Dale is a small village and parish in Pembrokeshire, located on the Dale Peninsula which forms the north side of the entrance to Milford Haven estuary. It was once a marcher borough. There is a Victorian fort located on a rocky promontory that houses a field studies centre. The area is a popular tourist area. The War Memorial which commemorates the memory of the men of Dale, who gave their lives in both World Wars takes the form of a soldier of the Great War stood to arms atop a Marble Pillar. Many thanks to Jonny Woodhouse for the photo of the Dale War Memorial.

Dale War Memorial

The Great War, 1914-1918

 

John B. Codd, Private, 46477, Welsh Regiment. John was born at St. Ishmael's. He enlisted at Haverfordwest into the Army, and was posted to the 9th Battalion, Welsh Regiment, which was attached to 58 Brigade, 19th (Western) Division. The Division assembled around Bulford during September 1914. Divisional training was completed near Tidworth, from March 1915, and the Butterfly Division crossed to France between 11 and 21 July 1915, and moved to positions near Loos.  The Division fought during the opening attack of the Battle of Loos, and then moved to the Somme, where they took part in the second wave of the attack on Ovillers-La Boiselle on 1 July, capturing the village at heavy cost, and fought through the Somme Battles of Pozieres and the Ancre in 1916. They then moved north to Ypres, and took part in the Battle of Messines. John was killed in action at Messines on 7 June 1917. He was 27 years old. John has no known grave, and is commemorated on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Belgium.

Arthur Edwards, MM, Bombardier, 64876, Royal Field Artillery. Arthur was born at Dale, and enlisted at Cardiff into the Royal Field Artillery. Arthur joined the 112th Battery, 24th Brigade R.F.A., attached to the 6th Division. On the 10th September, 1914 the Division landed at St Nazaire and proceeded to the Western Front, and arrived in time to reinforce the hard-pressed BEF on the Aisne, before the whole army was moved north into Flanders. Here they took part in the Action of Hooge during June, 1915, and in 1916 moved to the Somme, where the Division fought at the Battle of Flers-Courcelette, the Battle of Morval and the Battle of Le Transloy. The following year saw them at Arras, where they fought at the Battle of Hill 70, and then during the Battle of Cambrai later in the year. In the spring of 1918 the Division was one of those hit by the German Offensive on the Somme, which had been launched on 21 March, and the Division took part in the Battle of St Quentin. Arthur was killed during the next few days terrible fighting, on 25 March 1918. He has no known grave, and is commemorated on the Arras Memorial, France. Arthur had won the Military Medal for Bravery in the Field during his time on the Western Front.

Walter Edwards, Private, 1750, Welsh Guards. Walter was the Son of William and Susan Edwards, of Townsend, Dale. He worked as a Police Constable prior to the war, and enlisted at Haverfordwest ion 30 June 1915 into the 1st Battalion, Welsh Guards. The Welsh Guards had been formed after the Royal Warrant of 28 February 1915, and became attached to the 3rd Guards Brigade, Guards Division. This Division has the distinction of being formed in France in August 1915. The various Guards units that had been with other Divisions were withdrawn to be brought together to create this fine formation. It remained on the Western Front throughout the war and saw its first major action during the Battle of Loos on 25 September 1915, remaining in the area during the coming months, where they also fought in the subsequent Action of Hohenzollern Redoubt. In July, 1916 the Division moved to the Somme, which is where Walter joined the Battalion, and he fought with them at the Battle of Flers-Courcelette, and then at the Battle of Morval, capturing Lesboeufs Village. The Guards remained here for the winter, and in March, 1917 took part in the advance caused by the German Retreat to the Hindenburg Line. Later that year they moved north to Ypres, where they fought at the Battle of the Pilckem, and then at the Battle of the Menin Road, the Battle of Poelcapelle and the First Battle of Passchendaele. November saw them move south again, where they took part in the Battle of Cambrai. Walter was killed in action at Cambrai on 1 December 1917. Again, he has no known grave, and is commemorated on the Cambrai Memorial, Louverval, France. Walter was 27 years old.

Walter Thomas Edwards, Gunner, 76761, Royal Garrison Artillery. Walter was the Son of Richard and Elizabeth Edwards, of South Street, Dale. He enlisted at Haverfordwest into the Royal Garrison Artillery, and joined the 298th Siege Battery. Walter was with his Battery during the Battles of Third Ypres, which took place throughout the late summer of 1917. He was wounded after the main battle had been closed down. Sadly he died as a result of his wounds on 23 December 1917 at Ypres, and is buried at Nine Elms British Cemetery, Belgium. Walter was 30 years old.

Sidney Lloyd, Private, 74729, Kings Liverpool Regiment. Sidney was the Son of Morgan and Agnes Lloyd, of Merbach, Clifford, Hereford. He had married prior to the war, and lived with his wife Winifred Lloyd, at Cliff Cottages, Dale. He had enlisted into the Army, and was posted to the 20th (Labour) Company, King's Liverpool Regiment. Sidney was then sent to the Western Front, and posted to the 85th Company, Labour Corps, which was at Ypres. Sadly, the young Sidney was wounded at Ypres, and evacuated to the Casualty Clearing Station at Remy Sidings, where he died of wounds on 17 September 1917. He was just 19 years old, and is buried at Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery, Belgium.

 

Clive Victor Llewellyn Reynolds, Private, 78046, Durham Light Infantry. Clive was born on 10 October 1898, the Son of John and Hannah Reynolds, of Richmond House, Dale, Milford Haven. He enlisted at Haverfordwest on 23 September 1916 into the Army Service Corps, before moving on to a Training Reserve Battalion. On 1 October 1917 Clive was posted to the 15th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry, which was attached to 64 Brigade, 21st Division. The Division had originally moved to France at the beginning of September, 1915 and without time for adequate training were sent into action at Loos on 26 September, where they suffered appalling casualties. They had also fought through the Somme Battles, and at Arras and Passchendaele, before moving to Cambrai, which is where Clive joined up with them. After fighting through the Battle of Cambrai, the Division were posted near St. Quentin on the Somme. It was here on 21 March 1918 that they were one of the British Divisions to be hit by the German Spring Offensive which battered and swept through the Allied front lines. Clive was probably captured at some time soon after this by the Germans, and brought back to Germany as a POW, as he died of blood poisoning due to a gunshot in his thigh, on 30 July 1918. Clive was by then just 19 years old, and is buried at Cologne Southern Cemetery, Germany.

John Thomas, Private, 16284, Welsh Regiment. John was born at Dale, and enlisted at Haverfordwest into the Army. He was posted to the 10th Battalion, Welsh Regiment, attached to 114 Brigade, 38th (Welsh) Division. The Division had landed in France during December 1915 and had spent their first winter in the trenches near Armentieres. In June they marched south to the Somme, where they were tasked with the capture of Mametz Wood. The attack on the wood began on 7 July 1916, but met with fierce resistance, and it took until 11 July to clear the wood. The Division suffered terrible casualties at Mametz, and were taken out of the line, and moved to Ypres to rebuild. John was killed in action at Ypres on 11 May 1917. He is buried at Ferme-Olivier Cemetery, Belgium.

World War Two, 1939-1945

James Arthur Lloyd, Seaman, LT/JX 170660, Royal Naval Patrol Service. James was the Son of Sidney and Winifred Lloyd, of The Cliff, Dale, later of Erwood, Breconshire. He served in the Royal Naval Patrol Service, aboard the armed HM Trawler Fifeshire. She was used for anti submarine work in the North Sea, and was on patrol on 20 February, 1940 when she was attacked and sunk by German Aircraft off Copinsay, Shetlands. James was lost at sea aboard the Fifeshire that day. He was 22 years old, and is commemorated on the Lowestoft Naval Memorial, Suffolk.