Situated on the North side of the main A40 between Haverfordwest and Narberth, are the three Rural Parishes of Wiston, Clarbeston Road and Walton East. The War Memorial in honour of the men of these three Parishes sits inside the Village Hall at Clarbeston Road, and taked the form of an engraved brass plaque. Many thanks to Paul Childs for his photograph of the Memorial.

Clarbeston Road War Memorial

The Great War, 1914-1918

 

Phillip Thomas Bevans, Rifleman, C/1285, Kings Royal Rifle Corps. Phillip was the Son of John and Mary Bevans, of East House, Maryborough, Wiston. He enlisted at Pembroke into the Army, and joined the 16th Battalion, King’s Royal Rifle Corps, which was attached to the 100th Brigade, 33rd Division. The Division moved to France during November, 1915, and saw its first major action during the Battles of the Somme, from July, 1916 onwards. Phillip was killed on the Somme on the 21st July, 1916. He was just 21 years old. He has no known grave, and so is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, France.

Thomas Butler, Private, 94071, Notts & Derby Sherwood Foresters. Thomas was the Son of Henry and Mary Butler, of West Dairy Lane, Wiston, and the husband of Margaret Butler, of Wogan's Villa, Clarbeston Road. He had originally enlisted at Pembroke into the Royal Engineers, but had later transferred into the 12th Battalion, Sherwood Foresters, attached to the 24th Division as Pioneers. The Division had moved to France during August, 1915 and marched to positions near Loos, where they took up reserve positions for the main Battle of Loos. They were sent into battle on the 26th September, 1915 at Loos and suffered terrible casualties due to not being properly trained for battle, and were pulled from the line until the following year. In 1916 they took part in the Battle of the Somme, and fought at Delville Wood and Guillemont, before moving north of Arras in early 1917. In April and May, 1917 they fought at the Battle of Vimy, alongside the Canadian Corps, and in June they moved to positions south of Ypres, where they fought during the Battle of Messines. After the successful capture of Messines Ridge, the Division moved further north, and fought at the Battles of Pilckem and Langemarck during Third Ypres. The Division then moved to positions north of St. Quentin over the winter of 1917/18, and were here when the Germans launched their Offensive on the 21st March, 1918. Thomas was killed in the terrible fighting that followed that day, on the 28th March, 1918. He has no known grave, and so is commemorated on the Pozieres Memorial, France. Thomas was 30 years old.

Gilbert Douglas Davies, Private, 56886, Welsh Regiment. Gilbert was the Son of William Henry Davies and Sarah Ann Davies, of Toronto Cottage, Clarbeston Road. He enlisted at Carmarthen into the Pembroke Yeomanry, but subsequently transferred into the 13th Battalion, Welsh Regiment, which was attached to the 114th 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 the 7th July, but met with fierce resistance, and it took until the 14th 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. Gilbert was wounded while his Battalion was in the front line at Boesinghe, and died of his wounds at the Casualty Clearing Station at Proven on the 17th January, 1917. Gilbert was just 21 years old, and is buried at Mendinghem Military Cemetery, Belgium. Not on Memorial.

John H. Davies, Driver, T/ 329249, Royal Army Service Corps. John was born at Clarbeston Road, and was the Son of Thomas and Anne Davies. Little is known of his service, but he served with the H. T. Company, Royal Army Service Corps, and died as a result of active service on the 30th November, 1918. John is buried at Wiston (St. Mary) Churchyard.

Thomas Arthur Davies, Private, 81265, Kings Liverpool Regiment. Thomas was the Son of W. R. and M. Davies, of Hazebrook, Clarbeston Road, and the husband of Sarah Jane Davies, of Croft, Llysyfran, Clarbeston Road. He had enlisted at Picton Hall into the Cheshire Regiment, but was probably wounded in France, and transferred to the 23rd Works Battalion, King’s Liverpool Regiment. Thomas died of sickness on the 6th May, 1917 aged 33, and is buried at Wiston Calvanistic Methodist Burial Ground.

Harry Skeel Duncan Dempster, Lance Corporal, R/6328, Kings Royal Rifle Corps. Harry was the Son of Robert and Margaret Dempster, of Wiston, and the brother of Robert. He enlisted at Haverfordwest into the 7th Battalion, King’s Royal Rifle Corps, which was attached to the 41st Brigade, 14th (Light) Division. The Division was to see it’s first action during the Action of Hooge, where the Division were the first to be attacked by the German use of flamethrowers. Harry was one of the many men of the Battalion to have been hit by this new, vicious form of warfare at Hooge, and he was evacuated for treatment to the Base Hospital at Ateples, where he died of his wounds on the 2nd August, 1915. Harry was 27 years old, and is buried at Etaples Military Cemetery, France. Harry is also commemorated on the Llanelli War Memorial.

Robert George Duncan Dempster, Private, 227181, 2/1st Battalion, Monmouthshire Regiment. Robert was born at Fishguard, the Son of Robert and the late Margaret Dempster, of Wiston, Pembrokeshire. He resided at Haverfordwest, and enlisted at Newport into the 2/1st Battalion, the Monmouth Regiment. It is not known at present what Robert’s ties were with Abergwili, but he is remembered on the Village War Memorial. The 2/1st Battalion were formed at Newport on the 20th February, 1915 as part of the Welsh Border Brigade, Welsh Division. On the 19th April they moved to form part of the 205th Brigade, 68th Division, and remained on Home Service until the Division was disbanded on the 31st March, 1918. The men of the 2/1st Monmouths must have been sent to reinforce the 1/1st Battalion in France, who were the Pioneer Battalion to the 46th Division. By this time, the German Spring Offensive was at its height, and the Allied armies were suffering a terrible onslaught, with many Battalions being almost wiped out. The War turned in the Allies favour on the 8th August, 1918- the ‘Black Day of the German Army’, when Australian troops won a decisive battle at Villers Brettoneux, and from that day on the Allies held the upper hand. The 46th Division pushed the Germans back in Flanders, then moved southwards, forcing a crossing over the formidable Hindenburg Line at Riqueval Bridge, and pushing on toward Cambrai. Robert was Killed in Action aged 36 on the 10th October, 1918 during the Pursuit to the Selle. He is buried in Tincourt New British Cemetery. Robert is also commemorated on the Abergwili War Memorial.

Thomas Jones, Second Lieutenant, Royal Field Artillery. Thomas was the only son of Walter and Lilly Jones, of Hayston Hall, Johnston, Haverfordwest. He was commissioned into the Royal Field Artillery, and was posted to their "D" Battery, 161st Brigade. The Battery was stationed at Ypres just prior to the Battle of Passchendaele, and took part in the opening bombardment on the first day of the battle, when Thomas was killed in action on the 31st July, 1917. Thomas was just 20 years old, and is buried at Coxyde Military Cemetery, Belgium.

William Jupp, Private, 34194, Loyal North Lancashire Regiment. William was born at East Plumstead in Surrey, and resided at Clarbeston Road prior to the War. William had enlisted at Berkeley in Gloucester into the Gloucestershire Regiment, but later transferred into the 1st Battalion, Loyal North Lancashire Regiment, which was attached to the 2nd Brigade, 1st Division. The Division had been one of the first to arrive in France, fighting at the Battle of Mons, and taking part in the retreat to the Marne, where the Germans were stopped. They then fought at the Aisne, and at Chivy, before being moved North to Ypres. Here they fought at the First Battle of Ypres, where they again stopped the German Offensive, before wintering in Flanders. The following year saw them in action again at the Battle of Aubers, before moving South to Loos, where they fought during the Battle of Loos, and the action at the Hohenzollern redoubt. Again they were required for a major offensive, moving South to the Somme, where they fought during the opening of the Somme Offensive at the Battle of Albert, then at Bazentin, Pozieres, Flers-Courcelette and Morval. They were still on the Somme throughout the Winter of 1917 when William was killed in action on the 7th March, 1917. William is buried at Assevillers New British Cemetery, France.

William Lewis Vaughan, Private, 11992, Welsh Regiment. William was the Son of Edwin and Elizabeth Vaughan, of New House, Clarbeston Road. He enlisted at Pontypridd into the 2nd Battalion, the Welsh regiment, which was attached to the 3rd Brigade, 1st Division. The Division had been one of the first to arrive in France, fighting at the Battle of Mons, and taking part in the retreat to the Marne, where the Germans were stopped. They then fought at the Aisne, and at Chivy, before being moved North to Ypres. Here they fought at the First Battle of Ypres, where they again stopped the German Offensive, before wintering in Flanders. The following year saw them in action again at the Battle of Aubers, and this is where William was killed, on the first day of the Battle. He was 37 years old, and is commemorated on the Le Touret Memorial, Richebourg L'Avoue, France.

Benjamin Williams, Private, M/296920, Army Service Corps. Benjamin was born at Holmus Fach, Henry's Moat, the Son of B. and A. Williams. Very little is known of him, but he died of sickness on the 21st April, 1917 aged 31, and is buried at Henry's Moat (Horeb) Baptist Chapelyard. Not on Memorial.