Merthyr Tydfi War Memorial

[Mark Hone]

My mother-in-law was recently in Merthyr and noticed a VC recipient commemorated on the war memprial. She asked me to find out some details but unfortunately has mislaid the piece of paper she wrote the details on. Does any kind forum contributor know the identity of the soldier commemorated? I can take it from there.

[shinglma]

try looking on

http://www.homeusers.prestel.co.uk/stewart/vcross.htm

I think Sgt John Collins may be your man? He seems to be the only recipient buried in Merthyr.

[Mark Hone]

Thanks-the VC site was my first port of call but the search facility is still, as the webmatrer admits, a bit limited. I probably wasn't very clear in my original posting-the VC winner is on the town war memorial, and was therefore presumably killed during the war and is buried or commemorated elsewhere. Unfortunately none of the reference books or websites that I know record where winners are commemorated on local war memorials.

[Myrtle]

Mark

The VC man could have been commemorated on the Merthyr Tydfil War Memorial and buried in the same town. Men who died at home were usually commemorated on their local War Memorials when buried in local cemeteries and often also commemorated on Place of Worship memorials.

[Mark Hone]

Apologies-Sergeant Collins is indeed the man. He is on the war memorial even though he died in 1951. Presumably this sort of courtesy is only accorded to e.g. VC winners.

[Amy Kitcher]

Actually Sgt Collins is not commemorated on a War Memorial, rather in a garden of commemoration in the grounds of the parish church at the bottom of the HIgh Street. I can provide a photo if you want.

He served in the 25th batt. of the RWF. He was a Corporal when he won the VC, in 1917 in Palestine.

He was also the recipient of the DCM.

Amy Kitcher

Merthyr Tydfil