Lamphey is a small village near the historic town of Pembroke, the birth place of Henry VII. The village itself includes an historic parish church and the Bishops Palace, the residence of the Bishops of St David's. The men of the Parish of Lamphey are commemorated on a white marble War Memorial which is located inside the Parish Church of St. Tyfei. Many thanks to Anthony Breakspear for the photograph of the War Memorial, and of the grave of his Great Uncles, Frederick and William Hall. The memorial sadly does not contain the name of one Lamphey man, as he was executed for desertion during the war. He is among 306 British soldiers who were pardoned in August 2006, and so is included on this page.

Lamphey War Memorial

The Great War, 1914-1918

Thomas John Badham, Private, G/19411, Middlesex Regiment. Thomas was the Son of Mrs. E. Badham, of 4, Station Terrace, Lamphey. He enlisted into the Army under the name of John Badham Thomas for some reason, which made finding his identity difficult. Thomas enlisted at Holloway, Middlesex, into the 1st Battalion, Middlesex Regiment. This was a regular battalion, and was attached to 19 Brigade after landing in France on 11 August 1914. The battalion then saw action during the retreat from Mons, and at First Ypres in 1914, and in 1915 at Neuve Chapelle and Loos. It fought on the Somme in 1916, before moving to Ypres in 1917, and it was here, during Third Ypres, that Thomas was mortally wounded. He was evacuated to the Casualty Clearing Station at Remy Sidings, where he died of his wounds on 26 September 1917. Thomas was 21 years old, and is buried at Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery, Belgium.

 

William George Dawkins, Private, 2120, Welsh Guards. William was born at Nash, and enlisted at Maesteg into the Welsh Guards, who had formed during February 1915, becoming attached to 3rd Guards Brigade, Guards Division. William joined the battalion in France at some time after the Battle of Loos, where the Welsh Guards suffered heavy casualties. He fought with them during the Battle of the Somme, and was killed on the Somme on 10 September 1916. William has no known grave, and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, France.

George Griffiths, Private, 203573, Welsh Regiment. George was the Son of William and Martha Griffiths, of Portclew Lodge, Lamphey. He volunteered to serve in the Pembroke Yeomanry at the outbreak of war, and was given the service number 4750. After training, probably at Brecon, George was posted to the 9th Battalion, Welsh Regiment, which was in France as part of 58 Brigade, 19th (Western) Division. The Division had been on the Western front since the Battle of Loos in September 1915, and had forged a reputation for themselves after their excellent work at Loos and on the Somme in 1916. During 1917 the Division fought at the Battle of Messines, and at Third Ypres. In 1918 they were caught up in the German Spring Offensive near St. Quentin, where they suffered terrible casualties, and fought at the Battle of Bapaume. They moved to Ypres, but were caught up in the German attack at Messines, and at Bailleul, and Kemmel. After suffering terribly again, they moved south to the quieter French sector to rebuild, but were caught up in the German offensive on the Aisne, and fought during the Battle of the Selle, and it was here that George was killed on 23 October 1918. He was 22 years old, and is commemorated on the Vis-En-Artois Memorial, France.

Frederick Charles Hall, Private, 3436975, Lancashire Fusiliers. Frederick was the Son of William and Sarah Hall, of Lamphey. He originally enlisted into the Pembroke Yeomanry, with the service number 5472, but after training at Brecon, was posted to the 2nd Battalion, Lancashire Fusiliers, which was attached to 12 Brigade, 4th Division. The Division had fought on the Western front since the opening shots of the Battle of Mons. It had seen heavy fighting at Ypres and Arras, and in 1918 were in the centre of the fighting during the German Spring Offensive of 1918, and the subsequent Allied advance to victory. Frederick had suffered as a result of the war though. He returned home to Lamphey, only to die of wounds suffered during the war, on 25 March 1921. He was 25 years old, and is buried at Lamphey (St. Tyfei) Churchyard. In the same grave is buried his brother, William Hall. (see below).

William Henry Hall, Private, 282289, Lancashire Fusiliers. William was the Son of William and Sarah Hall, of Lamphey, and the brother of Frederick. He served with the 6th Battalion, Lancashire Fusiliers, which was attached to 197 Brigade, 66th Division. The Division had fought on the Western front from March 1917 onwards, and then fought at Third Ypres. Suring 1918 it suffered heavy casualties during the German Spring Offensive, before ebing withdrawn to rebuild, and taking part in the later Battle of Cambrai, and the Pursuit to the Selle and the Battle of the Selle. William, like his brother Frederick, suffered terribly as a result of his war service, and died at Lamphey on 28 September 1922. He is buried along with his brother at Lamphey (St. Tyfei) Churchyard.

Edgar Lewis, Private, 27957, Suffolk Regiment. Edgar was born at Lamphey, the Son of Mrs. H. Cocker, later of 66, Northcote Avenue, Southall, Middlesex. He is listed on the Lamphey Memorial as having served with the 1st Welsh, and having died in Egypt, but the 1st Welsh never served in Egypt, just France and Salonika. This is probably be the correct man, and he served in the 10th Battalion, Suffolk Regiment, which was a Reserve Battalion. Edgar died on 14 April 1916 aged 34, and is buried at Harwich Cemetery, England.

Lewis Mathias, Lance Corporal, 4/786, New Zealand Engineers. Lewis was born at Lamphey, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Lewis Mathias. The family emigrated prior to the war, and took up residence at Timaru, New Zealand. Lewis enlisted at Waihola, New Zealand into the New Zealand Engineers. After training, he joined the 4th Reinforcements for the Engineers, and embarked on 17 April 1915 at Wellington aboard HMNZT Willochra, bound for Suez. By now the ANZAC's had landed at Gallipoli on 25 April 1915, and Lewis was bound to join them on Gallipoli. Sadly, his war was not to last long, as Lewis became ill, and was evacuated to Mudros for treatment, but died on 21 July 1915. He is buried at East Mudros Military Cemetery, Greece.

Owen Mathias, Sergeant, 7/1319, New Zealand Infantry. Owen was the Son of Mr. and Mrs. Lewis Mathias, of Timaru, New Zealand, and the brother of Lewis. He enlisted at Dargaville, New Zealand into the Canterbury Mounted Rifles, and after training embarked at Wellington aboard HMNZT Willochra, as part of the 6th Reinforcements, on 14 August 1915, to make up the battalion numbers after the fighting at Gallipoli. Owen served in the Palestinian campaign with the Mounted Rifles, and died of sickness there on 30 March 1918. He is buried at Damascus Commonwealth War Cemetery, Syria.

Alfred Gordon Smith, Private, 18850, Gloucestershire Regiment. Gordon was born at Lamphey, the son of Squadron Sergeant Major James Smith of the Pembroke Yeomanry, and Amelia Smith, of Hodgeston, Lamphey. He enlisted at Haverfordwest into the Army, and was posted to the 12th Battalion, Gloucestershire Regiment, which was attached to 95 Brigade, 5th Division. At the end of December, 1915 the Division was in France, and the following year took part in the Battle of the Somme during the summer of 1916, then wintered at Festubert before moving to the Vimy Sector in spring 1917. Gordon was killed during the ensuing fighting at the Battle of the Scarpe on 8 May 1917. He has no known grave, and is commemorated on the Arras Memorial, France.

John Thomas, Private, 12727, Welsh Regiment. John was the Son of Mrs. M. Davies, of Lamphey, and was a married man with three children. He was an old soldier, having been placed on the reserve list at some time leading up to the war, and was one of many middle aged men recalled to the colours at the outbreak of war, joining the 2nd Battalion, Welsh Regiment. John landed in France on 3 February 1915, and joined the battalion in Flanders. He saw action At Neuve Chapelle and Second Ypres, but had become disenchanted by military life at the end of 1915. John was among a group of men who were almost twice the age of the majority of the soldiers in the BEF, and thought that he should have been given a job behind the lines. John then deserted on 17 May 1916, but was caught and returned to his unit, where he was to be made an example of. John was executed for desertion at Mazingarbe on 20 May 1916. The Court was unsympathetic to his age, and showed no mercy. He was 44 years old, and is buried at Mazingarbe Military Cemetery. John had been the first of two Pembroke men to be shot at dawn during the Great War. In August 2006, John was among the list of 306 soldiers who were shot at dawn during the Great War who received an official pardon from the British Government, thus clearing his name. He is not commemorated on the Lamphey War Memorial, probably as he was a shot at dawn case, but now that he has been given this belated pardon, John should be commemorated with honour alongside his fellow Lamphey men.

William Williams, Private, 2779, Welsh Guards. William was the Son of Mr. and Mrs. William Williams, of Lamphey, and prior to the war worked with Mr. Hier, Coke and Coal Merchant. In February 1915, a Regiment of Welsh Guards was raised, and William enlisted into this new Regiment of Guards. He was posted to the Western front after his training, and joined the 1st Battalion, Welsh Guards, which was attached to 3rd Guards Brigade, Guards Division. He joined the Guards after the fighting at Loos in September 1915, probably as a reinforcement after the Somme Battles in 1916, where the Guards took heavy casualties at Ginchy and Combles. The Guards then moved to Belgium, and William was killed during the Third Battle of Ypres on 9 October 1917. He is buried at Solferino Farm Cemetery, Belgium.