Milford Haven is a large town with a long maritime history. Many men who sailed from Milford during both world wars were lost at sea, and many more local men were lost in the service of the Royal Navy, Army and Royal Air Force during both conflicts. The town contains several memorials relating to both World Wars. The main War Memorial to the lost sons of Milford Haven stands proud overlooking the Harbour, and bears the names of over 200 men who lost their lives during the Great War alone, and over 150 men lost during the Second World War. Also overlooking the Haven are memorials to Operation Overlord and a memorial donated to the Town by grateful Belgian refugees of the Great War, and there is also a memorial to the men of the Pembroke Company of the Royal Garrison Artillery.

Milford Haven War Memorials
 

The contract for the building of the main War Memorial was awarded to Evan Jones, Mason, of Llanybyther in 1923, but by Armistic Day that year only the base had been completed. The Milford Haven Docks Company then supplied the granite blocks for the base, and the white marble figures were carved in Italy. The obelisk with the names engraved were completed by Evan Jones, and the complete memorial was assembled, ready for its unveiling ceremony on 26 April 1924, by General Sir Ivor Philipps, Bart, K.C.B., D.S.O., in attendance with Private Hubert 'Stokey' Lewis, V.C.

During the Second World War, four bronze plaques bearing the names of those killed were added to the memorial, and were unveiled in 1949. In 1987 a further plaque was installed, to commemorate the life of one local man killed during the Korean War.

The airman atop the memorial is allegedly modelled on the son of Canon Howells of Milford Haven, Lieutenant Edmund Howells, who lost his life during the Great War. This page will act as the header page for the Milford Haven War Memorial, and on it will be details of the men buried in war-graves in Milford Haven Cemetery, who are not listed on the Town's Memorial, as these men deserve commemoration for giving their lives to secure the future of this country.

Because of the sheer scale of numbers involved here, it is not possible to fit all of the details onto one page, as it would be too cumbersome. Instead the memorial has been split into services, and wars- Army, Navy, Merchant Fleet and Royal Air Force. The separate pages are found on a sub-menu on the scroll down list on the left of this page, under the main Milford Haven title. Work is still on-going on this memorial due to the massive task of researching this number of men. Please be aware that during the Great War, many of the Fishing Vessels lost had been taken over by the Admiralty, and so many trawlermen were actually serving the Royal Navy, and that is where their names can be found.

The Victoria Cross

There were two Milford Haven based Victoria Cross winners during the Great War; Herbert 'Stokey' Lewis, and William Edward Sanders. Both of these men are commemorated on the Pembrokeshire Heroes page of this site.

The Korean War

One man from Milford died during the Korean War, and is commemorated on an individual bronze plaque on the Milford Haven War Memorial.

William Albert Edwards, Gunner, 1440384, Royal Artillery. William was born at Milford on 2 November 1920, and probably served during World War Two. He was killed in the Korean War, on 5 January 1951 at the age of 30, and is commemorated in the U.N. Memorial Cemetery, Pusan.

Milford Miscellaneous Memorials

Memorial Commemorating

'Operation Overlord'

 

"On 6th June 1994, the 50th Anniversary of the invasion of Normandy, we recall with pride the endeavours of the many thousands of service men and women and Merchant Seamen and Civilians of the Allied Nations who worked on and around the Milford Haven Waterway in preparation for the launch and subsequent support of 'Operation Overlord'."

"This commemorative plaque has been placed here by the County branch of the Normandy Veterans Association."

Memorial for Belgian Refugees

 

"Erected by Steam trawler owners and people of Ostend who were resident in this town during the Great War 1914-1918 as a mark of gratitude to the British Nation in general and the people of Milford Haven in particular for the hospitality received here during the period of exile from Belgium."

Pembroke Royal Garrison Artillery Memorial

 

The Pembroke Royal Garrison Artillery was a unit of the Territorial Force, which was created to provide protection for the important Dockyards at Pembroke Dock and Milford Haven prior to the Great War. In 1914 the Pembrokeshire Royal Garrison Artillery (T.F.) was stationed at the Defensible Barracks at Pembroke Dock, the Commanding Officer being Lt. Col. R.V.L. Lloyd Phillips DSO. Many local men thus served with the unit, and at the outbreak of war, being already well-trained men, they were used to supply men to other Gun Batteries on the Western Front. The War Memorial to the men of the Milford Companies of the Pembroke RGA who died during the Great War takes the form of a marble plaque, which is situated at Milford Haven. Details of the men commemorated on the memorial are on the relevant page- Pembroke R.G.A. Memorial.