Cwmcarn War Memorial

The Cwmcarn War Memorial was raised by members of the town and unveiled by Major Sir John Wyndham Beynon, Baronet, on 5th March 1922. The memorial, now a Grade II listed building, was initially erected to commemorate the 80 local men of Cwmcarn and Pontywaun who made the supreme sacrifice in the First World War. Plaques have since been added to honour other local men who fell in the Second World War and subsequent conflicts. The War Memorial stands in the square at the bottom of Ivor Street, Cwmcarn, south Wales, and is surrounded by black and gold painted railings of wrought iron.

Cwmcarn War Memorial | Front Face

The life-sized bronze statue of a soldier, head bowed and hands resting on his rifle, stands on top of a tapered, square-sectioned pedestal that bears this inscription on the front bronze plaque:-

TO THE
GLORY OF GOD
AND IN EVERLASTING
MEMORY OF THE MEN
OF CWMCARN AND
PONTYWAUN
WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES
IN THE GREAT WAR
1914-1918

The names of 80 local men who died in the Great War are recorded across this plaque and a similar plaque on the memorial’s rear side.

Cwmcarn War Memorial | Front Panel Commemorating The Local Men Of Cwmcarn And Pontywaun Who Were Killed In The Great War

Front Panel:

• Lieutenant John William Taylor, 2nd Monmouthshire Regiment. {Also commemorated on the Teachers from the County of Monmouthshire War Memorial, Usk County Hall}
• Lieutenant Ellerton Davies, 2nd Monmouthshire Regiment.
• Sergeant Major W. J. Stroud, Royal Army Medical Corps.
• Sergeant T. Callagan, Welsh Gaurds.
• Sergeant L. Edwards, South Wales Borderers.
• Sergeant D. Harper, South Wales Borderers.
• Sergeant W. E. Lander (awarded the Military Medal), South Wales Borderers. {Also commemorated on the Newbridge War Memorial (now at St. Fagans)}
• Sergeant G. H. Smith, South Wales Borderers.
• Corporal W. J. Brinkworth, South Wales Borderers.
• Corporal W. H. Cunnick, South Wales Borderers.
• Corporal P. Griffiths, South Wales Borderers.
• Corporal W. Crabb, 2nd Monmouthshire Regiment.
• Corporal A. Griffiths, Welsh Regiment.
• Corporal W. Williams, Grenadier Guards.
• Lance Corporal W. Duffield, South Wales Borderers.
• Lance Corporal T. J. Gooding, South Wales Borderers.
• Lance Corporal T. H. Roberts, 2nd Monmouthshire Regiment.
• Lance Corporal A. Short, 2nd Monmouthshire Regiment.
• Lance Corporal D. H. Thomas, 2nd Monmouthshire Regiment.
• Lance Corporal G. Whately, 2nd Monmouthshire Regiment.
• Lance Corporal W. J. West, Royal Army Medical Corps.
• Signalman T. W. Hands (awarded the Military Medal), Royal Berkshire Regiment.
• Signalman D. F. Rowlands, Royal Field Artillery.
• Gunner T. G. Holtham, Royal Field Artillery.
• Gunner W. H. Maisey, Royal Field Artillery.
• Gunner B. Willits, Royal Field Artillery.
• Driver J. Brown, Royal Field Artillery.
• Driver E. A. Davies, Royal Field Artillery.
• Bombardier T. J. Whately, Royal Field Artillery.
• Sapper W. R. Burns (awarded the Military Medal), Royal Engineers.
• Drummer W. T. Stroud, 2nd Monmouthshire Regiment.
• Private S. V. Burns, 2nd Monmouthshire Regiment.
• Private A. Davies, 2nd Monmouthshire Regiment.
• Private J. W. Evans, 2nd Monmouthshire Regiment.
• Private J. J. Foley, 2nd Monmouthshire Regiment.
• Private O. Harrison, 2nd Monmouthshire Regiment.
• Private A. Jenkins, 2nd Monmouthshire Regiment.
• Private W. H. Morgan, 2nd Monmouthshire Regiment.
• Private S. T. Rogers, 2nd Monmouthshire Regiment.
• Private W. J. Sage, 2nd Monmouthshire Regiment.

Cwmcarn War Memorial | Rear View

Rear Panel:

• Private W. Simmonds, 2nd Monmouthshire Regiment.
• Private W. J. Stone, 2nd Monmouthshire Regiment.
• Private D. Thomas, 2nd Monmouthshire Regiment.
• Private T. Roberts, 1st Monmouthsire Regiment.
• Private R. D. Tudor, 1st Monmouthshire Regiment.
• Private J. Birt, South Wales Borderers.
• Private E. Broad, South Wales Borderers.
• Private H. V. Duffield, South Wales Borderers.
• Private R. Franklyn, South Wales Borderers.
• Private H. P. King, South Wales Borderers.
• Private T. J. Matthews, South Wales Borderers.
• Private M. Moseley, South Wales Borderers.
• Private C. Petherson, South Wales Borderers.
• Private W. Pye, South Wales Borderers.
• Private J. Titt, South Wales Borderers.
• Private T. H. Walters, South Wales Borderers.
• Private F. W. Westcotte, South Wales Borderers.
• Private J. Greenslade, 10th Battalion, South Wales Borderers.
• Private A. Hopkins, South Wales Borderers.
• Gunner H. J. J. Burge, Royal Field Artillery.
• Gunner T. James, Royal Field Artillery.
• Gunner D. T. Mantle, Royal Field Artillery.
• Gunner J. Rowlands, Royal Field Artillery.
• Gunner P. Thomas, Royal Field Artillery.
• Private B. Lovell, Royal Welsh Fusiliers.
• Private T. Nicholas, Royal Army Medical Corps.
• Private W. H. Smith, Royal Army Medical Corps.
• Private B. Davies, Scots Guards.
• Private W. J. Evans, Gloucestershire Regiment.
• Private W. Harper, 7th Worcesters.
• Private G. M. Hern, Royal Irish Rifles.
• Private W. R. Lott, Motor Transport section, Army Service Corps.
• Private G. Price, {recorded as ‘R. S. L. I. but thought to have served in the King’s Shropshire Light Infantry.
• Private G. G. Welsh, Durham Light Infantry.
• Private O. Kenna, Royal Engineers.
• Private J. Sheppard, Rifle Brigade.
• Private T. Pike, Grenadier Guards.
• Stoker F. L. J. Coles, Royal Naval Division.
• Stoker A. R. Roberts, Royal Naval Division.
• Seaman P. C. Thompson, Royal Naval Division.

Cwmcarn War Memorial | Rear Panel Commemorating The Local Men Of Cwmcarn And Pontywaun Who Were Killed In The Great War

The rear panel of the Cwmcarn War Memorial ends with a quotation from St. John, chapter 15, verse 1:

“GREATER LOVE HATH NO MAN THAN THIS,
THAT A MAN LAY DOWN HIS LIFE FOR
HIS FRIEND”

JOHN XV, 13.

It also includes details regarding the date of unveiling and several members of the Memorial Committee:-

Councillor A. E. Meredith (President), J. Richards (Chairman), D. Evans (Treasurer) and F. Charlotte (Secretary).

Cwmcarn War Memorial | Soldier

The Cwmcarn War Memorial also includes the names of those killed in the Second World War and that of a single soldier of the Welsh Guards who was killed in Northern Ireland in 1979. Those plaques are attached to the memorial’s left side.

Notes:-

High quality images of the Cwmcarn War Memorial.

Do you have any information about a First World War casualty listed on this memorial that you would like to have featured here? Contact me.

References used: First World War Graves and Memorials in Gwent – Volume 1, Ray Westlake.