Nevern War Memorial, The Great War, 1914-1918

Alan Bowen, Lieutenant, Manchester Regiment. Alan served with the 8th Battalion, Manchester Regiment, which was formed at Ardwick in August 1914, becoming part of Manchester Brigade, East Lancashire Division. The division was sent to the Mediterranean to counter the threat from the Turkish forces in the Middle East, and landed at Alexandria on 25 September 1915. On 6 May 1915 the 8th Manchesters landed on Gallipoli, and became part of 127 Brigade, 42nd (East Lancashire) Division. The battalion remained here over the coming months, and it was on Gallipoli that Alan was killed in action on 7 August 1915. He was listed in the London Gazette as promoted Temporary Captain on 8 August 1915, just a day after his death. Alan has no known grave, and is commemorated on the Helles Memorial, Gallipoli.

Eynon George Arthur Bowen, Lieutenant, Royal Flying Corps. Eynon was the Son of Eynon George Rice Bowen and of Georgina Catherine Bowen, of Troedyraur, Cardiganshire. He had been a Scholar at Sherborne School, and had later attended the Royal Military Academy at Woolwich as a Cadet, before being gazetted Second Lieutenant into the Royal Garrison Artillery in December 1913. Eynon went to France with the RGA during June 1915, then volunteered for service with the Royal Flying Corps just two months later, qualifying first as an Observer, then as a Pilot in May 1916 when he returned to the front, and was posted to 22 Squadron. On 8 September 1916, Eynon was flying his FE2b, Serial 4921, with Lieutenant Robert Macallan Stalker acting as Observer, were flying over Flers on the Somme Battlefield, when they unfortunately became a target for the German Ace, Oswald Boelcke, the man who trained Baron Manfred von Richtofen. Boelcke in his more able aeroplane shot down Eynon's aeroplane in flames, killing both Eynon and Robert. As with so many other men of the RFC shot down in flames, their bodies were burnt and so probably buried as unidentified airmen. As a result, both men is commemorated on the Arras Flying Services Memorial. Eynon was 23 years old, and Robert was 25. Earlier that year, on 26 March 1916, Eynon's father had passed away at the family's home at Hambrook, near Bath, after being discharged from the Army, where he had served as a Lieutenant with the Army Service Corps Remounts Section, due to ill health. Eynon George Rice Bowen is not commemorated on the Nevern War Memorial.

Harry Llewellyn Hughes-Jones, Lieutenant, Middlesex Regiment. Harry was the Son of the late Reverend I. Hughes-Jones, Vicar of Nevern, and Mrs Lily Hughes-Jones, of 52, Minster Road, West Hampstead. He had been commissioned into the Middlesex Regiment, serving with their 11th Battalion, attached to 36 Brigade in 12th (Eastern) Division. The Division landed at Boulogne on 31 May 1915, and took over the line at Ploegsteert Wood. They then moved south and fought in the Battle of Loos, and the subsequent actions of the Hohenzollern Redoubt, and it was at Loos that Harry was killed on 3 March 1916. He was 26 years old, and is commemorated on the Loos Memorial, France. Harry is not commemorated at Nevern.

Walter Jones, Private, 33961, Welsh Regiment. Walter was born at Nevern, but had moved to Fishguard before the war, which is where he enlisted into the 13th Battalion, Welsh Regiment. The battalion was attached to 114 Brigade, 38th (Welsh) Division, and had been in France since December 1915, and had fought in Flanders, at Mametz Wood on the Somme, and at Pilckem Ridge during the Battle of Passchendaele. In April 1915 the division had been moved to positions north of Albert on the Somme, and remained there until the launching of the great offensive of August 1918. Walter was wounded at Aveluy Wood just before the opening of the Battle of Albert. He died of wounds on 23 August 1918 and is buried at Varennes Military Cemetery, France. Walter is not commemorated at Nevern.

Walter Charles Little, Private, 320352, Welsh Regiment. Walter was the Son of Mrs. M. A. Hume, of 3, Badeley Square, New Street, Chelmsford. He lived in West Wales prior to the war, and enlisted at Carmarthen into the Pembroke Yeomanry, with the Service Number 4688. The Pembroke Yeomanry formed at Tenby during August, 1914 as part of the South Wales Mounted Brigade, 1st Mounted Division. In 1916 they were sent to Egypt and guarded the Suez Canal Defences, but early in 1917 were disbanded, with the Battalion merging with the Glamorgan Yeomanry to form the 24th Battalion, Welsh Regiment, attached to 231 Brigade, 74th (Yeomanry) Division. The Division had formed in Egypt in January, 1917 and had fought through the Palestinian Campaign, at the Battles of Gaza and the Battle and capture of Jerusalem. Due to the terrible casualties suffered by the British on the Western Front in March and April, 1918 the Division was recalled to the Western Front, and arrived at Marseilles during May, 1918. They then fought at the Second Battle of Bapaume during the great offensive, and fought in Flanders before returning to the Somme and fighting at the Battle of Epehy, as part of the offensive towards the Hindenburg Line. Walter was wounded here, and evacuated to the Casualty Clearing Station at Doingt, where he sadly died of his wounds on 21 September, 1918. He is buried at Doingt Communal Cemetery Extension, France.

John L. Marsden. Cannot be identified.

Henry Martin, Private, 94265, Royal Welsh Fusiliers. Henry was born at Hastings. He had lived at Nevern prior to the war, and enlisted at Carmarthen into the Monmouthshire Regiment, with the service number 60770. Henry was then transferred into the 17th Battalion, Royal Welsh Fusiliers, which was part of 115 Brigade, 38th (Welsh) Division. The division had been in France since December 1915, and had fought in Flanders, at Mametz Wood on the Somme, and at Pilckem Ridge during the Battle of Passchendaele. From 24 August 1918 onwards they advanced from positions on the Somme towards and through the Hindenburg Line, towards the Foret de Mormal, which is where Henry was killed on 4 November 1918, during the fighting for the forest. He is buried at Englefontaine British Cemetery, France. Henry is not commemorated locally.

Reginald James Pritchard, Private, 290258, Monmouthshire Regiment. Reginald was born at Nevern, the Son of Mary Pritchard, later of 'Sunny Meade', Mardy, Abergavenny, Monmouth. He enlisted into the 3rd Battalion, Monmouthshire Regiment, which was attached to 83 Brigade, 28th Division. The Division formed in England between December 1914 and January 1915 from regular units returning from India, Singapore and Egypt. During January 1915 it moved to France, landing at Le Havre and moved to the Western Front, where it saw its first major action during the Second Battle of Ypres. Reginald was killed here on 2 May 1915. He was just 19 years old and is commemorated on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Belgium. Reginald is not commemorated locally.

They Also Served

The War Memorial is also engraved with the names of the men of Nevern Parish who served and survived the Great War, with any extra information which can be traced. These men were;

Alders, G.

Bowen, Lieutenant-Colonel James Bevan, OBE, Royal Air Force, Llwyngwair, Newport. (Later Air Commodore)

Brown, Hubert Thomas, Berry Hill, Newport.

Brown, N.

Brown, Ronald Rees, Berry Hill, Newport

Coster, J.

Coster, W.

Davies, Thomas Griffith, Quarree, Velindre

Diggins, J.

Dines, B.

Hall, E.C.

Harries, Jesse Daniel, Bryn, Newport

James, Benjamin, Court, Nevern, Velindre

James, James, Court, Nevern, Velindre

James, William Meyler, Cilwen Farm, Newport

Jenkins, George A., Nevern House.

Longstaff, W.

Makey, William, Coed Cadu, Velindre

Phillips, Jno. Arthur

Richards, David, Llwyngwair Lodge

Snowball, Harold, Nevern, Velindre

Thomas, William, Pencrugian, Velindre

Ward, H.C.

Webb, F.

Williams, A.