Evan Richard Llewellyn 15642 - 10th Btn (1st Rhondda) Welsh Regiment

[EastUpperGooner]

My great-great-uncle Evan Richard Llewellyn served in the Welsh Regiment during the war, going by the medal rolls it would appear he earned both the victory and 1914-15 star medals, He was discharged with a disability on 08/02/1919.

 

He was born around 1891 near Swansea and died in 1956 in Pontypridd.

 

I'd be grateful for any more information on his service or what his battalion was involved in, I've read a couple of threads on here about the 10th Btn (1st Rhondda) but I'm yet to find a copy of the war diary that's available.

 

His ancestry page along with medal rolls & pension information is here https://www.ancestry.co.uk/family-tree/person/tree/171739324/person/302229212010/facts

 

Thanks in advance

 

EUG

[EDWARD1]

Here on Ancestry in the Infantry Brigade section https://www.ancestry.co.uk/imageviewer/collections/60779/images/43849_2559_0-00000?ssrc=&backlabel=Return

[EastUpperGooner]

38 minutes ago, EDWARD1 said:

Here on Ancestry in the Infantry Brigade section https://www.ancestry.co.uk/imageviewer/collections/60779/images/43849_2559_0-00000?ssrc=&backlabel=Return

Amazing. Thank you, Edward!

[EastUpperGooner]

I'm back again and heading to the Western Front at the end of the month. Was the war diary above ever transcribed into print? 

I'm still having trouble reading large chunks of it three years later...

 

Thanks in advance

[Matlock1418]

On 03/11/2020 at 19:16, EastUpperGooner said:

I'd be grateful for any more information on his service or what his battalion was involved in,

Just a possible source: Have you looked for him in local newspapers?

His pension ledger and card at WFA/Fold3 - on transfer to Army Reserve Class Z, 8.2.19, have him living at 13 Lewis St, Penygraig, Rhondda - suffering from Bronchial catarrh it would seem.

M

[EastUpperGooner]

Hi M, I haven't no. Which resources would I look at for that information?

Thank you for that bit of info, I only recently uncovered that new pension ledger. 

[EastUpperGooner]

On 02/02/2023 at 12:18, Matlock1418 said:

Just a possible source: Have you looked for him in local newspapers?

His pension ledger and card at WFA/Fold3 - on transfer to Army Reserve Class Z, 8.2.19, have him living at 13 Lewis St, Penygraig, Rhondda - suffering from Bronchial catarrh it would seem.

M

The above reply was for you. I mis-clicked haha!

[Matlock1418]

1 hour ago, EastUpperGooner said:

Which resources would I look at for that information?

Newspapers = Typically I would suggest the British Newspaper Archive https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk [also via Find My Past] but for Wales I also suggest the National Library of Wales https://newspapers.library.wales

M

[Noor]

No mention in FindMyPast.

[EastUpperGooner]

1 minute ago, Noor said:

No mention in FindMyPast.

No, I have a feeling as he was a private and wasn't injured/killed there won't be any newspaper records. Thank you for looking though.

I would like to update his death in my original post to 1923 but it doesn't allow, the previous date was for different soldier of a similar name. 

25 minutes ago, Matlock1418 said:

Newspapers = Typically I would suggest the British Newspaper Archive https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk [also via Find My Past] but for Wales I also suggest the National Library of Wales https://newspapers.library.wales

M

Thank you, I will do some more digging on the Library of Wales website this evening. 

[Mark1959]

The only record bar his medal and pension I can find is a transcribed record on FWR. He was admitted to No. 4 Stationary Hospital at Arques on 19/5/17. He was discharged to duty on 29/5. Admitted for Dental Caries - so one suspects horrendous toothache. Shows 10th Welsh. Says 18 months in field force and 2 years in service. 18 moths is consistent with entry into France on medal card 

[EastUpperGooner]

59 minutes ago, Mark1959 said:

The only record bar his medal and pension I can find is a transcribed record on FWR. He was admitted to No. 4 Stationary Hospital at Arques on 19/5/17. He was discharged to duty on 29/5. Admitted for Dental Caries - so one suspects horrendous toothache. Shows 10th Welsh. Says 18 months in field force and 2 years in service. 18 moths is consistent with entry into France on medal card 

Thank you Mark! Would that tie in with him being at the battle of Mametz Wood then?

[Matlock1418]

2 hours ago, EastUpperGooner said:

No, I have a feeling as he was a private and wasn't injured/killed there won't be any newspaper records.

Wounding/sickness and/or death were not the only reasons why a soldier could get into a newspaper - enlistment, mobilisation, leave, published letters home, sometimes gallantry awards etc. and demobilisation could be a reason(s) for a mention / photo in a local newspaper.  Local newspapers perhaps being considered the social media of the day.

2 hours ago, EastUpperGooner said:

I will do some more digging on the Library of Wales website this evening. 

Of course often seems pot luck ... happy/good hunting.  Fingers-crossed!

M

Edited 7 February , 2023 by Matlock1418
typo

[Mark1959]

30 minutes ago, EastUpperGooner said:

Thank you Mark! Would that tie in with him being at the battle of Mametz Wood then?

I presume you are talking about the famous action of the 38th Welsh Division in early July 1916?

The date on the Medal Card of 2/12/15 is consistent with him moving to France wth the main body of the 10th Battn. One of the 2 medal roll entries for him give the 10th  several times with some refs to Infantry Base Depot. This seems to me indicative of some time away from the unit at a depot in France. Possibly for health reasons. The one existing medical rcord from 1917 may not have been the only one but the rest, if they ever did, no longer exist. His service papers no longer exist. This would probably have shown any absences from the 10th due to illness, leave or any other reason. 

So if you ignore all my ifs, buts and maybes I think we can say that known records indicate a very high probability of his being present at Mametz Wood - if the 10th were. However, no cast iron guarantee can ever be given at this point. 

 

[EastUpperGooner]

1 minute ago, Mark1959 said:

I presume you are talking about the famous action of the 38th Welsh Division in early July 1916?

The date on the Medal Card of 2/12/15 is consistent with him moving to France wth the main body of the 10th Battn. One of the 2 medal roll entries for him give the 10th  several times with some refs to Infantry Base Depot. This seems to me indicative of some time away from the unit at a depot in France. Possibly for health reasons. The one existing medical rcord from 1917 may not have been the only one but the rest, if they ever did, no longer exist. His service papers no longer exist. This would probably have shown any absences from the 10th due to illness, leave or any other reason. 

So if you ignore all my ifs, buts and maybes I think we can say that known records indicate a very high probability of his being present at Mametz Wood - if the 10th were. However, no cast iron guarantee can ever be given at this point. 

 

Thank you, you have been a great help in bringing at least part of his service to life for my family and I. I have tried to read the war diary above and it's difficult to read at best.

Although he may not have survived long after the war I will place a cross for him at the memorial at Mametz Wood in a few weeks.

Thanks again

[Mark1959]

The Hospital Admission record suggest enlistment in mid-1915. 

Did a near number check - ERL is 15642

15630 enlisted 17/9/14

15638 enlisted 23/9/14

15640 enlisted 21/9/14 in Maesteg and went out with the 10th on 2/12/15

15646 enlisted 25/9/14 and was discharged before end of 1914

15647 enlisted 21/9/14 and was discharged in March 1916

15649 enlisted 23/9/14 and was discharged after a month

I think you can see where I am going with this. Clear pattern that he enlisted in mid-late Sept 1914 not as suggested by the hospital record. To date no excpetions to above pattern. This approach can work if one can establish a consistant pattern

A couple of the above enlisted Maesteg. Also Merthyr. 
 

[EastUpperGooner]

 

On 07/02/2023 at 17:46, Mark1959 said:

The Hospital Admission record suggest enlistment in mid-1915. 

Did a near number check - ERL is 15642

15630 enlisted 17/9/14

15638 enlisted 23/9/14

15640 enlisted 21/9/14 in Maesteg and went out with the 10th on 2/12/15

15646 enlisted 25/9/14 and was discharged before end of 1914

15647 enlisted 21/9/14 and was discharged in March 1916

15649 enlisted 23/9/14 and was discharged after a month

I think you can see where I am going with this. Clear pattern that he enlisted in mid-late Sept 1914 not as suggested by the hospital record. To date no excpetions to above pattern. This approach can work if one can establish a consistant pattern

A couple of the above enlisted Maesteg. Also Merthyr. 
 

Maesteg would make sense as it's only a couple of valleys over.

Thanks again Mark, fantastic work.