22 September, and arrived at Montreal. They then set up home at Erskine, Alberta, before moving on to Turgoose, British Columbia. James followed the lead of his brother Edwin, and enlisted at Stettler, Alberta on 1 August 1916 into the 151st Overseas Battalion, CEF, and travelled to Britain, where he was posted to join the same battalion as Edwin, the 50th Alberta Regiment, attached to the 10th Canadian Brigade, 4th Canadian Division. The battalion arrived in France in August 1916, and fought through the later Battles on the Somme in 1916. In April 1917 it took part in the Battle of Vimy Ridge, and remained on the Arras front afterwards, where it took part in The Battle of Hill 70. On 25 August 1917 the 50th Battalion was tasked with the capture of Aloof Trench. Edwin and his brother John were both killed here that day, on 25 August 1917, when Edwin was hit by a sniper during the assault. John fell while cradling the body of his dead brother. John was 19 years old, and is commemorated alongside his brother on the Vimy Memorial, France.

 

David Harris George

Trooper, 1900, Cavalry

Died September 8th 1917

David was the son of George Protheroe George and Elizabeth Anne George, of Great Nash Farm, Haverfordwest. He enlisted on 16 October 1914 into the Royal Horse Guards (The Blues). At the outbreak of war, the Blues were stationed at Windsor, and mobilised to join the 8th Cavalry Brigade, 3rd Cavalry Division, and landed at Zeebrugge on 7 October 1914. David served with the Blues through the Battles of Ypres, and returned home ill at some time, probably due to the terrible conditions in the trenches. He died of appendicitis at the 3rd London General Hospital, Wandsworth on 8 September 1917, aged 23.

 

John Hutchings

Private, 201971, Welsh Regiment

Died November 24th 1917

John was born at Llangwm, the son of Simon and Martha Hutchings. He enlisted at Pembroke Dock into the Welsh Regiment, and was posted to the 18th Battalion, which was attached to 119 Brigade, 40th (Bantam) Division. This Division was formed between September and December 1915, composed of bantam units and others which had a mixture of regulation-height and shorter men. Weeding out of very under-sized or unfit men delayed the training programme, and it was not until late spring 1916 that the Division was ready to proceed on active service. The Division moved to France between 1-9 June, and moved to the front near Loos. Late in 1916 they moved south to the Somme, and fought at the Battle of the Ancre, and remained in the area over the winter. In March, 1917 the Germans withdrew to their shortened line, called the Hindenburg Line, and the 40th Division were one of the Divisions that followed the withdrawal. Later in the year they took part in the Battle of Cambrai, playing an important role in the attack on Bourlon Wood. John was killed in action at Bourlon Wood on 24 November 1917, aged 36. He is commemorated on the Cambrai Memorial, Louverval, France.

 

James Charles Thomas

Private, 85944, Machine Gun Corps

Died December 4th 1917

James was the son of James and Ann Thomas, of Talyhoo Farm, Llangwm. He enlisted at Pembroke into the 4th Battalion, Welsh Regiment on 3 December 1915, being allotted the service number 6462. James was posted to France on 11 July 1917, joining the 235th Company, Machine Gun Corps, which was attached to the 12th (Eastern) Division. The Division had been in France since 31 May 1915, and had fought at the Battle of Loos in 1915, and at the Somme in 1916. James joined his new unit at Arras, where it was rebuilding after taking part in the Battles of Arras. The Division remained at Arras until taking part in the Battle of Cambrai in November, 1917. James was wounded and taken prisoner at Cambrai in November, and died of his wounds on 4 December 1917. He was 26 years old, and was buried by the Germans at Caudry British Cemetery, France.

 

George Lewis

Ordinary Seaman, J/79048, Royal Navy

Died January 20th 1918

George was born at Pembroke Dock on 3 October 1898, the son of Benjamin and Elizabeth Lewis. The family was originally from Llangwm, but later resided at 22, Eva Street, Neath, where Benjamin worked as a Collier. Elizabeth is recorded as living with the children at Guilford, Llangwm by 1911. George enlisted into the Royal Navy, and by 1918 was serving aboard HMS Louvain, which was an armed boarding steamer. On 20 January 1918, Louvain was being used as a troop carrier in the Aegean, when she was spotted by the German submarine UC22. The submarine fired off a single torpedo, which struck Louvain, sending her immediately to the bottom. George was among over 140 men killed aboard Louvain when she was sunk that morning. He was 20 years old, and is commemorated on the Plymouth Naval Memorial, Devon.

 

William John Bevans

Private, Welsh Regiment

Died March 9th 1918

William, known as John, was the son of John and Jane Bevans, of Trooper's Inn, Freystrop. He enlisted at Fort Scoveston into the 4th Battalion, Welsh Regiment, and was posted to Palestine, joining the 1/4th Battalion, Welsh Regiment, John was killed during the drive through northern Palestine on 9 March 1918 aged 18. He is buried at Jerusalem War Cemetery, Israel.

 

Bertie Jenkins

M22936, Royal Navy, HMS Amphitrite

Died May 5th 1918

Bertram (Bertie) was born on 15 August 1895, the son of William and Anne Jenkins, of Guildford, Burton. Bertie and his father worked at Pembroke Dockyard prior to the war, and on 19 September 1916, Bertie enlisted into the Royal Navy. After training at HMS Victory, in Portsmouth, Bertie was posted to HMS Amphitrite. HMS Amphitrite was a Diadem-class Cruisers, which had been built at Vickers Limited, Barrow in Furness and launched on 5 January 1898. At the outbreak of was she was part of the Ninth Cruiser Squadron, serving in the Atlantic. In June 1915 she was placed in reserve, but reactivated as a minelayer in 1917, which is when Bertie joined her crew. Bertie took ill with chronic bronchitis while serving aboard Amphitrite, and was hospitalised at Portsmouth. He was discharged on 14 February 1918, but died at 24, Prospect Place, Pembroke Dock of Bronchitis on 5 May 1918, aged 21. Bertie was accepted for commemoration by the CWGC on 6 April 2012. The location of his grave has not yet been verified, so he will be commemorated on the Addenda Panel of the Portsmouth Naval Memorial, Hampshire.

 

John Davies

Rifleman, 48376, London Regiment

Died June 1st 1918

John was the husband of Rhoda M. Davies, of The Shop, Hill Mountain, near Llangwm. He enlisted at Mountain Ash into the South Wales Borderers, with the Regimental Number 30486. He later transferred into the 1/28th Battalion (Artists Rifles), London Regiment, attached to the 190th Brigade, 63rd (Royal Naval) Division. They saw their first major action during the Second Battle of Passchendaele. Their next major action was at Cambrai, during the Action of Welch Ridge, and they were still in the area when the Germans launched their Spring Offensive, and fought at the Battle of St Quentin, and then the First Battle of Bapaume. John was killed in action during the ensuing period of instability, on 1 June 1918. He was 36 years old and is buried at Varennes Military Cemetery, France. John is not commemorated at Llangwm.

 

William Joseph Bevan

Private, 643915, Labour Corps

Died September 23rd 1918

William was born at Llangwm, the son of Albert and Margaret Ann Bevan. The family later resided at Neath, and William lived with his wife E. B. Bevan, at 23, Union Road, Neath. He enlisted at Cardiff into the Army, and was posted to the 67th Company, Labour Corps. Men of the Labour Corps were pressed into service as infantry during 1918, due to the terrible losses suffered by the British that year. William was probably wounded on the southern banks of the Somme Valley, and died of wounds on 23 September 1918, aged 24. He is buried at Doingt Communal Cemetery Extension, France.

 

Arthur Williams

Lance Corporal, 11541, South Wales Borderers

Died October 6th 1917

Arthur was born at Llangwm in 1896, the son of Thomas and Mary Jane Williams. The family was residing at St Davids, Brecon by 1901, and Arthur enlisted at Brecon prior to the war, into the 2nd Battalion, South Wales Borderers. The battalion had been stationed in China at the outbreak of war, and fought a successful action there against the German garrison at Tientsin. It was then recalled to Britain, where it joined 87 Brigade, 29th Division. The Division took part in the Gallipoli Landings of 25 April 1915, before moving to the Western Front in 1916, where it took the line opposite Beaumont Hamel leading up to the Somme Battles, and was decimated here on 1 July 1916. It then fought during the Battle of Arras in the spring of 1917, and later that year fought at Third Ypres. Arthur was mortally wounded at Ypres in October 1917, and died of his wounds at the Casualty Clearing Station at Dozinghem on 6 October 1917, aged 21. He was buried at Dozinghem Military Cemetery, Belgium. Arthur is not commemorated at Llangwm.

 

William John Jones

Private, 55216, Hampshire Regiment

Died October 20th 1918

William was the son of Thomas and Ann Jones, of Edwards Pill, Llangwm. He enlisted at Inverness into the Army, and was posted to the 2nd Battalion, Hampshire Regiment. The battalion had been in India at the outbreak of war, and was recalled to Britain where it joined 88 Brigade, 29th Division. The Division took part in the Gallipoli Landings of 25 April 1915, before moving to the Western Front in 1916, where it took the line opposite Beaumont Hamel leading up to the Somme Battles, and was decimated here on 1 July 1916. It then fought during the Battle of Arras in the spring of 1917, and later that year fought at Third Ypres. The Division fought at the Battle of Cambrai in November and December, 1917 before moving back to Flanders early in 1918. The German Spring Offensive hit the British on the Somme on 21 March, 1918, and hit in Flanders just weeks later. The 29th Division fought at the desperate defensive battles of Estaires, Messines, Bailleul and Kemmel, before the war turned in favour of the Allies after a series of successes on the Somme in August. The Division then took part in the Offensive in Flanders, where they took part in the Action of Outtersteene Ridge, and then at the Battle of Ypres. William was killed at Ypres on 20 October 1918. He was 22 years old, and is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial, Belgium.