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WORLD WAR ONE

The Men Who Died

WORLD WAR ONE

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Aaron Letton was born in Brecon in 1885 to Joseph and Catherine Letton (nee Downing).

Joseph was born in Essex and was himself a soldier with the 24th Regiment South Wales Borderers, having spent 36 years with the colours, rising to quartermaster sergeant major. He served many years abroad and later spent eighteen years stationed in Brecon and continued to live there after retirement. Catherine was born in Ireland and was a widow with three sons when she married Joseph. They had three more sons and a daughter, of whom Aaron was the youngest.

In 1891 Joseph was still a serving soldier and the family were living at Brecon Barracks. There were five children at home at this time. Joseph retired from the army in about 1892 but continued to work at the Barracks and in 1901 he was the canteen manager at Brecon Barracks and Aaron, aged 16, and brother Arthur, aged 18, were canteen workers at the Barracks.

Catherine died in 1904 and by 1911 Joseph was a widower living at 44 The Watton, as an army pensioner. Aaron was a lance corporal living at Shornmead Fort near Gravesend and listed his trade as

Company Sergeant Major Aaron Letton

South Wales Borderers A Company 1st Battalion, service no.

8198

Killed in Action 10th November 1917, aged 32

Commemorated at West-Vlaanderen, Belgium, Tyne Cot

Memorial

assistant grocer.

Already a serving soldier Aaron went to the Western Front on November 5th 1914 and went through numerous battles during his three years on the front line. On the evening of November 9th 1917 the Battalion moved up ready to launch an assault with Canadian forces near Brielen in Belgium, not far from Ypres and in the early hours of the 10th the attack began. Conditions were fairly good to start with but heavy rain soon made movement difficult. Fighting continued all day with fierce counter attacks from the enemy, as well as artillery and aircraft fire. Casualties were heavy with ten officers and 372 men killed or wounded. This attack was at the end of the second Battle of Passchendaele, as part of the third Battle of Ypres.

In his will Aaron gave his address as 15, Conway Street Brecon and he left everything to his brother Arthur.