Manorbier War Memorial
The Great War, 1914-1918
Charles Allen, Sapper, 27915, Royal Engineers. Charles was born at Pembroke, the son of William and Frances Allen, of Milton Cottage, Manorbier. He was a pre-war Army Regular, serving in the 11th Field Company, Royal Engineers, who were attached to the 2nd Division. The 2nd Division were among the first Divisions to move to France, and saw their first action at the Battle of Mons on the 23rd August 1914. They then withdrew South toward the Marne and Aisne, where they again fought in several rearguard actions, and finally helped stem the German attacks on the Aisne. Charles suffered wounds at some stage during this epic withdrawal, and was brought to the Military Hospital at Boulogne, where he died of wounds on the 7th December, 1914. He is buried in Boulogne Eastern Cemetery, Grave III. B. 56.
William Allen, Shoeing Smith, 99221, Royal Field Artillery. William was the brother of Charles, the son of William and Frances Allen. He enlisted at Woolwich into 'B' Battery, 177th Brigade, Royal Field Artillery. The Battery formed in England, and joined the 16th (Irish) Division, moving to France on the 22nd February, 1916. The Division fought on the Somme, before moving to Ypres, where they took part in the Battle of Messines in July, 1917. They moved just North of Ypres to the Pilckem area, where on the 27th July, 1917, in the build up to the Battle of Langemark, William was Killed in Action. He was aged 31, and is buried in Brandhoek New Military Cemetery, Grave II. A. 13.
Ferguson Barclay, Captain, Royal Air Force. Ferguson was the eldest son of Captain H. F. D. Barclay and Mrs. A. Hermione Barclay of Manor Mead, Weston-super-Mare. He was born in Manorbier, but upon the death of his father, the family moved to Weston-super-Mare, and Ferguson was then educated at St. Peters in the town, and at Malvern Cottage. Ferguson had been commissioned into the Somerset Light Infantry upon the outbreak of War, and then volunteered into the Royal Air Force. He was seriously injured in an aeroplane accident, and Died of Accidental injuries at Harling Road Hospital, Norfolk on the 7th December, 1918 aged 41, and is buried in Weston-super-Mare Cemetery, Grave 4067.
George Brown, Royal Engineers. Due to the number of men of that name, I have been unable to trace this man's details as yet.
Frederick James Mansel Bryant, Second Lieutenant, Welsh Regiment. Frederick was commissioned into the 1/4th Battalion, the Welsh Regiment, part of the 159th Brigade, 53rd (Welsh) Division. The Division fought at Gallipoli, suffering heavily, and were transferred to Egypt upon withdrawal from the Peninsula. They defended the Suez Canal, before advancing into Palestine in 1917, and it was on the first day of the Battle of Gaza, on the 26th March, 1917, that Frederick was Killed in Action. He is remembered on the Jerusalem Memorial, Panel 30 to 32.
George T. Bush, Leading Victualling Assistant, M/2588, Royal Navy. George served aboard H.M.S. Lion, the flagship of Admiral Jellicoe in the Battle of Jutland. He survived the Battle, and eventually Died at home of sickness on the 18th October, 1918. He is Buried in the North part of Manorbier (St. James) Churchyard.
Thomas Lloyd Davies, Third Mate, Mercantile Marine. Thomas was the son of Thomas and Sarah Jane Davies, of Glyder, Manorbier. He served in the Mercantile Marine, aboard S.S. "Galgorm Castle" (Belfast). The ship was captured by a German Submarine on the 27th February, 1917 and was shelled and sank. Thomas was killed aboard the ship, and so is remembered on the Tower Hill Memorial.
Reginald Humphrey Harrington, Private, 7020, Australian Imperial Force. Reginald was the brother of William, remembered below and was born at Manorbier to Joseph and Kezia Harrington of Tudor Lodge. Reginald was 19 when he emigrated with his brother to Australia, and was living with him at Wagin, Western Australia when they both decided to enlist. His brother William was the first in France and the first to die, with Reginald sailing later, as part of the 23rd reinforcements for the 16th Battalion, on the 23rd December, 1916 from Fremantle. Reginald arrived in England on the 11th March 1917, and joined up with the Battalion at Havre on the 8th June, 1917. The 2nd Australian Division were sent to Ypres, where they fought in the Battle of Passchendaele, and it was at Ypres that Reginald was wounded at the opening Battle of Messines. Reginald Died of Wounds aged 23, and is buried at Kandahar Farm Cemetery, in Grave II. G. 3. Many thanks to Ruth Roberts for the photograph.
William Joseph Harrington, Private, 6525, Australian Imperial Force. William was born in Boscombe, near Bournemouth, and was the son of Joseph and Kezia Harrington, of Tudor Lodge, Manorbier. After being educated at Manorbier, he worked as an Agricultural Labourer, but also served in the Pembroke Yeomanry prior to emigrating to Australia. In Australia, he worked on the railways as a Platelayer at Wagin, Western Australia, and enlisted into the Australian Imperial Force at Perth, being enrolled into the 16th Battalion, A.I.F., part of the 4th Brigade, 2nd Australian Division. William was part of the 21st reinforcements for his Battalion, and they embarked at Fremantle on the 13th October, 1916. William was lucky enough to miss the bloodshed of the Somme battles which the Australian forces went through, but was wounded and captured at Armentieres, and Died of Wounds aged 33, on the 10th May, 1917 at Saltau P.O.W. Camp, Germany. He is buried at Hamburg Cemetery, Germany, in Grave IV. G. 14. Many thanks to Ruth Roberts for the photograph.
Henry Thomas Hughes, Sergeant, 371118, Royal Garrison Artillery. Henry was born at Ludchurch, and was the husband of Annie Hughes, of Lydstep Village, Penally. He enlisted at Tenby into the 114th Siege Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery. Henry suffered Wounds in Action during Spring, 1917, and was brought to the massive Military Hospital at Etaples, where he Died of Wounds aged 30, on the 11th May 1917. Henry is buried in Etaples Military Cemetery, in Grave XVIII. L. 10.
Albert Austin Johns, Shoeing Smith, 11429, 14th King's Hussars. Albert was born in Pembroke, the son of William and Emma Johns, of Ash Cottage, Manorbier, and the brother of William below. He enlisted at Pembroke into the 14th (King's) Hussars, who were stationed in Mhow, India at the outbreak of war. They moved to Mesopotamia, where they joined the 6th Indian Cavalry Brigade, which fought in Mesopotamia throughout the course of the Great War. Albert was Killed in Action in Mesopotamia on the 15th December 1916, aged just 20. He was buried in Amara War Cemetery, Iraq, in Grave XXV.
William Johns, Private, 8318, Welsh Regiment. William was born in Manorbier, the brother of Albert above, and the son of William and Emma Johns, of Ash Cottage, Manorbier. He enlisted at Cardiff into the 2nd Battalion, the Welsh Regiment, part of the 3rd Brigade, 1st Division. The Division were rushed to France at the outbreak of War, and fought in the Battle of Mons, and the retreat down to the Aisne, where the first Welsh V.C. of the War was gained by William Fuller of Laugharne, when he rescued the badly wounded Captain Mark Haggard of the 2nd Welsh at Chivy. They moved to Flanders after they had helped stall the Germans on the Aisne, and fought at the First Battle of Ypres. On the 9th May, 1915 the Battle of Aubers Ridge began in French Flanders, and the 2nd Welsh were in the thick of the action. William was Killed in Action this day, aged 31, and is remembered on the Le Touret Memorial, on Panels 23 and 24.
William Basil Locdale Jones, MID, Flight Lieutenant., Royal Naval Air Service. William was the son of the late Bishop of St. Davids and Mrs. Basil Jones. He served as an Observer in the Royal Naval Air Service, and Died at Sea on 7 January, 1918 aged 28. He is remembered on the Chatham Naval Memorial, on Panel 30.
Edgar Lewis, Sergeant, 725073, Royal Field Artillery. Edgar was born in Monkton, the son of John and Margaret Lewis, of Rose Villa, Jameston, Manorbier. He enlisted at Neath into the 2nd (Glamorgan) Battery, 1st (Welch) Brigade, Royal Field Artillery, which served with the 53rd (Welsh) Division. Edgar served with the Division throughout their campaign on Gallipoli, and was with the Division in Egypt when he Died on the 23rd March 1917, aged 31. Edgar is buried at Alexandria (Hadra) War Memorial Cemetery, Egypt in Grave D. 93.
Gerald David Lomax, Second Lieutenant, Welsh Regiment. Gerald was born in Manorbier on the 6th January, 1895, the son of Captain David Alexander Napier Lomax and Annette. Gerald's father was Killed in Action at Driefontain on the 10th March, 1900, leaving Annette widowed with her young sons Gerald and Charles. Annette married Major Frank Towle, and they set up home in Regent's Park, London, from where Gerald and his brother Charles were brought up. Gerald was educated at Marlborough College and was gazetted into the 3rd Battalion, the Welsh Regiment on the 15th August, 1914. He was then attached to the 2nd Battalion, Royal Berkshire Regiment, and suffered serious wounds whilst with them at Fromelles on the 9th May, 1915. Gerald Died of Wounds on the 11th May, 1915 and was buried at Estaires Communal Cemetery, in Grave II. A. 5. He was just 20 years old. (Not on Manorbier Memorial).
John Claude Murray, Second Lieutenant, South Wales Borderers. John was commissioned into the 2nd Battalion South Wales Borderers, who were in Tientsin, China at the outbreak of War. After a famous encounter with German forces at Lao Shan, they returned to Hong Kong, where they embarked for the U.K. on the 4th December, 1914. They arrived at Plymouth on the 12th January, 1915, and here they were attached to the 87th Brigade, 29th Division. The Division sailed from Avonmouth on the 16th March, 1915 and landed at Egypt, from where they embarked to Mudros on the 10th April. They landed at Cape Helles, Gallipoli, on the 25th April 1915, and remained there for the duration, suffering heavy casualties. On the 2nd January 1916 the Division was withdrawn from Gallipoli, and landed at Marseilles (via Egypt) on the 29th March, 1916. The first engagement for the Division was at the opening of the Battle of the Somme, between Beamont Hamel and Thiepval, where the 2nd S.W.B. suffered heavily. John was Killed in Action on 9th July 1916, and is remembered on the Thiepval Memorial, Pier and Face 4 A.
Arthur Owen Phillips, Sergeant, 117043, Canadian Expeditionary Force. Arthur was born in Tenby on 26th June 1879, the son of the Reverend James J. Philipps & Emma Philipps, of Windrath, Manorbier. He served during the Boer War with the 102nd Yeomanry, and later emigrated to Canada where he worked as a rancher. Arthur enlisted into the 1st Canadian Mounted Rifles (Saskatchewan Regiment), at Calgary on the 4th January, 1915. The C.M.R. formed on the 15th March, 1915 at Bordon. They converted to Infantry on the 1st January, 1916 being attached to the 8th Brigade, 3rd Canadian Division. Upon arriving in France the Division were sent to the Western Front, in the Flanders sector, and on the 2nd June 1916, took part in the Battle of Mount Sorrel, where Arthur was Killed in Action that same day, aged 38. Arthur is remembered on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Ieper, on Panel 18 - 26 - 28.
The Honorable Colwyn Erasmus Arnold Philipps, Captain, Royal Horse Guards. Colwyn was born on 11 December 1888, the son of John Philipps, the Right Honorable the 1st Viscount St. David’s, P.C. and his wife, Leonora Gerstenberg, of 3, Richmond Terrace, Whitehall, London. He was educated at Eton and Sandhurst. At the age of 20 he received a Commission into the Royal Horse Guards, then on 30 July 1909 had been promoted to full Lieutenant, and was Captain by the outbreak of war. The R.H.G. were attached to the 7th Cavalry Brigade, 3rd Cavalry Division on 1 September 1914 and landed at Zeebrugge at the beginning of October. They fought in the defence of Antwerp before being sent to Ypres, taking part in the First and Second Battles of Ypres. It was during Second Ypres, at the Battle of Frezenberg, that Colwyn was killed in Action on 13 May 1915, aged 26. He is remembered on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, on Panel 3. In a letter sent to his bereaved parents by a brother Officer, it was said “He fell in an attack on the German Trenches on Thursday, 13th. His end was worthy as his life, as he was the first man in the German trenches and killed five Germans before he was shot in the head at close quarters and instantly killed.” His brother Roland also fell. During his short life, Colwyn had gained a strong reputation for his poetry, putting him on the list of the famed War Poets of the Great War. His poems were published after his death.
The Honorable Roland Erasmus Philipps, MC, Captain, Royal Fusiliers. Roland was born on 27 February 1890, the second son of John Philipps, the Right Honorable the 1st Viscount St. David’s, P.C. and his wife, Leonora Gerstenberg, of 3, Richmond Terrace, Whitehall, London. He was educated at Winchester College and New College, Oxford. Roland was an important early member of the Boy Scouts. In July 1912 he was appointed Assistant District Commissioner for East London. In 1913 he was appointed Commissioner for North East London, and in November 1913 he was made responsible for all of East London. Roland was commissioned into the 9th Battalion Royal Fusiliers, part of 36 Brigade, 12th Division. The Division assembled at Shorncliffe during August 1914 and moved to France at the end of May 1915. Their baptism of fire was at Ploegsteert Wood on 23 June 1915, and later at the Battle of Loos. They held the line at Loos until June, and they were moved in readiness for the Somme Offensive. They relieved the decimated 8th Division at Ovillers-la-Boiselle on 1 July, and took two lines of German trenches, but then stuttered to a halt. On 7 July 1916 the Brigade attacked again, but were decimated by German shell-fire in Mash Valley, but still managed to capture their objective of Ovillers. Roland was killed in Action this day, aged 26. He is buried in Aveluy Communal Cemetery Extension, Grave H. 32. His brother Colwyn also fell.
William Phillips, Private, 27695, Royal Welsh Fusiliers. William was born in Pembroke to William and Sarah Phillips, of Manorbier. He married, being the husband of Mary Phillips, of 220, Stanstead Rd., Forest Hill, London, and enlisted at Holborn into the 17th Battalion Royal Welsh Fusiliers, which from 14 July 1915 onwards had become part of 115 Brigade, 38th (Welsh) Division. After their inauguration into trench life in the Armentieres sector, the Division were brought to the Somme, to participate in an attack on Mametz Wood. Here they suffered terrible casualties, and took longer to take the Wood than the Army Top Brass had planned, which unjustly gave their reputation a battering. William was Killed in Action during the opening attack on the wood, on 10 July 1916, Aged 32. He is buried in Caterpillar Valley Cemetery, Longueval, in Grave X. F. 18.
George Rixon, Private, 37712, Welsh Regiment. George was born in Tenby, but resided in Manorbier before the war. He enlisted at Pembroke into the 8th Battalion, the Welsh Regiment, part of the 40th Brigade, 13th (Western) Division, but in January 1915 they became the Pioneer Battalion to the Division. On 7 June 1915 the Division received orders to move to the Mediterranean. They left the U.K. on 12 June, and landed at Cape Helles, Gallipoli on 6 July, 1915. hey were later withdrawn to Mudros before being landed on ANZAC Cove on 3 August, fighting through the Battles of Sari Bair, Russell's Top and Hill 60 before transferring to Suvla Bay, in defensive duties. It was at Suvla Bay that George was wounded. He was transferred to Hospital Ship, but Died of Wounds on-board, and was buried at sea the same day, on 4 December 1915. George is remembered on the Helles Memorial, Turkey on Panel 140 to 144.
Thomas Rixon, Pioneer, 26756, Royal Army Service Corps. Thomas was born in Manorbier, the son of William and Frances Rixon, of Jameston, Manorbier. He enlisted at Pembroke into the 344th Road Construction Company, Royal Army Service Corps, and later transferred into the 334th Road Construction Company, Royal Engineers. Thomas Died of Sickness in Hospital at France on the 5th November 1918, aged 28 and is buried at St. Sever Cemetery Extension, Rouen, in Grave S. II. Y. 28.
David Benjamin Scourfield, Private, 320091, Welsh Regiment. Benjamin was born in Manorbier on 19 September 1896 to William Scourfield, of Gable Cottage. He enlisted at Tenby on the 5th August, 1914 into the Pembroke Yeomanry, Army Number 445, which formed part of the 1st Mounted Division in the U.K. In November 1915 the Division were dismounted, and sent to Egypt, landing March 1916. On 2 February 1917 the Pembroke Yeomanry were merged with the Glamorgan Yeomanry to form the 24th Battalion, the Welsh Regiment, part of 231 Brigade, 74th (Yeomanry) Division, and Ben's number changed to 320091. The Division fought in the Palestinian Campaign, Benjamin was Killed in Action with them, during the Third Battle of Gaza, on 7 November, 1917 aged 22. He was buried at Beersheba War Cemetery, Israel, Grave K. 56.
William Shipley, Stoker 1st Class, 309117, Royal Navy. William was the son of Thomas and Elizabeth Shipley, of Sutton-on-Trent, Newark, Notts and the husband of Mary Shipley, of 67, High St., Midsomer Norton, Bath. He served in the Royal Navy aboard H.M.S. Good Hope, an Armoured Cruiser. At the outbreak of war she joined the 6th Cruiser Squadron at Scapa Flow, but was then diverted to the South Atlantic. The Good Hope left Port Stanley, on the Falkland Isles, on 22 October, accompanied by HMS Monmouth, in search of the German East Adriatic Squadron, but was sank along with the Monmouth at the Battle of Coronel on 1 November, 1914, going down with all hands, including William Shipley. He was 28 years old, and is remembered on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial, Panel 4.
Frederick G. Thomas, Sapper, 159164, Royal Engineers. Frederick served in the Royal Engineers during the Great War, and Died at home on 23 December 1919. He lived at Manorbier House, and was buried in Manorbier (St. James) Churchyard. No more is known of Frederick as his service papers are unavailable.
Benjamin Wharton, Private, 226088, King's Shropshire Light Infantry. Benjamin was born in Lamphey, the son of William and Maria Wharton. He enlisted at Llanelli into the Cheshire Regiment, but transferred into the 10th Battalion, King's Shropshire Light Infantry, part of 231 Brigade, 74th Division. The Division fought in the Palestinian Campaign before being sent to France, landing at Marseilles during May 1918. The British and Dominion Armies had suffered terrible losses during the German Spring Offensive, and the 74th Division were rushed back to reinforce the front. Here they fought in the Battle of Bapaume before being moved to French Flanders, and it was during the advance in Flanders that Benjamin was Killed in Action, on 2 September 1918, aged 33. He is buried at Sailly-Saillisel British Cemetery, Somme, in Grave II. J. 9.
George Williams, Private, 430860, Canadian Expeditionary Force. George was born in Pembroke on 14 August, 1883 to George Williams, of Newton Crossing, Manorbier. He served in the Royal Navy for several years, then emigrated to Canada, where he worked as a labourer, and enlisted into the Canadian Infantry at Victoria, British Columbia, on 31 March, 1915. He was posted into the 28th Battalion Canadian Infantry (Saskatchewan Regiment), which formed part of the 6 (Canadian) Brigade, 2nd Canadian Division. The Division formed in Britain, and embarked for France in September 1915, spending a long, cold Winter at Ploegsteert Wood and St. Eloi, south of Ypres. The Battle of Mount Sorrel began on 2 June 1916 and it was here that George was Killed in Action, on 6 June 1916, aged 32. George is remembered on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial.
William Williams, Private, 8195, Welsh Regiment. William was born at Jameston, Manorbier, the son of Mrs. Elizabeth Williams, and the husband of C. K. Glanville (formerly Williams), of 1, Bridge St., Tenby. William enlisted and served in the 3rd Battalion, the Welsh Regiment. The Battalion was a Reserve Battalion that stayed in the U.K. throughout the War, but William must have served in France with another Battalion of the Welsh Regiment, as although he survived the war, he sadly died of wounds at home on 14 September 1920, aged 36. He is buried in Manorbier (St. James) Churchyard.
World War Two, 1939-1945
William Charles Austin Johns, Leading Stoker, D/KX 92946, Royal Navy. William was from Manorbier, and was a Royal Naval regular, serving as Stoker aboard HMS Neptune. Neptune was a Cruiser, and was leading Force K, a Cruiser raiding squadron. Their task was to destroy German and Italian convoys carrying troops and supplies to Libya, in support of Rommel's army in North Africa. On the afternoon of 18 December 1941 the squadron was despatched from Malta to intercept an important enemy convoy bound for Tripoli. The three cruisers of Force K, the Neptune, Aurora and Penelope, supported by the destroyers Kandahar, Lance, Lively and Havock, were steaming south, in single line ahead when the Neptune struck a mine. The Aurora, her next astern, also struck a mine, and two minutes later another mine hit Penelope's port side. Neptune reversed her engines, but hit another mine, which wrecked her steering gear and propellers and brought her to a standstill. The cruiser force had run into a minefield in a depth of water and at a distance from land which made it utterly unexpected. At around 04.00 Neptune struck another mine, and turned over and sank. She went down quickly, with the loss of 756 men; only one survived. William was one of the dead. He is commemorated alongside his crewmates on the Plymouth Naval Memorial, Devon.
William J Kinhey. This man cannot presently be identified.
Morgan James Williams, Corporal, 3954984, The Welch Regiment. Morgan was from Manorbier, and like many other local men served with the Territorial Army. He served with the 1/5th Battalion, Welch Regiment, which was attached to the 53rd (Welsh) Division. The division trained in the UK for most of the war, but were landed on the Normandy Beaches at the end of June 1944, as part of the reinforcements to the Beachhead. During the coming weeks the 1/5th Welch fought through a series of bloody battles in the attempt to break out of Normandy, and it was on 21 July 1944 that the battalion saw its sternest fighting so far when they saw battle against a battalion of German SS Panzers and their Troops at Le Bon Repos Crossroads, who had attempted to regain some ground lost in the previous days. The Welch held them off after hours of desperate fighting, but Morgan was one of many men killed that day. He was 36 years old and is buried at Banneville-La-Campagne War Cemetery, France. Below is a photograph of Le Bon Repos Crossroads, showing the war graves of the Welch men, later re-interred at Banneville-La-Campagne.
