RAY WESTLAKE

Remembering The Great War

Pentyrch, Glamorgan

Leaving the M4 Motorway at Junction 32, travel north-west on the A470, then left down to Pentyrch. The memorial is found on the left side of the road just prior to entering the village from the north. A tall stone obelisk, it bears fourteen names for the Second World War and fifteen from the First: Bert Abbott, Philip Evans, Ernest Edser, Thomas William Foxall, Thomas John Jones, Maelgwyn Evan Lewis, William Dawson Llewellyn, Llewellyn Morgan, Horatio Lloyd Phillips, Vivian R. Powell, Christmas Jacob Rees, Arthur Washington Rees, Francis John Smitherem, Daniel Morgan, Thomas and Thomas Jenkins. The list set out alphabetically, note how Thomas Jenkins has been added at some later date.
Also note the two members of the Rees family.
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Private Christmas Jacob of "B" Company, 16th Royal Welsh Fusiliers, eighteen when he was killed on 26 August, 1918. The son of John and Annie Rees of Bronllwyn, Pentyrch, records the Commonwealth War Graves Commision. Arthur Washington was killed three months earlier on 27 May, while serving with the 8th Border Regiment. The Battalion that day involved in the Second Battle of the Aisne and bombarded with high explosive and gas shells between 1 and 4 am, before being practically surrounded by the advancing German infantry near Ventelay.

St. Catwg's

[Image] Turning left at the road junction, note the Horeb Chapel on the corner, drive down Heol-y-Pentre where at the junction with Church Road you find St. Catwg's. Of c1853-7 origin and by Prichar & Seddon, records Newman's The Buildings of Wales, the church is also noted in Kelly's Directory for 1926, as having been built on an earlier site and possessing a register dating from 1670.
Before entering St. Catwg's by its south porch, look first for the war grave of nineteen year old Private Francis John Smitherem who, with the Army Service Corps, died from pneumonia on 26 February, 1916. His parents, record the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, being resident at Funeye Cottage, Taffs Well just over a mile to the north-east.

To the south wall of the nave now and the fine white marble memorial to Private Ernest Edser of the 13th Royal Welsh Fusiliers. Five Points Cemetery is situated near Lechelle, seven miles south-east of Bapaume, and with this being close to where his battalion were in action between 16-19 September, it would be safe to assume that Ernest Edser received his fatal wounds at some time during this period. The 13th RWF being then involved with operations against African Trench near Rocquigny. [Image]

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