Dyfed Family History Society
A VERY interesting, appropriate and thoughtprovoking talk was given at the meeting of the Dyfed Family History Society on November 28.
The guest speaker was Phil Davies from the Western Front Association (South Wales).
The talk was entitled ‘Following the 38th Welsh Division during the Last Hundred Days of the Great War’.
The Welsh Division, which included men from the Carmarthen Pals, started their offensive on August 21, 1918, and the meeting then followed their actions until Armistice Day on November 11. By September 5 they had advanced 15 miles with heavy fighting all the way. This was an astonishing achievement but at high cost as 3,614 men had been killed and wounded.
The Division was then withdrawn for six days of badly-needed rest. They then fought on the Hindenburg Line, at Cambrai and Selle in October and at Sambre on November 4.
There were high casualty rates in these battles and throughout the war the Division lost 29,380 killed, wounded and missing.
During the talk members also heard details of some of the soldiers: Carmarthen Pal Lt James Alfred David, a Welsh rugby player, awarded the DSO and Military Cross for taking many German prisoners and capturing enemy machine guns; Brigadier General John Vaughan Campbell, of Golden Grove, awarded the VC in 1916; Sgt Henry Weale VC worked at Ruthin steel works,presented with a gold watch when home on leave, but had to sell it later when times were hard.
Members were shown pages from a diary by Pte David Jenkins, 2nd Welsh Fusiliers, who although injured, wrote about the experiences.
An insight into the bravery of these men, which was very humbling.
The 24th Battalion of the Welsh Regiment, which included men from the Pembrokeshire Yeomanry, included a black officer from Jamaica named Lt David Louise Clemetson. He was the only black person to hold the rank of lieutenant in the First World War.
There are many books which cover this awful time in our history. Among them is one by Steven John from Laugharne entitled ‘Carmarthen in the Great War’ which contains details of many Carmarthenshire men who fought and died in the war.
This barely touches on all that was heard, but space is limited. A most enjoyable evening, if that is the right word, but the talk made us feel very much a part of it.
The first meeting in 2019 will be the AGM at 7.30pm on January 30 at the Spilman Hotel, Spilman Street, Carmarthen.
It will follow the same format as last year with the AGM business coming first, followed by a break for tea/ coffee and finishing with a fun quiz about Carmarthenshire. Nonmembers welcome.