Remembering Emlyn

Recently Neyland Town Council paid for an additional name to be added to the Neyland  and Llanstadwell  War Memorial on lower Kensington Road.

The name of Emlyn Cyril Langham Thomas  was added last week.  He was born in Neyland  on 24  Frbruary 1896 and was the son of William Thomas, Marine Foreman in the Trinity Setvice and Ann his wife.  Later they moved to 7, Frederick Street in the town.

Emlyn joined the armed during the First World War  serving in the King’s  Liverpool  Regiment.  He was gassed on the Western Front and was medically downgraded later serving in the Labour Corps.

Emlyn’s health was irreparably damaged and he died on 1 July 1921 aged 26 years.

Adding Emlyn’s name was the initiative of historian Dr Simon Hancock  who is also the Armed Forces Champion for Pembrokeshire.  He stated,  ‘ Emlyn  lies in Honeyborough Cemetery  and has a Commonwealth War Grave  but inexplicably  his name was not added to the local War Memorial which was unveiled in December 1930.  Many War memorials were the work of local committees who were working with incomplete information. Yet this would not apply in this case since many people would have remembered Emlyn’s death and burial nine years before.  He has been forgotten for 95 years. Now, thanks to the generous funding of Neyland  Town Council  his name is listed where it deserves to be. He is not forgotten.’

Pictured:  Dr Simon Hancock  with the Mayor  of Neyland  Cllr Peter Hay.

Detail of the new name inscribed ECL THOMAS on the Neyland and Llanstadwell War Memorial.

Grave of Emlyn Cyril Langham Thomas  in Honeyborough  Cemetery.