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

---

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.

---

Milford Haven Wellington N2749 Memorial

 

At 23.15 on the night of 18 July 1942, a Vickers Wellington IC, Serial N2749, of 27 Operational training Unit at R.A.F. Lichfield, took off on a cross country training run towards the Irish Sea. At 03.08 hours on the following morning, Milford Haven Coastguard reported an aircraft firing three red Verey lights, and was obviously in distress, with only one engine running. The aircraft attempted a forced landing at Milford Haven, but crashed into the Fish Docks, killing all six members of her crew. Five of the crew were members of the Royal Australian Air Force, and one was an Englishman, a member of the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve.

The five Australians were buried with full military honours at Pembroke Dock Military Cemetery, while the other man was returned home for burial at New Bradwell, Buckinghamshire.

In order to commemorate the lives of these six men, the Milford Haven branch of the Royal British Legion donated a bronze plaque, which was erected by Preseli District Council in July 1986, on behalf of the Pembrokeshire Aviation Group, at Hamilton Crescent, Milford Haven. The plaque reads;

This plaque overlooks the site where Wellington IC, N2749, of 27 OTU, RAF Lichfield, crashed in the early hours of the 19th July 1942. There were no survivors.

Memorial donated by the Royal British Legion, Milford Haven Branch. Erected by Preseli District Council for the Pembrokeshire Aviation Group, July 1986. Lest We Forget.

The crewmen of Wellington N2749 were;

Keith James Bradley, Sergeant, 411117, Royal Australian Air Force. Keith was born at Brisbane, Queensland on 20 November 1924, the Son of James Albert and Alice Maud Bradley, Of Five Dock, New South Wales, Australia. He worked as an electric welder, before enlisting at Bonevilla, Victoria into the Royal Australian Air Force, and was posted to 27 OUT in England. Keith was 25 years old when he died in the crash of N2749, and is buried at Pembroke Dock Military Cemetery, Grave Ref. Sec. C. Grave 21.

William Harry Condon, Sergeant, 408131, Royal Australian Air Force. William was born at Melbourne, Victoria on 1 August 1919, the Son of James Benedict Condon and Lillian Norris Condon, Of Laverton, Victoria, Australia. William was in his fourth year at University, studying Metallurgy, when he enlisted at Hobart into the Royal Australian Air Force, and was posted to England to join 27 OTU. William was 22 years old when he died in the crash of N2749, and is buried at Pembroke Dock Military Cemetery, Grave Ref. Sec. C. Grave 22.

Maurice Cooke, Sergeant (Air Gunner), 1170027, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. Maurice was the Son of Frederick John and Marguerite E. Cooke, of New Bradwell. He was the only British member of the crew of N2749, and was 20 years old when he died in the crash. He is buried at Wolverton (New Bradwell) Cemetery, Buckinghamshire, Grave Ref. Sec. 9. Grave 10.

Edward Douglas Reginald Jennings, Sergeant, 411145, Royal Australian Air Force. Edward was born at Mosman, New South Wales on 14 August 1915, the son of Son of Reginald Webb Jennings and Madeline Lucy Jennings, Of Strathfield, New South Wales, Australia. He worked on the Sydney Tramways before enlisting into the Royal Australian Air Force, and being posted to 27 OTU in England. Edward was 26 years old when he died in the crash of N2746, and is buried at Pembroke Dock Military Cemetery, Grave Ref. Sec. E. Grave 17.

Kenneth Henry Charles Steinbach, Sergeant, 404856, Royal Australian Air Force. Kenneth was born at Kimberley, South Africa on 31 December 1912, the Son Of Henry Walter And Mercy Steinbach. He had emigrated to Australia before the war, and lived with his wife Daphne Alberta Steinbach, at Woodgate Street, Churchill, Ipswich, Queensland, where he worked as a Dairy Farmer. Kenneth enlisted at Brisbane into the Royal Australian Air Force, and trained as a Pilot before being posted to 27 OTU in England. He was 29 years old when he died in the crash of N2749, and is buried at Pembroke Dock Military Cemetery, Grave Ref. Sec. E. Grave 18.

George Ernest Warburton, Sergeant, 411206, Royal Australian Air Force. George was born at Turramurra, New South Wales on 5 August 1918, the Son of Ernest Alfred and Elizabeth Iolet Warburton, of New South Wales, Australia. He worked as an Audit Clerk before joining the Royal Australian Air Force, and was posted to 27 OTU in England. George was 23 years old when he died in the crash of N2749, and is buried at Pembroke Dock Military Cemetery, Grave Ref. Sec. G. Grave 11.

Thanks are due to Bob Kettle for the photograph of the memorial, and to Les Nixon for the photos of the graves of the four Australian Aircrew, and of the other memorials on this page.

---