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WORLD WAR ONE

The Men Who Died

WORLD WAR ONE

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Ivor was born in Brecon in on 27th September, 1898, youngest son of Evan and Ann Rees of 69, The Struet. Evan was a cowman. By 1911 the family still occupied 69, The Struet but also at number 70 and Evan is an under-gardener, with Ivor,12, still at school. Later Ivor worked for Mr. Lewis Meredith a local builder. Ivor initially joined a Training Reserve Battalion in March 1917 but was posted to the 9th

Battalion, Cheshire Regiment at Rouen after arriving in France in January 1918. His battalion served with 58th and then the 56th Brigade within the 19th (Western) Division, experiencing some severe fighting, including the Cambrai withdrawal. In April 1918 the Division was involved in the Battles of the Lys which included a number of phases incorporating the German attack known as Operation Georgette and subsequent fighting in the valley of the River Lys and in the Flemish hills. The 19th (Western) Division were directly involved in the Battle for Bailleul between the 13th and 15th of April, immediately followed by the first Battle of Kemmel (17-19th, April). Ivor's brother David, served with the Brecknocks in India.

God will clasp the broken chain, closer when we meet

again

Lance Corporal David Richards

South Wales Borderers 6th Battalion, service no. 17367

Died at Home on October 12th. 1918, aged 26

Remembered with Honour Llanspyddid (St Cattwg)

Churchyard

David was born to William and Ann Richards in 1891. There were then, seven children living with the family at the Drover’s Arms, 1, Newgate Street, Llanfaes, Brecon where William was the inn keeper. David's mother Ann died about 1896 and in the 1901 Census, his father was a widower with seven children, the youngest being 6, so his mother probably died when David was only 5. William was still running the Drover’s Arms at this time. By 1911 William has left the pub and he and David are living at 6, Newgate Street. David's father, now 66, worked as a gardener’s labourer at this time and David, 19, was a labourer in a colliery. Only two of the family are now together although the records show there were 12 children in total, of whom 9 were living in 1911.

David enlisted with the South Wales Borderers in 1914 and went to France in September 1915 serving for over 3 years in France going through a lot of hard fighting in most of the chief engagements. He was at home on leave in October 1918 when he suffered influenza followed by pneumonia, leading to his death at the Barracks hospital. David was buried with military honours at Llanspyddid on Wednesday Oct 16th 1918.

Private Ivor Rees

Cheshire Regiment 9th Btn, service no. 66147

Killed in Action 17th April 1918, aged 19

Commemorated at Zonnebeke West Flanders, Belgium