CONTACT US

Regimental Museum (Brecon)

British Library

History

LINKS

SOCIAL

SUPPORTED BY

WORLD WAR ONE

The Men Who Died

WORLD WAR ONE

315 316

Private Rhys Thomas Prytherch

13th Labour Coy., The King's Liverpool Regiment, service

no. 70532

Died Easter Monday March 23rd, 1917, aged 34

Buried at Longuenesse (St Omer) Souviner Cemetery,

France

visiting the sick and aged.

Rhys volunteered for the Army in 1914 but was refused due to a bad hip-related to TB. He was offered a chaplaincy but was not eligible as he wanted to work alongside private soldiers. In all, he made four unsuccessful attempts to join up, including the Welsh Guards. Eventually he was allowed to join the Welsh Regiment and later transferred to the Pioneer (Labour) Battalion. His battalion arrived in France ten days before he became ill whilst on active service and was

admitted to a military hospital, where he later died of meningitis.

Rhys’s name is included in a memorial at Pengenfford Chapel at Talgarth that was unveiled in 1920.

His father and sister lived at Blainau Farm, Talgarth at the time.

By 1911 he was lodging in Swansea where he worked at a mission hall and was very respected in the area. Later he took on the pastorate of Hay and Clifford CM churches. He was well known as pastor in Talgarth and Bronllys, where he did a great deal of work

Rhys Thomas Prytherch was born in 1883, son of William and Sarah Prytherch, who were farmers. Rhys was born at Y Rhiw, Llandeilo'r

Fan, but by 1891 the family were at Middle Penllannfel, Llangorse and later moved to The Wern in Talgarth.

Rhys was one of the first intake of pupils to Brecon County Intermediate School in 1896. In 1901 he was lodging in Cardiff whilst studying for, and achieved an honours degree in Welsh, later attends Carmarthen Theological College where he gained his BD.